Welcome to the Afterfuture

I had no idea who this was or what this was about. But i reallly enjoyed. Thoughtful quality rapping crazy noise up down in yiur face and moments of abandon and delicate beauty. Reminds me of Ninja tunes type stuff. Im in brother.

This album is DOPE!

beautiful

jj

baita som, não dava nada mas instrumentalzao show

love it. its like a slam poet made a Deltron 3030 prequel and went back in time and released it the month before Deltron came out. Also El-P on track 5.

This has that end-of-the-millennium paranoid trip-hop sound.

Good beats.

I really liked that one. Something about DJ heavy early 00s hip hop that just hits right for me. I think I'd heard OF Mike Ladd, but hasn't really explored his work.. I'm glad this one came up.

I liked to the moons contractor. Over ok

What do you call this genre? Hip hop derived of course but with sparse electro synth sound (sometimes detuned) and even some interesting chord and harmonies. So, art hip-hop? Global influences fused with rap in Airwave Hysteria Lyrics fuse biblical and futuristic themes - really interesting Bladerunners is more sexually explicit crossed with scifi aesthetic - reminds me a bit of Dr Octagon Ah there we go, spelled out in No 1 St - "This is jazz". So jazz-hiphop fusion is the intent Long chill instrumentals in To the Moon's Contractor Really interesting overall. Rhymes are complex, lyrics are poetic, like Bob Dylan in Feb 4 '99 Planet 10 is interesting, I'm sure every repeat of the refrain is performed differently - emphasis, timing Final track is like an MLK speech, and it is quite moving as the intensity ramps up. Best track - 5000 Miles West of the Future, Airwave Hysteria, Planet 10, Welcome to the Afterfuture, Wipe Out... 4 stars - fascinating and very well made

This reviews on this album seem like nobody has ever listened to an indie rap album before. It’s catching way too much hate. It’s a lot of cool beats paired with some interesting flows from Mike and also had Company Flow feature. Could use a trim coming in at over an hour but it’s a good snapshot of the indie rap scene from the early 2000s without being too crazy…

Chill jammy rap. Pretty cool.

BARS. Plus the beats got groovy.

This is pretty cool. You can definitely see the inspriation this style of hip hop had on a lot of contemporary experimental artists. (JPEGMAFIA, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler, MIKE, Kota). The lofi style beats with the kind of world building lyrics. It feels similar to MF DOOM, if MF DOOM was a human and not a comic book villain. But the style, the world building, the interconnected songs and themes. Its really cool. Its probably something that needs more time to get the full affect.

So this is like...pretty maligned everywhere I look, but this sounds refreshing and really cool at times to me. "Afterfuture" is right. Considering one of my favorite hip hop albums of all time is cLOUDDEAD s/t, any reasonable amount of atmosphere and ambience is enough for my ears to perk up for a hip hop record. Mike's flow is interesting too, it's very loose and off-the-cuff but it never sounds like it's struggling to keep up or stumbling. The slow build-up of "To The Moon's Contractor" was a welcome surprise too, I was sorta dreading the idea of a nearly 11-minute song on an album like this but it scratched an itch.

Mike Ladd falls into the “I've never heard of this guy before” category. Mix that with a genre that isn't my usual go-to and it could go either way. Thankfully, this was a great discovery. I couldn’t find too much info about him, but it seems he started off in spoken-word poetry before bringing samples, beats and production into the mix. Not musically identical, but I’m reminded of that poet-turned-rapper space occupied by the likes of Scroobius Pip or Kae Tempest. Like most hip-hop, the lyrical content is central here, but man, these samples are incredible. It's built around affected drum machines, old sci-fi textures, Bollywood fragments, electro-funk, jazz, glitches, street noise, and… political dread. This is dystopian hip-hop. It's dense and heavy, and needs a particular headspace to properly appreciate it. Opening track “5000 Miles West of the Future” is the catchiest tune here, in a collection of tracks that aren't the least bit concerned with being catchy. The theme of idealistic futurism framing Ladd’s discontent with the present is so damn clever. As is the way it's portrayed: with sounds and samples that mix the old with the new, and seriously confrontational lyrics. Welcome to the afterfuture. But it's not what we were promised: “Where’s my floating car, my utopia?”

Amazing album! Love the art cover abd surprised me a lot!

Cool album - perfect for a sunny Saturday morning. Favourite track: The Animist

Thought this one was just unique and everyone rating it 1 needs to relax. I like the first track.

Очень интересно - нестандартное смешение звуков

Strange album, and by the end it was getting a little off the rails I felt. I did enjoy it though, especially around the middle, where there were a few stand out tracks. I'm going with four stars, which feels slightly high, but it was too good for three. Favourite track first time round was Bladerunners.

Sounds nice

Best Track - "5000 Miles West Of The Future"

This was a good find. An alt-hip hop artist whose music more interesting than a lot of hip hop

Even if the list's taste in Hip-Hop is generally pretty good, I really didn't think I was gonna see any genuinely deep cuts from the peak of backpack rap. But sure enough, here we are. I haven't heard of this and that feels kind of wild (Note: It turns out that I *have* heard Mike Ladd before, he has a pretty great verse on Christine by Billy Woods, a song off of Aethiopes, which is an *unbelievably* good album if you like unique and heady rap music). Hell, there's a company flow feature here, meaning an El-P verse, and this *still* isn't really talked about a ton. This is an underground hip-hop album with an aesthetic based in Afro-Futurism, experimental concepts, and heady writing. The closest stuff I can think of that broke bigger is Deltron 3030, or The Cold Vein by Cannibal Ox, but this actually came out first (not by a whole lot, admittedly). Regardless, I'm not really sure why this hasn't been re-discovered in the internet era, maybe it's the weird, tiny label this came out on, or maybe it's because this is a little more abstract than it's peers, but regardless, this is still certifiably underground. Although I think the quality *is* here. There are consistent, futuristic beats. Dense, creative, and conscious verses, and plenty of great songwriting moments across the runtime. The strongest song here may be Bladerunners, with a fantastic set of features from Company Flow. Even a song like the 10 minute long To The Moon's Contractor is worth it; even if it functions more like a techno song than anything. I also really enjoy Airwave Hysteria, No. 1 St., and Red Eye To Jupiter. Although Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed By Cops) may have the best verse by Mike Ladd on the entire album, he's basically just delivering some really incredible slam poetry, but it *works* here. But this whole project manages to be consistent and ambitious across it's runtime. The only complaint I have is that the lyrics end up occasionally a little cheesy. It's the few moments where Mike Ladd is saying something important that he just can't neatly slot into his poetry that jump out the most. It's the risk that some conscious Hip-Hop runs, but it's usually not distracting here. This manages to be a really interesting hidden gem that I am glad to discover.

New to me. Zero expectations. Good find

Creo que es muy experimental como para que sea una escucha ligera, pero los tintes de east hip hop lo hacen digerible y es definitivamente algo de lo que uno se acuerda 7,5/10

7/10

Listen to this again

It’s fine! I think i would enjoy it a lot more without vocals honestly? Okay after finishing it, it got A LOT better as it went on and started getting weird lol.

00’s Hip Hop ⭐️Planet 10

Really good!

I was pleasantly surprised by this album as I often am. The production was very interesting

4/10

Nice and groovy. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, practically on the strength of the final 4 tracks really hitting a great stride to end the album on. I mean, I’ll be really blunt; this barely qualifies as a rap album. It’s not because Mike Ladd doesn’t have decent vocals or decent wordplay, but it’s because he’s doing slam poetry. If you’re coming into this expecting a rap album (and believe me, I was with one of the top reviews inciting MF DOOM comparisons), you will be turned off within the first 6 tracks, and nothing this album does afterward will save it, especially with the abstract instrumental choices that take some time to get used to. There’s no “riding the beat” here, and there’s no rap flow to slide on & appreciate, at least in the traditional sense. This feels like experimental trip-hop with a lo-fi lean, though that doesn’t really explain the style well at all. It’s got elements of electronica & D’n’B in there, but it’s just an amalgamation of ‘futuristic’ production choices meant to capture a vibe. It can feel a little pretentious at times, but once you get used to it, it’s honestly kinda strong. From a performance standpoint though, you have to meet this album where it is, and after the first 3 tracks, it can be very hard to give a damn. I personally nearly gave up on this thing after “No. 1 St.”, which is just slurred to hell (speech-wise), and never really captures whatever vibe it thinks it’s going for. It made me think of the Dr. Octagon album we got a while back, and that was truly its lowest point. After that though, the vibes of “To the Moon’s Contractor” just clicked really well with me, even if it’s about 3 minutes too long. That track is the hand that leads to the second half of this album, which finally kinda hits a stride of sorts. “I Feel Like $100” is abstract as hell, but it just gives off an [adult swim] vibe that I liked. “The Animist” never really hooked me like that on account of the beat, but there’s something about his vocal delivery that I admire. The final 4 tracks finally hit a consistently strong stride; “Red Eye to Jupiter” is so aggressive about space that it loops around to being fun (I mean, what other track has “outer space motherfucker” in its chorus), and the chaotic nature just worked for me. “Welcome to the Afterfuture” has a loose Kraftwerk vibe to it, at least with the intent of feeling like you’re on some kind of transportation, and I enjoyed that ride. “Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon” is just a really good instrumental track with a great vibe & great progression, and “Feb. 4 ‘99” does a great job of setting the stage with all these visions of beauty & peace in the world, contrasted by his rising anger & the swirl of the instrumental as it drops the precision strike of “Off duty demons in denim” to cap off the juxtaposition of the ugliness of police brutality. His delivery feels like listening to a civil rights leader in classic form, and his passion comes through in a way that’s undeniable. It’s the track that caps off a run strong enough for me to bump this up to a 4. Granted, I totally understand the 2.57 on the site – the lyrics aren’t really online like that, the instrumentals are abstract, and coming in with the wrong impression can easily sink the album. It’s also a rather long 62 minutes, and one that isn’t very consistently satisfying. However, those first 3 / at least 6 of its final 7 tracks, along with a steady stream of at least interesting vibes (far more than I can say for something like the Dr. Octagon album we got a bit ago) just made it so this album never sunk for me. I don’t think it’ll ever get to a 5 for my tastes, but I feel very safe with bumping this up from a 3.5 to a 4. I am glad I heard it, though it does just kinda make me wish MF DOOM were actually on this list so people wouldn’t make such boldly wrong comparisons. Still though, even if it’s not DOOM, it’s a good vibe all the same, and I did like it.

