B.O.B.’s new album cover has been released. The album entitled B.O.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. The album includes the hit “Nothing On You.”
Some expected collaborations for this new album include: TI, Lupe Fiasco, and Eminem.
Source: RAP UP
Intro:
Where’s my snare
I have no snare on my headphones
There you go
Yeah
Yo, yo
Have you eva been hated, or discriminated against?
I have, I’ve been protested and demonstrated against
Picket signs for my wicked rhymes, look at the times
Sick is the mind of the motherfucking kid that’s behind
All this commotion, emotions run deep as oceans explodin’
Tempers flarin’ from parents just blow ‘em off and keep goin’
Not takin’ nothin’ from no one, give ‘em hell long as I’m breathin’
Keep kickin’ ass in the mornin’, and takin’ names in the evenin’
Leave’em with a taste as sour as vinegar in they mouth
See they can trigga me, but they’ll neva figure me out
Look at me now, I betcha probley sick of me now
Ain’t you mama, I’ma make you look so ridiculous now
Chorus:
I’m sorry mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight, I’m cleanin’ out my closet
One more time
I said
I’m sorry mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight I’m cleanin’ out my closet
Ha!
I got some skeletons in my closet
And I don’t know if no one knows it
So before they throw me inside my coffin and close it
Imma expose it, I’ll take you back to ‘73
Before I ever had a multi-platinum sellin’ CD
I was a baby maybe I was just a coupla months
My faggot father must’ve had his panties up in a bunch
‘Cause he split, I wonder if he even kissed me goodbye
No I don’t on second thought I just fuckin’ wished he would die
I look at hailie and I couldn’t picture leaving her side,
Even if I hated Kim, I’d grit my teeth and I’d try to make it work
Wit her at least for Hailie’s sake
I maybe made some mistakes
But I’m only human but I’m man enough to face ‘em today
What I did was stupid, no doubt it was dumb
But the smartest shit I did was take the bullets outta that gun
‘Cause I’d of killed ‘em, shit I woulda shot Kim and them both
It’s my life, I’d like to welcome ya’ll to the Eminem show
Chorus:
I’m sorry mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight, I’m cleanin’ out my closet
One more time
I said I’m sorry mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight I’m cleanin’ out my closet
Now I would never diss my own mama just to get recognition
Take a second to listen ‘fore you think this record is dissin
But put yourself in my position, just try to envision
Witnessin’ your mama poppin’ prescription pills in the kitchen
Bitchin’ that someone’s always goin’ through her purse and shit’s missin’
Goin’ through public housin’ systems, victim of Munchausen’s syndrome
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn’t
‘Til I grew up, now I grew up it makes you sick to ya stomach, doesn’t't’t it?
Wasn’t it the reason you made that CD for me, MA!
So you could try to justify the way you treated me, MA!
But guess what, ya gettin’ olda now and it’s cold when yaw lonely
And Nathan’s growin’ up so quick he’s going to know that you’re phony
And Hailie’s getting’ so big now, you should see her, she’s beautiful
But you’ll never see her, she won’t even be at your FUNERAL
See whets hurts me the most, is you won’t admit you was wrong
Bitch do your song, keep tellin’ yaself that you was a mom
But how dare you try to take what you didn’t help me to get,
You selfish bitch
I hope you fuckin’ burn in in hell for this shit
Remember when Ronnie died and you said you wished it was me?
Well guess what, I am dead, dead to you as can be!
Chorus:
I’m sorry mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight I’m cleanin’ out my closet
One more time
I said I’m sorry mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight I’m cleanin’ out my closet
NaQuila Hardy persevere
These been a very interesting three months 9 months of constant challenges. Like I said the BUZZ is that we have a 100 songs project, with an advanced marketing strategy.
To be honest our first phase is and test sector, by trial and error we plan to perfect these strategic master templates for the future of the industry and as trend setters try to stay a step ahead of the game always.
I realize that I have a bad reputation at this stage and time, but we all know people tend to forget fast, under certain conditions especially financial incentives like a hit record or film which is included in the repertoire.
