Reviews (page 3 of 7)
fav tracks: "I feel like $100" and "Welcome to the Afterfuture"
Pleasantly surprised. More of a chill vibe with good musicaliry
Very good, crunchy hip hop beats. Not sure if I’d call it essential but it is rock solid.
This is the third rap album by a white guy
Chill but doesn't feel particularly impactful
Some interesting ideas but I kept getting pulled out of the vibe by lyrics that felt overly pretentious to me. I liked the sampling and beats though
Funky sound
As others have pointed out, the sounds and instrumentation is more interesting than a lot of the flows. Airwave Hysteria is a highlight for me, but for an album that could say more it was a bit of a letdown. Again, the shadow of 3030 is hard to escape.
album as a whole was only ok but "these goldfish know jiu jitsu" is a great lyric
I had never heard about this album or Mike Ladd before, but listening to it for the first time, it was pretty good. A lot of the songs on the album have such a good sound and vibe.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
The kind of rapping I quite like. Intelligent rhymes
A bleak portryal of the future -- which is to say -- he's no exactly wrong. Not an easy listen, but there's always some new sounds throughout the record to keep you interested.
Mike Ladd’s Welcome to the Afterfuture is a dystopian, avant‑garde hip‑hop blueprint whose political edge and futuristic anxiety anticipate the kind of socially charged storytelling Kendrick Lamar later perfected. Ladd’s blend of experimental production and critiques of power structures mirrors Kendrick’s own evolution into a generational voice. Where Ladd masks discontent in sci‑fi futurism , Kendrick transforms similar tensions into Pulitzer‑level narratives and cultural commentary . Listening to Ladd today feels like hearing an early, raw sketch of the thematic ambition Kendrick would bring to the mainstream. Better than expected.
This has more of an early 2000s sound than I would expect, given that it’s 2015. Very massive attack adjacent. I enjoy the more spoken word flows from him.
Muy bien para dejar de fondo mientras hago scrapbooking. Era para 2/5 pero el aleatorio de Spotify me trajo muy buenas canciones después de este disco, así que es 3/5
2.8 2x different, but good
ladds ladds ladds
Uneven effort but interesting mix of hip hop jazz and space music.
Honestly fun to have on while doing stuff, I enjoyed it enough. Probably 3.5 stars, nothing stood out to me as exceptional
eu sem entender prr nenhuma
Thought this was a bit 'meh' but then I added 'To the Moon's Contractor' to 4 different playlists
I liked this much more than I thought it would.
When it first started I thought I wasn't going to enjoy it at all - but in fact it was fine for a n hour of early Sunday morning listening. Nothing really stood out though and I very much doubt I will revisit it.
I enjoyed the album. I don’t know that’s its groundbreaking, but there are interesting concepts and techniques employed at times. It’s a hip hop album with a mix of some electronic stuff. At times reminds me of things like Mc frontalot or Mc Chris or Dr Ocotopolis - it has a similar feel.
rare bialy rap ktory nie jest popularny, a nadal sluchalny
Something different.
This was good in some parts, just ok in others, and occasionally underwhelming. The songs that leaned into the jazz rap and more atmospheric bits were nice. I didn't much care for the meandering, mumbling delivery throughout. That is until the end when he was pretty expressive. 3/5
I see this came out in 2000 - trying to decide whether in retrospect that was the right time to make a claim like "welcome to the afterfuture" or maybe that was a bit premature. He failed to predict 9/11, Trump, Covid, smartphones, social media, the rise-and-fall of DVDs by mail, or the popularity of high-end athleisure wear unless I missed it. The music itself was pretty good. The lyrics are like yeah totally cool if you're into that kind of thing.
I enjoyed this. Good beats. Good energy. I don't really have enough context for where this dude fits in the hip-hop world...maybe some of that context would make this a little more meaningful. I probably won't come back to it, but happy to have listened to it.
I know nothing about Mike Ladd, but his roots in the spoken-word scene are hard to miss. These songs sound like poems with musical accompaniment, heavily informed by the jazzy trip-hop. I'm not surprised he's more popular in Europe than Stateside—this feels pretty separate from the stuff you hear 'round these parts, even in the indie scene. Ladd is clearly smart and has a POV, and this is pleasant enough, but it's also kinda tedious. 2.5 stars.
Reminds me of Kid Cudi, Meat Beat Manifesto, POS.
I think this might be my most recent album! 2023! I have heard of Mike Ladd as a producer but not as an artist himself, so I'm curious what it will be like. It's interesting, I don't know if I love his flow to be honest. It's almost like a hip-hop poetry blend which in theory I would love but in practice it was okay. The whole album felt way too long for me. But I would listen to it again.
Quite experimental and maybe I’ll listen again
You can often tell an album by its cover. For example, what do we see here? A view from below of a roadside pole entangled in a multitude of wires. When a wire fails, they simply throw in a new one. Anyone who's been to Asia has witnessed this scene firsthand many times. But the thing is, in Asia itself, I quickly stop noticing these wires, even though these "nests" are practically everywhere — my eye gets numb and takes them for granted. That's the same with this album — its sound evokes the synthetic future of a sci-fi dystopia. The hip-hop here, like that pole, is woven with bits of post-rock and jazz, yet everything sounds uncluttered and even minimalist. It would be perfect as a soundtrack for, say, Mirror's Edge. It's surprising that this little-known record appeared in the first edition of the book and is still there. It's probably worth a listen.
Listing to this album in 2026 is interesting. A good listen but nothing for me to come back to
Weird but would happily listen again
Really smooth hip-hop, not as commercial as M&M, but far tighter production values. I really enjoy the mix of the album.
Liked: Takes More Than 41, No.1 1 St., I Feel Like $100 Added: I Feel Like $100
Hmmm. This was just ok. The backing music was interesting and the lyrics were interesting and beyond the usually misogynistic twaddle spat out by most contemporaries. However, I felt the lyricisms wasn’t as good as it could have been and his pitch kept on making me think of Vanilla Ice. MF Doom is more accomplished and would have filled this space better.
uummmmmm no me veo esucchando esto
Neat concept and pretty enjoyable!
Not bad
Ok Mike.
