YahwehSolomon - Black on Both Sides by Yasiin Bey

Opening Statement:

After the release of the highly acclaimed album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998, Yasiin Bey would follow it up in 1999 by releasing his debut solo album, Black On Both Sides. What a daunting task that must have been for the then Mos Def. Following a debut hailed as a "classic" and having to top it to meet the high standards you've already set is something intimidating for an artist, but with his creativity, unique sound, and hunger, Yasiin Bey made it work. This album has gotten praise from many respected music publications and writers. Black On Both Sides is the best representation of Bey's style and sound that you can find in his discography. This album represents everything Bey brought to hip hop at the time. He had socially aware, thought provoking rhymes that didn't have the same type of aggression as when Public Enemy or N.W.A did it, but hit you just as hard when you heard them. The jazzy sound is something the Native Tongues collective had popularized in the years prior to this album, but where Black On Both Sides is unique is how Bey's stuff brings a more serious sound to the jazz production while in the Native Tongues more happy, fun-loving rhymes accompanied the production. Bey also displayed some singing skills he flashed from time to time on this album. Bey showed the creativity he had in his ode to his hometown on the track Brooklyn. He performed over three different beats and two of which were originally done by Brooklyn hip hop greats Smif-N-Wessun and The Notorious B.I.G, rapping over their respective songs Home Sweet Home and Who Shot Ya?. The best modern day comparison I can give Black On Both Sides is Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Not as far as the concept goes, but the values, messages, and pride in ethnicity presented along with the jazzy sound make it the best comparison. This album has a sound that when going back and listening to it, hasn't aged at all. The topics he talks about are just as relevant now as they were back then in 1999, the production's jazzy feel doesn't sound dated, and Bey's way of rhyming could fit right in to today's landscape


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GreenGorilla - The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest

Opening Statement:
Low End Theory is the second Album released by A Tribe Called Quest. The Album is what I would call a perfect example of alternative Rap with some very good Concious awaking lyrics
The range of the lyrics reaches from shots against the industry(Rap Promoter) to gender situation/Violence (The Infamous Date Rape) and some songs about the beauty of music as itself (Butter or We got the Jazz)

What is also noteworthy is the tribe was not afraid to give out probs to various artist on their tracks, the amount of love they got for the game and the shoutouts might just be the most I have ever heard on any Rap album. Seriously Verses from the abstract basically is only them shouting out people in the hooks for example

The Beats on this album are also on fleek as they have a lot of live acoustic elements implemented ranging from jazz to soul etc
The whole album just has really fancy beats and a really unique way of producing about it which no one will be able to deny after hearing the album for the first time
Only Skypager has no samples involved with the rest havin samples of Goats like Jimmy Hendrix and James Brown

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