Friday Fire: Who Are Your Top Ten Hip Hop Artists?
Continuing the chill Friday Fire vibe of the past few weeks, I wanted to document TSF Hip Hop rankings. Hip Hop was in full effect in my mind growing up G. It gave me a sense of pride to the tenth power as if those who Middle Passage died suddenly came alive and forced us all to strive.
It’s changed a lot over the years. I can remember the days when we screamed “Ho!” to get the party started (not to denigrate the babe dancing with you). Man, those were the days…
I’m pretty sure most of your lists will be different, but this is how I rank ‘em.
Public Enemy:
The baddest mufukas of all time. This ain’t close. Close like the Yankees and every other professional franchise. Top notch regardless of genre. I remember going to a club after Nation of Millions dropped and hearing one song: Rebel Without a Pause. No other song was played the entire night. The violins did it for me. What Chuck D and Co. did for a generation of Cosby kids is unfathomable. Imagine a world without Public Enemy and it would be laced with pink socks and flip flops.
Run DMC
We haaaad a whole lot of superstars on this stage tonight…
Introduced me to New York culture. The rhyme. The accent. The swagger. The love of camaraderie and creativity. The best mix of chill roughness. Run is one of the most underrated lyricists of all time. Run DMC’s energy and professionalism changed the game. The first time It’s Tricky came on MTV I thought I was dreaming. It was like when my Grandmother used to holler down stairs when she saw something rare…
“Turn on The Price Is Right. There’s colored people on TV!”
Miss you Nana.
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu scared the shit out of America. A mixture of blunt ash and rappers are in danger whup ass, their name was taken from the movie Shaolin and Wu Tang by cousins ODB and RZA. Imagine the cipher that day. Staten Island became a place I wanted to one day see for my own eyes because their talent and style was incredible. The fact that Wu is arguably the best group of all time is crazy considering where Public Enemy and Run DMC sit in the Hip Hop pantheon. Some of you might have thought ODB (R.I.P.) was a clown, but the man was a genius and helped create a force that put the Hip Hop world on notice.
Tupac Shakur
Yeah he’s the first solo artist here and for good measure. Pac dropped me with his passion. He was the unpredictable pit bull running loose in the ‘hood. So much talent, so much pain. I honestly feel a visionary was taken from us, but his life wasn’t all good for youth. If he was allowed to finish what he started I personally feel he would have led a generation to greatness once he fully matured. I’ve got mad criticism for Pac, but also mad love. Hmm, that’s what his life was about. He gave ‘em the finga. My favorite track of all time is So Many Tears because it describes my life in great detail more than any other song down to the tanqueray.
Black Star
Mos and Talib rescued me out of the fog of early 90’s Hip Hop. I was rockin’ Flava In Ya Ear, Distortion to Static and Whateva Man a little too much and had to be plucked from space. Well a Black Star came by and became my zephyr and zenith because it was the cleanest and the meanest. It’s a shame this supanova flashed white hot and then just as fast went out. Both Mos and Talib have become more famous than the group they created and have made their mark on the solo tip. Get By is one of my all time tracks because of the inspiration and I still rock Black on Both sides today.
Boogie Down Productions
Kris and the fellas are only this far down because Black Star had an impact on me personally that is immeasurable. Poetry banged my head. Criminal Minded is the baddest track of all. Kris was hardcore, conscious, and forthright. I spoke to DNice at Bada Bling and asked him about the impact Scott La Rock’s death had on the game: “Scott was a businessman. He was Hip Hop. I don’t know how much Hip Hop would be different. Actually, I don’t know how to answer that because what happened to Scott caused KRS-One to write different. I don’t know if it would have been a negative thing or a positive thing. Unfortunately my teammate passed but what KRS-One has done for Hip Hop is big. He is always talking about Stopping the Violence. Then you had Public Enemy...what I thought was a more radical approach. Kris was more on the philosophical tip, so it happened for a reason.”
Rakim
Eric B. Is President…
I heard this track on a Friday night the day after I bought my first car–a blue Chevette–from an auction back in 1986. I went straight to the mall and copped the tape. Yeah, the tape. Rakim was the best lyricist in my opinion. He has some of the deepest lines in Hip Hop. This track damn near stole the show in Juice and the R is still a bad man on the mic to this day. Rakim Allah also introduced me to something I’ve always been intrigued with and that’s the Nation of Gods and Earths.
NaS
My poetry’s deep, I never fell. Nas’ raps should be locked in a cell.
Nah, It ain’t hard to tell. In my opinion, he most inherited Rakim’s word power. NaS stepped on the scene with a smooth lyrical style never heard before. We all loved Belly right? He helps me breathe. If you have lost a love one, you gotta feel the track with Quan. I’m not even gonna talk about Ether. My goodness.
