Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Lyricists and MCs

Georgi · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:37 pm **Posts:** 7264

Yeah, I agree with that, Busta has a very unique delivery. But this true about all the big names. Plus rapping isn't all about the speed - the list assesses lyrics and flow.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11694

Yah that's true. He's really clever, but I guess other rappers 'say more' with their lyrics.

But actually, the criteria cites skill, innovation and lasting influence. All of which Busta Rhymes does quite well in.

Personally I think Kool G Rap > Jay-Z too.

beaverteeth92 · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:09 pm **Posts:** 1163

Where's Mike D from the Beastie Boys?

NateDizz · **Joined:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:55 pm **Posts:** 21

Jaz-Z at #6 just disgusts me. Are you people crazy?

Lyrically better than Kool G Rap? (who should be top-3 easy). Kool G Rap was so far ahead of his time. When it comes to different flows, wordplay, speed, and multi-syllable type stuff - he did it all before anyone did. People may not know his music so well, but he was the guy pushing the envelope for years in the 90's. Anything that any of your favourite guys did that impressed you - G Rap probably did it first. How about Em'? Just picture these two spitting face to face - Em' would embarrass Jigga. KRS-One? Not even close - this dude is a legend. Big L's short lived career and catalogue slays everything Jay-Z ever did in his life. Pharaohe Monch and the shit he did with Organized Konfusion? Pun and Rae'? Canibus all the way down at 50? Come on now, anyone who's actually heard significant portions of all these guys' careers would laugh at this. Jay-Z being a lyrical Jedi is a myth.

When it comes to innovation, skill, and originality (3 of the top 4 criteria) all these dudes top him easy. The biggest innovation Jigga ever had on hip-hop was heading towards mainstream and away from what it truly is. Only on lasting influence does he stand but that should be a minimal consideration to make a list like this. How does pure ability and skill and technique (which is what an emcee is) have to do with lasting influence? More people had access to him, therefore more people remember him. It has no real weight on how good he is at his craft.

The kid had huge (I can't underestimate that - HUGE) potential and spit some nice flows in his much younger days but he's been dropping awful tada-papa-haha shit for like 15 years now! Plain and simple it's awful and so is his lyrical ability when it's stacked up against the names I mentioned and many others too.

And trust me, I understand these guys want to make money and I'm all for throwing on a couple tracks that can be played on the radio and make that money, but Jay-Z has been basically a full-time pop-star, not a hip hip emcee for a very long time now. Just because the dude is filthy rich and he started out as a mean lyricist doesn't mean he's been doing it all this time. He has a long career and a large catalogue, but most of it isn't lyrically extraordinary.

I don't have any disrespect for this man at all (as far as his business sense is concerned - all you can do is respect him) and I enjoy some of his catalogue, but there's just no way he deserves to be even sniffing the #6 spot. Not even close.

Just a note - if it's in the mainstream and all over MTV and all the Top Chart radio stations and such and it's labelled hip-hop - it's probably not, and those guys defintitely arn't on a top-100 level lyrically. Popularity should have very very minimal effect on this list if it's gonna be legit.

Oh and also - if people disagree I'd be more than happy to trade some music. I could be missing something, so if anyone wants to serve up their best Jay-Z I'd be more than obliged to find some music from other artists that stomps on it. I'm a diehard of the genre and I love this site and these lists and I'd love to make a legit Emcee list here too, because the current one needs alot of work.

Chemical Ali · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:57 am **Posts:** 2564

Hey, we people dont make the list. Dont say that we make you sick.

Human · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2011 1:02 pm

Lmfao at Andre being at 5. :nono:

edit: nevermind, "greatest..." but on a skills list that would obviously be a joke.

beaverteeth92 · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:09 pm **Posts:** 1163

How does this list have no mention of Immortal Technique? The guy is practically a GOD when it comes to lyrics. If you want to hear what he's like and don't mind having your day ruined, here's a song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qggxTtnKTMo

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11694

How on this planet is LL Cool J a better/greater lyricist than 2Pac?!

I'm not even a 2Pac fan, but come on....he's like the bob dylan of rap.

Georgi · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:37 pm **Posts:** 7264

LL Cool J is a pretty big name in the development of MCing, not far off the Rakim, BDK, Kool G trio. Tupac should probably be ahead, but not by much. Anyway, this entire list is messed up, I'd say both are far too low.

Black Zeppelin · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2011 8:18 pm

Georgi wrote:

LL Cool J is a pretty big name in the development of MCing, not far off the Rakim, BDK, Kool G trio. Tupac should probably be ahead, but not by much. Anyway, this entire list is messed up, I'd say both are far too low.

I also agree that 2pac is too low. This isn't the only Hip-Hop list that is messed up.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11694

Quote:

Lyrically better than Kool G Rap? (who should be top-3 easy). Kool G Rap was so far ahead of his time. When it comes to different flows, wordplay, speed, and multi-syllable type stuff - he did it all before anyone did. People may not know his music so well, but he was the guy pushing the envelope for years in the 90's. Anything that any of your favourite guys did that impressed you - G Rap probably did it first.

Abso-fucking-lutely.
KGR never gets the props he deserves...

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

Destroyer wrote:

This isn't the only Hip-Hop list that is messed up.

Stereo Williams is knowledgeable about hip-hop music, and I do agree with Rakim being #1, but he needs to define what "originality" means here and how that can be objective. I see he updated his lists, but "quality" is still a criterion in his hip-hop songs list.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11694

If there's any doubt about Rakim being the greatest of all time......then check this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFOeJOtq ... re=related

DAMN.... :freak:

I feel sorry for anyone who claims to be better than this man.

pave · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:08 pm

1. Redman
2. Jay Z
3. 2Pac
4. Notorious B.I.G.
5. Andre 3000
6. Jadakiss
7. Kurupt
8. Nas
9. Eminem

Chemical Ali · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:57 am **Posts:** 2564

Redman? Why?

Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Lyricists and MCs

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