Unmarketable, untalented, or label politics?

There a slew of mc's who often get the praise "well if only...they woulda blown up" or "they're too smart for the public", let's see how the forum feels about these mc's (and feel free to add your own, and I'll state my opinion as well). Basically pick an mc and state why you feel they aren't at the level they could be at.

Chino XL-I think label politics plays a substantial in his current situation in the hip hop landscape, but his first LP was virtually unmarketable

Canibus-Unmarketable, dude had all the momentum in the world going for him, and couldn't drop a dope lp with one of the game's under-rated beatmakers.

Ras Kass-label politics

Tech N9ne-unmarketable, dude has music that could appeal to a wider audience, but I don't think there's a major label that's ever existed that could possibly have pushed this dude to platinum (and I'm a big fan)

Royce Da 5'9"-label politics, clearly

I could go on, but I'll stop at 5.

N3R0 wrote:

There a slew of mc's who often get the praise "well if only...they woulda blown up" or "they're too smart for the public", let's see how the forum feels about these mc's (and feel free to add your own, and I'll state my opinion as well). Basically pick an mc and state why you feel they aren't at the level they could be at.

Chino XL-I think label politics plays a substantial in his current situation in the hip hop landscape, but his first LP was virtually unmarketable

Canibus-Unmarketable, dude had all the momentum in the world going for him, and couldn't drop a dope lp with one of the game's under-rated beatmakers.

Ras Kass-label politics

Tech N9ne-unmarketable, dude has music that could appeal to a wider audience, but I don't think there's a major label that's ever existed that could possibly have pushed this dude to platinum (and I'm a big fan)

Royce Da 5'9"-label politics, clearly

I could go on, but I'll stop at 5.

I thought Rip The Jacker was pretty good.

Yeah Rip The Jacker was a near classic IMO. 2000 BC and Whom The Bell Tolls were at least 4 star efforts as well.

I think Canibus' inability to blow up had mostly to do with failing to follow up on his battle with LL by releasing a terrible debut album. A lot of people never copped his shit again after that.

I'll pick Canibus on this one for the following reasons:

1) After doing a serious of guest appearances in 97 going into 98, and essentially stealing the show each time out, I feel the hype surrounding him became overdone to a certain extent. What I'm basically saying is, well before his debut album was released, I look at him like I looked at that Firm album (now) when it came out: strong buzz before the album, but once the album (and first single) dropped, the buzz wore off as quickly as it started.

2) This is the most important one IMO. He tried to go toe to toe, lyrically, with the legendary LL Cool J. Don't get me wrong, "2nd Round Knockout" is one of the greatest dis songs ever, but as DJ Kayslay said in Beef 1, initially we thought LL FINALLY met his match, but in the long run, LL was just too much for Canibus ("The Ripper Strikes Back" comes to mind) and it clearly showed. Canibus' career literally hasn't been the same since.

Wayne wrote:

I'll pick Canibus on this one for the following reasons:

1) After doing a serious of guest appearances in 97 going into 98, and essentially stealing the show each time out, I feel the hype surrounding him became overdone to a certain extent. What I'm basically saying is, well before his debut album was released, I look at him like I looked at that Firm album (now) when it came out: strong buzz before the album, but once the album (and first single) dropped, the buzz wore off as quickly as it started.

2) This is the most important one IMO. He tried to go toe to toe, lyrically, with the legendary LL Cool J. Don't get me wrong, "2nd Round Knockout" is one of the greatest dis songs ever, but as DJ Kayslay said in Beef 1, initially we thought LL FINALLY met his match, but in the long run, LL was just too much for Canibus ("The Ripper Strikes Back" comes to mind) and it clearly showed. Canibus' career literally hasn't been the same since.

I dunno, I think Second Round KO was a much better song than The Ripper Strikes Back. I think Canibus did more damage to his own career than LL or even Wyclef did.

KJ Styles wrote:

Wayne wrote:

I'll pick Canibus on this one for the following reasons:

1) After doing a serious of guest appearances in 97 going into 98, and essentially stealing the show each time out, I feel the hype surrounding him became overdone to a certain extent. What I'm basically saying is, well before his debut album was released, I look at him like I looked at that Firm album (now) when it came out: strong buzz before the album, but once the album (and first single) dropped, the buzz wore off as quickly as it started.

2) This is the most important one IMO. He tried to go toe to toe, lyrically, with the legendary LL Cool J. Don't get me wrong, "2nd Round Knockout" is one of the greatest dis songs ever, but as DJ Kayslay said in Beef 1, initially we thought LL FINALLY met his match, but in the long run, LL was just too much for Canibus ("The Ripper Strikes Back" comes to mind) and it clearly showed. Canibus' career literally hasn't been the same since.

I dunno, I think Second Round KO was a much better song than The Ripper Strikes Back. I think Canibus did more damage to his own career than LL or even Wyclef did.

I see what you're saying. Although Canibus did do damage to his own career in a sense, the LL factor will always remain.

I think if he would have come out with a better debut, he'd be in better shape right now.

KJ Styles wrote:

I think if he would have come out with a better debut, he'd be in better shape right now.

I agree.

Crooked I should be the first one on that list. And, that is completely label politics. He said on The Wake Up Show DVD that he recorded 5 albums on Death Row

The LP I was talking about was Can-I-Bus, and the producer was Wyclef Jean, fools.

N3R0 wrote:

The LP I was talking about was Can-I-Bus, and the producer was Wyclef Jean, fools.

Wyclef is overrated. Stoupe is underrated.

[quote="Kendrick Davis"]

N3R0 wrote:

The LP I was talking about was Can-I-Bus, and the producer was Wyclef Jean, fools.

Wyclef is overrated. Stoupe is underrated.[/quote

Only you could say that without laughing out loud.

Crooked I - Label Politics

Bishop Lamont - Dre's lazy ass

Bumpy Knuckles - Label Politics

Joel Ortiz - Label Politics

Arabian Prince - Unmarketable

Snow - Unmarketable (he could have been good)

Snow???? C'Mon Son! Dude was wack. I like Reggae as much as the next man, but he was trash (and no, I'm not saying that because he's white).

His later stuff is much better, KJ, and on some Everlast shit. Not sure if you'd like it, but it was definitely better than his Vanilla Ice-cum-Matisyahu shtick.

Naw. If you haven't heard him in a while, listen to him again. Snow was a bubbler as far as flow goes. And no disrespect to shan, but if he hooked up with the right people, I think would have gone a little further then he did.

Plus Jim Carry pretty much obliterated Snows carrer when he started rapping like Popeye in that "Imposter" skit on In Living Color.

Crooked I-Label politics (clearly)

Nero, you pretty much named the ones that mattered to me.

I thought Hittman's album was good but it was too much like a sequel to 2001.

Tony Yayo-untalented

MF Doom-unmarketable

Cannibal Ox- unmarketable

We need to bring up some more of these untalented types too.

Hittman had a solo album? Knoc-Turn'Al had some dope stuff.

Yep, it was never released, called the Murder Weapon.

Oh well that explains it. I never cared enough to check him out further.

Ras Kass helped fucked himself by gettin locked up 2...3? times, but Priority is mainly to blame for him

And its a shame about all the Deathrow/Aftermath artists that have been mentioned that should have released stuff

I thought Tech was one of the top selling indie artists of all time or some shit.

Touche, Parker. I was more talking about major labels, but that's a legit point.

Snow is a badass, your ears are broke kuzzo.


one of my fav trax: