Now i dont have a fuckin clue who this girl is, i just know she came out on Canibus' "Patriots" and shined, i mean SHINED. Lets just hope 'Clef dont fuck up her album like he did Canibus'.
So Puff dont care if The Lox leave now. He still has the power & money, but the underground respect just walked out of bad boy. Which is a good thing cuz Puff fucked up The Lox's album way to fuckin bad. Jadakiss happens to be the only one that came off nice at all on that album.
He shortened the name, lost the Doggy part. But judging by his latest shit, thats not all he lost. Snoop has always been a fair lyricist with the potential to become great, and yes "gangsta" rap has produced some great emcees (see: MC Ren, Kurupt).
Mayan...whyd they havta break up?? Anyhow, when they went out, neither was really on top of their game, but when they came together, the memories the great stuff, it was all there again. And now there gone, and as Pinay (a local freestyle) group would put it "you dont know what you'll be missing."
I ask this one too, why did the Luniz have to break up? Anyhow, Yuk and Knum both appear on this list. All i can say is, if you consider the Liks to be lyricists, then you gotta consider the Luniz too. The Luniz actually to me, are tighter cuz they drop meaningful raps at times.
Last year, he woulda gotten a much higher score, but since Rap-A-Lot seems to have gone the way of No Limit (releasing a new album every week, wack pen & Pixel adds), the quality as also gone down. And so have 'Face's rhymes. And, if nothing else, he loses points for "Homies & Thugs" for 1)saying "featuring 2Pac" and just throwing on a Pac freestyle at the end, and 2)doing the song w/Master P
Talk about a rollar coaster career. Nas would have, at one point, been in the top spot. He then woulda fallen to around 15-20 after It Was Written, then off completely after that Firm shit, but in 98 he made some nice appearances and got himself back in the top 50. Whew what a year.
This kid has a way of killin himself. He makes the most celebrated appearences on other people's shit, then when it comes to his solo shit, he seems to have forgotten where those lyrics came from. Therefore i am not sure what to think of him, except that his verse in Gangstarr's "The Militia" is one of the better ones of the year.
Im currently wondering if Def Jam's gonna ever let this kid drop his shit. Most of his shit we've heard we're lovin. "Testament," "One Love," shits tight. He even squashed his shit with Nas. C'mon Rus mayan, let the kid come out, we all waiting...
Lyrically, he's one of the iller kids on the scene, his flow has got to go tho. I bet if he tried to sing on 88hiphop.com, there'd be thousands of broken computer screens. His voice is so damn irritating, but lyrically the kid has very very few equals.
DITC has 2 members in the top 50. O.C. dropped another dope album last year, and sooner or later DITC will get off the ground too. OC is one of the iller emcees out there, he's got that distinct flow mixing with somewhat reliable lyrics. I think he's got shit pretty well in hand.
I like that song with The Roots. Now, i've always thought Heather was borderline around 40-50, but when she did that song with MOP, she raised her ground. When you can do a song with MOP that i am able to stand, i give you credit, so far only Guru and Heather B have done so.
You best believe that in the upcoming future this kid's gonna shine brighter than the sun itself. Everything he dropped in 98 was just game tight, "People's Choice," "Bottom Line," "Handle Ur Business" from Xzibit's shit, and my personal favorite "Never Lose Touch."
You know Heiro had to have some representation on this top 50, after dropping the most underrated album of the year. Dont sleep on Heiro yo, and Del of course always steals the spotlight on any track he appears on, with maybe one exception ("Three Emcees" w/Casual & Xzibit, where Xzibit's mere appearance took control)
While he's a lyrical mastermind, his flow is very monotonous, and he's quite overrated. I personally think the kid could go with some different production, it only sounds good with Heiro cuz its Heiro type of shit ya know, that was my whole beef with Freestyle Fellowship, but as with FF, you cant deny Acey's skills, there's just....so much more for him to do.
Im sorry people, but if Wu-Tang isn't the most overrated group in years. People just like their affiliates cuz a lot of em try to master that sound that Wu has. Yeah the Rza can come with some tight beats, yeah 36 Chambers is a classic, but Wu Tang Forever sucked, and only a handfull of the Wu (including its affiliates) actually have decent mic skills, and if The Rza had stayed solo in the first place, i personally think he'd be a lot closer to being number one, at least on this chart.
Im still not sure why exactly the Luniz broke up, but Knum was the better out of the two. Yuk's about to release his solo shit, but his flow is quite scratchy and annoying while Knum's is much clearer, plus Knum always seems to wrap up the story in their songs. Take "Y Do Thugz Die" its Knum who basically drops the moral on everyone.
Am i the only one who thinks that Brick City Kidz shit with The Artifacts/The Beatnuts was so dope that i want a full-length?? Cmon everyone? Yall with me? Anyhow, Tame One made one of the more memorable appearances of the year, popping up on Fatal's "Ghetto Star." It was just a quite unexpected guest spot. And *OF COURSE* he came correct.
