QUALITY rap....

[Ethan120]

I've been really in to Cadence Weapon lately.
And Clipse.

[toothpaste]

(EDIT:above post removed.) ^^any stuff that looks like that is never good. Most quality artists don't resort to mass media marketing schemes such as this. $5 this sucks balls.

Madlib
Quasimoto (believe was already mentioned)
mf doom
mr. lif
brother ali
strange fruit project
lootpack

[chinolayne]

Originally Posted by pskramstad

Try any of these:

Atmosphere
Felt
Eyedea & Abilities or Oliver Hart
Sage Frances
Aesop Rock
P.O.S.

You can find all of these artists and many more on iTunes.

Also, the Rhymesayers website has a free Atmosphere album download.
http://www.rhymesayers.com/atmosphere/

Good luck with your search.

This is by far the best suggestion for what you're asking for, though lots of great suggestions - a few questionable ones however....

also to consider - Common, The Pharcyde, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, De La Soul, Pharoahe Monche

And though already mentioned - I am loving Lupe Fiasco and The Roots new album - Rising Down is BRILLIANT!

[begbie86]

Afu-Ra, Mos Def, The Streets and The Roots...

[Code Monkey]

[Editost was removed]


Now that I'm in the thread, may I suggest the OP try himself some Public Enemy since I notice no one else has mentioned it yet.

[crumpler]

Del the Funky Homosapian!

[dave_o]

check out
lupe fiasco - both albums are great.
common - skip the ablums electric circus and universal mind control (both have some good tracks.
kanye west. he does some good stuff its just a shame when he raps about blingbling
del the funky homosapien
deltron 3030
hi-tek
the roots
heiroglyphics
jean grae
jurassic 5
k-os great canadian rapper
mos def
talib kwelie hes up there with lupe fiasco and common.
the liks.

there is a lot of good quality rap/hiphop out there its just a little harder to find because there isnt a market for it.

[Derek McNelly]

I only really have one rap album I consider "essential", at least to my collection, and that's "The Infamous" by Mobb Deep. I don't know why, but that record still sounds fresh almost 15 years later.

[papayaninja]

The Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique" and "Licensed to Ill" specifically.
Black Star
Common
Count Bass D is so good, and new to me.
Dangerdoom - MF Doom rapping over Danger Mouse beats. With an Adult Swim theme. Awesome.
De La Soul - Particularly "3 Feet High and Rising" and "De La Soul is Dead"
DJ Danger Mouse + Jay-Z + The Beatles - The Grey Album
Edan - "Beauty and the Beat"
Eric B and Rakim - "Paid in Full"
GZA - "Liquid Swords"
Ice Cube - totally not the same style as some of the others, but awesome and funny nonetheless. I like "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" and "The Predator."
J Dilla
Jay-Z - "Reasonable Doubt"
Jurassic 5
Kanye West
MF DOOM - "MM...FOOD" and "Special Herbs"
Madlib
Madvillian - MF DOOM and Madlib.
Ol' Dirty #######
Public Enemy - I like "Fear of a Black Planet" better than "It Takes a Nation of Millions..." but YMMV.
A Tribe Called Quest
Wale - If you like Seinfeld, and good rapping, his "The Mixtape About Nothing" is great. And it isn't as cheesy as it sounds.
Wu-Tang Clan

[djrf1234]

You want good music? Try not going with the mainstream rappers, they're usually just starstruck and not in love with the game but instead the money. Try Lupe Fiasco, Eminem, Nas, RUN DMC, etc. Oldies = BETTER! Some rappers (like 2Chainz) are just ghetto and sucky. c:

[iSmileyFace]

Kenji - Fort Minor
Remember the Name - Fort Minor