By artistic talent, it could be anything you find artistic: rhythm, speed, creativity, meaning/message, voice, etc.

  • cleanandsunny@literature.cafe
    192·
    2 months ago

    Not a “song” per se, but Black Thought freestyling effortlessly for like 10 minutes straight is impressive AF: https://youtu.be/prmQgSpV3fA

    For context, that show asks everybody to freestyle and some refuse, some do a few bars, but nobody goes for 10 minutes, lol.

    For an actual song, and you wanna talk art, Blackalicious - Attica Black. Really love the sampling and the musicality of it, there are so many layers and it’s fun to listen to. https://youtu.be/qHRxorG8ABs

  • yesman@lemmy.world
    161·
    2 months ago

    NAS- One Love (Illmatic, 1994)

    The song is about a street criminal writing his friend in prison. It’s actually a literary form called “Epistolary”, where the narrative is in the form of documents, usually letters.

    So anyway the song is full of the street lingo, misogyny, drug use, and violence you’ve come to expect from “gangster rap”. But just underneath, it’s also sweet and affectionate. The song is vulnerable and positive about masculine and platonic affection despite the most toxic context imaginable.

    • steeznson@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 months ago

      There was a team of super producers working on Illmatic like Q-Tip and Pete Rock who were all essential to creating a classic album. People sometimes don’t hear their contributions since the focus is so squarely on Nas.

    • pdxfed@lemmy.world
      31·
      2 months ago

      Ha, just responded to “coming thru” recommendation above and then saw yours!

  • Denjin@lemmings.world
    121·
    2 months ago

    Anything from Dr. Octagonecologyst by Dr Octagon (Kool Keith)

    The dense intricate rhyming structure mixed with the sci-fi jazz beats and the off the wall, juvenile lyrics are really unique and creative.

  • I'm back on my BS 🤪@lemmy.autism.placeOPEnglish
    122·
    2 months ago

    Edit: NSFW obviously

    Lately, I’ve had two. One in English and the other Spanish.

    English - Eminem ft Joyner Lucas - Lucky You

    • The speed and rhythm are unbelievable. The musicality matches the emotion so well too. It’s insane that someone can create and perform that.

    Spanish - Residente - La Catedra

    • Awesome rhythm that varies throughout and a ridiculously long diss track at 12 mins lol. And just to show off, the dude raps a whole lyrical set rhyming with each of the vowels starting at 6:07. Who does that?! 😮

    Edit: Just for fun, here’s a song that is impressive for being so bad by someone so important to hip-hop. The backstory is that Melle Mel was one of the original founders of hip-hop and part of the first rap group inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A few years ago, Melle Mel started publicly attacking Eminem for being White in hip hop. Eminem mostly ignored it, even thanking Melle Mel in this Rock and Rock Hall of Fame induction speech. However, after being attacked enough time by Melle Mel, Eminem dissed him in the song Realest by making fun of Mel’s obsession with his muscular physique. Melle Mel responded by seriously producing and disseminating this song to the public. It’s hilariously bad. Melle Mel - Kickback

  • pdxfed@lemmy.world
    8·
    2 months ago

    Changes from 2Pac.

    It’s the Black “imagine” by Lennon, philosophically, but also approaches the cognitive dissonance of what is wrong in the world from raw, honest and depressingly still accurate lyrics 30 years on. For me, this is a far braver and more interesting song than Imagine–and Imagine is a classic. It doesn’t let listeners off the hook and even calls them out as part of the problems.

    Great rhythm, beautiful melody contrast and creatively selected issues addressed.

    • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world
      6·
      2 months ago

      And the tune comes from Bruce Hornsby’s The Way It Is which references the civil rights movement. Also sampled by Got Rice.

    • pdxfed@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 months ago

      Coming thru is one of my favs. Also dig “Day at the races” from J5 has a similar upbeat rhythm, narrative with theme, and of course flow.

    • Dearth@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 months ago

      Lyrics born just announced his final tour, so you got 1 more chance to watch him live

  • Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com
    5·
    2 months ago

    Akala - Fire in the Booth 1 The flow, message, content. An artist with top skills, showcasing what he can do.

    Supreme NTM - Le Pouvior Just always dug this track. Resonates with me.

      • Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com
        2·
        2 months ago

        I hadn’t heard Fire in the Booth 4 before as it never hit my music streaming services. Thanks for waking me to its being.

        Dig Lowkey too, music was the only good development of the criminal “war on terror”.

  • Paradachshund@lemmy.today
    31·
    2 months ago

    I like far too many kinds of hiphop to ever have a favorite, but here’s one that really struck me when i first heard it. The Lovely Thing Suite by Watsky. Technically multiple songs but here it is all together. I think it tells a story very powerfully.

    https://youtu.be/SvlpvcqM9kQ

    Here’s another artist who doesn’t get enough mentions, Spose. He’s mostly known for a song called I’m Awesome, but he never stopped making music and he has tons of great tracks. I wouldn’t say he’s the most technical rapper, but he has some of the cleverest bars out there and is really entertaining. Here 's one my favs called Greatest Shit Ever.

    https://youtu.be/HSyiOMg_110