i was wondering which rappers ppl like the best.

if i had to pick id pick eminem

quote:

Originally posted by Coolking123:
if i had to pick id pick eminem

In that case, you don't have to pick.

quote:

Originally posted by St. Mike:

quote:

Originally posted by Coolking123:
if i had to pick id pick eminem

In that case, you don't have to pick.

! Seriously though, Scarface is THE MAN! He's the freakin' Bruce Willis of rap! I mean, he said it all in "Big Dogg Status": "'Fore I say the same thing, I'll be old and grey; 'Fore I fall off and rap about my clothes and chains" That's what makes him MY FAVORITE RAPPER, anyways.

(Like I have to let anyone 'round here know that. )

(not that he's my favorite rapper), but Jay Z said it best:

"Scarface the movie means more to me than scarface the rapper." Cool name, boring rapper.

I'd go with someone with some complexity to his flow: Ghostface Killah... or some days the Gift of Gab.

Honorable mentions: Common, any member of A Tribe Called Quest, Mablib

quote:

Originally posted by His Dudeness:
Cool name, boring rapper.

I'd go with someone with some complexity to his flow...

I've had a similar discussion in another thread. I don't really listen to HOW they rap, but WHAT they're rapping about. Scarface's songs have heart and I can always relate to what he's saying. I couldn't care less about Lay-Z's opinion. The moment he opens his mouth, I've lost all interest in any of his songs. He has NO heart. Even when he tries to rap about sumpthin' real, he sounds as if he's bragging about it. Not a fan of his and can't possibly understand how he could EVER talk trash on someone else's lyrical ability when his isn't even all that good. Overrated blow hard. That's my opinion of the guy.

Bruce Willis of rap? More like the Too Short of the south. Face is one of the handful of many inconsistent artists in the biz labeled so-called "legend." Ten records or so under his belt? He flew under a lucky star with his last album since his last few were trash.

Anyway...

Favorite rapper, hmmm... based on lyrical ability and wordplay alone Nas, Talib Kweli and Mos Def come to mind. On the freestyle tip I gotta give it up to Cassidy and Weezy. Based on hip hop as a whole, Jay-Z, no question.

Frame! Long time, no discussion!

quote:

Originally posted by Frame:
He flew under a lucky star with his last album since his last few were trash.

I'll agree that they weren't "must owns", but he has the most memorable songs (for me) in my collection and isn't that what "Favorite Rapper" is supposed to be about? I still bump most of my old Scarface albums like they just came out last week! Like I said, he's my favorite for completely different reasons than what you look for in rap. I'm not concerened with wordplay as much as I am with substance (then wordplay comes into the mix and I like his, dagnabit!). A dude can spit the sickest rhymes of the century, but he's worthless to me if he isn't rappin' about somethin' I can get into. Like them fools talkin' about all the bling they've got, or all the cars they drive or the money they spend... that's just pointless Crap Rap to me. I respect Scarface more than others because he hasn't stooped to that level and has claimed that he won't, but who knows? He just may pull a Master P... but I doubt it.

quote:

Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
I've had a similar discussion in another thread. I don't really listen to HOW they rap, but WHAT they're rapping about.

see that's why rap is so bad, they don't care anything about how the song sounds it's just, put a beat down and then rap about your rough upbringing or some shit, rap music would honestly be so much better if they just incorporated basic song structure and made it flow like an actual song, and i never see this done- i've only seen this like twice- one on the South Park album Chef Aid: Nowhere to Run by like 50 people, one of them being DMX, and Diesel Power by Prodigy. Diesel Power is less of the song thing I'm talking about and more of the, here's a beat that actually has more than like a drum loop and some weird screechy riff or a bass line backing the vocals.

rap is so primitive, honestly, it's MUSIC, it's still considered MUSIC, it has to sound good, you can't throw some shitty beat down and just because the lyrics are insightful or well-written or whatever, it makes a good song, that pisses me off. and i don't understand why people just accept this and don't really do anything, i refuse to listen to MUSIC that is barely even MUSIC.

