Words.worth

Top Five Dead of Alive

*Channeling DJ Premier scratch* We keep it movin like the laws of inertia. My poetry's deep I never fail. The saga continues.

We are back for the final installment of this hip-hop legacy. Before a continuance is allowed give the internet editor a line to type how this has been both fun and challenging.

I have skimmed through many other blogs, read numerous lists in magazines, caught some lists on television and even spoke with people regarding who they equate to be the greatest. I can honestly say that my list is not a simple compilation of my favorite MC's (It would have numerous underground artists like Ras Kas and Pharoahe Monch...See forthcoming underground MC's list) but, it is a combination of being a student of the genre and examining all the components that go into creating the ultimate MC. So while blogger x from x coast may choose mc's from their region this humble hip-hop historian chooses to give it to the reader objectively. I hope that is purveyed.


5) Notorious BIG (Christopher Wallace) is like the rap delivery version of Sade infused with a little bit of BigDaddy Kane and Slick Rick. A smooth operator and a storyteller. Somebody's Gotta Die from Life After Death is quite possibly the illest conceptualized story ever in rap. When I first heard it I remember replaying the song repeatedly and actually seeing all the events transpire in my head. That my dear readers is how to tell a story.

Christopher Wallace was truly a lyrical genius at his craft. The primary problem with the Notorious One was simple. We did not get enough of him. He left us with a thirst for more of his work in its true form. I often discuss this issue with people. Biggie was a victim of Puff Diddy (intended misspelling). If one were to examine his body of work one would notice a gradual gravitation to the pop-charts. That bothers me. Generally speaking when I see a rapper doing that it gives the notion that the artist is more concerned about cash than they are about good music. For as talented as Wallace was these two aforementioned reasons are exactly why I could not rate him higher on the list.

All you niggaz better leave the fuckin state, no need to masturbate
Fuckin with Biggie, it's time to castrate.. it's clobberin time
When I rip rhymes I quench thirsts like Very Fine
and I'm still thirsty - niggaz wanna hurt the, six-pack, maniac Coke, tecs, and macs black
Check the stacks, what the fuck?
I throw uppercuts like Riddick Bowe
And I'm wicked with the slow-flow, y'know?
I'm pressin hard, I'm leavin creases Cuttin up bodies and talkin to the pieces
If there's beef I'm eatin meatless
Touch the bone, hit the dome, Al Capone Get stoned off the blunt when it's filled with the skunk Get drunk, and do a demolition to punk
And all chumps, that scream that my shit don't thump
They catch lumps and bumps, I'll put a shake in your rump


4) Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) is the epitome of a rap balancing act. He excels at several categories. Storytelling, flash and flare, punchlines,freestyling, battling, street-anthems, consciousness and commercialism.

Jay-Z is one of those artists that business people from the older generation will point to and say why can't other rappers be like that. He is the consummate professional and he is a trendsetter. What more can I say? He only has one downfall in which he adamantly admits to on The Black Album.

Remember these bars:

I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars/They criticized me for it yet they all yell "HOLLA!"/If skills sold, truth be told/ I'd probably be lyrically, Talib Kweli/ Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense/ But I did five mill'/I ain't been rhymin like Common since...

Those three bars epitomizes Jay-Z and young black males like myself. It is a decision that I so often struggle with. Money or community. If I seek money am I de-bunking my community. However, how can I help my community if I do not have any money. Perhaps Jigga is not truly retired like he says he is. Maybe the infamous Shawn Carter will be the next album as the rumors seem to suggest. With that said perhaps there is room for him to move further up the list.

Lord forgive him, he got them dark forces in him
But he also got a righteous cause for sinnin
Them-a-murder me, so I gotta murder-dem
First emergency, doctors performin procedures
Jesus, I ain't tryin to be facetious, but "Vengeance is mine" said the Lord
You said it better than all
Leave niggaz on death's door, breathin on res-por-rators for killin my best, poor haters
On permanent, hi-atus as I skate in the Maybach Benz, flyer than Sanaa Lathan
Pumpin "Brown Sugar" by D'Angelo
In Los Angeles, like an evangelist
I can introduce you to your maker
Bring you closer to nature
Ashes after they cremate you bastards
Hope you been readin your Psalms and chapters
Payin your tithe, bein good Catholics, I'm comin

3) Chuck D (Carlton Douglas Ridenhour) seems to be a forgotten man these days. However, may I point out that he may have single handedly elevated the level of black consciousness in not only rap music but, in the community in general during the late 80's and early 90's.

Not to mention he help make hip-hop a relevant culture over seas. Hip-hop culture was simply a brown-skinned American thing before his voice was heard in the UK. His influence out of the country is probably matched only by Wu-Tang in Asia. Then we have to bring it back to the states. Krs- One had just as much knowledge and Ice Cube was just as political however, neither had the main-stream influence as Chuck-D. How many rappers did we see on CNN or C-Span discussing the plight of black people portrayed in their lyrics? One. How many rappers have we seen go on Bill O'Reilly and shut him down? One. How many rappers have heard drop science on a soundtrack and have that soundtrack's tittle track become an anthem for a community (Fight the Power)? One.

