Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

When have been the few times you stepped outside of Hip-Hop comfort zone to be pleasantly surprised to find new music that you liked?

For me:
Wu-Tang Clan-36 Chambers (only really listened to Southern and West Coast artists at the time)
MF Doom-Madvillainy (little weird at first but I liked it)
Count Bass D-BegBorrowSteal
Cannibal Ox (didn't know how to make heads or tails of it at first, but it grew on me)
Blue Sky Black Death-Holocaust (didn't know what to expect)
Boot Camp Clik (heard of them but didn't know what to expect, a very happy edition to my repertoire)

Other Wu-Tang, Boot Camp Clik and Count Bass D, the aforementioned had unusual flows that initially turned me off but their lyricism made up for it.

Honestly, I didn't listen to much southern hip-hop outside of Outkast, Goodie Mob, and some Ball & G before I met Kev & SRP. Both have shown me some tight stuff...UGK, Geto Boys (and solos from all members), Big Mike, 5th Ward Boys, Point Blank, Crooked Lettaz, Terrorists, and more. And I'm not sure if I was opposed to it, but Powell has shown me lots of dope old school hip-hop over the years. Also Bone Thugs from N3RO and C. Tran which I was very opposed to, but have since seen the quality in them. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take many recs lately because I've been worried I may be unemployed soon pretty much every day for the past 3 months (especially this week!). I'd like to take more. I may have to start downloading more, which I do not want to do!

Worse comes to worse if you are unemployed file for unemployment immediately.
Also if you haven't started doing so yet start applying to jobs because the market is tight so get started as soon as you can. Good luck and don't lose heart.

I survived over a year without a job and no unemployment benefits and still paid all my bills. It can be done just be frugal as possible. Read your local papers for free stuff and fun. The free stuff kept me from going crazy.

TheHazardous wrote:

Worse comes to worse if you are unemployed file for unemployment immediately.
Also if you haven't started doing so yet start applying to jobs because the market is tight so get started as soon as you can. Good luck and don't lose heart.

I survived over a year without a job and no unemployment benefits and still paid all my bills. It can be done just be frugal as possible. Read your local papers for free stuff and fun. The free stuff kept me from going crazy.

Yeah, I can be very frugal when I need to be. Been there. Problem is I own a house with a roommate/business partner, so it's tough to keep up with it especially when we bought house at the worst possible time (about 4 years ago) and our mortgage is outrageous. Enough about that...I stress over it constantly...lol. I can conserve and have fun with no dough like a mofo. lol

That sucks, Alan. I know how that is. I just had my hours cut recently, so I'm trying to trim my budget also. For starters, I have gotten rid of my phone bill by getting rid of my cell, and switching over to an internet phone device called OOMA. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
I don't sell this, but I'm just saying you should look into it.

Plus, I don't really go to restaurants anymore on the weekends. Don't be scared of coupons. They can be your best friends.

Anyway, back to the thread. I have tried MF DOOM, and I love his style! Aceyalone was a big jump from what I was listening to, in fact, TBOHL was my very first underground CD. The biggest jump was when I purchased Portishead (the self titled album). I was blown away!

I picked up some C Rayz Walz bases on some rec's from Exzakt, and they turned out to be dope.

Blackalicious was a a big step out my comfort zone and any other non hardcore rap that I tried more since joining the forum.

Knonam wasn't a huge step out of my comfort zone, but I have to say when I heard about a dude from minnesota rapping over 80's pop breaks I wasn't exactly interested.

Heiruspecs and Animate Objects were pretty large steps out of my comfort zone because I'm really prejudiced against rap bands.

I've really gone out of my comfort zone in recent times. Just the thought of enjoying southern music (outside of Outkast and Cunninglynguists) used to frighten me. Growing up the majority of the stuff I used to hear from the south was straight garbage. In addition, the bulk of the music I enjoy is from NY, Cali, and overseas. Never really got into southern hip hop until a couple weeks ago. With steady doses of UGK, Goodie Mod, 8Ball & MJG, and others I've grown to appreciate my regions music (FL isn't really southern though lol).

I've also been more open to "older music". Recently, I've been checking up on the usual classics from the golden age of hip hop such as One For All and To The East Blackwards. I've grown to appreciate music from all eras and from varying styles. While I still tend to leam towards my jazz hip hop/conscious rap I'm more open to new stuff.

"Heiruspecs and Animate Objects were pretty large steps out of my comfort zone because I'm really prejudiced against rap bands."

