The influence on this album is classic hip hop  Illmatic Nas  Jay-z Reasonable Doubt Kendrick Lamar good kid mad city Common Be Jazz The specific defining characteristics of this music that sets this album apart is that it is very smooth laid back and jazzy, it has a consistent cadence throughout the entire album. There are very positive vibe in the music very conscious rap, politically and socially conscious  Ways that I have explored my music and sound specifically with this album is that I specifically stayed away and strayed away from the generic and usual 808 heavy aggressive style of hip hop that popular culture is forced to be attracted to. I would classify this album as classic Hip Hop or contemporary hip hop.  Genre/ Subgenre Alternative Hip Hop, Golden Age Hip Hop, Jazzy Hip Hop, smooth hip hop, New York Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop