ManoNegra

staygold, Zenkikid - I agree.

ps - gotta add Chuck D and Rakim to my list of MCs

arian23

Jay Z is mainstream good. Some People are to dumb to listen to the real good shit cuz its not played on the radio like RZA and Wu tang. They are the shit. I actually smoked a blunt with Raekon at a club. Wu tang is real and they are all OG's. Guru is sick and so is Nas. Pac another top choice. All the radio shit is weak cuz they all rap about the same bullshit on another catchy beat (cars,drugs,getting drunk,bling,bitches) its like cool tell me something new.

SimpleSexy180

lol, Arsenio Hall.

exitspeed

I just went and bought the Ghost Face. It's Ok. I don't like that all Wu stuff has been all but abandoned. Not sure if something happened with all that or what. Kanye has a cold line on the last song, "She ordered the Kobe Beef like Shaquil O'Neal."

I also pickd up the first ODB album. Damn, I forgot how good that shit was. So unorthadox, and such genuis. He's by far the most unique MC that ever had a somewhat mainstream career.

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EchoOfSilence

yeah, i'll quote my good friend on that one.

"He made it cool to act stupid"
lol

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bamaboy

I usually lose interest in an artist once they get too big of a head and stop caring about the quality of their music......but I would have to say that most of the music I listen to many of you would consider to be mainstream....I'm not too into the heavy underground stuff unless I happen to hear it and really like it. What bothers me is that a lot of people will call some rappers or groups sellouts just because they become famous....I don't totally agree with that. I don't understand those people who think that the only "true hiphop" is the underground. Don't get me wrong, I hate this bubble gum Chingy type studio thug rap as much as the next guy.

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az_240

Forgot to add three 6 mafia to my list even though they are a group. I dont care what anybody says about them. They have been around a while an still make so many sick ass beats... them and wu are prolly my favorite groups.

180sExy

+1 msglength

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ManoNegra

lol.. for selling happenend when a lot of artists traded in their DJ for R&B singers to do their hooks.

Gnnr

Just 'cause its underground dosen't mean its good. Lot of is crap too. And if you're good, your bound to get your fame somewhere down the line.

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turtl631

I really like (don't necessarily think they're top 10 MCs or groups, just who I like to listen to on a daily basis):

Talib Kweli
One.Be.Lo
A Tribe Called Quest
De La Soul
Common
Little Brother
Nas
Mos Def
Masta Ace
Murs
Outkast
MF Doom

I also listen to The Roots, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Kool Keith, Wu and all the affiliates, Cunninlynguists, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, Slum Village, etc etc. And a lot of goofy little Chicago and Atlanta acts that'll probably never make it big. I do love all the stuff in this thread about "mainstream/radio rap being LAME" and "underground rap sucks." People get so caught up in the labels on things and trying to be cool. Just listen to what you like! There's garbage and jewels in both mainstream and underground arenas. When you try to come as "more underground" than the next guy, you just end up looking like a douchebag and maybe turning off a potential fan, thereby hurting the artists.

Phlip

Quoted for truth.

Fact remains that some people are so self-righteous that they claim how great substandard shit is, simply because none of their friends have heard of it. Usually, these songs are shittily rhymed to a cheap sounding keyboard beat. Just because someone is "underground," if anyone actively shopping their music to be consumed by the public (yes, even if only on MySpace) can honestly refer to themselves as underground.
PEOPLE, JUST BECAUSE IT IS UNDERGROUND DOES NOT MAGICALLY INCREASE THE QUALITY!

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Gilboyto

Aww come on!!!11! Noone here likes Young Jeezy? His new CD isnt that great, but Thug Motivation 101 is amazing. Great beats, and lyrics that seem to sound more true than some other rappers out there.

lucky7

im not much into rap. used to listen to it a little. i couldnt even name 10 i really like.

- Q-tip. i <3 the tribe, and always have.
- guru. i like how everything he says, it sounds like he means it.
- de la soul. not 1 person singleded out.
- pharcyde. shit always cracks me up. i know its the entire group again.

EDIT. somehow forgot wyclef. oops.

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Phlip

Jeezy's beats are that next shit.