Reminded me of the James Lavelle UNKLE record, which I loved.

Nice rap with some novelty. 3.5 stars

Album started off strong and slowly tapered to a low boil. I will have to give this album another listen in the future. Lyrically impressive.

I'd never heard of this and I'm not the biggest hip hop fan by any means. However, this album grew on me as it went on. I gave it a couple of listens and think it deserves more.

Runs out of steam a bit but I really like the production and uniqueness of this. Someone else k had never heard of in my life too.

Ikke nokka æ visste at æ ville høre på, men det ville æ jo egentlig, fascineranes hiphop.

Sick rhymes

this whole project has shown me that this is my preferred style of hip hop. i like the more mellow slower paced vocals. but the sort of industrial sound of this was great.

Man, the back half of this album absolutely slaps.

I had never heard of this to be honest but I really enjoyed it a lot, very good I think

really strong opening tracks! starts to lose me a little bit after, but at no point was i not enjoying myself. it gets pretty silly at points, but i have a feeling Mike Ladd was well aware of this and was having fun with it. really appreciate the experimentation with sound and style and think this album is really underrated.. i was surprised to see the lack of lyrics for it on genius and lack of reviews for it on rym.. not a perfect album, sure, but it's a real fun one that i think people don't give enough credit for. also, metamonad mentioned!!!

Nice

4. Final track is a ripoff or WAS ripped off, but I can't place the imposter right now.

Liked it less than I feel like I should

Never heard of this and thought it was pretty good. Its a real sign post to the rap and hip hop that came after and El-P's success with RTJ. Its dark and complicated and doesnt talk down to you. It has ambition and intelligence.

nice one

like. las primeras mas q las ultimas. un poco rock pero no molesto,

Definitely in the experimental hip hop genre that I dip into from time to time looking for someone that I'll like as much as Aesop Rock. There were some brilliant lines in this, it's so much more interesting than most hip hop. Definitely parts that sound like exercises in word play mind, doesn't grab me like I'd hope to. A lot of fairly underwhelming instrumental stuff too. Absolutely worth another listen I think, it's too intricate to appreciate from one listen. Doesn't have that immediacy to make me think it'll ever be a 5 though. 3.5.

Solid - from start to finish.

This album was great. Cool mix of drum and bass and hip hop.

It's weird and I like that

I was surprised to like this one this much.

Good album for focus

Great flow. Great lyrics. This is basically local hip-hop for me and I had never heard of it. That's a shame because it's great.

Never heard of him before. Enjoyed this though.

I had never heard this before. I actually enjoyed it a good bit. The lyrics to the Animist about listening to 'bootlegs of the Fall' was making me laugh it was all very unexpected. It was refreshing to hear rhymes that didn't revolve around the same 3 subjects and the beats were alright

This guy Mike is pretty good, 1 point off because it's a bit long. 4/5

New to me, and great! Thanks, British dude from the 90s with an otherwise basic bitch taste in music!

I like this. Some weak bars in some songs, but overall writing is good and production is interesting and diverse. This is good

This was much better than other ratings give it credit for. Raw, experimental, eccentric trip hop. Great beats and flows that often sound ahead of their time. Neat find!

Surprisingly had never heard this. It's really good

I enjoyed this album listen! This album felt like futuristic hip hop music mixed with electronic elements which helped create a very unique and fresh sound. Overall, I dug this album and would give it a listen again in the future!

Mike Ladd – *Welcome to the Afterfuture* (March 2000, Ozone/75 Ark) is one of hip-hop’s earliest fully-fledged Afro-futurist concept albums. Written and produced almost entirely by Ladd, it was tracked on a battered AKAI 4-track while he was still teaching poetry at NYU, and it plays like the field-notes of a man trying to wire Sun Ra’s brain to a dial-up modem. Below is a track-by-track lens on the **lyrics**, **music**, **production**, **themes** and **after-life influence**, followed by a concise **pro / con** summary. -------------------------------------------------- 1. LYRICS – “Where’s my floating car, my utopia?” -------------------------------------------------- - **Voice & Perspective** Ladd raps in a conversational, half-sung spoken-word register that lands somewhere between Gil Scott-Heron and late-night talk-radio conspiracist. He rarely bothers with internal rhyme acrobatics; instead he piles up images, proper nouns and punch-lines until the scene distorts into surreality: > “Break-beats from Thailand over the Klan chapter in Croatia / We’ve come a long way from migrating crustaceans.”¹ - **Science-fiction as race-fiction** Every sci-fi reference (Blade Runner, Star Trek, Space 1999) is used to interrogate *now* rather than *tomorrow*. The “afterfuture” is the moment *after* the future failed to arrive for Black and Brown people. Tracks like “5000 Miles West of the Future” and “Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga)” literalise the Middle-Passage in space-travel metaphors – “starship” equals slave-ship equals police cruiser. - **Police & State Violence** “Feb 4 ’99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)” closes the album with a quiet roll-call that memorialises Amadou Diallo and ends with a children’s playground chant dissolving into vinyl crackle – one of the most understated protest songs in hip-hop. -------------------------------------------------- 2. MUSIC – Lo-fi jazz-punk broken in three places -------------------------------------------------- - **Harmonic Language** Ladd’s chord palette is late-night jazz (phrygian & lydian voicings) filtered through a broken cassette deck. Horns are sampled, stretched, then re-played in real time so they *feel* out of tune with themselves. - **Grooves** Drum programming switches from swampy New Orleans bounce (“Planet 10”) to glitched-out drum-&-bass (“To the Moon’s Contractor”) without ever quantising the swing. The result is a loping, seasick funk that predates the “wonky” beat scene (FlyLo, Hudson Mohawke) by half a decade. - **Silence as Arrangement** Long stretches are instrumental; Ladd lets the beat *drift* so the listener notices tape-hiss, room-tone and clipped reverb tails – techniques indie-rock kids were using, but almost unheard in 2000-era rap. -------------------------------------------------- 3. PRODUCTION – “One huge pre-amp” -------------------------------------------------- - **Gear** AKAI MG-614 cassette 4-track, Ensoniq EPS, cheap Radio Shack mics, a borrowed Moog Source. Ladd purposely overloaded the pre-amps to get “Charles Stepney with a hangover” warmth.⁴ Bass-lines are often a single mono take bounced *three* times, each bounce adding another layer of saturation. - **Collage Ethic** Bollywood strings, Hindu chant vinyl, Speak-&-Spell bleeps and *Blade Runner* dialogue are layered without tempo-matching, creating a *ghost tempo* – you feel a pulse even when the drums drop out. - **Mix Philosophy** High-end is shaved off everywhere; the record *lives* in the mid-band. That mid-range murk – part tape wear, part conscious EQ – makes the album feel like you’re overhearing a pirate transmission rather than playing a pristine CD. -------------------------------------------------- 4. THEMES – Afro-futurist dystopia before it had a marketing budget -------------------------------------------------- | Theme | Track(s) | How it’s handled | |---|---|---| | **Failed Modernity** | “5000 Miles…”, “Airwave Hysteria” | Ladd lists the techno-promises (jetpacks, Mars condos) that never reached the ghetto. | | **Surveillance & Paranoia** | “Bladerunners”, “No. 1 St.” | City as panopticon; samples of police scanners, modem hand-shakes, subway P.A. | | **Spiritual Nomadism** | “The Animist” | He re-names himself across religions, suggesting identity is firmware you can re-flash. | | **Gentrifier SF** | “To the Moon’s Contractor” | 10-minute instrumental that *soundtracks* the eviction of Earth’s poor to lunar colonies. | | **Mourning as Resistance** | “Feb 4 ’99” | No slogans, just names and dates – the quietest track is the most overtly political. | -------------------------------------------------- 5. INFLUENCE – The ghost in the underground -------------------------------------------------- - **Direct Seeds** – *Deltron 3030* (May 2000) was already in the can when *Afterfuture* dropped, but Dan the Automator cites Ladd’s tape-collage rap as proof “you could be *this* weird and still tell a story.” – El-P’s *Fantastic Damage* (2001) compression techniques mirror Ladd’s cassette-slam; the two traded distortion recipes on the Company Flow guest spot “Bladerunners”. – Shabazz Palaces’ *Black Up* (2011) essentially re-casts *Afterfuture*’s mid-range haze and Afro-futurist poetics in the era of Ableton. - **Scene Legacy** The album is ground-zero for the “post-rap” continuum: cLOUDDEAD, Dalek, Saul Williams, clipping., even Earl Sweatshirt’s *Some Rap Songs* absorb its willingness to let the beat *fall apart* and to treat the rap voice as *one more noisy layer* rather than the centre of gravity. -------------------------------------------------- 6. PROS & CONS – Should you take the trip? -------------------------------------------------- **PROS** ✅ Visionary Afro-futurist narrative that still feels contemporary. ✅ Production innovations (lo-fi saturation, ghost-tempo collage) pre-date & influence the beat-scene. ✅ Lyrical density rewards headphone archaeology – references to Ballard, Sun Ra, Diallo, *The Fall*. ✅ Emotional range: bouncy humour, paranoid dread, quiet elegy in one 55-minute suite. ✅ Features one of El-P’s earliest guest verses; historic Company Flow alignment. **CONS** ❌ Mid-range murk can feel *uniform* – several tracks (“Wipe Out…”, “Takes More Than 41”) dissolve into background ambience. ❌ Ladd’s laid-back delivery is an acquired taste; listeners wanting technical double-time rhyme acrobatics will bounce off. ❌ Pacing issues – strongest material is stacked toward the *end*, so Side-A can feel like a warm-up. ❌ Conceptual weight occasionally topples into self-indulgence (10-minute instrumental, spoken-word vignettes). ❌ Has *aged* in the TikTok era: no obvious singles, no hooks, no viral 15-second moment. -------------------------------------------------- 7. BOTTOM LINE -------------------------------------------------- *Welcome to the Afterfuture* is not a perfect record; it is a *necessary* one. It forecast the intersection of Black speculative thought and experimental production that artists like Flying Lotus, Shabazz Palaces and even Kendrick (*DAMN.*’s reverse-play structure) would later mainstream. Approach it expecting *head-nod bangers* and you’ll leave disappointed; approach it like a dusty Sun Ra pamphlet that happens to have a beat and you’ll understand why, a quarter-century on, the album still sounds *dislodged in time*. Spin it loud at 2 a.m., lights off, headphones on – and when the tape hiss swallows the last chord of “Feb 4 ’99”, the real world outside your window feels a little more like the afterfuture Ladd warned us about.

