Aceyalone – Hip Hop And The World We Live In (CD) (2002) (FLAC + 320 kbps)

The short list of “best lyric writers in hip-hop” varies greatly depending on your perspective. If you listen to Hot 97 or an equivalent “where hip-hop (allegedly) lives” radio station and watch nothing but Direct Effect and Rap City, you’d probably say 2Pac, 50 Cent, B.I.G., Jay-Z and Nas. Nothing wrong with that list really, except for the fact it dominates the discussion whenever the topic comes up epitomizes the disconnect between commercial and indie rap. A whole generation of MC’s who are equally as gifted (if not more so) yet not signed to Atlantic, Columbia, Def Jam, Interscope, MCA et cetera (or even worse self-distributed) continue to get overlooked. Ask an underground hip-hop fan who’s on their short list, and you may get a couple of commercially successful artists like Andre Benjamin (OutKast) and Jigga, but you’re more likely to get a list of names like Wildchild, Cadence, Ras Kass, PackFM and Aceyalone.

Aceyalone is practically synonymous with lyrical excellence to the indie world, and practically invisible to any top 40 urban music rotation. Ironically enough his career started at Capitol Records, a label synonymous with crossover rap sensations like the Beastie Boys and MC Hammer. For a rapper who dubbed himself “Mr. Outsider” on his solo debut “All Balls Don’t Bounce,” it was an ill-fated match. The album sold poorly, the record quickly dropped out of print, and the contract was clearly not renewed for another LP. Without realizing it at the time, Capitol had not only fulfilled Q-Tip’s “industry rule #4,080” prophecy but created a legend at the same time. College DJ’s who didn’t already know the rapper from his pioneering work as a member of the Freestyle Fellowship got those promos from Capitol and said, “Have you heard this cat Aceyalone? He’s an INSANE lyricist.” Those late night spins and hip-hop mixtapes may not have sold copies like getting your name and face on BET does, but it did cement the voice and style of one of rap’s most unique lyricists into open minds among a nation of millions. Thus began phase two of Aceyalone’s career, pairing his solo records to underground distribution through labels such as Project Blowed Recordings – a label named after an underground compilation he shepherded into the indie rap world spotlight.

Tracklist:

01. Introduction
02. I Think I Know Too Much
03. Future Rockers
04. Rapps On Deck
05. Art Club
06. Dirty Birdie
07. Shooby Dooby
08. Blink Blink
09. Scribble On A Clean Surface
10. Organic Electricity
11. Bigger They Come
12. Not When You Get Down
13. Say
14. Jack Of All Trades

Download:

FLAC – Wayshare