Which 5 rappers would you say had the biggest impact in the evolution of rap from a skills/making other rappers step their game up perspective?
not talking record sales
Melly Mel
Did it with one song Had rappers get away from from that parting and bullshyt and speak on some real shyt that’s going on. This was at a time where hip hop was fairly new and not as a attainable as it is today, one song was able to impact a generation as oppose as today’s rinse and repeat culture. This song influence BDP,PE,NWA rakim and I imagine Mc New York.
Rakim
Made nikkas get off that ABC and start thinking XYZ, plus he rolled with the hittaz and street dudes his lyrics were like mathematical scientificall poetry for the streets. He was seen as the messiah,Paid in full made dudes have to go back to the drawing board ir influenced the world especially nas and Pac.
BDK
This dude was too witty too fly his style was unmatched punchlines and metaphors dripping from his knuckles he’s the forefathers of Brooklyn jigga and biggie the Dr. J to their kobe and MJ to a degree.
Nas
From Illmatic to now “ name a rapper I ain’t influenced” the second coming of rakim but more poetic and a better story teller greater narrator the voice of the streets for a black men living in the projects (and he makes great song concepts) From wu, to big Pac,jay , ye, Wayne 50 , Ross Gucci , Lupe all look to him view him as one if not the goat. Even legendary academy award winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio uses his lyrics as inspiration.
Scarface
Made rappers talk about pain real pain , whether internal or external he influenced rappers talking about memztap health issues suicidal thoughts and stigma’s from the black community we don’t really speak on. You can hear his influence in 2pac, biggie, jigga *Beanie Sigel
Biggie
Biggie but he was in a class of his own I feel like he made rappers give up in a sense because you would never be as witty or clever as him twhile remaining poppy and making danceable music. LAD fukked the game up and every major label tried to emulate the format. The closest rappers to have all the attributes biggie had was jigga and Wayne.
Close but no cigar :
Wayne and jay-z
You don’t hear their influence so much except for thugger with Wayne (but they’re not the same generation) though but you know it’s there.
BigL
is a sleeper and deserves to be up there had everyone tryna get on that punchline steez and he was a great story teller
I’d put
Gucci and
Future up there because they have great SONG MAKING abilities. Which are simple enough to mimic but to UNIQUE to tell that it’s a direct influence.
Pac was in a class of his own
Edit: I forgot the clipse that elegant luxurious dope boy rap influenced everyone from Wayne to drake and jay the whole game was on notice.