Out the gates didn’t want to like it but it won me over. Instrumentals are awesome

Turns out the album is much better than I thought it was going to be. Creative, unique, powerful in places.

An interesting and fairly obscure selection. Ladd's Alt-Hip-Hop style moves pleasantly between attention-grabbing raps and atmospheric environment building. As we move closer to the completion of this project, entries like this one bring to mind other artists that have not yet been seen here. Are they awaiting us at the end or have they been left off entirely? This album reminds me that we have not yet seen/heard anything from Run the Jewels. I think that their "RTJ4" is a similar must-listen. It's role as a harbinger to the tumultuous Summer of 2020 make it a necessity.

Good, different

8/10 this was cool, a surprising album and criminal it doesn't have more listens and a higher rating whereas the next generic rock album on the list has 3.5+

4/5. This album was throwing me off at first but as it went on, I figured out what it was trying to do. It is closer to an instrumental trip hop album with some rapping between. There is theme of anti-establishment throughout but it is loose to also include more personal songs. The sampling and production is the highlight here, like an MC for multiple rappers to jump in throughout. It definitely has grown on me and feels like a mix of Madvillainy and DJ Shadow. There is definitely a lot more to uncover and experience here, a pretty complex and layered album instrumentally. I could give or take the lyrics in some songs though. Best Song: I Feel Like $100, To the Moon's Contractor, 5000 Miles West of the Future

Musical, interesting, creative. I didn’t know Mike Ladd or this album, but I’m pretty much blown away. Not all of these hip-hop experiments(?) work completely (e.g., “Takes More Than 42”), but most of them do (e.g., “5000 Miles West of the Future”). I look forward to spending some time with the smart, off-kilter lyrics. Wow.

If you asked me yesterday which afrofuristic alt-hip hop album from 2000 I want to listen to, I'd tell you Deltron 3030. I wasn't expecting to dig this album, but there are some really exceptional grooves in here and some hard hitting lines. It seemed a little inconsistent, but maybe I need to give it some more attention.

Very interesting listen. Amazing to hear the vision and insight

mir bisher unbekannt, aber spannend

This is really cool. I've had a strange listening experience - I listened once in the morning kind of passively and found it a bit flabby.. But then I've listened with more focus this evening and found so much to love. The sounds brought together are beautiful and intriguing. The rap is intensive in lyrics and delivery. It is a little on the long side for my typical album preferences

The opening tracks grabbed me right away and I loved the mix of groove and imagination throughout. Not everything landed; tracks like “Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon” drifted into lounge-y background music that was skippable.

Never heard of this artist before, really interesting stuff though. Reminds me a bit of MF DOOM in places, and in other places Flying Lotus. Some of the tracks don't really pan out fully, and it is a bit too long. I'm glad to have found it though - will definitely be revisiting it!

I'm sorry I briefed the reviews before I listened to this. I never heard of Mike Ladd so I wanted a little backstory. I was expecting an album I would have no interest in, I couldn't be more wrong. This needs further review, but my first impression is completely intrigued. This feeling is reminiscent of the first time I heard Ultima II Massage by TOBACCO. I've opened a new door. TOBACCO has become one of my favorite artists, I need to follow this road. Don't know where it'll go, but I've discovered that Mike Ladd was part of Infesticons, a band that I listened to a lot around the millennium. Anyway, cool rec, thank you. The album recs have been dismal for a spell. This was a very pleasant surprise.

Solid! Electronica meets hip-hop with some spoken word mixed in. Feels culturally relevant. Really good album! 4.0

This was hit-or-miss for me. Some of the songs I really liked, and some I'd definitely skip if I owned the album. It was better than I thought it would be, though. For that matter, I might have to actually get the album... "Wipe Out," "Animist," "To the Moon's Contractor," and "Feb. 4, '99" were definitely highlights for me.

Solid, this album art is popular for a reason

Pretty good

I liked the vibe of this.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Some of the bars and rapping are a little tiresome, but the production on this is very cool. Reminds me of a concept album but more in the experimental hip hop space. I think it’s an interesting inclusion on the list, though I wish it felt more cohesive or polished and flowed together better.

Were there any hooks in any songs on this album? I’m not sure there were?! Felt a bit all over the place but also like a journey… Wasn’t expecting to like this

If you’re a fan of Madvillain or Cannibal Ox, this album will be right up your alley, if you’re not already aware of it. Personally, I wish I had discovered this album 25 years ago when it first came out, because this was exactly the kind of hip-hop I was searching for back then, experimental, technological, futuristic, and driven by edgy, electronic production that felt way ahead of its time. Unfortunately, because so much time has passed, it didn’t hit me with the same impact I know it would’ve back when I was younger. That said, I still appreciated it for what it was. I doubt I’ll ever return it, but I’m glad I finally discovered it, even if I’m 25 years late to the party.

With an album cover homaging Tetsuo, one of my favorite films ever, this had a lot to live up to. Did not disappoint.

Holy shit, this album is incredible. Everything I love about hip hop, and I'm shocked it flew under my radar this long. Incredible instrumentation, samples, loops, and lyrics. Smoke from T to B.

I think these are the best songs

This is some incredibly thought-provoking, intellectual and experimental hip hop. Mike Ladd was apparently educated in India, has worked as a university lecturer, and now lives in France, which all adds to a pretty unique perspective on the genre. I have to say that I need to be in the right mood for a lot of this one, but the Sun Ra cover is amazing any day.

Never heard of the artist or album, no idea what to expect! ----- Pretty clever hip-hop, with some fuzzed out electro sounds and odd rhythms which I was not at all ready for. Gets weird, rocks hard. Great range of styles and musical flavours! Where's my Mars colony? Favourite tracks: Bladerunners, No.1 St., Red Eye To Jupiter

Really ambitious, brave adventure of an album! I kinda loved it! A few moments where the beat drew out a bit too long, but a very unique experience with actual heartfelt delivery. Fun discovery

Yeah, I’d say it’s a must listen to

My kind of hip hop, conscious, avant garde and a cameo from company flow. Excellent.

Oh my what I discovery. Had never heard of this guy and I thought my hip hop knowledge was passable. Have been sharing it with my hip hop friends. Great concept style album with influences from all over. Dark and heavy. This is awesome. El-P’s old band Company Flow feature on one track. Will remember this name

Surprisingly fantastic

I thought this album did a really good job at creating an atmosphere, it sounded just like the name of the album, I loved the sound of it and I feel like there was some sort of message or story behind. However, I do wish there was more rapping songs, even if it meant the album was longer.

Industrial futuristic hip hop that I had never heard of before - what a great encounter! Some of the lyrics border on being a bit too on the nose, but otherwise Welcome to the Afterfuture is actually thought-provoking and super interesting with all the industrial-inspired beats.

Clever industrial hip hop from the future. I had never heard of Mike Ladd, but that appears to be a mistake. It might be slightly too long, but there’s enough variety and interesting concepts to keep you engaged.

8/10 - the rapping is pretty good, but it’s the instrumentals/production that really steal the show here

Surprised by how much I enjoyed this

pretty intense record. lots of big sweeping statements that still feel relevant to today despite this record being 25 years old. very heavy. the production is dense and thick, and really cool. from my uneducated perspective on hip-hop, it seems like this album was a precursor to a lot of what's been happening in hip-hop the last handful of years. experimental music, heavy soul-baring lyrics.

