Best hip-hop artist of the last decade [Archive]

Pheesh

11-20-2010, 08:12 AM

My favourite is Lupe Fiasco, but I don't listen to much hip-hop. Why? I like the inclusion of strings in his music, I think his lyrics are fairly well written, he has songs that are both serious and fun, and they're catchy.

charliepanayi

11-20-2010, 08:11 PM

Jessweeee♪

11-20-2010, 08:30 PM

I don't listen to much, but my favorites are RJD2 and Nujabes.

Chris

11-20-2010, 08:45 PM

Not my type of music, but Queen Latifah has consistently been putting out one great album after another, and she is widely considered to be the "first" female hip-hop superstar. In the past decade, she's evovled into a great jazz songtress, which speaks to her ability to adapt and change, unlike so many others who are trapped in horrible clichés.

Mirage

11-21-2010, 12:46 AM

Jibril

11-21-2010, 01:03 AM

rapper: doseone (look for him slaughtering eminem in a freestyle battle on youtube. protip: eminem kicked writtens in all his battles)

producer: this is harder... maybe el-p, maybe jel (doseone's counterpart in themselves), maybe kanye... maybe buck 65. maybe mf doom. i dunno. jel is definitely one of the best live producers on the planet, he tears it up on his mpc. YouTube - Jel Drum and Sample Practice 11.18.07 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKMyOh8Ch4)

Madame Adequate

11-21-2010, 03:16 PM

Sage Francis.

Depression Moon

11-21-2010, 03:40 PM

Not all that big on hip hop,but I guess it would be something along the lines of RJD2, Alias and Eminem.

I don't really care all that much about lyrics, but when I do, I think they need to be amusing. I'm not very interested in lyrics that are all serious and without any hint of humor, so that's probably why I can enjoy Eminem.

But Eminem does plenty of serious songs like Stan.

Me? I was assuming we could only pick new artists, if not true then it remains Nas for me.

kotora

11-21-2010, 04:50 PM

Nas
Fort Minor/Mike Shinoda
Dragon Ash
Eminem

and of course Fiddy

Shiny

11-21-2010, 11:41 PM

Mos Def
Jay Z
Nas
The Roots
Lupe Fiasco
Talib Kweli
Drake

Mirage

11-22-2010, 03:36 AM

But Eminem does plenty of serious songs like Stan.

Me? I was assuming we could only pick new artists, if not true then it remains Nas for me.
I think Stan is quite humorous.

Rantz

11-22-2010, 08:02 AM

Kid Cudi and Immortal Technique are probably the best new discoveries for me this decade.

Lone Wolf Leonhart

11-22-2010, 12:45 PM

Wiz Khalifa. He sampled Schala's Theme from Chrono Trigger in this song:

YouTube - Wiz Khalifa - Never Been (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0z7OCaiByw)

To be honest, I don't care much about this artist or hip-hop in general. I was just looking for a reason to post this, because the sample alone is so epic.

escobert

11-22-2010, 06:46 PM

Mr Nasir Jones of course.
Every CD he makes is amazing and he's always growing and changing. His story telling ablilties are far beyond almost any rapper out there. Also he alwsy has nasty beats to go with his wonderfully written naratives.
In second place I'd have to say is Anthony Cruz aka AZ. Most don't know of him or know much of him but when he's on damn he's on. I've been listening to him for yeas and his flow and style are amazing. He likie Nas can tell a story very beautifully.

Shiny

11-22-2010, 06:56 PM

I forgot about AZ and Wu Tang Clan in general. They ain't nothing to fuck with.

escobert

11-23-2010, 05:12 AM

Yes Wu-tang ain't nottin to smurf with :bigsmile:

Also if anyone wants to see what in my opion is the best hip hop song written the look up Joell Ortiz 125 part 4 on Youtube. Such a wonderful song. I love how it's just him basically talking about life.

and if you don't know Nas listen to this song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mb5Fq6a3Fk

NeoCracker

11-23-2010, 05:49 AM

For me it's definately Blue and Exile.

YouTube - Blu & Exile - Soul Amazin' (Steel Blazin') (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2HTQp8Flvc)

I have to many issues with Eminems music to pick him, regardless of his actual skill.

escobert

11-23-2010, 06:31 AM

eminem was amzinf on the Slim Shady LP after tht he fell off hardcore imo. I love the slimshday LP one of may favorite albums of all time I can actually relate to being broke homelss and depressed after that however he just went downhill.

escobert

11-23-2010, 06:57 AM

also I cba to edit but Rakim is amazinG :p

NeoCracker

11-23-2010, 07:26 AM

Alright, this dude is pretty sick too.

