The Official ‘Ask Shyne to Rate a MC thread’

[Shyne]

I realized most of you couldn’t give 2 fucks about my opinion but I thought a thread like this might be fun, people can ask me what I think of an mc, I’ll give them a 1-10 review and a brief explanation, then we can all argue over how my opinion is the wrong one and im underrating./overrating an mc.

Let the games begin

EDIT: all my reviews

10

Rakim - 10/10 - In my personal opinion the best mc to ever touch the mic, even his average material blows most mc’s best out of the water

Ghostface - 10/10 - one of the most consistent and creative mc’s of all time.

GZA - 10/10 - his lyrics are out of this world, the only mc on the same level as Rakim in my book.

RZA - *Producer - 10/10, *Rapper - 8/10- RZA’s is known as one of the best producers in the game for a reason, his beats are simple, bare bone, raw, yet all masterpieces in there own right. As far as rapping RZA always has something Ill to say, but he often contradicts himself, one minute the RZA is preaching non violence and the next Bobby Digital is blowing your head off, not to mention that RZA’s flow has become MORE abstract and off beat as the years have gone on

Gravediggaz - 10/10 - Their first album was a groundbreaking classic and their follow up (their last album as a true group) was almost as good. RZA was at his peak rhyming on this album and Prince Paul, as always killed the production, Poetic (RIP) came with a unique flow, and Frukwan held his own. Classic, yet slept on group.

Andre 3000 - 10/10 - dropped 3 classics in a row with outkast and can out rap…or sing most mc’s.

Eminem - 10/10 - yeah he makes wack music now, but at his best he’s damn near untouchable, his first 2 albums are both arguably classics.

Nas - 10/10 - this is off Illmatic alone, then you have other amazing albums like ‘It was Written’ and ‘Gods Son’, Nas has been know to make the wackest music out of the 3 though (Nas, AZ, Cormega), I wont lie about that, still though his strengths overcome his faults in the end.

KRS-One - 10/10 - A legend in every respect, countless classic albums and song, and while KRS may not have been as lyrically gifted as Rakim, he actually used his mic time to speak on things that mattered, truly an inspiration for every “conscious” mc in the game today.

Masta Ace - 10/10 - One of the most slept on artist of all time, every album he’s ever dropped is worth owning, Masta Ace is a man who’s mastered his flow and his lyrics and it shows every time he touches the mic.

Lauryn Hill - 10/10 - you can actually feel Lauryn spirit in her music when you listen to it, you can tell she gives it her all, her solo album is a classic mesh up of R&B and hip hop and her work on the Fugees’s second LP is timeless.

Big Daddy Kane - 10/10 - A legend in the hip hop game, his first 2 albums were classics, his wordplay is out of this world, and he’s the original playboy rapper. From punch lines to female tracks, Kane had it all.

Kool G Rap - 10/10 - G Rap is one of the best rappers of all time, easily in the top 3 rappers ever. His first 3 albums with DJ Polo are all classics and his solo albums never fail to entertain, not to mention his rhyme patter, dude could kill your favorite mc just off the way he rhymes alone, then his lyrics just take it to another level.

Ice Cube - 10/10 - A West Coast legend, I was thinking of giving Cube a 9/10 but then I remember how many classics dude had under his belt, Cube was one of the first mc’s to really mix gangster rap with politics, he was also the shinning star of legendary hip hop group NWA

Pharoahe Monch - 10/10 - this is personally my favorite rapper ever, Monch is THE PERFECT mc, he has 1 of the greatest flows of all time, his rhymes are damn near unmatched, dude can sing his ass off, and to top it all off he’s very creative and can even make dope club music (peep Simon Says). For my money he’s the all around best artist ever.

Common - 10/10 - Common at his worst is still most likely better then your favorite mc, dude has never dropped anything even close to a wack album and his classic song “I Use to Love H.E.R.” is the epitome of what real hip hop is

Chuck D - 10/10 - Chuck D is the angry black man that white people see in there nightmares, the scary thing is not only is he angry, he’s also very intelligent and can articulate himself like no ones business, couple that with his unique booming, attention demanding voice and you have a legend of hip hop.

Aceyalone - 10/10 - If you’ve ever heard anyone say an mc can play with words this is the artist they were probably talking about, Ace flows his complex rhymes so effortless its almost like it’s a game to him, his first 2 albums are both classics and his worst shit is still dope as hell.

Kool Keith - 10/10 - I said DOOM may be the most creative mc ever…I lied, Keith is the reason underground rappers can do whatever they want nowadays, dude brok down so many doors it isn’t even funny, he has countless classic albums and is always an interesting person to keep your eye on, the only downside is that, yes he has dropped some horribly wack music, still though his classics more then make up for that

Slick Rick - 10/10 - the master of telling story’s, no one can spit a story rap like mc Ricky D, I also consider his debut LP to be the finest hip hop album ever recorded.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - 10/10 - Now this is the dope Will Smith, him and Jazz dopped so many classic tracks together, in fact 3 of there 5 albums are indeed classic, they made music that anyone of any age could enjoy, that alone is an amazing thing for a hip hop act, its just too bad they don’t make music together anymore, they were one of the truly legendary, wholesome mc’s who are sure to go down I rap history.

Tragedy Khadafi - 10/10 - the Intelligent Hoodlum dropped 2 classic album, to be honest I havnt checked much of his solo stuff as of late but his first 2 albums alone push him to 10/10 status.

Lord Finesse - 10/10 - Fans of big L need to make sure not to sleep on finesse, this is the cat that Big L got his style from, his first album is a certified classic, Finesse came through with a smooth flow and incredible wordplay that almost matched that of the god Rakim Allah. Very slept on artist

Jeru the Damaja - 10/10 - 2 classic albums under his belt, yet Jeru is still slept on, his work with the legendary DJ Premier is timeless, it almost makes you wish Premo would have taken a break from Gangstarr to work with Jeru more.

The Coup - 10/10 - One of the truly legendary, yet slept on, hip hop trio’s. You cant find a bad Coup album, its just not possible, not only do they make good music, they always have a message to there songs, they never waste a single bar.

