The definition of a classic

JustAFan · 04-22-2007, 03:40 PM

When someone said '[Common's album] Be is a classic to me personally', I started wondering what the definition of classic actually is. I remember making a thread about this subject a very long time ago, in forum-eological terms.

Classic is being used so loosely, the definition has become rather vague to me and the ambiguity might also be inviting in a sense to keep little consideration for it's true definition (if there is one).

So when does music material become classic? Does there need to be a certain consensus or is it limited to the eye of the beholder? Can an album/song, etcetera be a classic if it's controversial? What's the difference between a magnificent one and a classic?

Discuss.

Deep South Kid · 04-22-2007, 03:47 PM

Rachmaninoff = Classic.

Nah, but seriously, I think the word Classic is attached to Perfection. And because of this, theres should not be so many albums that get tagged as "Classics" (well none if you get too negative). But I think a Classic is related more to personal tastes than some sort of rule. I hate albums people say are classics, and vice versa. So maybe Classic albums should be only the ones that the majority of the audience really love.

But theres a point in your post, The word classic has been over used these last years.

If you ask me...Thee Undisputed Classic is Enter The Wu-Tang, 36 Chambers.
Nothing off it is less to perfection. If 93 Was your Era, that album would have provoked the same chills, same energy, than listening to it today. And 10, 20 years from now, it would be still looked up as one of the greatest.

Nokster · 04-22-2007, 03:51 PM

my definition of a classic:

An album or song that when played again after it's completion, gives you the exact same POSITIVE feeling it did the first time around.

e.g. Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Infamous

I could listen to those 3 albums and still find them to be really dope even if it's my 20th time listening to them. It's kind of in the eye of the beholder, but becomes somewhat more legitimate and accepted when there is a consensus among the majority of the population. Then the term 'classic' becomes something that is labeled on the album rather than an opinionated response.

ANTIFREEZE · 04-22-2007, 04:12 PM

not this again.

Shyne · 04-22-2007, 04:24 PM

see its weird for me cause I have different category's for "classic" albums and "Perfect" albums.

Like a classic album doesn't necessarily have to be perfect, look at Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt or Pharoahe Monch's Internal Affairs, both have flaws at some point but they still remain timeless and classic.

Then you have perfect albums, Nas - Illmatic, Wu Tang - 36 Chambers, GZA - Liquid Swords. Albums where they have no real flaws. Where you couldnt make them better if you wanted to.

scool · 04-22-2007, 05:01 PM

a classic album is an album that contains a different memory or time in your life for every different song

DJ Shinobi [RA] · 04-22-2007, 06:45 PM

this is classic:

JustAFan · 04-22-2007, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ANTIFREEZE

not this again.

Hahahah, come on Anti...I know you want to. It's in your nature.

D-TEK1 · 04-23-2007, 12:58 PM

there can be :

real hip hop classics

like Sugarhill Gang vs. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Showdown

n classics just for you

scool · 04-23-2007, 01:15 PM

^^the song u named is so wack like wtf... just cuz its old as fuck doesnt mean its good

Rebel INS {CF} · 04-23-2007, 04:33 PM

some people do throw the term classic around a bit much, ie they rate an album a solid 4.5 and say its classic *glares at shyne*

~Young Gunna~ · 04-23-2007, 05:16 PM

a classic is a 5/5 album....a album where theres no wack songs...and a majority r crack n the overall album is flawless

JustAFan · 04-23-2007, 06:13 PM

Albums I name classics often get better the more I listen to them and I can't really name an album a classic if it's still within a couple of years old since my opinion changes too swiftly for that. Memories are indeed attached to it, but also the fact that I could still listen to it after a while without skipping any tracks.

I used to listen to 'The Great Depression' a lot as well as 'The Slim Shady LP', but I can't enjoy both as much as I used to. DMX's CD seems to get more boring through the years, while Eminem's seems to still get that same excitement out of me.

