Once and for all, whats the infatuation with Death Row records ?

[Sikotic™]

The infatuation with Death Row Records is pretty easy to answer...

First though most regard Hip Hop being at it's best overall in the 90's (best meaning more competition, more personality, flair, individuality, character etc.) having far more timeless memorable hits to fill "compilations" you find released every week/month today, and as you mentioned - Death Row had a 4 year high run at being at the top at that specific period. They were right there at the top during it all... All the big names on there Snoop, Dre & 2Pac have (arguably) all their best known work on that label

Another reason is the gang of talent the label had in the 90's... All unique as well... Then look at cash money.. They all sound, look and act the same to me.. Death Row catered for a lot of different people.. gangsta rap (Chronic) Pop fans (doggystyle) MC fans (Kurupt on Dogg Food) R&B fans..

But the main reason I think a lot still hold it high even to this day is due to the activist role they kinda played in the industry in the mid 90s from the "white industry elite V the little street/hood label".. They started out as a label down with the streets, and they really did do a lot than others who bragged about their charitable work. They went against politicians, press, other industry leaders, rights activists, running electives and with the addition of 2Pac being thrown in amongst it all with all his roaring and shouting for free speech, and controversial political opinions, they were still releasing music with the middle finger, and not laying down to pressure despite Time Warner doing so... Then to the Kamikaze pre-end in 96 where there were killed/jailed Death Row people, to where it was finally black balled from the industry finally, at a time where Hip Hop was going stale kind of made Death Row as a brand look like a martyr, so anything remotely associated with it.. Artists signed, or repping it were usually given more props and support than they deserved due to that

Makes a lot of sense to me.

It just seems like around here people keep bringing up that era in time as if it's gonna happen all over again when the "west is back on top". People need to realize that even if the west were ever to become the epicenter of hip hop again, it wouldn't be anything like that. The Death Row/1996 era is dead and gone. I loved it as well because that's around the time I was growing up and coming into my own. But even I realize it's cool to look back at that moment with nostalgia, but you gotta move on to the next generation and support them. It's getting better, but I don't see a lot of that on here.

[Sikotic™]

Pac was an art student so of course he enjoyed Shakespeare's work. He could probably recite shit like MacBeth and Midsummer's Night Dream from memory.

And I'm sure as hell not gonna compare Shakespeare and 2pac's work because that's just ridiculous. It's apples to oranges. When comparing their overall impact though, 2pac can't compare to Shakespeare. No teacher told me this, all you gotta do is look at the timeline and its clear like Cham said. I never cared for Shakespeare's work myself, but the guy was very innovative during his time. Even today, elements of his work are played out in movies and modern plays.

[Jay Bananas]

I feel embarrassed for a lot of posters here. 

[Ghost Drebin]

What a retarded fucking argument.

Shakespeare has material that has been read for nearly half a millennium. Tupac's material hasn't been out for a full two decades yet.

Shakespeare's material was intended for all audiences. Tupac's was intended for gangstas going through struggles of the hood.

You cannot go through any education system without at least being presented two of Shakespeare's works to either read and/or write about. As for Pac, I can honestly say not a teacher in my lifetime has mentioned his name once.

Nobody has anything negative to say about Shakespeare other than he might of been gay. Not even 15 years past Pac's death & most of the genre has moved on...in America anyway.

Finally, if you went out & asked people at random, "Name me a famous writer", at least 90% would say Shakespeare. Ask "Name me a famous rapper" & you wouldn't even get 25% Pac.

Fuck that.  See thats exactly the problem.  Everybody on this forum (a west coast hip-hop forum keep in mind) is so damn eager to defend Shakespeares legacy... 

And why?  You say because your teacher in school taught you about Shakespeare and didnt teach you about Pac, LOLOLOLOLOLOL!

So you believe Shakespeare is great cause your public school teacher said so, your teacher believed Shakespeare was great because her teacher before that said so, and that teachers teacher taught her... and on down the line... yet here we are.  A forum full of West Coast hiphop fans who grew up on Pac and aint ever gave a fuck about Shakespeare.

But being the worthless monkeys that you are instead of using your own brain you sheep follow the heard and defend Shakespeare for if not for social proof and herd mentality telling u how to live and how to believe you wouldnt know how to tie your shoes!

You just can't realize how stupid you are....tupac advanced one aspect of a small style of music.  Shakespeare advanced a whole language and theater forward.  There is a reason he still admired today....ask how many people not jerking it to this board 400 years from now who tupac is....hes not even the best in his small genre of music.  You really are one dumb son of a bitch.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Infinite is the same dude that said Dr. Dre was a better musician than Beethoven and Mozart.

Take that for what you will.

Infinite just hates being White so much he overhype any form of Black culture to try to make up for it.

[Ghost Drebin]

Infinite is the same dude that said Dr. Dre was a better musician than Beethoven and Mozart.

Take that for what you will.

Infinite just hates being White so much he overhype any form of Black culture to try to make up for it.

Truth

[Chamillitary Click]

Infinite is the same dude that said Dr. Dre was a better musician than Beethoven and Mozart.

