Why would you admit this? haha

This is a point I wish more people understood. People say rap glorifies this street stuff (and it does) and that is why there is so much street violence in some places. But art doesn't create reality, it reflects it. People make art about what they know and what they see, so of course they rap about it.

There are exceptions, dudes who didn't grow up in that life rapping about it, but that is again a reflection of their life. These are guys who were big in to Hip Hop who created art mirroring what they grew up with, which is rap about a violent life style. They are also the exception, not the rule I feel.

This album was an embarrassingly large part of me getting in to Hip Hop. It wasn't my first album, that was The Eminem Show. But I was a little moody for about a year there and the edgy teen I was really identified with a lot of the depression and anger on the album. I still like Eminem now, but I mostly listen to his goofier songs (Real Slim Shady, Without Me, Lock it Up) or anything featuring Swifty McVay. Giving it a re-listen yesterday night I still really liked it, but it is weird to listen to it and not identify with it at all. And some of the lyrics made me kind of uncomfortable knowing I used to rap along with this.

Favorite songs back in the day would have been Kill You, The Way I Am and Kim. Because I was a vaguely poor teenager and I was mad about it. Looking back at it now though, I found myself really getting in to pretty much the whole album, just not identifying with any of it.

The only songs I really didn't enjoy now are Amityville and Kim. Amityville has Bizarre so we all know what went wrong there. Kim is just...too mad. I don't know why I loved that song so much as a kid, because I had a decent childhood, but looking at it now it is weird. It kind of gives me some insight on my kids I think, seeing the sort of stuff I felt "reflected me" at that age. Hormones man.

Glad they gave it B.o.B.

This version is ok but just not quite as good imo. Hayley Williams still slaps on the hook though.

Diddy fucked up a lot of songs in the late 90s with his adlibs and dancing around in people's music videos.

Went with an undisputed classic this week, the 2005 remaster because that is the earliest version on Spotify. It is hard to pick, but personal favorite tracks are Things Done Changed or Hypnotize. I also have a soft spot for Big Poppa because it makes me think of the Keanu Reeves movie Hardball, which I love despite it being not actually very good. And Who Shot Ya? of course. This album has too many good tracks to make narrowing it down easy honestly.

What is everybody else's favorite tracks?

Not a huge Token fan, but I like trying to post different types of stuff. Hope somebody enjoys this

Favorite track for me is 3010. The first beat, the second beat it switches to, the fucking hard-ass guitar riffs at the end, all perfect. Esoteric? Always immaculate. I specifically remember writing the lyrics to this in a notebook because I couldn't find them online. The Life of a Tape is second, I love a good concept track.

What about everybody else, favorite track?

That girl is gonna get a yeast infection

I didn't super care for the single on this, Tantor. Loved the rest of the album though. Production on this is great, Danny always brings something interesting.

EDIT: Been listening back through. The 3 track run of Dark Sword Angel, Y.B.P. and Jenn's Terrific Vacation is my favorite part of the album. Bruiser Wolf's flow/voice on Y.B.P. cracks me up

Honestly, I kinda feel that way. I rate J Cole super high, probably in my personal top 5 all time? Maybe just top 10 but still.

J Cole coming in hot. I’m not always the biggest fan of his songs, but he always kills the feature.