At first I thought it was wack. But something about it reminded me of my favorite backpack rap stuff of close to the same time period, so I kept listening, and it did all click for the most part. I like that long stretches were just production — kinda wish more modern rappers would do that. I guess for me it’s just that Ladd’s delivery doesn’t quite match his writing and production and concept and stuff. It’s not a huge gap though. I’m definitely gonna explore more of his stuff. This is pretty niche stuff so I wouldn’t say it’s quite a must-listen, but I’m glad it’s on this list.

Had no idea about this guy. Really enjoyed

It’s an interesting listen. The standout track for me was: Feb.4 (For All Those Killed by The Cops)

Sploinky music that makes the soul feel whole. It’s weird, a little unsettling, and a pretty chill vibe.

Fresh, experimental, lyrical, intelligently lyrical. Four stars straight off

What a weird and interesting album, one that, after listening to it, makes me wonder how it did land in this list. Personally, I really liked it. The strongest point of this album are the beats, and it is not as surprise, since EL-P is also credited as one of the producers of the album. So what they presented here, is a combination of some weird, groovy and futuristic beats, and, for the most part, it works really well, in my opinion, as a relaxing or chilling experience. The vocals are not bad, but I feel that they don't add that much. This album could be purely instrumental and it won't lose power. Overall, an interesting an album that didn't demand too much of my attention but kept my head moving to the beats.

Fantastic example of experimental hip-hop. We truly need to remember that hip-hop is a movement no different from punk. It isn't just music to party to, it isn't even just an MC rapping and rhyming. It doesn't have to be set in the here and now either. I'm a fan of the exploration this album does, especially for the anxious time it was made.

Yeah, ok, this is relevant to my interests! Will definitely be revisiting, and checking out more of his discography - fingers crossed there's more sci-fi in the mix! It was Dr. Octagon's "Dr. Octagonecologyst" with its sci-fi stylings that first got me into hip-hop, so I'm definitely positively inclined towards this. Mike Ladd doesn't have Kool Keith's panache, but he also doesn't have Kool Keith's cringe, so it kinda balances out. I'd go 4.5 here - maybe 5 with more listens. Fave tracks - "Bladerunners" really made me sit up and pay attention. Guest MC Company Flow is absolutely biting Dr. Octagon's style here, but he's also making lots of explicit sci-fi references, which lights up my pleasure centers. "The Animist" and "Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga)" were both cool. And the impassioned "Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed By The Cops)" was a great closer!

What a strange inclusion. The 1001 is all over the shop when it comes to Hip Hop. The number of great hip hop albums left off, and then stuff like this included. I don't think this is bad or anything, in fact its quite interesting conceptually with the apocalyptic space themes etc, but it just seems so obscure and as far as I can see not an underground critical darling. Its the 3445th best Hip Hop album on RYM for example. The track "To the Moon's Contractor" is great. Sprawling, progressive. This album grew on me a lot, second half was pretty great. Still a strange inclusion, but I'm not against it. Fave Tracks: No. 1 St., To the Moon's Contractor, Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon, Feb 4. 99 (For All Those Killed by Cops) 3.8/5

This took me by surprise — far more industrial and melodic than expected, and those two qualities rarely go together.

This was great. Obscure, sci fi hip hop.

I’ve never heard of Mike Ladd before, and I’m not terribly familiar with hip-hop from this era, so I’m not entirely sure of what to expect from this album. I enjoyed both Eminem albums on this list (which I know this album will *not* be), but I didn’t enjoy both Common albums I reviewed (I’m expecting this album to be more in line with those). Either way, I’m interested to see what Mike Ladd has to offer,. This album was a really pleasant surprise. The beats were incredible, and I loved just how thick and heavy they were. The thickness of the beats was in direct contrast with the sleek and stylish vision we often have of the future. Instead, the beats served the lyrics, which expressed disappointment with the state of the world in 2000, a year that often served the point on our timeline that humanity collectively envisioned as when the future would become the present. I really enjoyed how the themes of Afrofuturism were woven into themes consistent with science fiction in popular culture. It was a unique approach to hip-hop, and I think it worked really well. As much as I liked the beats and the lyrics, not every song was a winner. The album started off really strong, then the middle dragged a bit, but then the closing of the album was really strong. I wasn’t a huge fan of the rapping either, but it wasn’t enough to detract much from the experience of the album. Overall, this album was really good, and it makes me want to explore some similar artists (one reviewer mentioned that this is similar to MF Doom, who I’ve sadly never listened to before). In closing have two favorite lyrics from this album that I’d like to highlight. From “Bladerunners”: “Style gunners flip shit amazin', Till death call me Deckard, I've seen slave ships off the shores of Orion fire blazin'...” From “The Animist”: “Go toe to toe with Bob Dole in battle, I leave 'em dead if it's head to head, Use his brains as sandwich spread, Not a man-wich, that crack is too racist, So I guess it'd be a Klan-wich.”

Pretty fun album. I enjoyed it more than I expected. 3.5/5

- OK, so, what would happen if Hawkwind discovered sampling and turntablism?? We have the answer with this record. It's also the lost sibling of the likes of DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, Kool Keith's scifi raps while with the Ultramagnetic M.C.'s and it prefigures Delton 3030 by 10 yrs or more. Good stuff ... -

pleasantly surprised, this kicks a lot of ass

Hadn't heard before. Pretty cool alt hip hop.

I'll admit, I did a lot of research for this particular album, because I was not satisfied with the barebone Wikipedia articles for this release and the artist attached to it. I scoured the internet for as many lyrics and background information as I could find. Along the way, I came across an interview with Mike Ladd conducted by Nate Patrin for Red Bull Music Academy back in April 2015 called "Key Tracks: Mike Ladd’s Welcome to the Afterfuture", which I implore you to look up as it helped to get a lot of the context for this album straight from the source. Without further ado, Mike Ladd is an underground hip-hop emcee and producer out of Boston. He previously played bass for various punk bands and was exposed to a rich and diverse collection of genres ranging from hardcore punk, jazz, poetry, dancehall, dub, lo-fi, and 80s hip hop. Mike got his graduate degree in poetry while recording his debut album Easy Listening for Armaggedon, which was more spoken word. Outtakes from sessions for that first record made their way onto this next album Welcome to the Afterfuture, which he worked on at Ozone Studios in New York around the same time fellow underground hip-hop group Company Flow was working on their music. Getting into the album proper, Welcome to the Afterfuture is a sonic melting pot of various electronic beats, jazz, funk grooves, and ambiance that Mike allows to permeate and set the futuristic vibes. The ten-minute "To the Moon's Contractor" with the horns and glistening keys over hard-hitting beats, the Bollywood-esque sample into the electro-funk stomp of "Airwave Hysteria", the bubbling synths and record scratches on "I Feel Like $100", the guitar line over live percussion and rattle on "The Animist". There's a spacious quality throughout these tracks, giving the sense of being in orbit and watching what has become down below. Along the way, Mike utilizes a spoken-word flow to make observations on his environment, in a manner that's unorthodox yet demands the listener to pay attention. Of course, Mike goes off with fellow underground hip hop Company Flow on "Blade Runners", a sequel to "Blade Runner" off Easy Listening on Armaggedon, where all three make the most of their technological references in assessing the megalopolis lifestyle being promised. That takes us to the big concept around Welcome to the Afterfuture, in that this album is a response to Afrofuturism. The science fiction dreamed about can't keep up with where real life has gone into the new millennium. On the surface, that means we have yet to attain fancy technologies like the flying cars and Mars colonies promised on the opening track "5000 Miles West of the Future". But dig deeper and you realize that real-world problems such as racism and political turmoil are still rampant, and it takes effort to shape tomorrow in the way you want it to be. In particular, two tracks stand out the most from this record, "Takes More than 41" and "Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)", which reference the murder of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed Guinean student who was shot and killed by four New York City cops in plain street clothes, for a total of 41 rounds fired upon. It's a cautionary tale that certainly echoes years later concerning police brutality, and it's a matter of what lessons we can take from such a tragedy to shape our future. With a better understanding of what this album was trying to accomplish, the one problem I had with Welcome to the Afterfuture was the lack of cohesion. Throughout the runtime, it felt like too many ideas were being brewed together, where the spoken poetry rapping clashed with the more ambient electronic pieces. During my listens, I kept thinking back to other underground hip hop albums with futuristic theming such as Deltron 3030's self-titled debut or Aesop Rock's Integrated Tech Solutions, and how those albums were more direct in the narrative they wanted to accomplish in weaving in their social commentary. It's not that I didn't understand what Mike wanted to achieve in his post-futurist assessment on this album, and it does reach a strong conclusion towards the end, but it was at best scattershot in how we got there. All that said, this has been a worthwhile experience researching and coming to terms with an album that is challenging to listen to. It takes a certain someone with an open mind to become aware of what's going on in the world today and make the future their own, and that's the kind of sentiment I can take away from Mike Ladd.

Pure atmospheric vibes! Sometimes this project makes me realize how much I love music. What a ride.