BTW, i like a lot of rap, haha. well, not a lot, but i do listen to it. i'm not going to list artists but get these songs if you want a good idea of my standards of rap (incorporating melody, BASIC SONG structure, and just making a damn rap song actually sound good):

Diesel Power (kind of retarded lyrics, but awesome instrumentation in the back) by Prodigy
Nowhere to Run by DMX
Desire by Pharoahe Monch (awesome song)
G Funk Intro by Snoop Dogg actually has a lot going for it.
It's All About the Benjamins Remix featuring Foo Fighters
....Gettin' Jiggy wit It

quote:

Originally posted by SnackPatrol:

quote:

Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
I've had a similar discussion in another thread. I don't really listen to HOW they rap, but WHAT they're rapping about.

see that's why rap is so bad, they don't care anything about how the song sounds it's just, put a beat down and then rap about your rough upbringing or some shit, rap music would honestly be so much better if they just incorporated basic song structure and made it flow like an actual song, and i never see this done- i've only seen this like twice- one on the South Park album Chef Aid: Nowhere to Run by like 50 people, one of them being DMX, and Diesel Power by Prodigy. Diesel Power is less of the song thing I'm talking about and more of the, here's a beat that actually has more than like a drum loop and some weird screechy riff or a bass line backing the vocals.

rap is so primitive, honestly, it's MUSIC, it's still considered MUSIC, it has to sound good, you can't throw some shitty beat down and just because the lyrics are insightful or well-written or whatever, it makes a good song, that pisses me off. and i don't understand why people just accept this and don't really do anything, i refuse to listen to MUSIC that is barely even MUSIC.

BTW, i like a lot of rap, haha. well, not a lot, but i do listen to it. i'm not going to list artists but get these songs if you want a good idea of my standards of rap (incorporating melody, BASIC SONG structure, and just making a damn rap song actually sound good):

Diesel Power (kind of retarded lyrics, but awesome instrumentation in the back) by Prodigy
Nowhere to Run by DMX
Desire by Pharoahe Monch (awesome song)
G Funk Intro by Snoop Dogg actually has a lot going for it.
It's All About the Benjamins Remix featuring Foo Fighters
....Gettin' Jiggy wit It

See, this is the problem with people who aren't fully educated in the genre that they can make such ignorant judgements. Let me address, first of all, about your comment suggesting that rappers rap about their "rough upbringing or some shit"... have you ever heard Em and Dre's Guilty Conscience? How about Nas' I Gave You Power? Jay-Z's Minority Report, maybe?

I almost felt like not even responding to your ridiculous message by the time I read your sorry ass list. Within any of those songs, really, present a verse that was at all meaningful. Not that some of those don't have actual credible lyricists attached to them, I just think you're incapable of analyzing a well-written verse. I know you feel as if good lyrics don't necessarily present a well-made song and that can be true in some cases. My beef with you is you attempt to create an image of yourself as such a knowledgeable listener of music, throw out words such as "basic song structure," claim drum loops and repetitiveness in the background music as a problem then you go and list the Benjamins Remix and Gettin' Jiggy Wit It (goodness gracious) as quality made songs? Wow. This surprises me since Gorilla Zoe, Just Blaze, Manny Fresh, Scott Storch and DJ Khaled productions are getting spins all across America and you haven't heard one?? Changes within the melody are prominent within these producers and they've incorporated their sounds to damn near every rapper in the game. What confuses the fuck out of me is that you play out to be a beat whore and you don't even have a goddamn ear for them. You probably can't even tap your foot on beat. Let alone you spoke of lyrics as if they were an unimportant element within rap. See, that's why other genres are so bad, they don't care anything about presenting solid lyricism, it's just play the guitar, rock out dude and damage your vocal cords. See, I can be ignorant too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Frame,

quote:

Originally posted by SnackPatrol:

quote:

Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
I've had a similar discussion in another thread. I don't really listen to HOW they rap, but WHAT they're rapping about.

