Is he the best rapper of all time?

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

This is based off a discussion I had with my guy friends over our vacation, and trust me I grew out of the rap phase after high school but it still made for an interesting debate...

 

Is Eminem, the best rapper of all time?

 

I posed this question and every single person wanted to say no but after thinking about it for a while, couldn't really find any fault with the idea.

 

Now before you scoff, take some time to think about it and consider all of the criteria of lyrics, style, delivery, longevity, marketability, ability to freestyle, ability to write own stuff.. All of it. I submit that Eminem has all of these qualities and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who checks all the boxes as well as he does from current, to recent, to old school.

 

For example, someone like Twista was a one trick pony who could rap fast. Drake is just a performer created by the industry imho, Snoop had marketability but his lyrics and delivery were pretty weak. Biggie just seems like a default answer and while Jay Z had marketability and longevity does he come off as a great lyricist or freestyle rapper?

 

A few other names that I felt were acceptable to debate were

-NaS

-Tupac (though I think his death gives him that heath ledger type boost, but still very good)

-Members of Run DMC

 

 

any others? Please do not say Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Kanye, 50 Cent, DMX, T.I., Ludacris, etc....

[rholio 339]

Tupac was probably on top, but 'retired' too soon. Eminem has passed him, and is still going. Not as popular as he was, but still doing well.

[KSB2424 3,148]

Biggie

Jay Z

Eminem

Nas

Rakim

[frank 2,305]

I thought this thread was gonna be about me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DMC

Chuck D

MC Chris

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

Biggie

Jay Z

Eminem

Nas

Rakim

 

I can understand the tendency to list Jay Z......... and Nas was definitely the most debated when we had our discussion on the topic

 

but if you dont mind me asking

 

what makes you list Biggie first? Im curious the reasons you feel he is the best of all time or if this list was not in order, why he made your list of 5. One of my friends said Biggie and when asked why it basically boiled down to "birfdays was the worst dayyys, now i sip champagne when im thistaaaay".

[frank 2,305]

Don't believe the hype.

[jerryskids 6,792]

Eminem

Blues Traveler

Sugar Hill Gang

[cyclone24 1,913]

My top 5 are:

 

Dylan

Dylan

Dylan

Dylan

And Dylan.

 

Because he spit hot fire.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 4,348]

EZ E

[frank 2,305]

EZ E

Well, I'm Eazy E, I got bitches galore

You might have a lot of bitches, but I got much more

[MDC 7,408]

Chuck D

[Skanker 0]

It's debatable whether he is #1, but I don't think anyone in their right mind would argue that he is not in the top 5. Unique voice, lyrically gifted, charisma...dude definitely deserves to be in the Hip Hop HOF.

[Reality 3,121]

Biggie

Jay Z

Eminem

Nas

Rakim

Great list.

 

[shotsup 832]

I am way to white to join in this conversation.

[shotsup 832]

You people really listen(ed) to rap ?

 

I have new disdain for you all. WOW.

 

I'd rather listen to Steel Panther and if you know me that is a huge deal.

[Voltaire 5,316]

You people really listen(ed) to rap ?

 

I have new disdain for you all. WOW.

 

I'd rather listen to Steel Panther and if you know me that is a huge deal.

 

Thanks. I was in here earlier to express sentiment similar to this but wound up just leaving because I couldn't figure out how to say it nicely.

[Drizzay 719]

I never got his appeal.

[shotsup 832]

( C )rap

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

You people really listen(ed) to rap ?

 

I have new disdain for you all. WOW.

 

I'd rather listen to Steel Panther and if you know me that is a huge deal.

 

i went through a rap phase that was typical of my generation. didn't last long. At this point I really only keep up with the most main stream stuff i'd hear on the radio which is probably more pop than rap.

 

im white, obviously, but I have always had a wide taste in music. some rap, r&b, even some country...

[shotsup 832]

I'm white. R&B and Blues even Delta Blues are awesome.

 

Rap is $hit.

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

I submit, for the people who do like some rap, Eminem's greatest verse/track and perfect example of his excellence. just skip to 2:40 to get past Lil Wayne.

