January 15, 2007
Top 10 MC's Of All Time
by B-Easy
10. Jadakiss
For a long time I kind of hated on Jada, but damn, he all right with “master flow”. He’s always good for a hot verse on a song (Check out Nas’s “Made You Look (remix)” & Ghostface’s “Run”, just to name a few.) Jadakiss has been around for a while and is in the top five on a lot of people’s lists. Now about that classic album …
9. Common
Common Sense first came on the scene in 1992with his first album Can I Borrow a Dollar?, but he really go notice in ’94 with "I Used To Love H.E.R.". Probably the best “conscious” MC rapping right now (sorry Talib & Mos). Versatile whether it be straight spittin’, story telling, or knowledge rap. I’m happy to see he finally getting his shine with BE (over 800,000 sold), but I’ll look past those Gap ads.
8. Big Pun
Yea, we almost always forget about Punisher. For those who forgot: “Ay yo I hold niggas ransom for money like Johhny Handsome, been sonning niggas for so long I think I gotta grandson.” (Nore’s “Banned From TV”) Wow. Death prevented this huge MC to go any further on this list but still, Pun could hang with anybody here. Man, I need to go listen to "Watch Those" from Yeeeah Baby again.
7. Ice Cube (1987-1992)
When Death Certificate came out in 1991, you couldn’t tell me O'Shea Jackson wasn’t the best rapper in the world. Then he started acting and somewhere forgot about this album, he turned into what he rapped against. But I digress, I still got love for Cube, and I can’t hate on a dude for getting money. Actually his flow has gotten better recently, but I don’t think he’ll ever rhyme like he did on "No Vaseline" though.
6. Eminem
Em should probably be on anyone’s list, but best rapper of all time? Let’s just back up a minute. Eminem can probably go head to head with almost anyone and shine better (listen to Jay-Z’s “Renegade”), but I always said he had an advantage. No, not just his color, but his content. Would Common or Nas rap about fucking a man in his face? Would Jay-Z or Andre rap about raping six girlfriends (okay, DMX maybe)? Also, I would rank him higher, but lately he’s been slipping. “The Way I Am” from The Marshall Mathers LP is still one of my favorites though.
5. Andre 3000
Maybe it’s just a Southern thing, maybe it’s just a Georgia thing, but we always give Benjamin Andre a nod for one of the greatest even though he barely raps. But then again, Eminem ranked him in his top MC list (“Till I Collapse”) & Jay-Z has tried to record with him several times. Sometimes I do feel that we are waiting for his come back to rapping like Jesus returning. When and if he returns, will it be a let down? On second thought, I did enjoy his teasers in 2006 (Unk’s “Walk It Out (remix)” & Lloyd’s “You (remix)”).
4. 2Pac
Okay, I don’t think he was the most lyrical rapper, but you gotta respect the influence. Don’t believe me; ask Master P, Ja Rule, the West Coast, or Nas’s stomach. Shit, that’s just a few in a whole generation of tattooed thugs, getting locked up, and rappers recording 100 songs for one album. Pac was more of a poet; I don’t think it was ever his intention to flip a thousand metaphors. I hate to say it though, but his Ma is tarnishing his legacy with all those posthumous albums.
3. Nas
Nasty Nas was and will be always be know as THE lyricist for this generation. Since Illmatic, he was seen as the second coming of Rakim (who changed rap, but I still couldn’t put him on the list). Nasir has had a roller coaster of a career and has been accused of not being focused with passable albums (Nastradamus or Street’s Diciple, you pick), but lately the kid from QB has shown a spark. After was is probably the greatest rap battle ever with Jay-Z, Nas was awaken. Now, he is once again looked at as a Hip-Hop savior by some, but to me he’ll always be a dude I can count on when I need some deep lyrics.
2. The Notorious B.I.G.
For years, Frank White was always my #1, but for all my love for Biggie, he just didn’t have a lot of material. And yes, Jay-Z probably should thank him for his career. The whole process of recording club bangers for the radio and street shit for the album was perfected by Biggie. Even after Pac got in his ass (come on now, that shit hurt ME), Biggie was able to record Life After Death (and Ready To Die brought the East back!) which might be the prototype of the modern rap album today. Will his legacy hold up? My answer: “Kick In The Door” from Life After Death, classic Big.
1. Jay-Z
Jay-Hova, Jigga, S. Carter, Young; not matter what you call him, his is widely know as the “Best Rapper Alive” (Did you see that ass kissing fest at the BET Hip-Hop Awards?). I not even gonna talk about his influence on the East Coast/New York (Fat Joe, I looking at you), but let’s just go down South. Young Jeezy, T.I., & Lil’ Wayne are probably the best in the South today. Every one of these rappers have been heavily influenced by Jay-Z. Be it being called the “Jay-Z Of The South” (T.I. on the cover of the December 2004 issue of Vibe), the Snowman being his employee and quoting Jay-Z like hell (Examples: “Go Crazy’ & “Mic Check (remix)” to name just a few) , and Weezy F. taking his style all together (No, that’s not a bad thing). From being in classic battles with Nas, to rising up after Big and Pac died, Jay has been in constant contention for the top MC spot, as well as wearing and keeping the elusive crown for the “King Of New York”.
If you have any comments (or lists of your on) you can always contact us at: nappyafromail@gmail.com