The Soundtrack
An Introduction to the Underground
Being that I'm pained by listening to hip-hop radio on a regular basis, I soothe my ears with the smooth sounds of the underground. Some of these guys you've probably never heard of, some might seem sorta familiar. But either way, you should take my word for it and cop these records. I did.
| Def Jux | MF Doom | Justus League | Free Agents |
Defnitive Jux:
The Label That Started it All
Fantastic Damage — El-P
El-P is the guy responsible for the underground existing as we know it. The founder of Definitive Jux is a visionary, which you need to keep in mind when listening to his album.
TTD: Stepfather Factory
The Cold Vein — Cannibal Ox
Can Ox's only album was the initial offering from Definitive Jux. It's a classic you never knew about, until now. Be prepared to open your mind to hip hop you're not used to.
TTD: The F-Word
I Phantom — Mr. Lif
Lif is the dude who got me on the underground. I took a chance on this CD in the bargain bin and never looked back.
TTD: Success (feat. Aesop Rock)
Bazooka Tooth — Aesop Rock
'Sop is a wee bit out there, but rewards repeated listens. I promise.
TTD: We're Famous (feat. El-P)
3:16 The 9th Edition — Murs
Murs is the kind of guy who might never blow commercially, which is criminal, because his bank account deserves fan support. This album, produced fully by 9th Wonder of Little Brother, is unblemished.
TTD: And This is For …
MF Doom:
The Man Behind the Mask
Vaudeville Villain — Viktor Vaughn
An MF Doom alter-ego, Viktor Vaughn is a time-traveler from '94 warped to the present. Forget the concept and just vibe out to the scattershot word association.
TTD: Saliva
Madvillainy — Madvillain
A collaborative album with Madlib laying down the tracks Doom rhymes over. You only thought College Dropout was 2004's record of the year.
TTD: All Caps
MM..Food — MF Doom
This is the second self-produced and rapped Doom record, under the main moniker. This album just puts me in a good mood. I find his voice and flow quite relaxing. I'll throw this on when I need to just take my mind off everything else.
TTD: Deep Fried Frienz
The Mouse and the Mask — DangerDoom
A collabo between the Villain and Danger Mouse thematically tied together by the Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Yes, I realize how ridiculous that sounds. It doesn't stop the album from being awesome. Or allowing you to hear Meatwad rap.
TTD: Benzie Box (feat. Cee-Lo)
The Justus League:
Swimming into the Mainstream
The Listening — Little Brother
Little Brother is about to blow — their major-label debut, The Minstrel Show, is out Sept. 13. These guys just make good music. It's chilled out, soulful beats with rhymes about the lives we're all living, not those of the dudes in BET videos.
TTD: The Yo-Yo
Connected — Foreign Exchange
This album came together on oppposite sides of the Atlantic. The producer, Nicolay, is from the Netherlands, and the emcee, Phonte of Little Brother, is from Raleigh, NC. They exchanged beats and rhymes over the Internet (via the okayplayer.com Web site) and put together a dope album.
TTD: Brand New Day
The Minstrel Show — Little Brother
LB's second album picks up where the first left off. It doesn't quite reach its tremendous upside potential (word to Bill Simmons), but it's on the right curve. Think Bron after his first year in the L.
TTD: Hiding Place feat. Elzhi (NOTE: The album should be heard in its entirety. Hell, I'll burn you a copy if you let me know you want one.)
The Free Agents
1988 — Blueprint
Print holds down this tribute to the Golden Year on the rapper/producer tip (Damn … and y'all thought 'Ye was the only one to pull that).
TTD: Inner-City-Native-Son
8 Million Stories — Soul Position
Soul Position's album is a collabo between Blueprint and producer RJD2, who you should know if you don't.
TTD: Run
Shadows on the Sun — Brother Ali
Ali is a 300-pound albino black dude. With that out of the way, open your ears to the best emcee you never would have known existed.
TTD: Forest Whitaker
Revolutionary Vol. 2 — Immortal Technique
Technique is an angry dude, but he's one who should be heard. Not only because he's got something to say, but because he's a damn good rapper. I quote the Kweli line on speaking in schools: They say it's cuz I'm intelligent, when it's cuz I'm dope / If I was whack, I'd be irrelevant.
Track to Download: Industrial Revolution
The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP — Jean Grae
Jean is what every mainstream female emcee wishes she could be. She's just straight nasty. Without any sexual connotation. Her lyrics are fire.
TTD: My Crew
Joyful Rebellion — k-os
k-os is an original, producing, rapping and singing all over this album. It's hip hop, and not, but when it's this good, it doesn't matter..
TTD: Crabbuckit
Mirror Music — Wordsworth
Wordsworth is one of the most ridiculous live emcees I've ever seen — he freestyled about things in the room at a quick pace with no break in flow — and he translates well to album form. The "us" wordplay in the final verse on "Evol" had me rewinding repeatedly and calling people just to let them hear it over the phone.
TTD: Evol (feat. Justin Time & Masta Ace)