T5DOA
As the year 2015 drags to a close
for Hip Hop fans I feel it is time for that recurring discussion to be had,
however not with its usual maddening rhetoric of: “Who has owned 2015?” or
“What was the album of the year?”
Both for me on a personal level
are fruitless branches of which I wish not to divulge into fully, and feel
there are more pertinent arguments that can be raised. Yes, Drake has taken us
back to the essence with his dismantling of a fellow flourishing rap star and
more monster projects .In addition purists will argue that Kendrick Lamar
delivered a modern classic with “To Pimp a Butterfly” and this should be
celebrated given the current climate. Conversely I feel that both are going to
be a consistent theme for the foreseeable future and we will have plenty more
opportunities to dig our teeth into both artists’ legacies.
So with that being said I want to
deliberate the TOP 5 DEAD OR ALIVE. Given
the imminent release of revered Yonkers native Jadakiss’ aptly titled album
“T5DOA” it’s the perfect time to get a definitive 5 rappers who most can agree
on, especially after that suspect list Billboard published yesterday.
Before we get into the nitty
gritty you have to clearly define the criteria of what can get you a
consideration. You must of compiled a classic or seminal body of work, have lyrical
content, impacted the game, have a distinctive style, and originality. If
things begin to get too tricky then chart success/crossover appeal may also be
taken into consideration.
I believe there can be no
geographical bias. As somebody who listens to a plethora of artists, I feel although
Hip Hop may have started in parks in and around New York City, waves created
out West and more recently in Atlanta and other southern states cannot be over
looked. Now the guidelines have been
drawn let’s get straight into the honourable mentions or those who just fall short,
from these few names you start to get an appreciation on how high the bar is.
Honourable Mentions
Rakim to most people who
consumed early Hip Hop will consider him as one of the influential emcees ever.
He was one of the artists who pioneered the transition from more basic rhyming
patterns to multi-syllabic and internal schemes. However despite being inducted
into the Rock & Roll hall of fame, his impact is limited to the 80’s and
his lack of solo success would probably count against him being in the Top 5.
Nevertheless like Jadakiss said “Even being in the conversation is an honour!”
Scarface, Uncle Face was
a third of the legendary trio The Geto Boys and the original King of the South.
The Houston based rapper has been one of the most prolific rappers with 12 solo
projects spanning over a 20 year career. It wasn’t until the early 00’s that
Face began to receive recognition as a solo artist with his 5 mic album “The
Fix”. His baritone and cadence makes Scarface one of the most distinctive
sounding artists ever and despite his extensive list of features with premier
artists including 2pac, Nas and Jay-Z he always manages to hold his own.
Snoop Dogg burst onto the
scene as a fresh faced teenager with his super smooth laid back delivery and a
gangster demeanour that was advanced way beyond his tender age. Since his
introduction to the industry Snoop has transcended popular culture and isn’t
revered as much for his rap and in particular his freestyling ability. All
things considered his mark on Hip Hop is indelible with his 1993 “Doggystyle”
album, and countless hits records, Snoop is somewhat of an Icon and was the
driving force behind the West Coast Movement.
Big Daddy Kane, one of the most influential rappers of
all time. The likes of Slick Rick, KRS One and as previously mentioned Rakim
fans may have something to say but personally it was difficult enough leaving
him out the top 5. Rap music’s first commercial star, unheralded charisma and
charm wooed the ladies, but it also overshadowed his prowess as an emcee with
multiple flows. A prominent member of the Juice Crew, Kane would often write
rhymes for other members of the group, something that would see his style
mirrored and lauded over by many rappers throughout the years. It irks me to
leave BDK outside the starting 5, unfortunately despite still making fleeting appearances
throughout the 90’s Big Daddy Kane is an unknown entity to you casual fans and
for that reason solely he loses out.
Top 5
5. Eminem; The biggest
selling hip hop artist of all time, the biggest selling male artist in USA
during the 00’s and ranks at #2 selling artist in the Nielsen sound scan era.
