My last thread of the day.....I promise! LOL

[dj360_iNfInItE1]

I posted the following commnent in another forum. I would like to know how the illmuzik community stands on this subject. Thanks in advance for your participation. Peace!

Ok, I am not going to be presumptious enough to list what I think the
top 10 should be but Rakim is definitely the #1 lyrcist all-time. I
come from the old school. I mean the old school. Way before Will Smith
was out of high school. I remember when LL Cool J first came out.
Anyway, I lot of things these lyricists are doing now, Rakim was doing
20 years ago. It is an insult to put 2Pac, Biggie, especially not
Eminem as the all time greatest. Come on. If you haven't been around
long enough to experience what original Hip Hop was all about, you
really don't have enough knowledge and information to say who was the
best All-Time. Now, to say best in your era, that's a different story.
But any true Hip Hop head from the days when it all began will tell you
without a doubt that Rakim is the undisputed Greatest Hip Hop Lyricist
of all time. My 2 Cents.

 

[The Bastard]

namin 1 person as best rapper of all time is kinda wack, its not a competition like 2 boxers fighting and theres one undisputed winner.(unless your talkin about freestyle battles).ive refered to biggie as the goat at times but i jus mean he was mad ill and part of an elite group. iller than normal. i wouldnt suggest there was no1 iller than him. the goat to me is cappadonna,not because of when he started rappin but cause of how i react to the musicand how it makes me feel. i think everyone thinks of a particular rapper that way

 

[Qwerty]

Like Bastard, there is no best rapper. Its a matter of taste.

 

[Cold Truth]

*yawn*

you serious?

its great that you think so, however i VEHEMANTLY disagree.

great for his time, no doubt. certainly. but now?

tell me, what has he done lately? i dont wanna hear the dr dre excuses again. he is the so-called greatest of all time, and he cant put out SOMETHING? a mixtape? an ep? internet guys put out eps and albums like nothing, with no resources and this cat cant put out SOMETHING? i'm sure there are fanatic, purist producers that would give him a bj to let them produce a rakim song.

great for his time, however he did NOT remain relavant after his first few albums.

18th letter? the master? WEAK ass, GENERIC, late 90's cookie cutter underground albums that had a scant *few* listenable tracks. G A R B A G E.

i'm reeeeeeeeally BORED with all these people who act like nothing great came out after 88 or 94... cause.... "all the REAL hip hop heads will say rakim is the best"... ok so are you telling me that i am not a real hip hop head? cause thats me right there. so i'm not a real hip hop head?

i got a small list of dudes that are, IMHO, MUCH better lyricists then rakim.....

Common.... rediculous wordplay, has classic songs, landmark songs, voice, delivery, story telling ability, and above all else has a VERY consistant track record, electric circus notwithstanding. great ear for production, something rakim needed BADLY on his two late 90's offerings.

Nas.... classic/landmark songs, great voice, one of the most descriptive, story telling mc's ever, has a great delivery, and is a great topical writer. not the best for singles or club records, but a GREAT "street" artist.

Andre 3000.... probably the most intuitive, thought provoking mc i have ever heard.... listen to aquemini, return of the g, 13th floor, elevators, etc...... i have yet to hear anything by rakim on the level of andres verses on those songs.

to me, rakim aint fuckin with these guys.

 

[Royal]

great for his time, no doubt. certainly. but now?

You took the words right out of my mouth Truth!

-Roy

 

[The Bastard]

few of my fav rappers influenced by rakim. big pun,canibus

 

[2_nice]

18th letter was poor..... that said rakim (along with big daddy kane) is responsible for alot of todays rhyme patterns and has had as much influence as anyone over hip hop (you have to count 'secondary' influence like how he heavily influenced nas and nas heavily influenced the whole underground moverment ost 94)

 

[Cold Truth]

^influential, thats not even a contest. ra WAS THAT DUDE...

but he isnt now, nor is he likely to be again. a true legend, but not a boss.

