Soulja Boy being on the list is ridiculous, but I understand why they have to pretend to almost add him. Ha! What’s his face just said that… Catering to the younger, impressionable audience, are we? It’s a vicous circle, MTV!!! But while Buttah’s argument re: the evolution of the game (considering digital sales and ringtones) is relevant in this debate, that still doesn’t mean that Soulja Boy makes the list!
In my humble opinion, all of this depends on WHAT KIND OF HIP HOP FAN YOU ARE, and what makes YOU (no pun intended) pay attention to the music. (Do you like a strong delivery? well-crafted lyrics? braggadocio? versatile flows? death threats? storytelling ability?...) On cue with this point of mine, Shaheem jumps in, bringing up lyrics (I hear Jay’s voice in the Roc Boys intro: “my man!”) It’s clear that Shaheem’s a lyrics-first hip hop fan, so he holds lyrical content very high on his list of hip hop standards. Me too.
On to TI and Andre 3000…
Andre’s a superb MC, but is he relevant RIGHT NOW? I’m not so sure. And TI has been absent for a while, so that, coupled with the fact that he’s not nearly as good as Andre in the first place renders this argument silly. Soulja Boy gets officially axed. They put TI at #10, Andre at #9.
Watch SEGMENT I HERE.
Jeezy is now on the table. They also mention Lupe and Snoop.
I like Bridget. Always have. She brings up the fact that Jeezy’s style gets robbed by other rappers, and it’s a good point to keep in mind within this debate. Then she brings up how Lupe’s first album went over people’s heads, and that The Cool is more toned down for the masses. I agree! But WAIT: Now she’s saying that’s a bad thing, and that it made Lupe less hot. The goon fan in me sees her point, but my hopeful backpacker and flow-worshipping sides thinks that point is very, very wrong. Jeezy being on here confuses me, but that's another story.
Watch SEGMENT II:
Now they’re starting to discuss
50.
“Y'all don’t listen to mixtapes, man!” –Shaheem is getting angry! But he’s right: Elephant in the Sand was fiery. But the Curtis album? -not so much. Luckily for 50 Cent, he manages to keep himself relevant, never fully going away. Murder rap fans love him for his braggadocio, but isn’t his never going away a little more like a fly buzzing in your ear than a loyal pet taking up too much room on the bed? Think about it.
They’re showing a shot of the Top 10 board again. Why is Lupe below Snoop?! Because Snoop is a veteran, right? But aren’t we supposed to be focusing on RIGHT NOW? Sensual Seduction was incredible smash, but I’d wager that more people know songs and verses off Lupe’s album than they do off of Ego Trippin’. UGH. I wonder what Sickamore would say in this instance of old head bias. I know his music is still decent, but c’mon: Snoop is the wonderful past. And Lupe? He's the innovative future, whether you think his voice sounds gay or not.
Watch SEGMENT III HERE.
#8, 7, 6, 5...
I’m surprised he’s making this list, but they just brought up Rick Ross. I honestly don’t listen to him like that… he’s gross. (WOW- I’m starting to think that maybe I’m superficial when it comes to rappers’ looks.) I just always pegged “The Boss” as a fat pig who rapped about hustling. Almost anyone can do that! But they’re trying to say he does it well. He has style and flow!?!? They’re putting him as #4!?!?! I'm ignorant of his music, so I can't even comment. Even so, something still feels very wrong about this decision.
Jay is placed into the mix at #3. Kanye and Wayne are also mentioned as potentials for the top two slots. American Gangster was great, yes- but after seeing both Jigga and Kanye perform live in concert within a week of each other… umm, I’ma go with Ye over Jay. And my college friends call me Hovita, so you know I’m a serious Hov fan. To me, Kanye's performance this week was PIVOTAL for hip hop. And it makes me sad, but Jay's way less stellar performance is proof that he's getting old.
The panel is setting up a battle of Kanye vs. Wayne; lyrical upliftment vs. lyrical tomfoolery. Buttah brings up the valid point that Kanye has transcended hip hop and entered pop culture, making him a serious force to be reckoned with. And he’s right: Lyrics from Kanye’s I Wonder are the kind that made me fall in love with hip hop too. Unfortunately, goon fans who relate more to violence, drugs and hoes in lyrics might not agree with us on this one. Shaheem yells “LYRICS EQUAL LONGEVITY!” and I feel that - especially since I love analyzing meaning behind lyrics. But personally, I believe Wayne is capable of creating both forms of lyrical content equally. (Zilla just dropped a gem, so you should probably re-read this paragraph.) Kanye too, but maybe not as extreme.
Watch SEGMENT IIII:
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. Timeout. Now they want to switch Wayne and Jay’s positioning, making Jay #2 since Wayne hasn’t released Tha Carter III?! BALDERDASH. Shaheem, we just broke up. Tuma shouts “The album is coming! The album is coming!” of Tha Carter III as if it’s "The Russians." Jay is NOT above Wayne right now, and again, I’m saying that as a lifelong Jay fan. I understand timing’s a bitch, but this is outrageous! If this Top 10 list was made in July, Wayne would be above Jay. No question. And while the elder Mr. Carter is certainly a legend, he needs to be on the golf course, making his Live Nation paper, and trying to avoid pulling a muscle. Go have babies with Beyonce or something... you could barely keep up while rapping your own songs at MSG!
Here's the final list:
- Kanye
- Jay-Z
- Lil' Wayne
- Rick Ross
- Snoop Dogg
- 50 Cent
- Lupe Fiasco
- Young Jeezy
- Andre 3000
- TI
