MY TOP Five : HIstorically Accurate and based on everything
on actual skill, time line line relevence, and important variables.
Hey JOe,
I know everybody does a top five or whatever, but i have never done one, and actually never even thought of it this thoroughly [gulp, i hope]. i will list the artist and hopefully a short reason for my ranking, and why they are ranked that high.
Well anyway here goes.
#1 - One
-Krs One [easily the highest rated emcee in history. simply because he has provided the most skill in every rap category of some kind. be it as an emcee in technical skills, performer, content, battling, performance, breathe control, etc. etc. not to mention just his history, on the scene is a timeline for the vibe of the culture, from a highly important purist view, which can be argued he is responsible for keeping intact, and further developing. no emcee can rate as high simply because krs one's career is a how to for any budding emcee, to ever grasp a mic and provides a clear path, and direction for not just rap, or emcees, but hiphop all together. any song an emcee, has in their discography, krs one has one or more highly comparable legendary joints[and that's joints with an s], except in the r&b/duet loverman category. but even krs1 has a singer duet, step into the world that can be argued was the best single released that year as well, in comparison to that r/b hook sung style of song]. also, this song sings volumes in krs's ability to create rap music that stays true to the original newschool principles you could also, say he was responsible for spearheading as well. so, if you wondered where the purge'n of old school mushy music was jettisoned from credibility and importance at the time of krs's heights of commercial relevence.
also, krs one's relevence on a weird note extends and eliminates the inclusion of biggie and tupac in the top ten, in a round about of much needed and discussed way.
example, when scott larock died.........bdp was the all around best produced rap group in rap, at the time and argueabley in history, yet you don't see krs going to fanatical levels to establish this opinion or champion his opinion into fake historical fact in the same vein as the media and puff have done to establish and push the fake legacy of pac/big into the forefront of rap pioneer history and relevence. this small reason is, also the reason krs one is the mainstay and should be in every main point of relevence and study, to any budding rapper/emcee/bboy to become a great emcee or contributor to the history, and culture of hiphop.
#2 - Two
Rakim [rakim is easily the number two rated emcee in history and just behind krs one simply, for the fact, that over his career he was the first completely superior technically savy emcee, that bridged that gap to the listener on subject matter that was completely technical, esoteric, or to just a simple understanding of pulling a girls at shows, or the subway[mahogany, what's on ya mind[probably the blueprint for the girl rhyme with the sampled r&b sang hook]to the gutter[the ghetto, know the ledge]. while at the same time also, creating some of the best well digested rap with a message. out of all the weird content subject matter emcees of the time, and history of rap, seen as being difficult to digest like an artist from rhythm x, rakim showed any listener or budding emcee, or rapper a blueprint in doing the same, but without the same effect. while also, not being categorized or pigeon-holed as the type of rapper, which is a talent in itself and shows the rare quality of bridging the gap, and versatility unseen from any emcee, with this diverse of content in the history of rap. which also, made him an obvious choice as the first major label rapper with a high profile r&b collabo, and keeping all of his street cred intact, at a time in rap when it was completely taboo, and a death sentence for any rapper when it came to journalistic and hiphop credibility and integrity. now, tell me that ain't dope
but anyway,
as a rapper, in an emcee category, rakim's smooth delivery, rhythm, tone, cadence have all been lifted over the years, and he is the original bitten rapper in the entire history of new school rap. i love krsone, to death, but the only reason ra doesn't ascend to the top of the list is that when going over the impact of krs one. krs one just historically has a larger impact to more people's careers over the time in the industry and a fueled a number of movements and projects that established and strengthen, a day and age of rap content needed in the this day and time. In comparison, to krs this is where ra pales in comparison, especially taking into account that rakim could just as easily provide the same type of intellectual discussion, and important stances needed to not only remain relevent, but a much needed and respected vocal or reason, that even artist like chuck d, and even ice t go to great lengths, to deliver on just a vocal basis in some type of forum, outside of the rap music context. meaning i can't rate him over a ni99a like krs who goes to lengths to establish bboy mores and values, historical relevence to hiphop and bboydom, that much more that rakim could do but does not do, but his voice is a much needed addition in the community of hiphop, and he doesn't really make an effort to contribute, in this fashion. but, imo this should be one of his real places, in rap because he has always been rarely interviewed and come across as the most well rounded level headed emcee in the history of rap. namely, he really is the one voice of reason, that has experience from the street, to life understanding and doesn't contribute that knowledge to any other emcees, or the general public to continue to further bridge the gap. not to mention, he also never brought up any other emcees into the game, and attempted to pass the torch, in the same vein as krs did with just the career, of artist like d-nice, just-ice, or even freddie foxx.