Alright, first up is this joint off of Tracey Lee’s debut 1997 album, Many Facez which featured a couple verses from the Notorious B.I.G. Coincidentally The Buchanans flipped the same sample six years later for Jay-Z on What More Can I Say off The Black Album.Keep Your Hands High – Tracey Lee Feat. Biggie Smalls
Next up is a personal favorite of mine which got much play on the old boombox, taken from Funkmaster Flex’s 60 Minutes of Funk Volume 2. This one if you’ve never heard it is a must-have, featuring The Lox & Biggie spitting exclusives over RZA’s C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) instrumental.Biggie & Lox Freestyle Funk Flex
Biggie was the shit on R & B jams too which is evident on this Jermaine Dupri & Da Brat heater for the Bad Boys Soundtrack in 95. B-I-G glides effortlessly over that polished So So Def production like no other, plus the classic Gap Band sample ties it together oh so smoothly.Da B-Side – Da Brat & Jermaine Dupri Feat. Notorious B.I.G.
What happened between 2pac and Biggie was truly a shakesperian-like tragedy, one time friends turned enemies over petty disputes and miscommunication. Two icons that propelled each other to heights unseen in Hip-Hop before and probably will never be seen again. Listening to the original version of Runnin (not Eminem’s 2003 remix)makes me wonder what a Pac/Big reunion would’ve sounded like in 2010. “Nothing sadder in life than wasted talent” Runnin – 2pac Feat. Biggie Smalls & The Outlawz
Now I used to be onbe of those cats that used to HATE on Eminem, “he’s wack, can’t rap …etc etc” I used to say.
Until I first heard Infinite and the track your about to bump “Tonite”. This proved me that dude has his craft mastered.
Only 1,000 cassettes and 100 vinyl records were made. Eminem himself, and old friends from around the time Infinite was recorded, have claimed the laid-back and humble nature of the album is due to Eminem purposely making “radio-friendly” songs in hopes of getting on the air of Detroit’s leading Hip Hop radio station, WJLB.
It paid off, and the rest…. well is history.
One of my all time favourite albums, awesome lyrics and production.
A real underground joint right here.
Track Listing after the clicks
“see you in the funny Pages” – ya boy Slick
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Track listing # Title Producer(s) Length 1. “Infinite” Denaun Porter, Slim 4:01 2. “W.E.G.O. (Interlude)” (performed by DJ Head & Proof) DJ Head 0:21 3. “It’s OK” (feat. Eye-Kyu) Denaun Porter, Slim 3:29 4. “313″ (feat. Eye-Kyu) Denaun Porter, Slim 4:11 5. “Tonite” Denaun Porter, Slim 3:43 6. “Maxine” (feat. Denaun Porter, Three) Denaun Porter, Slim 4:11 7. “Open Mic” (feat. Thyme) Denaun Porter, Slim 4:02 8. “Never 2 Far” Denaun Porter, Slim 3:38 9. “Searchin’” (feat. Denaun Porter) Denaun Porter, Slim 3:45 10. “Backstabber” Denaun Porter, Slim 3:24 11. “Jealousy Woes II” Denaun Porter, Slim 3:20My favorite artist: Marshall Bruce Mathers III or Eminem or Slim Shady. Whatever. For those who know me, this causes confusion: all my life i lived beside a church, and here i am, idolizing a man who makes “profanized” music. The “good people” hate his lyrics, his music, his acts, but i look up to him as an artist. A true person. Here’s why:
One thing to remember: the people who hate him are actually those who oversee the literal meaning of his rhymes and overlook their true meaning. I must admit, i’m like that as a writer, very often. I write things which sound dumb and stupid and dirty, but deep within them is a meaning some people refuse to see. This is the case especially when i write stuff about me. I use an offbeat style with giddy and wreckless words to explicitly show a simple life lived by a person with rough attitudes. Now that doesn’t mean i have rough attitudes: i just don’t want to live a linear life in a linear way too, even if that’s what’s happening already. I just want to tell that i struggle and change the course of this very straight path. Hence, the use of “salitang kanto” for a prim and proper person like me.
Next, Eminem uses harsh words for very subtle messages. Eminem meant, “I’m not gay.” but he wrote, “My English teacher wanted to have sex with me in junior high.” some crap like that 
see that in me?
Finally, Eminem stands true to all of himself and his words. No apologies. He makes new material that shows who he is. Or at least, who the artist in him is. Like him, i sometimes write like i’m atheist, and thank God, i’m an atheist. Haha kidding! Not meant to ridicule any atheists. Peace out.