YouTube - CONTROLLED (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23K44s1H4nc&feature=related)

YouTube - "Beyond Reason" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zKAf6JHLQs)

Old Manus

11-23-2010, 01:44 PM

Common, Eminem and Outkast, though they all fell off a bit at various points (Common after Be, Eminem after The Eminem Show, and Outkast...well, after the masterpiece that was Stankonia it could never be topped really).

In terms of newer acts, holy god, Jedi Mind Tricks bitches. Immortal Technique is good too, apart from his uninformed socialist bull:bou::bou::bou::bou: shoehorned into all his tracks. And can I say Kanye West? Fuck you, I'm saying Kanye West.

escobert

11-23-2010, 03:50 PM

As long as you don't count that last thing Kanye made the 808 and crapshoot thing then yeah he's decent :p

charliepanayi

11-23-2010, 08:05 PM

I quite like 808s and Heartbreak, so far Kanye is 5/5, which makes him pretty good in my book.

I Took the Red Pill

11-23-2010, 11:38 PM

Madvillain/MF DOOM
Kid Cudi
Kanye
Jedi Mind Tricks
Freddie Gibbs
Blue Scholars
Nujabes
Nas
Outkast
Deltron 3030

This isn't ranked beyond the first two; I think DOOM and Cudi are the two best hip-hop artists of the '00s.

I'm not sure I'd throw Wu on this list; imo they haven't produced much of substance in the 2000's besides Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II. I'd like to hear some reasoning behind people throwing the Clan up there. Don't get me wrong, Wu-Tang is probably the most influential rap group of the past 20 years (Liquid Swords is easily among my top 3 rap albums), but their heyday was in the mid 90's.

escobert

11-23-2010, 11:46 PM

Wu-Masacre was awesome which is why I put them up considering it just came out last year :p

Rantz

11-24-2010, 07:40 AM

Madvillain/MF DOOM

Oh yeah this too!

Old Manus

11-24-2010, 10:32 AM

Blue Scholars
Liquid Swords is easily among my top 3 rap albums:cool:

Iceglow

11-24-2010, 12:16 PM

Now lets be honest, he might be white, he might hate everyone and he might have churned out two "bad" albums I say bad in quote marks to quote his own lyrics but frankly everyone knows that Eminem is the best hip hop artist of the last decade, a "bad" album from him is still up to scratch if not better than many other albums if compared to them. There again, Relapse whilst not exactly my favourite album was not a bad album, Encore I might give him as being bad then there was 8 mile which was excellent and if we go back to the start of the decade his 3rd album had just arrived on the scene here in and well he tore it up with tracks like Stan, the real slim shady and The way I am is there any disputing the genius what is Eminem?

charliepanayi

11-24-2010, 02:09 PM

Eminem hasn't done anything especially good since Lose Yourself, and that was almost ten years ago.

escobert

11-24-2010, 03:22 PM

Like I said earlier I haven't liked anything he's done after his first album. I actually go out of my way to NOT listen to white rappers.

Mirage

11-24-2010, 07:44 PM

You racist.

charliepanayi

11-24-2010, 08:12 PM

Like I said earlier I haven't liked anything he's done after his first album. I actually go out of my way to NOT listen to white rappers.

Kind of missing out on the Beastie Boys there.

escobert

11-24-2010, 08:20 PM

The beastie boys haven't been relevant for like 12 years.

charliepanayi

11-24-2010, 08:53 PM

They've barely released anything in 12 years! Besides (veering off topic) you said you go out of your way to never listen to white rappers, which implies you'd swerve their first few albums, which are great.

escobert

11-24-2010, 09:52 PM

If you know anything about me know to not take every word I say literally. I said I liked eminems first album so I guess that would mean I don't avoid ALL white rappers :p and I do like the Beastie boys but this topic is about rappers in the last decade :p I'm mainly refering to the like of Necro Cage and Illbill. I think they're generally garbage.

fire_of_avalon

11-25-2010, 02:37 AM

Have y'all actually listened to Recovery?

DMKA

11-25-2010, 04:01 PM

Like I said earlier I haven't liked anything he's done after his first album. I actually go out of my way to NOT listen to white rappers.

omg not even bubba sparxx?!?!?!?

I like Nas. He's the guy who did "One Mic" right? Yeah I like him.

Kanye West is a terrible human being. That "Jesus Walk With Me" song was pretty cool though.