Jay-Z
Hov takes the game to the another level. Ever since Dead Presidents you could see his potential bubbling down deep in his soul. It’s my opinion he never would have become the icon he is if Pac and Biggie didn’t pass. Hey, it was a process of unfortunate elimination. The show must go on, but he loses points because of the era. I gotta give it to the brotha though, for he stepped in clean and took over. Hip Hop and Madison Avenue weren’t down with each other before Sean Carter smashed Hip Hop as well as the entire musical mainframe. Chuck I know you put him at number one but…
Notorious B.I.G.
Brooklyn…
Biggie Smalls is the illest. I’m not one of those cats who thought he was the best obviously, but he had a mad style and was capable of changing and morphing into any track. His impact on the game is still felt and to have ascended to the upper heights of the game shows and proves just how determined he was to overcome any obstacle. He rapped from the streets like no other. I could say so much more about Christopher Wallace, but I’ll let you do the talking.
NaS, Talib and I at Bling
11. Ice Cube
12. Scarface
14. Common
15. LL Cool J
16. Outkast
17. Redman
18. Black Moon
19. DMX
20. Kool Mo Dee
20 a. Big Daddy Kane
Sphere: Related Content
October 17th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Friday Fire: Who Are Your Top Ten Hip Hop Artists? | The Starting Five…
For Friday Fire on The Starting Five this week, Michael Tillery ranks his Top Ten Hip Hop artists….
October 17th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
1. 2pac - Self Explanatory… He was not the most talented lyricist in history, but he was easily the most well rounded artist that hip hop has ever seen
2. Ice Cube - People let Cube’s career in the last 10 years blind them to how dope he used to be. Death Certificate is the best hip hop album ever IMO. Cube was downright vicious.
3. DJ Quik - One of the most underrated producers and emcees out there. His catalogue is deep as hell, I can put his body of work up against anybody. Quik is a real musician.
4. Jay-Z - He’s probably done more to bring our culture to new places than any other rapper…
5. Scarface - He has the kinda authenticity most rappers would kill for. I love ‘Face because he goes against everything thats whats wrong with hip hop.
6. Outkast - With all due respect to Run DMC…. I don’t think theres ever been a better 1-2 punch then Dre and Big Boi.
7. Nas - Nas is remarkably consistent and the ultimate underdog… just when you think he’s falling off… He’ll drop the dopest shit you’ve heard all year.
8. Public Enemy - You can’t say enough good things about P.E.
9. Rakim - Probably the most potent emcee to ever touch the mic..it KILLS me that this dude is taking so long to drop another album.
10. The Entire Death Row/DPGC Crew - Without a doubt the most talented rap crew in history. Dr Dre, Snoop, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Tha DOC, etc. The only thing that could stop them from taking over the rap game were themselves.
Check this old school video of Dre on the piano and Snoop freestyling back in the day…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UACAlC13hlY
October 17th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
1) Rakim
2)Brand Nubian
3)Ice Cube
4)Tribe
5)OutKast
6)D.O.C.
7)Pharcyde
8)Nas
9)Public Enemy
10)Redman
October 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I won’t include PE in the list because it was much more to me than just Hip-Hop.
http://thestartingfive.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/third-eye-opened/
Here’s my list:
1. Wu-Tang Clan: Nine different styles on one accord. Helped tilt the scale of power back to the East Coast back in ‘93.
2. Run DMC: Took this genre to new heights, first rap group to appear on American Bandstand only rap group at Live Aid. The Michael Jacksons of the Hip Hop world in terms of worldwide popularity.
3. KRS ONE/BDP: The Teacha, has done it for three decades with out the glitz and glamour and ended many careers along the way. He is Hip-Hop’s Gladiator.
4. Rakim: If he were a ball player he’d be George Gervin, smooth.
5. NWA/Ice Cube: Don’t let the Ice Cube you see today fool you, as good as any MC ever. NWA balanced out what PE was doing on the East Coast. NIGGAZ4LIFE is one of the greatest albums ever made.
6. Tupac: Hip Hop’s Bob Marley
7. Ultramagnetic MCs: Peep the Critical Beatdown album
8. Kool G Rap: Disturbingly underrated.
9. Scarface/Geto Boyz: I’m still scared to go to Houston.
10. The Notorious B.I.G.: Sometimes its hard for me to listen to him because I still can’t believe he’s gone.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I am going to admit that my list is going to contain mostly “Golden Age” Hip- Hop artists from 1982-1992 and I am not apologizing for that nor am I going to include Biggie or Tupac because in many ways their importance is overstated and really did not sonically influence the genre as people might think. and I am also going to include my all- time top 10 hip- hop singles.
