I agree wit u for once bout Eminem as an emcee but I consider actual albums as part of being a great emcee. I don't care if u can rap circles around n1kkas if ur albums are trash. Not that Ems albums are trash but several other artists discographys trump Ems which leaves me rating them higher than Em on my list. There's tons of porch rappers in the hood who r dope emcees but make sh1tty songs. Making a great album is an art to that most can't do. I'll even say its harder to make a great album than it is to be a great emcee. Andre and Lauren both deserve what they have gotten out of this rap thing. Both were solid artists and made good music. Overrated is someone like Wayne or Lloyd Banks or Fabolous etc.
Outkast albums are no better mechanically in the realm they are meant to draw than eminem's
Eminem makes pop horrorcore carni based music meant to draw to horror movie type white pop fans.
In that eminem does an incredible job above and beyond anyone in rap as a draw and in quality.
Outkast, makes eclectic pop overprocessed soul music and world music rap.
That lifts off of shuggie Otis, and sly and the family stone.
Which they are allowed to go into realm wise nobody else generally was for their time period.
So they got leeway to be inferior emcees who ramped up.
Without taking any backlash.
As they started out as gangsta rapper rip-offs of inferior skill to som.
So being pop gangsta rappers afforded them the luxury of not being scrutinized by the pop crowd as feverishly.
If outkast did not make gangsta versions of som's debut record.
They could have never drew like they did when they changed sonic directions and were allowed to up skills.
As the gangsta rap genre has been stale skillwise for twenty years with no upgrade in technical base of skill, really.
It was a breath of fresh air for kast to segueway into the realm and draw they moved into.
Whereas other rappers who came out on some cultural non-sellout shyt first.
Were not able to be get the pass kast did to the gangsta rap general popular music fan. Which kept kast from undergoing the same scrutiny.
nikkas, who really rocked real were chastised for.
kast got to pander to the masses.
In other levels better artists or similar artist were not allowed.
Who did not just come out as standard gangsta rappers.
kast is similar to bone being the gangsta rap equivalent of freestyle fellowship.
They got to draw where a group like freestyle fellowship who was better and ahead of their time.
Never got to draw because the west coast shop was built on downplaying gangsta aesthethics. That freestyle fellowship shy away from when making or marketing themselves as a group.
Now, does kast have dope eclectic music.
Yes, but for my personal listening and my knowledge base.
They are not rated by me all time.
They are noted for their accomplishments in the pop/sales realm by me.
Yet as a personal listen group wise.
I never play them.
Nor, have I ever bought into the pr or change of direction.
other lesser inexperienced critcs who really do not know rap like that bought into.
Art Barr
I said the exact thing on here and got the pebbles thrown at me...I didn't say no where near,but dudes actin like Andre wuz on sum unheard of skill level back then is just weird to me.