Who we are is still who we are. Nobody knows us better than we do. People misunderstand us every now and then. So just remember this:their loss if they never knew who you truly are; lucky are those who see the real you.
“Be yourself man, be proud of who you are. Even if it sounds corny, never let anyone tell you [that] you ain’t beautiful.
NEW YORK — [lastfm]Soulja Boy Tell’em[/lastfm] has vowed to prove himself as an MC on his next album, [lastfm]The DeAndre Way[/lastfm]
For the effort, the rapper has already said he wants [lastfm]Jay Z[/lastfm] and [lastfm]Eminem[/lastfm] on board. So far, he’s been in the studio with [lastfm]Kanye West[/lastfm], and Soulja said ‘Ye was impressed with his upgraded material.
“When I was in the studio, I played him a couple of joints, and then he just said, ‘Damn, he’s really starting to go hard,’ ” Soulja Boy told MTV News, “And I was like, ‘Yeah, you feel me?’ … Out of all the artists to get the go-ahead or the co-sign from, it was Kanye.”
While Jay-Z continues making his rounds with Jeezy and Trey Songz on his Blueprint III tour, he’s added yet another festival to his summer tour schedule.
As previously reported, Jay is already scheduled to headline three festivals; California’s Coachella Festival in April, Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Festival in June and London’s Wireless Festival in July.
In between those dates Jay will travel overseas to Ireland for their annual Oxegen Festival. Joining him this year at Oxegen will be his fellow renegade Eminem.
Eminem will return to the country for the first time in six years with his D12 family and a live band. His last visit to the country was in 2004 during a sold out performance.
Along with Em and Jay, the three day fest will feature performances from The Black Eyed Peas, The Prodigy, Stereophonics, David Guetta and John Mayer.
In related news Eminem and D12 will also headline three more European tour dates, the T in the Park in Scotland as well as Switzerland’s OpenairFrauenfeld.
Speaking on his upcoming European tour dates, Em has released a statement saying,
““I’m excited to get back to Europe to rock some shows. The crowds there are always big, crazy and dedicated…it’s going to be great to feel that energy again.”
Funny People (2009)
★★ / ★★★★
“Funny People,” written and directed by Judd Apatow, stars a bunch of funny people: Adam Sandler as a senior comedian who discovers that he has a fatal disease, Seth Rogen as an aspiring comedian who Sandler hires to write jokes for him, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman as Rogen’s flatmates, Leslie Mann as Sandler’s ex-lover and Eric Bana as Mann’s unfaithful husband. Unfortunately, the material was not as funny as I expected it to be. In fact, it was quite serious because the lead character was obviously depressed because of his doomed fate. There were a few jokes with chuckling from here and there but there were no laugh-out-loud funny moments as they were in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” or “Knocked Up.” If Apatow was aiming for some sort of a dark comedy because it did (or was supposed to) have jokes about death, then I believe it completely failed on that level. I had major problems with Sandler’s character because I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to feel sorry for him. Not for one second did I feel bad for him because he was a jerk even to those who obviously cared for him. When his character finally met up with Mann after years of not seeing each other, he fell in love with her all over again but I didn’t buy it. After all, how could a guy who didn’t value himself and his friendships value some kind of a romantic relationship (and a flimsy one at that)? The film wasn’t logical and it should have been because this picture was supposed to be for adults. I was more interested in the angle regarding what it took to be a successful comedian instead of Sandler’s so-called plight. I enjoyed the cameos from Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick, Charles Fleischer, Eminem, Ray Romano, and others. With such a brilliant cast who are very funny in other movies, this film failed to take risks. Instead it featured one contrived and sometimes uncomfortable moments on top of one another. If it weren’t for the breathers (such as the cameos) that had nothing to do with the drama in the character’s depressing lives, I would have been harsher with this picture. If you’re a fan of any of the names mentioned, then by all means, see it. However, I warn you to not expect too much because it doesn’t have enough meat to carry a two-hour-and-thirty-minute feature.
Kid Cudi has grown from strength to strength in the past few months after Crookers’ huge re-work of his debut single Day ‘n’ Night and the release of his debut album Man On The Moon. Recently he put out his second mixtape inspiringly titled The Demo Tape and has since then been the biggest thing on the blogosphere since! Here’s some tracks to check out if you haven’t already.
