Top 5 Rappers

[Deadpool]

Just a simple thread where you guys can reveal your personal Top 5 Rappers.

Also, you can list more than 5 if you wish. Explanations as to why you chose certain people is always helpful as well.

I'll start. ( from 5 to 1)


5.) Eminem - One word comes to mind when I think about Em: versatility. Might be the most versatile rapper ever. He can spit that nonsensical crap that is typically on the airwaves, with much more skill, mind you; can spit lyrics that have real feelings of meaning to them; punchlines and metaphors are crazy; rhyme scheme and flow, he always can alter to best suit him as well. I would have possibly put him higher on list, but he had 2 albums that were subpar (by his standards) Encore and Relapse.

4.) (Nasty) Nas - By far the best lyricist. Vocabulary was something he managed to master at quite an early point of his career (Illmatic is my personal favorite rap album ever). If you were to search up his lyrics, and read them, you would be blown away. He was able to take life experiences and the experiences of those around him and create them into masterpieces.

3.) Tupac - Yes, by many people's standards this is quite low for Tupac. However, I would argue that his versatility was quite limited (9 albums, countless songs; how many do you remember?). Always used the same words in every song, only changing how he pronounced them. With that said, Tupac was the most impactful rapper ever. His classic songs held such strong emotions within the lyrics, and the stories that he told were significant in the black-american culture. Hood stories that were meant to uplift an entire culture of people. Brenda's got a Baby is one of the most powerful rap songs of all-time, and deservedly so. The only reason he isn't higher on this list is because, skill-wise, he was sub-par.

2.) Notorious BIG - Never heard him spit a whack bar. Never. His cool and slow flow made him seem nonchalant. His punchlines were second only to the person I have above him. One of the greatest story-tellers in rap, just beating Slick Rick by a head. Overtime a Biggy song came on you could literally close your eyes and envision everything he said.

1.) Big L - Simply the best. Every word spewed from his mouth rhymed. By far the best at punchlines and such. Also, his skill rubbed off on many young Harlem rappers that had skill (Ma$e, Bloodshed [RIP!], Kill Cam'ron, etc). Look up 97 freestyle against Jay-Z; he destroyed him, and had him stuttering. His rhyme schemes and flow were so vicious (only Papoose can compare. Maybe a mixture of Papoose and Cassidy, actually . . . x100000000). Its hard to explain how skilled and crafty Big L was, you would have to just listen for yourself.

EDIT: Some Big L classic punchlines below...

Fucking punk, you aint a leader; nobody followed you/
you was never shit, your mother shoulda swallowed you/


Put ya house up, or shut ya mouth up/
before i buck led, and make alotta bloodshed/
turn your tux red, far from broke i got enough bread/
and mad hoes, ask beevis, i get nothing butt-head/


Like I said earlier, this is my personal list. There were many rappers I had to exclude from my top 5. Many good rappers (Cam'ron, Jedakiss, Rakim, Papoose, etc)