The $%++ is a "classic"??? Vol. Let's settle this debate...

[dr mantis toboggan]

Originally Posted by Ace Rawstein

Ill pick one...

TM 101... Album rolled with production and lyrics front to back and by the time you finished with the album you knew exactly who Jeezy was and what he was about. The album had ery ingredient needed and then some. I mean trap music was around before Jeezy but with this album it was just perfected IMO.

Yep. Also, it's a timeless album. It hasn't left the CD changer in my car since its release date, and I listen to it on an almost daily basis. This thread made me throw it on at 2:21 a.m.

 

[futuristic]

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[ruxxx]

Luke I gotta disagree with sales having that much weight in something being considered a classic.

There are albums within Hip Hop and outside of it that are considered classics and they didn't do $#%@ when they first released.

 

[lukethejediknight]

Originally Posted by Ruxxx

Luke I gotta disagree with sales having that much weight in something being considered a classic.

There are albums within Hip Hop and outside of it that are considered classics and they didn't do $#%@ when they first released.

Well I wasn't weighing anything per se, and if I was I wouldn't weigh sales high like that. I think the other factors are more important of course, but I still added sales/singles in there because I think any "album considered "classic" should at least move some units. Somebody out there needs to receive the work that you put out and establishing an audience can increase the awareness and impact of a "classic" album. 

 

[s0lefunk]

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by Ace Rawstein

Ill pick one...

TM 101... Album rolled with production and lyrics front to back and by the time you finished with the album you knew exactly who Jeezy was and what he was about. The album had ery ingredient needed and then some. I mean trap music was around before Jeezy but with this album it was just perfected IMO.

Yep. Also, it's a timeless album. It hasn't left the CD changer in my car since its release date, and I listen to it on an almost daily basis. This thread made me throw it on at 2:21 a.m.

This is exactly why the test of time is so important.  I made a thread about TM 101 being a classic a couple years ago and it was nothing but "

" and "street classic maybe"

 

[jthagreat]

Originally Posted by LuketheJediKnight

I'll add one of my own so yall see where I wanna go with this discussion of arguing "classic" records.

Why is it a classic imo? All of these things put together:

Sales: double-plat, charted a handful of singles (I.Z.Z.O., Girls, Girls, Girls; Jigga That @@%$+, Song Cry). Album reaches a wide-listening audience.

Content: The homie CAKE ain't too high up on this one

But if there's any definitive hip-hop momento of a rapper in his prime asserting his position at the top of his game (especially considering the dudes that were lining up to go at Hov during this time), this is the record. With some moments of introspection in there as well. And NO features either, except for that one of course where Jay murders Em on his own +$$#

(That's topic for another thread.)

Technique: The trademark "conversational" rhymes/flow that Jay bites from B.I.G. and Young Chris is here on display 

Fits perfectly with the soul beats.

Production: Kanye West, Just Blaze, Bink. Sped-up soul samples. Ain't the first time you hear this in hip-hop of course, but not in such seamless fashion.

Influence: Makes 'Ye and JB famous and vaults them into producer greatness. Imitation of production on a handful of other records. Imitation of Jay's flow and style by a handful of artists throughout the decade and even to this day (don't need to call out any obvious YM artists here but they know who their %$$%! are.)

Historic significance: Album relased on 9/11 attacks. Nas/Jay beef gets poppin'.

Does it age well? Released in 2001, I can still put in it in the CD changer TODAY and play it front to back. Still sounds fresh a decade later.
I'll do this for MMLP and some other records as well.

 

[4one5]

Classic nowadays means every song is a good song. So yes it is a classic.