So, here I am, with an interquel article before my next article, which will be
The Problem with Humor in Marvel Movies (which will actually probably be me praising the humor in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Winter Soldier and shitting on everything else). However, I got curious today after listening to TIP's EP Da 'Nic and so decided to make this. Commence!
Superman: The Movie is The Message - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Yes, Richard Donner's
Superman: The Movie the flick that started it all. It can only be one rap album, and that is The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Yeah, rap had been around before that album. There were ramblings by Coke la Rock and DJ Cool Herk, but it was this album that officially made rap a thing. This was the late seventies and rap was starting to organize itself, and out comes The Message which is a beacon for others to join it. They did not, initially, but they would. So, what better album to represent the movie that started it all than the rap album that started it all?
Superman II is Sun City - AUAA
Hey, rap got different and without Richard Donner, the second film had to change itself and adjust with the old footage of Gene Hackman. As rap started to get more gangster, the Artists United Against Apartheid collaboration came out. This was a studio collaboration album that felt like it belonged ten years in the past, a part of Old School Hip Hop. Yet it stood it out, it shined. Led by Steven van Zandt, this album isn't so much a hip hop album as it is a musical mashup masterpiece yet those parts that are, are Superman II.
Superman III is Authentic - LL Cool J
What happens when one of the greatest rappers decides to try and adapt to a world that is no longer his? Well, generally they fail. If they succeeded you'd still be listening to Lauryn Hill on the radio. You don't. Superman III tried to adapt to the changing and higher expectations that were placed on it, it tried to capitalize on Richard Pryor and by doing so, began the slow shed of what made it work. Sure, the acting was all there, and LL Cool J can still rap to this day. Does it really matter though if it just isn't good?
Superman IV: Quest for Peace is Return of the Product - MC Serch
Ah, this movie, one of the few movies worse than Fant4astic. What happens when gangsta rap is all the thrill and noise, when you're on the cusp of Nas and the dawn of Snoop Dogg? You wan't to get in on all that. Yeah, sure this album actually even gave Nas one of his first opportunities, it doesn't make it any good at all. It is incoherent, it does not connect, in fact, I want you to watch The Last Starfighter and realize what kind of Superman movies we could have gotten. This movie went to space and is only memorable for giving Jon Cryer a chance. Just like Nas got his chance.
Batman is Straight Outta Compton - NWA
Could it be anything else? This album single handedly revolutionized the rap scheme. Gone were the days of melodic old school rhyme, replaced with a fervent desire toi say something, but not politely. It was finally time to do something. Batman looked at the last Superman movie and said screw that. It was time to make rap new and immortal, or have it live and let die. Batman hung on to everything a comic book film should be but was also aggressive and for the first time, mature.
Batman Returns is The Black Album - Jay Z
Ah yes, Jay-Z, didn't you say you would retire? Well, he sure did retire greatness in favor of commercialism with this album! That is also true with Batman Returns a film so good, but so out there that the studio had to make a choice. Could they let creativity run wild and see what happens when you truly delve into the head of the Dark Knight? They did with this film, but guess what, they had to retire that option as well. After all, you gotta sell happy meals and Jay-Z realized you gotta sell to white folks!
Batman Forever is Kingdom Come - Jay Z
Yup, I went there. Let's face it. This album blows and so does this movie. I hope you got your happy meals Josh because you sure buried this film better than McGee at the Pet Semetary. Honestly, though, with Kingdom Come Jay-Z tried to do what he could not do before and appeal to a crowd outside of his niche. He failed, terribly.
Batman and Robin is Tha Doggfather - Snoop Dogg
You may be wondering? Isn't Snoop Dogg supposed to be one of the best rappers, though? Yeah, he is, but he hasn't really released anything relevent since **** Death Row. Tupac Shakur was gone and guess what, Snoop Dogg could not take his throne. They may have been best friends like Batman and Robin, but Tupac was as dead as Clooney's acting and you can't expect Robin to hold up an entire film by himself especially when he's not doing too good either. Hey, that describes both scenarios!
Blade is Radio - LL Cool J
Blade got people to care about rap again. LL Cool J was the first popular succesful singles rap artist. Snoop Dogg, Nas, Tupac, Eminem, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and yes, Fetty Wap, are all his legacy. Good or bad. Late seventies, all of the eighties and the early ninties were dominated by rap groups, which are now not prevalent at all. This, however, got people to realize that there was something to the singles game. The singles game is now the winning game. Blade was the resurrection and it got people to care again.
X-Men is Doe or Die - AZ
I dare you, double dare you, to tell me that AZ did not release a masterpiece here? Amidst all the noise and clutter of science fiction released that year, Brian Singer did it and gave us a sci-fi masterpiece. AZ did the same in the hip hop world.
At this point I got tired of writing explanations so I'm just going to say what is what.
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Spider-Man is Doggystyle - Snoop Dogg
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X2 is Life After Death - Biggie Smalls
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Spider-Man 2 is All Eyez On Me - Tupac Shakur
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X-Men: The Last Stand is No Way Out - Puff Daddy and the Family
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Spider-Man 3 is Relapse - Eminem
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Batman Begins is Paper Trail - TI
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Superman Returns is Bush - Snoop Dogg
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Iron Man is The Don Killuminati: The Seven Day Theory - Tupac Shakur
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X-Men: Days of Future Past is Dogg Food - Tha Dogg Pound
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The Avengers is Watch the Throne - Jay Z and Kanye West
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The Dark Knight is Illmatic - Nas