Pure Hip Hop

It's been over two decades now that hip hop has been the back drop and  theme music in my life and there's certain songs and albums that just take me back to times past every time I listen to them. And then, there's those albums that take you deep on a journey deep into the artists creative, by masters craftsman who paint vivid pictures with there words. My thirty year long hip hop journey has taken me on everything from, bank robbery's, on to the streets of New York and even on murder investigations by creators with the talents to create clear visuals with there words.

But, let us not forget the role production plays in the whole process. No production is like having a paint brush, but no paint, like having the best studio in the world, but no electric. Just like a great story telling rapper a dope beat maker can take listeners into different zones and different places. I've been lucky enough to have been to New York more then 5 times now in the physical, but that's not counting the hundreds of times New York visits me, in the form of a Premo beat or a dope Pete Rock production. But the creation of a dope song or classic album requires the skills of rapper and producer to combine and come together, like man and woman do in order to create new life. Both equally need each other. 

When it comes to a great story telling song the hip hop genre is hard to beat. I'm not saying artists of other music genres don't tell great stories in there songs, but I do think rap has taken the art of story telling in a song and concept rapping to new levels. During the mid nineties, hip hops golden era when the genre was less then twenty years old, we'd heard rappers spelling out wholes songs, Nas turn into a rapping gun, before later going on to tell us a story backwards. And then there was Tracey Lee playing five Characters on the classic, 'Who Shot LR'. I have to say, it's been a pleasure consuming all the detailed story telling and complex concepts over the years of listening to hip hop.

 Below you'll find a list of albums and songs made by a varied list of artists who I'd advise, you hip hop vets to revisit or newer generation hip hop fans to get know. Included in my list are some of hip hop great story songs and albums that take you on journeys when listening from beginning to end.

Please add any other examples of great hip hop story songs and journey taking albums you rate in the comments. And if your listening to some of the material for the first time, please let us know what you think.

Peace!

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Home Work Check List

Biggie Smalls - Niggas Bleed

DJ Muggs V The Gza - Exploitation of Mistakes

Nas - Rewind

Beenie Sigal - What ya Life Like

Redman - Da iz a Darkside

Sticky Fingaz - The Autobiography of Kirk Jones

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca & Soul Brother

Ice Cube - Death Certificate

Nas - Illmatic

Mc Eight - We Come Strapped

Nas - I Gave you Power

Tracey Lee - Who Shot LR?