Needs an additional listen
Very cool experimental listen
Totalmente desconocido para mí. Me ha gustado un poquito, pese a no ser de mi cuerda.
I'd never heard of this artist before. I like a lot of the production -- it has that psychedelic, experimental, future bass sound that reminds of the LA Beat Scene. And he's got obvious skills. But sometimes he backpacks so hard it sound like he's rapping for his college professor. I'm happy to learn about Mike Ladd, and all respect to him, but they should take this off the list and add some Dilla.
Review - an interesting hip hop album from an artist I'd never heard. A bit high concept. Not a huge fan of the early naughties futuristic hip-hop vibe but it was ok generally, some funny lyricism. Not in a rush to delve further into the discography. Rating - 5.5/10 Need to listen? YES
Nerdy and dense hip hop- there’s a lot to respect here but a bit less to enjoy. Feels like this must have been influential Madvillain and MF Doom, who took that next step.
Couldn't help but be let down by this after reading reviews referencing MF DOOM and Deltron...don't think this is really anywhere in that league. It's not bad by any stretch, but feel like it should have been something I'd gravitate to a lot more given the era and proximity to the Definitive Jux style of hip-hop that I loved in college. Best track by far is the one featuring Company Flow, which isn't a coincidence I don't think. Some decent atmospherics and beats which probably pushes me to a 3 rather than a two, but ultimately kinda forgettable.
I have been thinking lately that I always react badly to artists/bands I have never heard of but at least then you get to be pleasantly surprised. This is a sort of space/hip-hop opus. I liked that it didn’t have samples but lovely instrumental parts underneath some great lyrics.
Never heard of this before. I really enjoyed it. Flow is similar to Kool Kieth at its best, but I dig the spoken word stuff too. A little unfocused and scattershot though. Some tracks just don’t land, but overall a solid listen.
I found some of his choice of words to rhyme to be very interesting and it made me want to listen more but then there were long musical interludes that were boring. I wish it had more lyrical content because I was interested in what he was rapping about. The last song was very interesting.
Good beats and lyrics. Thick to get through
Neither high nor low, except maybe some of the sophomoric lyrics that are attempted to be wrapped in high brow drivel. A low key vibe with the occasional ear-catching eyebrow-raising lyric.
Good stuff.
Ok
Absolutely strange album, which takes a lot of me to say. Somewhere between the vivid lyricism of MF DOOM and the uninhibited ramblings if Bladee. You can’t really tell that this thing is a trip-hop album until a few songs in; “Takes More Than 41” is the first real indication of that. Some of the rapping on this is unbearable, but some of the production is so strangely forward-thinking. “To The Moons Contractor” was probably my favorite, with its sudden dive into some jungle-oriented production. Then “Red Eye To Jupiter” almost did enough to revert my thoughts about the rapping here, I really enjoyed this one. Last, “Wipeout On The Wave Of Armageddon” turned things in a more placid direction, which ultimately just confused me about this projects direction even more. I’ve listened to this twice and have no clue what to give it for a score. I like that it’s completely unique in the context of this list, but sometimes not in a good way. I’ll lean 3/5 because I’ll likely remember how whacky it was
6/10
The production was interesting enough to pull this up to a 3 but I wasn't blown away
Kind of generic. The beats on Animist are a bit redeeming.
Nice but not my favorite
The sound is decent, but not great. Felt very mixed on this.
A decent hip hop album but it didn’t really blow my mind.
Decent
Not at all familiar with this artist. Was prepared to not like this album. Wasn’t as bad as expected.
ちゃんとしたヒップホップアルバムだけど特筆するところは見当たらなかった。歌詞は好みに近いかもしれないけど、母国語ではないアルバムを聞くときはフローとかインスト、音像を重視してしまうな。
Mostly very enjoyable. It was heading towards four stars, but kinda lost me in the later tracks. Reminds me of Delton a little bit, although certainly not quite as weird.
Some interesting concepts here. This is kind of like 90s electronica meets hip hop, which I thought was different in a good way. Mike Ladd has good flow and some intriguing lyrics, but overall this was only okay.
that was an interesting listen. who is this guy? never heard of him.
This is like watching a noir film. A slowly unfolding drama with stark contrast between hues. Each character is mysterious half hidden in the shadows or under the brim of a hat.
This is an odd one. Context is important. And I don't have any. I can use some trigonometric skills to figure out the where and why he exists and extrapolate why he made it onto this list. But is that assessment even important in reviewing a piece of art. I like to think are exists in and of itself but I know that's not true. Time and place matter. Intent matters. Understanding that intent also matters. And here - words matter. Sound matters. I can't tell if I will listen again but I did hear enough to know that maybe I should. Not sure if I was won over but I was engaged. It's a start.
bella vibe for the album as a whole, nessuna canzone stands out per ora
This is very good. I hadn't come across it before but will certainly come back to it. Mid 3s at least.
So...the album(partially) greets me in Japanese, yet, is written in English at the bottom(by a man living in France). At this point, I'm already confused at what I'm getting myself into. Don't blame Mike Ladd. This was released in the year of Y2K, and we really thought we would be wayyyyyyyy in the future by then(which is funny, because now 2000 looks so damn vintage). Anyway, this is a fun concept album, with too many filler tracks in the middle which seem to drag on. Oddly enough, the closing track has nothing in common with the rest of the album. It's not a masterpiece, and I won't be re-listening to this album anytime soon, however, I will agree it needs to be heard. Favorite Track: "Planet 10".
Neat! verses stand out the most. sounds like an inspiration for Scroobius Pip.
какой-то непонятный жанр, загадочный) реп для элиенов? почитала в биографии что он спокен уорд поэт, а также что у него лейбл Лайкмэдд (креативно, поэт что ли?), ну да, наверно это так и звучит. но не для меня
There are some great moments in here but it really kinda drags overall.
Some of this was really atmospheric and groovy but a bit of it was pretty corny too
Better than Coldplay
Some compelling stuff on here, I can see myself coming back to this one.