Scarface - 10/10 - possibly the single greatest southern rapper of all time (its either him or Z-Ro in my book), Face has dropped so many classic albums its not even funny, whether it be with the Geto Boys or on the solo tip he just makes amazing music, one of the realest mc’s ive ever heard, not to mention dude paints a picture every time he rhymes, you can see exactly what he’s rapping about.

Pete Rock - 10/10 - One of the best producers ever, his work with CL Smooth is timeless and everything he touches is damn near perfect, I don’t think ive ever heard a bad beat from Pete Rock.

LL Cool J - 10/10 - LL has a handful of classics and ever more very dope albums, dude is one of the only old school mc’s to stay relevant in todays hip hop. He can rip on some hardcore shit along side underground mc’s (see 4,3,2,1 with Canibus and then unknown DMX) or he can flip the commercial club bangers, also lets not forget LL is the king of the girl songs, dude was the first mc to make a rap love ballad.

9

Souls of Mischief - 9/10 - Their first album is a certified Hip Hop classic, and while the albums that followed might not have been as good, they were still some dope LP’s. More dope mc’s from Oakland btw.

Inspectah Deck - 9/10 - One of the most slept on Wu members, and one of the only cats to ever truly outshine Big Pun on a track lyric for lyric, his first solo album was damn near classic, his second wasn’t bad, and as a part of the Wu he’s dropped some of the greatest verses in rap history.

Ol'Dirty Bastard - 9/10 - Fuck what you heard, Dirt’s first solo album was a classic, a man who came into rap with his own style, he didn’t try to be like anyone else and he had fun with the music he made, doesn’t matter if he was kicking hilarious raps or singing horribly off key, Dirt is and was a hip hop legend.

Xzibit - 9/10 - his first 2 albums are underground West Coast classics, his 3rd album was a classic mainstream record, and his fourth was an interesting experiment in sound, X is no where near the artist he use to be but his first 4 albums alone earn him a solid 9.

Dre Dre - *Producer - 9/10, *Rapper - 6/10 - Im not too fond of Dre’s production nowadays, it sounds pretty corny to me, but his g Funk shit from back in the day is as funky as it gets, you can vibe to those beats all day, as a rapper though he lacks a lot, he cant write his own rhymes and his flow was never really all that special.

Immortal Technique - 9/10 - in my opinion, I.T.’s second album is one of the best hip hop records made in the last 10 years, its an amazing piece of work, I.T. is one of the few artist out today that truly has a message in his music, and that message is Revolution by any means necessary, the only bad thing is every verse ive heard from him lately has sucked, his lyrics are scaled down and his voice is terrible, he keeps trying to make his voice deeper and deeper and now he just sounds like a fake Aztek.

Vakill - 9/10 - One of my favorite artist, Vakill is hands down the abstract punchline king, dude has an interesting way of flowing the beat, great concept tracks, and both of his albums are damn near classic, this is an artist everyone should know by now.

Brother Ali - 9/10 - Very dope, Very Slept on, Very unique, that pretty much describes Ali, dude is such a witty artist, he isn’t afraid to tell you when he got his ass kicked, he isn’t afraid to tell you that he’s and undercover stalker, and he’s just an all around brutally honest mc.

8ball and mjg - 9/10 - Ahh 8ball & MJG, now this is some classic southern music! Just about anything these 2 drop is gonna bang hard, not to mention 8balls solo double disk album ‘Lost’ is dope as fuck and way slept on.

one be lo - 9/10 - doesn’t matter if he;s kicking rhymes as a part of Binary Star (which im playing as I write this) or as a solo artist, dude is just dope, his solo album S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. is a near classic

Guru - 9/10 - Guru has dropped classic after classic as a part of the legendary Gang Starr crew, his solo album and Jazz series are just as dope, the only thing holding Guru back is his never changing, monotone flow, dude can get soooo boring sometimes its not even funny.

Talib Kweli - 9/10 - 2 classic albums, 1 near classic album, and countless dope verse, Kweli is and mc’s mc, the only thing holding him back from perfection is that 1) he sometimes gets lazy with his rhymes, and 2) his flow can become very irritating to the ear.

MF DOOM - 9/10 - you either hate or love DOOM, I personally love him, always pushing the boundaries of what you can consider hip hop, dude may single handedly be THE most creative mc ive ever heard, not to mention his countless classics, like Masta Killa though his dull flow can kill it sometimes.

Big Pun - 9/10 - His wordplay was damn near unmatched, the only thing holding him back was how he never used his skill for something better, it was always gangsta or bitches, he had an incredible gift he could have used to drop some knowledge but he wasted it

AZ - 9/10 - damn near the perfect rapper, AZ has one of the illest flows of all time, period, and dudes lyrics are top notch, its only his never ending chase for mainstream play that holds him back, he makes at least 2 corny songs a album, he should know better by now.

Cormega - 9/10 - The most consistent artist of the 3, while I don’t think he’s as lyrically gifted as Nas, and he doesn’t have the amazing flow of AZ, he is easily the most well rounded of them, plus his albums have little to no filler.
Obie Trice - 8/10 - one of the most slept on artist of our time, dudes wordplay and lyrics are sick

Del tha Funkee Homosapien - 9/10 - Del, just as his name suggest, is one funky mo fo, his first album is a classic in my opinion. Its funny that Del is the cousin of legendary west coast mc Ice Cube, cause never will you find two rappers more different in style, Del’s raps are light hearted and Fun, hip hop could use more mc’s like him.

La the Darkman - 9/10 - usually I wouldn’t give an mc with only 1 album a review this high, La is just a dope mc though, his debut album was damn near classic and every verse dude gets he murders.

Dead Prez - 9/10 - Dead Prez is dope, I just wish they weren’t so damn racist, its like anytime anything go’s wrong it’s the white mans fault, still though they make dope music regardless of whether or not I agree with there views. Also there first album is a hip hop classic (although that may really depend on the color of your skin)

Chino XL - 9/10 - One of the greatest of all time in my opinion. His flow is crazy, he has such interesting ways to flow a beat, then his lyrics are some top notch shit. doesn’t matter if he’s spitting jaw dropping punch lines or breaking down his own past and heritage. Amazing mc. Only thing holding him back from a 10/10 is he picks some questionable production for his stuff nowadays.

