Devil Plisken…CMS
Veteran
Whose success/ascent shocked you the most?
2Pac? 50? Jay? Drake? Travis Scott? Lil Jon? Who Is The Greatest Surprise Ever In Hip Hop History??
- Thread starter Devil Plisken…CMS
- Start date
Jay Z cause he was rejected by all the majors and had to start his own independent label out his car
Devil Plisken…CMS
Veteran
I’m not hating on your pick but by that logic Drake was taking out bank loans to shoot videos at some point
Jay Z was born in the Marcy housing projects while Drake was on a TV show as a child. Not comparable at all
99% of people would’ve quit rap if every major told them they were trash and wouldn’t sell by 27
Devil Plisken…CMS
Veteran
I don’t want to conflate life journey with prospects of being successful in the music business. Even once they found their way to major platforms they still were long shots
Jay obviously is a worthy choice
Iverson_64
Superstar
None of the above. Pac ran with Digital Underground and had natural charisma in both music and movies. 50 got blackballed but still had a strong following in the mixtape circuit that gave him attention and coverage in hip hop outlets. Drake got cosigned by Lil Wayne at his peak. Jay got rejected by majors early on but Reasonable Doubt in 96 wasn't any less successful than Illmatic in 94. Only difference is Illmatic's stature grew stronger over time. Travis had a decent mixtape run and work on Yeezus before blowing up. Lil Jon blew up when Atlanta was already becoming a dominant force in hip hop.
Honestly, the main person who genuinely shocked me the most was Cardi B. I remember when Cardi B was on Love and Hip Hop promoting some songs on WorldStar as a local artist. Everyone back in the 2015-2016 thought that Cardi was just going to be another failed rapper from reality TV. Then, Bodak Yellow dropped and the rest is history. This local rapper from TV suddenly had one of the biggest songs in the country in 2017.
It felt surreal.
Honestly, the main person who genuinely shocked me the most was Cardi B. I remember when Cardi B was on Love and Hip Hop promoting some songs on WorldStar as a local artist. Everyone back in the 2015-2016 thought that Cardi was just going to be another failed rapper from reality TV. Then, Bodak Yellow dropped and the rest is history. This local rapper from TV suddenly had one of the biggest songs in the country in 2017.
It felt surreal.
SWIPE LEFT
Ol’Otis
The Picasso of the Ghetto
He for sure not black
Devil Plisken…CMS
Veteran
I’m speaking for people that actually heard of Drake in the mid 00s Wayne & Co didn’t come into the picture until like 08
Pac was a backup dancer before any movies
I’m speaking for the people that remember him from that
This is the Jon most people started from…Far cry from being the public figure he’d become years later
Who thought this guy would become arguably the greatest and most successful rapper ever
And Nobody was thinking of 50 in 2000
You’re timeline seems to be off on a lot of this shyt.
That Pop Smoke album that 50 Cent oversaw selling that many albums and being literally all over the place with madd hits was surprising to me, would never have guessed it would pop like that. 50 said he wasn’t taking any of the money it earned, if the family got that they are set for life.
UnQuantized
Superstar
MF DOOM; Dropped by his label in 1994, brother dies, album shelved. Basically goes missing for about 4 years. Begins turning up in poetry cafes in New York doing early versions of what will end up on Operation Doomsday and the rest is history, he became a mythical figure before he died.
AlbertPullhoez
The Takeover
Nelly. Dude came from nowhere and went Diamond his first time out. Then backdoored that with 8 million on his second album
KnickstapeCity
The Big Dikk King
So that is more of a shock to you than him looking like a camel?OneDeep
Veteran
Every Rapper to come out after 2015