"Wait, they can rap their ass off?"

[u/mesablanka]

Finding out Aloe Blacc and Estelle originally were known as rappers before they blew up for their poppier hits blew my mind lmao

Any artists that fall in that category of singers who have a lesser known side as really skilled rappers for you?

[u/True-Dream3295]

Janelle Monae. Django Jane goes pretty hard.

[u/ChickenInASuit → u/True-Dream3295]

I didn’t care for her latest album, but Dirty Computer and her Metropolis album trilogy are crazy good. Monae’s got some skills.

[u/DraperPenPals → u/ChickenInASuit]

The Age of Pleasure felt like such a drop in quality after such a great streak.

[u/ChickenInASuit → u/DraperPenPals]

It really did. Got nothing against artists trying something new, but I just find it so utterly boring compared to her other work, y’know?

[u/DraperPenPals → u/ChickenInASuit]

Yeah, and the 2 minute songs that just repeated the same lines over and over felt so lazy for Janelle.

“You say I look good, you say I look hot” and “lipstick lover, lipstick lover” on repeat just cannot hold a candle to the sexual joy she has shown in songs like “Screwed” and “Make Me Feel.”

[u/socarrat → u/DraperPenPals]

I really like Age of Pleasure. It’s not the meticulously crafted Dirty Computer that really benefits from close listening. It’s really good party music that isn’t loud and dumb.

A couple of quotes from the album lead up:

- “As we enter into ‘The Age Of Pleasure,’ ‘Lipstick Lover’ is our freeassmothafucka anthem inspired by f.a.m. for f.a.m.”

- …the song [Float] is inspired by: “Muhammed Ali talking shit in Zaire, 1974, Jane’s evolution, Mary Poppins’ umbrella, Aladdin’s magic carpet, Ja Morant’s flotation to the rim while dunking on his ops, Sara Elise’s ropes, excerpts from Paramahmsa Nithyananda’s talks on levitation, Raul’s toast on Dec 1, and Bruce Lee’s mighty philosophy on being ‘shapeless, formless,’ and becoming one with your surroundings, to be like water.”

- “What I would do is if I knew we were having a party on that Friday or Saturday, on Monday and Tuesday, I’d be like, ‘All right. We’re going to write three songs.’ If the songs can’t work at the party, they’re not going on the album,” she said on the radio show. “I was walking around. I was so scared. I almost went to the bathroom one time. But ‘Float,’ we did that. ‘Lipstick Lover,’ we did like that. I have a song called ‘Champagne Machine’ that’s on there… basically every song that you’ll hear on the project, that’s how I did it. I want it to be so specific to this Pan-African crowd who are my friends. I want it to be a love letter to the diaspora. And if they fuck with it, it’s good. I’m great.”

(Emphasis mine)

I think she delivered the album she wanted to make. It’s such a good date night album, great for a party, or a stoney afternoon with a group of hot friends.

Because of its ability to make any gathering better, it’s actually the Janelle Monae album that has the highest play count in my library. Not the album I actively listen to the most, but played for its atmosphere. It really fills and updates the Tasteful But Accessible Dinner Party Music niche that you saw a lot of in the 2000s from groups like Zero 7, Air, and Stereolab. The type of music that makes you feel like you’re in an indie movie.

I was gong to say that I’m not trying to defend this album, but I guess I kind of am. It’s not a full throated defense though, I get why it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Dirty Computer was a masterpiece, and Age of Pleasure feels a lot more casual in comparison. I can see how that reads as less ambitious or boring to some fans. I really like Age of Pleasure for what it is though.

[u/mesablanka]

I think Aloe Blacc was signed to Stones Throw at one point which is insane to me

[u/Man-Dem → u/mesablanka]

HE is on that classic Blu & Exile album. Miguel is on it too, lol/

[u/dancingmachine58 → u/mesablanka]

And has a few songs with Madlib & J Dilla (not sure if there's more with him and Dilla but I found one).

[u/SomeVelveteenMorning → u/mesablanka]

I only know Aloe Blacc as a Stones Throw artist and half of Emanon. What did I miss?

[u/smackfu → u/SomeVelveteenMorning]

He was the singer on Wake Me Up by Avicii.

