Best Hip-Hop Act Ever

FTA69

Right, who in ye're humble opinions do ye consider to be the best out of the thousands who have participated in the Hip-Hop scene over the years, if ye had to pick ONE like? Also, by this I don't mean simply the best lyricist or MC but try and include all factors into your decision eg Dr Dre is a useless MC (in comparison) but has broke ground for the genre on many fronts etc.

Personally I would pick NWA for the train they set in motion with "Straight Outta Compton", that started the West Coast gangsta sub-genre which led to artists such as Tupac, Warren G, Snoop Dogg and many others coming onto the scene. The early 90s West Coast stuff was some of the best material ever to be produced in my opinion and I would credit NWA for that.

Opinions?

Makaveli

MF Doom, the dude is a genius.
He releases so much material and somehow manages to maintain a high level of quality. The man had 3 or 4 albums last year alone, Madvillainy and MM Food were both fantastic. Some of his best work is done under his alter-egos (Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain just about pips the others to my top spot).
What he brings to the genre is originality. He sounds like nobody else, and he can be pretty abstract. His work is seldom boring, and he doesn't seem to follow a specific formula unlike so many acts out there now. The fact that he produces a lot of his own stuff means he can do what he wants, which has benefited his work greatly. That said his work with Madlib on Madvillain has been great though.
The guy has been around for a long time, but he's still here, still doing his thing.

Albums of note
MF Doom - Operation Doomsday
Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain
Madvillain - Madvillainy
KMD - Black Bastards


I dunno if he's the best Hip-Hop act evar!!1one!! I think that's almost impossible to judge, and it's all down to personal preference and opinion. Personally Doom is my favourite at the moment.

Klimseven

got there before me you b itch....

.....^^^^^what he said.....

Klimseven

-- double post --

StevieG

Tribe for me anyway. :cool:

Seaneh

Eric B and Rakim.

Drum boy

Fukin 50 cent man!

Yeah bitch!


But seriously, probably have to go with NWA for reasons stated above!

Evzer

Toss up between the wu-tang clan, Tribe called quest, and Gang-starr, for me

Evzer

Also theres talk of MF doom and Ghostface doing an album together. That would be class.

Kristok

DPG, they put out some rubbish but everynow and then had great albums as a group and solo, daz was the sound of the west coast in the 90's and kurupt is just one of the best rappers on the coast. Nate and Snoop aswell, nwa where good and they did start the whole thing but the whole dpg sound took it to another level for me.

Makaveli

Evzer wrote:

Also theres talk of MF doom and Ghostface doing an album together. That would be class.

Yeah heard about that.
Could be an amazing album alright, lets hope it goes ahead.

Pen0s

this is damn hard one to pick

i dont think u can say who are the best, nwa were good yes, they got the westcoast shown but, lyrically... there not so good, Big pun was brilliant with the flow and lyrics but lacked the delivery, BIG an Pac deserve obvius shout-outs, at the moment i have 2 favourites, Pharohe monch and immortal technique, 2 mcs who are bringin fresh creative ideas to the game.... best of alll time... ? there isnt anyone or group who can fit into that category! y'all can have favourites tough!

jayneemac

Beasties

FTA69

Pen0s wrote:

nwa were good yes, they got the westcoast shown but, lyrically... there not so good

True, but I believe their overall contribution and pioneering outweighs their lack of lyricism, (Ice Cube is a savage MC though).

Pen0s

FTA69 wrote:

True, but I believe their overall contribution and pioneering outweighs their lack of lyricism, (Ice Cube is a savage MC though).

ice cube wrote most of NWA's rhymes anyway so he was by far the best lyrically, eazy never wrote a verse in his life, cube used to ghostwrite for him, thats why i dont think NWA were that hot, but the definetly are one of the most influential if not the most influential to come from the west

Cannibal Ox

Also theres talk of MF doom and Ghostface doing an album together. That would be class.

That rumours been going around for ages. It'd be great to see but I can't actually see it happening.


I'm going to say the Roots, just because no one else has.
Purveyors of consistent quality albums, something all to rare in hip hop.

Pen0s

ill bite the bullet

if i had to choose someone it would be NAS, but ask me again in two weeks an i guarantee im likin someone else

Makaveli

Cannibal Ox wrote:

Purveyors of consistent quality albums, something all to rare in hip hop.

