From 808's to Big Pun

I had a tumultuous day in terms of listening to music today. I started out listening to Kanye's mixtape "Lv's and AutoTune 2." I actually think this mixtape is better than his most recent official album. 808's and Heartbreaks is a pretty okay experimental album by Kanye, but a lot of hip hop fans felt alienated. This mixtape features more hip hop and less autotune in spite of the title. Album pick: "Poke Her Face" with Kid Cudi and Common.

I listened to some Joe Jackson, who is an 80's New Wave artist. Didn't listen to any particular album, just a bunch of his songs. To me, his music feels like youthful alternative rock. His lyrics aren't deep by any means, but are symbolic. He's probably most known for "Steppin Out," but I liked "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" That was his first single and I think it's timeless in terms of the lyrics.

Then, I listened to XTC, another 80's new wave band. I listened to a compilation of their singles from '78-'85. At first, I wasn't impressed at all. Eventually, I agained a moderate liking for their music and my album pick is actually "Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down" which ironically allmusic regards as the worst songs on the album.

Finally, I listened to Big Pun and it reminded me what a tragedy his young death was. One of the top hip hop artists of the 90's, he undoubtably left a lasting influence on hip hop. He shines especially on tracks with other artists because he feels the need to stand out. He provides rhymes faster than a lot of people think and the best part about it is that they have significant lyrical content. I'm sure I speak on the behalf of the hip hop community when I say he is deeply missed.

--Mahmoud