Had no idea what to expect with this, but certainly wasn't a futuristic themed hip hop album. Hmm, I'm not sure. I thought I might be on to something great in parts, but it didn't quite materialise. I thought "bladerunners" was the stand out track. The opening and closing tracks were good too. 3.5, but I hoped it would be more
It’s kind of funny that when this list includes an American rapper from this century, it’s an ex-pat that lives on the continent. I only listened once which really isn’t enough to understand the record. I liked the musical ambition with a pretty cool range of beats, synths, samples, and acoustic instruments. His flow is pleasing but not particularly distinctive. The cover art is cool. Right down the middle on this one. The Britney reference to begin the album made me laugh.
When I started listening to this I thought it was going to be another crass modern hip hop album, but I ended up enjoying the journey. i enjoyed the middle part of the album from Bladerunners to the Animist. The end was ok except for Red Eye to Jupiter which was ghastly. To the Moons Contractor was probably my standout track. It was chill and full of vibe and funk. It did not finish the album wanting to discover more, but I enjoyed the listen. 3 stars
I usually enjoy alternative hip-hop and musically this was good. Mike's flow and rapping seems good but I also didn't play close attention to the lyrics which is my own fault - but there's 1001 albums and I'm busy. I might've scored it higher if I got into it more - but it was definitely okay.
interesting hip hop album
Very ambient and mood driven. Sets a cyber punk tone with a hip hop sense.
2000s hip hop. Interesting electronic beats. Indian beats.
An okay album but no stand out songs.
A lot of it feels uninteresting to me. There isn’t much going on and it’s like that for over an hour. It’s not bad, a good amount of the rapping is pretty good, and that final track is incredible, I wish everything on this album was of that quality. The build-up, the passionate delivery, the vivid language makes it feel like the closer to a much better album. 3/5
Beck and chilled rap ok
Meh, not too bad. Room for improvement.
Learning the hard way I should give any album that makes me mad a second shot just to be safe, because this is far better than I felt the first time through. It’s not good, but it is unique and interesting, and Ladd clearly inspired a number of newer artists that have brought a little more cohesion and focus to this style. There’s some amazing songs in the mix here along with some duds, but it’s enough to make me want to check out more.
This was cool. Wasn't familiar, which is a bit surprising given he's from Boston and I used to live there, but hey.
2.75 Interesting, but mostly forgettable.
Lyrically I could get down with this album, but the production itself felt so dated for an album that dropped in 2000. Felt more like something I would expect in the early 90s. The other issue is the often the production didn’t feel like it fit his delivery, with many times Mike Ladd rushes to get what he wanted to say to hit the beat notes. Just kind of all around a disjointed album that had a lot of potential to it.
Takes more than 41 - not a great voice. Previous songs had nice beats
Never heard of this before. Honestly didn't listen close... I'm painting my kitchen and just need background noise... but it sounded good.
You might think that you can win me over by referencing sci-fi masterpieces. You would think correctly. Favorite track: "For the Moon's Contractor"
The mix of spoken word poetry and the clever turns of phrase kept me engaged. There were some really impressive tracks but on the whole it didn’t really hook me and don’t think I will be listening to this album again.
Eh? I guess?
solid hip hop, nodding my head without caring for lyrics
Torn between a three and a four. Had a very 90s hip hop feel, perhaps too much given the year it came out. There were a few other elements that gave it something extra but it didn't feel like it did much more than earlier artists had already done.
This was slightly disappointing to me because of the length and its questionable inclusion on the list. However, there are some interesting moments musically and it's certainly better than a lot of the other hip-op on this list. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
Not bad stuff, I wish there was more experimental stuff like this and less boring classic rock in this list.
One of the more obscure albums on the list. Half of "Welcome to the Afterfuture" is rap, with the other half being more experimental. The songs I enjoyed the most are "Planet 10" and "The Animist". Those tracks have some great instrumentation. If the 10-minute track had more lyrics, I would've enjoyed it more. 3 stars for "Welcome to the Afterfuture".
Soundtrack to a dystopian future (or present). The atmosphere just makes me sad, but I don’t hate it.
i like niche experimental hip-hop from the 2000s, but this is far from a must hear. i liked it more than most people on this site for sure. aside from some questionable bars, I found it pretty interesting. like a worse less psychedelic Quasimoto
Pretty good, three stars
No idea what this is or who this is. It's Hip Hop, but not as I know it. I like that it's different the usual rap I tend to hear, especially the lyrics. Interesting musical approach too. It didn't all work for me and it was lacking in the melodic department, but points for being different.
Sounds like this guy listened to too much Mobb Deep and Massive Attack. Update after Track 7: I think this guy is genius.
Decent enough, nothing really jumped out at me though.
Very atypical rap. Jazzy and delivered at a relatively slow pace.
Felt like I might enjoy this more. I guess I didn't hate, but it became confusing at times... and coming from a confusing individual as myself, denotes something, I guess. Did dig the futuristica beat scheme though. Anyways, I liked the El-P track, BLADERUNNERS and TO THE MOON'S CONTRACTOR.
interesting but the kind where you don't know how else to describe it
119/1001 Mike Ladd - Welcome to the Afterfuture Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ There's undoubtedly some good stuff on here and I appreciate the experimentation, however a lot of it felt quite cold and distanced, so found it a struggle to get into it.
Unclear how these nearly unknown gems make a list like this sometimes. Here's a record that can't claim to have made a big impact on the genre or genres it operates in, and it also doesn't sound like an exemplar of technical prowess in the artist's chosen mode. There's not a lot of immediate evidence to recommend it. It's a bit of a head-scratcher. Like, "what are you doing here, little album of little note, on this big list of records you must hear before you die...?" And yet, it was a perfectly fine listen today and is going to rate higher than many other records I recognized from the list. I can only conclude that the question reveals more about me than the album. It's a shame we don't realize that more often about ourselves — so often when we move through this afterfuture we lack self-awareness.
A little better than expected, but still a bit weird.
Surprisingly good. Not great.
5/10 Everyone knows I strongly dislike hip hop, right? However, while this does have the excessive profanities and the vulgar misogyny, violence and comically sexual lyrics it has to be recognised that, musically, at times, it had some creativity to it! Hoorah! There were chords and progressions! Not everything was beep, thump n click. Well done Mike! I mean, I didn't like it much, but you get a point for giving me something to hang on to
This was boring. Late 90s early 2000 stoner hip hop. The last couple of songs were actually kind of interesting. But overall exactly what you would expect.
