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Sunday, October 3, 2010 | 12:12pm
SOUND OFF: Who Are the Top 10 Rappers from JUST the 21st Century
New BET Show deliberates on the best from the last 10 years but do you agree with their nominations
@BET @LTLLINE @bigtiggershow
BET’s “Top 10 Rappers of the 21st Century” scheduled to air on Friday, October 15th will examine who the Top 10 List of the last decade’s best rappers. This is a departure from the conventional debate in which emcees like B.I.G. and Tupac topped the list. This list consists of entertainers who have released within the last 10 years.
To compile their “research” BET.com says they solicited ”nomination” via the networks various digital channels, through industry bloggers (hmmmm… HighbridNation was excluded) and other “social influencers” to comprise what they’re calling their “Grand Jury”.
From over 25,000 votes they were able to widdle down a Top 15 list of rappers for consideration. To help decide the Top 10 they recruited a “Hip-Hop Supreme Court” which is slated to deliberate on the show. The court is said to take flow, lyrics, subject matter, cultural impact, money??? and digital prowess (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, their own website, etc.) as necesitated by modern music into account to help determine the best.
Those elected to the High Court include Jermaine Dupri (Producer – ATL); Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur (AllHipHop.com); Boy 1da (Producer);DJ Diamond Kuts (Power 99 FM – Philadelphia); DJ Greg Street (V103 – ATL); Tony Neal (CEO, Core DJs); DJ Timbuck2 (107.5 WGCI – Chicago); Chloe Hilliard (Managing Editor/Social Media Manager, Vibe Magazine – NYC); and DJ Vlad (VladTV.com – NYC). A very motley and dare I say curious cast of charaters if you ask me. The court’s cheif Justice is BET’s long-time BET Hip Hop mascot, Big Tigger who will moderate the debates. Periodically he’ll introduce results from live voting which is said to somehow play into their decisions as well.
Ehhhh…that’s BET which we all know is limiting. We need the opinion of the entire Nation to weigh in for the sample to be relevant…THE HIGHBRID NATION that is. So, SOUND OFF Who do you Believe is the Top 10 Rappers from JUST the 21st Century.
Here are their nominees and the often times comical descriptions to help you make your desicion. I’m sure we’ll have a few “write-in” votes.
50 CENT: Curtis James Jackson III is not your average bully. He’s one of the top rappers in the game.
DRAKE: It’s time to thank this Canadian actor-turned-rapper for his contributions to hip hop.
EMINEM: Eminem has the rap skill and the stats to support the argument that he could very well be the greatest.
EVE: She is reppin’ for the females as the only one considered for the Top 10 Rappers of the 21st century.
FABOLOUS: Sharp wit and intelligent metaphors make Fabolous a contender in the top MCs category.
THE GAME: The Game helped to revive the West Coast in the 21st century with his hardcore lyrics and Dr. Dre beats.
GUCCI MANE: Gucci Mane’s signature vocals have made him one of the highly sought after featured rappers.
JADAKISS: Highly-respected for his lyrics, Jadakiss has put in his time as a solo artist.
KANYE WEST: Hip Hop’s most confident rapper knows just how good he really is.
LIL’ WAYNE: 21st century rap can’t be defined without the former Hot Boy, Lil’ Wayne.
LUDACRIS: The mouth of the South has got the punchlines that make listening to hip hop fun.
NELLY: Nelly brought partying back to hip hop with his sing-songy lyrics and catchy choruses.
RICK ROSS: The self-proclaimed boss brought tales to life on his hardcore tracks with a gangsta feel.
T.I.: In the 21st century, Clifford “T.I.” Harris has become one of hip hop’s most relevant artists.
YOUNG JEEZY: With rap skills and street cred, this rapper is good in ‘hoods across the country.
