25. Sean Price - Sean Peeeeee! The hardest working man in Boot Camp is often lauded for his complex and
humorous rhymes that make him one of the current favorite guests spot rhymers on the scene. P Body
isn't the most technical vocalist on the list, but always supplies the lines that make the listener pay attention.
24. Peedi Crakk - He’s possibly the illest Latino (well, half) rapper out right now. Whether he’s
rippin’ shit with his fellow Philadelphians Beans, Freeway, Thought or remaking “Brand New Funk”
with DJ Jazzy Jeff, you can't front on Peedi’s show-stealing ability. Don’t be surprised to see
this kid crack the top 10 in a few years—pun.
23. Saigon - Despite his stellar mixtape track record Saigon is still a little more hype than real
thing at this point. While “Illmatic” comparisons and classic claims may be overly optimistic publicity
stunts, there is a good chance that “The Greatest Story Never Told” will have a spot on everybody's end
of the year lists, if it actually drops.
22. Cormega - If anybody needs to write a paper about the poetry of rap music they should visit Cormega's
solo catalog. One of the most vivid lyricists in the game, his long-time independent status has kept him
out of the public eye for the most part (hence also out of the top emcee lists of most publications). 2008
will prove to be a make or break year for Cormega though, who hasn't dropped a solo in years, and continues
to tease fans with compilations, instrumental albums and dvds.
21. Cam'Ron
20. T.I. - His recent troubles with the law and sub-par fifth solo release leave a salty taste in the
mouth’s of TI fans all over America (and it’s not just cuz they need to brush their grillz). Just last
year TI seemed the heir apparent to the legacy of Jay-Z, able to craft insightful lyricism, street
bangers, love songs, and hood/suburb anthems all on the same record. But short of Johnnie Cochran
rising from the grave there’s no way TI’s stock as an artist is going to go up in the coming years. Keep
your head up, and give Mystical Toomp’s number on his way out Tip.
19. Raekwon - Armed with a mixtape every three months, Rae fights to keep his name in peoples mouths
and on their minds. Often mention in the top tier of Wu lyricists, Rae spits the illest mafioso rhymes
that provide vivid imagery of the crime game.
18. Freeway - There are very few emcees who manipulate cadence as well as Freeway. While he has been
quiet for a while, tracks like "Paper Gangsters, "Criminal Opera" "Its Over" and "Step Back" provide
assurance that he is still just as unorthodox and aggressive as he was in 2003.
17. Andre 3000 - Though it look like he'd succumbed to full term Baduizm, quitting rap in favor of fruity
bullshit, a string of scene stealing guest appearances proved that he's still one of the best rappers
alive, when he actually wants to rap.
16. Scarface - The past two decades have seen Face slowly evolve from the brash lunatic fast rap gangsta
of his early records to a slower, more reserved elder statesmen of Southern hip-hop. Simply put, no emcee
has aged with as much grace.
15. Malice - What Malice may lack in aritstry in comparison to Pusha T, he more than makes up for with his stone cold flow.
14. Big Boi - One of the most consistent rappers ever, which truly is a feat when you take into account
the guy he raps with. With his incredibly dynamic flow and witty wordplay, Big Boi will always be the dependable
part of an Outkast album.
13. Bun-B - With Pimp C handling the production (whether he's making or choosing the beats), the hooks, the
concepts, and his own verses, Bun B just has to be the illest 16-24 bar spitter he can be. Fortunately for
both members of UGK, Bun is one of the nicest topical verse murderers on the planet. While his solo album
had its highs and lows, and “Underground Kingz” may have been Pimp's shining moment, Bun still has one of
the most consistent careers and promising futures in the industry.
12. Black Thought - Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock or The Roots crew, you’ve missed one of the best lyrical
performances in 2006 on "Game Theory." This lyrically lyrical lyricist completely wrecks the album from start to
finish. When Thought is on, not many are better. See “Web” and “Boom,” where he does an ill rendition of G. Rap &
Kane on the ’04 release “The Tipping Point” or “In The Music,” “Here I Come” and the self-titled track ‘Game
Theory” off the ’06 release “Game Theory.”
11. Devin The Dude - The undisputed crown prince of self deprecation rap. He smokes weed, he drinks brew. That's all he raps
about because it's all he do.