1. Public Enemy - they changed my life and made me curious about the world around me like The Clash did for Punk Rockers P.E. is the “only group that mattered” and their sound is still revolutionary 20 years later.
2. Run- DMC - The most important Hip-Hop crew of all time, they may not have been the greatest lyricists but their style , swagger and attitude has influenced more people in various genres and every rap artist has drunk from their cup.
3. Grand Master Flash and the furious Five - They are in the Rock-n-Roll hall of fame for a reason with too many hits to mention and Cowboy Keith and Melle Mel were the first great M.C.’S check out “Beat Street Breakdown” and look at the world and news and don’t think they were prophetic.
4. Big Daddy Kane - Smooth, Suave, Debonair and rough, Kane wrote classics for rappers like “The Vapors” and a great live act and his influence was definately in Biggie and L.L.
5. N.W.A. - Even though it pains me to admit it, Dre, Easy,Cube and the Compton crew has influenced Rap Music and Black youth culture for the last 20 years and I don’t think that’s a postive development for African- Americans.
6. Beastie Boys - from a joke crew to rappers who can take any word and juxtapoze it verbally and with classic albums to match, A-Rock, MCA, and Mike D has kept old-skol Hip- Hop attitude while mixing it with Punk, Techno, New Wave and their music never seems tired.
7. Common - who is fast becoming the Marvin Gaye of Hip- Hop always releases interesting albums and is growing by leaps and bounds as a writer and MC. You can mix any style of Black based music and Common always enhances the songs he spits on unlike a lot of “guest rappers”.
8. MC Lyte - This lady is still bad after 20 years and every rhyme is clear, concise and a very underrated lyricist, she is a great M.C. period.
9. Wu - Tang Clan - Kung-Fu Flicks, obscure references and a crew of rappers, pot-heads geniues who just bring the funk on every album. I don’t know how they do it but “Wu -Tang Clan ain’t nothin to Fuck Wit”
10. Slick Rick - The greatest storyteller in the genre’s history “The Adventures of Slick Rick” is full of classics as an M.C. his flow has influenced an entire generation of rap artists but nobody can touch the way he tells a story.
My Top 10 Hip- Hop singles
1. Can’t Trust It - Public Enemy
2. Mind Playing Tricks on me - Geto Boys
3. L.L. Cool J - Rock the Bells
4. Salt-n-Pepa - Shake Your Thang
5. The Message - Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five
6. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambatta and the Soul Sonic Force
7. High Roller - Ice- T
8. BUDDY - De La Soul and the Native Tongues
9. Nothing But G-Thang - Dre & Snoop
10. Big Poppa - The Notorious B.I.G.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Did I slip into some alternative universe where The Roots ceased to exist?
October 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
My list as it writes itself today…
Nas
Jay
Kanye
Mos Def
Common
Twalib
Wu Tang
Jadakiss
Lil Wayne
Yeah I know that is only nine but hey who cares…I don’t even have the right to put Pac and Biggie on this list…they are HIGH above the game…
October 17th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Inkognegro, I love The Roots and I think like Roxy Music in Rock they are so good you undermestimate their greatness music-wise. But if you look at the tape they deserve to in that top 10 as a band one of the best regardless of genre in the world.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I mentioned Distortion to Static IN. I have to admit I excluded many of my favorites just to get a discussion started. My bad on that.
Top 21 albums
Nation of Millions
Criminal Minded
Raisin’ Hell
Enter the Wu
Illmatic
Reasonable Doubt
Ready to Die
The Chronic
Death Certificate
Midnite Marauders
Paid in Full
The Infamous
Fear of a Black Planet
Black Star
Me Against the World
Enta Da Stage
Wu Tang Forever
SoundBombin II
Doggystyle
Resurrection
Low End Theory
October 17th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
First of all let me preface this by saying I’m 25 I missed Hip Hop in it’s infancy. The real inovators of this game were before my time. I’m judging from about 96 to present.
BIG
Pac
May they RIP, they are the reason I love Hip Hop.
Jay Z
Nas
Eminem
Scarface
Snoop
I think these 5 have separated themselves from best of discussions. The body of work is just too thorough.
