Being funky on the mic is the most important thing.
The words can be whatever. You can feed your message into a funky rap style.
These battle rappers aren't trying to be funky on the mic. They remove the music entirely.
Mr Cheeks and Greg Nice are funkier on the mic than Em. All day. I would prefer to listen to Nice N Smooth's hits over anything Em has ever done. Em is a way better writer but his delivery doesn't make my neck dance.
Grand Puba has complex content with a head nodding style.
Biggie had that quality.
Willie D.
I like alot of niqqas like Nas, Bis, Octogon, Doom. But I recognize that sometimes I am just vibing off pure wordplay. Other people who can't understand the words wonder why I love some of the shyt I love.
SOHH dude is right to a degree, but nothing says Hip Hop has to remain in it's original state - which Rappers Delight was NOT, it was like six years in. Niqqas on that track was the new jacks that had been hearing the original MCs for years, anywayz - Hip Hop can develop, but it must retain the musical element and not just be a niqqa spitting a thesis with no regard to the beat.
Funkiness on the mic.