These are just some of the many artists I feel do not get the recognition they deserve for the music they make. It seems that all the artists that stimulate my mind through their music are the ones who no one has really heard of or the ones that people have heard of but they just don’t really listen to. These artists don’t get paid like those on the top 20 charts, but I feel that is just the cost of producing true art. It’s like how I feel about my clothes; my favorite pieces in my wardrobe are all things I bought from thrift store or vintage shops. Even though they aren’t where most people go to shop, some of the best things can be found in them. The things I find while thrifting are one of a kind, soulful, and express my personality more than anything else. That is the same way I feel about these underrated musicians.
Here they are & my favorite song from each of them in no particular order
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The Foreign Exchange
Come Around by The Foreign Exchange
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Hold On by Pharoahe Monch feat. Erykah Badu
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I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman by K-Os
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Noisettes
Every Now And Then by Noisettes
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Sister by Rhymefest
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Pharoahe Monch
Hold On by Pharoahe Monch feat. Erykah Badu
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K-Os
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Noisettes
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Rhymefest
Sister by Rhymefest
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Bilal
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Ledisi
Alright by Ledisi
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This list doesn’t even skim the surface of the numerous artists who don’t get enough attention. Don’t even get me started about how I feel about genius hip-hop musicians who have been around for so long but who still have not been given the attention that they fully deserve such as The Roots, Talib Kweli & Slum Village. And those R&B/Soul singers whose voices are ten times stronger and more dynamic than half the media puppets they play on the radio…I’m talking about people like Donell Jones, Jaheim, Amel Larrieux, Raheem DeVaughn, Dwele, Vikter Duplaix, Avant, Donnie…the list just goes on & on. And it’s a dang shame. Crap is so easily accessible in the music world, if you want to be enlightened through music you have to actively search for that good good. It shouldn’t be that way, but unfortunately it is.
I co-sign all of the artists that you posted here. I still listen to Bilal's 1st Born Second and The Foreign Exchange are tragically underrated. K-OS was here in DC recently, he's dope! Pharaoh Monch is one of the most lyrically intense emcee's in hip hop and Ledisi has angels in her throat. I like your taste in music
ReplyDeletehttp://www.moetwithmedusa.com/2010/05/my-favorite-albums-right-now.html
This is and older blog about my favorite albums at the time. You might find some stuff that you dig.
Respect
J
Thank you for agreeing! Lol, one day the world will wake up, clean their ears, and realize they've been missing out on some great musicians! And thank you for sharing that link.....you;ve got some amazing taste in music yourself. i've got no complaints :)
ReplyDeleteI love The Noisettes! Ant I discovered Ledisi thanks to you, awesome! ♥
ReplyDeleteCO TO THE FREAKING SIGN!!!! This is exactly my taste in music. These artists are so "slept on" it is actually sad. Weirdly enough I was listening to The Noisettes when I read this...:) Loves it!
ReplyDeleteNice taste in music! I love K-Os, not a lot of people have heard of him but he is really good! And Ledisi is AMAZING! I agree with Jason up there...that woman has to have angels in her throat! I also love Bilal of course. I had never heard of The Foreign Exchange or Rhymefest but both are very good! Thank you for sharing this with us Dee :)
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteseems we have similar taste in music but let me give you two others
Leela James - her version of Don't Speak by No Doubt is so soulful, also there is a song called My Joy. she just released her third cd
PJ Morton - A New Orleans native and the son of a Pastor.. He has written for Indie Aire and a bunch of gospel and soul singers.. My favorite song by him is called I Need You. but his entire cd Emotions is a great listen.
Thank you for all the comments!
ReplyDelete@crazy pig...I'm glad you like Ledisi! She is an amazing singer, you definitely have to check out more of her music :)
@Ms.O...THANK YOU!! Lol, the Noisettes are amazing, they really deserve more fame in the US!
@Erynne...Thank you! Glad you like Foreign Echange & Rhymefest, both make some extraordinary music!
@LoverofWords...I definitely agree with both of these musicians, Leela James is absolutely amazing! She is truly on another level than her counterparts..and same with PJ Morton. I have only heard a couple of his songs thus far but I like what I have heard! There are soooo many artists to be added to this list...someone could make a blog purely based off of "slept on" artists!
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ReplyDeleteI adore the Noisettes and totally agree, lots of bands with female singers are starting to get overlooked such as The gossip, Ida Maria, and The Dum Dum Girls. It's like if you havent already made it...good luck trying!
ReplyDeleteI have Ledisi's album and it's pretty good, she has an awesome voice.
Hi there-a fabulous post my dear and thanks so much for stopping by my blog too!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog I love the style of it all. see mine if ya can http://hiphop-movement.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteagreed! i love foreign exchange and the noisettes
ReplyDeleteYAY! Awesome post! Awesome music, I actually know and love all these artists you mentioned
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comments :) Expect many more musical posts from me!!!