MP3: Kid Cudi – Do It Alone
MP3: Kid Cudi – Follow Me
MP3: Kid Cudi – I Hear The Calling (Produced by Eminem)
MP3: Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness (Feat. MGMT)
MP3: Kid Cudi – Highs ‘n’ Lows (Produced by Dot Da Genius)
MP3: Dan Black (Feat. Kid Cudi) – Symphonies (Remix)
MP3: David Guetta (Feat. Kid Cudi) – Memories
Buy:
Kid Cudi on iTunes
Enjoy!
Graham
Off the heels of his Grammy performance of “Forever” with Eminem, Lil Wayne, Drake and Travis Barker, XXLMag had the chance to chop it up with The Alchemist about Em’s highly anticipated new disc, Relapse 2.
While the disc does not have a release date as of press time, ALC says Em is hard at work in the studio with DJ Khalil. The West Coast beatsmith has had a big year, producing standout joints for Drake (“Fear”), Clipse (“Kinda Like a Big Deal”) and Slaughterhouse (“Cuckoo”).
“Khalil—who I think is like the best producer right now to me—he had been sending records to Em for a while that wasn’t like, they weren’t like clicking in,” Alchemist told XXL. “Em knew he was dope but they haven’t found the right one. And I think they found a couple joints now… the joints they have are crazy. I can’t say 100 percent [that he made the album], but I have heard at least two joints Khalil did and they’re fuckin’ stupid.”
Al, who serves as the Detroit lyricist’s tour DJ, revealed that he has yet to score a beat on Em’s project. “I’m starting to be around Em and the camp more,” he said, “especially finishing these albums. Factor in Em’s sober now, it’s like that’s my man, we chop it up a lot more now…it’s like little by little I’m figuring out what I have to do to create a sound that would be Alchemist/Eminem. I didn’t get it yet.”
One person that Em has been working a lot with is Just Blaze. Al gave XXL insight into their chemistry: “He clicked with Em,” he said. “It was really amazing, too. They really vibed and made some music, beyond like Just just sending him beats, it was nothing like that…I think it’s a perfect meshing of the two…If you could imagine what they could bring to the table at this point, it’s pretty close and maybe a little more.”
In fact, in ALC’s opinion, the whole album is a level above the first Relapse. “He’s doing things lyrically on this album that he hasn’t done before,” he shared. “The punchline game is really back.”
Link
This years Grammy Awards was without any surprises, the artist that were expected to win won, but not all of it was deserved.
Record of the Year
Winner: Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
In my opinion Kings of Leon did not deserve to win this award. Even though the song that made them big over in the US was a well crafted rock song that appealed to pop audiences. But the song that should’ve won is Beyoncés Halo, even though it’s not a personal favorite of mine i can’t turn a blind eye on the fact that it has had major crossover success all over the world and that it is still going strong today.
Album of the Year
Winner: Taylor Swift – Fearless
Taylor Swift winning this was hardly a shocker, and I would have to say that I think that it is well deserved.
Song of the Year
Winner: Beyoncé – Single Ladis (Put A Ring On It)
I have to say that Single Ladies is very overrated. The song of the year was definitely Poker Face, a song that solidified Lady Gaga as the up and coming star that she was and that received world-wide praise.
Best New Artist
Winner: Zac Brown Band
I did enjoy Zac Brown Band’s debut album and their country anthem Chicken Fried but I think that this award should have gone to Lady Gaga, but in the absence of her nomination it should have gone to MGMT. MGMT managed to achieve mainstream success with a sound that was both unique and distinctive.
Best Female Vocal Performance
Winner: Beyoncé – Halo
Well deserved. Nothing more to it.
Best pop vocal album
Winner: Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Did anyone actually like this album? I mean sure it has had some amazing singles but the album itself is absolutely dreadful. P!nk should’ve won with her hit album Funhouse.
Best Electronic/Dance AlbumWinner: Lady Gaga – The Fame
Very well deserved.
Best Rock Song
Winner: Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
I would’ve like to have seen the song Sex On Fire by the same band win, but in it’s absence Use Somebody deserved to win.
Best Rock AlbumWinner: Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
It was a pretty good album all in all but I believe the award should have gone to Bruce Springsteen’s working on a dream rather than this album, or maybe Kings Of Leons Only By The Night.
