Rappers have 10 years in them

Guest

Where do these guys currently rate on your G.O.A.T. list?

Where would they rate had they retired after a decade?

Rakim had the right idea. He released 4 classics in a row while he was in his prime. Came back and released an excellent solo and a decent one. Then he left for so long even though his recent album was weak it was exciting just to hear anything from him.

These guys would all be fighting for the number 1 spot had they been shot like big and pac. Nearly flawless careers up to this point.

Who has been rapping for longer than a decade and actually put out their best material later? K-Rino? Doom reinvented himself from his KMD days. Who else? Ghost stays consistant but his first two albums are by far his best

ICE CUBE - '87- '97

NWA - Straight Outta Compton
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Death Certificate
The Predator
Lethal Injection
Westside Connection - Bow Down

Tracks like A Bitch Iz A Bitch from NWA & The Posse, Westside Slaughterhouse from Mack 10's Debut, Natural Born Killaz off Murder Was The Case S/T, Hand Of The Dead Body off The Diary etc.

KRS-ONE '87 - '97

Criminal Minded
By All Means Necessary
Ghetto Music: The Blueprint Of Hip Hop
Edutainment
Live Hardcore Worldwide
Sex & Violence
Return Of The Boom Bap
KRS-ONE
I Got Next

LL COOL J - '85 - '95

Radio
Bigger And Deffer
Walking With A Panther
Mamma Said Knock You Out
14 Shots To The Dome
Mr. Smith

Hi, My Name Is! Posts : 601 Join date : 2012-08-25

Accolades, money, and just already saying so much really take it out of you.

Accolades make you think you're beyond reproach, and don't need to work as hard.

Money, that's easy. Distraction, and since your next album isn't your next meal, there isn't the urgency.

And already saying so much on 2 or 3 albums, you've put your best stories out there, and the well dries up.

We've debated things like this here, and came to similar conclusions.

E-4000, Ya Smell Me? Posts : 4876 Join date : 2009-05-31

Basically like Steve says.. they've already said everything they have to say. You have to appreciate all the time put into a debut album before it drops. Most artists will never have such an allowing deadline. Of course, better resources usually become available after that, but as far as raw creativity is concerned...

E-4000, Ya Smell Me? Posts : 4876 Join date : 2009-05-31

Outkast deserves consideration... a lot of people don't care for the double album, but I'm down with it.

The Roots lost me after Tipping Point, but I'd say most fans highly rate their entire 19 year career.

If you count his Geto Boys run up through Untouchable, Scarface has done it.

E-4000, Ya Smell Me? Posts : 4876 Join date : 2009-05-31

Apathy, Jedi Mind Tricks, Esoteric have all produced quality over 10 year spans.

And of course, lets not ignore Moka Only... easily the most prolific artist in hip-hop, arguably the most consistent.

E-4000, Ya Smell Me? Posts : 4876 Join date : 2009-05-31

Redman... 92-07... 15 years, 8 albums, only one dud.

Atmosphere... I don't love all their shit, but what I view to be lacking in quality happens to be their most successful stuff.

Ill Bill... A LOT of material since Future Is Now 02, most of it quality.

MadLib...

Common... Can I Borrow A Dollar ---> Be

Guest

I left out Face because he dropped quality after a decade. Last Of A Dying Breed, The Fix, Made were all great.

The Roots are a good pick. Maby the most consistent group in hip hop. Ill Bill is a good pick. Kill Devil Hills is my favorite from him. He still raps with the same hunger but toned it down a bit. Less necro influence, more muggs influence.

I actually like De La Soul's third "Buhloone Mind State" and "The Grind Date" better than the first two highly acclaimed albums. They haven't gotten weaker. Redman was on another level from Whut? to Doc's Da Name and the Def Squad album. Reggie had maby 2 decent songs.

Not a huge fan of Common or Atmosphere but they have a few albums each. Madlib releases so much it's hard to keep up. Lootpack and Madvillain are still my favorites though.

I only really listen to Outkast's first three. Stankonia got old quick. Big Boi solo just makes me want to listen to Outkast.

7L & Esoteric's first 2 albums are really dope so I should probably check out more from them. Violent By Design is so far ahead JMT's other albums for me. Moka is cool but 100 albums of the same, i'm getting bored with it. Apathy is dope from Demigodz to Honkey Kong.

I was more interested where those 3 I mentioned rate for you guys currently and where they would rate had they retired when I said.

Mainly just trying to find out if rappers are hurting their legacies by releasing albums past their prime. Or if you just ignore the weak shit and judge them off the classics.

For example Ice Cube was untouchable to me but over time Rakim, G Rap, Redman, Scarface pass him due to less weak shit out....

Hi, My Name Is! Posts : 601 Join date : 2012-08-25

Nah, everyone who heard a rapper at their best still hears them like that.

Rakim is way overrated because he could only be successful in one era, making one type of music. The true greats aren't like that.

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Mon 12 Nov 2012, 4:46 am

What about rappers with ten years or more in the limelight....

The Roots
GhostFaceKillah
Method Man

Hi, My Name Is! Posts : 601 Join date : 2012-08-25

The Roots never got "known" until the Fallon show, and they're still pretty unknown.

GFK & Meth haven't been relevant like that either since the early 2000s.

Guest

Who are the true greats in your opinion SteveT?

