Is it true that EVERY top 10 has to have Rakim on it?

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  • Mvpbrodie93
    Mvpbrodie93 Members Posts: 8,036 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    Punisher__ wrote: »
    Then the question would be should a top 10 be based on who revolutionized the genre or who do I think is the most talented and\or who has had the most illustrious career? Because I'm sure it could be relatively easy for anyone to name 10 rappers lyrically and artistically superior to Rakim.

    Artistically yes, lyrically ? Enlighten me..... There's TWO rappers who I've heard who I believe are better lyricists then RA, canibus and em, THATS IT.
  • Old Fart
    Old Fart Members Posts: 1,574 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    Punisher__ wrote: »
    Then the question would be should a top 10 be based on who revolutionized the genre or who do I think is the most talented and\or who has had the most illustrious career? Because I'm sure it could be relatively easy for anyone to name 10 rappers lyrically and artistically superior to Rakim.
    I wouldn't go that far, but i will say i can easily name 10 rappers that put out better albums and had more longevity than Ra.
  • hrap-120
    hrap-120 Members Posts: 9,449 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    True, but to add to that. A lot of black youth are ignorant or completely unaware
    of what Rakim had brought to Hip Hop. Before Rakim, most rappers would rhyme conventionally at
    at the end of the line just like most commercial/radio rappers that you hear today. Rakim
    brought in his own, new style of lyricism and rhyming techniques. Without him we really don't
    know if and when emcees would be using:

    1) Multi-syllabic rhymes - "So I start my mission- leave my residence
    Thinkin how could I get some dead presidents"

    2) Unconventional rhymes - "Write a rhyme in grafitti and, every show you see me in
    Deep concentration, cause I'm no comedian"

    3) Internal Rhymes - "When I'm gone, no one gets on, cause I won't let
    nobody press up, and mess up, the scene I set"

    4) Cliff-hangers - "But now I learned to earn cos I'm righteous
    I feel great! so maybe I might just.......

    Search for a 9 to 5
    "
    5) Catch phrases - "Dead presidents," It ain't where you're from, but where you're at."
    I can take a phrase that's rarely heard, FLIP IT
    Now it's a daily word


    These are obvious reasons as why a lot of people put him up there for his contributions.
    But who else can you say has made rappers step up their game as for lyricism and rhyming in the
    past 5 years?
    A truly beautiful post.
  • CMac
    CMac Members Posts: 5,748 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    Nope not at all, top 10s need to include some legendary rappers but also it can have personal favorites as well. Take mind for instance I got Lupe on it and he hasn't been rapping nearly as long as most of my other rappers.
  • JokerzWyld
    JokerzWyld Members Posts: 5,483 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    jay83 wrote: »
    Kwan Dai wrote: »
    I can respect that. But Nas was touted as, the second coming of Rakim, Method Man, and Ghost both inject 5 percent Knowledge into their Rhymes, MC's Like Tupac, Cube, and Scarface all inject some version of Knowledge while keeping in-line with Rakim's style of High Level Lyricism. It's quite odd that you obviously respect and enjoy High Level Lyricism but have no respect for the MC that had a large part in creating it?

    ETHER!!!!!!!!

    Dude put 2pac as his number one artist, but it seems he doesn't listen to the music. Pac said in Old School "Eric B. and Rakim was THE ? TO ME." This is the ? Nas was talking about on HHID. Too many cats representing themselves as true hip hoppers but don't know ? about good music nor the history of the music. SMH.
  • JokerzWyld
    JokerzWyld Members Posts: 5,483 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    I was also born in 86. I have every Eric B. & Rakim album. I have all the Rakim albums, minus The Master, and that's because it's hard to find in the stores.
  • UPTOWN
    UPTOWN Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 13,009 Regulator
    edited June 2010
    ? the ? actin like a ? ......he should know who he is.....when he see this post.......

    Now back to Rakim Allah...... i always ranked him high....but after checking this thread and reading different post..... i have to say...

