Influential Artists
Kanye West
Granted, Kanye West might be one of the cockiest emcess and producers in the game. He might hog the spotlight at times and throw a fit occasionally if something doesn’t go his way. He also may brag about things that yet have not happened. And Kanye will talk about how he’s the greatest, or atleast a younger brother to the greatest (Jay-Z). I’m here to tell you - don’t disregard that. He is who he is and he has done what he has done because of his character.
DJ Krush | Stepping Stones
Can you imagine the best of what hip hop has to offer lyrically mashed up with what the best international + Japanese music has to offer beat/tempo wise? That’s what I heard when I first got a listen of DJ Krush’s compilation entiled Stepping Stones - The Self-Remixed Best (2006). It’s wicked different from the U.S. based hip hop we’re used to!
Gateway to Post-Metal | Isis
Rhythm. That’s the best word to describe Isis. They are one of the heaviest bands I listen to and definitely the most rhythmically inclined. I believe Isis is among the most influential artists in rock (you just might not realize it), and they’re certainly one the most influential groups among my personal musical influences. It took a few albums for Isis to really develop, but their last two have done rather well for such a niche audience.
Blackstar | Mos Def & Talib Kweli
The most influential artists to the world of conscious (aka real) hip hop, they’ve managed to inspire and make popular the sound of hip hop artists like Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco, Jazz musician like Ronny Jordan, production artists like Hi-Tek and Minnesota, and soul singers like Floetry and Faith Evans. Their music and art form, as a group and as individuals, has changed the way we listen to hip hop music today.
Inspiring Musicians | Tool
Over the last several years, Tool has grown to become that band that other bands look up to. Though not always popular due to their scary/haunting music videos and very descriptive/honest lyrics, they’ve grown their fan base through their quality of music rather than pop-based singles or crazy marketing schemes. It just takes an unattached/unbiased listening to any one of their songs to get hooked. It’s hard for first time listeners to appreciate at first, but once you hear the intricacies and the meaning behind the lyrics - you can’t help but to appreciate the quality.