PLEASE BET DONT PLAY URSELF! ONLY EM AND JADA DESERVE ANY RECOGNITION ON THIS LIST. WHERE IS BLACK THOUGHT, FACE DROPPED 3 CD’S WITH THE FIX BEIN A CLASSIC.WHERS BEANS, STYLES, ILL EVEN PUT CAMRON B4 GUCCI. THIS IS A TADIO DRIVEN LIST. OH YEAH BUN B HAS BEEN RELEVANT ALSO. THIS LIST IS A DISGRACE. BUT I DO COSIGN THE BAWSE
I MEAN RADIO DRIVEN
Yo Dewayne, I feel u on the Scarface and I was going 2 put 2pac as well as Biggie on 4 my reply but it has 2 be Rappers that came out within the last 10 yrs. So I don’t know Y the real ass artist on here like Ice Cube,Outkast,Jadakiss who was out b4 year 2Grand, they only want these Nutra Sweet Hip Hop artist on this topic. Em of course is the shizzle Luda as well as Game, Eve rep’n the ladies etc. I am not much on the new generation but once in awhile I peep game. 4 th most part the new school is quite lame 2 the game .
yo nastee, nutra sweet? i like that homie perfect discription. it just shows how watered down rap has been since 2000. 1998 was the last great year in hip hop, and to be honest ive been listenin to mostly reggae eva since
IM NOT DONE! NELLY? R U SERIOUS? I LUV EVE BUT COME ON SHE HASNT DONE ANYTHING IN 6 YEARS. TI OKAY BUT I FEEL DIFF ABOUT HIM NOW. 50 CENT? I GUESS 1 HOT ALBUM EVERY TEN YEARS GETS YOU ON THIS LIST. IM THRU VENTING
everyone on the list could rock but nelly, gucci,eve C’mon son eve get the hell outta here. where the f*ck is jay.and ross songs go hard but he rap about the same shit money and cars.
Eminem is #1 on this list…aint no doubt about that. Kanye is gotta be #2 then Game, 50 and Wayne.
the list is opinionated. HN is asking for YOUR OPINION. its about PERSONAL LIKES/DISLIKES. in the end, its who YOUR greatest/best/baddest rapper/mc whomever is. this topic can be debated for years. and it basically has. bc OPINIONS give it legs and life.
Man hell nah Dewayne please don’t co sign for rick ross, he couldn’t possibly make the top ten list 4 anybody… take off this list; eve, gucci, drake, ross, nelly, and 50 cent
CHAMP, IM ONLY COSIGNIN FOR ROSS BECAUSE HES BEEN DOIN HIS THING FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW. HES SURVIVED ALL HIS BEEFS AND ACTUALLY WON. IM OLD SCHOOL BUT OUT OF THIS LIST ROSS AAND TI
This list is bullshit. They’re going by who’s hot right now. Ok Here’s my list and not in any particular order:
1. Eminem (lyrically the best)
2. Jadakiss (the best street lyricist)
3. Kanye (most creative)
4. 2pac (legend)
5. Biggie (legend)
6. Jay-Z (best mc)
7. Jeezy (realest from the south)
8. Nas (most poetic)
9. Lloyd Banks (most underrated)
10. Ice Cube/Scarface (real ogs)
11. Outkast/Mobb Deep (best duo)
12. Beanie Sigel (best hood rapper)
13. Talib Kweli/Black Thought (most conscious)
14. Lil Wayne (best at saying absolutely nothing)
15. ???? Help me out fam….
I LIKE YOUR LIST B.E.B BUT SCAREFACE IS THE REALEST FROM THE SOUTH FOLLWED BY BUN B, T.I. AND LUDA, BUT FACE IS THE MAN DOWN HERE FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS
Dewayne, I’m from Dallas and I totally agree with you about Face. Thats why I labeled him and Cube “real ogs” because they always keep it real and have so much respect from the hood. As for Jeezy, I labeled him “realest from the south” because right now he is. No disrespect to any other southern artists but to me, he just keeps it real all the time. He hasn’t really gone commercial except maybe for that Rihanna song but even still he kept it hood. I did think about Bun B but I couldn’t decide if I like the Bun B of UGK or the solo Bun B better. Maybe that could be #15 lol. But T.I. & Luda? I gotta say T.I. is a great rapper but I can’t help but hate all his songs for the females. And Luda is nice on the mic and very witty but I can’t say he’s one of the greatest just yet. His last 2 albums didn’t quite catch my ear. Maybe his next effort will turn things around, after all “BACK FOR THE FIRST TIME” is a classic album.
