Even though this was started as a sports blog, we've always found ways to dabble into other areas of entertainment. I wrote a tribute to Michael Jackson last year. Gabe covered the Oscars, and both of us are coming off a piece in this very same weekly feature where we listed movies in desperate need of a remake.
Today, we dabble in music again, this time in the one genre where the two of us share a common ground: Hip-hop. Some will argue that a debate over who's the greatest MC of all time should not be held by a North Jersey Italian and a New York Puerto Rican. To them, we say "Fuck 'em!". So, for the two or three true hip hop fans left in a declining rap economy, we dedicate this piece to you.
DAVE:
9. Redman/Method Man: They were so similar as MC's that it's impossible to put one over the other. Somehow, fate brought together hip-hop's Cheech and Chong to create the greatest two-man wrecking crew since Eric B. & Rakim. Among the pantheon of classic hip hop albums, Redman's "Muddy Waters" and Meth's "Tical" will always rank among my top 5 or 10 favorite albums of all time. Redman deserves credit for putting Jersey hip-hop on the map, along with Queen Latifah and Naughty By Nature. Meth was the best rapper in, at least in my opinion, the greatest rap group of all-time: The Wu-Tang Clan. Their collaborative album, "Blackout", was every bit as great as fans anticipated. Inevitably, they got involved in movies and came back to a hip-hop generation more concerned with snappin' and poppin' and ringtone jingles, but even today, Red and Meth are better than nearly any new jack you can name.
8. Canibus: In sports, we talk about guys having a high "basketball IQ" or "football IQ". Canibus had a high rhyme IQ. YouTube any old Canibus freestyle or find an old cassette with some old Canibus joints on it and you will be amazed. His wordplay, delivery, flow were all mind-blowing. "2nd Round KO", the diss track that 'Bus unleashed on LL Cool J, is(to me, at least) second only to Nas' Ether in terms of the greatest diss tracks of all time. Many gave LL the W, but I think that's more mainstream hype than actual fact. Canibus' career may be long over as, even with all his skill, he could never sell records but there will probably never be a lyricist as nice as the man once regarded as "The Next Rakim".
7. Nas: How is the responsible for the greatest diss track of all-time and the winner of one of the most publicized rap battles this far down the list? Well, for all of Nas' greatness, he's wildly inconsistent. He followed up his first two solid albums("Illmatic" and "It Was Written") with a piss-poor Firm album and two even more intolerable LPs("I Am" and "Nastradamus"). It's hard to put a rapper as great as Nas too high when he has "Oochie Wally" and "Owe Me Back" to his credit. Nas came back out of rap's death trap by humiliating Jay-Z by dropping the song "Ether" on the remarkable comeback album, "Stillmatic". But even after following "Stillmatic" up with another great album, "God's Son", Nas dropped "Street's Disciple", which some people liked and some people didn't. "Hip Hop Is Dead" and "Untitled" were great bounce back albums that showed the old vintage Nas and all signs point to his latest album with Damien Marley being another smash. So yeah, Nas SHOULD probably be higher, but Nas is as responsible for his great hits as he is for his epic misses.
6. Eminem: White people everywhere owe their newfound hipness to Slim Shady. He managed to pull off the seemingly impossible task of erasing the "Vanilla Ice" stigma from all white rappers and helped bring hip-hop to the suburbs and the mainstream.....and that's where my problem with Mr. Mathers lies. Don't get me wrong, I love Eminem. I love his music. I love his balls-to-the-wall approach to address any subject matter, anytime. What I don't love is the millions of suburban white kids in sagging pants and sideways caps who think they know hip hop because they just bought that new Soulja Boy. Em's mainstream success brought hip-hop to a higher level and broadened its horizons and, if today's music is any indication, it was obviously a mistake. Hip-hop was always meant to be underground because, as proven with bums like Soulja Boy or Jibbs or any other half-assed commercial rapper, the genre was going to suffer when it put in the wrong hands.
When MTV tried to jump back on the rap bandwagon after leaving it for dead on the sidewalk years before Em's debut, it ushered in a new wave of guys who didn't have much talent but had the ability to make pop-friendly records. MTV wanted no part of the Jadakisses or Talib Kwelis, they just wanted to put a backwards Yankee cap on Fred Durst and call it rap-rock so white kids could eat it up. Now, Em isn't a flash in a pan commercial pop rapper like so many of his brethren collecting a check today and certainly, he didn't intentionally put hip-hop in the state it's in, but his success helped cause this. Still, the fact that Eminem managed to have ANY success is an incredible feat on its own. He managed to give downtrodden white kids, who couldn't relate to the "slingin' rocks and guns shots" of gangsta rap a voice. He went against the grain and made commercially-acceptable music that even hardcore hip hop heads could listen to. He did things HIS way and, eventhough he's dropped two subpar albums the last two times out, there is still nobody who can touch Slim Shady when he's on his A-Game.