Eminem is cool when he's not rapping potty jokes.

escobert

11-26-2010, 12:01 AM

omg Bubba is awesomesuace! :D

nirojan

11-26-2010, 12:19 AM

My all time favorite is probably The Game,
but the best in terms of quality are probably:
Eminem, Nas, Dre, Snoop (honourable mention), etc.

Most successful rappers (money-wise):
Eminem, 50 cent (as much as i hate him), Lil wayne

Cuchulainn

11-26-2010, 01:38 AM

Kanye West - why? Because he's done great album after great album, at a far greater rate than anyone else. Outkast are a close second, though they've done little of note since 2003, this year's Big Boi album is excellent and Stankonia-Speakerboxx/The Love Below alone are enough for any decade.

Kanye West is not smurfing hip hop. He's pop & he's a dick.

Anyway, best hip hop artist in the last decade....probably Jedi Mind Tricks, or Atmosphere for groups and for the effect he's had on true hip hop over the years Aesop Rock. Also Sole & Sage Francis are up there.

Greatest of all time was obviously Biggie, then Rakim, Kane & Nas & Jay Z. Artists you should check out are Infinito 2017, Brother Ali, Cormega, Edan, Elzhi, Hell Razah Johnson&Jonson (hands down the best album of 2009), Slaine, Living Legends, Mr Lif, P.O.S., Pigeon John & Zion I.

charliepanayi

11-26-2010, 09:06 AM

Well the great thing about Kanye West is he crosses over between genres, and he's willing to dabble in whatever he wants. But he's obviously at least partially hip hop.

And to whoever called him a 'terrible human being' - no, Josef Fritzl is a terrible human being, Kanye West is a guy with a big ego who does stupid things sometimes but is great enough on record that I couldn't care less how much of a tool he is (see also: Lou Reed, Mogwai, Damon Albarn and many more).

Cuchulainn

11-26-2010, 01:27 PM

He's garbage though. A a catchy hook & mass appeal by pop lovers is not a measure of greatness. Not even almost.

Old Manus

11-26-2010, 01:35 PM

Suckas be playin' themselves to have mass appeal

charliepanayi

11-26-2010, 01:53 PM

He's garbage though. A a catchy hook & mass appeal by pop lovers is not a measure of greatness. Not even almost.

No, being great is a measure of greatness.

Rocket Edge

11-26-2010, 04:12 PM

The greatest artist over the past decade for me would probably be Common. He sticks to the same rhythm of old, and he is deep lyrically.

escobert

11-26-2010, 04:19 PM

Rocket Edge

11-26-2010, 05:40 PM

Can someone explain why Kanye is an idiot? The Taylor Swift fiasco was blown out of proportion, & the diamond teeth were a bit much but is there anything in particular that warrants all the hate? Years back I thought he was one of the best hip hop acts out there. He had the balls to do songs like Diamonds are Forever & Jesus Walks that made me think that commercial rap wasn't going completely down the drain.

Shiny

11-26-2010, 05:40 PM

Kanye West IS hip hop, but he is ALSO pop. And he is definitely a DICK. His interview with Matt Lauer earlier this month just confirmed what most people already know.

charliepanayi

11-26-2010, 05:44 PM

He's garbage though. A a catchy hook & mass appeal by pop lovers is not a measure of greatness. Not even almost.

No, being great is a measure of greatness.

but most people don't think Kanye is great they just like to point and laugh at him because he's such a friggen idiot. I'm not denying he makes catchy :bou::bou::bou::bou: but the guy is one of the biggest idiots ever.

I think that a lot of people think Kanye is great. Most of his albums so far have had rave reviews (only 808s and Heartbreak tended to divide people somewhat), he's hardly like a figure where people solely pay attention to him to see what faux pas he'll get up to next.

And yes, he's an idiot who does daft things, nobody really denies that. But (to make this clear for the umpteenth time) I. Don't. Care. That has nothing to do with his musical ability.

Shiny

11-26-2010, 05:49 PM

Oh, and The Game sucks. He hasn't done anything good since Hate it or Love it.

escobert

11-30-2010, 08:12 PM

Everyone should check out this song. This is real Hip Hop
YouTube - Joell Ortiz "Hip-Hop" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B6k4sbkuX8)

kotora

11-30-2010, 11:02 PM

Oh, and The Game sucks. He hasn't done anything good since Hate it or Love it.

I thought Doctor's Advocate was better than his first album. At least he dropped most of the name dropping