Best Rapper Of All-Time?

[JYD]

jay-z. the only reason i say this is because he just has so much great material and albums out there. it's not just one or two good albums like i feel a guy like nas has. i wasn't blown away by a few nas albums. he has like 2-3 really nice albums, and then the rest are only average to good for me.

 

all jay's albums are fire, and he's been sooo influential in hip-hop.

[HipHopHead]

jay-z. the only reason i say this is because he just has so much great material and albums out there. it's not just one or two good albums like i feel a guy like nas has. i wasn't blown away by a few nas albums. he has like 2-3 really nice albums, and then the rest are only average to good for me.

 

all jay's albums are fire, and he's been sooo influential in hip-hop.

Not to sound like an [expletive] but there have been more flopped Jay-Z albums then classics. The Blueprint 2 and 3 were trash, same said with Kingdom Come. Jay-Z is a much better business man than rapper to say the least.

 

Illmatic is the greatest LP of all time. Stillmatic, I Am, Hip Hop Is Dead, God's Son , Street Disiple and [expletive]er were all pretty damn good to excellent if not classic albums (especially the first two). Not to mention the pre-Illmatic [expletive] is untouchable - probably some of the illest lyrics put to wax.

[Flash]

Not to sound like an [expletive] but there have been more flopped Jay-Z albums then classics. The Blueprint 2 and 3 were trash, same said with Kingdom Come. Jay-Z is a much better business man than rapper to say the least.

 

Illmatic is the greatest LP of all time. Stillmatic, I Am, Hip Hop Is Dead, God's Son , Street Disiple and [expletive]er were all pretty damn good to excellent if not classic albums (especially the first two). Not to mention the pre-Illmatic [expletive] is untouchable - probably some of the illest lyrics put to wax.

 

If they were such "flops" then why is the guy still doing his thing with the same level of popularity? Kingdom Come sucked I agree. But Reasonable Doubt was a classic and I like the Blueprint Albums.

[NomarFachix]

I cannot stand Jay-Z. Don't care for much... Big Pimpin was good because UGK was in it

 

He has such a loyal following and mad respect, I just don't like his stuff

[MainEv3nt]

Not to sound like an [expletive] but there have been more flopped Jay-Z albums then classics. The Blueprint 2 and 3 were trash, same said with Kingdom Come. Jay-Z is a much better business man than rapper to say the least.

 

Illmatic is the greatest LP of all time. Stillmatic, I Am, Hip Hop Is Dead, God's Son , Street Disiple and [expletive]er were all pretty damn good to excellent if not classic albums (especially the first two). Not to mention the pre-Illmatic [expletive] is untouchable - probably some of the illest lyrics put to wax.

 

i agree.

 

also when H.H.H. says jay-z flops i dont think hes talkin sale wise i think album wise. jayz last albums been lame, he hasnt had a good album since black album.

[HipHopHead]

If they were such "flops" then why is the guy still doing his thing with the same level of popularity? Kingdom Come sucked I agree. But Reasonable Doubt was a classic and I like the Blueprint Albums.

Because he's popular and makes radio-friendly singles. Along with the fact he's a very good business man. lol, that's like asking why Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy are still relevant in hip-hop.

 

i agree.

 

also when H.H.H. says jay-z flops i dont think hes talkin sale wise i think album wise. jayz last albums been lame, he hasnt had a good album since black album.

 

Can't agree with that last statement, American Gangster was probably his second best album ever though TBA is one of my favorites of all time.

Edited May 5, 2010 by HipHopHead

[Flash]

i agree.

 

also when H.H.H. says jay-z flops i dont think hes talkin sale wise i think album wise. jayz last albums been lame, he hasnt had a good album since black album.

 

Idk I guess my taste is different. I really enjoyed BP3 to be honest. Maybe its not his best album lyrically but I enjoyed almost all the songs on it.

 

I guess different stokes for different folks lol.

[HipHopHead]

Idk I guess my taste is different. I really enjoyed BP3 to be honest. Maybe its not his best album lyrically but I enjoyed almost all the songs on it.

 

I guess different stokes for different folks lol.

exactly, whatever pleases the ear.

[Nitro]

Illmatic is the greatest LP of all time. Stillmatic, I Am, Hip Hop Is Dead, God's Son , Street Disiple and [expletive]er were all pretty damn good to excellent if not classic albums (especially the first two). Not to mention the pre-Illmatic [expletive] is untouchable - probably some of the illest lyrics put to wax.

 

I'm a huge Nas fan and agree he's the greatest rapper of all time, but I Am, Hip Hop Is Dead, Streets Disciple and Untitled were all mediocre to crap (I HATE Streets Disciple, and being a double-disc makes it even worse).

 

And how could you leave out It Was Written? Top to bottom that's his 2nd best album IMO.

