Roc Marciano & no drums hip hop tracks, who was first?

[khadafi]

I was listening to Armand Hammer-King Tubby track, it is amazing how the boom bap genre has been revived by a new set of younger artists using no drums beats. In interview, Nicholas Craven a producer that worked with Ransom, God Fahim and the Griselda team said that his goal is to find a loop that can stands on its own without drums.
Most people credit Roc Marciano for bringing the stripped bare asthetics to boom bap beats. But was he the first?
The earliest no drums that came to mind is Outkast-ET(Extra-terestrial) in 1996, wasn't in my head until someone mentioned it.
I remember back in 2007 hearing the Roc Marciano track below and asked why the drums were were so low, it was only the begining ...

Armand Hammer-King Tubby


Outkast-ET


Roc Marciano=Thugs Prayer


Freddie Gibbs-Look at me (minimum drums)


So what's your favourite no drums/minimum/suppressed drums track?

[step one]

earliest tracks without drums?

Just To Get A Rep and Please Listen To My Demo come to mind

Roc Marci and Ka definitely pioneered the style that's been prevalent for the last 10 years or so. Maybe Mobb Deep & G Rap's The Realest (procued by Alchemist) is a good early example of that though, or maybe some RZA productions although I can't think of any specifically. Sounds like something he would do.

[khadafi]

earliest tracks without drums?

Just To Get A Rep and Please Listen To My Demo come to mind

Roc Marci and Ka definitely pioneered the style that's been prevalent for the last 10 years or so. Maybe Mobb Deep & G Rap's The Realest (procued by Alchemist) is a good early example of that though, or maybe some RZA productions although I can't think of any specifically. Sounds like something he would do.

Good point with the Realest by Mobb Deep. Nicholas Craven also gave it as an example. I remember Alchemist clarifying on Twitter that the song is just a loop. Matter a fact, We gon make it by Jadakiss is also a loop.

[step one]

I think what's really notable about 99% of what's come out in the last 5 years or so is that's it's unbelievably dull and completely forgettable.

[Bob Disaster]

Madlib, DOOM and Dilla also all been making beats that are straight loops since the late 90's. It's not exactly new, surely its just come from making pause button tapes.

Roc and Ka birthed this current wave of drama loop music and they are the only ones I'm really interested in.

Most of it is a massive snooze fest and not because there isn't loud drums its because the emcee's are pretty shit and forgettable. I like Conway from Griselda because he can spit, the rest of that crew and their ilk all sound like weed carriers for the Lox.

Daringer, Animoss and Preservation for example all have a great ear for cool rare grooves and looping them up nicely. I think it would be nice if they also made some bangers using hard drums but they all seem like stoners making music for listening to in your iPhone headphones. No one is making club music anymore especially in 2021 when you cant even leave the house never mind go to a disco.

I do find it a bit corny that these dudes can just go to Cosmos or other 'curated vinyl boutiques' (pukes in mouth) and drop a wad on some mega rarers they heard on youtube. You don't need to put any work in to get the knowledge and a good ear anymore. Its all there at a press of a button and a big enough wallet. But maybe I'm just jealous I'm not rich and can't ball out in Shimokitazawa record shops.

[Bob Disaster]

What about RZA putting so much effects on the drums it becomes something else.



and these classics

[BB]

Youze lot either said what I was gonna say or posted the songs I was gonna post.

So, all I have to add are that the only drumless songs I've liked in the past year or so are these two:

Ka - I Love (Mimi, Moms, Kev)



Sauce Walka - R.I.P Buddy

[Dr NO]

Your Old Droog - No Message

P Brothers production with no heavy drums! Killer track



Elzhi - The Healing Process

[manphat]

Sauce Walka - R.I.P Buddy

this is dope, he's rhyming over the beat that Daringer did for Westside Gunn

[BB]

Ah, never knew that.

I've not been too into Sauce Walka previously, but he's dope as fuck on that and a billion times better than Westside Gunn. Hate that guy and his shitty Action Bronson soundin' Hypebeast version of Roc Marciano raps.