yo beb im from houston so mine was kinda of bias, but i just cant put jeezy up there. i mean sooner or later he has to come out the trap, just like jada needs to stop rappin about guns, and jigga about money and bawse about cars. i just like a cat who is versatile. i understand keepin your fanbase happy but come on show me you r an artist not just a game spitter. half these niggas sound like baby but wit some skill lol….thats why i cut 4 nas hes always straddlin that fence takin chances its not always good but at least hes an artist tryin to perfect his craft.
I respect that man 100%. I can’t argue with that at all. Since you from H-Town, what’s up with Lil’ Keke? Z-ro? Y’all got too much talent down there that hasn’t gotten a chance they truly deserve. I can’t get down with Paul Wall or Mike Jones, and don’t even get me started on Lil’ Flop! LMAO
I can help u out…L.L.Cool J, Rakim, KRS-1, E-40 Yes I am biased and love Hip Hop music b4 2000 . Don’t it get twisted like Keith Sweat. I am down like 4 flats on a 6-4 Impala Low Low but there is no creativity in the art 4m now at all no female MC’s no political MC’s no different elements anymore in hip hop, not even the 4 other elements r spoken upon. No 1 mentions the DJ anymore the band leader . I see where Hip Hop will be in the next 10. Hip Hop will be so watered down Justin Beiber and Miley Citrus or Syphillus will be nominated 4 best Hip Hop artist at the Grammies in 2020.
Its sounds scary but I wouldn’t doubt it. Shit even BET nomimated Justin this year lol. I’m only 26 so I didn’t get to enjoy some of the earlier hip hop artists but I do respect them. Like Rakim, I’ve heard some of his stuff and I did like it, same for LL but didn’t like all of his stuff. Too many songs for the ladies lol (LIKE T.I.) KRS-1 was poppin’ when I was in diapers so I need to catch up on my Hip Hop history! Now I will admit, I did sneak a few E-40 albums in my room back in the early 90′s. So I do recognize him. Somebody that I didn’t mention earlier was DMX. What do yall think of him? If he would have stayed clean and out of trouble would he even be a nominee???
YO BEB Z-RO, KEKE, AND TRAE IS THE TRUTH BUT LIL J BE FUCIN NIGGAS BIG TIME. WHATS UP WIT BIG TUCK, GET MONEY
AS 4 DMX I THINK HE WOULD HAVE SOLD MORE RECORDS THAN ANYONE IN HIPHOP HISTORY! YOU BLAME THAT ON HIS PATNA THAT GAVE HIM THAT BLUNT WIT THAT CANDY INSIDE.
Yo B.E.B Rep’n H-Town Rep your City homie. Yes playboy u missed out on some really talented artist that made Hip Hop the flava 2 peep. From RUN-DMC to Whodini to NWA to Spice 1 Snoop’s early shit and some females that were mashing as hard as the fellaz. DMX was real nice he was about the last Cat from the 20th Century that put it down. I just don’t know Y people don’t admit , the record industry was looking 4 another Pac at the time and Def Jam found 1 . I guess everybody is on “Stevie Wonder” status and can’t c when it comes 2 DMX he was a 2pac clone real talk. I really like X but keeping it way past 1 hun dude was on some Pac shit his look what he talked about even the court cases were simular. Can sum1 co sign with me on this DMX/2PAC issue. Get at me Dog.
I totally agree.
Finally some1 who was not scared 2 co sign with the 2NA$$ , thanxxx so much Ms.Tate.DMX WAS A 2PAC Clone
Less I remind the nation that this list is supposed to be composed of MC’s who still raps and have had albums out, or slated to come after the year 2000, also known as the 21st Century….
SOOOOO, Allow me to dig deeep, And state first and formost the only albums I have bought this millennium,and constantly visit their sites to see when new material is coming out, soooo in no particular order…
.
