Who's The "Deeper" Rapper?

On what ever level you define a deep rapper? Whether its lyrics, subject matter, or vocabulary, who you wit?

Scarface vs. Immortal Technique

Pac vs. Mos Def

Cube vs. Chuck D

Vinnie Paz vs. Bushwick Bill

Nas vs. Gift Of Gab

Andre 3000 vs. Khujo

K Rino vs. GZA

RZA vs. Wise Intellingent

Ras Kass vs. Common

Killah Priest vs. Rakim

Brother J vs Melle Mel

Paris vs. Sadat X

Canibus vs. Pharoahe Monche

Talib Kweli vs. Brother Ali

Killer Mike vs. Black Thought

Scarface

Pac

Cube

Vinnie Paz

Nas

Andre 3000

GZA

RZA

Ras Kass

Killah Priest

Brother J

Paris

Pharoahe Monche

Brother Ali

Black Thought

just lookin at Jason's i think id agree with it completely

Scarface vs. Immortal Technique- While I like Face better overall, I think IT is deeper.

Pac vs. Mos Def

Cube vs. Chuck D

Vinnie Paz vs. Bushwick Bill

Nas vs. Gift Of Gab

Andre 3000 vs. Khujo

K Rino vs. GZA

RZA vs. Wise Intellingent

Ras Kass vs. Common- Ras might be deeper now, but Common in his prime was deeper than Ras ever has been.

Killah Priest vs. Rakim- Same as above.

Brother J vs Melle Mel

Paris vs. Sadat X- I like Sadat better overall, but Paris is deeper IMO.

Canibus vs. Pharoahe Monche- Same as above.

Talib Kweli vs. Brother Ali- Close one, but Talib's growing pains are way deeper than Mike Seaver's. LOL!

Killer Mike vs. Black Thought- This one's not even remotely close.

KJ's list repeat

Except for:

RZA (haven't really heard much of wise)
Priest vs. Rakim (stalemate)
n/a for Brother J vs. Melle Mel

Scarface vs. Immortal Technique-Scarface

Pac vs. Mos Def-Pac by a landslide

Cube vs. Chuck D-this one is close but Chuck in my opinion invented the word deep when associated with an emcee..Chuck wins

Vinnie Paz vs. Bushwick Bill-n/a

Nas vs. Gift Of Gab-LOL...Nas by 50 states

Andre 3000 vs. Khujo-3 Stacks

K Rino vs. GZA-GZA

RZA vs. Wise Intellingent-Wise

Ras Kass vs. Common-Common

Killah Priest vs. Rakim-Rakim

Brother J vs Melle Mel-Brother J by a little bit..although Melle mel created the more memorable songs...J is DEEP on every song he's ever been on

Paris vs. Sadat X-gotta go with cuzo here

Canibus vs. Pharoahe Monche-Monche

Talib Kweli vs. Brother Ali-Talib

Killer Mike vs. Black Thought-Black Thought

Scarface vs. Immortal Technique

Pac vs. Mos Def

Cube vs. Chuck D

Vinnie Paz vs. Bushwick Bill

Nas vs. Gift Of Gab

Andre 3000 vs. Khujo- but Khujo Goodie is not far behind. Go listen to the first two albums and see how far ahead lyrically he was then all of them. deep lyric/riddle wise.

K Rino vs. GZA- Gza is deep but he is not on Rino's level. Come folks be real sometimes.

RZA vs. Wise Intellingent

Ras Kass vs. Common

Killah Priest vs. Rakim- anybody pickin Rakim being deeper than this man is either a stan or just notl istening.

Brother J vs Melle Mel

Paris vs. Sadat X

Canibus vs. Pharoahe Monche- Could be a tie easily.

Talib Kweli vs. Brother Ali

Killer Mike vs. Black Thought

KRob86 wrote:

Killah Priest vs. Rakim- anybody pickin Rakim being deeper than this man is either a stan or just notl istening.

WRONG! You're just a Rakim hater. Dude was WAYYYYY deeper than Priest in his prime, and even today he's just as deep.

Rakim ain't all that deep and definitely ain't coming close to fucking with KP. KJ needs to maybe listen to some KP LPs before voting.

K-Rino and GZA is a tight one, but K-Rino has to pull it out IMO.

Ras Kass takes it over Common if you ask me... Common ain't been that deep in about a decade.

Lionel Hutz wrote:

Rakim ain't all that deep and definitely ain't coming close to fucking with KP. KJ needs to maybe listen to some KP LPs before voting.

