What 'mainstream' artists do you essence-heads listen to?

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ninjasenses
ninjasenses Members Posts: 157 ✭
edited February 2011 in The Essence
I can say for the most part, I'm underground, but I do have love for all types of hiphop. There are plenty of mainstream artists out here that still stay true to the essence of hiphop, but are mainstream... so I wanna know, whats your top mainstream artists that you lsiten to?

ATCQ
outkast
common
talib
the roots
dead prez
digable planets
lupe
j-5
beatnuts
nerd
kid cudi
bob
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  • rip.dilla
    rip.dilla Members Posts: 17,412 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    Oh, quite a lot.

    KanYe West is one of them.
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  • dwade206
    dwade206 Members Posts: 11,558 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    ghostface (if that counts)
    jay
    kanye
    nas
    ross (some of it aint bad)
    lupe
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  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    ninjasenses wrote: »
    I can say for the most part, I'm underground, but I do have love for all types of hiphop. There are plenty of mainstream artists out here that still stay true to the essence of hiphop, but are mainstream... so I wanna know, whats your top mainstream artists that you lsiten to?

    ATCQ
    outkast
    common
    talib
    the roots
    dead prez
    digable planets
    lupe
    j-5
    beatnuts
    nerd
    kid cudi
    bob

    lol @ me listening to every one of these artists :tu

    I also listen to k-os who is technically signed to a Major.
    Jay-Z
    Nas
    Ghostface Killah
    Method Man & Redman
    Warren G
    XZibit
    T.I. (the odd track)
    Biggie
    I even enjoy Nelly's first album (mainly, Country Grammar, St. Louis and Ride Wit' Me (For my high school flashbacks lol))
    Run DMC
    Q-Tip
    Kanye West
    Early Ludacris
    Ice Cube
    DMX
    Bone Thugz
    De La Soul
    EPMD
    Etc.

    Old school stuff more than the new school, even though I've played Kanye's new album a bunch of times.
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  • traestar
    traestar Members Posts: 6,030 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    I like anybody who puts words from a pen to the pad and has something to say! (And I mean really something to say)

    Not no "Snap my fingers, hear my chorus" ? !
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  • J. Rob
    J. Rob Members Posts: 810 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    ninjasenses wrote: »
    I can say for the most part, I'm underground, but I do have love for all types of hiphop. There are plenty of mainstream artists out here that still stay true to the essence of hiphop, but are mainstream... so I wanna know, whats your top mainstream artists that you lsiten to?

    ATCQ
    outkast
    common
    talib
    the roots
    dead prez
    digable planets
    lupe
    j-5
    beatnuts
    nerd
    kid cudi
    bob


    I mean, can you reallyl consider the artists in bold "mainstream" anymore? Talib hasn't had a hit in 8 years.....The Roots and The Beatnuts haven't had hits since the late 90s. Digable Planets are technically one hit wonders. Dead Prez and Jurassic 5 were never really "mainstream" IMO




    Anyway, I consider my self an underground fan....but I've been listening the most mainstream hip hop that I've listened to since about 2001.

    Kanye, Em, Ross, Drake, B.o.B....the mainstream wasn't all that bad in 2010
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  • satyrone
    satyrone Members Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    Kanye
    Young Jeezy
    Drake
    Kid Cudi
    ummm...thats all i can think of
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  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    satyrone wrote: »
    Kanye
    Young Jeezy
    Drake
    Kid Cudi
    ummm...thats all i can think of

    lol I even find Jeezy mundane. Drake was okay live, Kid Cudi's great though along with Kanye.
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  • ty the great
    ty the great Members Posts: 162
    edited January 2011
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    I'm a big underground head, but really I love most all Hip Hop. "Mainstream" artists I listen to range from Jay-Z to Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest to Beastie Boys, 2Pac to Three 6 Mafia, De La Soul to Lil Jon, Outkast to Talibi Kweli, Wu Tang to The Game, and everything in between, lol.
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  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    ty the great wrote: »
    I'm a big underground head, but really I love most all Hip Hop. "Mainstream" artists I listen to range from Jay-Z to Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest to Beastie Boys, 2Pac to Three 6 Mafia, De La Soul to Lil Jon, Outkast to Talibi Kweli, Wu Tang to The Game, and everything in between, lol.

    lol must be good to like so many artists, some I find weak, such as Three 6, but would be good to enjoy everything.