NAS, Jay-Z, Eminem, Lupe, B.O.B, The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Dead Prez, T.I, Kanye,OutKast,DMX….. And thats about it…
To me and my personal opinion this is the best of what Hip-Hop has to offer….
.
I grow tired of all the used be, remember when, never was, lifestyles some these folks rap about. I mean c’mon, if selling drugs, and all the felonious deeds were so worthwhile then why stop? And if it wasn’t worthwhile, why rap about it? There is an air of fraudulence when I hear alot of it.
.
But this is about my favorite MC’s, not about Hip-Hop validity…… so I digress..
Now, I’m from southeast Ga and grew up on the trap music that most of you can’t stand and I will say that your environment has some influence on your likes and dislikes from those who live str8 and narrow like myself and those who choose to live by what they listen to. I also have all of Nas,Em, Beans and a couple of Hova LPs but the south has been dominating hiphop for the last decade whether you like or not. Even though the names I mentioned are top quality when it comes to lyrics methaphors, etc., they are not in my top 5 and barely 10. Things are only recently starting to change for you all that prefer music with more meaning than money hoes cars and clothes. It seems like the gangsta is starting to fade in hiphop little by little as lupe, drake and B.o.b step on the scene.Times change People change and we can’t expect for music not to. Just think about the bull**!t your kids will be listening to in the next 15-20 years(probably soulja boy clones and YouTube rappers).
Mr.Bad Guy I think they were asking who is mashing that has came out in the New Milli aka 21 cent. Luda Game Kanye Rick Ross 50Cent of course Em . Ur list is off the chain and I like it alot but they want us 2 speak on the Nutra Sweet artist who have debuted in the last dime yrs.I am thinking in the last dime Luda Em Game Kanye amybe 50 but he only had 1 good CD his debut, it’s just watered down tho I just bump shit from 1980 to 1999. That’s enuff material.
Mr.Bad Guy all I have 2 say is….. Chuuuuurrrch . Artist, Stop rapp’n about pushing w8 and flipping chicks and stacking bricks every damn time. U MTV cribs rappers stop fronting . U renting from the MTV studios the Bedroom u have aint that big u don’t have an elevator going 2 the top of your 10 story mansion and the cars r from enterprise rental u have 2 have that shit back by 3pm on Sunday.We got real serious shit we could be speaking on but we as people of color all we want 2 rap about is destroying our own and h8n on each other. Sorry I will get off this soap box b4 a black man shoots me .
50 Cent should not be on this list. A great businessman he is, but top 10 Rappers he is definitely not. This list is missing Bun B, Styles, Beanie Sigel, Tech N9ne, and more. The fact that Eve and Nelly made this list is amazing.
This web site is starting to suck. It has not been updated since Monday. And you wonder why this is not one of the top blogs on the net!!!!
I didn’t even get my milk this week WTF?!
I know my bad. Its been busy. I’ll make it up to you. My bad.
I have a few that haven’t dropped commercial albums yet Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, J. Cole and Jay Electronica. Scarface is and always will be my favorit rapper alive (Pac is da greatest, no disrespect B.I.G). Andre 3000 is underated in my opion. He killed every rapper he been on a track with. Who track was he on that he didn’t have da best verse? I fucks wit T.I but he startin 2 fall off, will not fall off just gettin 2 commercial. Lupe can spit. Trae and Z-Ro always bring it. Em of course. And no matta what dey say Jay-Z raps about what he is live on every album (can’t knock da hustle). Tech Nine is way way way underrated. Bun-B and Kanye have 2 b on my list. I think Shawnna(DTP) is da best female rapper but no females belong on the list.
u have to be freakin kiddin me! Where da eff is JAY?? Are u kiddin urselves BET?? We know u lookin for the new crowd but then u need to rename your show: who are the new contenders?, cuz talking bout the best of the last 10 years, c’mon Jay got that title on lock. Eve? I’m reppin for da ladies but uh, where’s her career? 50 needs to be dismissed from this list. Gucci- ha! nuff said . . . Rick Ross gets way too much love cuz I’m tired of this dude rappin about cars and h*s and sellin drugs and Jeezy straight but that’s still questionable. U gotta be kidding me wit this, man.