Andre 3000
Common
Jadakiss
Black Thought
Trick Daddy
Method Man
Lil Wayne
TI
Mos Def
Lupe Fiasco
So uh yeah. There’s my top ten.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Here are mine:
Top 10 groups:
1. Run-DMC
2. PE
3. Outkast
4. NWA
5. BDP
6. EPMD
7. Brand Nubian
8. Wu
9 Tribe
10. Eric B & Rakim
Top 10 MCs:
1. Rakim
2. KRS-ONE
3. NAS
4. Kane
5. Ras-Kass
6. Biggie
7. Talib Kweli
8. Kool G. Rap
9. Grand Puba
10. Mos Def
10a. Andre 3000
Top 10 Albums:
1. The Chronic - Dr. Dre
2. It Takes a Nation….. - PE
3. Illmatic - NAS
4. Aquemini - Outkast
5. Criminal Minded - BDP
6. One For All - Brand Nubian
7. No One Does It Better - D.O.C.
8. Paid In Full - Eric B & Rakim
9. Raising Hell - Run-DMC
10. The Low End Theory - Tribe
10a. AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted - Ice Cube
Top 10 singles:
1. Flava in Ya Ear - Craig Mack
2. Rebel Without A Pause - PE
3. Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang - Dr. Dre
4. Mind Playing Tricks On Me - Getto Boys
5. I Aint No Joke - Eric B & Rakim
6. The Message - Flash & the Furious 5
7. Rock Box - Run DMC
8. Five Minutes of Funk - Whodini
9. Rosa Parks - Outkast
10. You Gots To Chill - EPMD
October 17th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I would like to delete the Pharcyde from my list and add the Roots, I slept hard
October 17th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
P.E.
NAS
PAC
COMMON
ROOTS
These are the guys I enjoy listening to.
October 17th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I can’t do it…..sensory overload….lyrics, beats, all going thru my head at once…..
October 17th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I can not limit it to ten. That’s a cop out I know. There are so many different songs that conjure up so many memories that it just impossibel for me to narrow it down. I can hear songs from different artists and remember what i was doing when I first heard the song and what I thougt about the artist when I heard it. Although it’s hard for me to narrow down a top 10, I can say that Biggie and Tupac will not be on my list. Tupac, because, (pregnant pause), I hate the dude. Hate is a strong word, but that’s how I feel. I feel like he is the quintessential example of throwing your life away. He had the gift and gave it to the devil. It just makes me angry when I look at what he could have been and what he could have represented and what he actually does represent. He could have been so much more than thug life.
Biggie because my hatred of Tupac manifested itself into a love of Biggie. Again, another super talented artist that could have been so much more, but the forever link of these two and east coast and west coast battle will always make me angry when I think about it. These brothers were poised to make hundreds of millions of dollars on their talents and it all gone for nothing. They could be the Oprah’s of Hip-Hop. More money and influence than anyone would haev ever had in Hip-Hop. That said, Check my next post.
October 17th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
These are not necessarily in any particular order:
1:RUN/DMC(foundation)
2:Grandmaster flash and the furious five(foundation)
3:Public Enemy(strength and knowledge)
4:Eric B and Rakim(flow)
5:KRS one and BDP(strength, knowledge and battle flow)
6:Schooly D(Straight gangsta before everyone)
7:Ice T.(West coast gangsta original)
8:NWA(Ice Cube at his best)
9:Big Daddy Kane(untouchable battle rhymes flow)
10:Kool G Rap(flow, style bitten extensively)
11:Slick Rick(story tellin flow)
12:De LA Soul(Abstract original)
13:Mc Lyte(”You can suck the big toe and play with the middle”)
14:Roots(complex flow)
15:Outkast(Southern original)
16:Wu-tang(Inspectah deck)
This list could go on and on and be hotly debated. This is who comes to my mind though. Some made me pick up a book. Some made me pick up a pen and then others made me put that pen right back down. Some made me laugh. Some made me think. They all have given me countless hours of enjoyment and hotly contested debates. I could sit with my boys for hours discussing who was better and why and just listen to song after song with point and counter point. Know I’m right and at the same time have to accept that my boy might be right. Concede. Don’t concede. Point. Counter point. Listen to this. Listen to that. This is better. No! that’s better. I could wax nostalgic all day, but I won’t. Damn! I miss the golden age of Hip-Hop.
October 18th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Top ten M.C.’s
1. Melle Mel
2. Chuck D
3. Slick Rick
4. Run- DMC (you can’t separate them)
5. Kool Keith
6. Q- Tip
7. Ice Cube
8. Big Daddy Kane
10. Kool Moe Dee
Top Ten Albums
1. It takes a Nations of Millions - P.E.
2. King of Rock - Run -DMC
3. Quality Control - Jurassic 5
4. Black Star - Mos Def and Talib Kweli
5. Common - Electric Circus
6. Done by the Forces of Nature - Jungle Brothers
7. Things Fall Apart - The Roots
8. A Prince Among Theives - Prince Paul
9. Delton 3030 - Various Artists
10. So How’s Your Girl - Handsome Boy Modeling School
Many of my favorite Hip- Hop albums now expect for the standbys are now in the alternative Hip- Hop arena. Mainstream Hip- Hop music is boring and tired.