#3 - Three
tie *
LL Cool J
Big Daddy Kane
[i rate these two artist, in the same vein because they were the first successful long term drawing and most skilled artist that effectively established a legacy, as being the model for a selling rap/pop artist. a place could be listed for heavy d here as well, but this spot i saved as a tie, for bdk and ll cool j, because they were in essence the only still over-all respected artist who came from recording companies budding ideas on how to market solo rap superstars. their battle pedigree is legendary, and if you don't know then get to know. while at the same time having argueable periods of being the best emcees at some point in their careers. ll in 85, and maybe 90, and bdk, in 89 could be argued were the best rappers, respectfully at the time skill wise. both their careers, mirror one another over their discography, because both were the first respective artist on their labels who willingly/unwillingly navigated through the label politics, and created a hard template on selling solo rap superstars that is the over-all current blueprint, in the pop/rap music category]. seriously, label politics kept even both bdk, and ll who couldn't even appear in any of the early bdp driven content material. ll couldn't even appear in the vid, to self destruction and supposedly pen'd verses and was important presence in the filming of the very video, because of defjam politics at the time. over their careers, if given an objective listen to the politics, and material of these two greats should easily defeat any naysayers's negative opinions of these two artist because without these two artist's careers. one was sacrificial the other is paramount to the effectiveness of the the artist, record industry, and label's consistent execution of making a return on a mainstream popular world renowned rap icon. skill wise, it's a joke to even deny them skillwise, because still to this day, ll cool j still has imo, the clearest flow in the industry and it could be said he is the rule/blueprint/standard, for any artist recording rap/r&b collab material. that, he is still head and shoulders better than any artist in rap making any similar material in any emcee category especially clarity/relevence/content/cadence/flow, in the rap/r&b context. don't believe me, i'll put up any ll cool j rap/r&b collab over his career and it will dwarf material that is comparable, or more than likely a horrible ripoff, and in volume as well. not to mention bdk's whole aura is like watching a poor re-run in comparison to the ripoff's these labels try to market us in this time and era. just a review of ll and bdk's importance at the vh1 tribute should show their apparent dominance, and why they are the overall template in the rap industry, when marketing new supposed rap superstars in the industry.
ex.
excuse me miss, is just a horrible bitten bite of, the number selling pop record, hey lover with boyz2men, by ll cool j.
#4 - Four
Melle Mel
the first credible superstar in rap from press to the streets, and the template for pretty much every profitable drawing rapper in theory, whether as a solo artist or in a group. not to mention, while also having one of the best vocal tones and quality of any rapper period in rap, and one of the first rappers on reel-to-reel with the it' factor, that every label has searched for since rap was seen as a even a small draw. can't deny it, and he also is responsible for the first content rich verse known all through out rap. not to mention, even in this day and age, his image and technical skills in rap have been kept
'in-shape'. he also, is the only rapper who had technical skills in rap still relevent, when having technical skills wasn't even seen as an important factor. just as late as 98, melle mel was dropping freestyles, on radio still relevent with concise syllable usage, and doper than most newcomers doing the same thing. also, melle mel, was part of the first group who created the first use of melody in rap to make a hits, and prove rap could be a draw on that global scale, while also at the same time being the best emcee, in most discussion for his day and age.
seriously, when the idea of someone being dope and always being dope melle mel, always fits that mold. the only other rapper, i can think of from his era that kept his skills relevent is caz.
give it up, without him we wouldn't be having a discussion who was the best rapper, because he was the first best rapper, and the first rapper in the best group, and the best group making the best songs.
#5 - Five
Kool G Rap
does he need an introduction, at all. it's argueable on current work that you could put the genius of rap above all, especially since he is the emcee looked to as providing the technical blueprint on all present rap in this day and age. Especially in relevence, because the rap game has based their entire general skill set on kool g rap's syllable usage, and technical skills. the only reason i won't put him above the other four/five rappers on this list is that he came around in a time, when these emcees were major players, and he was taken as a great mid-level draw in comparison. but, in comparison to these artist in content, the knack on the genius of rap could be placed on clarity, which every artist above him had, but g rap has unbelieveable clarity in relation to number of larger syllables he consistently used, while also, not actually adhere'n to a set style for every song. Also, g rap never really had to adhere to major label politics on the same scale as bdk, his direct labelmate had in comparison. also, in comparison to west coast artist, at the same time kicking the same content g rap is easily head and shoulders above that crowd as well, and even can be said to have merc'd his gangsta rap contemporaries on his west coast produced, live and let die's, two to the head. i also, rank him head and shoulders above ice cube in the gangsta rap category because of icecube's important inclusion of del in his amerrikkka's most wanted writing team.
art barr
let it begin
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