10. Pimp C - Pimp C not only produced one of the year's best LPs, but he provided some of his best mic work ever in 2007. He has
always had a dismissive attitude towards pussies, but as of late Chad has taken not giving a fuck to new heights. Couple his
brashness with what seems like an endless supply of different flows, and you get one of the best rappers doing it.
9. Jadakiss - Jadakiss is really the last hungry descendent from the BIG legacy that still has a chance to create a classic
album. Based on pure rap skill there's definitely an argument to be made that Kiss deserves to be in the top five, but until
he realizes that his "I've got a song for everybody" type of albums lack cohesion and focus he will be relegated to incredible
mixtape rapper status. Hopefully maturity and a little in between record label limbo will light a fire under his ass in '08.
8. Styles P - One of the most influential “street lyricists” of the 20th and 21st centuries, chances are Styles P is
your personal GOAT’s favorite current rapper. It has taken him a very long time to come out of the “the cat that’s
not Jada, but is still good in the Lox” syndrome, especially after an album like Time Is Money. But this year Styles
proved that given the right production he could still make a beast of an album (see: Ghost Sessions). Between that
release, his par for the course (well, for him) demolition of the mixtape circuit (see: Independence and The Phantom
Menace for all the proof you need) Styles appears to still be the one member of the Lox crew who’s capable of making
a great album.
7. Pusha-T - The only thing holding Pusha back from being the best rapper alive at this point is probably Malice. Not
because his older brother is better than him, or so weak that he drags Terrance down, but because they are such an
ill dynamic duo that they will probably never go solo (or at least not for a few years). T's arrogance is unparalleled,
his wit is caustic and his rhymes are just brutal. Eghhhk.
6. AZ - Arguably the best lyricist on the entire list, AZ’s popularity will always been hindered by the shadow of Nas
and the fiasco of The Firm album. From a pure artistic standpoint however, not becoming famous may have been the best
thing to happen to AZ. He has no reason to create crossover attempts, or try to fit into any of hip hop’s current
trends and fads, and is able to focus on making music that is sonically engaging and lyrically and stylistically superior.
5. Jay-Z - Once considered the best lyricist, Jay has slipped down the list after only a mediocre showing on his "Kingdom
Come" release last year, but hopes to show back up with his new release dropping this December. Does Jay Hova still have
it? We all shall soon see, but regardless, he still has to be considered one of the top ten best in this day of age and
arguably top 10 of all-time.
4. Nas - So much can be said about an artist with such a controversial roller coaster-esque recording career. He’s
capable of making classic material, he’s capable of making horrible pop crossover attempts (fortunately this seems
to be largely behind him), and he’s capable of sounding completely uninspired over his equally uninspired production
choices. Like it or not though, Nas is still one of the best rappers in the game and if “Less Than An Hour,”
and “Surviving the Times” are any indication he still has another dope album in him somewhere.
3. Lil Wayne - If productivity is a signifier of genius then Wayne is rap's Ray Charles. Though it's been two
years since his last proper solo LP, he's spent that time churning out a seemingly endless string of verses,
each delivered with a unique fractured style that is probably more indicative of a pillhead slur than any real
ambition. But if that's what it takes to get a rapper to try and do something different then so be it. And it
makes his coherent moments seem all the more valuable.
2. Beanie Sigel - Few hip-hop artists embody the notion of career growth as well as Beanie Sigel. Most great
rappers drop their classic album the first time out and spend the rest of their careers trying to live up to
the hype of that first hungry record. Beanie on the other hand has arguably gotten better with each release. And
considering B. Coming seemed to have been forced together rather quickly after a jail stint, my money is on “The
Solution,” being a top contender for album of the year, whether it drops in 07 or 08.
1. Ghostface Killah - It’s fitting the most beloved rapper on Philaflava ranks numero uno on our list. GFK
saved the Wu and hip-hop for many of us. “Fishscale” may have fell short of the mark, but that didn’t stop
him from crankin’ out “More Fish” months later. Whether he’s working on solo material, Theodore Unit projects,
the Doom collabo and now “8 Diagrams” Ghostface Killah stays grindin’. The king of the underground may not ever
make another “Supreme Clientele” but chances are whatever darts Ghost throws at us will be closer to the bull’s
eye than others.
Click Here to discuss on our forum |