October 18th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Wow, just wow.
Talk about back down memory lane.
I remember when I first heard Hip Hop. Had a GF who was a cheerleader at Palisades high. I was in the bleachers watching the game when “Chic’s’ “good times” came on. But damn if somebody wasn’t saying something. I didn’t even know what I was hearing so jarring was it. Turned out to be “rapper’s delight.
I dismissed the music for a while as I was West Coast and it wasn’t big there and I never could get into the Run DMC style.
Then I heard “Rhymesayer” by PE and it was on. Loved the music for a more than a decade. I started playing trumpet and getting into real Jazz around 2000 and haven’t followed rap much since then so my list pretty much includes what many call the Golden Age of rap.
1. Tupca-, IMO, the only true genius in rap history. The one who embued the lives of those society marganilizes most, with humanity. Like Miz, I think “So many tears” to be the greatest rap song of all time.
2. PE-simply the voice of a nation, strong, powerful, flow like a mug. Brotha’s gonna work it out all-right.
3. Quest- I think Fife is the most under-rated rapper of all time. Dude was near genius.
4. LL- Got all commercial at times, but when he was on, and that was MANY times, he could bring it in any style
5. Kane-Greatest flow of all time IMO.. He was like a Jazz musician.
6. Ice Cube-see the comments already about him I agree.
7. Biggie- Simply a monster. Died way too young
8. EPMD
9. TLC, the first CD
10. MJB. Cannot frget Mary. One of the only few singers of today I’d pay to see sing. and truth be told, she can’t sing wortt a lick, but she’s soulful and Hip Hop to the core.
October 18th, 2008 at 2:44 am
I be what is known as a bandit,
you gotta hand it to me once you truly understand it,
and if you fail to see, read it in braille
it a still be funky…..
NAME THAT TUNE, OR ARTIST OR SONG.
October 18th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Roots
nas
wu-tang
biggie
tupac
NWA - eazy-e was my fav
Tribe
Outkast
P.E.
De La Soul
October 18th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Can we call Motown a progenitor of Hip Hop? If so, then this is the right place to say good bye to Levi Stubbs. The Four Tops always seemed like second bananas to (the original version of) The Temptations, but the rich voice of Stubbs was second to no one’s. What a singer, and what a sad day. Isaac Hayes and then Levi Stubbs, leaving not too far apart from one another; that’s a tough year for old soul music.
In honor of Mr. Stubbs, my Motown top ten…
1. Stevie Wonder
2. Marvin Gaye
3. The Temptations
4. The Supremes
5. The Jackson Five
6. The Four Tops
7. Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
8. Gladys Knight & the Pips/Isley Brothers (tie)
9. Martha and the Vandellas
10. Junior Walker & the All Stars
October 18th, 2008 at 10:34 am
@vleeflo
“I be what is known as a bandit,
you gotta hand it to me once you truly understand it,
and if you fail to see, read it in braille
it a still be funky…..
NAME THAT TUNE, OR ARTIST OR SONG.”
Parental Discretion Iz Advised — NWA
Classic track!!!!
October 18th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Since I missed all the other “top ten” lists (women, athletes, etc), I guess I’ll get in on this one.
Hip Hop artists who influenced a young Poet one way or another:
Tied at 1st place - Chuck D/Public Enemy and KRS-ONE/BDP
The rest, in no particular order - Prince Markie D, Kool Rock Ski, anf The Human Beat Box/The Fatboys
Run, DMC, and Jam Master Jay
Just-Ice
Erik Sermon and Parrish Smith/EPMD
Brother Jay, Professor X (RIP)/XCLAN
Grandmaster Flash, Melle Melle, Cowboy (RIP)
Treacherous Three/Kool Moe Dee
a young LL Cool J (not the caricature of today)
Stetsasonic (original hip hop band BEFORE the Roots!)
Mantronix
Jus Allah the Superstar and Supreme Divine the Mastermind/Wolrd Famous Supreme Team
Poor Righteous Teachers
Charlie Brown, Dinco D, Busta Rhymes/The Leaders of the New School
Brand Nubian
Grand Wizard Theodore
Dana Dane (Brooklyn storytellin rapper that rivaled Queens’ Slick Rick)
The Diabolical Biz Markie/MC Shan/Kane/Roxanne Shante/super producer Marly Marl/The Juice Crew
Whodini
UTFO
Man I could go on and on and proceed to give you names that you’ve likely never heard before.