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Tue 13 Nov 2012, 4:22 am

SteveT wrote:: The Roots never got "known" until the Fallon show, and they're still pretty unknown.

GFK & Meth haven't been relevant like that either since the early 2000s.

LOL! Roots have obtain Grammys and plaques before Fallon even had a show. Your rap IQ just dropped 100 pts

Guest

If you're a fan, E-40 is still as dope as he always was. The Click album came out in 92 I think and he raps with the same energy and hunger 20 years later.

It's crazy how he has stayed relevant with such a unique style. You don't see Das EFX and other originals like that making much noise anymore. He made classics in the mid 90's (Mail Man......In A Major Way ) and blew up again with 'My Ghetto Report Card" and is busier than he's ever been since Revenue Retrievin' and couple years ago

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 11:23 am

SteveT wrote:: Nah, everyone who heard a rapper at their best still hears them like that.

Rakim is way overrated because he could only be successful in one era, making one type of music. The true greats aren't like that.

Hi, My Name Is! Posts : 601 Join date : 2012-08-25

So explain to me why Rakim hasn't made something you NEED to listen to in 20 years then Powell.

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 11:59 am

SteveT wrote:: So explain to me why Rakim hasn't made something you NEED to listen to in 20 years then Powell.

He just doesn't throw out material like that stevie, that's all....but because of that do you really mean to tell me he is not an all-time great emcee?? is Vakill an all-time great emcee?? because obviously he is still making material today so because of that fact is he an all-time great emcee but Rakim is not???

I look forward to hearing your answer on this......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakim

Rakim is the truth stupid.....but of course to you he is not an all-time great emcee...... Rappers have 10 years in them 578644

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 1:39 pm

rez'82 wrote:: If you're a fan, E-40 is still as dope as he always was. The Click album came out in 92 I think and he raps with the same energy and hunger 20 years later.

It's crazy how he has stayed relevant with such a unique style. You don't see Das EFX and other originals like that making much noise anymore. He made classics in the mid 90's (Mail Man......In A Major Way ) and blew up again with 'My Ghetto Report Card" and is busier than he's ever been since Revenue Retrievin' and couple years ago

I co-sign this. 40 Water has been holding it down since.

Hi, My Name Is! Posts : 601 Join date : 2012-08-25

Vakill isn't even close to an all-time great. One [personal] classic doesn't let you sniff the list.

Rakim could do one style of rap, and delivered somewhat more complex rhymes in a time when that wasn't en vogue.

He hasn't made a successful album for 20+ years, and hasn't been relevant for about as long.

Look at guys like Nas, Jay-Z, Kool G, Bun B, LL, Raekwon, GFK, Outkast, Ice Cube, Scarface, etc., etc.

They have all been consistently great since DAY ONE. They haven't been perfect in their whole career, but they damn sure have never gone 20 years without anything worth hearing. And they have been able to switch up styles, and be successful in a WILDLY different rap landscape. They are real all-time greats.

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 2:29 pm

SteveT wrote:: Vakill isn't even close to an all-time great. One [personal] classic doesn't let you sniff the list.

Rakim could do one style of rap, and delivered somewhat more complex rhymes in a time when that wasn't en vogue.

He hasn't made a successful album for 20+ years, and hasn't been relevant for about as long.

Look at guys like Nas, Jay-Z, Kool G, Bun B, LL, Raekwon, GFK, Outkast, Ice Cube, Scarface, etc., etc.

They have all been consistently great since DAY ONE. They haven't been perfect in their whole career, but they damn sure have never gone 20 years without anything worth hearing. And they have been able to switch up styles, and be successful in a WILDLY different rap landscape. They are real all-time greats.

So then your saying that Rakim is NOT an all-time great emcee is this correct?? I don't want to speak for you so I'll let you say it......is Rakim Allah an all-time great emcee in the very feeble mind of one white boi stevie??

by the way The 18th Letter (1997) and The Master (1999) were both legit efforts from the god emcee.....so 20 years ain't accurate either....

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 2:31 pm

Also in your small mind what determines RELEVANCY???

what/who is relevant to you in 2012?? Drake? Weezy? Jeezy?? Rick Ross??

are any of those all-time great emcees?? just askin' lol

Hi, My Name Is! Posts : 601 Join date : 2012-08-25

I'll be generous and include my window of relevancy to having dropped an album in the last 10 years. Still no good for R.

And, I know he had those two middling albums - that's why I said "NEED to hear" for 20 years.

He didn't have that fire, that passion for hip-hop like the REAL greats do.

Now, I know the old guard of hip-hop considers Rakim an all-timer. I do not. I can make my own opinions baby bubba, can you?

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 2:51 pm

The Seventh Seal dropped in '09. It wasn't bad...

Subject: Re: Rappers have 10 years in them Wed 21 Nov 2012, 3:14 pm

The Seventh was pretty damn good to me. I was glad to see him switch up his production. He was in a comfort zone slump prior to that imo. Rakim has never been the best album maker so I never expect much from his albums anyway.

Guest

Too Short '87 - '97

Born To Mack
Life Is... Too Short
Short Dog's In The House
Shorty The Pimp
Get In Where You Fit In
Cocktails
Gettin' It

^^^ nothing but classics and his best 7 albums (Born To Mack more so because its his first LP and major label album)

If he had stayed in retirement he would have had a flawless career. His album last year was his nineteenth solo and he hasn't made a classic since