RTJ1 would be the People's Instinctive… part of the argument. I love it as well, but you can see that they built upon what was a great foundation.

It's become clear from this discussion that RTJ2 v. RTJ3 will take on the feel of a Low End Theory v. Midnight Marauders debate.
Both in that there will be respect for the view of the other side, and that there really isn't a wrong answer.

I'm apparently in the minority, since I don't like Danny Brown. Like, not even a little. But for the first two-thirds of that song, you make a strong case.

I mentioned this in the Christmas Day thread, but after even more listens, it's even more apparent (and I'll expand here)

The best is that the beat clap kicks in right after that line, like you can picture some serial hi-fiving going on.

I took the free DL and immediately ordered the t-shirt/vinyl bundle.

It came out in May, I think? It's great…I loved Prhyme, but this definitely feels like Royce's vision. I'd love to hear some of these rhymes over Premier beats, though.

No, Killer Mike actually has a good deal of activism in his verses, and they're good - they just don't stick out as one-liners.

"Brave men did not die face down in the Vietnam mud so I could not style on you" got a HOLY SHIT out of me.

Panther Like a Panther on Friday

Sorry, but the answer is "If you're running out of ways to go fuck yourself, I will innovate".

That, and "I talk real good cuz I'm smart and stuff".

Apollo Brown & Skyzoo
Royce the 5'9"
Czarface
Tonedeff

After listens 12 and 13, I'm still with you, and I'll throw in that "Thursday.." has a similar vibe to "Crown", and both closing songs involve references to the concept of "masters".

After my 5th and 6th listens, I definitely know what you mean. And, it follows RTJ2 in that tracks 2,3,and 4 must be played in a row (you can't just listen to one of them, or put them individually on playlists). The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and the parts are pretty fucking great.

You're spot on with the holdover from the retail days theory.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'd like to think that listening to hip hop for three decades gives me a little bit of a wider range than some, but I just can't get with Danny Brown.

Torii Wolf.
So far she's dropped 3 songs (and 2 remixes) with DJ Premier heavily involved. Easily my most anticipated 2017 release (aside from Run The Jewels).

My niece "made" us watch this during a sleepover - I absolutely loved it.

But, to be fair, a lot of assholes have made a lot of money off of it since the bombing happened - see also, every fucking person who made a "_______ Strong" t-shirt/sticker/hat and gave no money to any charity. As far as residual anger goes, that's the one that pisses me off more than anything outside of the…