Except for Phrenology and The Tipping Point, which by their standards were poor albums.

michelleb1985

Run DMC or the Beastie Boys

Tha Gopher

Biggie Smalls is the illest



Good god what a lyricist. Ready to Die was simply brilliant, absoloute legend of an album. Unlike lads talking about how big their rims are, you could relate to a whole lot of Biggies lyrics- an intelligent guy who was told he would never make it by his mother and his teachers because for him life was all about enjoyin yourself
Reminds me a little of someone (alright, fair enough, im presently unemployed.....but still)

But then again, while Biggie was the best, Doggystyle is prolly best album. Pacs Cant C Me possibly best tune
Its a bit odd

Ay Cee

daz was the sound of the west coast in the 90's

What?!

And surely Ice T would have been doing the whole "gangsta" thing before NWA on the West coast?

I dunno, lyrically it would have to be Rakim. No one can touch him, he was years ahead of everyone.

For me it was Public Enemy though. Production was just something totally new. Flavor Flav brought the light hearted talking ****e kinda vibe and then Chuck kicked the knowledge...and he sounded like he meant it and knew what he was talking about it!

MF Doom & GF have done an album. I seen it on Soulseek. I haven't heard anything from MF Doom that would warrant me liking him enough to listen to it. I keep hearing people go on and on about him. I just don't get it. It's like the whole Def Jux stuff. I guess it's just not "my bag baby". Sorry lads

mizz sweetie

Tupac has def been da best in the hip hop scene. Every artist of today have been influenced by him. He is and all will be "
:cool: The Rose that grew from Concrete" :cool:

ubu

^^ We have another one :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Cannibal Ox

*hands out cyanide pills*

FTA69

Every artist of today have been influenced by him.

They have in their holes. Aside from that, I have to say I'm a Tupac fan myself and I think a lot of his songs are quite powerful, however, the social stirring commentaries are often undermined by the "sell base, count money" tunes that come on after it.

Many here have criticised him for being a contradiction in terms ie Malcolm X one minute and John Gotti the next and as such have insinuated he was dishonest. However, he was the first to admit that he was a mass of contradictions and he himself struggled with this aspect of his persona. Shouldn't this at least be considered a form of honesty on his part?

Ay Cee

Cannibal Ox wrote:

*hands out cyanide pills*

*barges through everyone else*

Better make it two!

Darth Brawl

Pen0s wrote:

ice cube wrote most of NWA's rhymes anyway so he was by far the best lyrically, eazy never wrote a verse in his life, cube used to ghostwrite for him, thats why i dont think NWA were that hot, but the definetly are one of the most influential if not the most influential to come from the west

Must disagree Ren was easily the most talented, listen to 100miles runin

but best act ever,humbly ,tribe

magpie

The Outthere Brothers. No Question.

echomadman

mizz sweetie wrote:

Every artist of today have been influenced by him.

Most artists of today who cite him as an influence aren't anythign to write home about.
I've touched on it briefly before, but i'll say it again now, I never really liked Tupac, I never understood the hype around him, some of his early stuff is quite listenable to, but there was way better stuff around at the time.
All his posthumously released stuff has been pretty awful.

Best Hip Hop act ever?
There's no answer to that, i'd give a different one depending on my mood/the phase of the moon.
It'd range from Eric B and Rakim to Snoop (doggystyle era) or recently MF Doom, Format & Abdominal or J5, a tribe called quest, gangstarr, nwa, the roots, Public Enemy, Wu Tang..... yada yada

Fúck knows.

JackKelly

Recently MF Doom

Older; A Tribe Called Quest. I love those guys

hiphopfanno1

I know I'm so predictable but...Tupac.And that is because I really love his music and has brilliant lyrics.I don't really like some of his songs when he was with Deathrow- California Love is an exception, but I think his songs became more about battles with Biggie and rapping about woman he did like Faith.They were not deep like songs like Keep your head up and Brenda's got a Baby. I really love his music though and think he'll always be on top.