Just missing the top 30 is KP. He is the only Wu-fam member who lyrically shines above the rest. His album was tight conceptually and lyrically, a lotta headz will eventually compare it to Ras Kass' Soul On Ice, both were lyrical masterpieces, but many headz thought they both lacked major production. Personally i dug both, but i liked Ras' more. KP's Sunz Of Man project was way overhyped and didnt quite deliver but hopefully he'll bring more dope shit in 99.
Big L started the year with a killer guest spot on OC's "Dangerous" then on DITC's "Dignified Soldiers" and off to his own 12" "Ebonics"/"Size Em Up," all-in-all he had a helluva year. Majorly rising his stock. He's proven himself as the illest member of DITC, and I hope the kid finally gets the underground production to make a tight sophmore effort.
This is actually a very high position for such a new emcee. Only 3 of 98's rooks are listed higher (Canibus, DMX & Eminem or C-D-E, add B for Big Pun and its B-C-D-E, we can read our ABCs now). Anyhow, the Puerto Rican Biggie had that song "Still Not A Player" that we all loved at first, but we all now hate cuz we all heard it about 3 trillion times.
Dre wanted him, but he said he wouldn't without his partner Wordsmith. His duet with Ras Kass is simply some fire shit. He impressed me on the Lyricists' Lounge album as well as on Tribe's song "Rock Rock Yall," Punch is just gonna blow the fuck up, especially with the good doctor behind him, there's no stoppin this kid, on the realz.
Boot Camp's twin towers, better known as Heltah Skeltah is taking control. They've got to be 2 of the illest emcees in the east, and thats no question, they dropped a new joint and it just improves the fact that these cats got maaaad skillz.
Now dont hate me for this one, but you cant front on "Get At Me Dogg," "Stop Bein Greedy," "Ruff Ryders Anthem," and his guest spots on "Money Power & Respect," "Whatcha Gonna Do?," "24 Hours To Live," and "4,3,2,1," I mean, the kid does have skills, but say what you must...
Probably woulda been in the top 10, maybe top 5 last year, but that Def Squad shit was garbage, and his first single sounds almost as awful, lets just hope he hasn't fallen off, but even his wackest shit is better than 95% of the shit out there.
She kept a low-pro in 98. She popped up with an intro on J-Flex's "A Change To Come," had a dope duet with Rah Digga on Lyricist Lounge, and stole the spotlight on the female underground posse cut, Paula Perry's "Six Pack." Hopefully she gets signed and drops more hot shit in 99.
The Supafriendz had a helluva year. Danja's shit was released and shit was dope. He became one of late 98-99's top newcomers. The kid has skills, if you want an example of his versatility peep the remix of Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody," he stole the spotlight on that joint, even from his potna Mad Skillz.
Jigga's dope, he's in my top 20, but XXL magazine said he was the illest emcee alive, who the fuck are the kidding? Jigga fell off in 98, that Hard Knock Life shit wasn't as good as his first two joints. "Can I Get A" is considered by hardcore Jay Z fans to be the worst song he ever made, and it's gonna be the one he's remembered for, what a shame.
One of the best of all-time, im glad he came back to telling it how it is, but he's just not the same Chuck from "Rebel Without A Pause" or "Dont Believe The Hype." "He Got Game" was tight lyrically, and it was dope how he brought some slept on emcees like Smoothe The Hustla and Masta Killa to the album.
Waaaay fallen off. Last year, hell as late as a week before his album dropped he woulda been top 5 material, but that album straight up sucked, face it folks. Hopefully Canibus can drop that WWW.CANIBUS.COM album and try to get back his credibility before it all washes away like Wyclef's beats.
The first of the Golden State Trio checks in at 17, just to let you know how dope they are, remember, he's number 18! Mr. X-to-the-Z came tight in 98, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz was a pretty fuckin dope album. His Ras and other guest spots were off the hook as well. This is one emcee who seems to get better with every release, the sign of a truly dope musician.
He, like DMX, is gonna cause me to get a few complaints, but face it, Kurupt can tear shit up. He stole the spotlight from Snoop on "Ride On/Caught Up!", he tore shit up with Deck on "Tru Master," his album may have not been great, but you could tell the lyricism was there. Kurupt is a dope emcee with incredible versatility.
Gangstarr's album dropped, causing me to have to raise my opinion of Guru....just a bit. Premier's beats are still what makes Gangstarr, but Guru proved to me that he hasn't fallen off as far as i previously thought. He came lyrically, and spritually tight, got all his shit in gear, and dropped what many consider to be the dopest album of 98.
I like this kid, but i find he is pretty overrated. A lotta people seem to wanna put him in the top 3, but about a year ago we were all saying the same about Canibus...nuff said...
