Terry Hooligans top 10 Rappers of all time.
This is my list of my all time top 10 rappers. It’s not about who the hottest (Kanye, Lil Wayne) is or Who has been around for the longest (LL Cool J, KRS 1)
It’s about the rappers I have listened to consistently since they first came onto the scene or when I first heard about them.
These are the rappers that I will keep checking for, and will probably (hopefully) never disappoint me. I have only gone for rappers that are still alive to make it easy for myself.
No. 10: Sean Price
Originally known as Ruck while a member of the group Heltah Skeltah in the mid 90’s. Sean Price is probably the biggest star to emerge from underground new York collective / Label Duck Down (Black Moon / Smif n Wesson) Sean Price mix’s frat style & self deprecating Humour, ultra violence, clever metaphors, street themes and a hard traditional hip hop flow.
No. 9: Prodigy of Mobb Deep
Currently in the “bing” for taking the “heat” on a concealed “ratchet” (Alchemist??), and refusing to “snitch” on 50 Cent to the “feds”, Prodigy is the living embodiment of “Worst come to Worst, my peoples come first”. When “The Infamous” was released in 1994, it was the perfect listening partner to Nas “Ilmatic” and Reakwons “Only Built For Cuban Linx” And at that point I rated him on the same level as his two afore mentioned peers. While his raw talent is undeniable, I think his lyrical content has held him back from becoming more of a media icon (alot of times verging on Horror core on his solo work). Never scared to call out names of those he feels are wack or even those involved with the masons and illuminati (see his views on Jay Z & Nas) Prodigy is the real deal.....If you don’t know the time, you need to buy a watch word up. ...... FREE P
Ok, yea, now a day’s he’s Acon’s boy. But trust me, MURDERATION!!!!!!!!!! Not the deepest lyricist, but thats not what its about with Kardinal. The hypest man on the mic, equally as comfortable spitting bars as he is on the Ragga DJ tip. Celebraty face from the T.O. (Toronto) knows how to rock the party.
No. 7: Royce Da 5’9
Unfortunately, Royce is one of those artists that’s never really blown up. He is respected worldwide by the heads and is your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper (if they admit it or not)
A certain Mr Marshal Mathers was so in awe of the skill that he wanted Royce as his side kick for his forthcoming world domination mission back in the late 90’s. Even forming a group with him called Bad Meets Evil and releasing a few tracks on Game records (The now electro DJ, then underground Hip Hop icon DJ Stretch Armstrong’s Label)
But for better or worse Royce decided to be his own man and go it alone, knock back Eminem’s deal and sign with the now defunct Tommy Boy Black label that was snapping up a load of the brightest stars of the then Indie rap world. In my opinion, Royce would have been 50 Cent if he had stuck Em, but thats all in the past, and now we are stuck with that mumbling vitamin water hocking badly dressed toilet of a man that is 50 Cent.
Royce’s next move was to go up against D12, Eminem’s crew and diss their leader and unofficial mayor of Detroit, Proof (R.I.P) which he later regretted and cited as a major setback in his career.
Another major setback was when Royce was sent to jail for a year for a DUI. This was just before he was supposed to link with DJ Premier, which pushed the project back and hence lost its hype.
Royce has however since worked with Premier and ghost written for Dre and P. Diddy. If you don’t know, now you know!
No. 6: Raekwon the Chef
First Wu member on the list but not the last. Rae is the original REAL DUDE. Hes rocking Hats whie your wig is intact, he likes fly coloured asian’s that aint afraid to hold heat. From shanking up white boys in ball courts to shouting out man who built pyramids. From getting lifted in stair cases to gun in your mouth talk. He moves Rhymes like retail and makes sure shit sells. Well, he aint sold that much recently, but he’s still under pressure like Lou Ferrigno on coke. Peace Connecticut.
No. 5: Jay Z
What can I tell you that you don’t already know? It seems stupid trying to tell you anything about Jay now, So let’s go back in time a bit to 1996 to when he was knocking around with Biggy.
So the plan was, Jay, Big, Lance Rivera and Charlie Baltimore (hot as fuck, really talented girl rapper... imagine a light skinned black girl, that kind of looks a bit like Uma Thurman with red hair that could rhyme) were going to become the Commission. A kind of Soprano’s of rap super group, before this became the thing to be. But then Biggy died, and it all bit the shit. In 2000, Jay stabbed Lance Rivera, and pleaded guilty to it (even though in various songs he professed his innocence) and received 3 years probation.
But even before that, Jay was big Daddy Kanes boy, working as his hype man in the early 90’s. Even appearing on one of his posse cuts called Show and Prove when he was known as J Zee, rocking his early wiggidy wiggedy style (think Das Efx but actually saying words) You can also hear this early Jay style on Original Flavours “Can I Get Open”.... On both these tracks he is by far the stand out and murders both beats.