ReplyDeleteRhymefest has to be the most slept on rapper in Chicago! (I think that is where he is from lol) But yes, I've loved him since the song he did with Kanye called Brand New
ReplyDeleteThe Foreign Exchange with Nicolle-I know I am misspelling his name-an little brother....those dudes have been killing it for a few years. "Let's Move.....I'ma have to get him to speak at my church"-...if you know what song that came from...you are in! Their stuff is just good @$$ music.
ReplyDeleteBilal-has been slept on for "waaaaayyy to long(far)"...his b-day is in the same month as mine...so I have to represent...AND his music has been hot since he came out with his first mass produced album...not everyone sleeps on the underground.
Julie Dexter is bad as well....Les Nubians-if you haven't heard them...then I don't know WHAT to tell you.
jason-from lipstick manual-my lady is dominique :D
Defo, these artists do not get half as much recognition or respect as they are due.
ReplyDeleteI love the Noisettes and adore Shingai's style.
Check out my blog at www.lilydeelove.blogspot.com
Hi Dee,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with this! I hate even listening to the radio because you get NO variety in music! A lot of the music on the radio just seems to be meaningless. I love music that moves you and when you hear the words, you're thinking "oh my gosh that is so deep." The artists you've mentioned are definitely those types but I just hate how they don't get their respect like some of these other artists who aren't doing nearly as much!
P.S. Thank you so much for checking out the blog! Love what you're doing here!
Please continue to read my blog! www.roseinthegarden.com
@sade jaye, i definitely agree!!! there is so much talent that comes from chicago, i guess some just unfortunately slip through the cracks of the public eye :(
ReplyDelete@anonymous, i stared and stared and thought and thought about where that line is from and i got nothing boo!!! but don't count me out! :/ lol. don't worry, i love les nubians, they are incredible! and julie dexter is nice, i really like her music!
@desiree love, you don't even understand how much i adore shingai's style! that woman is amazing, i absolutely love her :)
@RoseInGarden, thank you so much! And I agree with you, I find myself turning off my radio a lot because everything starts to sound the same...the same beat, the same lyrics, the same EVERYTHING! It's so frustrating, and you are welcome! I really liked the post that I commented on, it brought me back to my childhood memories lol :)
@Dee- it's off of the Little Brother Album-"Let's Move"-is the song-Nicolle did the beat...it sounds like some kinda of funhouse music-it came out in like...2004-2005. It's on YouTube under little brother "let's move"...ask if he can speak at my church is at the end of the song...
ReplyDeletejason
it's actually apart of the song that comes on right afterwards...but on the cd you can hear it...listen to "Nic's Groove feat. Rapper Big Pooh" it's cold as well.
ReplyDeletejason
@anonymous, i just listened to it, that song is the biz thank you for pointing it out to me! and here i thought i had listened to every song off the album, smh. u were right it does sound like funhouse music. the foreign exchange is such a dynamic duo, the connection between the 2 of them is ridiculous. did u know that they made their first album without ever having met each other in person? nicolay would just send phonte the beats via mail and phonte would lay down the vocals and send them back to nicolay and nicolay would edit it! when i read about that i was stunned, i guess that's where their name cam from lol...and i love nic's groove :) yeah, u need to definitely tell me about more songs when you get the chance!
ReplyDeleteI love K-Os!!! he's from Toronto Canada and so am I and I have seen him on the subways and around town a few times he seems rather stand offish though. But an interesting fact about his random song title is that he is a huge fan of Natalie Portman and he was hoping to see her at last years TIFF (Toronto international film festival) but he wasn't able to because he was waiting for his friend Matt Babel who is a television host here in Canada and Matt was running a little late and therefore they missed their opportunity to meet her, so he named a song after her and put Matt Babel in the video as the mechanic at the gas station. But I was watching t.v. this morning and Matt mentioned that K-Os was planning to finally meet Natalie Portman this year since TIFF began again today and Natalie will be in town for the premiere of her film Black Swan. Sorry for rambling but I thought that was kind of interesting.
ReplyDeleteOh no, you aren't rambling lol! Thank you so much for sharing that story, I was really wondering why he named that song that title because it had nothing to do with Natalie Portman lol so thank you so much for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming through to read our blog and for commenting as well.
ReplyDeleteLove this post and all. Now following your blog, hope you do the same. Make sure to get your hands on Foreign Exchange's brand new single via their website.
I love the Noisettes Shoniwas style is on point. I saw Bilal in concert over the summer. Foreign Exchange is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeletehttp://hippiebar.blogspot.com/
damn dude, this is so creepy!! lol we like the EXACT same music!!!!! :)
ReplyDeletelove&peace
http://coilymystic.blogspot.com/
thanks for the comments!! :)
ReplyDelete