I own 3 KP's CD's. Whereas you have little to no respect for anyone who spit before 1990 except your lover K-Rino.

Lyrically Rakim was light years deeper than Priest ever was.

KJ come man, now I know luv for your fav's can be a strong thing but Heay Mental is deeper than most rappers period.

Scarface vs. Immortal Technique

Pac vs. Mos Def

Cube vs. Chuck D

Vinnie Paz vs. Bushwick Bill-Who cares

Nas vs. Gift Of Gab-N/A

Andre 3000 vs. Khujo

K Rino vs. GZA-man, why do i feel like you matched these two up just to irk me. LOL

RZA vs. Wise Intellingent-N/A

Ras Kass vs. Common

Killah Priest vs. Rakim

Brother J vs Melle Mel

Paris vs. Sadat X

Canibus vs. Pharoahe Monche

Talib Kweli vs. Brother Ali-by a hair

Killer Mike vs. Black Thought

Verse for Verse KP kills Rakim... and I own... 4 Rakim albums that I play on the non-regular...

Rakim was never really deep IMO. His calling card has always been his flow and wordplay. KP has always tried to be the thinking man's MC. I equate "deep" with subject matter. However, Kev's initial post was kind of broad, and it left it open for interpretation. So, it's hard to fault or critique their choices when the criteria was vague.

Notice the people speaking out against Rakim are people that don't really like him. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Funny how I buy 4 CDs from a rapper I don't like.

Yeah, i hate the man so much i thought it was a good idea to buy his entire discog not to mention his 20th Century hits collection and Eric B's solo album.

I actually own two copies of The 18th Letter - the single and double disc versions...I also happen to own 2 Rakim mixtapes from J. Love - Legends Vol. 1 and 2 from Rakim... cause I hate rakim a lot.

Yeah well to say Rakim ain't that deep is bullshit. If you think Priest is deeper then that's fine (although I disagree) but Rakim is easily one of the deepest lyricists in history. Verse for verse there's not many fuckin with him.

Killah Priest, lyrically, is deeper than Rakim by 1000x.

KJ Styles wrote:

Yeah well to say Rakim ain't that deep is bullshit. If you think Priest is deeper then that's fine (although I disagree) but Rakim is easily one of the deepest lyricists in history. Verse for verse there's not many fuckin with him.

There is virtually nothing deep about Rakim. His lyrics are essentially him bragging, and they are superficial at best. Even his songs with subsctance are not deep, and he isn't coming close to KP in that department.

I disagree with y'all entirely, but it's whatever.

"There is virtually nothing deep about Rakim. His lyrics are essentially him bragging, and they are superficial at best. Even his songs with subsctance are not deep, and he isn't coming close to KP in that department."

Indeed. What do you consider 'deep', KJ?

Shaun wrote:

Indeed. What do you consider 'deep', KJ?

Verses that make you hit the rewind button, like the 7 MC theory in My Melody for example.

What is the 7 MC theory my friend?

The fact Rakim was like...ummm get 7 emcees, and 7 more, and 7 more.... 7 plus 7 plus 7 is 21... I will beat them all...

how is that a theory?

Shaun wrote:

Killah Priest is 1000x deeper than Rakim.

LOL...Shaun for some strange reason that comment just sounds completely GAY man....hmmm??? j/ks

smh. Good catch... lol

By the way what is so "deep" about K-Rino??

or Killah Priest??

just asking for some examples that's all....cause I don't hear the "deepness" like you guys seem to....

oh and Rakim and his 5% knowledge is pretty "deep" from a spiritual standpoint...just like Wise Intelligent...Big Daddy Kane.....YZ.....Lord Jamar.....all of these emcees are emcees whom I consider "deep"

K-Rino is from the Nation too you sawed off ass clown. Try maybe listening to his albums baby bubba.

Alright, to settle the Killah Priest/Rakim discussion. Listen to "B.I.B.L.E.", and then listen to any Rakim song.

Shaun wrote:

Alright, to settle the Killah Priest/Rakim discussion. Listen to "B.I.B.L.E.", and then listen to any Rakim song.

Shaun, that was obvious from the start, but KP didn't include a 7 mc theory in that song. Hence, he loses.

You take 7 bibles and you take 7 more bibles and then 7 more bibles and you got 21 bibles and you read them then you read 21 bibles.... deep son... deep...

Shaun i'll go even higher and say listen to any Killah or Rino album then play Rakim's.

