Chorus.fm’s Top 25 Albums of 2019 • Page 8

lol do you know how many rappers out there call themselves the realest?

If you want to start a legitimate conversation about white people's place in hip hop, that's one thing. It's something I think about often as an avid fan and consumer of the genre. But I don't get what we're pulling at here.

 

oh since you’re so into quotes please direct me to the one where I made accusations against the staffer who liked his album. Thanks!

the rest of this comment truly makes me want to slit my wrists so I’m pretending it didn’t happen

 

real hip hop is about bars and boom bap

 

Yeah, wildly inappropriate so I'm going to bow out of this here discussion.

 

So, do I look at it and say "hey it's weird that the one, as genuinely understood, hip-hop album on this list is a white guy, I'm going to dock points from the contributor who has it at number one in order to keep that from happening." I am not following how that act of, basically, censorship to one of our non-white contributors is less problematic than the album being on the list to begin with.

Yes, it means a few contributors to this website liked this album and, specifically, it really helped someone with mental health this year and therefore was their favorite album of the year giving it a lot of 'points' in our system. I don't think someone loving that album reflects as badly on the website as you and others seem to, but there's always lots on these lists that don't line up with my personal list -- which is why I post a personal list. I'm going to think about different ranking/sorting algorithms and if there's a better way to allocate points so one album being someone's number one album, in a contributor pool that is relatively small compared to past years, doesn't end up greatly swaying an album up the list, and maybe I'll come up with something that's a better way to organize these in the future. However, I still believe the underlying issue is one of diversity itself, more so than NF specifically, and this then leads back to my post a few posts ago about the ways I see of fixing that and seeing a more diverse EOTY list.

 

as one of two people who voted NF on to this list I’d just like to say fuck anyone who has a problem with people with mental health issues connecting with an artist creating art about their struggles with mental health issues

 

honestly if you’re not giving yourself room for editiorial changes then it sounds like the point system is an absolutely broken system for what you’re trying to accomplish. I agree that the system should probably be revisited.
Like, the point is that the post as a stand-alone piece doesn’t have the context you’re attaching. So at the end of the day no matter what explanation is given, this is an end of the year list posted by a website that claims to be progressive, which has only one hip hop artist on it that is white and problematic.

No explanation changes that. I’m disappointed, others are disappointed. And if I’m being really honest it doesn’t feel like our/my critiques are being heard at all. It’s just been people on the defense the entire time. Which is more disappointing.
So if that’s how it is then that’s how it is.

 

Not even remotely at all what people said but go off Garrett.

 

I legitimately didn't know what the subject matter of the album was about until reading more into it, so I apologize for writing the dude off as corny if he connected with you on that level.

 

I didn’t listen to much new music this year but I really enjoyed Muna Saves the World and the new grayscale.

As far as the complaints, I get being disappointed about the list not being diverse enough, but it’s been explained how the list came to be. Imo, the list shouldn’t be edited to include artist that didn’t make the overall cut for any reason. Personally, If i didn’t like an album or even listen to it, I’m not going to vote for it.

Maybe break the list down by category next year so queer bands (or insert any label you want) gets some recognition. Again I loved that Muna album but I had never even heard of them until November.

That or we can all just complain and hope something happens

 

I'll ask again, do you think I should have made the editorial change in this scenario? Do you think it would have been better to censor the number one album from one of our contributors of color because it looks like this:

.. to you and others? Do you think censoring this contributor of color to avoid you being disappointed is the right call? I am listening to your critique and I'm asking you what you think the proper solution is. When I brought up the multiple ways to probably bring more diverse voices into the mix, that was shot down as not the critique you were actually making, when I address this specific artist critique I can't seem to get an answer on what exactly we should do in this situation either. Because it seems like you think I should have looked at the list and told one of our contributors of color their favorite album doesn't count the same as my favorite album this year to make the optics a little better for the forum.

 

I don’t know how you want to run your website! I can’t tell you “what to do” That’s literally up to you. I am telling you I understand that it’s a tough position to be in. I’m telling you the outcome that happened was disappointing. I’m not telling you I have the magic answer but I am saying that it shouldn’t need the back story of “it was a POC contributors number 1 choice” for it to be validated.