[Warren2ThaG]

Tupac was such a great rapper because he'd rather get tha message to you and me so we could see whats going on in his world through his eyes but he shared it with all of us through his lyrics. Tupac was the greatest because he spoke out, there is not a lot of competition when you look at it that way... Even after getting charged for heinous crimes we still value what he says. Tha media liez when they speak but power in someones voice will quite tha most outrageous claims.. No'1 even comes close. You guys are just blinded and brainwashed.

[Flash]

Streets Disciple was WOAT. I like Nas but hated that CD.

[Nitro]

Tupac was such a great rapper because he'd rather get tha message to you and me so we could see whats going on in his world through his eyes but he shared it with all of us through his lyrics. Tupac was the greatest because he spoke out, there is not a lot of competition when you look at it that way... Even after getting charged for heinous crimes we still value what he says. Tha media liez when they speak but power in someones voice will quite tha most outrageous claims.. No'1 even comes close. You guys are just blinded and brainwashed.

 

I know what you're saying and agree to an extent, as he was definately the most influential rapper ever from the standpoint of getting messages and emotion across.

 

With that said, he just didn't have the lyrical ability as a few other top MC's do (that is not to say he didn't have lyrical talent, he was an amazing lyracist). And the one other problem he had is that he never made a truly classic album that was great to amazing end-to-end. All Eyez On Me was terrific, but being a double-disc hurt it. That is why I love Illmatic, Blackstar, Enter the Wu-Tang, Doe or Die...all were relatively short but every song is very high quality. Even though I like 2Pac better than all those rappers on those albums except Nas, it kind of hurts his case a bit.

[Real Deal]

My two are Eminem and Pac. I think they connected with more people on personal levels, and that's mainly what music is all about...not to mention I think Em is, hands down, the greatest lyricist of all-time.

 

Personal preference, of course.

[JYD]

Because he's popular and makes radio-friendly singles. Along with the fact he's a very good business man. lol, that's like asking why Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy are still relevant in hip-hop.

 

 

 

Can't agree with that last statement, American Gangster was probably his second best album ever though TBA is one of my favorites of all time.

Lol wattt man? the blueprint and reasonable doubt were BOTH classic hip-hop albums.

 

nas had two great albums which were illmatic (arguably greatest of all time although my personal favorite is blueprint 1) and stillmatic. god's son is also one of my personal favorite albums.

 

the others i'd take a jay album over it almost any day.

[AboveLegit]

It Was Written has some of the greatest lyrics I will ever hear.

 

Nas is the greatest. Lyrically, he's above everyone.

[Nitro]

nas had two great albums which were illmatic (arguably greatest of all time although my personal favorite is blueprint 1) and stillmatic. god's son is also one of my personal favorite albums.

 

Yet another person that doesn't mention It Was Written. Easily one of the most underrated albums of all-time because it came directly after Illmatic. IMO his 2nd best album. And I forgot to mention before, The Lost Tapes, even though it wasn't really an album, had a few classics ('Purple', 'Doo Wrags', 'Black Zombis' to name a few).

 

And also, Nas has had more guest appearances on great rap songs than Jay-Z. 'Mo' Money Mo' Murder' with AZ, 'Verbal Intercourse' with Raekwon, 'Road to Zion' with Damian Marley, and the list goes on.

[crabbylion]

What are you [expletive]ing about mate?

 

Soulja Boy is quality, he has a number one hit, has come out with many hit songs, and made the whole world do the same dance, can any other rapper do that? Thought so. He had many great rappers like GZA (or was it RZA?), Ice-T, Snoop diss him because they were obviously jealous of how good he is.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mspXEhOM84

 

Sup?

 

 

I don't believe that you're serious.... Look, dude...a hit is just that, a hit! Bell Biv Devoe had hits...Vanilla Ice had hits....does that qualify them as best rappers ever?

[crabbylion]

It Was Written has some of the greatest lyrics I will ever hear.

 

Nas is the greatest. Lyrically, he's above everyone.

 

 

Hard to argue wit the man here. Although I think you forgot about the quality of Stillmatic AND even God's Son. That was a darn good album too. But yea, NAS is hot business. Regardless of what 50 cent and Jigga may have said.

[AboveLegit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWNh2D8FQFM

 

Call me when Jay Z or Tupac can put out something like this.

[HipHopHead]

I'm a huge Nas fan and agree he's the greatest rapper of all time, but I Am, Hip Hop Is Dead, Streets Disciple and Untitled were all mediocre to crap (I HATE Streets Disciple, and being a double-disc makes it even worse).

 

And how could you leave out It Was Written? Top to bottom that's his 2nd best album IMO.

It Was Written was probably his worse album lmao. Not only did he sell the [expletive] out, he didn't seem to give a [expletive] that he put out such a mediocre LP. Save for two or three songs the album was legitimate trash.