Maybe I’ll do better with a list of favorite albums… Again, in no particular order:
Jungle Brothers/Straight Out the Jungle
GZA/Liquid Swords
Ghostface Killah/Supreme Clientele
the first three Ice Cube albums
the first four PE albums
all the BDP albums, and the first three KRS-ONE albums
Makavelli/7 Day Theory
Snoop Doggy Dogg/Doggystyle and The Doggfather
Dr Dre/The Chronic and Chronic 2000
the first three Eric B and Rakim albums
the first Kool G Rap and DJ Polo album
the first three Tribe albums
the first three EPMD albums
DeLaSoul/Three Feet High and Rising and DeLaSoul is Dead
the first two Mobb Deep albums
LL Cool J/Bigger and Deffer
Kool Moe Dee/How Ya Like Me Now
Rass Kass/Soul On Ice
Oh, forget it. See? That’s why I don’t do lists!
October 18th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Damn! Dana Dane with Fame!!!
Who said this?
I seen this girl, walkin’ down the block I said, “WAIT!”
“Yo baby, you wanna come to my crib?”
“Have some donuts and milk?”
“Listen to a pop tune maybe?”
October 18th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
The World Famous Supreme Team video. That was my shit.
Uh what was I thinking?
How can I not include Guru’s Gangstarr???
Primo’s beats are always sick.
October 18th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I seen this girl, walkin’ down the block I said, “WAIT!”
“Yo baby, you wanna come to my crib?”
“Have some donuts and milk?”
“Listen to a pop tune maybe?”
See, that’s what I’m talkin about! James Todd Smith back when he was a hungry young lion. not this new negro with plucked eye brows and shit.
October 18th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Sickest rap I ever heard was Tupac “Can you get away?’
Coolest line I ever heard rapped also from Tupca
Late night hangin’ out till the Sunrise, gettin’ high, watching the Cops roll by….it ain’t easy bein’ me….
October 18th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Afrika Bambaataa, Afrika Islam, Disco Bee, Teddy Ted and Special K, Heavy D
Plus these lyrics which filled the young Poet with lots of pride, “…because the rhymes I say, sharp as a nail/witty as can be and not for sale/always fonky fresh could never be stale/took a test to become an emcee and didn’t fail!”
More names later as they come to me…
October 19th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I couldn’t narrow it to just 10, so here’s my 15, in no particular order:
Public Enemy
KRS-One/BDP
Brand Nubian
Masta Ace (one of the most underrated and underappreciated MC’s.)
De La Soul
A Tribe Called Quest
Big Daddy Kane
Diggin’ In the Crates (Show & A.G., O.C., Diamond D, Big L, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Fat Joe) [Just can't separate them, b/c they've all dropped some classics]
MC Lyte
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Kool G. Rap
Gangstarr
Bahamadia
J-Live
Five Deez
October 20th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Grand Nubian:
That’s some of the lyrics that made me put the pen right down.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:07 am
You are correct by the way.
October 20th, 2008 at 5:26 am
I hear you Poet…back when his head was like a shark fin.
October 20th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
LP:
LL might have a different look, but let’s not forget what happens when idiots like Cannabis step into the arena. He’s really not someone that an MC wants to battle — it would get so ugly, so fast. Back in the day, I remember when he hooked up with EPMD on “Rampage.” Look out below!!!!!
It’s arguable that, excluding bonus points for political content, he’s the GOAT. He’s done it all. Paid dues early, rocked The Fever and Harlem World and the LQ, headlined early, rocked shows from coast to coast, knocked out MC’s and a few “tough” guys along the way, learned his lessons from that battle with Kool Moe Doe, wrote a children’s book, created the Platinum Workout, and he’s staring a 25th anniversary in the face.
He’s never been my favorite, but what’s he accomplished is remarkable. As much as Jay-Z is a product of Biggie, he’s also a product of LL from a stylistic perspective (lyrical and personal). Jump suits to board rooms…no dirt under the finger nails…same dude, different era.
I think LL is a true SOLO artist. No group, no posse, no crew, no hangers on, no entourage, no nothing — just the genuine article. He runs about as clean of an operation (fiscally, etc.) as I’ve seen.
GrandNubian:
I feel you on that Flava in Ya Ear track. I can always hear it CLEAR AS DAY whenever I even hear his name. That was the track. One of the most distinctive tracks I’ve heard. One of my other favorites is They Reminisce Over You by Pete Rock and CL Smooth. I like all of their stuff. They’re on my Top 10 list. And Pete Rock is one of my Top 3 producers. I even liked his flow especially on tracks like Soul Brother and The Creator.
“He’s a Sweet Soul Brother…”
October 20th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMgkIqaVDCU
October 20th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
1. Public Enemy
2. Run D.M.C
3. Tupac
4. Eric B. and Rakim
5. Boogie Down Productions
6. Ice Cube-You can’t divorce the latter from the former and that’s why he’s down here, but make no mistake, no album of music has ever opened my eyes to the world I was living in like “The Editor.” And when will they shoot.