Interesting and different. 3 *
Not my normal type of hip hop album but it’s different and unique!
Generator, I’m BEGGING you to start giving me some albums from people I’ve at least heard of. I really don’t mind getting an underground project here and there, but this is happening almost every day. Give me some Beatles, some Bowie, some Björk… heck, I’d even take some Beastie Boys at this point. Who on earth is Mike Ladd and what is he doing on this list? Like many albums the Generator has assigned to me thus far, Welcome to the Afterfuture is an LP that I appreciate more than I enjoy. It's weird and frequently psychedelic, with bars that made me cringe more often than not (e.g., "you can't burn me in a teepee, watch me as I go pee pee"), which put me off of it almost immediately. Simultaneously, I can't say I've ever heard an album quite like this one from its era – its beats are so distinct and its vocals seem to bathe in how off-kilter they are. WTTA actually did pick up some momentum for me around the middle, starting with an El-P jumpscare (I had no idea he was part of Company Flow) on the track "Bladerunners." While his bars sound pretty primitive compared to what he'd later do with Run the Jewels, it was still a pleasant surprise getting a verse from someone I'm relatively familiar with on this album. There are certainly other highlights, but the only track on Welcome to the Afterfuture that I legitimately enjoyed and plan to revisit is "Red Eye to Jupiter" (and I've already given it a second listen). It manages to be bombastic/over-the-top in a really fun way and somehow feels ahead of its time, almost like a precursor to the jazz rap and nerdcore that became quite popular in the mid-2010s. Ultimately, I think having a more seasoned, polished MC on these kinds of beats would have made WTTA a more enjoyable album for me, but that would also cause it to lose a lot of its unique character. I'm happy to remember this album as one that wasn't necessarily for me, but still managed to stand out from every other hip-hop album on the 1001 Albums list. Highlights: Bladerunners, To the Moon’s Contractor, I Feel like $100, The Animist, Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Ni**a), Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)
Some great bits. Some less so. Could be a grower.
Mixed bag.
3.0 Thought I'd enjoy this album more than I did. Probably would (frequent note by me) if I listened to it 20 times but only had time for 3 listens and just couldn't get into it. Not bad, but didn't love it - 3
Weird and interesting
beats are good, lyrics are meh.
Album rap qui a de la sauce en masse.
New to me, and a mixed bag. There's a lot that's really not successful, but a few tracks I kind of love. There's a better, shorter album in here somewhere.
Crisp production and lyrics for a bridge between the 90s and 2000s rap game.
Decent. Wished it had a tad more energy but it was an interesting listen.
Never heard of the artist or album before this, so wasn't sure what to expect. Didn't rock my world to the core, but I quite enjoyed it.
Super solid Hip Hop - and it seems like I am the only one that listened to it. Under 10K hits on most of the songs.
Some good beats, but lyrics on some of the tracks were straight up cringe.
Hip hop with ”world music” influences. Pleasant surprise. Well, those were my thoughts less than two tracks in. After about 5 songs I feel like there’s too much of it left. It’s not terrible, but I wish it was 40 minutes instead of an hour. Quite liked the verse of The Animist though. Reminded me of some older hip hop I’ve heard before. 3/5.
didnt like much
Nije moj stil.
Should have been shorter and condensed down
better than a lot of other hip hop on this list (lyrics are trying to have substance, & at least have a variety of samples). just goes on way too long
I was extremely into experimental hip hop in the early noughties, but this eluded me then. Fun with a left field choice like this, but there are so many worthier choices of experimental hip hop from around the same time with a lot bigger influence. Some of the top of my head: ”Deltron 3030”, Aesops Rocks ”Labour Days”, and ”The Cold Vein” by Cannibal Ox.
Interesting beats, not the best flow, felt like beat poetry at times, found it a bit of a slog
I didn't hear this on release. Funny enough he's all over features in a few of my favorite hip hop albums of the last few years. 3.5
High-concept prog space nerd stoner rap. A bit willfully cerebral at times. Intriguing listen though. Somewhere in the mould of El-p or Aesop Rock. Deserves another spin.
Listening on a car ride while tited so was a bit distracted. But that which catched my attention sounded good (but that's also a case of survivor's bias). Can hear both Run the Jewels (mostly El-P) and Injury Reserve; I wonder if those "similarities" are coincidental or if this was an inspiration to those artists.
Not my thinh
feiner hip-hop, der groove passt, aber melodiös ist es nicht so. trotzdem mit freude das album bis zum ende gehört.
Better than I thought it would be, not as good as I hoped it could be.
Hard to know what to think of this. Sounded like Radiohead (Kid A mind you) in parts. Was it interesting? Sure. Did I like it? I guess? The kind of thing that would benefit from multiple listens but that I probably don't have the patience for. I'm sure I would if I waa cooler. I'm not.
I am not a fan of hip-hop but I listened to this disc while on a road trip through the desert and this music made a great soundtrack. Surprised by how I enjoyed the spaciness and quirkiness of the music
Breaking new ground in hip-hop - I've heard things on this album that i've never heard before. For that alone I can appreciate what he's doing. The textures are really interesting - and the arrangements are definitely not following your traditional song structure. A surprising album musically and lyrically. I can understand why this is in the book but maybe I need to be in a different mood to really get grabbed by this one. THREE STARS
Mid. Sounds pretty influential for people like Tyler, the Creator and others in left field hip hop but I found it very boring.
The album art and low reviews had me nervous, but this was really decent. I like the genre blending of electronic and hip hop.
Not sure what to make of this one
7/10
Great instrumentals but, the vocals ruin the instrumentals and in its totality it is not my cup of tea.
