Let's be clear about Top 5 (current/all time) Rapper qualifications

[Hood Critic]

If we were basing it of that criteria, even tho he fell off like crazy would it be too crazy to put DMX in this discussion?

Two classics, two great albums, classic tracks and features..sold millions.

Not at all...X still has probably the best discography of any rapper. Outside of Kendrick, I can't think of a rapper who released back to back to back acclaimed albums.

 

[HiiiPower]

Not at all...X still has probably the best discography of any rapper. Outside of Kendrick, I can't think of a rapper who released back to back to back acclaimed albums.

Right, people say Grand Champ was when he started to fall off but that album was 24 songs long, if you trimmed the fat and removed 5 of the weaker tracks and a couple of the pointless skits that shyt would easily be on par with his best musically.

 

[Jerz-2]

Good thread.

 

[lucky lefty]

It never fails

Everytime the GOAT our Flow Lord and Lyrical Savior Hova Da Gawd returns to crush the buildings and further widen the insurmountable gap btwn him and the rest of the rappers in history these bytchmade, delusional ass Hova haters start PMSing all the forum trying to deny the inevitable

nikkaz so shook of the GOAT our Flow Lord and Lyrical Savior Hova Da Gawd's exposing the wack ass, dusty ass, fraud ass fukk boy rappers they stan for being infinitely inferior to his GOATness they tryna pretend music ain't subjective & there'll never be a universally accepted standard for what makes someone a GOAT aside from them being the GOAT our Flow Lord and Lyrical Savior Hova Da Gawd

 

[JA_Carter]

1)Biggie - both of his albums should be in any hip hop fans top 10 albums of all time. GOAT flow, Mic presence, versatile & never got outshone.
2)2pac - 3 classics, arguably the most timeless hip hop song in Dear Mama. Aggressive on the mic, touched wider subject matters that any rapper in history.
3)Nas - GOAT album in Illmatic, 3 classics (Illmatic, It Was Written & Lost Tapes, Life is Good is also close). The most consistent rapper of all time, 20+ years in the game & still drops quality music & verses (Nas album done for example).
4)Jay z - 3 classics, 2 that are also pretty close (Vol 1 & 2). Best flow after big. Has the strongest catalogue of hits in hip hop history.
5)Ice Cube - even without counting his NWA days he has 2 classics along with the GOAT EP. Greatest story teller in hip hop history

 

[DeuceCypherUno]

Outside of Kendrick, I can't think of a rapper who released back to back to back acclaimed albums.

Ice Cube
Em
Kanye

 

[tuckgod]

Does qualify:

1. You have to have more than 1 classic song.
2. More than 1 of your classic songs has to be a SOLO.
3. You have to have at least 1 undeniable classic album and 1 good/arguable classic.
4. You currently/have had to have done more rapping than singing/harmonizing through out your career.
5. You have to have been in the game for at least a decade to be in the all time conversation.

Does NOT qualify (none of this sh*t has anything to do with rapping):

1. Your business acumen. That makes you a decent to good entrepreneur...that's it.
2. Business ventures and brands. This just means you have a good manager and a decent personal brand.
3. Your sales/streams. A major label push and marketing budget does wonders. Even if you only did 20K first week, you would have likely did less than 10K without the label.
4. Your wealth.
5. The p*ssy you lay in.
6. Your social media followers. That just means you're entertaining (intentionally or unintentionally).

Discuss...

Good list

Where are the criteria that critiques an emcees abilities though?

Can they rock a crowd?
Did they introduce a new way of rhyming?
Did they influence how their peers rapped after they came on the scene?
How well rounded are they? Can they make story telling raps, girl records, party joints, wintertime skully music, summer time drop top music?
Did they affect you emotionally? Could you feel their pain, their struggle, their successes?
How did they affect your worldview? Did they change or influence the way you viewed yourself and your surroundings?
What about beat selection? How good where they at song structure, melodies, hooks, etc.

These are a few things I look for in my favorite emcees..