    Rakim did it to him self...... he was supposed to go down as the best...... but really how can he keep getting props for ? he did over 2 decades...
    Now dont get me wrong as far as lyrics i havent heard anybody quite on Ra's levels....but to be honest..... a classic is always nice....but im not always a classic
    car type of dude.....when i pop Rakim ? and Biggie and Pac.....it all sound dated......

    I will go out on a limb and i guess the hip hop purist will have a major depressive state after they read this......

    Roscoe Dash - ShowOut........ that ? is pure flames....pure ? ....hottest song out....right ahead Beamer Benz and Bently.....
    Rakim havent really hit me nothing besides 7th Seal......and i wanted so long i thought that ? would be perfect....

    Just now-a-days....music is more entertaining.....i love Rakim and he deserve to be placed high......
    But really..... if he died it wouldve helped so much more......we gettin to see what maybe wouldve happen to Big or Pac if they was alive

    Because ? will always say Rakim had classics and he was so ahead his time......well truthfully time has caught up to Father Time....
    U can see the grey in his beard.....u can hear in his flow the age is catching him........u see Jay-Z know something about having a legacy...
    see Rakim had a legacy.......to all the old-heads......any hip hoppers from the 80's will always say Rakim is better then everybody....
    just like my uncle say Oscar Rob.....was and will always be better then Jordan......like these kids......are saying now...that Lebron is better then Jordan
    for me.....the only ? can ever be better the Jordan is Kobe......Bron has a long way......

    Rakim ? up.......he wasnt giving the people nothing.......yall sound stupid.....tryna hold this ? up from the 80's....that 2 decades ago......music have changed
    production have change....so much have changed.....but Rakim stayed the same.....this aint 1980....and I dont live in New York

    da hell ?? LOL

    rakim dropped like 4 or 5 classics in a row during his time .... name another rapper that has done this??

    oscar robertson has none of the credentials jordan has


    once jordan won his first title, there was never a time after that where he lost a championship, in fact he won every year he played from 91 to 98
    kobe already failed in 2004 ... when the lakers lost to detroit ... plus kobe went for like 5 years without winning it all ... JORDAN NEVER HAD A HIATUS LIKE THAT

    this is not a matter of rakim still being able to rap ... this is a matter of commercial success .... there is no such artist that has always and forever sold like hotcakes ... ask 50 and eminem. in fact .. both 50 and eminem borrowed rakim lines IN THE HEIGHT OF THEIR CAREER.

    getting props for what he did 2 decades ago?? if no one topped it yet hell yeah ... same thing with jordan ... his last title was 20 years ago but no one has run the game and took down every other legend in the game like mike

    rakim is that micheal jordan of rap ... he set the bar and no one has topped it yet
  • Stew
    Stew Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 52,234 Regulator
    edited June 2010
    Respect is there but I dont think I could fit him in top 10. Top 20 probably. I was born in 82 and I think he's dope but not my top 10 dope.

    Nas
    Pac
    Jay
    Em
    3000
    Scarface
    Big Boi
    Cee-lo
    Biggie
    Ice Cube
  • UPTOWN
    UPTOWN Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 13,009 Regulator
    edited June 2010
    Maybe in NY.
    but i doubt rappers from other regions listened to dude and thought...'I'll change eveything about the way i rap and be like Rakim"
    i can tell ur one of those dudes who just talks without really knowing because you think you cant be proven wrong with evidence .... there are plenty of rappers in the game who were inspired by rakim and are on record admitting it

    if fact the whole entirety of death row/dogg pound WHO ARE ALL WEST COAST RAPPERS have a video interview and speak on how rakim made them wanna become rappers LOL so its not just an ny thing
  • UPTOWN
    UPTOWN Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 13,009 Regulator
    edited June 2010
    hlf wrote: »
    Respect is there but I dont think I could fit him in top 10. Top 20 probably. I was born in 82 and I think he's dope but not my top 10 dope.

