Giving Rec's

Do you automatically start with said artist's best work? Sometimes I think that's a bad place to start because then you're underwhelmed by the rest of the discog (this has happened to me quite a few times). Please list where you send people first and why.

I always try to give a solid, accessible representation of an artists' work. For instance, if some one wanted a Brother Ali rec, I'd give them Undisputed Truth or Us, so that way there's better material out there to find.

when i listen to new artists i prefer starting from the beginning

when i give recs i usually give the best tho

I give whatever I think is easiest to digest, but that does not sacrifice quality. Basically, the most accessible good album in an artist's catalog. For example, if I were to recommend Amon Tobin to someone, I would tell them to start with Supermodified. It's a great album that's easy to get into, but not exactly the pinnacle of his work in my opinion (that would be Permutation).

I try to go for the beginning and work my way through the entire discography, or just plain peep a cd someone rec's from an artist. I generally try to avoid the artist's best album so that way I won't be disappointed with the others. ie. did that with UGK's Ridin Dirty and the others just don't measure up IMO.

SMH at this UGK hater above me.

But it depends to me. Usually I don't give artist recs, I give album recs. So it's all that really matters to me. I just tend to say - ok this is a dope album so peep it. Sometimes I just rec a song. And then depending on how people receive it then I will rec some other shit. I usually end up rec'ing an artists best album, but rare is the occasion where an artist's best is so much better than the rest of their catalog that someone wouldn't like some of their other work.

Slang Editorial wrote:

when i listen to new artists i prefer starting from the beginning

when i give recs i usually give the best tho

Same here...

I probably make the mistake of recommending an artist's best album, though. I hadn't thought about it, but you guys bring up some pretty good points.

It depends on who the person is and where they are at style wise in hip hop. For example if a cat from the south who only listens to southern artist wanted a Nas recommendation I know not to lean him toward Illmatic but maybe Stillmatic or HHID would bring him in quicker.

If it is a well rounded listener I usually give them their best 2 or 3 albums and let them make the choice. Because whats their best to me may not be to them and everyone else.

KRob86 wrote:

It depends on who the person is and where they are at style wise in hip hop. For example if a cat from the south who only listens to southern artist wanted a Nas recommendation I know not to lean him toward Illmatic but maybe Stillmatic or HHID would bring him in quicker.

If it is a well rounded listener I usually give them their best 2 or 3 albums and let them make the choice. Because whats their best to me may not be to them and everyone else.

I co-sign 100%.

Kopasetick wrote:

Slang Editorial wrote:

when i listen to new artists i prefer starting from the beginning

when i give recs i usually give the best tho

Same here...

I probably make the mistake of recommending an artist's best album, though. I hadn't thought about it, but you guys bring up some pretty good points.

I guess it differs from artist to artist, but I usually like to check out their newest shit and move back. If I check out their oldest shit first, and it sounds dated or unoriginal, I might skip out on a dope mc's catalogue.