Pen0s

Darth Brawl wrote:

Must disagree Ren was easily the most talented, listen to 100miles runin

but best act ever,humbly ,tribe

yes but ren cudnt hold a track down himself and doesnt have the presence to be anything more than a crew member. ice cube had the talent to go solo and make it big.

ice wasnt lyrical anyway, **** it none of them were/are

the question is ....who the **** is writing dres verses now!

Evzer

Ice cube wasnt lyrical was he? Have you listened to death certificate?

Seaneh

I woudl also like to add Dough E Fresh and Slick rick the ruler.

Dutchboy

Has to be NAS, he's a class act

ChRoMe

Gopher: How on earth could you call biggie smalls lyrics good. They were the most childish rhymes I have ever heard.

Lets not forget such gems as "super nintendo sega gensises I never thought life could be like this"

It breaks my heart to see what hip-hop has turned into

scuba steve

Id say 2pac

Makaveli

ChRoMe wrote:

Gopher: How on earth could you call biggie smalls lyrics good. They were the most childish rhymes I have ever heard.

Lets not forget such gems as "super nintendo sega gensises I never thought life could be like this"

It breaks my heart to see what hip-hop has turned into

"Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis,
when I was dead broke man I couldn't picture this,
50 Inch Screen, money green leather sofa,
I got two rides a limosine with a chauffer"

Juicy is a quality song, and those lyrics are hardly childish.

Tha Gopher

ChRoMe wrote:

Gopher: How on earth could you call biggie smalls lyrics good. They were the most childish rhymes I have ever heard.

Lets not forget such gems as "super nintendo sega gensises I never thought life could be like this"

It breaks my heart to see what hip-hop has turned into

Turned in to? You end a post complaining about a song from 1994 with that line?

Jaysus, the excuses some of the Pac heads come up with to justify a hatred of Biggie
He was fat
He could barely rap
He could barely breathe

Sweet jesus, you are another Lamar. Ill bet you too hate Eminem cos hes white.....

FTA69

Gopher: How on earth could you call biggie smalls lyrics good. They were the most childish rhymes I have ever heard.

You're off your game lad; "Little Gotti got the shotty to ya body, so don't res-ist or ya might miss Chrisst-miss"

"Signin' off its the hardcore rap slinger,
AKA crack slinger, bring it anytime nigg*r"

If you can't comprehend the fluidity of that then that's a problem you'll have to address yourself.

Orizio

For NWA Eazy-E and Dre couldn't rap.They paled in comparison to Ren and Ice Cube.There wasn't much to seperate them in technical rap style and i stil think 'It ain't ruff' was the best track NWA ever made.Yes over **** tha police and real niggaz don't die.

But on solo terms Ice Cube humiliated Ren.Rens lyrics were juvenile even if he was still a strong rapper.Ice Cube released three brilliant albums and was the greatest gangsta rappers.

As for groups the Wu,the Tribe and the roots are the best but overall hip-hop act is Nas.

0utshined

ChRoMe wrote:

Gopher: How on earth could you call biggie smalls lyrics good. They were the most childish rhymes I have ever heard.

Lets not forget such gems as "super nintendo sega gensises I never thought life could be like this"

It breaks my heart to see what hip-hop has turned into

I'm not the biggest B.I.G. fan but you can't deny the guy had skills. He came up with my favourite rap lyric to date :

Condo paid for, no car payment
At my arraignment, note for the plantiff
Your daughter's tied up in a Brooklyn basement (shhh)
Face it, not guilty, that's how I stay filthy (not guilty)

A classic. As for me, my favourite is probably De La Soul for getting me interested in rap. Maybe P.E., J5 or Wu-Tang, but De La Soul are right up there.

carl johnson

NWA defo.

I know he's not a Hip Hop artist but Zach De La Rocha, is the best rapper and lyricist ever

Ay Cee

carl johnson wrote:

I know he's not a Hip Hop artist but Zach De La Rocha, is the best rapper and lyricist ever

You forgot to put in the smiley face to show that you were joking

You were joking...right?!

Orizio

carl johnson wrote:

NWA defo.

I know he's not a Hip Hop artist but Zach De La Rocha, is the best rapper and lyricist ever

Zacha wasn't really a rapper though unless you count some of the Renegade tracks.More like a punk.RATM were the greatest metal/punk band of the 90's though mainly thanks to him.

kanibus

Bigge Smalls or Big L