5. Rakim: To fans of true hip hop, Rakim is as respected of a name as any in the game. He, along with guys like Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, and Kool Moe Dee, defined '80's hip-hop. His tag-teaming with Eric B. set the game on its ear and even now, as new fans have either forgotten him or never heard of him, he's dropping albums that have more depth than most of hip-hop's new class. For all the alleged new hip-hop heads who swear by Drake or think Lil Wayne is the greatest rapper of all-time, I defy you to put any of their albums against "Paid in Full".
4. 2Pac: I couldn't in good conscience put Em and Rakim ahead of 'Pac. Eventhough I was never a HUGE 'Pac fan(yes, I know, blasphemy. Sue me), and eventhough his life was cut short just as his career was about to hit its peak, you have to give credit where credit is due. 2Pac rejuvenated an entire coast after the West went dormant after the N.W.A. breakup. 'Pac not only made party records like "I Get Around" or "California Love", he was able to flex his poetic ability and touch on social issues with "Brenda's Got A Baby", "Changes", "Dear Mama" and "Keep Ya Head Up". For all of 'Pac's soft side, he was as fiery as they come. Never one to back down, he threw the first sucker punch in the media-inspired East Coast-West Coast rivalry with "Hit 'Em Up", an all-out assault on the Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Records. Had 'Pac lived to see the whole beef with Biggie through, we might have gotten more of a grasp as to where his place in hip-hop history stands. For now, he's a legend with a vast cult following whose memory will never go away, even as the genre he helped keep alive slowly dwindles to nothing.
3. Jay-Z: He started out as a rapper and became an entrepreneur. Jay-Z has become the ultimate mix of street hustler and buttoned-up business man. He's more than just a recording artist now. He's a brand name. He's an entity. He owns part of the New Jersey Nets. He once ran Def Jam, the holy grail of hip hop labels. He's made classic album after classic album("Reasonable Doubt", "Hard Knock Life", "The Blueprint".....you know what, if I have to name them for you, you shouldn't be reading the list). My issue with Hova, and the real reason he's not at the top of this list, is three things. One, for a man who claims to keep all of his rhymes in his head and doesn't write anything down, far too many of his "freestyles" I've managed to hear on songs either before or after the initial freestyle. Second, far too many of Biggie's rhymes come out the man's mouth. I know he's paying tribute to his mentor but there comes a time where you have to say, enough's enough. Maybe that's being petty, but I don't care. To me, you can't call yourself the greatest rapper of all time if you're constantly biting from someone else. Third, and perhaps the most important, Jay-Z got absolutely destroyed by Nas. You'd be a fool to try to argue the other way around. The only reason Jay is up higher than Nas is that he doesn't have Nas' fatal flaw of laying eggs when it comes to dropping albums. Of the 11 albums, Jay-Z's put out, I disliked only 1 of them(His "comeback from retirement" record, Kingdom Come). Jay-Z has always been remarkably consistent. He's managed to stay relevant in a time where rappers of his age and ilk are being thrown by the waist side and replaced with more media-friendly acts. He's just a great rapper who will never go away and now, with all his success from other business endeavors, he's not only a player in the rap game but a player in the business world and a name at the end of the lips of guys who no longer associate him with rap music.
2. KRS-One: If you're going to write me hate mail because I have Mr. Parker ahead of Jigga and 'Pac, save your breath. Without KRS-One, there's be no 2Pac. There'd be no Jay-Z. There'd be Biggie or anyone else(save for maybe Rakim) on this list. KRS-One isn't the founder of hip-hop but he might as well be. His face should be permanently entrenched on the Mount Rushmore of Hip Hop. He helped bring hip-hop from disco clubs and street corner sound systems to something a bit more mainstream. His live show is the stuff of legends. Go pay $200 and try to find someone who moves a crowd STILL like "The Blastmaster". You will lose. He emerged victorious from his legendary battle with MC Shan, dropping the classic "The Bridge Is Over". He did hip-hop a huge favor and dismantled Nelly, eventhough Nelly continued to sell records after Kris dropped "Ova Here". He's a living legend. He's the teacher. Some rappers are iconic. KRS-One is an institution. His significance to this genre goes past just a verse or his run with BDP or "The Temple of Hip-Hop". It's about how his impact opened the door for so many legends that came after him.
1. Notorious B.I.G.: His first two albums(and really the only two albums he's responsible for before his death), "Ready To Die" and "Life After Death", are as good if not better than ANY two albums you want to put out there. Biggie's the classic example, much like 'Pac, of a great career that ended before it could ever really start, so it says a lot that he managed to have such a profound impact off of essentially two full-length albums. He was, in every aspect, a complete MC. His flow was incredible. His wordplay was ridiculous. The way he subliminally ripped Nas a new one on "Kick In The Door" was crazy. He resuscitated New York hip hop and, along with the Wu-Tang Clan, gave the East Coast something 2Pac and Death Row and the guys on the West Coast had to compete with. His early death not only robbed us of what would have been a ground-breaking career but also the chance to see two of the greats battle it out in a legit battle between him and 2Pac. On this list, we talked about guys making wack records, I've never even heard BIG make a wack verse. EVER. To me, that alone makes him the greatest rapper of all-time.
