Hi folks long time reader second time poster:

AS the title states I am not a huge rap fan but have found many hip-hop songs that I love but I wind up sifting through tons of stuff that I don't like in order to find a song or two that I like.

I am trying to improve my hit rate as I round out the hip-hop section of my collection. Although hip-hop is not a hot topic here I think this is the appropriate forum as judging from your internal lists and posts - many of you share my taste in music and I think that there are several folks here who may be in the same boat.

Some of the groups that have made it into my collection are the Roots, Outkast, and Madvillain.

Any recommendations would be appreciated (hip-hop songs that would appeal to a rock, alterative, blues, r&b and funk kind of guy).

Thanks,

Winston

Hi,

You quoted 2 of my favorite rap acts, Outkast and The Roots. Like you i'm not a rap specialist but I like a good hip hop album from time to time

I would advise you one album (if you haven't tried it already): People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths of Rhythm by A Tribe Called Quest. It is funky, witty and very pleasant IMO

Nicolas,

Good band...I have not listened to that album yet and will check it out. I do have and would recommend another Tribe album -The Low End Theory - which has a cool jazz vibe to it. Thanks for the info.

Winston

For those tastes, I would suggest looking at the older stuff first (Public Enemy, De La Soul, etc.) For more modern stuff besides OutKast and The Roots, I would stick with Kanye West and Common, who generally have a slower flow. Late Registration and Be, which both came out in 2005, would be good choices. If you like those, then look for Lupe Fiasco's 2 albums, Food & Liquor and The Cool.

check out jay dee (j dilla) - welcome 2 detroit or donuts. he's also produced stuff for common, q-tip, ghostface, etc. and is generally regarded as the best hip-hop producer of the past decade or so. the final track on the last roots album (game theory) is a tribute to him (he died in 2006)

I'd check out Jay-Z's "The Blueprint", De La Soul's "3 Feet High and Rising", any Kanye album (well maybe not 808s...) and you might like the Beastie Boys "Paul's Boutique" or "Check Your Head"

Eric B & Rakim, if you like De La Soul especially.

For the self proclaimed most awesomest person of the millennium (Kanye), you might like some of his stuff, but it's more about having great samples and only so-so rapping.