Instrumentally I love what’s going on here but I can’t get past the delivery of the rapping. It’s as if ‘☝🏿🤓’ was turned into a flow. The beats are awesome, super eclectic with strange samples chopped up but I just need Mr. Ladd to calm down on the mic. The lyrics also don’t make much sense, or the ones that do are pretty corny. There seems to be an attempt at sounding clever in the same way MFDOOM does but here it’s more so aimless, fractured rambling. “I’m thinking gynaecologist ☝🏿🤓” Fav tracks - 5000 miles west of the future - Planet 10 - Takes More than 41 - To The Moons Contractor - The Animist - Wipe out on the Wave of Armageddon Worst Tracks - Red eye to Jupiter - Welcome to the afterfuture
3- Stars (7/15)
I always find experimental hip hop to be pretty hot or miss, personally, and this one is interesting but seems to be a bit meandering. I'm not sure it really has a cogent narrative running through it either musically or lyrically.
Hip-Hop isn’t my favorite. I hadn’t heard of Mike Ladd before but album was good. Good beats and lyrics.
Didn't hate it; didn't love it. Wouldn't seek this out again.
Bests were good, the idea was interesting but didn’t quite pull it iff
Interesting. I like where it’s going but don’t know if it got where it wants to be.
Feeling like this sits somewhere between a Dr. Octagon, Gorillaz, and a Aesop Rock? All of those being better though. Overall, this is a pretty solid record, the beats/sounds are a tad repetitive/vibey, but the rapping is good. Author really likes his underground rappers though. But his choices are kinda weird, leaving off the aforementioned Aesop Rock but putting on a Lupe Fiasco? Maybe the list could use an El-P project or two. Run the Jewels or something. This pick feels a bit of a stretch, but good pick none the less. Will say I'm enjoying this more as I'm going on. Usually not huge on vibey hip-hop, but this one's good. Could use a little bit of cutting though. An hour is a bit long.
Lyrics were okay, but I really liked the experimental beat and instrumentals. Reminded me of the rap they’d play on early [adult swim] like MF Doom.
A fine Ladd
Decent but too long
Gostei bastante da pegada futurista, tem essa coisa levemente industrial dos synths bem maneiras e um acenos de leve a um estilo a lá MF DOOM, devo voltar de novo em algum momento nesse disco
Buen disco, sonido entre Hip-Hop clásico, dub, trip-hop y buen rap. Muy buena producción y sonido. Es un disco que entra perfectamente a cualquier hora.
Not bad
Mixed feelings about this one. Some cool stuff in there, but also some really unbearable stuff mixed in with that.
Necesita un analisis en profundidad pero lo que he escuchado me ha gustado
An odd mix of techno and boom bap.
Some of this is perfectly okay in terms of beats and melodies, but the lyrics are just blah.
The skill of Mike Ladd is pretty impressive and this album is like listening to jazz fusion with hip hop vocals but I just couldn’t dig on it. Definitely an album you need to actively listen to versus cruisin’ in the slab
I found it a very interesting album musically. Like so many records I didn't really enjoy the voice but it varied enough to keep my interest.
Huh. It's got morsels of creativity and interesting tidbits here and there, but it didn't quite stick the landing for me.
While the lyrics are well crafted, the instrumentals are often too sparse to take up the space or feature some grating sounds. The last few songs are the better part of this album.
I liked the futuristic/sci fi themes but otherwise this didn't really stand out.
Eccentric, to be sure Seems quirky and unique even if it's not the most exciting listen for me
tinha potencial esse hein era pra ser o tipo de doideira que eu esperava encontrar nesse site. hip hop alternativo all over the place lo fi e barulhento. mas não foi muito bem executado eu achei.....
- The dense soundscape of this album is enticing and lush. Not sure it should result in a 10 minute electronic track smack-dab in the middle, but I appreciate the balls to do that. - The final track ("Feb. 4 '99") singlehandedly cements this as a 3. Honestly more like a 3.5. Impactful and still sadly relevant . - Was very turned off by "Bladerunners" because 99% of the commentary felt sexualized. But it ends with some interesting social comparisons?
I have no idea who he is, what this is or why it's on the list. But that's why we're all here, right? Some kind of experimental electronica/hip-hop hybrid. I'm digging it. I can understand why it never became a household name; it's understated and creeps up on you. Never really announces itself like a lot of hip-hop does. But multiple listens have been great to peel back the layers and sit with it. I find myself wanting to like the whole experience more than I actually do, but there are some great moments and the vibe is cool.
Some good grooves and nice dark atmosphere, but a bit drab overall
Trip hop, existential rap. Big ideas that don’t quite translate to the rap. The rapping itself is choppy flow like Tyler the creator mixed with nyc rappers. The music is creative and well mixed, albeit abstract and sporadic delivery. Overall enjoyable, but not digestible.
Prima op de achtergrond. Maar beter dan verwacht.
Had never heard this, nor heard of this. I liked it. It had some variety. Then, my interest waned.
126/1089 - Eh. It's experimental hip-hop for sure. I don't care for the kid/chipmunk voices. Got better in the middle. Would trade this for a DOOM album.
Creative and well-produced but, for the most part, boring.
maybe a must listen if you're really into macklemore and/or just want to know where he came from. that sounds shady but isn't meant to be! i'm not much into his music or this album, but the messages are solid and they both seem like interesting guys. it's hard for me to tell how this would have been received at the time, given that my memories of the pre- 9/11 era music and political landscape are hazy at best. (i was 9 when this album came out!)
Very interesting sound, but I like it it's very dream like. A good album to just put on and just teleport to another place
Never heard of this and was expecting to love it. I can appreciate the sampling, beats etc, but it didn't blow me away. Some rhyming is great and some is annoying.
ganz chillige beats, aber wiedermal komische lyrics
This is actually quite a varied and interesting album. After an unsure start, I got kind of on-board with it. It's quite lo-fi, and even ambient at times. Other times it veers into quite dark, discordant soundscapes. Overall the production is generally interesting and I admire the ambition, even if it's inconsistent at times.
Interesting enough that I listen to it twice. Going to keep it the collection so I can listen to it again at a later date
Don't really like conscious rap but the beats are sick
Mmmm there were bits of this that I thought were really quite good, but then others that just weren't on the whole though not bad and deserving of a 3
As Rap goesz this is really good. That could be because it sounded very different to the standard fare the genre trots out. Lots of strange electro noises and even the vocals were not grating on my nerves. Well done Ladd.
Just okay.
