ADN

The omission of Tupac from any top 5 list utterly baffles me...I'm not sure what more you could ask for a rapper...

1. He wa conscious...Tupac was not a dummy, everyone who has ever seen a documentary of him knows this...
2. He was lyrical, pre bling bling era...
3. Passion for what he does has yet to be unmatched...
4. He was pre "Super Producer" most of the cats doing his beats, you didn't know they name....Shit still banged...

I mean, the lists goes on and on, but...I just don't see dudes flaw...And maybe somebody can help me understand how an Eminem, who clearly and has admitted to idolizing and branding his style after, makes the top 5, and Pac is out...There was no "Tupac got his style" from, the dude blazed the industry completely...He had the thug tracks, the dear Momma's, the Holla if ya hear me, THE I GET AROUNDS..? Aemeth, you a hip hop enthusiast, you pose to know better than that...Tupac has outworked everyone on your list, been at least platinum on every CD except one....And lets not forget he's been dead for 10 years...If that nigga can't crack the top 5, who can..?

Man, yall...Please break this down for me...I mean, I knwo everyone has an opinion...But damn...Logically..? if you had to evaluate an artist, rapper..? What's teh criteria...? Chino XL had some ILLLLLL Ass flows...But...Better than Pac, and him and Pac rode in the same era..? Pac...Like...Made dude stop makin' albums...LoL...Remember that..? And I bought Here to Save you All, that's some ill shit..! But you realize...This is like saying Rolando Blackman was a better 2 guard than Jordan...

1. Dylan
2. Dylan
3. Dylan
4. Dylan
5. Dylan

Why? Cause he spit hot fire!

[Intro]
Buucker, I'll beat yo' bad-ass

[Hook]
Ain't no other kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'
ain't no kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'

[First Verse]
Bitch niggaz
still wanna check my urine
still can't believe
what you see and what you're hearin'
you motherfuckers
thought you knew the whole story
until your mama
took a nigga on maury
read your test results
are you the father
I looked at his bitch ass told him don't bother
I'm the father of this gangsta shit
never thought that I have a bunch of bastard kids
lil' bad-ass kids
I whoop they ass every night
send the paramedics bitch
and the black and white
I brought you in this world
I'll take you out
do you ugly
so mamma can't make you out
you know my style a colt
file a report
I'm a dead-beat daddy
no child support
you get fooled like the last trick
get it out your ass bitch
you niggaz know my pyroclastic flow
c'mon!

[Hook]
Ain't no other kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'
ain't no kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'

[4x]
You want child support
Get it out your ass bitch

[Second Verse]
Ya'll niggaz know
Ya'll bitches know
where you get it from
who's the original
you got your daddy's mouth
talk like a criminal
keep it gangsta son
never get pigeon holed
rap bastards tryin' to make a classic
keep your dumb-ass out of the casket
cause intercope'll spend your money
they don't give a fuck
about a dead rapper
nigga they'll chop it up
keep it movin' y'all
they'll come mop it up
corrupt LAPD cover up
everyday nigga we know drama
they ain't lookin' for Osama
ask Biggie's mamma
thank God that the gangsta's back
we ain't got to put up with this brainless rap
may your lungs collapse n' m.c's are funny
all you can rap about is pussy and money
c'mon!

[Hook]
Ain't no other kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'
ain't no kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'

[4x]
You want child support
Get it out your ass bitch

[Third Verse]
All y'all rappers should kiss and make up
take your bullshit jewlry back to Jacob
get your mind right nigga
and start to wake up
cause the whole rap industry needs to shake up
you got million dollar niggaz killin' million dollar niggaz
bustin' outta Bentleys
wearin' chinchillasss
there you go again rollin' in your limo
comin' from the Grammy's shootin' out the window
I know the scripture
but there's something wrong with this picture
what you mad about
diamonds all in your mouth
no car, no niggaz house paid off
I never heard of a rapper gettin' laid off
boy, you a fool
or you just act crazy
or you a grown crack baby born in the 80's
to all you motherfuckers say I went Hollywood
I'm gangsta!
I know when I got it good

[Hook]
Ain't no other kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'
ain't no kings in this rap thing
they siblings
nuthin but my chil'ren
one shot they disappearin'

[4x]
You want child support
Get it out your ass bitch

[2x]
Young rappers lookin' for pocket change
with boo-boo lyrics
Go get your diaper changed

[Outro - Ice Cube Talking]
Smell like shit
heyy baby change this motherfucker
you smell like shit

Oh. My. God. :o

Ya'll claim to love ol' school, and the sound, history, and influence each one of the afore-mentioned rappers contributed to the game, but there is still not one singular mention of Rakim Allah within this entire discussion?

Does it somehow discount it all, in that, although there are some monumental and groundbreaking names in the Hip-Hop forum mentioned here, a great majority are among the most commercially-successful, yet still far-and-aways not remotely close in skills to claiming the title of "greatest rapper of all time"? Nah, I couldn't say that myself, and I'm willing to fight for the right of every rapper already mentioned (save for Vanilla Ice, though, even his influence cannot be denied). I just can hardly believe it. Well, my vote is cast. Rakim is the greatest rapper of all time, maybe not in overall commercial success, or popularity, but in recognition, consistent excellence, and influence combined to pave a new manner of indicative rhyming schemes to be forged.


My spectrum of the genre is wide and diverse, yet still severely limited. So, I'm not just "one-shoting" this revival of the discussion, and I'll contemplate my final list of "Top 5" rappers. In all likelihood , I'll be composing two lists: one consisting of my opinion in who truly deserve to be recognized as the best overall rappers and/or lyricists of all time, based upon number of hits, influence, and overall time at the peak of their game without faltering, and then another separate listing of the most culturally-influential and commercially-successful entrepreneurs of hip-hop that can be readily-classified as icons of rap today.

Rakim is a God.
Slick Rick
Nas
OutKast
Big Daddy Kane (Kane was totally nice with it)
Chuck D (In his heydey)
Common
'Pac
The Lady Of Rage
Cube (When he still had it)
Kwest The Madd Ladd
Souls Of Mischief (All 4 are off da heezy)
Ghostface Killah (The most underrated Wu-Tang core member in terms of skillz)
Bahamadia
C.L. Smooth
Kool Keith
Black Thought (of The Roots)
Redman
B.I.G.
MC Lyte

Nice list, Jig.

I'm still rounding mine out, and should be posting it later today. I think I have around three or four lists that need to be finalized:

1. Greatest rappers of all time (most prolific/inspiring)
2. Most "popular" or acknowledged rappers, in terms of "credit" they receive
3. Best rap group or duo of the hip-hop era
4. Rising stars and/or those you should look out for
(new acts and artists of this past decade)

I would totally fail that 4th one at the moment. The onlt recent guy I've been introduced to recently was that NY OIL dude

I posted his CD a long, long time ago, NY Oil...

Dude iz niiice with his!

I can't believe I procrastinated this discussion right back into the ground, now a month later. :?

I'll be working on it now, for the next half-hour.