what would a top 5 list in 1994 look like?

[Aje]

Mine:

• Rakim
• BDK
• KRS-One
• Cube
• Slick Rick

*Honorable Mention: Chuck D, Kool G Rap

 

[JustCKing]

nowadays, a 30-year old is considered a young rapper. just goes to show how dumbed-down everything is now.

and yea, its crazy looking back. run dmc were still in their 20s as well at this point, and they were the epitomy of an old school group still kickin.

kane was looking & even dressing like one of my assistant coaches around that time.......and that dude had grandkids.





THATS THE WHOLE POINT, DIKKHEAD.

yousa dippy ass bamma.

​

apparently, youre the one that lived thru media. not me,
I never cared what a magazine said. not to mention, I didn't even know illmatic got 5 mics until later on.

I knew what illmatic meant in real-time because I experienced the chit. the disconnect stems from the fact that you live in bumblef*ck iowa.

you up here worried about somebody's age, but youre the one in here trying to pass 2pac off as a top 5 rapper in '94.
​

by singles artists, I'm saying he had yet to drop a noteworthy album.

I'm not saying that hes only good for hits and no album cuts, or anything like that.

illmatic was indeed a big deal when it dropped. it just wasn't a commercial affair.

domino's album is kinda like a classic. way better than any 2pac album at that point. he was more of a rap-singer tho, and was before his time.

Both Pac albums were impactful though. More impactful than Illmatic. Illmatic was slept on in comparison. '94 Pac was closer to a Top 5 list than '94 Nas. There's no comparison. Pac was already established, Nas was just laying a foundation.

Domino's album was not a classic. Tjat dude fits more into the singles artist category.

 

[Larry Lambo]

Lyte would have gotten laughed at on a top 10, at least in the circles I ran in.

I guess cats are talking more about legacy (maybe she makes it, in that case). But as far as best rappers period, I don't think most cats really had her that high.

 

[smokeurobinson]

Both Pac albums were impactful though. More impactful than Illmatic. Illmatic was slept on in comparison. '94 Pac was closer to a Top 5 list than '94 Nas. There's no comparison. Pac was already established, Nas was just laying a foundation.

Domino's album was not a classic. Tjat dude fits more into the singles artist category.

I say Heavy Ds 'Peaceful Journey' and 'Blue Funk' albums were better overall albums then 2pacs albums yet I dont have Heavy on my list.

 

[bigbadbossup2012]

I say Heavy Ds 'Peaceful Journey' and 'Blue Funk' albums were better overall albums then 2pacs albums yet I dont have Heavy on my list.

heavy d makes a better argument than nas in 1994 as well

 

[IllmaticDelta]

No he wasn't, he was just another washed up East coast nikka living off his eighties acclaim.
Cube had put out straight fire from SOC to lethal injection. Rakim was done as was the rest besides LL. THEY WERE respected but cube was running shyt along with deathrow and PAC was putting it down headed to the top. Luckily puff and biggie saved the East

OP is asking what would an all time list have looked like in 94, not who were the current top 5 of the period. Rakim was looked at as the universal goat really before Pac/Biggie died

 

[kingofnyc]

I'm looking at that top single of the 90's thread and then i'm adding that with someone thinking Rakim was wrong for having Melly Mel as his top 5 along with another thread about funk being some sorta disconnect between generations. and it forces me to think back to 94. a top 5 list in 1994 would look nothing like what cats in 2018 would say was top 5 in 1994. For me it was Rakim then KRS then Ice Cube who replaced Kane in 91. Rakim, KRS and Cube were the "triforce" of the early 90's. After that it was a toss up between LL, Grand Puba and Redman. Plus I was still holding on to Kane. Lyte ,G Rap , Face and Latifah roundsout my top 10.

1 Rakim
2 KRS
3 Cube
4 LL
5 Grand Puba/Redman
------
6Lyte
7Grap
8Face
9 Latifah
10 Kane




Big L was too new, Jeru still had more to prove, Nas was too new and Biggie was too new. Bar for bar rapper Kam was repping for the lyricists in the west. Common was still being polished. Why isnt 2pac on that list in 94? the same reason Treach and Ice T arent on that list.

breh.......
i swear on everything - BDK was considered top 3 on EVERYBODY’s list


i guess to each is own

 

[Jinx`]

breh.......
i swear on everything - BDK was considered top 3 on EVERYBODY’s list


i guess to each is own

Oh shyt Kane was on the list, ain't even notice

 

[Larry Lambo]

heavy d makes a better argument than nas in 1994 as well

Heavy D was probably in almost everyone's Top 10 at that time. Him and LL were the most versatile rappers of the day

 

[Sunalmighty]

Tbh nobody was putting Pac on any list until he died

Truest shyt I've heard since Bird proclaimed Jordan God in shorts

 

[bigbadbossup2012]

OP is asking what would an all time list have looked like in 94, not who were the current top 5 of the period. Rakim was looked at as the universal goat really before Pac/Biggie died

I know what the op is asking. And I don't agree with most post in this thread still. And ra, was not the goat prior to their deaths. East coast media pumped him up as such,but that was going on even after their deaths. For instance after pac's death,BLAZE magazine rated him #7 and rakim #1. Real hip hop fans revolted,they had a vote and THE GENERAL PUBLIC had Pac #1 .

 

[bigbadbossup2012]

My top 5 through 1994 goats (not in order)

Krs one
Boogie Down Productions Year
Criminal Minded 1987
By All Means Necessary 1988
Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop 1989
Edutainment 1990
Live Hardcore Worldwide 1991
Sex and Violence 1992
Solo Albums Year
Return of the Boom Bap 1993

ice cube

• N.W.A. and the Posse (with N.W.A) (1987)
• Straight Outta Compton (with N.W.A) (1988)
• Extended plays
  • Kill at Will (1990)
  
  
• • AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990)
  • Death Certificate (1991)
  • The Predator (1992)
  • Lethal Injection (1993)

LL
Studio albums

• Radio (1985)
• Bigger and Deffer (1987)
• Walking with a Panther (1989)
• Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
• 14 Shots to the Dome (1993)

Heavy d
Heavy D & the Boyz[edit]

• Living Large (1987)
• Big Tyme (1989)
• Peaceful Journey (1991)
• Blue Funk (1992)
• Nuttin' But Love (1994)

Too short
Studio albums[edit]

• Don't Stop Rappin' (1985)
• Players (1985)
• Raw, Uncut & X-Rated (1986)
• Born to Mack (1987)
• Life Is... Too Short (1989)
• Short Dog's in the House (1990)
• Shorty the Pimp (1992)
• Get in Where You Fit In (1993)

 

[BmoreGorilla]

heavy d makes a better argument than nas in 1994 as well

And Redman and Treach make a better argument than Pac

 

[BmoreGorilla]

I know what the op is asking. And I don't agree with most post in this thread still. And ra, was not the goat prior to their deaths. East coast media pumped him up as such,but that was going on even after their deaths. For instance after pac's death,BLAZE magazine rated him #7 and rakim #1. Real hip hop fans revolted,they had a vote and THE GENERAL PUBLIC had Pac #1 .

Lol you realize the only reason they ranked him 7 was cuz he died. Had he still been alive he wouldn’t have been ranked at all

 

[bigbadbossup2012]

Lol you realize the only reason they ranked him 7 was cuz he died. Had he still been alive he wouldn’t have been ranked at all

The hate is real