Page 1 of 4

British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:46 pm
by lalanana
I know this might sound ridiculous, but as an American I just cannot understand British rapping. Maybe it's the accent, or maybe the different slang, but all british rapping sounds horribly goofy to me. Example, I think Tempa T - next hype is the goofiest rap I have ever heard, and then I find out that it's popular in England. And that intensive snare song by plastician, all i could think was why is this rap in here? "Are you stupid in the face"?????? what kind of 3rd grade line is that? Even the streets, who had some success in America, just doesn't do it for me.

Does anyone else feel my pain? Does anyone else cringe when they hear a voice over the beats? What I would love is a flow like Nas or Guru or Ghostface or GZA or KRS or MF or even (I hate to say it, but he used to be fire) Wayne over a grimey beat.

I know this is a bit of a rant, but can anyone change my mind?

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:01 pm
by cooper
I've got a mate from LA who thinks the same thing. My theory is that Americans aren't as used to inner city British accents and slang as British are to the American versions of this. There's also bound to be more good mcs in the US than the UK as there are more people... Also, we can't forget that it's subjective.

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:12 pm
by sirsnaf
could be - but tehn, the examples of stuff youve heard is not what i would call the best examples.... they are grime tracks which isnt the most accessible of genres to new comers.

for actual british hiphop that is unarguably great, then you have to look towards the big names in the uk scene over the last twenty years....

before you decide you cant stand british hiphop, listen to these ppl... in my opinion, all will be accessible, lyrical or possess a solid flow that you can appreciate (even if dont like the beat)

Phi Life Cypher


Roots Manuva


Ty


Rodney P


Task Force


Braintax


Lewis Parker


there are more, of course, and i may have missed some obvious ones out, but if dont rate at least some of these, then maybe british rap is not for you. this is a broad over view of some of the best artists we have produced and solid introduction to proper british hiphop, Not grime.

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:28 pm
by Matt3r
sirsnaf's right, that other shit isn't representative of british hiphop

this is british hiphop

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:56 pm
by spiro
Matt3r wrote:sirsnaf's right, that other shit isn't representative of british hiphop

this is british hiphop
any way to get this without registering on another site . . . [just too many]
and for the americans: a lot of american rap music don't sound like rapping either . . .

How about this: http://postbocks.com/uploads/spiro-hows-life-london

Im not british but I'v loved the britcore stuff since i first heard gunshot back in the eary 90's . . .

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:01 pm
by Matt3r
we had an issue with bots registering and taxing the bandwidth hence the need to register to download. it's a 30 sec job and we've sent out about 3 emails in 5 years, if you're worried about that kind of thing.

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:29 pm
by spiro
Matt3r wrote:it's a 30 sec job
I was just lazy, but it don't look like it was that easy as always . . .
still waiting for that confirmation mail . . . whatever, im not in a hurry

Looks like you got some proper mixes up on your site . . .

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:01 pm
by miscreant
yeah those are probably the songs i would be least likely to show an american wanting to hear british hip hop.

Check out Jehst, Chester P & Klashnekoff as well as some of the other names mentioned!

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:55 pm
by Matt3r
this dood has produced a clutch of tracks, ep's and a couple of lp's already with some of the best british hiphop on i've ever heard

http://www.myspace.com/musicbyghost

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:52 pm
by hear today
I know this might sound ridiculous, but as an American I just cannot understand British rapping. Maybe it's the accent, or maybe the different slang, but all british rapping sounds horribly goofy to me. Example, I think Tempa T - next hype is the goofiest rap I have ever heard, and then I find out that it's popular in England. And that intensive snare song by plastician, all i could think was why is this rap in here? "Are you stupid in the face"?????? what kind of 3rd grade line is that? Even the streets, who had some success in America, just doesn't do it for me.

Does anyone else feel my pain? Does anyone else cringe when they hear a voice over the beats? What I would love is a flow like Nas or Guru or Ghostface or GZA or KRS or MF or even (I hate to say it, but he used to be fire) Wayne over a grimey beat.

I know this is a bit of a rant, but can anyone change my mind?
As much as we all love the early work, in hindsight Guru's a bit shit mate.... sorry I mean he's Goofy??? Did i use that right??

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:19 pm
by godflesh fiend
I'd recommend Pitman's "It Takes A Nation Of Tossers".......this is the greatest rap album of all-time.

He's not internationally known, but he's known to give a dog a bone.

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:16 pm
by Matt3r
guru is not shit. period. did I say that right?

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:42 pm
by 86.
hear today wrote:
I know this might sound ridiculous, but as an American I just cannot understand British rapping. Maybe it's the accent, or maybe the different slang, but all british rapping sounds horribly goofy to me. Example, I think Tempa T - next hype is the goofiest rap I have ever heard, and then I find out that it's popular in England. And that intensive snare song by plastician, all i could think was why is this rap in here? "Are you stupid in the face"?????? what kind of 3rd grade line is that? Even the streets, who had some success in America, just doesn't do it for me.

Does anyone else feel my pain? Does anyone else cringe when they hear a voice over the beats? What I would love is a flow like Nas or Guru or Ghostface or GZA or KRS or MF or even (I hate to say it, but he used to be fire) Wayne over a grimey beat.

I know this is a bit of a rant, but can anyone change my mind?
As much as we all love the early work, in hindsight Guru's a bit shit mate.... sorry I mean he's Goofy??? Did i use that right??
:lol:

guru's interesting. i love all his solo albums as well...i think he's always been backed by sick production so they're all enjoyable. without that.....

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:48 am
by saba
My pomme mate says the same thing about Aussie Hip Hop, finds it goofy!

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:57 am
by lalanana
Ok, so I listened to some of the tracks posted, and I gotta say I'm enjoying it.

Thanks for helping me see the light. And the thing with Guru is that yes, he always has good production behind him, but he always adds something to the track, his voice becomes another instrument, as it should be with all rappers.

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:52 am
by formzee
Roots Manuva says no

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:00 am
by sirsnaf
some more classic british hiphop and a few new bits as well... hope its a good education.... enjoy :D

skitz ft roots manuva - inner city folk


Jack Flash - intoxicating


Ghost & verb t


pneumatic and sloth


verb t & harry love


taskforce - butterfly concerto



and just because Life MC has the sickest flow of any rapper here or anywhere yet remaisn criminally overlooked - heres loads more Phi Life Cypher....






Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:09 am
by Pedro Sánchez
The average British rapper (Not Grime) is better than Lil' Wayne and some were considering him the greatest rapper :o .

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:49 pm
by tuss04@hotmail.com

Re: British hip hop from an American's perspective

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:20 pm
by hoya
I think it's a matter of dialect and flow suiting tempo.

For example, in general, US MCs sound better on 85-100 bpm type tracks, where as UK guys sound better on the 70/140 mark. Put a US MC on a grime beat and then you get goofy.