 

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

I'm white. R&B and Blues even Delta Blues are awesome.

 

Rap is $hit.

 

everyone has their tastes. Ive never considered myself to be a die hard fan of any single genre of music. One of my college girlfriends got me into punk. some emo-ish stuff. Nothing too bad but I've had a taste for some of it ever since. Not the screamy, wrist slitting stuff though.

[shotsup 832]

 

everyone has their tastes. Ive never considered myself to be a die hard fan of any single genre of music. One of my college girlfriends got me into punk. some emo-ish stuff. Nothing too bad but I've had a taste for some of it ever since. Not the screamy, wrist slitting stuff though.

My Chemical Romance ??

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

My Chemical Romance ??

 

i can probably only think of one of their songs although I do personally know their manager (or former manager not sure) and they are from Jersey i believe.

 

Some of 'the Used', some 'Simple Plan', most all Fallout Boy, 'Something Corporate' which became 'Jacks Mannequin' which is very light and relaxing music actually.... and the singer went solo a year or two ago with a song you probably heard a lot on the radio

 

 

 

but mostly it was a song or two here and there from various bands.

 

For the most part thats how I choose my music. Songs more so than groups/artists. Very few groups/artists that I am die hard loyal to.

[Drizzay 719]

I like 1980's Too $hort more than m&m.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 4,348]

You people really listen(ed) to rap ?

 

I have new disdain for you all. WOW.

 

I'd rather listen to Steel Panther and if you know me that is a huge deal.

 

you wanna hear something funny

 

The very first time I ever heard Eminem, it was Slim Shady, and I was on a bus being transferred from Inglewood to LA County Jail. Needless to say I was the only white dude on the bus, and this song comes on, talk about awkward, but it was actually a pretty nice icebreaker, as I just said, they playing my song

[Filthy Fernadez 2,696]

Best wrapper of all time is whatever vending machine snack I just ate.

[Frozenbeernuts 2,264]

Disdain because people listen to rap? I don't get how you could have disdain for something like that

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Bill Cosby

[jerryskids 6,792]

 

you wanna hear something funny

 

The very first time I ever heard Eminem, it was Slim Shady, and I was on a bus being transferred from Inglewood to LA County Jail. Needless to say I was the only ###### white dude on the bus, and this song comes on, talk about awkward, but it was actually a pretty nice icebreaker, as I just said, they playing my song

 

Do tell the prison story.

[MDC 7,408]

Disdain because people listen to rap? I don't get how you could have disdain for something like that

I understand not liking rap but anyone who has listened to Fear of a Black Planet or The Low End Theory and thinks all rap has no merit is an idiot.

[shotsup 832]

 

Do tell the prison story.

He dropped the soap.

[mobb_deep 920]

Big L

Rakim

NAS

Guru

Biggie

[listen2me 23 1,873]

Big L

Rakim

NAS

Guru

Biggie

Almost this. Id throw in redman and ghostface who are probably the 2 most underrated.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

Eminem was good. But isnt his last few albums all crap? Why did he turn into a whiney drama queen?

[MDC 7,408]

Almost this. Id throw in redman and ghostface who are probably the 2 most underrated.

Liquid Swords by GZA is the best Wu-related album.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

Liquid Swords by GZA is the best Wu-related album.

Could be for sure.

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

Almost this. Id throw in redman and ghostface who are probably the 2 most underrated.

Redman came up in our discussions as underrated but ultimately not close to best of all time.

[WhiteWonder 2,734]

Eminem was good. But isnt his last few albums all crap? Why did he turn into a whiney drama queen?

Eminem had a middle stretch where his stuff was bad and his relapse album was weak. Every artist has a weak album but since thay he's been mostly back to good Eminem again. For example the video I linked above of him and Lil wayne. Whenever he appears on someone else's song he is always the best verse. He did a few duos with Rihanna. And his recovery album was good. It wasnt the slim shady or marshall Mathers LP or Encore but still good

[mobb_deep 920]

Liquid Swords by GZA is the best Wu-related album.

I'd probably agree. Tical and Only Built for Cuban Linx are solid too. Liquid Swords doesn't have a single bad track though.