The Qobuz Ideal Discography

With the Ideal Discography you (re)discover legendary recordings, all whilst building on your musical knowledge.
Albums
DAMN.
Kendrick Lamar
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released April 14, 2017 | Aftermath
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (25th Anniversary Edition)
A Tribe Called Quest
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released April 17, 1990 | Jive - Legacy
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released March 16, 2015 | Aftermath
Ombre est lumière (Edition Deluxe)
Iam
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released January 1, 1993 | Warner (France)
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released March 20, 1990 | Def Jam Recordings
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released June 28, 1988 | Def Jam Recordings
Let the Ghosts Sing
Al'tarba
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released October 13, 2014 | Jarring Effects
Tical
Method Man
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released November 8, 1994 | Def Jam Recordings
Illmatic XX
Nas
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released April 14, 2014 | Columbia - Legacy
Mauvais oeil
Lunatic
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released October 24, 2000 | 45 Scientific
L'école Du Micro D'argent
Iam
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released January 1, 1997 | Parlophone (France)
This album is one of the cornerstones of French hip-hop music. Its release was a major act for IAM as they finally found a sound to match the quality of their lyrics, as well as for French hip-hop, confirming the fact that rap has a lot of followers in the Hexagon. Like their peers from the suburbs of Paris, NTM, IAM went to New York to instigate the production of this album, seeking for the essence of the sound one can only find in the Big Apple (their previous album was also cut in N.Y.). They teamed with Prince Charles Alexander, the mixer and engineer who worked a lot for Bad Boy Records. They even got close to the Wu-Tang realm through Sunz of Man members on "La Saga." The sound has definitely changed from the previous albums: at first putting themselves in the Egyptian tradition (look at their names), they now have found the musical depth they deserve as ones of the few best lyricists of France. Definitely influenced by the Wu-Tang soundscapes, the opening track is the story of the battle between their school, from the silver mic, against the wooden mic school, in a Bushido style. Too bad that non-French speaking listeners won't get the lyrics; they cannot appreciate the quintessence of IAM's style. However, most of the album sticks to the traditional approach of storytelling, as it covers the city life in its darkness: little brothers that want to grow too fast and be the new caïd ("Petit Frère"), money hungry women who have sex without giving their names, the difficulties to have a similar chance and destiny than a boy growing up in the well-off (about equality of chances) and much more. Not many subjects of relief here, we only breathe thanks to the banging instrumentals and phrasing of the MCs. IAM takes the time to raise questions we don't want to hear, and stories we don't want to remember. This album is just hip-hop as its best: quality of the production with skilled lyricists in top form. This would just be one of you first "must-have" purchase if you plan to approach French rap music. © Vincent Latz /TiVo
Yeezus
Kanye West
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released January 1, 2013 | Rock The World - IDJ - Kanye - LP6
Hand On The Torch - 20th Anniversary Edition
Us3
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released November 16, 1993 | CM BLUE NOTE (A92)
Eazy-Duz-It
Eazy-E
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released November 26, 1988 | FRONTLINE CATALOG (P81)
Strictly Business
EPMD
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released January 1, 1988 | FRONTLINE CATALOG (P81)
R.A.P. Music
Killer Mike
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released May 15, 2012 | Williams Street Records
Le Chant des sirènes
Orelsan
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released September 23, 2011 | Wagram Music - 3ème Bureau - 7th Magnitude
Watch The Throne
Jay-Z
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released January 1, 2011 | Roc Nation - RocAFella - IDJ
Watch The Throne
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released January 1, 2011 | Roc Nation - RocAFella - IDJ
Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul
Jan Delay
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released August 14, 2009 | EIZ
Jan Delay reinvented himself on his second solo album, Mercedes-Dance (2006), adding a newfound taste for soul-funk to his already well-established reggae-rap style, and it took him to the top of the charts in Germany. That album's big hit, the über-funky "Klar," is the direction in which he takes his third full-length solo studio effort, Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul, an album on which he and his band, Disko Nr. 1, indulge their passion for the disco-funk sounds of the late '70s. Echos of Chic, Prince, Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament-Funkadelic, and other such acts pervade Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul and make it something of an exercise in nostalgia for the days when actual bands (rather than machines) kicked out the jams. The reggae-rap style of Delay's first album, Searching for the Jan Soul Rebels (2001), is little heard here. While that might disappoint some of his longtime fans hoping for a return to form, there's otherwise nothing to complain about on Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul, a Deutsch funk effort par excellence that should propel Delay's popularity to new heights, in particular the fantastic lead single, "Oh Jonny," with its handclaps, horn blasts, backup vocals, and catchy hook. As easy as it is to get swept up in the disco-funk grooves and throwback spirit of Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul, there's an undercurrent of social commentary that makes this more than just party music. For instance, the album's title ominously harks back to Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (1981), a harrowing film based upon the real-life story of a German teenager who gets caught up in the West Berlin disco scene of the late '70s and ends up a junkie prostitute. By and large, however, Delay dishes out his societal observations in an easygoing fashion and demonstrates a good sense of humor throughout. "Oh Jonny" is a good example of this. It helps also that he closes the album with "Disko," a song purely about dancing and partying that brings Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul to a climactic finale that leaves you feeling a bit breathless. It all adds up to a fantastic album that is not only a blast of fun but also smart and stylish. © Jason Birchmeier /TiVo
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A Light for Attracting Attention The Smile Pitchfork: Best New Music
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Un Verano Sin Ti Bad Bunny Pitchfork: Best New Music
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Boat Songs MJ Lenderman Pitchfork: Best New Music
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Warm Chris Aldous Harding Pitchfork: Best New Music