Killah Priest - 9/10 - easily the best Wu Affiliate. His first album is a classic and lyric for lyric he’s one of the only mc’s in the whole Clan that can match the GZA. Only thing holding him back from a 10 is his flow is a little off sometimes and his beat selection leaves a lot to be desired.

Cypress Hill - 9/10 - First album was a classic, B Real came through with an original style, you will never hear another mc that sounds like him, he’s also mastered something most mc’s can only dream of…he can make songs that bang so hard they’re a hit with the underground AND the mainstream. Very dope group.

Kool moe dee - 9/10 - Moe Dee helped mold the style that most mc’s use today, considered by many to be the for father of LL Cool J’s style, Moe Dee broke the RUN DMC mold by coming with a smooth style and more complex lyrics and wordplay.

MF GRIMM - 9/10 - MF GRIMM is one of my personal favorite artist. Dude has a silky smooth voice and flow matched with brutally honest lyrics, if Grimm spits something you know it’s the truth, dude is one of the realest mc’s in the game. Not to mention he made history by dropping the first 3 disk hip hop album in history.

Murs - 9/10 - Murs is one of those artist who can do no wrong, its like every track or album he drops is dope, you know when you buy a Murs album you’re getting your money’s worth. Dude is one of the best story tellers since Slick Rick, he flips female tracks just as good as fellow underground mc Slug, and he keeps it hood all at the same time. Truly an amazing artist.

D.O.C. - 9/10 - His first solo album is one of the finest hip hop has to offer (especially from a southern artist, fuck what you heard DOC is southern). DOC would easily be a 10 had he had a chance to release more material. Tragically after his first album he lost his voice in a car accident and never fully recovered, thus we will never know what his true potential was


8

2pac - 8/10 - yes that’s right im giving Pac a good review, for every bad song he had there was also a Dear Mama, one of the best hip hop songs ever, not to mention Me Against the World is a classic.

Jay Z - 8/10 - this is pretty much off Reasonable Doubt alone, I wont lie, Im not a fan of much of the music Jigga dropped after that album but he does have at least 2 very dope tracks every album.

Redman - 8/10 - Very dope artist, very creative, and best of all he’s not afraid to make himself look silly and have fun with his music.

Ludicris - 8/10 - I don’t care what region of the world your from, Luda is a dope mc, I could say the same thing for him as I did Red, he isn’t afraid to have fun with his music and can cater to pretty much any crowd.

Busta Rhymes - 8/10 - his work with Leaders of the New School was classic and while his solo albums may not be what he’s really capable of, he’s still a dope mc and great for a guest verse.

Black Thought - 8/10 - He was never anything over the top to me but he was the epitome of a solid, well rounded rapper, from the flow to the lyrics he never lets down.

Crooked I - 8/10 - I’ll say up front he has the makings up a 10/10 artist, ive heard him drop verse that literally made my jaw drop, he seems more worried about radio play at this point though, that and since he hasn’t had an official album im not sure how well he can actually craft an LP

Saigon - 8/10 - A very confused mc, doesn’t know if he wasn’t to teach the children or kidnap them for ransom, still though seeing as how he’s new to the game he’s already incredibly talented, I think we’ll know more when he actually drops and album’

R.A. The Rugged Man - 8/10 - R.A. has dropped some of the best verse in hip hop history, period, Couple that with the fact that the mc is prided with spitting nothing but the truth that’s he’s actually lived and you have a winner, its just too bad that since R.A. only speaks on reality his music gets very repetitive, yes R.A. we know your poor! Now rap about something else!

Method Man - 8/10 - His first album was classic and as part of the Wu he’s one of the most valuable members, after his first LP he started slipping, his flow isn’t as dope and his lyrics aint as sharp, still though even a bad Meth verse is still entertaining.

Raekwon - 8/10 - Rae was always one of the weakest of the Wu to me, his first album is one of the best ever but he proved that without the Wu backing him and just couldn’t craft a truly good LP, his lyrics are above average but they hardly ever stray from the ‘Coke Rap’ theme and now his flow is boring as shit.

Killarmy - 8/10 - One of my personal favorites of all the Wu Tang off shoots, Killarmy drops nothing but fire, they have 3 albums and each 1 is above average, Killa Sin, the stand out mc in my opinion, has also been knows to kill and verse he’s handed.

Sunz Of Man - 8/10 - Some of the best Wu Affiliates make up this group, Killah Priest and Hell Razah for example, there first album is a Wu classic and none of there follow up albums fail to disappoint.

Zion I - 8/10 - Mind over Matter is a classic if you ask me, and whats really surprising here is that these cats hail from the Bay Area, now the Bay may be know for its interesting and unique independent scene but the last thing I expected to find was artist as lyrical as these cats, they make consistently dope music and always rep there part of the world.

The Grouch - 8/10 - Always one of the my favs from the LL crew (next to Murs of course), Grouch is a rapper in the same vein as Zion I, another mc from the bay Area and another one who surprised me with how lyrical he can get, I havnt heard all his solo shit but the albums I have heard have been very dope.

Ras Kass - 8/10 - he dropped one of the best album in hip hop history then fell the fuck off, now im just happy to hear a Razzy verse that doesn’t completely suck, he gets a 8 off the strength of his first album though, a powerful LP that will go down as one of the msot important pieces or work in rap history.

B.I.G. - 8/10 - 2 very solid albums and a shit load of classic tracks, BIG is the mc every other rapper wanted to be, he had the pop charts and the underground on lock at the same time, he also impressed me with his ability to flip any style as proven on his track with Bone Thugs.

Canibus - 8/10 - Bis is a 10/10 mc but as an overall artist he gets knocked down to a 8/10, dude just cant put albums together, he has the worst ear for beats ever, and he dropped one of the worst albums ive ever heard in my life (C - True Hollywood Story), his lyrics and flow are top notch though, you would be hard pressed to find an mc that can hang with Bis lyric for lyric.

