Greatest Rapper Alive

So this is my first post on my new blog, I'm quite happy :). And for you lazy butts that won't support me by coming here and following my blog the first 3 blogs posted will be put on facebook and then after that I will make you come here. But let's get this party started:

As many of the male friends and female friends I have know that I am an ultimate music head, I listen to any and everything from Mozart to Sade and DMX to Garth Brooks. But clearly Rap/Hip-Hop is the dominant genre I listen to. So because of that there has always been that conversation of 'who is the best rapper alive'. Well I'm going to tell you because I think I have the credentials to make such a statement, THERE IS NO GREATEST RAPPER ALIVE! Why you ask? Being a rapper is not something that most of these artists should aspire to be, they should try to be a legend I remember once upon a time many of these artists aspired to be the best MC. Even look at that nobody ever tried to be the best rapper, they wanted to be the best MC. There was a time when many of these artists would own their skills by practising day in and day out and would be seen in many ciphers battling it out for the respect of their peers. Now there is none of that, many of these artists that are coming in are doing the same repetitive bullshit and all these songs can be created through a number of simple instrumental loops and a simplistic hook. Therefore it becomes just a ringtone song and the song of that particular summer and doesnt resonate into many more years. That's just one of the reasons, I'm cooking people.

Another reason why I think there is no greatest rapper alive especially during this time is because many of the artists that we would consider the best rapper alive have dumbed down their shit incredibly to fit the standards of record companies and ultimately to make money. An example I would like to put out is one of Common, I think that he is one of the most talented MC's in the game his lyrical content is A-MA-ZING! But with the release of his album Universal Mind Control, there was a shift in content it was more of a upbeat album compared to most of his socially conscience content in the past. Nonetheless, this album was better than alot of most albums with this type of theme, compared to all his efforts like Water for Chocolate and Be, it pails in comparison dramatically. Like Universal Mind Control and Annpuncement are proper songs, but it will never compare to songs like: I Used To Love H.E.R., The Light, or Testify. Two other prominent examples of industry politics when it comes to the dumbing down of music are Nas and Jay-Z. Alot of people like to say that Jay-Z sold out and what not, but you know what he played the game for what it was, because Jay-Z knows that if it came down to it he could be an MC if you look at songs like Soon You'll Understand, I Know, etc, but chose the money route, and he even talks about dumbing down his music in the now proclaimed ghetto anthem "Hard Knock Life". Because if you think about it Reasonable Doubt was probably Jay-Z's most heartfelt album (before The Blueprint) and it was released in 1996 and it didnt go platibum until 2006. SO what does that say about music, the industry and the listeners. In terms of Nas, (I know there are some hardcore fans out there but I have to say it) the dude was not CONSISTENT, he had garbage albums one of them including Nastradamus, that album was horrible. After Illmatic it was like all his other albums weren't shit until Stillmatic came out and it was like 'ok Nas hasn't lost his touch' but after that he has had good albums but still doesn't compare to Illmatic and Stillmatic which were named classics in the Source magazine. In a sense I feel like Nas has failed his fans at times. And that's me just being real. But how can I also forget about Fabolous && Cassidy, those dudes are probably one of the most talented MC's (yes I said it MC you dont have to spit conscience shit to be an MC) they could both spit and they could freestyle like it was nobody's business, but once again because of industry politics they were reduced to makin love songs and party joints all the FREAKING time. And I have followed both of their careers from the start and i know that they are capable of sooo much more, and with the relases of B.A.R.S. by Cassidy and now Loso's Way (July 28th) I think people will really see what they are capable of.

Lastly, I feel that there is no greatest rapper alive because many people do not know how to differentiate what a rapper is and what an MC is. I'm not gonna sit here and say I know the damn difference because there is a blurred line because there are different type of listeners when it comes to this genre. You have your purists, underground, mainstream so that right there already is problematic. There are too many grey areas when it comes to trying to figure out who is really MC'n or just talking shit, but as of late the gap is starting to become visible and you can really tell who is tryna be here for the long run or looking to get some money and then leave. For example M.I.M.S. and the single This Is Why I'm Hott, um yea the man was sizzling and then turned cold far from the cry of his single. Hmm but a nice club banger nonetheless. And I think that is the problem there is no balance anymore every song is made for the damn club there is no type of point to the music that is being made. That is why when albums such as PaperTrail are released you have to appreciate it. Like I know everybody has to have a good time but sheesh there has to be some type of equilibrium. Another problem is the lack of respect and knowledge of rap yesterday, since most of these kids don't know their history and if they do they don't understand it, it's easier for these rappers to come out with bullshit for young listeneres and the rappers themselves to disrespect their elders (Soulja Boy, Ice T, and Nas [soulja boy called Nas a dumbass it's on youtube check it out;; ice-t said soulja boy killed rap]). New heads need to shut the fuck up and take notes because in the era that people like Nas, Jay, and Ice T they were rappin in where rapping in, they would've been eaten alive.

So basically I think the best way to figure out this mc/rapper difference is by saying 'An MC can be a rapper but a rapper can't be an MC'. But if that's so why is that there can't be that conversion from a rapper to an MC? I personally feel that time to ask this type of question was when quality music was being made and that was from the late 80s to about 2002. But as of right now with even our rappers dumbing down their content it is quite hard to tell what is music anymore. If you ask me if rap is dead or not I say it's on life support because of lil' wayne selling a milli, which then proved we still had commercial power but it still didn't say that he was a the best or greatest rapper alive. So end of by saying that we are at a point in time where we are waiting for the new freshman of rap to bring something about to the table because if we continue to let the music industry continue to decide what we listen to and what gets put out, all we will have left is a crop of rappers with no appeal and a generic sound.

You Can Speak, But Hold That Thought!