Rap Algorithm

The Rap Algorithm

The art of rap is complicated. Just like any other genre or subject, declaring the best requires multiple factors. It requires breakdown in those areas and then combining the  measurable and the intangibles.  It practically requires an algorithm. That’s why it’s funny when people try to clearly declare their winner. Except they don’t remove the bias and dissect culture while including X factors.

I’m not the expert but I’ve listened to more rap than most have. From guys like Kool Moe Dee and groups like Run DMC to Eminem and Lil Wayne. As well as most in between. I have my favorites but that doesn’t make them the best. I want to try and take the personal feelings out of it and make it objective. It’ll never be concrete. Anything subjective can never be objective. But, I believe I could make it understandable. 

Nobody can ever declare a true best in most areas. Even in sports like tennis where it’s individual and guys like Roger Federer is probably the best of his generation, you still have to compare his competition against the competition faced by someone like Pete Sampras.although Serena Williams might argue with me.

For rap I will try to establish what I believe to be the major factors in evaluating  the best. 

Let me list what I believe to be top 5 factors. While only 5 categories does not make an algorithm, I don’t believe rap requires the powers of rocket science variables. After I list my opinion of the 5 categories I’ll go over my ranks for rappers in each category. While I’m not THE expert I challenge anyone to compare their experience in rap to mine. As a 41 year old man, I have lived through the evolution of the genre.

  1. Flow
  2. Voice
  3. Style
  4. Message
  5. Longevity

Flow- Rap is all about flow. Eminem is the living King of flow. Tupac and Biggie were ahead of their time. When you listen to a tight flow? It can make you feel like your in the video with the rapper. Best flows for me are Notorious BIG in Hypnotize or when he compared cliffs to avalanches. Tupac in U Can’t See Me or I Get Around. Eminem in many including  Lose yourself or when he told everyone Get off my  antidisestablishmentarianism, you prick. Really? Did he just put that in a lyric? Very impressive. Because of that I have to put him number 1. It hurts to not have my favorite Tupac number 1. Unfortunately for Tupac he died at barely 25 and 6 months later number three Christopher Wallace died at 24. Eminem didn’t come out with antidisestablishmentarianism until after 30. Longevity will play a part in this evaluation.

Flow rankings:
  1. Eminem
  2. Tupac
  3. Biggie
  4. Lil Wayne
  5. EZ/Ice Cube

Voice

In rap, for me voice is huge. This is the voice you hear through the speakers. Do you feel this voice. Is it tolerable. Does it represent the message. Plenty of rappers have had skills but didn’t have a voice that translates. Who wants to listen Whitey Ford sing the blues while EZ raps Boyz in the Hood or Tupac singing Dear Mama. This is the easiest category in my opinion. Some voices embody rap. 

  1. Eazy E
  2. Tupac
  3. Biggie
  4. Slim shady (not eminem)
  5. Snoop Dogg

Style
I respect style. I stay humble and avoid style. I prefer substance over style, personally. But, style in rap is huge. Tupac rapped about Versace, Hennesey, Alize, and Thug Life. Biggie about Brooklyn, the projects, and blowin up like the world trade. Those guys had style. Snoop carried their style into the 2000s. 

  1. Tupac
  2. Biggie
  3. Snoop
  4. Eazy E
  5. Slim Shady 

Message

I’ve heard some rap and I laugh. I’m not as critical as people are about Vanilla Ice and Ja Rule but I have to believe in the roots of the message. Some people listen to Common and can relate, while others listen to Tupac rapping and cry. Eminem makes many feel involved while OutKast represents the Southern approach. 

  1. Tupac


Longevity

To me Longevity is the biggest differentiator. Notorius BIG is the biggest example of this. He’s easily top 3 rapper all time. He could easily be number 2 or 1 if he had more work. Eazy E is same situation as well as Tupac. The thing that separates Pac is that he made so many tracks before he died. A ridiculous unheard amount of work for his age. Other artists were or are amazing but didnt have the body of work to put them over the top. Biggie really only had two albums while Tupac and Eminem hd many. This to me is really the biggest determining factor in deciding who is the best. If I could compare basketball to rap I would compare Magic Johnson to Michael Jordan or Kobe. Magic had to retire from basketball after 11 years while MJ and Kobe went over 15. Or Jim Brown and Barry Sanders leaving the game after 10 years while someone like Emmitt Smith has the all time record because of longevity. Eminem has hd the luxury of a longer career compared to Eazy E, Tupac, and Biggie. Well, I guess you know my top four. But, if you want to know the top 5? Here they are. I even put ten so that I include guys I love as well. I’ll compare female rappers to makes later. For now, strictly for my Niggaz.

  1. Tupac
  2. Eminem
  3. Biggie
  4. Snoop
  5. Eazy E 

  1. Lil Wayne
  2. NAS
  3. Ice Cube
  4. JayZ
  5. Guru


My list will evolve and change. The base will not. To me, my Rushmore of rappers are carved in stone. Others might disagree. This list is my opinion. It’s also biased. As a west coast rap fan I probably lack East Coast rappers while favoring the west.I hope people that hate rap just move on. But if you enjoy rap, what is your opinion? Do you disagree? Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion. I won’t judge. I appreciate discussion. More than anything? I realize there are grey areas. I don’t pretend my list is definitive. I know it’s my opinion, everyone of us 8 billion have one.

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