I agree about Rick Ross. 5o cent proved that that man is fake or as 50 would put it a “Wanksta.”lol He was a Parole officer who stole the real Ricky Ross’s identity, his music is garbage and everything he says is about someone else’s life or fake that Sh** really pisses me off. B.M.F is Bull**** now he pretending to be Big Meech.People still buy this mans records REDICULOUS! *SMH*
T.I. is the best rapper alive without a doubt. Forget what a hater got to say. He the KING!!!!
Last ten years people Jay Z,Nas,Pac,and B.I.G don’t count,GOOD GRIEF.lol I didn’t see who won but it was inbetween wayne and Eminem.My second favorite rapper T.I was 5. 50c deserves to be on the list and he made it cause all his albums went Gold or higher.His first 2 Cds Get rich or die trying and “The Massacre”… Mafioso masterpieces they started a phenom. For me I say: 1.Lupe Fiasco(He kills everyone on that list lyrically and metaphorically especially Metaphorically listen to his Cd “The Cool” and listen to,my fav,”Dumb it Down”,”Gotta eat” and “Streets on Fire”)2.Kanye West(He is the embodiement of Hip-hop just by being a producer. With lines like:”..feelin’ like Katrina with no FEMA/Like Martin with no Gina/Like a flight with no Visa/first class with the seat back I still see ya/In my past you on the otherside of the glass/of my memorys museum/I’m just saying,hey Mona Lisa/Come home you know you can’t Rome without Cesar.” He writes alot of your favorite songs) 3.T.I(Technically he started in the late 90s ,but I guess their little requirment states they must come to relevence inbetween ’99-’10.T.I lets see who else can “..rap about real life on hot beats?” He is the UNDISPUTED King of the South. Check out Urban Legend,KING,and TI vs T.I.P.)4.50cent(they listed him number 6 I agree ,but my list, I can’t see a few people they have cause 75% of the list is garbage.Technically 50 goes by the same standards as TI.This man has had 4 albums so far in ’03,’05,’07,’09 whoever made that joke about 50 makin a record every 10yrs your an idiot.’03 Get Rich or die tryin debuted at No.1 selling 872,000… its first week. It has sold a WHOPPing 6million copies in the U.S and is certified Sextuple platinum.The Massacre also debuted at No.1 this time selling an astonishing 1.15million copies in 4 days.It was certified double platinum in less than a month selling 4.85million in the U.S.The Massacre was voted 37th best rap album of ’00-’09.”Curtis” debuted at No.2,Behind Kanye West because of the competition,50 is a brilliant buisnessman. It sold 691,000 copies its first week.His competition with Kanye had made his “Curtis” debut day a “Great day for Hip-hop.” Before I self-Destruct is his weakest effort compared to his phenomenal success and it leaking early,it sold 160,000 its first week in the U.S. it debuted at No.5. As of Jan the album sold over 500,000 copies becoming certified Gold.So yeah 50cent deserves to be on this list primarily by C.R.E.A.M(Cash.Rules.Everything.Around.Me)5. Eminem( He is lower cause he fell off and made some pretty lame records but lyrically minus all that other B.S. C.R.E.A.M,flow .etc Em would be in terms of real judgement in Flow lyrical cotent and so forth either 2 or 3.
To Sum this up finally: 1)Lupe Fiasco-flow, lyrics,SUBJECT MATTER(Song:Little Weapon).
2)Kanye West-lyrics, cultural impact,and digital prowess
3)T.I.-flow,subject matter, cultural impact
4)50cent- cultural impact, money??? and digital prowess
5)Eminem-flow, lyrics, subject matter,
I don’t really have anyone else yet though cause J.Cole and Big Sean just revealed themselves and Drake and other Young Moron–I mean MONEY LOL people are destroying real Hip-hop with auto-tune and songs going “Hey Hey Hey” WTF LMAO. Please go away Gucci,Soulja boy, and Roscoe Dash.