Flow, tone, and even beat selection are more important than lyrics. Fact

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

You all know its true.

Thats why the "real hip hop heads" will try and make it sound like they're more tuned in to the state of quality music because of how many bars a rapper can fit into a verse.

These same curmudgeons will proclaim that people aren't paying attention to dudeswhoraplikethisandtrytofitasmanywordsintoasentenceashumanlypossible because they aren't capable of making songs that are stylistically attractive.

 

[King Biko]

I would say equally important but not more important

 

[Poitier]

Been said this. A song gotta be at the basic level something to rock out to and the lyrics is just gravy. Suppose to be making music not textbooks.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

I would say equally important but not more important

I'm going to say that yes, its less important.

 

[King Biko]

I'm going to say that yes, its less important.

For a great some no but for some serviceable to be then yes it is less important. The great songs got an equal balance tho

 

[DamonDashsRocAFellaChain]

It depends on what you look for in music.

Start stating "facts" without providing actual supportive information to back up said "facts," brehs.

 

[Art Barr]

they are all equally important.
as, you can not consistently maintain the same level of skill.
when it comes to quality or quantity, as an emcee.


art barr

 

[Tuling]

no it isn't more important if you strive to be one of the greats. Lyricism is what seperates the great from the regular cats imo

 

[Mr. Negative]

you don't have to be a lyricist to be entertaining. It's this truth that separates the Mac Dres from the Canibuses.

Cannibi?

whatever.

 

[Air Nikes N Hats]

No one will care about lyrics unless they are packaged in an attractive fashion that people will gravitate too. Flow, Lyrics, Beat Selection are all equally important. The greats can seamlessly weave all 3 components into one cohesive work of art. Anything lacking one or the other is a. average, b. very little replay value, c. all of the above.

 

[muzikfrk75]

It's mostly the voice, just like Guru said

 

[NotaPAWG]

no it isn't more important if you strive to be one of the greats. Lyricism is what seperates the great from the regular cats imo

Do you think Nas would have had way more success than Jay if he had better beat selection?

 

[tremonthustler1]

Do you think Nas would have had way more success than Jay if he had better beat selection?

 

[JuvenileHell]

You all are looking at this the wrong way...

...it's more about being able to make use of whatever you're good at, in order to be the total package. The Hall of Fame of rap is filled with rappers with all kinds of styles. Rappers with God tier flow/cadence and delivery like Big and Snoop, to charismatic wordsmiths like Pac/Cube, to top tier lyricists like Jay and Nas. They all brought something to the table and and made use of their talents in their own way that led to great music.

All aspects of the hip hop artform are important, it's basically what kind of music you can make at end of the day using what you got (be it good flow,lyrics,swag etc) really. There is no one formula.

 

[Prae]

Pac agrees with you. Dude's voice and emotion is what made his music what it is. Content too, but he was certainly no great lyricist.

EDIT: agreed with the guy above^
I don't think the OP's list is more important than lyrics. But you don't necessarily need to a great lyrical talent to make good music. At the same time, you don't need great beats or tone to make good music either. Guru is the most monotone dull voiced rapper ever, yet his music is still enjoyable.