CL Smooth - 8/10 - He dropped a classic album with partner in crime Pete Rock, and just about everything he touches his solid at worst, if he would release more music then I would be able to bump him up another grade but as it is he just doesn’t have enough of a musical catalog.

Devin the Dude - 8/10 - Devin is a funky artist, just put on his music and vibe out to it, he can sing, he can rap, he can do it all.

Ikon the Verbal Hologram - 8/10 - this was Paz in his prime, back when the lyrics actually meant something to him. His voice and flow were much better and he always mixed in some knowledge with all the violence so he had a little something for everyone

Beanie Sigel - 8/10 - Beans makes some of the most honest music you will ever hear, dude really puts his blood sweat and tears into it, his song ‘Whats Your Life Like?’ off his first album still gives me chills, dude puts so much passion in his music it almost seems like he’s gonna reach through the speaker and smack you.

Sticky - 8/10 - lyrically Sticky is a slept on mc, his first solo album is a masterpiece of a concept album and his work as a part of the legendary group Onyx will make sure he’s remembered as one of the greats, the only downside is he doesn’t seem very interested in rap anymore and his second solo album was a piece of trash.

MOP - 8/10 - MOP brings that Raw energy to songs that’s sorely missed in hip hop, in a era where everyone wants to act like a cool laid back hustler, MOP came out sounding angry and loud, they aint the most lyrical cats but they more then make of for it with there presence on the mic.

Bun B - 8/10 - another slept on southern legend, when his partner in rhyme Pimp C was locked up, Bun hit his hustle hard, dropping a verse on everyone’s album regardless of what coast they were from, not only that but he held his own and often surpassed them

Tha Alkaholiks - 8/10 - Very consistent group, they come with a fun party vibe but actually made it into good music, they proved you can make party tracks and still have it be dope.

Cee-Lo - 8/10 - Very creative mc, dude makes some great soul music and is always experimenting with his sound, he has a unique voice that makes him great for singing and rapping and can craft songs that almost anyone will enjoy.

Sean Price - 8/10 - P is an amazing artist, if you take time to listen to dudes wordplay you’ll see just how truly gifted he is. This really isn’t much of a surprise to long time fans of Heltah Skeltah, but for the people who picked up on P when he went solo dude was a breath of fresh air, not only are his lyrics on point, but they also happen to be very funny at the same time. His only real downfall is his flow gets repetitive really fast.


7

Syles P - 7/10 - easily the best member out of the LOX, Styles is just about the only one who offers more then just gun rap, dude often as a message buried in his music and is a true black panther revolutionary at heart

Aesop Rock - 7/10 - Aesop could be an 8 or 9 easy if he would just compromise his flow a bit, even the most die hard Ace fans cant decipher a good 50% of what he’s saying, what you do catch though it sure to stick with you, Aesop is the type of artist where once you finally understand one of his lines after repeated listens, you just cant stop smiling.

Apathy - 7/10 - Apathy is one of the rare exception of rap in that he’s actually better off solo, when he works with his people he’s just a mindless thug spitting corny, played out thug gangsta shit, on his own though he’s a completely different artist, with great concepts and social commentary, plus he has a very solid flow and ill wordplay

Slug - 7/10 - A Dope emo artist, probably the king of Emo Rap, Slug would rank higher if his mind wasnt so one dimensional, everything he does revolves around girls, he makes records for girls, about girls, about how girls hurt him, ect. Still a very dope artist but he just needs to expand a little for and let the female thing go for a bit.

Tech N9ne - 7/10 - I love Tech, dude has some of my favorite songs, on the flip side though he also has some of the worst shit ive ever heard, Tech’s problem is that he trys to hard to make everyone happy, he has a Hyphy record, a backpack record, a gangsta record, ect. In the end he just stretches himself too thin.

Vinnie Paz - 7/10 - On JedI Mind Tricks first 2 albums Vinnie Paz was a very angry, very lyrical mc, now though he’s just angry, his rhymes and flow have gone to all hell, so now instead of deep clever lines like those found on his first few records, he opts for a much more simple, shock value approach.

Phonte - 7/10 - im assuming this is little Brothers Phonte, he’s a dope member of the group but I cant really judge him as a solo artist, his guest verses never really did much to impress me though.

phife dawg - 7/10 - he gets this off the strength of A Tibe Called Quest, I cant say much for his as a solo artist though, like Q-Tip, he’s much better off with the group then solo.

The Clipse - 7/10 - They would rank higher if they rapped about more then just coke, that gets old really fast, they can rhyme there ass off though and they flow nice with whatever type of beat you throw at em, be it southern, west, or east coast.

Das EFX - 7/10 - Das EFX first album is a classic, they came out with their own unique style and they had fun with the rhymes they kicks, then with each album they slowly fell victim to the rap games perspective of what a mc should be, they switched there style up to gangsta rap and pretty much dropped the style they created. Now they aint nearly as dope OR creative as they use to be.

Lil Wayne - 7/10 - Wayne has 2 things going for him, 1)dude is confident as fuck, you cant tell him he isn’t the shit, and 2)he has such an ill flow, even though a good 80% of the time he spits bullshit he still makes it seem like he’s killing it off of flow alone, he also has some surprisingly in depth lyrics buried in his music.

B.G. - 7/10 - BG is my man, I love me some BG music, what he lacks in lyrics me makes up for in realness and swagger, dude has an ill laid back flow and always keeps it gutter

Mobb Deep - 7/10 - They had 1 classic album, 1 near classic, then the rest of their catalog is forgettable, at best Mobb Deep paint vivid street story’s over dark, grimy beats, at worst they’re shallow mc’s who show very little talent and worry more abut record sells then the quality of the music they make.

Cam’Ron - 7/10 - His work with Children of the Corn alone gets him a 7, nowadays Cam isn’t the most technical mc but hell if dude isn’t entertaining, not to mention he can rhyme his ass off (even if most of it is none sense its still fun to listen to), also his album ‘Come Home With Me’ was actually a lot better then people give it credit for.