Animate Objects are the shit! They need to drop a full length, quick; I'd be all over that

Cize Starr
Speaking of southern stuff, have you checked out "Society of Soul"-Brainchild? It's not a hip hop album, but it's more of a g funk type sound. In fact, some of the samples on Outkast's ATLiens comes from that album.


For a while, I couldn't stand hip hop from the late 80s up till 92, and I wouldn't even touch it because the flows were too square, and the beats were too basic . After purchasing some of LL's albums, I started getting into a lot of the stuff from that era, and I've grown to really love it. I would listen to the stuff for weeks at a time.

a.scott wrote:

Cize Starr
Speaking of southern stuff, have you checked out "Society of Soul"-Brainchild? It's not a hip hop album, but it's more of a g funk type sound. In fact, some of the samples on Outkast's ATLiens comes from that album.


For a while, I couldn't stand hip hop from the late 80s up till 92, and I wouldn't even touch it because the flows were too square, and the beats were too basic . After purchasing some of LL's albums, I started getting into a lot of the stuff from that era, and I've grown to really love it. I would listen to the stuff for weeks at a time.

I'm not familiar with that. I'll check it out.

a.scott wrote:

Cize Starr
Speaking of southern stuff, have you checked out "Society of Soul"-Brainchild? It's not a hip hop album, but it's more of a g funk type sound. In fact, some of the samples on Outkast's ATLiens comes from that album.


For a while, I couldn't stand hip hop from the late 80s up till 92, and I wouldn't even touch it because the flows were too square, and the beats were too basic . After purchasing some of LL's albums, I started getting into a lot of the stuff from that era, and I've grown to really love it. I would listen to the stuff for weeks at a time.

Wow A Scott, I'm surprised to hear you say that.

If you liked LL's stuff though, you should enjoy stuff by Rakim, KRS, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick and other lyrical giants of that era.

I used to hate on Southern music just because of the image it has from the mainstream, thanks to UGK's Ridin' Dirty that's changed.

A.Scott, I used to have that problem too, then I went through the BDP discography and it all changed.

KJ Styles wrote:

a.scott wrote:

Cize Starr
Speaking of southern stuff, have you checked out "Society of Soul"-Brainchild? It's not a hip hop album, but it's more of a g funk type sound. In fact, some of the samples on Outkast's ATLiens comes from that album.


For a while, I couldn't stand hip hop from the late 80s up till 92, and I wouldn't even touch it because the flows were too square, and the beats were too basic . After purchasing some of LL's albums, I started getting into a lot of the stuff from that era, and I've grown to really love it. I would listen to the stuff for weeks at a time.

Wow A Scott, I'm surprised to hear you say that.

If you liked LL's stuff though, you should enjoy stuff by Rakim, KRS, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick and other lyrical giants of that era.

Yeah, I know huh. I bet I surprised quite a few people when I said that. The funny thing is that I look back on when I was like that, and I laugh.

Esco wrote:

I used to hate on Southern music just because of the image it has from the mainstream, thanks to UGK's Ridin' Dirty that's changed.

A.Scott, I used to have that problem too, then I went through the BDP discography and it all changed.

BDP was dope! I remember back in the day before NWA, that was all everybody was talking about.

For me its Seagram

Happy to know everyone is willing to venture forth into the palette wilderness every once in awhile.

How old are you A.Scott?

28. I got into hip hop in 1988. For a while, I was a casual listener up until 1994, then I was al up in it. Now I listen to hip hop pretty exclusively (except for the occasional dance hall or reggae kick).

A good example of why I didn't go back in time to hip hop records of the past would be
Biz Markie. Granted, I could appreciate what his contribution to hip hop was (and it was a very big contribution, by the way), but his flow is really annoying to me. It grates on these ears.

You an 81 baby A. Scott?

JP's Stupid Joke of the Day:

"2Pac's Killer"
Just so you know they're going to catch you! YOU NEFARIOUS FIEND!

Busdriver was a huge step out of my cofort zone. I like laid back beats and lyrics that hit real close to home, but Busdriver is not that dude for me. I probably won"t get anymore of his albums but at least I tried.

I took chances on K-Rino (bought Worst Rapper Alive blind) and Big Moe (didn't buy it, but usually wouldn't even dl Southern stuff).

Very pleased with both of these artists. Rino rips the mic, not that it needs to be said again. Moe's City Of Syrup is absolutely timeless. Not sure, but I think I owe both of these recs to K Rob. Maybe SRP, I don't remember exactly.