Politically minded rapper Killer Mike is no stranger to speaking his mind, but the Southern MC has a wealth of knowledge about fellow pioneers. The ATLien recently joined MTV for a visit to a New York City record store, naming his favorite political rappers and groups.
Of the noted MCs, Mike pointed out The Last Poets, Public Enemy, dead prez, X-Clan, Ice Cube, Goodie Mob, Ice-T, N.W.A. and 2 Live Crew. “You’re not popular until the government tries to lock your black ass up,” he said. “And that has happened to all of these groups.”
He reflected on spoken word pioneers The Last Poets, likening them to James Brown as the foundation for hip-hop. “Before hip-hop loses all its politics and soul, we’re going to start with The Last Poets,” said Mike. “They were guys who were not doing rap beats, but it was drum and jungle, poetry spoken in rhyme for the people to repeat. It was cool, they looked fly. These guys are considered along with Muhammad Ali and James Brown to be some of the first rappers.”
Additionally, he praised N.W.A.’s “Niggaz4Life,” branding it as one of the must-own records for today’s youth. “Every 25-year-old man should own Fight Club, and every 15-year-old boy should own ‘Niggaz4Life,’” he explained. “If you want rap music to stay great, give this to your sons on their 15th birthday. I’ll say this on record before anyone tries to jack my style, this record is better than The Chronic. This is an album of dope-ass, jamming-ass hardcore social commentary on all points.”
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immortal technique & K rino >
lol at these picks
Are you a retard or what, if it wasn’t for them you’d be listening to techno today
If you never listened and felt atleast one Public enemy album and the first NWA, thats hip hops Bible
you had Wutang forever which was pretty political, nowadays you got wack mcs givin birth to moore wack mcs, good for killer mike for keepin it real
real talk. didn’t used to like the bomb squad sound, but then copped fear of a black planet. they were/are the last great black movement. now i know why hip hop lack so much truth, and may be cause these dudes done said it all already.
Killer Mike knows damn well that NWA went from being the voices of the street on Straight Outta Compton to cartoon characters on Niggaz4Life. That record was on some super gangster comic book shit. They killed like 150 people in that album. If Cube would’ve still been in the group it probably would’ve had a deeper concept, but as it stands, hell no.
That record was weak compared to Straight Outta Compton.
Killer Mike is cool.But…- If you still sleepin on KidSyc u needs to cop a mattress-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TwN5K_-F18
didn’t even READ the article, but yes. PUBLIC ENEMY, and N.W.A. are the two greatest hip-hop groups, off all-time. (honorary mention….ULTRAMAGNETIC MCs, and WUTANG CLAN).
I don’t know who dude is, but agree with everything he said, especially regardin’ Fight Club.