Snoop Dogg - 7/10 - Doggystyle was a classic, that’s a given, but after than Snoop just fell apart, his voice isn’t as smooth as it use to be, his lyrics don’t impress anymore, and all he’s interested in rhyming about his the ladies. He gets a 7 off of Doggystyle and a handful of classic tracks with Dre but other then that Snoop has failed to impress me.

Cassidy - 7/10 - Dude has the lyrics, the intro of his first LP was amazing, he just doesn’t know what type of music he wants to make, is he aiming for the girls? The hood? The backpack crowd? He needs to get his shit together and figure out what type of artist he is.

Mos Def - 7/10 - He dropped a classic with Black Star and his solo was damn near as good….the Mos fell off….hard, its not that he got worst as an mc, its just he experimented to far out of his comfort zone and his music suffered for it.

T.I. - 7/10 - Im not the biggest fan but dude holds it down for the south, his lyrics are slightly above average for what you would expect for a mainstream southern rapper, and people really seem to dig him as a artist, cant hate the mans hustle.

Royce da 5'9 - 7/10 - Royce is a very interesting mc, he has a unique flow and lyrics that can hang with the best in the game, but most of the time he chooses to waist these skills trying to get the mainstream success that his man Eminem has, only Royce makes really really bad pop songs, lately though he seems to have found his place in hip hop.

Sage Francis - 7/10 - very creative and unique mc, almost to the point that you really cant call him a “hip hop” artist, he’s almost a genre all to his own, one of the more abstract mc’s in the game Sage is always coming with some off the wall shit, also you can tell he really has fun with what he’s doing.

Big L - 7/10 - I know I’ll probably get a lot of hate for this score but fuck it, L only really had 1 good album, other then that he got very old very fast, every verse sounded like the 1 before it with the words slightly switched, how many times is he gonna rap about AIDS? Its just gets boring after a few listens.

Joe Budden - 7/10 - Buddens takes every bad thing that’s happened in his life and puts it on wax, he spits with the emotion of a man who absolutely needs to get these things off his chest, one of the most personal artist ive ever listened to, if it wasn’t for his attempts and cracking the mainstream with some wack ass singles he would be much higher in ratings

Crustified Dibbs - 7/10 - I love the Rugged man, everyone knows that, and as Dibbs he made some of the classic songs that would define his career, he cut tracks with BIG and told everyone that every record label sucks dick, that being said though his voice just wasn’t developed enough, it was way to raspy and made it hard to listen to him for a long time.

Lupe Fiasco - 7/10 - Im not a fan by any means but I did listen to his album and I cant denie his talent for wordplay and abstract story telling, that and he has a smooth as butter blow.

Cunninlynguists - 7/10 - Very smooth laid back music, not much really needs to be said, dope music but nothing over the top.

Juice - 7/10 - im assuming this is Chi town J-U-Ice, very dope mc, if he could get more of his music released his score would most definitely move up to a solid 8 or possibly a 9.

Bone Thugs - 7/10 - Not the most lyrical cats ever but fuck if they aint smooth, throw on some of there music and you can get anything popin, from fucking to smoking, its all good with bone Thugs

Masta Killa - 7/10 - Dude has some amazing lyrics but his dull flow and sometimes non existent rhyming kinda kill it, his first solo LP was damn near classic though.

Jin - 7/10 - he has a lot of potential and a genuine love for hip hop but he complains to much, yeah the record business is shady, you should have know that going in!

50 cent - 7/10 - yeah I know we all hate him or whatever, his old music was dope as fuck though, and dude is making hella money. Cant hate on him for that.

Young Buck - 7/10 - buck is an odd artist, not only is he with G-unit, but he's also from the south, yet he still manages to be dope a good 80% of the time, when dudes on his real shit he really shines

Papoose - 7/10 - he gets this off his vocab alone, dude has a repetitive flow though and he’s trying to hard to break through to the mainstream, he is a pretty creative artist though.

R-Mean - 7/10 - very solid mc but I feel like he trys to hard to be lyrical sometimes, he needs to focus more on his storytelling, dudes an amazing story teller.

DMX - 7/10 - he was really dope back in the day, first album was classic, then after each album he got a bit worst and worst, now he’s a just a shadow of who he use to be

Coolio - 7/10 - wow, I bet I get so much shit for this review, fuck it though, Coolio made great pop music, I doubt there’s anyone here who can say they didn’t sing along with at least one of his songs when it came on the radio. Not the best mc by far, but that man made good songs.

Cuban Link - 7/10 - One of the many artist to rap in the same vein as the late Big Pun, while Link is no where near the mc that Pun was he’s nothing to turn a blind eye too, dude is a dope mc, he has a solid flow and even better lyrics.

X-Raided - 7/10 - an underground legend in the world of gangsta rap, if you like thug/gangsta music then bump the rating up another score, as for me, I like dude but his subject matter gets old really fast, perfect music to bump in the car though.

Mac Dre - 7/10 - Not the best mc in the world, but possibly one of the most creative, Mac Dre has about as many aliases as the whole Wu Tang Clan put together, dude was really on some other shit when it came to playing different characters. Not to mention the constant output of albums that would put even 2pac to shame.

MC Eiht - 7/10 - MC Eiht may not have dropped what I would consider a classic album but he’s a west coast legend none the less, very solid mc. Even though Quick shitted on him lol.

Kurupt - 7/10 - Kurupt is dope half the time then wack the other half, dude is such an odd mc, he’ll start off a verse lyrical as fuck, to the point where its almost unbelievable for a West Coast mc, then he’ll just fall off…like right there half way through the verse you can here him fall off. The first Dogg Pound lp is still dope though.

Naledge - 7/10 - very solid mc, although ive only heard his stuff from Kidz in the Hall (im not sure if he has any notable guest verses or mixtapes) he made very few mistakes, while lyric for lyric he’s nothing too over the top he does have a solid flow and a point to his music.

comptons most wanted - 7/10 - Almost in the same vein as NWA, im not the biggest fan of MC Eeht but he actually isn’t too bad on there first album, not the most consistent group but they still have some dope music.

Dilated Peoples - 7/10 - Never was the biggest fan of this group, I cant hate on em though, its not like they’re wack or anything they just never made anything that grabbed me as dope. Overall a solid group.