... his lyrics, on the other hand, are BULLSHIT. He talks the same shit on every song, that we have all heard before, supplemented with a buncha fucking adlibs. I know how to listen and notice that the fact that someone yells "YYYEEEEEEAAAAHHHHH" at the end of a bar does NOT make the fact that he said nothing new any more entertaining.

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Gnnr

In the words of DMX, "...Young Cheezy. Heh"

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Gilboyto

Its your man DMX...woof woof

:-P

rps13drift

1-jedi mind tricks
2-immortal Technique
3-non phixion-la coka nostra
4-nas
5-gang starr
6-kool g rap
7-(old) loyd banks
8-papoose
9-biggie
10-necro

Zemus

1 NAS
2 2Pac (Strickly and 2Pacalipse are orgazmic)
3 Biggie
4 ICE CUBE
5 All of WU TANG
6 Jay Z
7 Eminem
8 Busta (mainly old, but he can still spit)
9 Luda
10 Heiro Crew ( Del included)

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slideways14

immortal technique -def has some lyrical ability,
afu-ra -is a classic who i am suprised isnt listed more
jedi mind -because jus allah and vinnie paz are crazy
tommy tee- original b-boy
biggie-o.g
nas-queens o.g
big pun-sick nasty
talib kweli,mos def,BLACKSTAR
the kreators- boston roots
the game- hes real

lil wayne doesnt write his own lyrics!!!! he gets them from philly

downshift_sideways

No beastie boy love?

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Phlip

As pioneers, to the historians among us, but not as genre-bending lyricists.
My opinion, as most should understand.

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A Spec Products

Yes, pioneers, but not top MC's.

Mixmaster Mike & the three of them cause mad wreck though.

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downshift_sideways

They caused a movement.

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bamaboy

I couldn't agree more...though I do kinda like his first album just for the beats

You wouldn't believe how many times I've had to sit through some garbage local bullshit rapper here in Milwaukee because these idiots think this rapper is hot....most of the time it's because they know them or have met them.

you know this how???

you gotta be kidding me....just because he has a tattoo on his face?? I'm sick of hearing about the prince to the aftermath throne.....get of Dre's dick. He has some lyrical ability, but he totally missed the big time for west coast artists. Most of that west coast shit fell off when we got tired of listening to people talk about gang banging....then the mainstream rap world moved on to diamonds, exspensive champange, and excess ballin out of control.....we brought it on ourselves....sorta

Phlip....I wanna thank you for convincing me to go buy Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor. I don't think I heard a more moving, pure lyrical piece of art in a long time. Do you happen to have any of his stuff before he was signed?
***you didn't directly influence me, I just starting to listening to some of the stuff people have been posting and so far that's the best thing I found out of most of it...

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Phlip

Yes, I do, AIM me when you get a chance.

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A Spec Products

He is not a rapper. Even he says so himself.

He says he's like a motivational speaker, a street motivator of sorts. He is not a lyricist whatsoever imo.

The Game is the SHIT.

I don't consider him to be a dope MC, but he is a sick ass rapper.

Swagger, delivery, presence, etc.

I'm west coast biased of course, but he is a big deal for the west coast.

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bamaboy

I guess I can give you that...but it terms of being near the top of the game, I think not. I think he is a good rapper with above average skills, but he trys so hard to be hard that he ends up looking silly sometimes. I guess I'm just moving past the hardcore gansta stuff now, it's kind of annoying to me. FUCK!!!! I AM GETTING OLD!!!

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A Spec Products

Yeah, I definitely agree with that side.

But unfortunately I think maybe they put something in the water out here that makes me unable to hate on The Game.

I'd say that also there is probably a big marketing budget that will see that he does not fail.

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KA24DESOneThree

First off, fuck the Game and the horse he rode in on. I have no West Coast love for his punk ass, and no respect for him in any connotation of the word. The publicity machine made him out to be all that and he just falls flat. I'd rather listen to Lil' Bow Wow.

Second, Deltron Zero aka Del tha Funky Homosapien from the Hieroglyphics is badass and underappreciated. Yeah, sometimes his voice is a bit grating but his lyrical skills are incredible. His solo efforts fell flat on their face because of the voice combined with sub-pop (read: lacking the monetary connection to get the popular producers) beats. "Deltron 3030," his work with the Gorillaz and his appearance on "So, How's Your Girl?" prove that with a fantastic producer (Dan the Automator, one of the best in the game) he can be popular.