 

[dj360_iNfInItE1]

Maybe I am a bit biased but I am looking back when Rakim was on top of his game. Back then, there was no doubt and no argument, everyone agreed that Rakim was the greatest. Now-a-days there is a big range of opinion on the subject. The impact that Eric B. and Rakim had on Hip Hop was very apparent to us back then. It's like youngstas forget who paved the way and set the stage for all the new school cats. I am not taking anything away from the new cats at all but, noone now-a-days is innovating that much, except for a choice few. Namely Outkast. Arguably the most original Hip Hop act in history. So, I digress. I am probably voiceing a very strong felt opinion. Just remember, I did ask what you all thought about my comment. I am not trying to argue with anyone. But, I am finding it hard to take stock in opinions based on a short experience with hip hop. I am not saying all of ya'll are not true hip hop heads, didn't mean to offend. I just meant the OGs of hip hop. Those of us who remember when there was no hip hop culture to speak of. I am not trying to make anyone feel irrelavent. I am just trying to make a case that I have heard all the greats and I just believe based on my own opinion, the emcees impact and pure originality and charisma on the mic. Who can actually move the crowd. Just wanted to clarify. Remember, this is my opinion and the opinion of a lot of people I know. And I am not saying we are right. I mean, afterall, this is a very subjective topic. Peace!

 

[Cold Truth]

^^^ hey, no problem. it really isnt an argument, i dont think. i doubt anyone was offended, i wasnt and yes i did ask if you felt that i wasnt a "true" head because of my view, but that wasnt out of hostility...

anyhow, there is nothing wrong with stating your opnions, and you shouldnt ever have to apologize for that (unless you are being disrespectful, which you obviously werent)

and with rakim, at the time it was pretty unquestioned, because he was far ahead of his era. i just feel that hip hop caught up while he fell behind, and i do feel that his best at his peak vs common at his best at his peak, common is just as far ahead of rakim as rakim was ahead of everyone else. personally.

 

[CampO]

Yea this is a hard argument 2 solve but you can look at it like a Sport in a way, Basketball for example You did not see Ball players from the 60's and 70's with the Killer Cross Overs Or The Insane Dunks that you see today thats because the Game has Evolved

Hiphop was Fairly new at this time just planting its Roots into what we see today So peoples SKills have Grown Just Like Beats Have Grown 2 from Simple 4 bar loops

 

[dj360_iNfInItE1]

Yea this is a hard argument 2 solve but you can look at it like a Sport in a way, Basketball for example You did not see Ball players from the 60's and 70's with the Killer Cross Overs Or The Insane Dunks that you see today thats because the Game has Evolved

Hiphop was Fairly new at this time just planting its Roots into what we see today So peoples SKills have Grown Just Like Beats Have Grown 2 from Simple 4 bar loops

Very Good point. Until Michael Jordan became the ultimate B-Baller, it was very hard to determine the greatest player of all time. I mean, some cats thought Bill Russel, Wilt Chamberlain, Dr. J., Magic Johnson, Larry Bird. A lot of opinions. But I think nowadays it's obvious, at least until someone else comes up, that Michael Jordan is the best as of now.

But in hip hop I think it's the opposite. Back then, there was no question who was the GOAT. But since the evolution of hip hop is so apparent, there are some cats who are arguably the best. And since there are a lot of factors that can determine who one would consider the best, it is almost impossible to actually determine the GOAT MC. I just feel that way about the 18th letter because he was sooooooo far ahead of everyone else at the time that it was clearly no contest. Thanks for all the feedback. If there are any more you need to express, I will be waiting to read your comments. Peace!

 

[Vince]

18th Letter was great. I don't think it was mediocre at all.
That said, Rakim is one of the better ones, there will never be One rapper on top.

 

[Fury]

na the 18th letter wuz disappointing but Rakim is my favorite MC from the old school and out of all time he is one of my favorites ...if u talkin lyrics like or not but Canibus's the greatest hands down hes ahead of his time