Just based on battle lyrics alone, i dont think there's an emcee who could touch him, maybe KRS, Acey or Mad Skillz, but probably not. Headz say his main problem his is "commercial" sounding Oakland funk, resembling Too Short's stuff. (since when did he become "commercial"?) But he doesn't have much else to say, and his flow isn't exactly game tight. He basically does what he does best, killin sucka emcees.
Yeah, i shit on this kid a lot, sayin how overrated he is. Thats cuz a lotta headz seem to think he's the illest out there, and he simply isnt. He's not even as dope as his partner in rhyme, but he is tight. And he's got one helluva flow. Just listen to "Childern's Story 98."
One of the illest battle rhymers, especially with those punchlines. Ive been feelin this kid since "The Nod Factor." He just signed to Timbaland's label, that'll be sick, a dope emcee like Mad Skillz over a dope Timbaland beat. I personally cant wait, just that alone should raise his stature for next year.
The Top 10
10. MC Ren
Possibly the dopest gangsta emcee to ever touch a microphone, no wait that would be Tupac. But Ren's still the fuckin man when it comes to west coast gangsta shit. He is the trendsetter whether you like it or not, he says whatever the fuck he wants whether you like it or not. Basically, The Villain In Black is back whether you like it or not.
09. Talib Kweli
Well, he outshined Mos Def on the entire Black Star album. His song outshined everyone on the Lyricist's Lounge album. And of course, Reflection Eternal has become the dopest group on Rawkus, "Fortified Live" is an NYC underground classic. Look for this kid to be in the top 5 in some upcoming years.
08. Black Thought of The Roots
He dropped one promo this entire year, yet his presecne was definitly felt in 98. Whether it was getting "Super Lyrical" with Big Pun or teaming up with Nonchalant to "Take It There," Black Thought definitly made his mark on hip hop in the 9-8, and you best believe The Roots'll drop another gem on us in 99.
07. KRS-One
Knoledge still reigns supreme. He dropped a couple downlow joints in 98, the best being his team up with Truck Tucker on "Bring It To The Cypher," and he's got a new BDP crew too, i thot cha knew. Over the years, no one has held shit down for hip hop, and probably no one ever will. He's coming at Maximum Strength in 99, so consider yourself warned.
06. Cee-Lo Of Goodie Mob
After giving us some soul-ish funk on OutKast's "In Due Time" at the start of the year, him along with his compadres the Goodie Mob, spent 8 weeks at my number one spot in 98 with "They Dont Dance No Mo," "Black Ice (W/OutKast)," and "Beautiful Skin," all off their latest album Still Standing. This kid's got more soul than James Brown.
05. Inspektah Deck
Deck was probably the most anticipated for 98, and even without dropping, still made his mark. Like Black Thought, he did the cameo thing with Big Pun on "Tres Leches," which will in later years be considered a classic. Deck's made such an impact on hip hop without dropping his own album, the kid is just incredible, coming out of the Over-rated Wu Tang Clan, he's the most underrated and easily one of America's elite emcees.
04. Lauryn Hill
L-Boogs just solidifid herself even more in 98. Her self-produced, self-written R&B album featured few hip hop songs (3), but all of which were tight. The album has sold around 3 million copies, and her "Doo Wop" single is still #1 in America. She's made it on the crossover scene, and still brought the lyrics for the hip hop headz, all this on an album that didn't even feature her best song of 98, "All My Time" w/Paid & Live.
03. Ras Kass
Ras had another bad production effort on his album, last time it was "too underground" now its "too commercial," he probably wont ever get it right, but as long as he keeps bringing it lyrically, we'll have to settle. And he definitly brought the lyrics. Need proof? Peep 98's "Understandable Smooth," "Music Of Business," "Rasassination," "H2O Proof," "Interview With A Vampire," his appearances on "3 Card Molley" and "One On One," try "Ice Age," and the list goes on....
02. Dre of OutKast
Dre had a nice year in 98. OutKast was only the third artist in 7 years to get 5 mics from The Source, and unlike last year's biggie joint, they actually deserved it, with the best album of 98. He started the year on "In Due Time," which was a number one in 97, went on to Goodie Mob's "Black Ice," another number one (4 weeks), and then his own classic with Big Boi. They definitly brought it in 98, look out for OutKast, the dopest group in hip-hop, and look out for Andre, one of hip hop's most gifted lyricists.
....And The Illest Emcee in the US Is....
01. Common
What is there to say about Common? Kid is dope. You know it took a lot for a Ras Kass site to admit Common and Dre came nice in 98. Common just seems to blow up spots wherever he goes. And his talent for rhymes is unparalled in today's game. Ever since he dropped "I Used To Love her" in 94, he can seem to do no wrong. Two classic albums 3 classic guest spots ("The Bizness" (with De La), "Respiration" (with Black Star), and "One Day" (with Brand Nubian), and 2 down low joints that all the headz felt ("The Bitch In Yoo" & "Like They Used To Say"). He almost dropped after having dope appearances on weak songs for Kid Capri and Pete Rock, but "Like They Used To Say" dropped and i couldn't deny him of his throne.