This is the first album by an artist that I was 100% unfamiliar with. Never even heard of the guy. I'm not the biggest hip hop fan in the world, but I don't hate it either. But this album grew on me as it went. Not sure if it should be in the book necessarily, but certainly worth a listen. 3/5 Album 30/1001
I actually liked most of the experimental bits, but they were cut in next to some common rap tropes in a way I didn't love
British hip hop has always Something to offer that sticks out in all the mud of borin other music. Not sure sure what to think of this one here. Ladd has a vision but why does he need high pitched samples of voices? It's not yet The Streets but I kinda stick with Roots Manuva.
2.8 - I didnt hate it, but I just got really bored
Apparently a really influential album for underground rap of the 2000s but that doesn't mean it's any good or memorable for that matter 6/10 Favourite: Bladerunners Least Favourite: I Feel Like $100
These raps are giving Lin Manuel Miranda. I can see Lafayette in my mind. Mike was clearly ahead of the game. Weird.
Bonus star awarded for the Buckaroo Banzai reference.
Od svih nevjerojatnih alter hip hop albuma iz tog vremena oni nađu ovo ali ok😃da ne spominjem ove stihove : Two japanimation flicks with b-boy tricks on cardboard boxes For marzipan and Amsterdam, breakbeats from Thailand Downloaded by the Ku Klux Klan, chapter in Croatia
Trippy and cool at times. Specially the instrumental parts. But not really my thing. It was hard to get through this one.
Loved the punchy vocals but not convinced by the overall music.
Enjoyed this. I probably wouldn't seek it out again though.
came around midway through! 3.5
I tried to like this. Some songs were a lot of fun, others were just too weird for me. Unfortunately, I lack taste.
I liked it more the more I listened. No strong feelings either way, but it does sound like maybe sparkmaster tape could’ve been influenced by this? And I really like his music. Forgive me if I’m wrong “Watch me as I go peepee” hehe
This really started to grow on me after a few listens. I don’t think it’s something I’ll keep listening to (for now, anyway), but I’ll definitely count it as one of the more pleasant discoveries from this list. (ntm)
5/10 I heard sounds of a musical variety and they were not all together unpleasant. 3-12-2025
There are some 5s on this album, but there are also some 2s. A very strong 3.
There is a TON of artistry here, but it's not my jam
Not my favorite alt hip hop record but an interesting listen.
Unusual
This was interesting. I thought I was going to enjoy it but in the end it just got a bit boring and samey.
Not bad. I think I could see this one growing on me with further playthroughs, but it was just average for this first time. 2.5/5
No private session used for Spotify. No idea what I was getting into here, hip hop with ambient feel, I listened to it twice and I did like the feel of it. Won't sure there will be a third listening, though.
Eh. Not terrible. Wouldn’t care if I saw another Mike Ladd album but wouldn’t dread it either. 2.5
Had to listen to this one twice to appreciate it. Not a fan of the lofi choice, but the jazz/hip hop sounds were great. I wasn’t sure if I want to describe it as eclectic or “all over the place”
This was a hard one to collect my thoughts on, some parts were so out there I didn't enjoy it, others were filled with intent & purpose & beauty & beats that fuck. Challenging to say the least. Rating somehow seems impossible, definitely not a 1, wouldn't call it a 5 either. Most poignant album so far.
quite depressive
Hip hop in only the loosest sense. Much of it is soundscapes built of screwed and layered samples over fairly downtempo beats. And he assembled it all quite well.
Some bits sounded interesting, but nothing particularly memorable for me
This was interesting and maybe after repeated listens I’d start to like it but for now it was just ok. 2.5/5
I would've taken this as an entirely instrumental album. Some super solid beats throughout with interesting instrumentation. I think the lyrics dated this record more than anything. Still, I'm surprised to see the low amount of Spotify plays these tracks have.
This record grew on me after initially coming off as Diet Deltron, though the rhymes never quite match the quality of the production.
Very fun and unexpected!! Not perfect by any means but will revisit
Didn't get into it. There's a talent but I didn't connect.
Actually quite liked this one. Refreshing to listen to an album released this side of the millennium. Ladd.
Chill hip hop. Space hop if you will. Never have heard of this artist or album, so it was a nice surprise. Lyrics are good, music is decent too. Nice to listen to when cleaning the house or just spacing out. 3/5
Favorite Track: Feb. 4 ‘99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)
Part of the reason I'm (mostly) enjoying this list so much is because it forces me to listen to other music genres that would otherwise have passed me by entirely. Will I return to this album frequently? Unlikely. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Do I feel like a more rounded knowledgeable individual for broadening my horizons? Absolutely.
Liked some songs, didn't like others. My favorite was The Animist.
Nerd rap from the early 2000s is not something I’d especially expect to like, but this he enough moments for me to think, “Alright! This is alright!” Some slick production, some slick songs.
12/12/24. First time hearing Mike Ladd, but always love the alternative hip hop scene, especially with a concept in mind. Kept me engaged throughout and would recommend.
Never heard this album or artist before. I like the idea of spacey, futuristic hip hop more than this particular execution. It seems like he can't just trust a groove and stay in it. I'm glad it's on the list, as I haven't heard anything like this, but I probably wont' listen to it again. Soft 3 stars.
Спустя несколько месяцев я возвращаюсь к прослушивание рандом альбумов С одной стороны неплохой. Самурай чамплу биток. С другой стороны -- какой-то рэп никакой честно говоря. Три звезды
Good moments.
Some of it was good, some of it was okay. Definitely. An album that I would not go back and listen to again but I was not turned off by it either.
blanda af futurisma og svarta lúðanum. það er staðalmynd sem ég þekki ekki nóg en þarf að kynna mér. var frekar ánægður með þetta. aðra, meira. 3,5.
I like it but it’s not the right mood today
not bad, like the sound!