There’s obviously a line somewhere. If one of the people had said a new Chris brown album was their #1 would that have been included? Even if they were a POC? I’m gonna guess no. So clearly there is SOME situation where you can understand vetoing one persons input. I’m not saying you should have done that here- just that it’s not as absurd of an option as you’re making it out to be. In my honest opinion there shouldn’t even be a system where you’re required to veto someone’s number one choice.
And in my honest opinion like I said the point system doesn’t seem to be a system that makes sense in this context to use. obviously those things can’t retroactively apply but they can be used in the future.

 

Like if I thought I knew all the answers to these tough questions, I’d run a music site myself. But I’m not pretending to, so I’m not doing that. But you are doing that, which opens you up for critique on how you’re doing it! at the end of the day you can certainly say “sucks that you’re disappointed but this is my site”. Obviously you don’t want to be like that which is why you’re engaging at all- but it’s unfair to act like it’s on us to figure out the answers.

 

Also like this is going to sound harsh but it’s just the truth- if you want to run a website that is seen as progressive and championing for the oppressed, and your staffers are all submitting lists severely lacking in diversity and problems that will straight up directly contradict with the image you’re wanting to put out, then maybe...you need more/new staffers?? OR maybe...you don’t need to post a eoty list compiled by them if it’s going to be directly contradictory with what the site claims to be about at its heart?

jason you do a lot of talking the talk in the threads but when taken to task and asked to walk the walk you so often resort to “what am I supposed to do?!?” And it’s extremely frustrating.

 

Just to clarify, since I called the NF submission out - I don't think the list should be altered or anything. If it touched someone personally then I can not argue that.

Having been on this site for a decade, I know that Jason has made it a point to do a better job of being inclusive and he makes a great point about hip-hop coverage not getting the clicks of something like a Paramore or JEW. I haven't visited the hip-hop thread in a long while and didn't read the reviews, so that's on me. I didn't think about that.

At the very least, this is a learning moment and a reminder that we have to boost the music we love. Anyway, this all sounds self-serving, but I just want to say that I didn't mean to shame whoever liked the NF album, just that I bristled at kind of the implication of its inclusion compared to other hip-hop artists.

 

I gave up talking about the hip hop I like on here this year b/c no one seemed to fuck with it lol but check out Kill Em All, Mach Hommy, Your Old Droog, Earl (obviously), Tha God Fahim, Wiki, Stack Skrilla, Griselda, Blumbros, SimxSantana, Mavi, Baby Keem, Zelooperz, Fakebitcheshero, Mr. Muthafuckin Exquire, Poundside Pop, Mr. Skrrt Skrrt, Benny the Butcher, Jay Huff and all the other shit people have said

 

I'm so behind on hip hop that half those names just completely flew by me and that shows I have so much work to do

Your Old Droog is great though

 

A ton are local Philly stuff that don't have full tapes, tbf

 

Honestly the most egregious thing is that no one listed Mr. Skrtt Skrtt anywhere

 

I don’t have anything to add other than saying the Hip Hop thread in the music forum is really good and for those looking for recs or just interested in talking about the genre I’d recommend spending more time in there.

Admittedly, my hip hop listening days peaked in the late 90s/early 2000s but I try to still pay as much attention to the genre and stay on top of things and am interested in learning about new artists/albums and following that thread has helped a lot.

Hip-Hop Thread • forum.chorus.fm

 

Dang, @Jason Tate and @Drew Beringer , clipping. is my new obsession. Thanks!

 

Wait is this a joke lmao I’m literally the one who suggested them first! I’m super glad everyone’s liking them but damn lol

 

Not a joke. Sorry! I’m just catching up and probably missed your post. Props to you too then.

 

No meg and dia?

 

Hahah it’s nbd I just know I stepped on a lot of toes in here so wasn’t sure if you were being purposeful hahah. Like I said I’m just glad so many people agree and are getting exposed