Mike Ladd sounds like a really interesting guy - a poet, spoken word artist, and highly respected in the underground rap scene. I know he has worked with lots of other great artists, but the names I recognized were Saul Williams and El-P (who has a vocal feature on this album). His spoken poetry style lends itself to a unique flow, and combined with his production, makes for a really distinctive hip-hop album. This was a very meditative and mentally stimulating listen. There were a couple of moments that broke the trance, but nothing worth going on about. I listened to it for a second time today, but initially listened last week during the surge of L.A. wildfires. The album opens with these lines, which are great but also made me glitch out for a second: "Went back to the mountaintop the other day / Saw one hundred prophets there / Hid behind the rock and prayed / To all the quiet ones / It’s come and gone like California fires / All praises be to the survivors / All those who ride the heavy lows"

I struggle to understand the lukewarm reception! what other rap record sounds like this? a lot of this stuff veers away from hip hop and into instrumental electronic exploration, with the 10-minute "To the Moon's Contractor" standing as a foreboding, surreal centerpiece with an orchestral sensibility, both in the sounds at use as well as the general progression from front to back. a lot of the tracks in that vein hold my attention just as easily as the more straightforward rap songs like "Bladerunners" or "The Animist". Mike Ladd is right in line, stylistically and philosophically, with a ton of his contemporaries in the East Coast underground. he delivers his words with gusto, and seems to take delight in making you listen really hard to catch everything he says. unfortunately, there's not many places to find accurate or complete lyrics for these songs, although it's pretty easy to catch onto the references to futurism, science fiction and police brutality strewn throughout (the closing track, dedicated to "All Those Killed by Cops", speaks for itself). what sets Ladd apart here is some truly futuristic production to match the futurism of his words. this is hip hop that feels pretty ahead of the curve for being released in Y2K! think Deltron 3030 or Vaudeville Villain but even further left-field. again, Endtroducing comes to mind, and it's a much closer comparison here than it was for The Avalanches a few days ago. tracks like "Red Eye to Jupiter" and "I Feel Like $100" really illuminate Mike Ladd's affection for jazz, with the former being a true embrace of the avant-garde, complete with direct lyrical and sonic references to Sun Ra. there's a few cuts here, like the title track, that are led purely by singing rather than all-out rhyming, and it's a nice addition. I also appreciate the recurring presence of strings, which add a touch of warmth to this album's otherwise cold, austere presentation. it's no coincidence that billy woods tapped Ladd for a feature on Aethiopes. if not for Mike Ladd, I don't know if we get billy woods, or many of the artists who have been part of the recent wave of experimental rap that's been taking Online music geeks like me for a wild ride the past few years, in the form we know and love it them today. decent 8/10.

Hiphoppy, was not able to distinguish text well

This was really. It’s clearly drawing from all kinds of influences and there is a ton of experimentation.

Alright, I get why this album gets a lot of hate. I think you need to like alt rap to get into an album like this, but on its own merit, for the genre that it is, I think it's a really strong project. The rapping is above average from what you hear from a lot artists - great flow, great diction, not just talking about bitches and hoes. And the production value is something truly unique. This guy is a mix of MF Doom, Open Mike Eagle, Talib Kweli, and the Alchemist and yet he preceded them all. No hate if this kind of album isn't your thing but if you're into a really off the beaten path underground rap concept album this is a great piece.

Mike Ladd is a phenomenal rapper. “Airwave Hysteria” blew me away. I’ve never heard a flow like his before. He raps off-kilter one moment, then falls back into a rhythm whenever he wants to. Some rappers talk about changing flows from track to track but Mike Ladd does it multiple times in a single track. The lyrics are dense. They’re packed with fantastic wordplay and smart political commentary. Even when I was paying close attention to these songs, I knew I would need to go back for multiple listens to catch everything. His verses are brilliant poetry — not a word or syllable is wasted. All of the rap songs on this album are incredible. But only about half the album is rap. I was surprised by how many instrumentals there were and my gut reaction after one listen is that there could have been less instrumentals and more rapping. Then again, when the rapping is this dense and virtuosic, maybe you don’t need to pack the album with it. Also, Mike Ladd is the lead producer on all of these tracks so even the instrumentals are him. Is Mike Ladd a genius? Why have I never heard about him before? Great album.

I loved this. Surprised I’ve never come across Mike Ladd but I loved how unique this sounded. Good sci-fi!

An interesting foray into lowfi beats

Cool futuristic-leaning production though not quite as industrial or cold as other groups in this same vein of abstract hip-hop and illbent that were coming out around this time. I think groups like Cannibal Ox, Company Flow, and Techno Animal had twists on this side of hip-hop that I generally prefer but Mike Ladd still brings a unique sound to the mix nevertheless. While I kinda just wanted to listen to those guys instead (+ plus Deltron 3030) when this album started, as the album went on, I grew more appreciative of what was being attempted here. The sound is jazzier and more ambient leaning than other similar-sounding records of this time, with some standout trip-hop and electronic elements. The rapping almost takes a backseat throughout this album but when Mike does rap, he's doing the unconventional, no-bar-line style you'd expect out of this era with lines that are generally witty and enjoyable, his best performance being on the political ramblings of 'The Animist'. I also really liked the posse cut 'Bladerunners' with Company Flow who I think bring out the best rapping in Mike Ladd. The beats are dark and fat here, I love it when those grainy string samples come in on beats like 'No. 1 St.' and 'Airwave Hysteria'. Overall though, 'To the Moon's Contractor' has to be my favorite song here. Despite the somewhat cluttered opening and minimal rapping, its ambitious length works in its favor as the ambient overlay coasts and rides on this driving bassline and drum pattern for the better part of its runtime. It's a truly fantastic beat. While its closing songs were nothing to cry home about, the better part of this album is composed of some great abstract hip-hop that any fan of the style can find something they like in. It manages to stand out quite a bit as well with its subtle ambient genre fusions. While I still prefer many of his contemporaries, I did end up enjoying this record far more than I thought I would when it started.

I probably wouldn’t listen again, but I think this is a really good album, with lots of beautiful poetry, I’ve never heard of Mike Ladd but I respect his work

Heh, "cutting-edge hip-hop" from 10 years ago. I thought I'd like this a lot less than I did. I don't think I'd really even call this 'hip hop' since the artist relies a lot more on the music than the words.

Decent, old school rap isnt my go to but still good

At times this reminded me of Stankonia, which I am chalking up to both being experimental hip-hop records from 2000. Really enjoyed 'To the Moon's Contractor'

Es un gran disco! Un sonido muy curado, logra transmitir una imagen muy particular: es el año 3050, el contexto es futurista post-apocaliptico, estás en tu carro escuchando un artista que escribió un gran albúm de hip-hop inspirandose en unos discos (una verdadera antigüedad) de hace 1050 años. El aire está turbio, y la música es la mejor compañia. Está muy bueno.

Nice hip hop album with lots of samples and styles. It is a bit messy at first, but when all falls into place, it's a great listen.

A banger - lovely fresh crisp beats and some nice instrumental work. All the best elements of hip-hop

Philosophical and poignant. The sci-fi inspired futurism theme really does it for me.

The hip-hop choices on this list are frankly bizarre. I don’t really understand why this would be included so many other omissions. Having said that I still enjoyed it

Had no idea what to expect with this, as I've never heard of him. But this was great, seems like a blend of hip-hop with the avant-garde and just found the vibe and sound of this record to be really great.

Fakker med det ass

I feel cooler having listened to this. Not sure if how this album is viewed in the hip-hop community, or if it is mandatory listening, but it was new to me and underground rap is a genre I've never dug into. My favorite was definitely No. 1 St., while Bladerunners was also pretty great (shout out El-P, cool to hear your stuff earlier than RTJ). There were some cool soundscapes on display here, and the poem in the last track is pretty cool too. Interested in more rap in this style.

leuk, nooit van gehoord, maar mooi goed album lekker underground

Nice, old-school, dark & trippy rap album reminding me of DJ Krush

A new name in hip-hop for me, but who had worked with a bunch of names I know. I can see why he had so many top collaborators, but not quite sure why he didn't break through - unless he didn't want to!

Surprisingly good

surprised me! found a lot to like in here, good beats, good vibes

Abstract/experimental east coast hip hop. Not really my kind of hip hop, pretty goofy lyrics but for some reason not in like a good way. I liked a few songs here and there, and I really liked the mellow instrumental bits. I think the album is much too long for what it is, even if it does kind of switch things up a fair bit. I liked the beats a lot, they were pretty fun with a mix of styles. I just kind of got bored way too often. Not really all that much to say about it, just wasn't super into it. Probably won't revisit. 3.5/5

I’m not really into hip hop. I never heard of this before. It’s pretty good, but I don’t think it will be on heavy rotation at my house. Favorite song: no 1 st

Never listened to Mike Ladd before, but I've heard him name-dropped a number of times by Milo/R.A.P. Ferreira. I will say, just three songs in, this album certainly lives true to its name as the beats and effects truly evoke a dystopian "afterfuture" vibe. Love the beat on Airwave Hysteria with the Indian sample injection alongside a super-dystopian electronic drone. Early standout for sure. Planet 10 is equally remarkable for its production. Tripped out, lazy beat with sprinkling electro steel drums and vocals laced in underwater effects make for a really pretty blissful vibe. Takes More Than 41 pivots from that vibe to a blown out boom-bap. Still tranquil, but dusty in place of clear. If I didn't know otherwise, I would guess this to be a Gorillaz instrumental. Beats on here are wild and wonderful; Bladerunners is built around a jazzy bassline and brings serviceable features from all members of Company Flow (featuring most notably El-P). The Animist is another standout, if nothing else for its difference in vocal form. This one finds Mike Ladd sing-rapping a chorus. Really enjoy the crunchy synthline that comes in towards the end. Love the early 2000s underground hip-hop scene and this is no exception. The experimental electronic beats are fantastic, as is the overall aura of the album. This sits at a 4 in my mind. There are plenty of high points, but the album does get a little soft after the midpoint.