Chill beats to have in the background. 7
Unwieldy, uncompromising, unbelievable. At the time of writing, it's the lowest rated hip-hop album in the 1001 catalogue. It's not too difficult to see why: "Welcome to the Afterfuture" is a very bizarre record, taking in influences from jazz, ambient, electronica and hip-hop. It's Mike Ladd's second of many, many albums, and sees him acknowledging afro-futurism on the cusp of a shiny new millennium. In the very first song, he's crying in vain for his "floating car, his utopia, his Mars colonies". Later, he spends an entire song making allusions to Blade Runner. Then, he's a "starship n*gga" on the way to Jupiter. While the music here can be challenging, it's been a joy to hear a left-field example of the genre, outside of the spheres of G-funk, gangsta rap or golden age. I've not heard this brand of experimental hip-hop before, so it really appealed to me as something new. Beats crash in and drop out again. Snatches of keyboard are filtered almost beyond recognition, like murder in the CASIO factory. It's not an easy listen, but most of it successfully serves Ladd's distorted realisation of the future. Production is trippy and lush (take third track "Planet 10": sweeping, lush strings and an eerily pitched, disembodied voice delivering the hook: "where we going… planet 10"). "To the Moon's Contractor", an epic eleven-minute odyssey in the middle of the album, is a black-hole of jazzy basslines, fluttering woodwind, floaty synths and splashes of percussion. It's hard to tell whether it ever quite takes off, but it's a fascinating place to wallow for ten minutes. Then we've the searing climax of "Red Eye to Jupiter", and the absolutely blissed-out highlight "Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon". All great tracks. The production overpowers the vocals somewhat, which are tight and he but don't feel as effortless as some of Ladd's peers. His rhymes are impressive but very wordy, with a verbose vocabulary on tracks like "No. 1 St". The features are also a mixed bag: I wasn't a huge fan of Bigg Jus's vocals in "Bladerunners", which clashed against the smoothness of the instrumental samples. It seems this vision is best fulfilled by Ladd and Ladd alone. This crystallises in the final track, "Feb '4 99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)", a stirring and profound spoken word piece. Together with the earlier insistence it "takes more than 41 to bring us down", it's a response to the police shooting of Amadou Diallo which took place earlier that year. It places "Welcome to the Afterfuture" firmly in the field of conscious hip-hop, giving it a heart and a soul. So, although at times this album sinks into more generic, by-numbers horny hip-hop, I really respect Ladd for committing to a concept throughout the entire record and delivering on it: "Welcome to the Afterfuture" ends up feeling more cohesive and satisfying as a full package than many other hip-hop albums I've heard.
Overall: 5/10 This one is a weird one for me. The beats are exceptional, and I think the rhymes are pretty good. For some reason, the songs just mostly seem to come and go without a second thought given. I couldn't tell you a single hook or line that stood out to me. I will say that it gave me MF Doom vibes at times. It's certainly a well made hip hop album but it didn't do much for me. Fav Song: Welcome to the Afterfuture Least Fav Song: I Feel Like $100
A swirling kaleidoscope of off-kilter beats, obscure samples and fuzzy synths, with rapping over the top. I preferred the first half, since it generally felt more like an art piece than an album; the second half is slightly more conventional and I wasn't too keen on the guest appearance from Company Flow. Politically, I'm not sure where Mike Ladd is, but I can guess it's both leftist and disappointed. (If disappointed can be a political position; personally I think it can be.) The future is now, it isn't bright, and it isn't orange. And his name isn't... CHRIS! I can't say I didn't like it, but it's not the sort of thing I'd put on very often. Maybe that just means I'm boring. Tangent: If there's an afterfuture, is there a prepast? Fave: The Animist. Least Fave: Red Eye to Jupiter Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0 (I think)
I liked it more than I thought I would. The second half is better than the first.
Instrumentally it's pretty cool for the most part. There's still quite a lot of rap I'm not into though. To the Moon's Contractor was the best track.
Actually quite liked it. Some good ideas and liked the way the music had an equal footing to the rapping.
3/5
3☆/5 10.16.2024
This started bad ....few songs in the middle were good...couldn't listen to the song where they just yelled motherfucker over and over...ending was ok. Just average! 2.6
Mellow melodic beats and slow smooth rhymes make Afterfuture enjoyable. I’d listen to it again without being forced. Mike Ladd has a huge catalog, not sure why he wasn’t more mainstream.
Not really by bag, but kinda dug it anyway. Prolly wouldn't listen again, however.
I love this but I need to give it another go tbh I liked most of it but it felt flat for a bit at the end
Dece
This was so much better than I expected from the cover or the description! There was one song that was so unpleasant in terms of language that I had to skip it after 10 seconds, but that was outweighed by the pleasure of quite a few other songs. It was quite (desperately seeks a better word and fails) trippy, sonically, and generally skipped around genres pretty nicely.
This is #day59 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's time for a lesser-known hip-hop gem from 2000. I've never heard of Mike Ladd before. There’s much more than just hip-hop here, though. Listening to Welcome to the Afterfuture reminded me of a couple of other records. First off, Lovage's Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, both share that loungy, crispy, trippy vibe. I also hear echoes of DJ Shadow’s Entroducing....., especially in those instrumental tracks. Maybe some Amon Tobin in there too? Anyway, I enjoyed the abstractness, edginess, and jazzy elements of this album; it was an interesting find. This is a 3 out of 5, particularly given its "old-schoolness." Looking forward to #day60.
Weird album. I feel like they were onto something a little bit though. I hear a lot of the elements that make up today’s critically acclaimed experimental hip hop in this album. The beats are their own little world sometimes.
Offbeat and odd futuristic space rap. I like the premise behind it but I find the execution to be kind of short of what I wanted. Making sounds that are supposed to be cutting edge and predicting what is next for the genre would make sense to me if it was filled with really out there sounds- like synths that blend with acoustic instruments, vocals that blur the line between organic and robotic. Here we get a track like Bladerunners, which sounds like some Big L track (which is a compliment because I like Big L but also not a compliment because it's a comparison to an artist whose only album came out 29 years ago), but the only thing futuristic and intriguing about it is the lyrics, where he at times mentions some bladerunner things like "replicants".. Luckily his actual rapping saves this album from being rated lower for me. He has a really authentic + listenable vocal tone, and his flows are fresh. "Airwave Hysteria" in particular has a pretty interesting set of a few different rhythmic flows on it, and that's what I wanted more of while listening. I'm going to be honest- I wanted to give this a 2 until I finished listening and then went back and re-listened to "Airwave Hysteria" and "Bladerunners". I still feel conflicted about this record because it just wasn't what I predicted and wanted, but ultimately I did enjoy it. Cool album cover, actually really specifically a style that I enjoy.
yeah its alright
Very 2000 abstract hip hop, reminds me of early El-P and Saul Williams even, but definitely less passion for the most part. Can’t say I would lean that I disliked it overall, there was enough cool sounds and ideas even if it gets a bit repetitive and is overall slight. Like a 2.5 for me
This was just ok. I am at a place in my life where i kinda resent music like this … his mom seems cool tho
2,5
I liked the tracks that pushed into trip hop vein, experimental electronic, more than the straight hip-hop. Had some good moments. Takes More Than 41.
