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The G. O. A. T. |
It seems the debate over who is The Greatest rapper Of All Time (sorry LL, but it ain't you) is a hot one that still rages today. Was it the late B.I.G.? The late Tupac Shakur? Or is it Jay-Z? What about one of the other MCs that have laid claim to the proverbial G.O.A.T. title since the passing of Biggie and Pac?
The answer to those questions will have to wait, because inorder to determine who is the G.O.A.T. we must first decide what it takes to be the G.O.A.T. If rocking the mic was a sport, we could just compare the stats of all MCs and declare a winner. In boxing there is Ali. Basketball. Jordan. Baseball. Ruth. Soccer. Pele. But one could make an argument for Marciano, Wilt, Russell, Aaron, or Mantle. Why? Because each one is considered one of the best of all time to have ever played their respective sports.
One of the best of all time... A'ight. I can live with that. So to even qualify as the G.O.A.T. A MC must first be one of the best of all time. In the rap game there are only a few MCs I consider to be one of the best of all time. Rakim, KRS, Jay-Z, LLCoolJ, Kool G. Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Reverand Run, DMC, Melle Mel, Tupac, and Biggie all come to mind with Tupac and Biggie the leading contenders.
So let's say for the sake of argument that we all agree that the title of the G.O.A.T. belongs to either one of the slain rappers Tupac or Biggie. Here's where those stats come in handy.
|
Da Skillz |
Biggie |
Tupac |
| Flow |
***** |
**** |
| Studio Work |
** |
***** |
| Crowd Control |
**** |
***** |
| Word Play |
**** |
***** |
| Stage Presence |
*** |
***** |
| Industry Impact |
*** |
***** |
| Sales |
*** |
***** |
| Quotables |
**** |
***** |
| Legacy |
*** |
***** |
Each Skill is ranked 1 to 5 with 5 being the best.
Breakdown:
Flow: Biggie gets a one point edge here just for his distinctive sound, but both could flow.
Studio Work: Tupac wins this one hands down. From all the bootlegs and commercial releases since his death it appears Pac lived in the studio. He had so much to say and I am feeling it all.
Crowd Control: Both MCs could handle a crowd. I had the pleasure to see both in concert and Biggie had a lot of help from Puffy, Lil' Kim, Lil' Cease, and the rest of the Junior Mafia. Pac had the Outlawz and he would involved the crowd more.
Word Play: I gave the slight edge to Pac because of songs like "Me and My Girlfriend".
Stage Presence: Here the edge goes to Pac again. Pac would climb speakers. Run across the stage. He just worked every inch of stage.
Industry Impact: Pac schooled Biggie on the game. Pac's industry impact is still being felt on the streets in the stores. Worldwide.
Sales: Let's be honest here. We will never see another album from Biggie. Pac has a double joint out now with more to come.
Quotables: No. I am not talking about hooks. I am talking about news quotables. Interviews. Lyrics. Prophecy. "More money more problems" versus "The realest shit I ever wrote".
LEGACY: This is perhaps the most important of them all. Tupac Shakur was the voice of entire generation of young people. His music lives on. His music/lyrics have been studied at universities and will continue to be studied for years. Well Biggie's name is dropped in a record every now and then. A Legacy is more than a tattoo on your boy's chest.
Dayum! I can hear ya from here. I ain't playa hating on Biggie. I love his music. It's just that when you compare the careers (both were too short) of the two MCs side by side the evidence supports Pac as being the one that has impacted the game the greatest. Pac's lyrics are ageless. Thank GOD Pac stayed busy in the studio to bless the world with his insight. Where as it seems Biggie only hit the studio when it was time to record an album and not for the love of the game and it shows.
Chris "HNIC" Jam
You have something to say? Holla back wit some: FEEDBACK. Dayum! I was just thinking...
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