This album sure has some unique backing instrumentals. A few of the songs are quite good but then a few I really did not like at all. To the Moon's Contractor was a trippy instrumental I was not expecting to be sprinkled in here. From the beginning I thought this was going to be a pretty generic hip hop album. But this turned into a total mind melter halfway through. This is such a strange album I have no idea what to think about it. There is so much random and unique shit going on it that I have to respect it. It's almost like if Frank Zappa produced a hip hop album. I don't know if there has been an album where I was about to give it a low 2 but then turned around my thought to a pretty good 4. I wouldn't be surprised if I listened to this again and gave it a 2

Excellent experimental take on hiphop

I love atypical hip hop.

This was completely new to me. Reminded me of Deltron 3030. Nice, innovative beats.

Surprisingly good, not usually my thing but a good example Got a bit samey after a strong start though

This was a throwback album for me that brought me back to the early days of hip hop which sounds like poetry instead of over synthesized tracks and indecipherable lyrics. A couple of the tracks were not for me but overall reminded me of a better era in music....

For me, it really started picking up at 'Bladerunners'. Especially with that persistent bass line that sounds like it could be saying "Blade-Ru-Ners" if only it could shape the syllables. Following that up with lyrics like "if I were pregnant, I'd eat ice cream and pickles [...] Praise the Soul for what you got" in 'No. 1 St.' Then, the quiet song after?? Attention grabbing levels of variety on display here.

Muscular, cool. Beats are terrific and one's 100% down with any MC who name-checks Don Quixote.

Nice surprise. Wasn't expecting to hear what might have influenced Gorillaz, with that trippy, dark and introspective sounds.

Much to like here. The beats are solid and interesting and nicely varied. The rapping just fine, too, with much better than average content (e.g., Don Quixote). A strong chapter of fin de siecle hip hop.

Tässähän on koko universumi samassa albumissa. Helkkarin hyvä! Pitää otteessaan kyllä vahvasti. 4/5

Après plusieurs albums de hip hop de cette période, j'ai trouvé rafraîchissant de ne pas être devant un trip d'ego, un personnage théâtral et des mises en scène, mais devant un travail d'échantillonnage, où la musique, le rythme ne sont pas réduits à des boucles, mais à un assemblage. Le débit était particulier, non forcé. Beaucoup aimé.

Pretty good work background music. Low tempo beat

I don’t enjoy a lot of hip hop but this is exactly the kind I do enjoy. Old school kinda sound, reminds me of Rum Committee a bit. good album will definetely listen again.

wasn't sure what to expect with this album... to the moon's contractor and wipe out on the wave of armageddon were my 2 fav songs on the album.

Los 10 minutos del tema 7 son magníficos

Honestly pretty good

Wow! I expected to not like this it all. Great poetry and I loved the atmospheric music.

This really grew on me, im not big into hip hop (i go as deep as the gorrilaz if that counts) but this stuff is good. Experimental Chill hop i guess?

Wow. Very good

The sampling on this record is the most expiramental I have heard to date, while still being in service to a hip hop beat. Its an out there record, and the lyrical themes are a little hard for me to grab, but i am also quite distracted by work this morning, so probably worth a revisit.

Wow! How the fuck have I never listened to this, love the Company Flow feature, love the vibe. Gritty underground NYC hip hop at its peak.

This was a surprisingly interesting album. It started off as a solid, if slightly unremarkable, rap record. The second half, though, takes on quite a different tone. There's some jazz influence and more than a little Gil Scott-Heron rising to the surface. I'd say the first half is fine, and I'd have been happy giving it a 3/5, but the second half really elevates things. Definitely worth sticking with.

Easy listening hip-hop.

I didn’t know what to expect going in, but I enjoyed this album quite a bit. This album seems to have predicted the rise of progressive rap that came to prominence about a decade after this album was released. It uses electronic textures wonderfully and seems to have a good grasp on what was going on in electronic music at the time. The beats are solid as well. This album is socially conscious and seems to be telling a story. Overall, this was a really interesting listen.

I had no idea what to expect when clicking on this one. So far, I'm pleasantly surprised. Not sure what I would call this, it if I'd listen to it again, but it was enjoyable enough.

Een combinatie van rap en rustige, maar soms speelse, elektronische muziek (Triphop-achtig). Beide lijken soms wat zelfstandig te functioneren. Toch is dat niet storend. Wat dat betreft doet het me wat denken aan Rudeboy. Maar dan wat rustiger.

I saw that this was an early 2000s hip hop album that I'd never heard of, and I got a bit worried that it would be another shitty British rap album. I was wrong, and I was glad of that fact. This album fucking kicks ass. Some of the lyrical delivery is a bit out dated, but then again so is this album. The synths on it are really cool (often sounds similar to the Moog used on Virgin Suicides by Air), and the samples are great too. Not overwhelming, not overdone, a light touch. A really solid album that I'm surprised I haven't heard more about 4/5

4.5

I think I need a second listen to this. Waves of loving it, and then moments of thinking it was a bit of a gimmick. Still liked it more than not.

It’s very original. Feels fresh, even 20 years later. Lyrically fulfilling, rewarding beats, and solid production. I wish there had been some more exciting tracks on here to bring up the energy on the album. Not to say there’s no range, but that it didn’t quite stretch itself in a way it could have. Other than that, no complaints. 4/5

Never heard of this guy before… but this was pretty cool. Experimental hip-hop

Never heard of this guy before. Hip hop is not my usual genre and usually leaves me cold. However, I loved the overall sound of this record. He hit on something with the soundscape.

Not expected to be a good album as there are only a few songs that are good on their own, but it just works. Very Gorillaz-esque, but more powerful.

Delightful and compelling

While I love a lot of old, old school rap (Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, etc), I don't like modern hip-hop as much. But this is really good. So much so that, along with the previous album recommended to me, I've paused my recommendations so that I can give these two albums more time. - How did the 1001 project find this? At least on Spotify is has very few listens, and it's Wikipedia article is very sparse (implying it didn't make much of a splash). I'm glad they found it though. Very good. - Interesting looking at the reviews and ratings on here. Those who write anything seem to mostly a 4 or 5. But it's overall, it's only rated as 3 stars -- it appears to be the "fly by" voters throwing out 1s and pulling it down.

4.0

One of the takeaways from this exercise is that no matter how good some of the tracks are, anything with a run time over 50mins has to work veeeeeery hard to make it worthwhile. In saying that, Bladrunners is big track and the atmospheric breaks in The Moons Contractor etc were excellent

A couple of really good songs. I love the late 90s early 2000s experimental music. Rating: 4.0

Love all the blips and the esoteric subject matter. Gets a little annoying in places with repetition and strange affectations, but mostly a really interesting listen. Ladd's Gun Hill Road really improves on the formula, but this album is still worth spending time with.

Grew on me. Flow is not to my taste, a bit awkward, but overall sound is nice.

Chill beats, thoughtful lyricsism. Just how I like it.

I liked it. Some cool moods and some thought provoking rhymes. 4 stars

For me it's a plus when I hear something new and I can't tell where or when it came from. Admittedly as I heard the first few minutes of this I buckled in for an hour of cold hard angry hip hop berating universal injustice. There was a rapid paradigm shift when I realized there was extensive riffing on Blade Runner and Buckaroo Banzai. Like wow, am I finally in a sector of a niche target demographic for something? I will need to circle back to listen closely for more nerd deep dives. "To the Moon's Contractor" is an extended cosmic trip that calls me back to the title screen theme for "Phantasy Star Online" on the Dreamcast. Avant-garde, liberated from all conventions, and ready to go to Planet 10.

Lot of great jams.

This album really grew on me. Creative record with mf doom / mad villain vibes. Great for a mold

Nice surprise to see this hear. I bought this back in the day from a second hand CD shop as I was a big Company Flow fan, but it didn't do a great deal for me at the time. 20 years or so later it's much more resonant with me and still stands up remarkably well - a golden era for underground hiphop

Wasn't a fan of his flow but I liked the subjects and the beats were amazing. Lots of different genres which made it a joy to listen to.

first song and to the moon's contractor is really interesting

Kind of won me over by the end! A high 4/5

Pretty good. A little long, but the core is solid. His other work might be interesting to check out.

Cool Keith vibes. Fun existential lyrics playful instrumentations

Interesting.

Proper experimental stuff, really enjoyed a lot of these tracks, shame theyre not on spotify

very interesting artsy rap album, wasn't available on spotify for some reason but the whole album was on youtube anyway. I should definitely give this a few more listens but its certainly extraordinary.

I liked Phil Lynott, he was taken too soon. I actually prefer the studio versions of most of these songs but there's no denying the live versions bring a lot of energy not to mention some amazing guitar snd drum virtuosity

have any very good groves, but, i think that the woman singer is out of tone in many songs

Not on spotify

Listen to this when you have more time and the wife doesn’t have to hear it.

I like this Mike lad. Reminds me of some chill outer space vibe nyc rapper shit. Get in with it weirdo. Noice.

It's an interesting album, even if it's hip hop, the mos interesting part is the music by itself.