Doc Glokk · 04-23-2007, 06:33 PM

classic is just somethin that never gets old to u....u can listen to it over and over again and it is just as dope, if not better. me for example, i listen to the 36 chambers everytime i work out(3-4 days a week) for the past 9 months.

lol maybe that was a bad example tho, cuz everyone considers 36chambers classic

~Young Gunna~ · 04-23-2007, 08:19 PM

yee i think it would hav to be named classic a couple years after...

Shyne · 04-23-2007, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel INS {CF}

some people do throw the term classic around a bit much, ie they rate an album a solid 4.5 and say its classic *glares at shyne*

yeah thats pretty much me right there, a album thats a very solid 4.5 will most likely be named a classic by me. Like it doesnt have to be a perfect album to br classic, good music in and of itself is classic so if its just shy of perfection I dont see why it shouldn’t get the respect it deserves. Commons Be for example was a very strong 4.5 for me and I call it a classic easily.

~Young Gunna~ · 04-23-2007, 10:45 PM

^^y do u hip hop fans like 'common' when im 'unique'

D-TEK1 · 04-24-2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sCool sWagga

^^the song u named is so wack like wtf... just cuz its old as fuck doesnt mean its good

its not a song
its first rap album n its dope as fuck wtf u talkin about

04-22-2007, 03:40 PM	#1
JustAFan Join Date: May 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 834 Repped: 17 Repped 42 Times in 25 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 1 Time in 1 Post	The definition of a classic The definition of a classic When someone said '[Common's album] Be is a classic to me personally', I started wondering what the definition of classic actually is. I remember making a thread about this subject a very long time ago, in forum-eological terms. Classic is being used so loosely, the definition has become rather vague to me and the ambiguity might also be inviting in a sense to keep little consideration for it's true definition (if there is one). So when does music material become classic? Does there need to be a certain consensus or is it limited to the eye of the beholder? Can an album/song, etcetera be a classic if it's controversial? What's the difference between a magnificent one and a classic? Discuss.

04-22-2007, 03:47 PM	#2
Deep South Kid UnderGround UnderPressure Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Mexico City Posts: 6,176 Repped: 17 Repped 446 Times in 138 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Rachmaninoff = Classic. Nah, but seriously, I think the word Classic is attached to Perfection. And because of this, theres should not be so many albums that get tagged as "Classics" (well none if you get too negative). But I think a Classic is related more to personal tastes than some sort of rule. I hate albums people say are classics, and vice versa. So maybe Classic albums should be only the ones that the majority of the audience really love. But theres a point in your post, The word classic has been over used these last years. If you ask me...Thee Undisputed Classic is Enter The Wu-Tang, 36 Chambers. Nothing off it is less to perfection. If 93 Was your Era, that album would have provoked the same chills, same energy, than listening to it today. And 10, 20 years from now, it would be still looked up as one of the greatest. __________________ guess whos back up in the building, mind on a million...

04-22-2007, 03:51 PM	#3
Nokster ♫, $, & ♀ = Life. Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 8,913 Repped: 762 Repped 2,451 Times in 841 Posts Neg Reps: 44 Neg Repped at 104 Times in 85 Posts	my definition of a classic: An album or song that when played again after it's completion, gives you the exact same POSITIVE feeling it did the first time around. e.g. Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Infamous I could listen to those 3 albums and still find them to be really dope even if it's my 20th time listening to them. It's kind of in the eye of the beholder, but becomes somewhat more legitimate and accepted when there is a consensus among the majority of the population. Then the term 'classic' becomes something that is labeled on the album rather than an opinionated response. __________________ Los Scandalous.

04-22-2007, 06:45 PM	#7
DJ Shinobi [RA] Slangologist nahmsayin? Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: California Posts: 2,488 Repped: 82 Repped 69 Times in 52 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	this is classic: __________________ Minorities gotta stick together. Fight the power! - ILLogic “I respect hip-hop and i dont know one word of Midnight Marauders and truthfully dont have the interest to go and find out…” - Lupe Fiasco

04-23-2007, 04:33 PM	#11
Rebel INS {CF} - iLLuminati ~ Rapsody - Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ireland Posts: 11,453 Repped: 151 Repped 645 Times in 302 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 77 Times in 69 Posts	some people do throw the term classic around a bit much, ie they rate an album a solid 4.5 and say its classic glares at shyne __________________ "Fighting Ignorance every day is gettin weary" [name pending] --- The Gateway Drug --- Sometime Soon --- myspace.com/namepending08

04-22-2007, 04:12 PM	#4
ANTIFREEZE Race Hustlin Poverty Pimp Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Killa █♣█ Canada Posts: 411 Repped: 26 Repped 32 Times in 20 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	not this again.

