Hip Hop

I didn't really give it a lot of credit when I was younger, then I discovered artists like The Roots, Kanye West and Outkast (and newer cats like Lupe Fiasco).

Then I fell in love with the genre.

I've always had a love of Jazz and spoken poetry and all things considered, Hip Hop is but an apple from the same tree.

Both Jazz and Hip Hop are powerful means of African American expression, and both are underpinned by a DIY aesthetic. It's a music that can be embraced by anyone of any socio-economic background, all you need is a beat, a pen and paper and you can start communicating a message.

Yeah I'm waxing lyrical and that's another thing I love about Hip Hop, it's poetry in motion.

I love hip-hop because:

The Legendary Roots Crew (L to R: Ahmir Thompson aka ?uestlove & Tariq Trotter aka BlackThought)

+ It makes me nod my head and tap my feet.
+ Thick beats and rhymes.
+ I love its diversity, but when it is made with heart, soul and poetry, it is beautiful.
+ Freestylin' - nuff said.

My personal favourite Hip Hop albums (in no particular order):

NEW:
Mos Def - The Ecstatic (2009)
BlakRoc (The Black Keys feat. various amazing MC's!) - BlakRoc
Q-Tip- The Renaissance
anything by The Roots; I suggest Phrenology or Do You Want More??!?. (One of the finest examples of a hip hop band out there- MC, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, boom boxers)
Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor

OLDER:
 Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) - Self Titled
A Tribe Called Quest - The Love Movement (or Midnight Marauders)
Outkast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below
Jay Z - Unplugged (Pretty ill album, one of the best 'live' hip hop albums. His backing band is 'The Legendary Roots Crew'! Live drums, bass, guitar and everything... gotta love it!)
Anything Old School : Jazzy Jeff, Run DMC, you name it.

Oh, this is awesome too! (it ain't strictly Hip Hop ;) but still fantastic)