Amazing

(Had to go to YouTube for this one. Not currently on streaming services in the US) An experimental, dystopian future hip-hop concept album in the vein of Dr. Octagon and Deltron 3030. While not quite as enjoyable or essential as those records, “Welcome to the Afterfuture” melds IDM-ish electronica and hip hop well and doesn’t sounded dated in the least. …but I’m gonna do the thing I find myself doing a lot while navigating this list: recommend an album that should’ve been included instead of this one. The aforementioned Deltron 3030, also released in 2000, works better as a concept record, with more interesting production, unique lyrical flow and more stylistic variation. No disrespect to Mike Ladd, Welcome to the Afterfuture is a very good record, and, thus far, is the most enjoyable of the records I don’t feel belong on the list: I’m especially enjoying the stereolab-ish “To the Moon’s Contractor”, there is an Air-like downtempo feel to a lot of the songs and, just now, a reference to listening to bootlegs of The Fall, which was unexpected for a sci-fi hip-hop record. I’m just a little puzzled by its inclusion over Deltron 3030’s, given how influential and highly regarded that record is. Solid 4/5.

Hiphopin valkea puoli... Hiphopin luvattu perse.. paljas... loistaa ilta-auringossa.... Aurinko vielä matalalla... Ei hohda oranssina.. saatika punaisena.. Valkoiset posket.. Hohde.. Soolona kaveri tuottanu... Aika hyvin osannu experimentaaliset biisit tuotattaa levylle... Ja hyvin hittaa tää levy... Spotifysta otettu pois tämä albumi... Miksi? Kuunteliko spotify itekkää.. ihan hyvää se on.. erilaista hipsukka hoppia.. Music Music Avantgarde, rikotaan vähän länsimaisia tottumuksia..Ei silti kuullosta oudolta tai pakotelta rikkomiseslta. Kaveri taitaa tämän lajin... ..... niin... ....Joskus on näissä saatanallissa genreissä ongelmana se että ne ovat lyriikoiltaan vastenmielisiä.. irstaita... ja rivoja.. ehkä tämäkin oli... ei kuitenkaan hyppinyt silmille.. Referenssejä blade runneriin ja star warssiin.. se hyväksyttävää, vaikka länsimaista hapatusta.. olen yrittänyt vähentää... Taikina pallo kasvaa.. hapatteen takia.. Maha meikäläiselle ei sovi.. Amerikkalaismalli, E-Luokan kerma E-1....

avant hard

Neat and different.

I like the album and it's sound alot. Only downside is it isn't available on Apple Music or Spotify. You can find it on YouTube, and I did, but only made it through half.

Reminds me of Dan the Automator. I can't believe I had never heard this before!?

At first, I viewed this with trepidation (I generally don’t like rap), but it proved really good. The blend between rap and ambient worked surprisingly well.

If I was Jewish my name would be Jared If I was Muslim my name would be Ibrahim If I was Catholic, my name would be... CHRIS! Loved this, never heard of it before.

Experimental hip hop and i loved it. More of this please

Starship N*gger, outer Space Motherfucker. one of the few times i've really enjoyed the use of the N word in music. maybe one day when i'm in the middle of the woods with no one around i might sing along. though even writing that makes me feel nervous i'll get cancelled. album started really slowly, picked up and then was actually decent. piss poor name.

Very enlightening! Entertaining!

I really enjoyed this. Mike Ladd was a new artist to me. Like the Afterfuture concept throughout, and lots of interesting and inventive ideas here. Reminded me of stuff like Anti Pop Consortium in places (who I love). Only downside was I felt the album is a little long and I lost focus a bit for the last few tracks.

I liked “The Animist” especially and the rest of the record was interesting and it kept my attention.

It definitely caught my attention when the first track made a "Space: 1999" reference. That was just the first of a lot of intriguing references. Did he just refer to "Mummenshanz"? The mix of painful contemporary realities and speculative fiction was fascinating to me, even if a lot of it is not something I want to go back to listening to for pleasure. "Red Eye to Jupiter," for example makes a "Trouble with Tribbles" reference, but I don't think I'll choose to play that one again. "To the Moon's Contractor" was...long? But there were also songs I really enjoyed, like "5,000 Miles West of the Future" and "Airwave Hysteria." Why couldn't I find more information about Mike Ladd? "Feb. 4 '99" definitely gave me a glimpse into a story I wanted to know better.

This album and artist are new to me. I ran kinda warm and cool (not really hot and cold) with it. A chill laid back beat would start and I’d be grooving to the moment that I would realize that I had zoned out and then think, “oh geez, is this track still going?!?” The giddy moment when he put ‘cornucopia’ in a rhyme (I just love that) to the furrowed brow when I think “did he just say ‘pee pee on’ something?” Just back and forth... The last track landed me on the warm side, and so here we are.

A decent listen, though I'm not really sure why this made it onto the list... 7/10

I'm surprised with this album. I was expecting just some generic electronic samples and basic hip-hop, but I found a very deep album with some really good songs. It's impressive how these songs are recognizable in modern rap/hip-hop songs.

This is cool! I've never heard of Mike Ladd but really enjoyed listening to this album. It's like a hip hop spin on Zero 7 which can only be good news for me. It's got top qual rap and lyrics with some really cool sounds over the top and it put me in a good mood. A good new discovery! Lots of really interesting global influences throughout the album so it held my interest well throughout. Only thing bringing it down to a 4 star job is some songs had stressful noises like Red Eye to Jupiter.

I really liked the one about the moons contractor, very complex and lots of levels and that

I'm surprised I've never heard of Mike Ladd before, but this album is right up my alley. Very Swayze!

Dit album ga ik nog eens op mijn gemak beluisteren. Lekker album

1. Is this a rock album or hip hop album :\ 2.Ok this is hard potential playlist add 3.Where are we going? 4.This album sceams experimental in your ear bruh 5.Finally another good song potetntial playlist 6.Defintitely an add 7.ight 8.ight 9.ight 10. yes idk why this album is all instrumentals this guy has a really good cadence and if i was catholic my name would be chris! 11.Space mothafucka 12. pop yo perc(add) 13.yes 14.good album 4/5

Love the music on this album. I've said it more than once this year: there's something about hip hop that appeals to me. This one feels a bit more experimental WRT the orchestration than most, and I liked it more as a result. Solid 4 stars.

It certainly held my interest throughout, though not all of it seemed exactly to be music. I don't think I grasped that much of the lyrics really, with their rapid fire flow and dense cultural references.

A present from the past

really cool. kinda like MF Doom type spoken word rap but with modern beats

Pretty sick

Sounds like a fever dream.

Very good album. Good backing tracks not your typical rap album thoughtful.

This explores some interesting ideas. The beats themselves are at times quite capturing, but my big problem here are the rap-parts. They just don’t really hit, except No. 1 St which instantly moved to my library. To The Moon’s Contractor is the definitive centerpiece of the album for me, though the title track could also claim that position. Ultimately an interesting listen that i probably won’t return to in full, but some tracks definitely caught my attention.

I quite liked this, alternative hip-hop with some quite abstract lyrics and out-there themes. He has a nice turn of phrase and wit and I find the flow pleasing. Maybe it lacks a few bangers to really elevate it though.

Highlights: 5000 Miles West of the Future, Airwave Hysteria, Bladerunners, I Feel Like $100, The Animist It was ok in general, but my mind wasn't blown. It sounds a lot like it was a template for the Gorillaz debut or something from Del at the time (3030?). Basically any contemporary trippy hip-hop records, but it's not nearly as interesting as those. I wasn't interested enough to really follow the lyrics, but they didn't sound too important at face value... I've noticed he really likes to name places doe. Also, his vocal style reminds me of someone, but I just can't put a finger on it. Maybe someone from De La Soul?

A little myopic when it comes to future-telling but some nice beats.

I'd never heard of him, but he's a guy after my own heart. A song about Buckaroo Banzai? This is the stuff. And every other track is stuffed with SF references too, plus there are fun samples and unusual musical backgrounds. The density of the highbrow references leads me to think he took the same college courses I did. Anyway, I liked it, can't quite say I loved it, although I wish I did.

No afterfuture I want

Was okay background music but didnt really draw me in. 3/5

This was a lot better than it had any right to be, I think. It's goofy. it's weird, it's all over the map, but it's consistently fun.

Started strong with 5,000 miles but interest kind of faded midway through

A new find. Enjoy this genre of music so found this a great listen!

I’m surprised how much hip hop is on this list that I have never even heard of. Pretty interesting sound and really good when paired with competent rappers (and even pretty good when by itself). I immediately googled to see if Ladd had produced any MF Doom songs and was surprised that they had never worked together despite coming up at the same time and Ladd producing the most MF doom sounding beats I’ve ever heard. 3.4

There were parts where I really appreciated his skill. This was a little too underground for me however. Sometimes it sounded like he was just putting words together to just rhyme them. At times, I found this to be a little to abstract from the hip hop I like/am used to.