see that's why rap is so bad, they don't care anything about how the song sounds it's just, put a beat down and then rap about your rough upbringing or some shit, rap music would honestly be so much better if they just incorporated basic song structure and made it flow like an actual song, and i never see this done- i've only seen this like twice- one on the South Park album Chef Aid: Nowhere to Run by like 50 people, one of them being DMX, and Diesel Power by Prodigy. Diesel Power is less of the song thing I'm talking about and more of the, here's a beat that actually has more than like a drum loop and some weird screechy riff or a bass line backing the vocals.

rap is so primitive, honestly, it's MUSIC, it's still considered MUSIC, it has to sound good, you can't throw some shitty beat down and just because the lyrics are insightful or well-written or whatever, it makes a good song, that pisses me off. and i don't understand why people just accept this and don't really do anything, i refuse to listen to MUSIC that is barely even MUSIC.

BTW, i like a lot of rap, haha. well, not a lot, but i do listen to it. i'm not going to list artists but get these songs if you want a good idea of my standards of rap (incorporating melody, BASIC SONG structure, and just making a damn rap song actually sound good):

Diesel Power (kind of retarded lyrics, but awesome instrumentation in the back) by Prodigy
Nowhere to Run by DMX
Desire by Pharoahe Monch (awesome song)
G Funk Intro by Snoop Dogg actually has a lot going for it.
It's All About the Benjamins Remix featuring Foo Fighters
....Gettin' Jiggy wit It

DMX? FOO FIGHTERS?

You get bonus points for the Pharoahe Monch mention but you lose some for not knowing that the lyricist on "Diesel Power" is none other than Kool Keith/Dr. Octagon/Mr. Nogatco most famously known for his instrumental roll in the Electromagnetic MCs and for his timeless album Dr. Octagonecologyst. I don't know how you would possibly know Pharoahe Monch and hold this opinion, though. All the good and original stuff is underground, right now. Seriously, check out some of these threads, find the goodies.

Frame, you came off kind of harsh there, but I understand what you're saying. Too often we get people rolling through telling us something like 'Rap is Crap.' It just isn't a valid opinion. I consider my sonic palette to be pretty refined and I listen to all kinds of incredible stuff that your average Joe yelling 'Rap is crap' would have never heard of. Hip hop is just as valid as any other genre if it's done in intelligent ways the same way that pop is, or anything else, for that matter.

That second to last sentence was sarcastic in that I don't have any disrespect for other genres but simply reflected this guy's ignorant, narrow-minded views on the aspects of hip hop. As for everything else, I don't think I was being too harsh at all...

Ghostface
Dizzee Rascal
Madlib
Talib Kwali
El-P

As far as rappers who are still making music (2pac and Big trump many, although part of their success stems from meeting untimely deaths), my top 5 would be...

Jay-Z: His flow kills, he's king of rap right now...have you heard S.L.U. or Jockin' Jay-Z (both will likely show up on Blueprint 3, according to various sources)

Eminem: Love him despite the fact that he hasn't put out anything in a few years worth listening to (King Mathers for X-mas 08, anybody?)

Ghostface Killah: A singular rapper, it's always great to put on his albums and get lost in their complexity. His story-telling ability is simple second-to-none.

Kanye West: Arguably the greatest producer in hip-hop, and it's always a pleasure to hear him put out new music or show up on other artist's music - he rarely disappoints me, and puts on an amazing show. His ego is what drives him, and I'm ok with it. (rumors around the blogosphere say he's releasing a new single on Monday, with a new album possibly coming very soon...)

And as a wild card pick...

Lupe Fiasco: His first two albums both blew me away, and I enjoy listening to him. He may not be as popular as Lil Wayne or the other aforementioned artists, but Lupe simply puts the rap in rapid.


I feel sorta bad for leaving Weezy off the list, because he just puts out torrential floods of good music in the form of mixtapes, being featured on what appears to be every rap album released in the last three years, and then put out a pretty solid record in the form of TC3. Gotta hand it to him, he's the man of the moment.

I'm probably not in line with most of you, but I'm a huge fan of Slug from Atmosphere. His rhymes are far more literary and thoughtful than today's popular, mainstream acts. His daring to step out from the constant hedonistic bitches-and-hos bullshit really gives him a lot of respect in my eyes.

