but why? I came into a Jay-Z thread expecting 3 classics to be agreed upon and I didn't throw a fit when The Black Album wasn't voted a classic.
I wanna just re-emphasize what a classic means to me. Firstly it has to have quality to even be considered a classic. 808s and Heartbreaks is influential, but does it have the quality? No. So most people would agree it ain't a classic.
Now I'm not trying to compare AEOM to 808s, AEOM is far better. But I think the flaws stem from weak tracks and that results from filler that is to be expected on a double disc album. AEOM has classic songs all the way through but as an album overall, I PERSONALLY don't think it is.
For MATW and 7DT, that's another story. I was actually on the fence abut 7DT but decided to say yes. But MATW is a stone cold classic. No filler if only 1 track, killer lyricism and song writing and very concise from start to end.
And the point of these threads was to try and give value to the word classic, by making the acceptance % fairly high so that it really had to be a consensus opinion that 'x' artist has 'x' classics. Me saying AEOM is not classic might be going against the grain, and the polls disagree with me. But I feel I justified my opinion well enough for it to be respected, and not told to "get the fukk outta here".
Because some shyt is undisputed. Pac has 3 classics. The people have spoken. Anyone saying otherwise is being incredibly biased, has an agenda or is nitpicking the fukk out of Pacs catalogue.
I was 13 in 1996, and I grew up in the East, in a city heavily NY influenced. AEOM ran 96. Pac ran 96. That album was an undeniable classic. I was in LA last year, album cuts were still being played on the radio. You go on youtube and ALBUM CUTS got millions of views. Unless you grew up in that NY bubble or you were a Bad Boy stan, that albums classicness is undeniable and was felt across the board
People talk about filler. There was 27 tracks on that album and at best you could say 3 were actual filler. What were the other fillers? Are we confusing songs you may not LIKE as much because its not in tune with your musical sensibilities? That's not filler.
If you were never a big funk fan, you may not appreciate All About U, or Cant C Me. Doesn't make it filler. That album bangs in the whip, that album bangs at the BBQ.
There is no such thing as a perfect rap album. There will always be a flaw. But some heads will big up albums as classics even though they have flaws and then turn around and say "well AEOM has filler blah blah"
AEOM was a fuking nuclear bomb, no album was like it before it came and none has been like it since. Outside of the elitist confines of message forums and hipster cac run blogs, that album is one of the biggest and greatest rap albums ever.
Ambitionz as a ridah
All About U
Scandalous
Got my Mind Made Up
How Do U Want it
2 of Amerikkaz most wanted
Bring the Pain
Life Goes On
Hearts of Men
Tradin War Stories
Only God can judge me
California Love
I aint mad at cha
Cant C Me
Shorty wanna be a thug
Holla at Me
Wonder why they call u bytch
When we ride
Check out time
Rather be ya nikka
All Eyez on Me
Picture me Rollin
Aint hard to find
which one of those are filler? How does an album that has all that not be considered one of the greatest? Because the hook on Heaven aint hard to find left a bit to be desired? Because Whats Ya Phone Number shouldn't have sampled the Time? Because Thug Passion may have been too generic? Really?
This aint personal to you at all, I think you've been very reasonable, I respect your opinion.
I respect the opinion that you don't fukk with AEOM, but dont tell me that shyt aint classic.
this is more towards this general consensus that is being pushed at the expense of real motherfukkers who remembered Pac at this peak, who still remember 96.
MATW, AEOM and MAKAVELI are CLASSICS.
