Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Lyricists and MCs

Jestercide · **Posted:** Mon Nov 08, 2010 11:35 pm

wait.. umm.... Eminem that low is also pure insanity as a lyricist/MC. top 10, EASY poss. top 5.

lew · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2010 8:06 pm

The List has been updated.
11-18-2010

joe c · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 1:35 am **Posts:** 2900

No Sage Francis on list either?

Dipsoid · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2010 10:50 pm

joe c wrote:

No Sage Francis on list either?

Oh man that's a travesty...

Looking at this list, it seems kind of insulting for 50 Cent to be on any sort of lyricist list, especially over Sage. He's an awful emcee and writes awful lyrics...

Chemical Ali · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:57 am **Posts:** 2565

I like outkast, but come on..

lobones · **Joined:** Thu Oct 14, 2010 5:23 pm **Posts:** 127

J.B. Trance wrote:

Rakim, Nas, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, 2Pac and Biggie are all Top 10 hip hop lyricists and MCs without a doubt.

I'm not sure why Todd decided to rank 2Pac so low.

Pac is no where near the skill of the top 25 guys man he has great lyrics bad flow like a better version of dmx

J.B. Trance · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:04 pm **Posts:** 609

Bad flow? 2Pac to DMX?

2Pac's lyrics are the topics of books, college courses and other media outlets and they've touched so many people the world over. Sure, he's not a Rakim, but you can say the biggest things in simple ways, too.

Ranking "greatest lyricists" or "greatest vocalists" can be tricky when ideas like "originality" are added into the mix.

stereowilliams · **Joined:** Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:23 pm **Posts:** 64

I focused on skill and influence as a rhyme-writer, not subject matter. I took the approach of creating a list that celebrated the technical skills of being an emcee in the same way that the greatest guitarist or greatest drummer list celebrates the technical skill of being an instrumentalist. 2Pac for all of his acclaim and artistic merit, wasn't as technically-skilled as many other emcees on this list. Basically, I looked at guys that I felt elevated the CRAFT of emceeing with their technique, storytelling and wit. So in that respect, in my mind, putting 2Pac in the Top Ten of this list would be akin to putting John Lennon in the Top Ten of a Greatest Guitarists list. Inappropriate.

stereowilliams · **Joined:** Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:23 pm **Posts:** 64

But I strongly disagree on Pac having 'a bad flow?' His flow is maybe his most memorable attribute as a rapper. Pac didn't have a lot of technique or wit; but he had one of the most distinctive flows in the history of hip hop.

J.B. Trance · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:04 pm **Posts:** 609

stereowilliams wrote:

I focused on skill and influence as a rhyme-writer, not subject matter.

Fair enough, but then I would stress this somewhere in the criteria. It's like if we have "uniqueness" as part of the criteria. Well, what exactly constitutes "uniqueness"? How objective can that be?

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

Busta Rhymes at #46.....I mean, COME ON. This needs to be edited, badly.

Georgi · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:37 pm **Posts:** 7273

That seems fair to me.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

Ha.......ha?

Georgi · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:37 pm **Posts:** 7273

How familar are you with all the names above him? Who should he move ahead of. There's a lot of great names above him. I can't see how he could move up by more than 10 places.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11721

I admit I haven't heard a few of them, but how familiar are you with BR's stuff?
He's CERTAINLY one of the fastest rappers that ever held the mic, plus he had a very unique style.
Have you heard Look At Me Now with Chris Brow & Lil Wayne?
Check out Busta's verse... :freak:

Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Lyricists and MCs

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