And before that there was Hawaiian Sophie Fame wearing Jaz’s Chain’s
But even before that..... he showed Nas his first tech on tour with large professor, but then heard his rhyme about the tech on the dresser....
(also check the imperial Big L (R.I.P.) on this.
No. 4: Eminem
And then, All of a sudden the great White Hype appeared out of nowhere and got the world in a headlock.. Well, not really, many years in the making was Marshall. If you’re lucky enough to own an original copy of his 1995 Infinity album (I don’t) or if you grabbed the free download a few months back (I did) then you will know it’s a piece of shit, with flash’s of genius.
Then flash forward to 1998 and The Rawkus and Indie scene was in full swing, and a voice kept appearing on various tracks and bodying everyone else involved......
From Rawkus, to Good Vibes, To Skam the Shadow Man, to beefing with Cage and appearing with the High & Mighty, then rhyming with Royce and linking up with the Outsidaz to eventually beefing with the Outsidaz.... this man was everywhere.
Then we found out it was this blonde white kid...... the rest is history
No. 3: Nas (Nasty Nas)
All i should really say here is Illmatic. But I’m not going to be that obvious. Yeah, its probably the greatest hip hop album of all time (with Supreme Clientele a very very close second) but if you know your classic hip hop you know this already. Since then, Nas has consistently gone downhill, (in my opinion) from getting lyrically bodied by his bodyguard on “Oochie Wally” to constantly choosing the wrong beats and making bad collaboration choices. Nas has been somewhat of a musical ambulance crash over the last 10 years. But... and its a big BUT (not Kellis) at least once a year Nas drops a street heater that blows my mind. The best example of this is of course “Ether”. Even the god MC could not get back on his feet after this knockout blow. The most perfect diss record ever. For this, Nas is still one of the sharpest & most intelligent artists in the game. It’s pure calculated aggression. “That shit to make your soul burn slow”... Brap
Then of course theres the Primo and Nas Collaborations. The master of boom Bap with God Son, taking us ever so breaifly back to the golden era Again, ignoring Illmatic again for a minute (I know its hard) But “Nas Is Like” is possibly one of the most perfect hip hop tracks ever recorded. Usually content this self indulgent is ignored by myself, but his is undeniable.
Then of course there is Nas on old funk breaks, telling story rhymes. Genius comparable to Slick Rick at his best.
All of this makes up for his gratuitous R Kelly and Murder Inc Collaborations I think you will agree, and if not, your a bellend.
No. 2: Tribe Called Quest / De La Soul / Busta Rhymes/Common
Sorry, I know it’s a bit lame grouping this lot together, but its the only way I could make sense of it. And plus its my list so bite me, ill do whatever the fuck I want.
Apart from their various collaborations with each other and the future and past Native Tongue’s and flavour unit affiliations... What did all these artists have in Common?.... J Dilla
Both Tribe and De La were responsible, (along with The Jungle Brothers) for changing the face of Hip Hop during the 90’s with the native tongues movement. But it wasn’t till Q-Tip met Dilla in the early 90’s that the Ummah was formed. Comprising of Tip, Dilla & Ali Shaheed, The Ummah Pumped out magic. Before this, each of these artists individually had an amazing sound. (especially tribe and De La) But when Dilla got his genius hands on them, it was like a re-birth f cool. So I understand that my Number 2 spot isn’t necessarily about an MC but more about their production (so thats how I can get away with the only rappers that are alive rule, as Dilla died in 2006). But the point is, I don’t think any of these rappers sounded better than when they were on Dilla Beats. Real hip hop, real MC’s, real music.
no. 1: Ghostface Killah
G-Dini the great. I could talk about his club hits, and the fact that he is arguably the biggest and most credible star out of the greatest super group of all time. But I’m going to focus on what I love about Ghostface, the lyrical content.... If you don’t own a copy of Supreme Clientele and you have even the smallest interest in hip hop, you’re playing yourself. Go cop it.
While still being dope as fuck, Ghost wasn’t a stand out on the first Wu album. Just another voice in the wall of sound (Apart from “Can it Be So Simple Then” with Rea,) At that point Ghost was looking like he might just bubble away under the undoubted glare of ODB and Method man who were the clan superstars at the time. But then, Only Built for Cuban Linx happened. While it was Reakwons album, Ghost was the star. Murking the fuck out of every beat he got his hands on, and it aint stopped since. Ghost manages to evoke real feeling when he rhymes. Acute single word or phrase symbolism to give clarity to his subject matter. What could come off as gibberish if someone with less style was to spit it (see Cappadonna), ghost manages to glue it all together with a flow that goes from straight to abstract in the blink of an eye. Tales of Sex, drugs money, murder, supreme mathematics, ghettos, motherless children and childhood, with a self reflecting, sometimes embarrassingly open narrative that no other rapper in the world could deliver with more self deprecating confidence and swagger. Ghostface...... the best that ever did it.
Terry Hooligan (Postface Thrillah)