Gabe:
9. Chuck D - What makes someone the greatest MC? Sometimes it's the written rhyme. Sometimes it's freestyling. Sometimes it's crossing over into other arenas like acting, producing, business, etc. Sometimes, like in the case of Chuck D, it is inventing, and still being the best at, a sub-genre of hip-hop. He essentially created political rap. There were guys before him that were socially conscious, but never with the strength and in-your-face attitude that Chuck had. He was bold. He was outspoken. He wasn't remaking "The Message." Also, make no mistake, this all about Chuck D. Flavor Flav was simply a hype man. Chuck was the creative force and leader of Public Enemy.
8. Jay-Z - I'm putting Jay-Z on my list because not only is he a great MC, but he is also the greatest businessman in hip-hop history. His early music is incredible. His entrepreneurial successes are well documented, Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, etc. Although I think his music fallen off recently (Dave and I go in circles about "Empire State of Mind"), even now, when he is on, he is better than most out there. "D.O.A." is such an intelligent song. The beat and music are complex. The song is a unashamed indictment of the state of current rap. It makes you wish the people he was attacking would make better music, or at least recognize the song is about them.
7. KRS-One - Like Dave said, KRS-One is a teacher and a living legend. He was relevant and innovative over 20 years ago and he still is today. He appears on tracks these days and is as good or better than anyone he appears with. His live shows are legendary. And above all else he is one of the most intelligent and eloquent rappers in the game.
6. J-Live - J-Live is on this list because of his lyrics. He is one of the smartest people in hip-hop. His metaphors and wordplay are second to none. Listen to the track "Firewater" in which he likens his flow to alcohol and carries the metaphor throughout the entire song. He is also a producer and DJ who creates his own beats. He is a triple threat, and even calls his company 3TP, as in Triple Threat Productions. Part of the reason he is not higher on my list is his thematic elements. He is constantly rhyming about how much is underground and how he isn't popular but is better than the guys on the radio. That shtick gets old after a few albums. Also, since his early work and the track "Them That's Not" he hasn't really cracked the mainstream, and there is something to be said for being able to make complex, intelligent, yet still accessible music. More on that later.
5. Eminem - The obvious? He's the greatest and most important white rapper ever. He makes you forget color. The not-so-obvious? He is a brilliant storyteller. His lyrical strength is not in wordplay, but in constructing a narrative. Think about songs like "Guilty Conscience," "Lose Yourself," and the best example "Stan." After hearing "Stan," SNL's Lorne Michaels said, "I don't know rap, but I know writing, and that's good writing." His imagery may be gruesome and violent but no one pulls you through a story, from opening to conflict to climax to ending, like Mr. Mathers.
4. Tupac - Call him the greatest utility infielder in hip-hop history. Pac could do everything. He made songs you could dance to. He made songs that made you think about social issues. He made heartfelt songs, like "Dear Mama." His songs covered every subject imaginable. He probably wasn't the best at any single aspect of hip-hop, but he was great, and better than most, at all of them. On a personal note, with the exception of my no. 1, he is the only person on this list that if you asked for my favorite lyric of theirs, I would have an immediate answer. The opening lines from "Troublesome '96"....."Menacin' methods label me a lethal weapon/Makin' n****s die witnessin' breathless imperfection."
3. Mos Def - In my humble opinion he is best actor of the great rappers. From his days in Black Star to this year, when he dropped The Ecstatic, he has consistently made great music. Black On Both Sides and The Ecstatic are amazing. He is the lead on the greatest hip-hop song ever written, "Respiration." He has branched out into other genres of music, like rock with his band Black Jack Johnson. He is smart, socially conscious, and funny. And the thing I like the most might be his flow. He has the smoothest delivery of anyone not named Method Man. Also, remember what I said about being intelligent and cracking the mainstream? Mos is an example of how to do that right.
2. Rakim - I am putting Rakim this high because of how long he has been doing what he does. Unlike most rappers from the early days, KRS-One included, all of his stuff sounds like it could be released today. He was way ahead of his time. He has influenced countless other great rappers. And trust me, listen to "Follow The Leader." It still holds up.
1. Black Thought - To me this is simple. The best is obvious. And, this is my list. I think Thought is the greatest written rhymer out there. Songs like "Proceed," "Step Into The Realm," "The Next Movement," and "Don't Feel Right" show this. He is also one of the best freestyle artists ever. Tracks like "Thought @Work" and "Web" could be packaged together in a textbook titled "Lessons To A Young Freestyler." They are basically freestyles set to music and put on wax. On top of all of this he fronts the most genre bending groups in hip-hop, The Roots, the first hip-hop band if you will. They were the first to have live instruments, not a DJ, on stage backing their frontmen. His lyrics and their music are the most creative in hip-hop.
That's it, that's the list. Boom (another Roots song). Roasted.
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