I’m really feelin these lifestyle raps from regular-dude rappers — it seems so counter to what’s particularly covered right now. I wrote more on this song here.

As much as I like getting into stupid arguments about what rappers were the GOATs or who’s the king of which region, I think there’s a real tendency to ignore huge swaths of rap that aren’t even trying to engage in all the meta-narrative history building, and in the past couple of years, rappers who eschew that b.s. entirely dominate my listening. The thing that folks always ignore about Pac, Biggie, peak-period Jay-Z — they were writing unpretentious, straightforward party/lifestyle raps all the time, even if they worked into a larger persona. Would Biggie have had the same impact without “Big Poppa”? Pac without “I Get Around”? Their careers werent dominated by thoughts of saving rap or some greatest-rapper/artiste-alive narrative that seems really important now to guys like Kanye & Wayne & late-period Jay-Z (never mind dudes like B.O.B. or Lupe or whoever else). One of the reasons I’m really enjoying new Gucci is that he’s really having fun when he raps. He was quoted in an interview saying he doesn’t even think he’s one of the top ten rappers out right now. This quote is also fantastic:

If I put too much pressure on myself then I might not give the fans what they really want. I gotta have fun with it. They want me to have fun.

Thank u Gucci!!

My most-listened to rappers in the last couple years have been groups like the Beatnuts, DJ Quik, the Alkoholiks, Cypress Hill — artists that always get love but are never really listed as greatest anythings ever. They just made quality unpretentious & highly musical party raps that always seem to express some particular joy.

Its with this in mind that I’m really digging this “Weed & Champagne” joint from Project Mayhem. They don’t have a lot of songs out there (check the myspace), but this splits the difference between 90s Ski beats & good times swanky lifestyle party raps from regular dudes who just want to kick back & write some fun tracks. Beats rhymes & life.