The Art of Storytelling in Rap – From Slick Rick to J. Cole

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/54/aa/a6/54aaa6e2-7301-b37d-ebbb-283d901f07dc/mza_7076882915734695045.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Grown Man Bars: Remember the Rhyme, Respect the Era

with Chad and Big Absoloot - Gen X Talking Hip Hop

15 episodes

2 days ago

Grown Man Bars is where two Gen X MCs turned opinionated Uncs break down rap culture with no filter. Chad, your resident rap nerd, with Big Absoloot, your OG's OG dive into Golden Era storytelling, lyricism, GOAT debates, classic producers, and the moments that shaped hip hop. From Slick Rick to Scarface, Nas to J. Cole, DJ Premier to RZA. Old rap and new hip hop. If you came up on mixtapes, Tims, and bars that mattered, this is your spot for real hip hop talk. We'll bring you up-to-date on the new hip hop trends, the ones our gen cares about, and hit you with hip hop from the best era ever.

Music Commentary

Music

RSS

All content for Grown Man Bars: Remember the Rhyme, Respect the Era is the property of with Chad and Big Absoloot - Gen X Talking Hip Hop and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Music Commentary

Music

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode/43056822/43056822-1755051478560-965413e608958.jpg

The Art of Storytelling in Rap – From Slick Rick to J. Cole | GMB

Grown Man Bars: Remember the Rhyme, Respect the Era

28 minutes 41 seconds

3 months ago

The Art of Storytelling in Rap – From Slick Rick to J. Cole | GMB

What happened to the story in hip-hop? On this episode of Grown Man Bars, Chad and Big Absoloot break down the greatest storytellers in rap history – from the Golden Era to today. We’re talking Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story,” Nas’ “Undying Love,” Ghostface’s “Shakey Dog,” Ice Cube’s “Ghetto Vet,” Scarface’s “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” and even J. Cole’s “Lights Please.”

We dig into what makes a great rap storyteller – vivid imagery, emotional honesty, lyrical structure – and why some MCs like Pharoahe Monch are criminally underrated. We debate whether Nas is truly the GOAT of rap storytelling or just the default answer, why Scarface might actually be #1, and how J. Cole carries the Golden Era torch in today’s rap climate.

If you love hip-hop history, lyricism, and Golden Era nostalgia, this one’s for you. Two Gen X rap heads, keeping it barbershop real about the art of the story in rap.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:48 Shoutout to Black Writers Weekend

01:53 The Decline of Storytelling in Hip Hop

03:51 Slick Rick: The Golden Era Storyteller

07:44 Nas: The Street Poet16:05 Ghostface Killah: The Poetic Fragmenter

18:09 Ice Cube: The Cinematic Storyteller

20:01 Underrated Storytellers: J. Cole, Scarface, and Pharoahe Monch

28:06 Conclusion and Call to Action