    Nas
    Pac
    Jay
    Em
    3000
    Scarface
    Big Boi
    Cee-lo
    Biggie
    Ice Cube

    you only have one semi old school rapper on your list LOL ... isnt your opinion biased?? did you even listen to rap before the 90's??
  • BackInWhite
    BackInWhite Members Posts: 23,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    you only have one semi old school rapper on your list LOL ... isnt your opinion biased?? did you even listen to rap before the 90's??

    exactly the reason why he ain't any list of mine
  • Stew
    Stew Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 52,234 Regulator
    edited June 2010
    you only have one semi old school rapper on your list LOL ... isnt your opinion biased?? did you even listen to rap before the 90's??

    Biased towards what? Yes I listened before 90 and as a matter of fact Ive heard more in the 90s then I did in the 80s. Whats so concrete about pioneers always being the best? And smh@ you for trying to discredit my list because I have 2 old school rappers on it LOL
  • midwestgangsta
    midwestgangsta Members Posts: 996
    edited June 2010
    he's in my top 10 but i wouldn't say he has to be... to me he started mc'in for what it became.... he was the first 2 successfully combine lyrics and swag with ease
  • Unbreakable_Teknique
    Unbreakable_Teknique Members Posts: 22
    edited June 2010
    I don't have Rakim in my top 10 DOA but that doesn't mean I don't respect his contribution to Hip Hop. He was great and revolutionary for his time frame..and mc's should recognize what the man did,but to say he's mandatory in everyone's top ten is off. From the 80's up until now many great and amazing rappers have came and gone..and we have many more still rising..so I refuse to reserve a slot on my list for an MC who yes,changed the game..but isn't doing much for it at the moment. Every top 10 list is subjective and should shift from time to time,change brings either growth or loss and Rakim has been stunned. Many MC's that came after him have and will accomplish more. In my eyes he simply laid the blueprint,everyone else is taking it to new heights and higher levels.
  • Old Fart
    Old Fart Members Posts: 1,574 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    da hell ?? LOL

    rakim dropped like 4 or 5 classics in a row during his time .... name another rapper that has done this??

    oscar robertson has none of the credentials jordan has


    once jordan won his first title, there was never a time after that where he lost a championship, in fact he won every year he played from 91 to 98
    kobe already failed in 2004 ... when the lakers lost to detroit ... plus kobe went for like 5 years without winning it all ... JORDAN NEVER HAD A HIATUS LIKE THAT

    this is not a matter of rakim still being able to rap ... this is a matter of commercial success .... there is no such artist that has always and forever sold like hotcakes ... ask 50 and eminem. in fact .. both 50 and eminem borrowed rakim lines IN THE HEIGHT OF THEIR CAREER.

    getting props for what he did 2 decades ago?? if no one topped it yet hell yeah ... same thing with jordan ... his last title was 20 years ago but no one has run the game and took down every other legend in the game like mike

    rakim is that micheal jordan of rap ... he set the bar and no one has topped it yet

    WTF? Jordan won his last one in 1998.
  • isayas
    isayas Confirm Email Posts: 2,972 ✭✭
    edited June 2010
    He's number 1.
  • I'm THAT guy...
    I'm THAT guy... Members Posts: 2,544
    edited June 2010
    He's not in mine but that's because I really don't have a Top 10 that I can say is concrete but when I do he may be in there
  • semi-auto-mato
    semi-auto-mato Members Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2010
    the only spot reserved on my top 10 doa list is for run dmc...i have no problems with people who feel ra deserves a spot but he doesnt make it on mine..maybe top 15 or top 20 but i would probably reserve a spot for ice cube before rakim
  • Punisher__
    Punisher__ Members Posts: 3,031 ✭✭
    edited June 2010
    being a pioneer is fine. But does being a pioneer automatically equate to being the best, or even one of the best? Frankie Lymon was a pioneer. But do any of you ? have him as being a GOAT contender? Probably not because I'm sure you all can name 10 or so artists that have surpassed him, by either having a more decorated career or simply being the superior talent.