Best Rap Album
Winner: Eminem – Relapse
Now this is just ridic. Eminems comeback album was far from being a masterpiece. I believe that Jay-Z should have won this award with his album The Blueprint III.
- For the love of pop
Rolling Stone reports:
Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Barbra Streisand are just a handful of the 100-plus stars scheduled to take part in a re-recording of “We Are the World” to benefit Haiti, producer RedOne told Rolling Stone yesterday at the Grammys. Other artists contributing to the new “We Are the World” — a remake of the 1985 USA for Africa charity single that was co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — include Celine Dion, Fergie, Wyclef, Enrique Iglesias and more musicians who attended yesterday’s 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
“I’m so delighted and so happy to get a dream call from Quincy Jones and Randy Phillips and Lionel Richie,” RedOne told RS. “I know that Lionel Richie has been asked like 150-something times to redo ‘We Are the World’ and he said no to everything until this Haiti thing happened. The moment he saw that it happened he was like, OK, ‘We Are the World.’ And to be one of the people they called to have fresh input to the song, to help produce the song — I have no
words.”
According to RedOne, recording of the “We Are the World” remake will take place today in a Los Angeles studio. In addition to the all-star vocal talent, RedOne promises instrumentation from the likes of Orianthi (the guitarist for Michael Jackson’s This Is It show) and other big-name musicians. The AP reports Bono, Jason Mraz and Akon are also slated to appear on the track. “With music you want to help people feel something in a certain way, and this is something devastating that just happened and I am and we are the world,” RedOne said. “We’re going to be helping people that we don’t know. I have Haitian friends and stuff like that, but we’re going to be helping people that need help right now.”
this needs to be spread around so more people see the FAKENESS that the Grammy’s have become!!
THE SINGLE most important performance of the night…they effed up the sound (yes they broadcasted it this way). in addition to that, whoever was the light technician that choreographed this was not real impressive to me…pretty obnoxious actually.
this performance was really beautiful and seemed to be a good dot of the “i” on the decade. i am just so completely fed up with the grammy’s. they are stuck in a broad “everyone likes what we think is pop” mindset. they are run by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences which “is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers.” which sort of makes sense to me as far as the voting…but what about who sets up the performances, and the presentation, and the production, and writing of the show?? they obviously spend more time on certain pop acts opposed to others. also, the indie music scene is rapidly growing (especially with younger people…the ones who care about “pop music”) and i suspect will soon reach the point where it is competing on an even ground with the majors. will the academy continue to ignore us as they do now?…that would be a major mistake imo if they do.
just some things to think about…
peace and evolve love.
‘Ello! Today’s a huge day in music, in case you didn’t know: the Grammys are slated to go down tonight 8PM/7 CST on CBS and I do hope that you’ll tune in for at least a little bit. Honestly, I’m kinda in the dark about who’s supposed to be performing that I actually care to see; I heard that the song that just won’t die already, better known as “Forever” by Drake, Kanye, Lil’ Wayne, and Eminem, will be on deck sans Yeezy.
But if he makes a surprise appearance and yells “FUCK YO’ COLORING BOOK!” at the end of the song, I could quite possibly die a happy woman tonight. Just to put that out there.
Lady GaGa, I just found out, is rumored to be performing with Elton John…Sorry but I think that’s a match made in heaven and it’d be cool to see Elton on stage after him getting over that nasty bacterial infection he had a while back.
The performance I really am dying to see, of course, is the MJ tribute. I forgot to get my damn 3-D glasses from Target for it but I think I’ll manage. I really wanted CB [Chris Brown] to get in on this because it could possibly be the last MJ tribute an award show is gonna do, and this would be the biggest one. Somebody needs to throw this kid a friggin’ bone; say what you want about his personal life, but NO ONE in the industry would be able to pay homage to this legend’s dancing legacy better than Chris, and the fact that he’s still being shut out is beyond ridiculous.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Award-wise, I’d love for my Cudder to grab a statue tonight. That would be amazing, and if my boy and fellow Virginia native Trey Songz could snatch that R&B statue from Beyonce my life would be complete. I mean, really, does B really NEED another one of those awards? She’s nominated ten times, just give this one to Trey. She won’t miss it.
