What makes this 'chilled out' in your estimation? What makes this a good track? Please list me your 5 best hiphop/rap records so I can put your props in perspective. Is this guy from STL, the footage does not strike me as STL.

[Posted by stlmark on Sat., Jan 20, 2007 at 7:17 PM]

Just to be clear, the song I referred to as "chilled out" and "a staple in my music collection" is "Sentimental," not the song in the video ("Sun Sets in the City"). I like the laid-back beat and the lyrics:

Chorus:
Run that back for me
Run that tape back for me
Cuz that was rap for real
You ever ask somebody from the passenger seat
Or from the back of the ride
Blast that, run that back for me

Sample verse:
It's been years since Reagan first served us some crack
It's been months since the first person let their pants sag
It's been days since Kris Kross reversed the slacks
It's been hours since the towers in Manhattan burned to ash
But it hasn't been a minute since y'all heard about that
It's been a second since throwbacks, jerseys and hats
But soon all they'll have is just the shirts on their backs
They'll be left alone standin' on the curb for a cab
Cuz rookies puttin' cities I ain't heard of on the map
Soon I'll say lately I ain't heard them on the wax
Man, y'all should be concerned with the first, not the last
Cuz in the future rap will do the same, returning to the past

I don't think of music in terms of albums and rankings. I tend to think in terms of singles and fitting/evoking a particular vibe. I like songs that I can connect with other songs when I'm DJing. For example, "Sentimental" would be a good match for something like "God Gave Me Style" by 50 Cent.

I don't make lists like "My Five Favorite Hip-Hop Albums of All Time," but I will say that Lupe Fiasco's "Food and Liquor" was my favorite hip-hop CD released in 2006.

A-Bex was born in Indianapolis and raised in Miami. He attended Washington University St. Louis from 2000 to 2005 before moving to LA. Local heads might know him from Sac Lunch.

A longwinded answer, but that's what you get when you ask a wannabe DJ about music.

[Posted by Brian Marston on Sat., Jan 20, 2007 at 8:54 PM]

Thanks, I see what your saying. I just find myself a huge fan of music for nearly 20 years, and trying to appreciate the relavance of this kind of music. I'm trying to pick up on new vibes, but can't seem to find anything as exciting as the stuff from my younger days (Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Beastie Boys, Black Sheep, Public Enemy, Snoop, you see...). I've been looking for stuff like that for years and striking out on the longevity thing. Singles hit the spot for a little while, but don't last.
Nice site, I'm interested.

[Posted by stlmark on Sat., Jan 20, 2007 at 9:22 PM]

Some newer artists you might like:

Lupe Fiasco
Rhymefest
Lyrics Born
Handsome Boy Modeling School
Quarashi (on the Beastie Boys tip)

[Posted by Brian Marston on Sat., Jan 20, 2007 at 10:02 PM]