Why is Roc Marciano’s RR2: The Bitter Dose on my best 1,000 albums ever list?
Slow-paced, almost hypnotic hip hop prowess.
What does Roc Marciano’s RR2: The Bitter Dose mean to me? What does it make me feel? Why is it exciting or compelling?
There’s a strange, slow-paced, and undeniable power to the best songs on RR2: The Bitter Dose that I find nearly hypnotic.
“Power,” the album’s best song, kicks off as smooth as smooth can be, with a sublimely chill r&b vibe and perfectly produced hip hop beat. Marciano then drops in with expert flow that comes across as entirely casual and yet so precise and compelling that the artistry is anything but casual.
Quick note that there are very NSFW lyrics on many (if not all) of these songs.
“Corniche,” featuring Action Bronson, slows things down even more and evokes a mysterious r&B soundscape. This is late night music, driving in the car at night music, slow it down and bob your head music.
“67 Lobby” gets my endless respect for featuring a harpsichord. Note to the world: not enough songs feature the harpsichord! This is both a funny and not funny point. The only other modern song that I can think of offhand that features the harpsichord is a Wu-Tang song that will obviously be revealed at the appropriate time*.
* Actually, there are a bunch coming up — we’ll get there!
But in the meantime, check out “67 Lobby.”
Pop culture stuff that’s somehow related to Roc Marciano’s RR2: The Bitter Dose
I know what you’re thinking. Okay, we dig Roc Marciano but tell us about Rocky Marciano, Eric. Hey, I get it.
When I was a kid, boxing was a much bigger part of popular culture and the national conversation than it is nowadays. And if you’re wondering, it held a way more important position than MMA (a sport I enjoy a whole lot, if you’re curious) currently.
A huge reason for that is due to Mike Tyson, who was an absolute wunderkind and ferocious opponent during the earliest and most illustrious part of his career. Here’s his famous first round knock out of Michael Spinks.
But back to Rocky Marciano. Growing up in New York and because of boxing’s importance, I heard his name quite a lot as a kid. So says Wikipedia:
Known for his relentless fighting style, formidable punching power, stamina, and exceptionally durable chin, Marciano is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.
And here’s a YouTube clip called “Rocky Marciano Was A Savage.”
And indeed you can see a forebear of Tyson’s tremendous and terrifying punching power in vintage Marciano footage.
Some stats & info about Roc Marciano – RR2: The Bitter Dose
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? East Coast Rap, Rap, Hip Hop, Underground Hip Hop
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – not rated
- When was RR2: The Bitter Dose released? 2018
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #908 out of 1,000
Roc Marciano’s RR2: The Bitter Dose on Spotify
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective take on what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.