Before I start, just letting you know I'm basing this list off rappers who I've actually listened to (meaning, full albums) and is my personal opinion. This list may not coincide with yours or who everyone feels should be in the "Greatest" arguement. Yes, I realize I'm leaving out people like LL Cool J, NWA, Kool G, Rakim (who's also one of my favourites), Big Pun, etc etc but I don't wanna say "this guy's the greatest" based off what other people say or what the "consensus" picks are. I don't care what they've done for hiphop, if I haven't listened to a full album of thiers, I'm not in a position to put them on the list. 5. Eminem- I thought Marshall Mathers was a brilliant album, but the Slim Shady LP takes the cake in terms of lyrical/song appeal. Infinite was awesome lyrically but sucked as audios. The Eminem Show was okay and Encore was bad. 4. Notorious B.I.G- Call me crazy but I'd pick Life after Death over Ready 2 Die. Life after Death appealed to me more. And yes, I've listened to both albums. Again, tastes range from individual to individual. 3. Nas- Great rhymes, great story, somewhat contradictory but a great rapper overall. In a similar situation to Biggie, I've listened to Illmatic (which is supposed to be the classic one), but still perfered Stillmatic over it...again, call me crazy cause apperently that's a sin in the hiphop world, to pick a "non-classic" over somehting like Illmatic 2. Big L- dude was straight crazy with his freestyling and rhyming skills. His career was cut short but had he gotten more of a chance to showcase his skills I think he definetly would have made it to superstardom. I realize people may think this is a bit too high but I loved his skills...any doubts then listen to The Big Picture. 1. 2Pac (to each his own, everyone has a different perception of what the GOAT rapper should have rapped like) - Great poet, and holds the record for most overrated album of all time (AEOM), yet holds the record for one of the most underrated records of all time (Makaveli album). Me Against the World was brilliant, as was Until The End of Time, various songs off Still I Rise, R U Still Down and Better Dayz, despite some of his "gangster" tendencies. Anyone who hates on Tupac's lyrical (in)ability to rap like the "normal" type rappers (i.e- not rappin poetically and focusing more on wordplay/flow etc) should listen to Got My Mind Made Up, which features Method Man and a bunch of other East Coast rappers that I can't remember...it's off AOEM. Anyone who doubts Tupac's lyrical/poetic skills to illustrate what's in his heart (which is what rap, a derivation of MUSIC, should be about) should listen to songs like Blasphemy, So Many Tears and basically any song off the MATW album.
I'll base this more so on their content and MC skills.. BTW, Tupac's overrated. 1. Rakim 2. Nas 3. Big Daddy Kane (One of the most underrated...ever) 4. Kool G. Rap 5. Wu-Tang Clan/ Eminem Ask me tomorrow, the list will probably be totally different.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> BTW, Tupac's overrated. </div> I agree with you that he is overrated in a certain sense. I don't like the fact that people who only listened to All Eyez On Me or only his popular songs consider him the GOAT. That's just stupid IMO. And that is the reason why he is so hyped, because of fans like that that think they're cool just because they listen to his "gangster" songs. There's a lot of shades to Tupac, in terms of rapping as well, and it depends on which shade you want to judge him on.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree with you that he is overrated in a certain sense. I don't like the fact that people who only listened to All Eyez On Me or only his popular songs consider him the GOAT. That's just stupid IMO. And that is the reason why he is so hyped, because of fans like that that think they're cool just because they listen to his "gangster" songs. There's a lot of shades to Tupac, in terms of rapping as well, and it depends on which shade you want to judge him on.</div> I agree. Tupac's earlier works about broken families, sex, drugs, and violence along with the corruption of the system were great. His later works and joining death row, I really just saw him fall off. As an entertainer, he's definitely one of the best, but as an MC, there are a lot more better rappers.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">2. Big L- dude was straight crazy with his freestyling and rhyming skills. His career was cut short but had he gotten more of a chance to showcase his skills I think he definetly would have made it to superstardom. I realize people may think this is a bit too high but I loved his skills...any doubts then listen to The Big Picture.</div> You really have him that high on your list though? No doubt he was easily one of the best battle/ freestyle MCs ever, the dude would eat you alive with his ferocious bars, but he wasn't as versatile an artist as someone like Eminem, Rakim, Nas, or even Meth (all in their his primes).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting authentiq:</div><div class="quote_post">You really have him that high on your list though? No doubt he was easily one of the best battle/ freestyle MCs ever, the dude would eat you alive with his ferocious bars, but he wasn't as versatile an artist as someone like Eminem, Rakim, Nas, or even Meth (all in their his primes).</div> Big L was very versitile, in terms of how he did his thing. He could switch up his tempo with ease, hammer home hard punchlines, have you reeling in witty and clever metaphors, his tounge twisting play on words, his unique use of multies etc. etc. there are not many MC's you can say that are better than Big L, as an actual rapper. I'm talking about his flow, delivery etc. among with the things mentioned above, thats why I regard L so highly. He definatley wasnt just a "battle" MC, battling wasnt even somthing Big L built a name off, so I dont know why people even call him that. The only reason he isnt in my top 5 any longer, is because I have come to relize that he was infact lacking subject matter, but regardless, Big L is still my favourite MC.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Big L was very versitile, in terms of how he did his thing. He could switch up his tempo with ease, hammer home hard punchlines, have you reeling in witty and clever metaphors, his tounge twisting play on words, his unique use of multies etc. etc. there are not many MC's you can say that are better than Big L, as an actual rapper. I'm talking about his flow, delivery etc. among with the things mentioned above, thats why I regard L so highly. He definatley wasnt just a "battle" MC, battling wasnt even somthing Big L built a name off, so I dont know why people even call him that. The only reason he isnt in my top 5 any longer, is because I have come to relize that he was infact lacking subject matter, but regardless, Big L is still my favourite MC.</div>Naw, that's not what I meant. I remember going to a few of Big L's performances with my older brother when I was younger and a lot of people talk about how he lacked that stage presence that someone like Big Pun, Jay Z, or Nas did in New York. Many felt as though he was missing something, as an entertainer. As an MC, he's definitely top 10 in terms raw natural talent with his potency. His delivery was above average, but he didn't have the lyrical mastery of someone, say Pharoahe Monch. He's great though, not to take anything away from him, it's just very hard to say he's the second greatest all-time when there are far better well-rounded MCs than Big L. Had he lived longer, i'm sure he probably would have moved his way up the ranks though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting thedude9990:</div><div class="quote_post">mike jones chamillionare e-40 50 cent tony yayo</div> I think he meant all-time best rappers--not your favorites. Anyway, the best: Rakim The Notorious B.I.G. Big Daddy Kane Tupac Nas Jay-Z Best of the rest in no particular order: Kool G. Rap Eminem Big Pun Big L A Tribe Called Quest
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting vcwannabe15:</div><div class="quote_post">Tupac Biggie Nas Eminem Jay-Z/Dr.Dre/Snoop Dogg</div> I wouldn't put Dr.Dre OR Snoop Dogg in terms of rapping skills on my "goat" list. Snoop Dogg is an entertainer, and nothing more IMO. Dr.Dre, first of all, gets his stuff ghost written so I don't know about GOAT right off the bat...2ndly, his rapping is quite one dimensional in my opinion.
I think too much is put into "real hip hop" and "the best lyricist". Tupac is the best rapper of all time in my opinion. He's every rapper's influence, people that don't even like hip hop respect Tupac. He has great range... he had deep dark hits, gangsta hits, popular hits, touching hits, great duets, you name it and Tupac owned it. Best lyricist? Maybe not. Best rapper? Without a doubt. No one has influenced the game more.