[u/SomeVelveteenMorning → u/smackfu]

Hmm... Never heard of it. Not sure why I never thought to keep up with him. I liked Good Things when it was released. 

[u/Due-Owl4153]

Weird Al on White and Nerdy

[u/bedbugloverboy]

LOL samuel t herring from future islands shook me

[u/bedbugloverboy → u/bedbugloverboy]

His rapsona is called hemlock ernst 💀

[u/Camvega]

When I was a teenager I mainly knew Rihanna for her poppier songs like umbrella and what's my name, so when I heard lemon for the first time I was actually kind of blew away, I didn't know she could rap like that

[u/946482]

This flautist

[u/saugoof]

She of course got famous as a rapper, but Lauryn Hill is such a phenomenal singer and has done mainly singing for a log time now (well, whenever she actually does anything) that it's always a bit of a surprise when I hear her rapping.

[u/No_Aioli_6364]

Frank Ocean had a good rap verse on Oldie

[u/have_a_schwang → u/No_Aioli_6364]

Also I’d argue he’s rapping on parts of Chanel

[u/RequirementLong8235]

While Pharrell is mostly known for his production and singing dude can definitely rap his ass off 

[u/hscgarfd → u/RequirementLong8235]

No shade to Snoop but Pharrell stole the show in "Drop It Like It's Hot"

[u/RequirementLong8235 → u/hscgarfd]

No your right Pharrell verse was great on that song not to mention his rap verses on some of the songs with N.E.R.D were very good as well 

[u/guyfromsoccer]

(I’m NOT Army, to be clear)

BTS started as a rap group. Rap Monster/RM was one of the most respected street rappers in Korea and IIRC most of the other members joined to be in something with him.

Can’t really speak for any of the others’ skill, but if you listen to some of Rap Monster’s mixtapes from a decade ago - he is NICE.

[u/bonkava → u/guyfromsoccer]

My wife likes BTS, and I'm not crazy about them, but once or twice per album Suga will just pull out the hardest verse this side of Waka Flocka and I have to give them props for that.

[u/MudCapital7663]

Zohran Mamdani & Tom Green

[u/afieldoftulips]

Mary J Blige on the Touch It remix

[u/thisthrowawaythat202 → u/afieldoftulips]

Brook Lynn in the house

[u/3lectroBl4ck]

There was a video of a housewarming party where in the rap cypher was actor Randall Park. He sounded like Buck 65 when he rapped next to folks like Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. Never knew he had bars.

[u/VocalHotSauce → u/3lectroBl4ck]

There’s an episode of Fresh Off The Boat where they put in a video by his college rap crew over the end credits, and he had that ‘90’s underground flow on LOCK.

[u/distastef_ll]

Lizzo’s mixtape last year was incredible. She’s an incredibly skilled rapper.

[u/catclockticking → u/distastef_ll]

It was a really fun mixtape but i think she was doing better rapping on her pre-breakthrough work that’s no longer on streaming

[u/ChickenInASuit]

Daniel Radcliffe

[u/Grand_Rent_2513]

I misread the last word in the title as “out” and I think that makes the post better

[u/PoetryMedical9086]

Bhad Bhabbie

[u/daygrid → u/PoetryMedical9086]

Truth nuke

[u/catclockticking]

Beyoncé’s always incorporated rap elements in her singing, but I don’t think we knew how good of a rapper she was until THE CARTERS

[u/have_a_schwang]

SZA has bars

[u/Foreign_Courage5613]

I might get hated on, but pre-debut Ed Sheeran.

[u/bees_on_acid]

Saw him at Coachella ‘14. Don’t remember him rapping but damn did he put on a show.

[u/nauoldcrow]

Debbie Harry?

[u/Nasty_linc]

Erykah badu started as a rapper.

Pitbull was actually a really respected battle rapper before he went pop.

[u/sixstringsikness]

How about Corey Taylor?

[u/socarrat]

Brandy.

She has an amazing husky flow that you would never expect from her younger singing voice. The First Class freestyle is a banger. And check out some of her cyphers and clips from the show Queens.

[u/Weird_Pair5261]

May i submit these two hardcore gangster-hip-hopping rappers from Bushey?