04-22-2007, 04:24 PM	#5
Shyne Sons Of Liberty Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 5,552 Repped: 3 Repped 2,054 Times in 849 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 151 Times in 95 Posts	see its weird for me cause I have different category's for "classic" albums and "Perfect" albums. Like a classic album doesn't necessarily have to be perfect, look at Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt or Pharoahe Monch's Internal Affairs, both have flaws at some point but they still remain timeless and classic. Then you have perfect albums, Nas - Illmatic, Wu Tang - 36 Chambers, GZA - Liquid Swords. Albums where they have no real flaws. Where you couldnt make them better if you wanted to.

04-22-2007, 05:01 PM	#6
scool Banned Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: DA CHAT SEXHUN THRONE MAFUCCA.. DEEBO WUDDUP?? Posts: 20,134 Repped: 1,328 Repped 2,389 Times in 867 Posts Neg Reps: 267 Neg Repped at 488 Times in 326 Posts	a classic album is an album that contains a different memory or time in your life for every different song

04-23-2007, 12:58 PM	#9
D-TEK1 1 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ny Posts: 4,729 Repped: 147 Repped 182 Times in 94 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	there can be : real hip hop classics like Sugarhill Gang vs. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Showdown n classics just for you

04-23-2007, 01:15 PM	#10
scool Banned Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: DA CHAT SEXHUN THRONE MAFUCCA.. DEEBO WUDDUP?? Posts: 20,134 Repped: 1,328 Repped 2,389 Times in 867 Posts Neg Reps: 267 Neg Repped at 488 Times in 326 Posts	^^the song u named is so wack like wtf... just cuz its old as fuck doesnt mean its good

04-23-2007, 05:16 PM	#12
~Young Gunna~ Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gs Us Posts: 10,870 Repped: 156 Repped 574 Times in 243 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 2 Times in 2 Posts	a classic is a 5/5 album....a album where theres no wack songs...and a majority r crack n the overall album is flawless

04-23-2007, 06:13 PM	#13
JustAFan Join Date: May 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 834 Repped: 17 Repped 42 Times in 25 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 1 Time in 1 Post	Albums I name classics often get better the more I listen to them and I can't really name an album a classic if it's still within a couple of years old since my opinion changes too swiftly for that. Memories are indeed attached to it, but also the fact that I could still listen to it after a while without skipping any tracks. I used to listen to 'The Great Depression' a lot as well as 'The Slim Shady LP', but I can't enjoy both as much as I used to. DMX's CD seems to get more boring through the years, while Eminem's seems to still get that same excitement out of me.

04-23-2007, 06:33 PM	#14
Doc Glokk Tha Doctor Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,438 Repped: 51 Repped 15 Times in 10 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	classic is just somethin that never gets old to u....u can listen to it over and over again and it is just as dope, if not better. me for example, i listen to the 36 chambers everytime i work out(3-4 days a week) for the past 9 months. lol maybe that was a bad example tho, cuz everyone considers 36chambers classic __________________ PeAcE tO tHe StReEtS

04-23-2007, 08:19 PM	#15
~Young Gunna~ Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gs Us Posts: 10,870 Repped: 156 Repped 574 Times in 243 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 2 Times in 2 Posts	yee i think it would hav to be named classic a couple years after...

04-23-2007, 10:45 PM	#17
~Young Gunna~ Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gs Us Posts: 10,870 Repped: 156 Repped 574 Times in 243 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 2 Times in 2 Posts	^^y do u hip hop fans like 'common' when im 'unique'

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