 

Just as I mentioned with Life After Death with B.I.G, Streets Disciple if one album would have been outstanding.

 

Those four LP's listed earlier were pretty damn good albums, saying Untitled wasn't especially is ludicrous as that was probably his best lyrical album since Illmatic.

 

 

 

And also, Nas has had more guest appearances on great rap songs than Jay-Z. 'Mo' Money Mo' Murder' with AZ, 'Verbal Intercourse' with Raekwon, 'Road to Zion' with Damian Marley, and the list goes on.

Can't believe you didn't mention Live at the BBQ or Back to the Grill, to verses that put him on the map.

Streets Disciple was WOAT. I like Nas but hated that CD.

 

Lol wattt man? the blueprint and reasonable doubt were BOTH classic hip-hop albums.

 

nas had two great albums which were illmatic (arguably greatest of all time although my personal favorite is blueprint 1) and stillmatic. god's son is also one of my personal favorite albums.

 

the others i'd take a jay album over it almost any day.

 

point in case? the fact is there have been more flops than success for jay-z in retrospective.

Edited May 5, 2010 by HipHopHead

[Warren2ThaG]

My two are Eminem and Pac. I think they connected with more people on personal levels, and that's mainly what music is all about...not to mention I think Em is, hands down, the greatest lyricist of all-time.

 

Personal preference, of course.

 

Agreed, those are my 2 also. Even Ice Cube.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfXwmDGJAB8&feature=related

[Nitro]

It Was Written was probably his worse album lmao. Not only did he sell the [expletive] out, he didn't seem to give a [expletive] that he put out such a mediocre LP. Save for two or three songs the album was legitimate trash.

 

Those four LP's listed earlier were pretty damn good albums, saying Untitled wasn't especially is ludicrous as that was probably his best lyrical album since Illmatic.

 

It Was Written was his worst album...really?!? Wow. There is not one song on Untitled, except MAYBE 'Queens Get the Money' that is a better song than 'I Gave You Power', 'Shootouts', 'If I Ruled the World', 'Affirmative Action', 'Take It In Blood', 'Black Girl Lost', 'The Message', or 'Street Dreams'. I don't know how you can even argue that. I understand that everyone has personal preference, but lyrically Unittled wasn't even CLOSE to It Was Written (or Illmatic, Stillmatic, God's Son, Lost Tapes, and soon to be Distant Relatives).

 

And I didn't mention Live at the BBQ or Back to the Grill because they really weren't great songs. His verses were legendary and that made those songs relatively famous, but overall they weren't great songs.

Edited May 5, 2010 by Nitro1118

[YugoRocketsFan]

I don't believe that you're serious.... Look, dude...a hit is just that, a hit! Bell Biv Devoe had hits...Vanilla Ice had hits....does that qualify them as best rappers ever?

 

Yes but Soulja Boy is totally different, he is very versatile, while he does make dance songs, he also makes great freestyles. Listen to him more and you will know what I mean.

[Legacy]

Yes but Soulja Boy is totally different, he is very versatile, while he does make dance songs, he also makes great freestyles. Listen to him more and you will know what I mean.

lol what a beast.

[HipHopHead]

It Was Written was his worst album...really?!? Wow. There is not one song on Untitled, except MAYBE 'Queens Get the Money' that is a better song than 'I Gave You Power', 'Shootouts', 'If I Ruled the World', 'Affirmative Action', 'Take It In Blood', 'Black Girl Lost', 'The Message', or 'Street Dreams'. I don't know how you can even argue that. I understand that everyone has personal preference, but lyrically Unittled wasn't even CLOSE to It Was Written (or Illmatic, Stillmatic, God's Son, Lost Tapes, and soon to be Distant Relatives).

I don't think you can attest the political value Untitled has held with the end of the Bush era and the beginning of the Obama regime. I look at It Was Written as a failed political call for help that Untitled successfully accomplishes. You look at one song, If I Ruled The World, and some of the themes are just illogical and in all honesty stupid. Come on, listen to the chorus - "If I ruled the world, I'd free all my sons....". We saw Nas as immature kid - obviously intelligent on the subject of black history and music considering his fathers background, but not being able to find the right words to describe this feeling of proud-ness.

 

To paraphrase RR; nowadays we are taught that music trumps lyrics – melody is king. But this time it could not be further from the truth. Once you really focus on the words, you'll realise that this hip hop legend single-handedly drags the album over the finishing line into classic territory - sure, in SPITE of the production, but who cares when no MC has ever come close to such a balanced exploration of truly volcanic subject matter? He doesn't preach or bleat on about “reverse racism” – he fairly assesses (without pretention) so many areas, shedding light on even more themes with unique expertise. Do the math and you'll figure out the score I'm unable to officially give the MC for the Lyrics. Even if the music isn't extraordinary, Nas himself is legendary on "Untitled" - and as long as racism is relevant, so is this album.