#7 - Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco is an extremely popular artist despite having some of the most deeply multi-layered lyrics the genre has ever seen.
Normally I would see this as a positive thing for the industry, however his last album was a terrible, pandering piece of work thanks to people working at the label (I’m not a guy who rails against mainstream evil hampering artistic integrity or even like other people who spew such things, but in this case I was very angered).
That last tidbit aside, however, his previous work was glorious. He always had a socially responsible message in his agenda, but his rhymes were more than that. He would paint beautiful, detailed pictures, often times listening to him provided an experience akin to lucid dreaming, the way he delivered his fantastical lines in his trademark laid back manner.
Yet, his lyrics were not just free-associative “mush,” he always rapped with substance, often times just one couplet would offer three different meaning simultaneously, and yet his command of language never allowed the listener to be overwhelmed or frustrated. Even if you did not always know what he meant you always felt it. And damn… the man had a way with words.
Check the full Top 10 HERE
I'm happy to see Saul Williams on here. A genius in the Rhythm and Poetry game.
ReplyDeleteFinally a worthy list that Lupe is suppose to be on.
ReplyDeleteThe best list to be on..
ReplyDeletebefore you open your mouth and shoot blank let me tell you that all the rappers who are mentioned on the list are based on just pure lyracism not delivery, flow, or any technical side of the rap game, just the use of english language and able to put em while rhyming. Yea i agree, some of this rappers (#6-4) caught me off guard, or maybe is the writer fault for not pickin the best song more or less i could argue lupe is better than some of those rappers..but in all fairness i've yet to see lupe's full potential man, i feel like he can just spazzes out and just be on anothter planet talking shakespeare like saul williams if he really tried to or that is the expectation i set for him lol..but on the real tho
ReplyDelete1. Aesop Rock
2. Illogic
3. Saul Williams
are dead on correct, mad props to the writer, especially Illogic and Aesop Rock damn. but thats the gift and curse for poets like this tho, for example like aesop rock i strictly just listen to lil bit of him cuz in reallity the dude really bores the heck outta me, makes me wanna go jump of a cliff thank God rap has not become like that. and as far as Illogic to me he sounds like he puts a lil bit more effort to not sounding boring like aesop and i applaud that. In all fairness, you could have the most intelligent rapper ever and not like him because he sounded theasaures to you, the greatest achievement for a poet rapper is entertaining and engaging with the the listeners and some of the cats on here fail to that. but overall dope list.
^ ey real talk homie u keep makin dis dum rong conection dat bein poetic mean usin dem big words n real talk das not evn true nahmean? cuh real talk u dont need no thsarus 2 kik a gud ass metaphr n real talk das wher tru poetry be comin from, creativ language feelme? i mean real talk das wut i notic in suma dat aesop niggas raps n real talk he get aroun but real talk his dum broad vocabulry dont make him poetic nahmean? real talk jus tryna lechu c dat homie feelme?
ReplyDelete^haha you obviously didnt understand what he said..anyways man i never knew rap could ever be on this level. thanks for the list real talk. Wow that homie Illogic is surreal left me speechless
ReplyDeletei take that back aesop rock is not really that boring i exaggerated, but seriously dude is a genius same goes with illogic damn. but what i meant to say is that aesop doesnt really try hard enough to speak or engage with his listeners, thats the only problem i have with him
ReplyDeleteSLUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSlug, Aesop Rock, Grieves, and POS are my favorite rappers
ReplyDeleteam... no disrespect to yall or anything but Cole the smartest rapper of all time....of all time....just saying...umm im done yall could have back ur mic now *walks away with Kan
ReplyDeleteye's Swag*
Bigs ups to Lupe making it on this list! Props to Slug as well!
ReplyDeletewow, soo many ill emcees on this list. Lupe, Sage Francis, Slug, Eyedea (RIP). Even the honorable mentions...Grieves is a force to be reckon with no doubt.
ReplyDeleteNice list!
Hell yeah Grieves is finally getting some recognition! And, of course, Eyedea and Aesop are beasts. Good list.
ReplyDeletedead ass jay electronica and talib kweli should be on this list
ReplyDeleteMy list
ReplyDelete1 jigga
2 drake
3 big sean
4 corey gunz
5 matisyahu
6 lu
7 kenna
8 fab
9 kanye
10 trae truth
glad to see some talk about the Weathermen on this blog! Aesop, El-P, & Cage > most MCs
ReplyDeleteand lest we not forget POS!
ReplyDeleteGotta thank that list for introducing me to Sage Francis. Fucking amazing, remind me again why people always rank Eminem as the best white rapper?
ReplyDelete^^ if J.Cole is as good as his latest song though then he's trash, too.
ReplyDeleteSean just ethered anon
ReplyDeletealso @ the anon that is saying "J.Cole is a intellectual" I don't think you truely understand what "intellectual" means. Oh and I'm a J.Cole fan so.....yeah....
ReplyDeletehow the hell do talib, mos, and common not make this list? has no one heard mathematics, any of train of thought, or i used to love h.e.r. terrible list pinning lupe above the three mentioned
ReplyDelete