I’m just sayin’.
Otherwise, today is yet another boring study day for me that’ll wrap up with some rousing muzak. I always get excited about the Grammys, but most of the time they just leave me whelmed with the occasional “OH SNAP!” thrown in there.
Hopefully, they’ll do me proud this year. Commentary is gonna bang this year, though, thanks to Twitter. Hehehe…
It’s time to Crack a Bottle and roll out the red carpet…
THE GRAMMYS ARE HERE!!
Well, almost. You gotta wait until tomorrow to catch the big show, which leaves just enough time to get (fist) pumped up. And what better way to prepare for the big event than by having a Grammy Nominee dance party?
We’ve compiled the best of the best Grammy nominated jams into a handy dandy little playlist for your booty shaking enjoyment. Grab that hairbrush and shake your groove thang in your room, listen to it before you head out tonight, or rock out to it all day tomorrow as you prepare for the main event.
Whatever you do, just dance.
Rock out with your Grammy out here.
It’s extremely tough to determine a clear top tier group of any artists in any genre. What is the reason for this? Well, in reality music quality is all perspective. One’s view of who is “good” and “bad” is nothing more then personal preference. In some situations it might appear exceedingly obvious that one artist is better then another. For example a credited mainstream musician verses a middle school singer. However, to say that mainstream artist is “better” would merely be an opinion. There is no proof is determining a hierarchy of musicians. In a sport such as basketball separating “the greats” from “the not so greats” is an easier process. Obviously Michael Jordan is a better player then some no name guard who rarely played. One could argue that best selling albums and musical awards of an individual artist can be used as a means to separate talent. Although this is true, factual feats do not provide a strong enough bass in determining “the best”. So without further ado, Smooth Thought will present its list of the top ten solo Hip Hop artists of all time.
For starters, here is a list of the top ten best selling Hip Hop albums of all time in the United States, excluding R&B. It will be interesting to see how the artists who produced these albums fit into Smooth Thought’s top list. (Artist followed by album)
1. Boyz II Men – II
2. Kid Rock – Devil Without A Cause
3. OutKast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
4. MC Hammer – Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em
5. The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death
6. Eminem – The Eminem Show
7. Tupac Shakur – All Eyez On Me
8. Will Smith- Big Willie Style
9. Tupac Shakur- Greatest Hits
10. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Here is a short list of those who just missed the cut. (In descending order)
Blackalicious, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Mos Def
10. Immortal Technique
Immortal Technique is linguistically the most skilled Hip Hop artist. His use of words transcends any notion that could otherwise phase his position as a great. His focus on politics and other relevant issues is refreshing in a Hip Hop world predominately centered on sex, drugs, and violence. He has great story telling ability and simultaneously possesses a smooth flow. There is not much not to love about Immortal Technique. As the colloquial saying goes, He keeps it real.
9. AZ
AZ will forever be painted in the backdrop of Nas’ legacy. The talented MC never truly found his way into the mainstream venue nor did he find his way into the hearts of most Hip Hop listeners. He is an incredible talent however, and his overlooked nature factors into his greatness. AZ has produced quality hits, albums, and complications throughout his career. He is known most notably for his appearance in Nas’ first album, but his best work lies within his solo career. AZ combines “hard core gangster” with a unique smoothness. He is well deserving of a top ten spot.
8. Big L
If the Hip Hop world doled out a comedic award, Big L would not be an unexpected recipient. Big L captures his audience with his humor and extremely unique tone. L might have the most distinguishable voice in Hip Hop to those who know of him. Although Big L’s persona was centered on the “gangster streets” which within he resided, it didn’t stop him from being lyrically creative and intelligent. His career was sadly cut short in the late 90’s when he was murdered. It’s debatable whether this contributed to or against his success. What is known is that his lyrical ability and humor is second to none. Big L is an original New York rap legend.
7. J Dilla
J Dilla’s life was also unexpectedly cut short after a well-fought battle with Lupus. Although he died almost 4 years ago, his beats continue to resonate and set the standard for today’s aspiring producers. Jay Dee produced several critically acclaimed albums, which led to his nomination for a Grammy. He is considered in many eyes to be the best producer and beat maker ever. J Dilla was a truly gifted individual who understood how to make phenomenal music. His beats are intricately woven, almost mastered to perfection. Not enough can be said about the greatness of this Detroit legend.