LOL, stop...

[Your favorite posters favorite poster]

I think we crushed Brians world with the Pac/Shakespeare revelation

[Quadruple OG]

I feel embarrassed for a lot of posters here. 

[Dre-Day]

Can someone please explain this to me.  Whats with the infatuation with this now defunct record label ?  They had a nice 4 year run of success before their douche bag CEO Suge Knight ran it into the ground.  For all the good music they did make, think of all the good music we lost out on because Suge Knight was a fucking douche bag that ran his record label like a street gang instead of a fucking RECORD LABEL.  If Suge had realized he was a successful man and not a street punk maybe would of actually had the chronic 2, pac still alive, the doggfather with Dre on the boards instead of the snoozefest with no replay value that it was, and a Sam Sneed album.  Yet I see people on this board worship Death Row, people with Death Row avatars and talking about Death Row like they've been relevant in the past 15 years.  People talking about Suge Knight like he is worth a god damn.  I remember years ago some poster in his mid 30's made a thread about how he went to NYC and wore a Suge Knight shirt, hoping to get some sought of reaction.  First of all he said no even noticed and second of all, what type of fucking loser in his mid 30's wear a Suge Knight t-shirt, how fucking pathetic is that.  And I wouldn't be surprised if most people in LA didn't pay any mind to a lame ass shirt like that on a lame ass person.  So in conclusion, why do so many people here look up to Suge Knight.  Once and for all I want a real answer.   What the fuck gives ?

i agree with you about suge knight, i think the worshipping is sick.
i remember the topic about the t shirt, that was weird indeed

[UCC]

The emperors new groove

Dope cartoon.

Emperors New Groove >>> Shakespeare

There, I said it.

[whoisthis]

From when I signed on here years ago, to now, the board has always been in love with Death Row and refuse to let it go. A lot of the posters remind me of those High School jocks sitting at home 10 years later talking about how great they WERE. Unable to move on because they've lost touch with reality. All the posters who sit and listen to everything Death Row related make me laugh. Save for Chronic, Doggystle, Murder Was The Case, Dogg Food, Above The Rim, All Eyez On Me, Makaveli, Revenge..., nothing else Death Row made was good. Nothing. Any artist outside of those albums who attempted at making an album or who were even just working with the label, except for Crooked I, was wack or simply decent at best. But plenty of posters on here are in love with these obscure artists who have really made no positive impact on the Rap game, the West Coast or even the history of Death Row Records itself. That's word to the Realest, Lil C'Style, Swoop G, OFTB, Mac Shawn, K-9 etc. etc. These were all masterful artists. 

It's been 13 or 14 years since the last good product from Death Row which means it's been time to move on for many years. Yes, the label produced some classic albums, but we can't sit here and dwell on it any longer. Every Coast and region has moved on. We need to do the same.

I'll slip back into reality again and check this shit in a month or so to see the upset posters.

[HighEyeCue]

I agree with the infatuation part of the post but I see nothing wrong with still listening to the music from the Death Row era. I mean people still listen to the Beatles, don't they?

[Teddy Roosevelt]

I agree with the infatuation part of the post but I see nothing wrong with still listening to the music from the Death Row era. I mean people still listen to the Beatles, don't they?

Yet no one is still waiting for John Lennon's next album to drop.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

What a retarded fucking argument.

Shakespeare has material that has been read for nearly half a millennium. Tupac's material hasn't been out for a full two decades yet.

Shakespeare's material was intended for all audiences. Tupac's was intended for gangstas going through struggles of the hood.

You cannot go through any education system without at least being presented two of Shakespeare's works to either read and/or write about. As for Pac, I can honestly say not a teacher in my lifetime has mentioned his name once.

Nobody has anything negative to say about Shakespeare other than he might of been gay. Not even 15 years past Pac's death & most of the genre has moved on...in America anyway.

Finally, if you went out & asked people at random, "Name me a famous writer", at least 90% would say Shakespeare. Ask "Name me a famous rapper" & you wouldn't even get 25% Pac.

Fuck that.  See thats exactly the problem.  Everybody on this forum (a west coast hip-hop forum keep in mind) is so damn eager to defend Shakespeares legacy... 

And why?  You say because your teacher in school taught you about Shakespeare and didnt teach you about Pac, LOLOLOLOLOLOL!

So you believe Shakespeare is great cause your public school teacher said so, your teacher believed Shakespeare was great because her teacher before that said so, and that teachers teacher taught her... and on down the line... yet here we are.  A forum full of West Coast hiphop fans who grew up on Pac and aint ever gave a fuck about Shakespeare.

But being the worthless monkeys that you are instead of using your own brain you sheep follow the heard and defend Shakespeare for if not for social proof and herd mentality telling u how to live and how to believe you wouldnt know how to tie your shoes!

If everyone on a West Coast hip hop forum is telling you that Shakesphere was better than 2Pac, doesn't that say something?

Of course not, because everybody but you is brainwashed. Grow the fuck up, Infant.