Often this is attributed to being a white guy in a black dominated world,
however Slim Shady’s artistry is unquestioned. Technically one of the most profound
artists ever, he immersed himself in the culture and honed his craft to Dr. Dre
levels of perfection. Eminem’s work ethic is legendary and he has many strings
to his bow also being a reasonably credible producer. In recent years we’ve
seen the star shy away from the limelight but he is still among the elite and
his presence is felt whenever he drops a verse.
4. 2Pac; think of Iconic
musicians Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, The Beatles.
If you were to elect a rap star to join this illustrious list, only one name
would come out of a lot of mouths. People often criticise his lyrical ability
when going up against other top tier rappers but one thing Pac had was that his
passion and ability to convey emotion. His melodic flows and Heart felt content
spoke to your more sentimental side. Equally controversial as successful, the
slain rapper/actor impact is still felt nearly 20 years after his death and
will continue to be for a long time. 
3. Nas; An innovative
storyteller from Queensbridge. His album “Illmatic” forever carved him a place
in Hip Hop history. When his debut album dropped in 1994 other rappers had to
reconsider their careers. That project was light years ahead of anything else
out at the time. His densely compounded, yet poetic rhymes painted a vivid
picture of New York from a young black male perspective. He struggled to match
this level for a while after his follow up album “It was written” Nas’ attempts
at a super group and working with a super producer weren’t as successful, but when
all odds were against him he rose to the occasion. Following a feud with
Rocafella Records headline act Jay-Z, Nas released the album “Stillmatic”,
spurred on by the heat of battle Nas got back to his best and in the eyes of
most won the battle, and with that further cemented his legend as one of the
best to ever pick up a Mic.
2. The Notorious B.I.G. aka
The King of New York and you’d be crazy to suggest otherwise. Probably the most
borrowed from and sampled artist in Hip Hop, Biggie was undoubtedly the saviour
of East Coast Hip Hop. Two classic albums before his untimely demise displayed
Biggie as a torch bearer for real emcees. A great story teller who drew from
his experiences to create the Mafioso sound that many others would come to
emulate. Unlike a lot of the other rappers on this list Biggie didn’t need a
vast vocabulary and mesmerising wordplay, his flow was everything and very
natural. Truly a void was left with his death and it would have been amazing to
see what he would have gone on to accomplish from a musical perspective.
1. Jay-Z,
the Brooklyn born emcee was a rank outsider in the running to succeed
Biggie’s spot as the beacon of light on the east coast. His early exhibitions
garnered little commercial success, hence leading to him having to taking the
alternate route and eventually sneaking in the proverbial back door. His lyrical
jousting’s with prominent emcees such as Big Daddy Kane, Jaz-O and even the
late Big L and The Notorious B.I.G. saw Jay-Z display glimpses of greatness,
but nobody would have envisaged that would lead to him being ranked among the
greats. His first solo project “Reasonable Doubt” was a slow burner, its
critical acclaim didn’t transfer into sales, but nonetheless the platform was
set for Jigga, along with Dame Dash and Biggs to start up their own imprint. Rocafella
Records distributed by Def Jam would see Jay-Z over the years propel himself to
stratospheric heights, not only musically but also from a business stand point.
Volumes 1-3 had mixed reviews but effectively the fan base was solidified, then
with “The Dynasty” album he introduced us the rest of The Roc before finally
setting us up for the piece de resistance… “The Blueprint” one of the best
hip hop albums ever and a seminal work which saw the reintroduction of a more
soul-centric sound created by producers Just Blaze and Kanye West. On this
album Jay-Z addressed all the critics including other well-known emcees. His jabs
at Nas would see it light the fuse for what is one of the most celebrated rap feuds
ever. “Takeover” in the grand scheme wasn’t a better diss than “Ether” in the
eyes of most but that was a battle, but Jay-Z definitely won the war; having
gone on to selling over 100 million records, win 21 Grammy awards, securing a
personal fortune of in excess of $500m, not to mention “I got the baddest chick
in the game wearing my chain.” Given his endeavours as an entrepreneur/philanthropist
his impact goes well beyond the realms of Hip Hop. Couple this with his
longevity, with the ability to remain relevant throughout a number of climates,
and still enthralling his audience with his effortless flows and witty wordplay,
you’d be crazy to dispute Jay-Z as the number one on this list.
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