6. Eminem
Eminem has significantly worsened under the test of time. He has become more pop star then rap star and seemingly hundred percent cash oriented. This just proves how great he once was. Although his last several albums have been horrid, his first four were pure gems, good enough to allow him into the discussion of top ten solo artists. Eminem burst onto the global scene in the late 90’s and has not looked back since. He will forever be categorized as “the white rapper”. Before his days of butt pop, Eminem spit fire. His evident anger fueled beautifully malicious raps often involving his personal life. His “I don’t give a fuck” attitude allowed him to consistently create genuine works of art that could often be humorous. Eminem, regardless of recent poor decisions in creationism, is in a category by himself.
5. Jay-Z
When discussing financial success in the Hip Hop world, Jay-Z’s name immediately comes to mind. Although he hasn’t always been the best musician, he has always proven to be a top inventor in his field. Jay-Z has been the main contributor to the direction of mainstream Hip Hop in the 2000’s era. There’s something to be said for that. Even in the previous decade he saw initial success with the release of his first album, Reasonable Doubt. Many consider this to still be his best work. Jay-Z has had the rare fortune of being able to produce quality material in the face of a mainstream audience. His albums are appealing to both the masses and Hip Hop listeners who don’t usually enjoy the mainstream taste. Jay-Z is no lyrical talent, but his overall style with a combination of excellent production has allowed him legendary success.
4. Nas
Nas’ legacy is derived from his solo debut, Illmatic. Illmatic took the Hip Hop world by storm and to this day is considered one of the greatest albums of all time. It was a tough act to follow. Nas never found the ideal footing into the Hip Hop market he desired and was constantly placed in the backdrop of Jay-Z’s success. All this was for the better. Over the last two decades Nas has dished out a long-winded collection of classics. Although no album will ever match Illmatic, Nas’ more recent endeavors speak volumes to his motivation and talent. His material, although less well known then his rival Jay-Z’s, is better. Nas has a deep understanding of what a solid Hip Hop song should be and it shows. His flow, lyrical ability, and message combine to propel him into a top five Hip Hop artist.
3. Talib Kweli
To be blunt, Talib Kweli is without a doubt the most talented Hip Hop artist ever to live. Unfortunately for him two guys, one named Christopher Wallace and the other named Tupac Shakur, decided to pick the same profession. Talib has the uncanny ability to produce perfection. Seemingly every song that the man makes is purified and mistake ridden. Kweli delivers the smoothest style any artist has to offer. His lyrics are often riddled with word play and deeper meaning. Talib touches on political occurrences and other issues he deems important. Although his songs serve a greater purpose, the audience is not given the feeling it’s being boggled down by political propaganda. Kweli’s songs flow purely though one’s eardrums like a soft bending creek. The beats incorporated with his songs never lack intensity nor do they drain his soft voice. His persona maintains the same smooth ability his music possesses. He has upheld a decently well renowned career, while preserving his genuine style. There is no question Talib Kweli is already one of the greatest artists of all time.
2. Tupac Shakur
Tupac has to be considered as one of the greats in Hip Hop. Although other artists might be more deserving of this position if the requirements were based purely on talent, Shakur contributed more to Hip Hop then any other artist. Without his rivalry with Biggie Smalls and more importantly the music that he created, there is no telling where Hip Hop would be at this point. Tupac is the original. Although he didn’t invent rap, he invented what we now recognize as rap. His style was far ahead of it’s time. One must remember that the early 90’s did not provide as much technical support as is available now. One must also remember he pioneered the Hip Hop game. An original will always be more deserving than his or her successors. That is Tupac’s story. His music was good, his message was great, and what he represented is what has pushed him into the discussion of “Hip Hop God”.
1. The Notorious B.I.G.
Biggie Smalls reigns King. There is no denying he is a revolutionary genius. Unlike Tupac however, Biggie provided something better. The Notorious B.I.G. provided phenomenal music. To this day Biggie’s unique flow remains unmatched. He had it all. He could be humorous and completely serious. He could talk about genuine issues and he could talk about “getting money”. What brought his persona full circle was the rawness in it all. Everything about him reeked of “real”. Biggie was no fake. His style was purely heavenly cake. Now add a pioneer to this mixture, and you get one tasty bake.
