10 Underachieving Rappers (Complex)

[beenz]

I'm glad they called out jay electronica. I dont give a shyt about any of those other cats.

 

[T.he I.nformant]

Who, Jay Elec? That's cool and all, but did he EVER release a mixtape (I know mixtapes of his verses are on the net, but I'm talking an actual project)

 

[mbewane]

Oh my bad, I honestly thought those mixtapes were only best-ofs of tracks released here and there as opposed to an actual Jay-Elec project, so didn't really check for them.

NVM, carry on.

 

[T.he I.nformant]

Oh my bad, I honestly thought those mixtapes were only best-ofs of tracks released here and there as opposed to an actual Jay-Elec project, so didn't really check for them.

NVM, carry on.

Not sure they're all official (in fact, I've noticed that there are some shared tracks), but it shows he got more than a few tracks.

 

[Sugar]

Charles Hamilton and Jay Electronica
Yall coulda did something powerful

 

[feelosofer]

Asher Roth


Asher Roth was overrated to begin with. He got a heavy push from MTV aka EmTV. He had gotten forced radio play and buzz all over the place. The dudes timing was perfect, but a lack of motivation and maybe too many pot breaks and Scooby Snacks, kept him off his hustle. He really strikes me as a guy that raps as a side activity or a hobby not a hardcore hip-hopper.


Charles Hamilton

Dude clearly has some severe mental illnesses, which he medicates himself with pills and heroin. He would have melted down in the spotlight. The guy is a very good rapper when focused and is a brilliant beatmaker, but he would have been a cult hero even if Pink Lavalamp dropped


Peedi Crakk

I like Peedi Crakk as a rapper, but State Property's run ran in line with The LOX/D-Blocks run and at that point there wasn't really enough room for both crews and the LOX/Ruff Ryders were far more established. Worse yet they would have to compete with G-Unit on the come up. Peedi Crakk was the predecessor to Meek Mills but surprisingly Meek is not only more successful, he is arguably the better rapper.


Nipsey Hussle

He is still young, and he can find success still. This is premature.


Cassidy

Cassidy overachieved if anything. Yea his single 'Hotel' was wack, but he took the money and ran. He is a talent lyricist, but a poor song writer.


Slim Thug

Dude is more comfortable being a street rapper. Houston supports it's own so why not just do him.


Juelz Santana

Juelz was nice on the mic, but he lacked Jim Jones's hustle and versatilty.

Saigon

Saigons arrogance is really what kept him from blowing up. Despite his 1st official album being very good. He had his chance with the Entourage appearance but he never capitalized.


Canibus

Best case scenario Canibus drops two moderately successful albums. 'Spittas' don't sell for the most part.

Jay Electronica

For his whole career, Jay Electronica has traded heavily on not treating his music like a career, and allowing mystique and scarcity—and of course his unique talent—to keep him afloat. But as we approach four years since one of the most lyrical songs ever, "Exhibit C," without much to show for it besides a stray track here and a Mac Miller collab there.

You have to wonder whether we'll ever get an album, much less whether it'd be worth the wait. Andre 3000 can drop sporadic bombs on the rap world and spend years teasing the possibility of an album, but his legend is already assured with a thick back catalog. By comparison, Jay Electronica's greatness is more like a rumor.

Last month, in the thick of a summer full of big releases by his Roc Nation labelmates, Jay tweeted "it's my turn." But he also tweeted 16 months earlier that the album was done. Meanwhile, guys like Kendrick and J. Cole are out there enjoying the kind of careers that many fans envisioned for Jay Electronica, whose superiority to those and other artists remains largely theoretical and untested.

Completely agree.

http://www.complex.com/music/2013/08/10-underachieving-rappers/

 

[Wacky D]

peedi crakk shouldve been what meek millz is now.

he would've been bigger commercially.
I don't know if southerners would've rode as hard for peedi as they do for meek right now. but then again, theres a lot of southern state prop fans on the low. like a lot.

 

[Danie84]

I don't comprehend the cacs bypassing Asher, yet embracing Cac Miller and Cacklemore

Was it his elitist name

 

[Zach Lowe]

Most of these cats didn't have much star potential and you could tell it then...

Asher, Peedi, Nipsey, Slim Thug, Saigon... are you kidding me

Jay Elec is talented and could've been a great underground artist but he had like a 1 in 10 shot at Kendrick/Cole success

the other ones I haven't heard enough to comment on

Cassidy had a decent run and shouldn't be on here
Same with Juelz even though he could've been a star for much longer

 

[feelosofer]

peedi crakk shouldve been what meek millz is now.

he would've been bigger commercially.
I don't know if southerners would've rode as hard for peedi as they do for meek right now. but then again, theres a lot of southern state prop fans on the low. like a lot.

I agree but I also think Meek Millz placement is what helps, in the era of skinny jeans, trance hop and regular n1gga rap, the street rapper stands out more, especially if you have Ross's production teams. State Property was more of a street movement and it was no longer Rocafellas strong point by 2001-2002. Also unlike Dipset, they didn't really know how to market themselves to the masses and really this list indicates that even if you are nice on the mic, if you can't promote yourself the right way or if your timing is bad, you don't blow up.

 

[Kliq_Souf]

Slim Thug is the main oddity.
Dude been a heavyweight in Houston since the early 2000's.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Where is J Cole?

 

[yo moms]

Who, Jay Elec? That's cool and all, but did he EVER release a mixtape (I know mixtapes of his verses are on the net, but I'm talking an actual project)

What about Act 1?

 

[mbewane]

What about Act 1?

Oh my bad, I honestly thought those mixtapes were only best-ofs of tracks released here and there as opposed to an actual Jay-Elec project, so didn't really check for them.

NVM, carry on.

 

[Prince.Skeletor]

he can't make songs, thta dude can't make songs.. they can't make songs

bla bla bla

some of my fav songs of all time weren't in song format but raw mixtape tracks!!!!

I thought ya'll were hip hop fans!!