    Saw The Game in concert and he actually wasn't as bad as expected, it was following 'the documentary' and he put on a good show. Not a fan since though.
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  • skeep
    skeep Members Posts: 298
    edited January 2011
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    Mainstream....depends on what time period. At one point Public ENemy was "mainstream" and on the top of the charts. Listened to them before, during and continue to do so. Same with Fresh Prince, LL Cool J and Jay Z. I like some Kanye songs. I like Cee Lo a lot. I don't listen to a lot of these younger mainstream guys because 1. the guys before them did it better and still do and 2. I can't relate to someone who tattoos an ice cream cone on his face or a dude who only raps about ? . But only people who only listen to what the machine tells them is "hot" I don't discriminate. I'll listen to anyone if I can relate and it has substance, passion and heart.
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  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    skeep wrote: »
    Mainstream....depends on what time period. At one point Public ENemy was "mainstream" and on the top of the charts. Listened to them before, during and continue to do so. Same with Fresh Prince, LL Cool J and Jay Z. I like some Kanye songs. I like Cee Lo a lot. I don't listen to a lot of these younger mainstream guys because 1. the guys before them did it better and still do and 2. I can't relate to someone who tattoos an ice cream cone on his face or a dude who only raps about ? . But only people who only listen to what the machine tells them is "hot" I don't discriminate. I'll listen to anyone if I can relate and it has substance, passion and heart.

    Yeah, it's difficult to define mainstream pre-1997, that said, you speak a lot of truth's in your post... especially the ice cream cone (SMH)

    Agreed on bolded, Cee Lo has been one of the most consistent artists of recent years, since Gnarls Barkley in particular, but that ? You track was really good...
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  • MastaAceTheGOAT
    MastaAceTheGOAT Members Posts: 724
    edited January 2011
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    i only really check for underground but i can't say i completely ignore the mainstream. i always check for jay z and nas. eminem often aswell but not as much as of late. mos def and talib. i spose game is dope when hes got something to say. big boi kanye
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  • a.mann
    a.mann Members Posts: 19,746 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    lol

    if that list is what consider "mainstream"

    What the hell is underground?
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  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    a.mann wrote: »
    lol

    if that list is what consider "mainstream"

    What the hell is underground?

    Which list are you referring to??? The thread starters?

    The artists that are underground are people like CYNE, Atmosphere, P.O.S and co.
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  • MastaAceTheGOAT
    MastaAceTheGOAT Members Posts: 724
    edited January 2011
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    a.mann wrote: »
    lol

    if that list is what consider "mainstream"

    What the hell is underground?

    i know its not really mainstream, but they impact the charts near the top 15 when their released
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  • J. Rob
    J. Rob Members Posts: 810 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    I've been listening to Rick Ross a lot lately....5 years ago you couldn't have told me he'd be one of my favorite rappers
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  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    J. Rob wrote: »
    I've been listening to Rick Ross a lot lately....5 years ago you couldn't have told me he'd be one of my favorite rappers

    Anything I've heard from him (which is very little), I've not liked...
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  • Hatter
    Hatter Members Posts: 2,451 ✭✭
    edited January 2011
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    50 Cent

    Nas

    Mobb Deep

    Camron when the mood strikes me

    Biggie

    Eminem (not so much nowadays tho)
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  • Lou Cypher
    Lou Cypher Members Posts: 52,521 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2011
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    Eminem
    Jay-Z
    OutKast
    Kanye West
    Common
    Dr. Dre
    Old snoop dogg
    Bone Thugs
    The Roots
    Slaughterhouse (If being on shady doesnt make you mainstream i dont know what does)
    Ghostface Killah
    Redman
    Methodman
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  • pingpong
    pingpong Members Posts: 14
    edited February 2011
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    I actually stopped listening to Kanye when he dropped "808 and Heartbreaks" but "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" is fire and I am a fan once more. Other than that, not many other mainstream heads I still like. Jay Z hasn't been on his game lately IMO but I've always loved his old work.
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