Thanks for the read.
Comments appreciated!
PS
Tune in next week for Smooth Thought’s top ten Hip Hop groups of all time.
01. We Made You Dangerous (Eminem vs. Kardinal Offishall)
Eminem – We Made You (pella) / Kardinal Offishall – Dangerous (mental)
02. Without Billie Jean (Eminem vs. Michael Jackson)
Eminem – Without Me (pella) / Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (mental)
03. Just Krazy (Eminem vs. Pitbull)
Eminem – Just Lose It (pella) / Pitbull – Krazy (mental)
04. Shake That Lovin ft. Nate Dogg (Eminem vs. Chromeo)
Eminem – Shake That (pella) / Chromeo – Bonafied Lovin [Yuksek Remix] (mental)
05. Just Don’t Give La Fuck (Eminem vs. LMFAO)
Eminem – Just Don’t Give A Fuck (pella) / LMFAO – La La La (mental)
06. Superman Gotta Feeling (Eminem vs. Black Eyed Peas)
Eminem – Superman (pella) / Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling (mental)
07. My Name Is So Fine (Eminem vs. Sean Paul)
Eminem – My Name Is (pella) / Sean Paul – So Fine (mental)
08. Cleanin Out My Distance (Eminem vs. Brandy)
Eminem – Cleaning Out My Closet (pella) / Brandy – Long Distance (mental)
09. Lose Dilemma ft. Kelly Rowland (Eminem vs. Nelly)
Eminem – Lose Yourself (pella) / Nelly – Dilemma (mental)
10. The Way Heartbeats (Eminem vs. The Knife)
Eminem – The Way I Am (pella) / The Knife – Heartbeats (mental)
11. You Don’t Try Again ft. 50 Cent, Ca$his & Lloyd Banks (Eminem vs. Aaliyah)
Eminem – You Don’t Know (pella) / Aaliyah – Try Again (mental)
12. Encore Inferno ft. Dr. Dre (Eminem vs. 50 Cent)
Eminem – Encore (pella) / 50 Cent – Disco Inferno (mental)
13. The Real Shady Friends (Eminem vs. Kero One)
Eminem – The Real Slim Shady (pella) / Kero One – Let’s Just Be Friends (mental)
14. Mocking Days (Eminem vs. Craig David)
Eminem – Mocking Bird (pella) / Craig David – 7 Days (mental)
15. Best Stan Ever Had (Eminem vs. Drake)
Eminem – Stan (pella) / Drake – Best I Ever Had (mental)
16. When I’m Down (Eminem vs. Keri Hilson)
Eminem – When I’m Gone (pella) / Keri Hilson – Knock You Down (mental)
17. I Run Out My Closet (Eminem vs. Slim Thug)
Eminem – Cleanin Out My Closet (pella) / Slim Thug – I Run (mental)
18. We Made Sex (Eminem vs. Jeremih)
Eminem – We Made You (pella) / Jeremih – Birthday Sex (uptempo mental)
19. Drop That Dream Dre ft. Eminem & Rockell (Dr. Dre vs. DJ Khaled & E-Class)
Dr. Dre – Forgot About Dre (pella) / Rockell – In A Dream (pella) / DJ Khaled & E-Class -
Drop That (mental) [Bonus Track]
20. Playa Cardz Forever ft. Eminem & Lil Wayne (Drake vs. Keyshia Cole)
Drake – Forever (pella) / Keyshia Cole – Playa Cardz Right (mental) [Bonus Track]
Well this is weird yet extremely positive news. LGBT boy Elton John has told press that he’s helping rapper Eminem kick his drug habbit. John reports he has been helping Eminem for 18 months now and that he’s doing “brilliantly.” This is AWESOME! Its nice to see two people who are so different coming to together to fix a problem. Its also incredible to see Eminem really taking steps to get away from his drug habit unlike some stars who sadly, let their habbit consume their life and then their career. This is a great story and I know there will be a great ending.
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I’ve read and heard today from the BBC today that Elton John is helping Eminem beat his drug addiction. Elton John explained that drugs make people “cocky and arrogant”, so it could be a long road ahead. Let’s hope it works.
Back in the summer of 2009 Eminem mentioned the Elton had got him off drugs, according to an article in the Guardian newspaper.
