Elite Status
written by 4bars
written by 4bars
One of my first experiences with Hip-Hop was from the older brother of my elementary school friend who would play Too Short albums while cutting my hair and proclaimed that he loved Eazy-E so much that “even if he put out a country album, I’d buy it”. Needless to say, my early exposure to partisanship was heavy.
Fast forward to today, I will love ANYTHING that either member of Outkast puts out and will assume prior to first listen that what I’m gonna hear will be great (I don’t like “Dubbz” btw). Their long standing reputation and track record for putting out phenomenal records is the sole basis for this stand (I actually like ‘Southernplayalistic’ the least and it’s the one album I don’t own, fyi to level out my bias a lil bit). I mention this because with each new Kanye track that is released and his track record of 3 phenomenal albums, he is creeping into (if not already in) Outkast territory with me these days. I’ve literally been singing Robocop and Streetlights for the past 5 days as part of a soundtrack to my life.
Kanye continues to impress me as the premier artist of the 21st century. My boy had been trying not to listen to any of the leaked tracks before the album but broke down today and promptly sent me a text that “this shit is gonna be our generation’s Thriller, I’m callin' it now”. While I don’t share his sentiment wholly, I do share K Billy’s take on Ye taking hip hop in a direction that it’s never really gone before. West said “I’m making this album cause I don’t give a f$*k” and I’m honestly glad to hear it. Outkast paved the way, along with others, for those who have refused to conform to any sort of “box” as Billy said and Kanye is carrying the torch forward. I know ya’ll are being inundated with Kanyemania from PTM the last couple of days but like I was telling my boy, “I can’t wait to purchase this album”. I imagine part of my excitement will be dampened once the album leaks, but I think Kanye is gonna enter elite company by batting 1.000, something Hov can’t even claim thanks to BP2 (I liked Vol. 2 personally, it was my introduction to Hov). Nov 24th: can’t wait.
4 comments:
I feel you on giving artists the benefit of the doubt. I usually give artists GP status and it takes alot for them to get it taken away.
But downloading has taken the GP status out of my life because even if I knew I was going to buy it anyway, I'll listen to it first just because its out there.
Actually 50 lost out because he had GP status with me cuz I loved Get Rich and The Massacre but I heard Curts and was like, "nah". Technically, Ye has GP status with me and if the album came out tomorrow and buying it was the only way to hear it, I'd get it. But when it leaks, i'll listen and hopefully I still get it on the 24th-ish.
"All the streetlightsglowing happen to be just like moments/passing in front of me..."
The funny thing about that streetlights track is that he's really jsut repeating the same thing over and over, but it's so poetic. And with the track that he used for it, it's a very interesting song.
i'm a fellow Kanye Fan - and agree with your statement. He puts things in a perspective that I can always relate to and no question he knows musically how to arrange a song (he collabes when necessary). Ye is my boy !!! Can't wait for Heartbreak (btw my other all time fav R&B album is New Edition "NE Heartbreak", strange coincidence)
oh yeah, i did a little 808's Heartbreak commercial for a contest, it's found here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ZTdfLwucE
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