I really try to avoid comparisons when listening to music as it leads your brain to thinking about things in a particular way but for this one the symmetry with deltron3000 is too close for me not to bring it up. It doens't have anywhere near the same tightness. Generally it all felt a bit underwhelming. The beats were good, but not great. The rapping was okay.
Well, I at least found it to be very creative hip-hop.
No bangers. Felt like an interesting album, had a mix of styles from bouncy rap to spoken-word-poetry at times. I thought this artist did a good job of explaining their experience and worldview through music. But, the music itself didn't grip me.
Pretty entertaining.
not bad but not for me
An awesome blend of genres with some impressive rappers above and a good concept. Nothing mind blowing, but a cool project to get into
Trying too much
Pretty cool and atmospheric experimental hip-hop.
this was a much better record that i initially thought it would be - the lyricism was interesting, and the beats were hypnotic and almost relaxing at times. even though hip-hop isn’t massively my thing, i can always appreciate an artist, and i think, for the most part, ladd deserves the credit for this album.
i feel like this will be shit but whatever 5000 miles west of the future- 5 airwave hysteria- 5 planet 10- 4 takes more than 41- 5. i feel like somethings missing from all these songs but i dont know what. theres potential but it needs some other element to tie it all together bladerunners- stroking the silver pussy?? these lyrics are crazy. 6. i love the bass no 1 st- 4. kinda boring. i smoked too much of that asthma? me too to the moons contractor- i cant do 10 minutes sorry i feel like $100- 5 the animist- 5 red eye to jupiter- 5 or 6 welcome to the afterfuture- 5. the grim reapers lucky charms in a box. michael jackson is accidentally neutered. wipe out on the wave of armageddon- 4 feb 4 '99- 6 or 7 im gonna return to this at some point and read the lyrics too
My option of this album was all over the map from track to track. There were a lot of things I liked about it - it’s got this minimalist/lo-fi/industrial/jazzy sci-fi thing going on, which is very cool, but doesn’t come together as cohesively as I would’ve liked. After the first few tracks, the middle felt like a bit of a slog. It picks back up at the end, and the great final track, “Feb. 4 ‘99,” saves it from a rating of 2. Even though I can’t say I fully enjoyed it, this album does feel a little special.
This is a solid rap offering with a trip hop vibe that I like a lot in rap music. It’s on the verge of 4 stars for me and deserves some more listens.
Barely hip hop beats And oft choppy poetry Rambling album Chopped up mad samples Atypical, witty bars Odd artsy approach
Mike Ladd, more like MIKE WHAT THE FUCK YOU CAN"T SAY THAT
Af en toe vette productie, maar weet uiteindelijk niet genoeg te pakken. Wellicht kan deze uit de lijst.
I almost wrote it off. I hate the macho style of hiphop vocals that the album leads with. That said, woah, it goes in deep-- sometimes sounding derivative of Kool Keith. But then finally leveling out with some truly innovative sounds and some really deep long tracks. Overall, worth a listen and I can see why the album is included. It's a weird and interesting one.
This album defies categorization. "Is this jazz? This is semen pizzazz." Somehow this one lyric tells you everything you need to know about this album.
The afterfuture is 24 years ago. The futuristic vision starts strong from 5000 Miles West To The Future through Planet 10. Then the album takes a three track downturn through misogyny and strangeness, which leads into an almost 11 minute instrumental (To The Moon’s Contractor). The instrumental is decent, yet seriously misplaced in this hip hop foray. Afterwards, the album never really recovers to offer anything like the opening three tracks, which is disappointing.
First time listener. Really enjoyed this one. Excellent beats and lyricism. I’ll be listening to more by Mike Ladd! Good album
definitely a fresh and new sound, but it feels very unfocused and a bit unmemorable i.e. there are great individual tracks and moments within each of the tracks that really shine and stand out, but it doesn't work well as one body of work at all 3/5 though, its a perfectly okay album, i am glad i listened to it and there is a lot of potential!!! i think i could enjoy it a lot more on second listen
It’s different. It’s not bad, solid stuff. Really liked that song Planet 10.
Fun,
Very creative and fresh feeling. Tons of diversity too this album didnt feel stale throughout. 3.3
Listening to this while working really rescued this album's rating. Yes, it's very slight. Yes, the rapping is dull, uninspired, and done no favors by the mix. Yes, every song begins with a halting, repetitive sample of a recognizable and better song. But I listened on headphones while working and found it to be utterly fine. Welcome to the Average, mister Ladd.
I was not looking forward to yet another rap album. Well, this one is quite a bit different than most. It was certainly a ride, though not one I'll likely take again. I was wondering where this rapper got all these dated references from (Space 1999, Arsenic and Old Lace, Mr. Whipple, Monchichi), so I looked him up. To my surprise, he was born in 1970 and not black (someone must have given him an n-word pass). There is barely anything on his Wikipedia page. Anyway, the music is...interesting. Sometimes funny, occasionally falling into the usual rap trappings of sex, drugs, violence. Sometimes different and weird. Worth one listen I guess.
Some of this was pretty great especially To the Moon's Contractor and Red Eye to Jupiter, which stood out as compellingly weird. The album got more interesting as it went along.
Kind of mid. Last track was cool though
I feel like the vision behind this album was far bigger than what they actually achieved. Could definitely see what they wanted to do but just not 100% they got there. Still, a good listen and I enjoyed the majority of it. 3.1