7. Jay-Z
8. Biggie
9. Nas
10. Outkast
October 20th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I mean, Ice Cube’s “The Predator,” of course. Obviously, this album meant a lot to me.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:18 am
Great comments by all of you. Since you can’t really claim a rap group as a rapper I split my list up. Into top 10 rappers, top 10 rap groups. Top 10 rap albums and singles.
I also broke the groups, rappers, albums and singles into mainstream and underground. Since some folks don’t know many of these underground rappers are 10 times better then some of these mainstream folks.
Top mainstream 10 rap groups.
1. P.E.
2. Wu Tang
3. Roots
4. Outkast
5. De la soul
6. Run DMC
7. Ghetto Boys
8. Coup
9. A tribe called quest
10. EPMD
Top 10 Underground Rap groups
1. Company Flow (I know that these kats only had one CD. But D@mn funcrusher Plus was no joke).
2. Dead Prez
3. Dilated Peoples
4. Jedi Mind Tricks
5. Little brother
6. Zion I
7. Jurassic 5
8. Blackalicious
9. Hieroglyphics
10. Tha Alkaholiks
Top 10 mainstream rappers
1. Krs-one
2. Rakim
3. Nas (listen to verbal intercourse and tell me if that isn’t one of the best verses ever).
4. Ice Cube (the boy was raw on Amerikkkas most wanted and on death certificate)
5. GZA (yeah I said it, thats why he always leads off all the hot Wu joints. At times he almost reminds me of Rakim).
6. Scarface
7. Redman (man Ludacris stole his style. If there was ever a question of his lyrical style all you have to do is watch the video Headbanger by EPMD)
8. Boots Riley from Coup (listen to any of this brothers lyrics, dude the truth).
9. Common
10. Kool G rap
Top 10 undeground Rappers
1. C-rayz Walz (Dude isn’t just one of the best lyricist in underground but he would blow away 90% of the mainstream kats out there).
2. EL-P (Some say Eminem is the best Rapper. Please he isn’t even the best white rapper out there. EL-P would destroy him. Better content better lyrics)
3. MF Doom
4. Aesop Rock
5. Rass Kass (IMO the best lyricist in the west. Been the best the last 15 years).
6. SuperNatural (Any man that can free stylefor 8 hours none stop has to be listed as not only a top 10 MC in undeground but could arguably be mention as a top 3 mainstream rapper)
7. MC Juice. Yeah I know he is a battle rapper but the dude is unreal.
8. Sean Price
9. Breezy Brewin (brothas flow is just sick)
10. Kool Keith (yeah yeah I know the brotha isn’t really underground. But I forgot about him and had to put him somewhere)
Top 10 Mainstream Albums
1. NAS - Illmatic
2. PE - Fear of a black Planet
3. EPMD - Business as Usual
4. Roots - Illadelph Halflife
5. Spice 1 - Spice 1
6. Scarface - The Untouchable
7. Wu tang - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
8. Gza - Liquid Swords
9. Ghost Face - Supreme Clientele
10. Ice Cube - Death Certificate
Top 10 Underground Albums
1. Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus
2. C-Rayz Walz - Ravipops (The Substance)
3. Wu-Syndicate - Wu-Syndicate (album)
4. EL-P - Fantastic Damage
5. Killarmy - Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars
6. Zion I - Mind Over Matter
7. Sean Price - Jesus Price Supastar
8. Evidence - Weatherman
9. Dilated Peoples - The Platform
10. Cannabal OX - The Cold Vein
Top 10 mainstream rap singles
1. Run DMC - Beats To The Rhyme
2. Ghostface - Apollo Kids
3. Comptons Most Wanted - Hood Took Me Under
4. Ice Cube - Who’s the Mack?
5. Scarface - Mary Jane
6. Gangstar - Code of the streets
7. PE - Night Of The Living Baseheads
8. KRS one - You Must Learn
9. Black Moon - Who got the props
10. Crooklyn Dodgers - Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers (man Jeru Da Damaja kicked one of the tightest versus ever on this song. The verse sounds like something brotha Temple would say. Thats how deep that verse is).
Top 10 underground singles
1. Company flow - The Fire in Which You Burn
2. Cannibal Ox - Vein
3. Immortal Technique - Payback
4. Immortal Technique - Peruvian Cocaine
5. Aesop Rock - Nickel Plated Pockets
6. Brother Ali - Uncle Sam Goddamn
7. MF Doom & ghostface - Angels
8. EL-P - Tuned Mass Damper
9. Mood - Karma
10. Evidence - Mr. Slow Flow
October 21st, 2008 at 12:40 pm
@T3
“One of my other favorites is They Reminisce Over You by Pete Rock and CL Smooth.”