I don't think Rino is the issue here. that match up with GZA, much like Shaun, can go both ways. the KP/Rakim match up was blatantly obvious.

Lionel Hutz wrote:

You take 7 bibles and you take 7 more bibles and then 7 more bibles and you got 21 bibles and you read them then you read 21 bibles.... deep son... deep...

SRP please go and actually LEARN about the 5% nation man.....Rakim and the others I mentioned are certainly saying way more than that....

I know enough about the nation, but arbitrarily inserting symbolic numbers into battle raps does not make a rapper deep.

I know I was just saying Rino is way deeper then Ra also.

Shaun wrote:

Alright, to settle the Killah Priest/Rakim discussion. Listen to "B.I.B.L.E.", and then listen to any Rakim song.

I will be sure to check out that one Shaun...do you have any more examples though?

for Rakim I've got:

As The Rhyme Goes On
Paid In Full
Lyrics Of Fury
No Omega
In The Ghetto
Untouchables
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em
Casualties Of War
Teach The Children
Know The Ledge
The Saga Begins


I'll just stop there for him....all of those are IN MY OPINION examples and clear examples of Rakim's "deepness"....again this is all opinion based....

A few of those (Know The Ledge, Casualties Of War, In The Ghetto) I would consider deep, but none of those tracks are touching Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, IMO

Shaun wrote:

A few of those (Know The Ledge, Casualties Of War, In The Ghetto) I would consider deep, but none of those tracks are touching Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, IMO

Microphone Fiend>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Microphone Fiend is the least deep song mentioned. smh

Powell just listen to "Uprising" by Killah Priest....

"I draw deep rhymes in hieroglyphics
In tribal pictures of bunnies survival some with trifle endings
Stuck in the beast the three sixes Bush recycle Hitler
I swam through menstrual cycle bitches
Blowing the widow spider kisses
Word to Christ disciple of them bible scriptures
Decipher my lyrics you see my coming my predictions
Witness my mind dimensions my rhyme adventures
"Wait" rewind this sentence check for clues some are missing
It stuns my vision but my 3rd eye is like a Cyclops
It sees deeper than the bunnies on my block to Comstock
I can see further than my eyes can look past all the murderers
And all the crooks in the law books trying to beat their case shootouts
I'm a flee that states 3 to 8 it's going to go down before I see the gates
Priest the General crown with the five emeralds
Byzantineal side with the criminals, livest interviews"


"So read your horoscope in the bars I wrote
Priest the project ghost
I show you tales of shootouts in the cosmos
Hold my rhymes like a tarot card close
"Look" see the black prince that wears a dark cloak
Looks kind of Goth though
In Heavy Mental I showed you my art growth
Look at my silver sword swinging in the calm snow
But in my imagination these fallen snow flakes
Could make the globe shake
And leave craters in the earth that rotate
This one's for Israel revolutionary fist held
Both legs impaled by the devil's dagger I stagger
Let off a clip then fell
I lost my grip slipped in the pits of hell my crown fell off
Down a hole grabbed by a million tortured souls
Burning flesh as they tore through my clothes
This arch angel stood my body up
Lifeless but righteous handed me a pair of cuffs
Alright then the sky cut with streaks of lightning I ran into 'em
Like a Bison eternal fighting forever"

I just realized... this is one of the first real debates we've had that isn't about Nas or K-Rino. haha

Shaun wrote:

Microphone Fiend is the least deep song mentioned. smh

Go look at the lyrics of Microphone Fiend. That shit is as quoteworthy as any track ever made.

Quote worthy does not equal deep you dense beluga whale.

Lionel Hutz wrote:

Quote worthy does not equal deep you dense beluga whale.

And you say that I need to stop talkin shit? Practice what you preach, otherwise you're a hypocrite.

The first part of SRP's post is correct.

Shaun wrote:

Killah Priest, lyrically, is deeper than Rakim by 1000x.

Indeed

That Killah Priest verse Slang posted proves our point. Game over.

Powell and KJ we are not saying Rakim cannot be deep nor that he is not lyrical. We all know he is the blueprint for most east coast no nonsense rap styles. We are just saying Killah Priest is a deeper lyricists then rakim, but not necessarily a better rapper.

KJ Styles wrote:

Lionel Hutz wrote:

Quote worthy does not equal deep you dense beluga whale.

And you say that I need to stop talkin shit? Practice what you preach, otherwise you're a hypocrite.

You are right KJ. I apologize, I shouldn't have named called.

I still stand by the fact that Quote Worthy does not equal deep.