Top 5 Rappers of All Time
Who do you consider to be the best rappers of all time? Can you even narrow it down to 5? I have been thinking about which rappers I would try to fit into a top 5 category and the same names keep coming up. BUT what criteria are we talking??? Are we talking about lyrics, popularity, sound? When I think of who are the best rappers, my thoughts immediately go to lyrics. Who can create that imagery to make you feel what the artist was talking about in the song? Keep you engaged and make you want to listen over and over studying every line of every bar?
With the exception of Juicebeats ;), my thoughts go immediately to:
#5 50 Cent. Even before his first album came out and everyone was
playing "In Da Club" spring of 2003, 50 Cent was killing the rap game
with his under ground mixtapes. Go back and look up "How to Rob" and listen to how he flipped his lyrics on many of the rappers in the game. Genius!
#4 Eminem. I was pretty skeptical when he first came onto the scene with his "My Name Is" song, but when I heard the rest of the album, he could definitely flow with the best of them. I soon realized that he used those poppy catchy songs to gain popularity with all audiences, and also create controversy to get people to talk more about him.
#3 Outkast. Need I say more about this rap group? incredible style, flair, and creativity. Lyrics always on point.
#2 Jay-Z. Not 2013 Jay-Z, but before he announced his retirement from rap. Most of the kids today don't know this Jay-Z. Reasonable Doubt, Hard Knock Life, Blueprints, go back and take a listen.
2Pac as the #1 spot. If you have ever listened to his music in your life, then you know exactly how poetic his lyrics were, and how he could create a whole scene in your head of the images he was portraying. If you compare his lyrics to today's rap, wait do rappers today even have lyrics? Seems as though the songs I hear nowadays sound exactly alike and have no real lyrical content. Not always a bad thing, because sometimes you don't want to think and just listen to a good beat or good sound, but we are talking about lyrics, and 2Pac had that on lock. Probably why there are so many documentaries, books, and write-ups about him.
A lot of people argue, where is BIG, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Rakim, Run DMC, Kendrik Lamar, Mos Def, Common, Nas, Kanye? It would be hard for me to argue against them, but you tell me why they should be put in the Top 5. I would like to hear your top 5's and why you would put them there. Leave comments below.
#Juicebeats