Chief Kamachi - 7/10 - Very well rounded mc, one of those artist you cant really say anything bad about yet he’s still missing that spark to make him amazing. I think the biggest problem is he sounds just like the rest of the JuJu Mob. For my money Reef has always been better then Kamachi anyways, both are very similar artist but Reef makes the music a bit better, knocking down Kamachi from a 8 to a strong 7

Rock - 7/10 - Dude has an amazing voice, he makes his presence felt on tracks, you can tell why they call him the Rockness Monstah, dude sounds like an absolute monster when he rhymes. His lyrics are always on point, maybe not as sharp as partner in rhyme Ruck (aka Sean P) but still he hold his own. What gets him a 7 is his lack of solo albums. Im not sure how well Rock can hold up on his own.

6

Shyne - 6/10 - he has a lot of potential but just cant put together a good album also 90% of what he raps about his guns and drugs, gets old fast

Lloyd Banks - 6/10 - his voice and punchlines really kill it for me, most people like his punch’s but I personally find them corny, he does have some ill wordplay when he puts his mind to it though.

Slim Thug - 6/10 - I actually like Slim, dude has a ill voice to listen to when your smoking and he flows nice with the beats.

Chamillionare - 6/10 - like a southern 50 cent, he sings, he raps, he talks a lot of shit, not really a fan of his music but ive heard much worst from the south, dude is a decent artist if your into that type of thing

Kanye West - *Rapper - 6/10, *Producer 10/10 - I don’t think much of Kanye’s rapping, its pretty cheesy for the most part, but as a producer he’s one of the best ive ever heard, dude’s beats are insane and he brings out the best in whoever he gets on his tracks.

Erick Sermon - 6/10 - as a solo artist he just doesn’t do it for me, as part of EPMD he’s a 10/10 easy but I always found his solo shit lacking.

Esoteric - 6/10 - always trying to re-invent his flow, esoteric needs to focus more on his lyrics, yeah dude can rhyme, but he’s never saying anything, also he has one of the worst voices in hop hop, also im tired of hearing him rap about the boom bap era when he wasn’t even apart of it.

Fabolous - 6/10 - the kid has swagger, but he pretty much got his whole style from Mase so he isn’t original, he’s also pretty 2 dimensional, its either gangsta or bitches, he is really good at making some catchy as music though, fab is one of the only artist who I can actually listen to on the radio.

The Game - 6/10 - He has flow, I’ll give the game that, he can flow fast or slow over just about any beat, his lyrics though leace much to be desired, he almost like a weaker Chino XL in that they both name drop constantly, only Game isn’t clever when he drops names, he just does it to get attention.

Fat Joe - 6/10 - I never have been, and probably never will be a Fat Joe fan, but I would be lying if I said I never heard him kick some dope shit, back when Pun was still alive Joe was in his prime, dude was kicking some amazing shit in a attempt to keep up with Pun, after Pun died though Joe just lost his spark, without someone to push him to greater things his rhymes got lazy and he finally just sold out completely.

Jadakiss - 6/10 - I like Kiss a lot but dude just cant get his shit together, both of his LP’s were disappointments to me and his work with the LOX is never more then some mindless Gun rap, he has an interesting voice but it wears on your ears very quick, he’s good for a guest verse but just doesn’t cut it as a solo artist.

NORE - 6/10 -1 half of the classic group CNN, Nore is one of those artist you would much rather hear as a part of a group, with Capone NORE is usually pretty dope, as a solo artist though most everything he dropped has been wack, he is making a comeback though, I’ll give him his props there.

Jus Allah - 6/10 - A step below Paz for the fact that he really only has 1 dope album (JMT - VBD) and his solo record sucked, not to mention dude rhymes about the same exact shit every track.

Soulja Slim - 6/10 - A southern legend for sure, not all that great of an artist though, he was pretty much your run of the mill New Orleans rapper, not much really set him apart from the bunch.

Nelly - 6/10 - Nelly isn’t a gifted mc by far, but man can he make some catchy hooks, even I, a jaded underground fan sing along with his older hooks when I hear them. His new music lacks the fun vibe and catchiness of his old stuff though.

Will Smith 6/10 - Will Smith’s solo career has yielded many pop classics, but as an mc he just wasn’t what he use to be, instead of focusing on new ways to make his lyrics fun he just sold out completely and focused on the hooks and the beats, his last album Lost and Found showed that he had indeed started focus back on his lyrics though .

Luniz - 6/10 - can you say one hit wonder? What do these cats have aside from ‘I got 5 on it’? calling me ignorant if you will, after all im not a fan, but overall these cats had the 1 big hit then just fell off the face of the earth.

Street Life - 6/10 - his solo album wasn’t bad at all, and his guest verses are all equally as solid, but until he drops more solo material and stops using the Wu Tang dynasty as a crutch im going to have to leave him with a lower score.

Rhymefest - 6/10 - He has some dope shit and some weak shit, pretty much your average battle rapper, he has some killer verses but overall he still needs work on crafting his songs.

Eve - 6/10 - One of the better female mc’s, I don’t think much of Eve when she does her whole “pitbull in a skirt” act but when she flips it and gets on some real shit she’s as dope as it gets.

Celph titled - 6/10 - Celph has dope wordplay, a solid flow, and an amazing ear for production (his own production is just as dope), but man does this cat get old really fast, every single rap of his is about guns, its mind numbing, how could such a solid artist just waist his talent on mindless gun talk. He has a lot of potential to be a great mc but as it is he’s too shallow to be noteworthy

5

Cappadonna - 5/10 - Cappa started out good enough, he had some killer verses on the early Wu solo albums, then he must have thought it would be a good idea to try and write his own rhymes or something cause dude fell apart., His first solo was actually solid but nothing over the top, the rest of his albums ar forgettable though, also dude has a tendency to just talk over the beat and not rhyme at all. Like a Masta Killa with no skill

UGod - 5/10 - as a member of the Wu, God gets a 9/10, but as a solo artist he’s just terrible, his first album wasn’t all that bad but really lacked for a Wu album, but his second cd….now that was the nail in the coffin, U Gods flow never changes up and his voice gets really boring, not to mention a lot of his rhymes are just on some bullshit.-
Hell Rell - 5/10 - Rell is all gun talk all the time, that’s all this cat ever talks about is guns guns guns.

