People often ask me who I think the greatest rapper of all time is. Most people would expect a response like Tupac Shakur, Nas, Jay-Z, or The Notorious B.I.G. [Biggie]. All great rappers in their own right, all have several good qualities, but they’re not the greatest in my opinion.
Only Jay-Z and Biggie have had the most consistent careers, they were both flashy and flamboyant “players”. Tupac and Nas on the other hand both have similar flaws. Most people call Nas “God’s Son” or a “Thug Poet”, but Nas also tried to be flashy to sell records. Must I remind you of “Oochie Wally”, which is basically a song promoting sex, drugs, and the thug life. It’s true that Nas usually has very meaningful songs, but he has tried to be something he seems to claim that he is not flashy. Tupac is also considered a “Thug Poet”, must I remind you of “Hit ‘Em Up”. “Hit ‘Em Up” is a diss song on Biggie in which Nas claims to have had a sexual relationship with Faith Evans [Biggie’s Wife]. Is this the same person who made “Brenda’s Got a Baby”?
I don’t see the greatest rapper of all time being someone who uses big words or that is not consistent. In my opinion there are three men that I consider the greatest of all time. I consider Kurupt Young Gotti one of the greatest of all time, because he is a pure lyricist. He thinks of stuff that nobody else ever would. He knows how to ride a beat, knows how to deliver to near perfection. Ice Cube would be the second person I consider the greatest of all time. Mainly because he was the best person, in my opinion, to come out of the group N.W.A. He has also brought more exposure to Hip Hop with his films, and knows how to use raw emotion, delivery, and substance in his music. Last, but not least, is Jadakiss. Jadakiss is the most slept on rapper of his generation. Jadakiss uses amazing punch lines, great imagery, good vocabulary, and has a lot of substance in his music. Jadakiss should be, in my opinion, revered as the best rapper from the East Coast.
I know several people will disagree with me, but hey that’s what makes Hip Hop so great. We can disagree, because we all have different tastes. I don’t just respect these three rappers, I enjoy the music from Tupac, Nas, Jay-Z and Biggie, but I don’t think they’re the greatest. The future best rapper of all time will be Joe Budden. He has unbelievable punch lines, a lot of substance, great delivery; the list could go on for days. But once Joe Budden gets more time in the industry, then he will be number 1. Until then I hold to the fact that Kurupt Young Gotti, Ice Cube and Jadakiss are my top three. Feel free to dispute this, because that makes it that much better that you have differing opinions. Enuff Said.