Mike Skinner, aka the Streets, is also one of my favorites (though not all of his work is top-notch) for much the same reason. He portrays himself as vulnerable and not so impossibly tough as the hood rappers out there. Violent thug /cassanova posturing can never replace true artistry, no matter how strongly the major record labels believe the contrary.

Atmosphere is fantastic... been of fan of his since the Lucy Ford Eps. Great stuff.

I'm also really looking forward to the new Streets album. Skinner definitely doesn't get the credit he deserves... I'm guessing because he's English... and white. Bad Combo for street cred. But A Grand Don't Come For Free cements his place in the upper echelon of lyricists.

quote:

Originally posted by nyb4tt3r1:
I'm probably not in line with most of you, but I'm a huge fan of Slug from Atmosphere. His rhymes are far more literary and thoughtful than today's popular, mainstream acts. His daring to step out from the constant hedonistic bitches-and-hos bullshit really gives him a lot of respect in my eyes.

Mike Skinner, aka the Streets, is also one of my favorites (though not all of his work is top-notch) for much the same reason. He portrays himself as vulnerable and not so impossibly tough as the hood rappers out there. Violent thug /cassanova posturing can never replace true artistry, no matter how strongly the major record labels believe the contrary.

You need to broaden your horizons. My problem with the general public is that their views on hip hop as a whole - the mainstream side of things, even - is that it is limited to themes of narcissist and violent behavior. It's ignorance. It's the same as saying all black people are thugs and illiterate, an unbelievably stupid fucking idea I often encounter on Xbox LIVE from cowardly suburban white boys. Do not overlook the unparalleled storytelling prowess of Nas and Ghostface Killah and the often conscious and political lyricism of Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco.

quote:

Originally posted by Coolking123:
if i had to pick id pick eminem

Good choice man. He wouldn't be my pick but I definitely do appreciate and enjoy—quite a bit—his music. He's got a trio of classics under his belt.

I think he has one of the wittiest, funniest and creative deliveries in the music industry. And his ability to convey the right flow for that specific song's tempo, style and theme is uncanny.

quote:

You need to broaden your horizons. My problem with the general public is that their views on hip hop as a whole - the mainstream side of things, even - is that it is limited to themes of narcissist and violent behavior. It's ignorance. It's the same as saying all black people are thugs and illiterate, an unbelievably stupid fucking idea I often encounter on Xbox LIVE from cowardly suburban white boys. Do not overlook the unparalleled storytelling prowess of Nas and Ghostface Killah and the often conscious and political lyricism of Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco.

I'm not saying that those listed aren't any good, they're just not my favorites. I fail to see how noting that a lot of the popular rap right now is all bitches-and-hos-and-riches is equated with saying all black people are illiterate thugs. TV on the Radio have mind-blowing lyrics, all composed by black men.

Li'l Wayne is at the top of the charts right now for a song about blowjobs and money. That's just the sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in. I hate it as much as you do.

quote:

Originally posted by nyb4tt3r1:
I fail to see how noting that a lot of the popular rap right now is all bitches-and-hos-and-riches is equated with saying all black people are illiterate thugs.

No, no, no. I wasn't making a thematic parallel. It's just the level of ignorance is the same in where you judge an entire society -- the hip hop society, in this case -- based on what you see in the media. Your comment was inaccurate but it is one that is extremely common. People hear Rick Ross and UGK on the radio and think automatically that rap is nothing but cars, drugs, money and women. At the same time, people watch Boyz N the Hood and Dead Presidents and make the assumption that black people are gun slinging hoodlums. You made a similar judgement is all I'm saying.

quote:

Li'l Wayne is at the top of the charts right now for a song about blowjobs and money. That's just the sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in. I hate it as much as you do.

Actually, I don't hate gangsta rap or dopeboy music, and I most certainly do not hate Lil Wayne. Many people like hip hop for particular subject matter (hey, Monkey_Boy!) and some enjoy it for witty wordplay. I can honestly go for both and Lil Wayne is one of the more creative lyricists in the genre. His metaphors and punch lines are some of the best, a talent many so-called rap purists overlook when judging a mainstream artist.