Hell Rell - 5/10 - Rell is all gun talk all the time, that’s all this cat ever talks about is guns guns guns.

Afu-Ra - 5/10 - Ive said this before, Afu Ra is a poor mans Jeru the Damaja, he doesn’t flow as well, his lyrics aint nearly as good, and his best album couldn’t fuck with Jeru’s worst, he may be good for a guest verse but as a solo artist he’s pretty useless.

Peedi Crack - 5/10 - maybe its just me but I swear Crack just makes up some of the words he rhymes, like they don’t make any sense at all, dude has had some ill verse as a part of State Prop but as a solo artist he’s only proven himself weak

Bizarre - 5/10 - he doesn’t take himself serious and neither should you, he’s a fun mc with no intentions of being labeled the best or a legend, just take him for what he is, good dirty fun. His lyrics are guaranteed to make you rewind in shock, his flow on the other hand is that of an amateur.

Uncle Murda - 5/10 - I really don’t like this guy, he just seems ignorant to me, he has a solid flow I guess but lyrically and creatively he isn’t bringing anything to the table.

Eazy E - 5/10 - Eazy was a smart business man, he also had a great ear for beats and helped put together some truly classic hip hop records, but as an mc he couldn’t write his own rhyme, his flow was amateur, and his voice was borderline annoying.

Krayzie Bone - 5/10 - None of the Bone Thugs impress to much as solo artist, Krayzie is always good for a guest verse but as far as album he just never did it for me.

Yukmouth - 5/10 - Ive never been impressed with yuk, he just didn’t stick out to me as anything special.

Ray Cash - 5/10 - I don’t like Ray, I wont even lie, ive heard one decent track from dude and everything else was terrible, he’s your average mainstream rapper.

Kris Kross - 5/10 - They made some really catchy pop songs, perfect for kids first getting into rap. As mc’s though they were weak and fell of pretty fast after they blew.

mc hammer - 5/10 - hate it or love it you know you danced to MC Hammers hit records, dude isn’t much of an mc but he knew how to make some very catchy songs that you just had to get up and move with. What he lacked in lyrics he made up for in knowing how to craft a catchy pop song.


4

Paul Wall - 4/10 - I really hate him, everything is about the teeth in his mouth, it gets old reaaaaaal fast

Mike Jones - 4/10 - A Gimmick rapper who already wore out his welcome, his lyrics are typical southern bullshit and when he does try to speak on something real he kills his point with his annoying repeating.

Tony Yayo - 4/10 - don’t let anyone tell you that all the bad music is coming from the south, Yayo is just as wack as any southern pop artist, he has a horrible “yelling” type of flow and his lyrics make you wince in embarrassment.

Juelz Santana - 4/10 - One of the worst flows/rhyme patterns ever, Juelz started off good enough, dude has swagger and some entertaining lyrics, then as the years went on he started experimenting more and more with a new flow and just sucked from that point on, dude repeats his rhymes more then Mike Jones.

Jeezy - 4/10 - Now as bad as Rick Ross, but that’s not really saying much, Jeezy has a horrible voice that makes him sound like a 80 year old man rapping and this is countered by rhymes that sound like a 8 year old rapping, I guess it all balances out, he does craft some pretty catchy hooks though.

Three 6 mafia - 4/10 - They don’t do it for me, I don’t enjoy there music and about the best thing I can say is that they have some dope beats, who in the south doesn’t though?

Jae Hood - 4/10 - The best thing I can say about hood is that he has a great voice for rapping, other then that though he’s pretty bad, he’s like a really wack version of Lloyd Banks, his punch’s are played out and corny and his subject matter us very limited.

E-40 - 4/10 - Ive never seen what the hype was about this guy, yeah he has a unique flow and voice, but that’s isn’t a good thing in this instance, he’s just wack, everything ive heard from him has been ridiculously bad.

Mase - 4/10 - Mase was never much of an artist, he was always too laid back fro his own good, he had some really corny songs, and it one of the biggest hypocrites to ever rap.

Flavor Flav - 4/10 - A Hip Hop legend….with little to no skill on the mic, his work as public enemys hype man is the stuff of legends but as a solo mc Flav is like bad joke that.

Swizz Beatz - 4/10 - ive never thought much of Swizz as a producer, his beats annoy the hell out of me, and as an mc he should just stay away from the mic.

3

Jermaine Dupri - 3/10 - he gets this cause he’s like the Dr. Dre of kiddy rap, always finding new talent and putting them out to own the mainstream, as an mc though he sucks, pretty much another P Diddy.

Lil Scrappy - 3/10 - I actually didn’t hate his first few singles he had a few years back, he was young and full of energy, after taking the time to actually listen to some of his music though I can tell you that this kid isn’t a very gifted mc, like many southern pop rappers he lets the production carry the bulk of the weight on his songs.

lil flip - 3/10 - horrible artist, dude claims to be the freestyle king but rapping as slow as he does just about anyone could freestyle as good, he’s a cheesy southern artist and gets way more props then he deserves.

Spider Loc - 3/10 - ive only heard 2 good verse from dude, now in his defense he really did kill the verses but overall this cat should not be rapping, maybe he was a big gang banger in the streets but just cause he has history doesn’t mean he should be anywhere near a mic.

Memphis Bleek - 3/10 - Bleek is a weak artist, im not sure why Jigga put him on but dude is wack, he cant drop good albums, good songs, or good verses. In fact the best verse he ever had was written by Jay Z, other then that he’s been wack from day one.

Jimmy Jones - 3/10 - ummm what can I say good about Jimmy? ….well I supose he can ride the beat pretty good….that’s a plus right?

J.R. Writer - 3/10 - I will never understand what people see in this kid, he’s easily the worst member out of all the Dip Set…and that’s saying a lot. Ive heard 1 good verse from him, other then that he’s a watered down Cam’Ron. Dude just isn’t any good.