I know that Chuck D was apart of a group but, honestly he was the primary component of that group. Chuck D is a student that transcends hip-hop culture. He is an activist, publisher, lecturer, producer, he is hip hop.

Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant shit to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain
Motherfuck him and John Wayne
Cause I'm Black and I'm proud
I'm ready and hyped plus I'm amped
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
Sample a look back you look and find
Nothing but rednecks for 400 years if you check
Don't worry be happy
Was a number one jam
Damn if I say it you can slap me right here
(Get it) lets get this party started right
Right on, c'mon
What we got to say Power to the people no delay
To make everybody see In order to fight the powers that be


2) Tupac Amaru Shakur is one of the most misunderstood men of all-time.

Although I should not have to I am compelled to justify Tupac's posistioning in this ranking system. There are going to be a number of people that are going to read this and wonder why Pac is not ranked number one. There are going to be almost as many people to read this and wonder why he is ranked this high. Obviously, once number one is revealed it will be explained why Tupac is number two.

So why exactly is Tupac ranked this high. There a number of reasons but, I will concentrate on the more significant ones.

First and foremost, he was a trendsetter. Is there a more imitated rapper? I would be hard- pressed to find one. Granted most of these characters are nothing but cheap caricatures of Tupac (i.e Curtis Ja Rule Jackson). Influence counts a lot towards a legacy. Second, Tupac was in tune with the inaptitude of the social structure and able to spread that word to the masses just as effectively as Chuck D. His message was that of fighting the system and self-empowerment. He even garnered the attention of then vice-president and resident misspeller Dan Quayle. How many rappers this side of NWA had that type of influence. Third Tupac transcended the regional biases of most fans. Dude was from New York with California tendencies and a south following. Even Biggie can not claim that. Finally, Shakur was a lyricist. Yes that is correct. Most detractors usually try to hide behind the he was not a lyricist card. Not working over here with me because I can see through that argument and straight to the hatred in most cases. I actually did a little studying in college in speech phonetics (by the way I am from the hood too) and word delivery.

Tupac had a rare talent for crafting words that struck emotion and could leave the listener with multiple interpretations. There are only a hand full of rappers that have mastered that ability. His ability to craft metaphors probably ranks second only to Nas (of the people on this list) in that regard. Most hardcore rap fans seem to think that multiple syllable words equate to a lyricist but, they seem to conveniently forget that the subject matter also creates a lyricist. For example read the second verse of Hail Mary:

Penetentiaries is packed with promise makers
Never realize the precious time the bitch niggaz is wastin
Instutionalized I lived my life a product made to crumble
But too hardened for a smile, we're too crazy to be humble, we ballin
Catch me father please, cause I'm fallin, in the liquor store
That's the Hennessee I hear ya callin, can I get some more?
Hail til I reach Hell, I ain't scared
Mama checkin in my bedroom; I ain't there
I got a head with no screws in it, what can I do
One life to live but I got nuttin to lose, just me and you
on a one way trip to prison, sellin drugs
We all wrapped up in this livin, life as Thugs
To my homeboys in Quentin Max, doin they bid
Raise hell to this real shit, and feel this
When they turn out the lights, I'll be down in the dark
Thuggin eternal through my heart, now Hail Mary nigga

There are so many meanings that can be derived from that one verse alone. Tupac to an even greater degree symbolized something that Ice-Cube did. That was the ability galvanise people to think against a corrupt system. He helped portray a philosophy that I have always had. That ideal is: Just because the system sets it as a law. That does not mean it is correct. Henceforth, it is often justifiable to buck that system.

Perhaps I was blind to the facts, stabbed in the back
I couldn't trust my own homies just a bunch a dirty rats
Will I, succeed, paranoid from the weed
And hocus pocus try to focus but I can't see
And in my mind I'ma blind man doin time
Look to my future cause my past, is all behind me
Is it a crime, to fight, for what is mine?
Everybody's dyin tell me what's the use of tryin
I've been Trapped since birth, cautious, cause I'm cursed
And fantasies of my family, in a hearse
And they say it's the white man I should fear
But, it's my own kind doin all the killin here
I can't lie, ain't no love for the other side
Jealousy inside, make em wish I died
Oh my Lord, tell me what I'm livin for
Everybody's droppin got me knockin on heaven's door
And all my memories, of seein brothers bleed
And everybody grieves, but still nobody sees
Recollect your thoughts don't get caught up in the mix
Cause the media is full of dirty tricks
Only God can judge me

posted by Words.worth @ 6:47 PM