Stuck on an Island : Melanie
June 1, 2016
If you got stuck on an island and only had access to a few albums, which albums would you pick? The only criteria for this list is what’s special to you. I asked a few friends to share the albums they would pick and why they would pick that album. Up first is my friend, Melanie! Here’s her list:
This was the first album I ever bought and what would ultimate make me a lyrical rap fan for years to come. From grammar school until my first year of college, you couldn’t tell me shit about Wayne. Mixtape Weezy was popping around this time too. As far as I was concerned he had a hold on everything, radio and underground. In my eyes he was the greatest rapper alive at the moment. Don’t judge me I was young and just now taken my love for music seriously. I remember being in 6th or 7th grade and becoming friend’s with a girl because she heard reciting the Fireman lyrics. “Fresh on campus it's the Birdman Jr. Money too long teachers put away ya rulers” was the reason I was the reason I wanted to go to college. Wayne getting an education and still doing what he loved really inspired me. Then to watch him get his own record label later, was amazing too watch. Because of that album I didn’t fuck with any rappers that didn’t have “bars” for a very long time.
This may be my favorite album of all time. I’m finally at the point where lyrics or actual talent is not needed for me to love a song. My only requirement is that the song be heartfelt and on a great ass beat. This whole album embodied that plus Hov that dude on the lyric tip. Jay Z and the producers really out did their selves with project. This album is what solidified him as my favorite rapper. Mind you I didn’t realize how great it was until like 2012. I slept on Hov pretty much until The Watch The Throne album. I didn’t think he was weak I just didn’t care for the way he talked about women. That all went out the window when I realized Wayne was no longer the “greatest rapper alive”. I spent majority of my sophomore year in college trying to figure out who did I love more Ye or Hov. Jay-Z’s larger catalogue would eventually win over Ye being and a hometown native. When I was in school I would listen to this album at least once a week. I don’t know why but it just truly lifts my mood. I would literally be walking to class walking around campus reciting pretending I’m Hov. I become a different person when 99 Problem, PSA, or What More Can I Say Song comes on. Dirt of the Shoulder is one of the most nostalgic songs to me, and yes I still rap it like it came out last week. I could write a whole essay about this album and why I love it but I’m going to keep it short and sweet.
It’s Michael Jackson’s best album, enough said… R.I.P. to the King.
I’m technically cheating by mentioning a mixtape, but let’s be real this is might as well have been an album. I’m from the South side of Chicago so I’ve been messing with Chance since 10 Day. I miss when he did free but I’m extremely proud to see how far he’s come as artist and a young man, and where he’s headed. This is another album that will put you in a good ass mood. I don’t even know where to start. This project came out during my sophomore year of college, around finals at that, and boy was it needed. Anytime I would get homesick I would listen to this album because it just screamed to Chicago, the good and the bad, which is very evident in Pusha Man. I really appreciated him and the producers for incorporating the juke beats throughout the project. I immediately would start thinking about my weekends and juke jams and parties back in high school and elementary school. Songs like Everybody’s Something and Everything’s Good, just make you appreciate the small things life. As far as topics this mixtape was all over the place yet still very cohesive and homely for me. This is another project I could probably do a whole paper about.