2

Shamrock - 2/10 - this may be biased since I hated just about every rapper on that show but he seemed like one of the worst out of the bunch.

Rick Ross - 2/10 - thus guy is horrible, im sorry but he’s just wack, he has a god awful voice and lyrics just as bad, he cant flow for shit and he just shouldn’t be allowed to record. He’s terrible.

Yung Joc - 2/10 - he sucks, he’s a rapper in the same vein as every other southern artist you see on tv, he brings nothing new to the game and makes watered down pop music,

Lil Jon - 2/10 - Jon gets a 2 cause I liked that beat he did for Tick Daddy that had Twista on it, other then his production does nothing for me and he may single handedly be the most annoying person on the mic…ever

1

D4L - -1/10 - yes that’s right, they get a negative 1, that’s how bad they are, Hands down the worst thing to happen to rap with the exception of the Chicken Noodle Soup song.

Gucci Mane - 1/10 - another horrible rapper, I only gave him a 1 cuz the man is so damn icy!

Vanilla Ice - 1/10 - I don’t really feel much reason to explain this, he gets a 1 cause Ice Ice Baby was catchy back in the day, dudes a horrible artist though.

Trillville - 1/10 - Horrible group, no good rhymes whatsoever, the only thing I can give them credit for is I guess they can flow the beat and make people dance.

0

K - Fed - 0/10 the first artist in my thread to get a 0! Yay! I really don’t think this needs and explanation, dude is horrible in every way possible, I would give him a 1 for fucking Spears but seeing her nowadays that doesn’t seem like much of an achievement.

Dem Franchize Boyz - 0/10 - one of the worst groups in rap history, ever.

Scott Storch - 0/10 - I don’t even want to explain this one, that song he made was one of the worst things ive ever heard in my life.

[MezSiah]

Short Dawg


But the only bad thing is that most of what u listen to is underground (from what it seems)

[Ether Boii]

Rate Rakim

[Red Bandana]

rate Shyne

[J-Banks]

Rate DMX, lol

[.::Renegade::.]

Obie Trice

[H.O.V.A.]

Ghostface Killah.

[Shyne]

Originally Posted by Curtis ''Interscope''Jack

Rate Rakim

10/10 - In my personal opinion the best mc to ever touch the mic, even his average material blows most mc’s best out of the water

Originally Posted by BKizzle

Short Dawg


But the only bad thing is that most of what u listen to is underground (from what it seems)

Umm Too Short or is there another rapper named Short Dog? Lol, and nah I do listen to underground but I’ll give my honest opinion on everyone.

[Thug N Harmony]

rate 5-0Cent

i'd give him a 4.5/10

[MezSiah]

Originally Posted by Shyne

10/10 - In my personal opinion the best mc to ever touch the mic, even his average material blows most mc’s best out of the water


Umm Too Short or is there another rapper named Short Dog? Lol, and nah I do listen to underground but I’ll give my honest opinion on everyone.

not 2 short the other one

[Shyne]

Originally Posted by -Mixtape Messiah-

rate Shyne

6/10 - he has a lot of potential but just cant put together a good album also 90% of what he raps about his guns and drugs, gets old fast

Originally Posted by J-Banks

Rate DMX, lol

7/10 - he was really dope back in the day, first album was classic, then after each album he got a bit worst and worst, now he’s a just a shadow of who he use to be

Originally Posted by .::Renegade::.

Obie Trice

9/10 - one of the most slept on artist of our time, dudes wordplay and lyrics are sick

Originally Posted by {Pandemic}

Ghostface Killah.

10/10 - one of the most consistent and creative mc’s of all time.

Originally Posted by Dat Nigga Jacob

rate 5-0Cent

i'd give him a 4.5/10

7/10 - yeah I know we all hate him or whatever, his old music was dope as fuck though, and dude is making hella money. Cant hate on him for that.

[Thug N Harmony]

Edit: Nvm.......

[MikeMurdeR]

Uncle Murda?

[GWest]

rate Young Buck

[Shyne]

Originally Posted by hollowtip39

Uncle Murda?

5/10 - I really don’t like this guy, he just seems ignorant to me, he has a solid flow I guess but lyrically and creatively he isn’t bringing anything to the table.

[Shyne]

Originally Posted by G-unit West

rate Young Buck

7/10 - buck is an odd artist, not only is he with G-unit, but he's also from the south, yet he still manages to be dope a good 80% of the time, when dudes on his real shit he really shines

[I am God]

Andre 3000 bitch


why do I pick him

well he's on my speaker now biatch. *no Morris Brown*

[.::Renegade::.]

Papoose...

[M.TELL]

rate GZA ma dude..

[Nokster]

R-Mean

and

2pac

[Shyne]

Originally Posted by El Return of Jesus

Andre 3000 bitch


why do I pick him

well he's on my speaker now biatch. *no Morris Brown*

10/10 - dropped 3 classics in a row with outkast and can out rap…or sing most mc’s.

Originally Posted by .::Renegade::.

Papoose...

7/10 - he gets this off his vocab alone, dude has a repetitive flow though and he’s trying to hard to break through to the mainstream, he is a pretty creative artist though.

[Shyne]

Originally Posted by SERiiAL THA D0N

rate GZA ma dude..

10/10 - his lyrics are out of this world, the only mc on the same level as Rakim in my book.

Originally Posted by Nokturnal

R-Mean

and

2pac

R-Mean - 7/10 - very solid mc but I feel like he trys to hard to be lyrical sometimes, he needs to focus more on his storytelling, dudes an amazing story teller.

2pac - 8/10 - yes that’s right im giving Pac a good review, for every bad song he had there was also a Dear Mama, one of the best hip hop songs ever, not to mention Me Against the World is a classic.

[StiLL.ReaL.TawK.]

Lloyd Bank$

Ps- dis a creative thread

[I AM HIP HOP]

rate jay-z , redman, and ludacris

[Nokster]

Even though I always knew you were a pretty fair critic... it's good to see you are honest about different artists.. Good to see you can appreciate hip-hop for what it is rather than what people tell others it should be.