Damn……how could I forget that classic track?!!!
What’s funny is that after I submitted my top 10 track list, I came up with at least 10 others that I could’ve added to my list:
1. Phone Tap - The Firm
2. The Formula - The D.O.C.
3. C.R.E.A.M. - WU
4. Ice Cream - Raekwon
5. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) - Pete Rock & CL Smooth
6. Rock The Bells - LL Cool J
7. Freedom - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious 5
8. Jack Of Spades - BDP
9. New York, New York - Tha Dogg Pound
10. So Many Tears - Tupac
11. Big Poppa - Biggie
12. Regulate - Warren G
13. Children’s Story - Slick Rick
October 21st, 2008 at 2:55 pm
“This ain’t funny so don’t ya dare laugh…”
October 21st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Damn –
I read Origin’s list and I’m like — uh, where the hell have I been? Certainly not in the wrecka stow! Nice job O.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
“…just another case ’bout the wrong path, Straight ‘n narrow or yo’ soul gets cast. Good night good night”
I agree Temple, Origin’s lists are definitive.
October 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Knock em’ out the Box Rick
Great lists I am reading them over .
October 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Yeah, O knows Rap like I know Jazz. Strong work bruh.
November 28th, 2008 at 5:40 am
50 best rappers (not counting groups)
50.O.C
49.Buckshot
48.Immortal Technique
47.Sean Price-Was my favorite member of boot camp click
46.Snoop Dogg
45.RZA
44.Beanie Seagel
43.Inspectah Deck
42.Elzhi
41.Lord Finesse
40.Kurupt
39.Bun B
38.Jadakiss
37.DMX
36.Method man
35.Busta Rhymes
34.Canibus-Canibus beat ll in that battle hands down.LL is a better all around rapper though.
33.Royce da 5′9
32.Guru
31.Q-Tip
30.Talib Kweli
29.Loren Hill
28.Black thought
27.Raekwon
26.Prodigy
25.Mos Def
24.Redman
23.Slick Rick
22.Pharoahe Monch
21.AZ
20.Big Punitsher
19.Masta Ace
18.Eminem-He’s overrated.Probably the most overrated mc on this list.Am I saying he was wack?Hell no.Eminem was a great rapper in his prime but lately he’s been garbage.Lets hope he gets it together for the relapse.Still he is the best white rapper over El-P by a lot actually.
17.GZA
16.Big L
15.LL Cool J
14.Common
13.Andre 3000
12.Ghostface
11.jay-z
10.Biggy
9.scarface
8.2pac-Its starting to become cool to say he is overrated and that biggy was better.Biggys first album might have been better but pac was slightly better.Big was more talented but pac was WAY more emoitonal and you can really connect with his music.I think there both overrated to be honest but pac is better and a top 10 rapper.
7.Ice Cube
6.Big Daddy Kane
5.Chuck D
4.Kool G Rap
3.KRS-1
2.Rakim
1.Nas
December 16th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
my hip hop top 10
1.)Lil Wayne
2.)Kanye West
3.)Juelz Santana
4.)The Game
5.)Currency the Hotspittah
6.)Young Jeezy
7.)Gucci Mane
8.)Lil Boosie
9.)OJ Da Juiceman
10.)Nicki Minaj
December 16th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Top Fifteen CDs& Mixtapes
1.)American Gangster-Jay-Z
2.)The Drought is over 6-Lil Wayne
3.)Blueprint-Jay-Z
4.)Dedication vol.1-Lil Wayne
5.)Buck The World-Young Buck
6.)LAX-The Game
7.)The Reccession-Young Jeezy
8.)The King-T.I.
9.)Bad Azz-Lil Boosie
10.)The Inspiration-Young Jeezy
11.)Red Light District-Ludacris
12.)Like Father Like Son-Lil Wayne & Birdman
13.)So Icy is the Army Better Yet the Navy-So Icy Ent.
14.)Thr33 Ringz- T-Pain
15.)Tha Carter III-Lil Wayne
December 16th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Top 5 Producers
1.Swizz Beatz
2.Kanye West
3.Polow Da don
4.Cool & Dre
5.Scott Storch
December 16th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
top 15 rappers turned actors
1.T.I.- ATL
2.Ludacris-Hustle&Flow
3.Eminem-8 mile
4.Big Boi-ATL
5.Andre 3000-Idlewild
6.Common-American gangter
7.Mos Def-Brown Sugar
8.The Game-Waist Deep
10.50 Cent-Get rich or die tryin
11.Method & Red Man-How High
12.Ice Cube-Friday
13.State Property Crew
14.Bone thugs & Harmony- I Tried
15.2pac-Juice