I liked this alot. So much so that I listened to it again a few hours later. I like the offbeat nature of the lyrics and the beats..... just good stuff

Mike Ladd’s Welcome to the Afterfuture is a slow-burn underground rap album that heavily echoes the abstract, dense style of artists like Aesop Rock, earning a decent 3/5. While the vocals are consistently slurred and recessed—making the overarching message difficult to parse—the production carries the project through a space-bound, futuristic journey. The tracklist balances hypnotic standouts like "5000 Miles West of the Future" and the gorgeous, poetry-driven spirituality of "Feb 4" against generic filler like "I feel like $100" and the uninspired "Red eye to Jupiter." Ladd excels when embracing a distinct sonic atmosphere; "Airwave Hysteria" thrives on a Madlib-esque Bollywood sample, while "To the Moons Contractor" and "Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon" deliver stellar, floating lo-fi hip-hop beats. Though cuts like "Planet 10," "Blade Runners," and the title track evoke an uncertain, cosmic vibe, the murky vocal mix ultimately holds the album back from being truly stellar, leaving it as a solid but flawed underground trip.

Interesting. Sub standard for the genre after first listen but intriuging enough for further listening.

Some occasional interesting moments, but lots of beats centered around cheesy keyboard sound effects and many of the songs are a bit dull and repetitive.

Enjoyed my 1st listen to this. I’ll play safe with 3 stars but further listens could push it up to a 4.

This is an oddly surreal hip-hop record. It's futuristic and almost desolate-sounding in both its politically charged themes and atmospheric instrumentals/sampling choices. Kind of reminds me of Delton 3030's debut record in that regard to be honest (which I will be selecting as my user submitted album once the time comes). This wasn't quite as memorable as a whole body of work, however.

Don't think I'd listen again, but wasn't awful

Okay.

Never heard of this artist.From the art work I was expecting a Kraftwerking vibe. So was somewhat surprised when kit turned out rap album I have been finding since I started this adventure that there are some things I don't like jazz and anything adjacent. Long songs and high pitched screaming. Strangely I have found I like the rap records which has surprised no one more than me. I enjoyed this album not an all time favourite but loved the beats and the lyrics

Held my interest, but the theme never crossed my mind until the long track To The Moon's Contractor so I started again and Yes I liked it. I prefer the bits where he's not talking though. This sounds pretty current to me.

Это могло звучать на фоне какого-нибудь киберпанкового аниме. Довольно суховатый инструментал, да и читка такая себе (хотя мне сложно по настоящему оценить, о чем пел майк ладд, т.к. я нихуя не понимаю). но вайб присутствует, поТОСКовать можно. А еще обложка пиздатая. 3/5

Pretty good, first rap album I think we got. Nothing stood out to me, not bad though.

Really like the Korea town oddity, needs another listen though

Really enjoyed the production on this one. Loose and kind of experimental with cool little synth melodies. Especially toward the back half of the album. Overall, the concept is vaguely like Deltron 3030. 3.6/5.0

Why are these albums so fucking long The first half with rapping is far less interesting than the back half, which i enjoyed a lot

this album is pretty good. the slow numbers are kind of a snooze tho. interesting that the wikipedia for mike ladd and the album is so sparse and it's included on this list.

IF WERE CATHOLIC MY NAME WOULD BE CHRISSSSS

5000 Miles West of the Future 3.5 Airwave Hysteria 3.2 Planet 10 3.4 Takes More Than 41 3.5 Bladerunners 3.2 No. 1 St 3.3 To the Moon's Contractor 2.7 I Feel Like $100 2.8 The Animist 3 Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga) 2.9 Welcome to the Afterfuture 3 Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon 2.5 Feb. 4 '99 (For Those Killed by Cops) 3 Score: 3.076923077

Me imaginei em um cenário de Homem-Aranha no Aranhaverso escutando esse álbum descoladíssimo! Ele me trouxe uma vibe distópica junto do hip hop com misturas e sons diferentes que me deixou surpresa, pois parece real que entrei em algum novo gênero de “som ficção científica”. No Spotify fala que o disco é de 2023, mas na verdade ele é dos anos 2000, o que explica ainda mais as críticas e como o Mike Ladd foi visionário quanto ao futuro. Eu não o conhecia, mas pelo pouco que pesquisei vi que ele utiliza sua arte para criticar como o capitalismo e a tecnologia estão nos transformando em robôs, e o álbum traz uma história de como tudo deu errado em um futuro não tão distante. Me lembrou muito a criatividade do De La Soul, mas é como se o Mike fosse a noite e eles fossem o sol. Ele usa uma forma de storytelling mais falado que às vezes me incomodava, mas para o estilo do álbum eu entendi e passei a curtir a forma que foi mesclado; só foi meio difícil não sentir um estranhamento e tédio às vezes. Minhas favoritas foram “Welcome to the Afterfuture”, “Bladerunners” e “To the Moon's Contractor”. No fim, Welcome to the Afterfuture é um álbum descolado que usa e abusa de sons e ritmos diferentes, misturando isso com letras que fazem críticas que se encaixam super bem, mostrando as múltiplas facetas que o hip hop pode incorporar.

Can get down with it Will I listen to again: 50%

okayyy

i love this one its one of my favs

Interesting kinda trippy and all over the place

Knew nothing about this one.. glad I found. It

This was actually pretty cool, I was vibing to it

It's not half bad. Some nice beats, but Ladd's vocals can be a bit hit-and-miss at times. He's got potential as a rapper, but he needs to work on his delivery. The production's solid though; there are some really standout moments here that had me grooving along. But yeah, it's a mixed bag overall. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - 5,000 Miles West of the Future - Bladerunners - To the Moon's Contractor

Leave it up to this list to find some obscure hiphop album nobody's heard of and include it on this list when complete classics of the genre were left off. First impression: What the F is this. On a closer listen, trying to get over Dimery's dumb selection choices, I starting coming around with some tracks. Indian samples, bass beats that kind of sound like solo Kool Keith albums of this era. Ladd's rapping is at least decent compared to much of the junk that came out in subsequent years in the oughts. Some of these tracks are more triphop-ish in vibe, which maybe explains why Dimery likes it, since it's more hiphop adjacent than an actual rap album. It has great moments, just kind of an uneven venture. 3/5

No esta mal, tampoco bien. Beats disonantes e incomodos, pero con algo que te hace quedarte

it was fine

Het is jammer dat Eigen Wereld van Opgezwolle nooit internationaal is opgepikt vanwege de taalbarrière, want als je het mij vraagt rent dat album met 2 vingers in de neus rondjes om dit album. Zowel qua productie met electronische invloeden als qua rap. Al is dit album misschien wat minder rapperig en wat meer trippy/jazzy van aard. Ik vind dit geen vervelend album, ik vind dit geen slecht album, maar ik kan niet echt bedenken hoe dit in deze lijst terecht is gekomen. En het klinkt wel een ietsiepietsie gedateerd. Ik wilde nog typen dat hij bij "Bladerunners" klinkt als El-P van Run The Jewels, maar toen bleek na wat doorklikken op Wikipedia dat het ook daadwerkelijk El-P is van Run the Jewels die je hoort. Lekker, haha. Uiteindelijk hoor ik dit een stuk liever dan Ice Cube, dus ik moet niet teveel zeiken. 3 punten voor Mike Ladd.

found it really satisfying to be introduced to something i had never heard of - enjoying this was really just the cherry on top after a run of largely wonderful but very familiar records. i don't love Ladd as an MC - sometimes he gets the tongue-in-cheek sci-fi thing just right, but that's a hard thing to maintain, and he often ends up too earnest (the closing track) or too crude (encouraged by the Company Flow guys on the one they feature on). the production here is wonderful though - dusty retrofuturist music, electronic sounds brought over from Europe and the UK and retooled to fit a very NYC record. i don't think this is the best example of this sound - something from El-P/Company Flow themselves, or Cannibal Ox, would tick the early-2000s east coast dystopia-rap box a bit better - but it was really fun to dive into this thing unawares, and when Ladd goes full head-blown electronica mode, it's pretty great

This was okay. The production was probably experimental at the time, and it sort of still holds up today. Favourite Track(s): Bladerunners, Takes More Than 41 Least Favourite Track(s): Planet 10

1001 albums to hear before you don't have a afterfuture 71# Sometimes it makes for a good experience. it's a shame that that just happens a few times during one hour. I admire the vision and some of the execution, but few songs sound complete and not like demos. I like the sound it is going for. But it kind of stops at that, it doesn't achieve greatness at what it's trying to do. Making a futuristic-esque hip hop concept album. I don't really like his rapping much and doesn't keep my attention for what his saying. On the last track Mike has the best performance but the instrumentals don't help out much

Favorite Track: Blade Runners

Proto-lo-fi hip-hop beats to study to.

Quite interesting right, quite rnb think we found it was alright.

3.4 Some refreshing unserious non-cringe rap/hip-hop. There's actually some decent mostly instrumental stuff on here that wouldn't sound out of place in a good 90's UK EDM album. The lyrics are funny and interesting. Only drawback is the length, which is compounded by some of the beats being rather basic. Trim those tracks and it's into 4* territory.

Achei que não ia curtir nada, mas mesmo não sendo meu estilo, foi bom de ouvir. Os caras são bons, dá um sentimento interessante ver a raiva dele falando e rimando. Interessante.

6/10

Got some really cool beats, and whenever he's not trying to rap over them the resulting song is really cool as well, like Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon

Quite dop3

Went into this one blind as I was completely unfamiliar with Mike Ladd coming into this. I felt it was an interesting mix of hip hop and electronic music which worked well for the most part. The main highlights for me are ‘The Animist’ and ‘5000 Miles West of the Future’. I wasn’t immediately taken by it at first, but it grew on me the second time of listening. I suspect it might be one of those albums which rewards repeat listening, but at the moment I would give it a solid 3.