[Music] 2pac, Eminem, or Biggy. Who do you think was the better rapper?

[Paranoid Android]

Completely disagree about Ice Cube. I don't think he's particularly great. Rakim and KRS One, I'd agree with. Scarface, to a point. He also listed Nas ahead of him. And his list is actually very, very good. Kurupt and Redman are extremely underrated MCs. Andre 3000 is good, not sure if he's great, but he's good. Or, at least, he was before the Outkast split. The one missing that surprises me is Big Daddy Kane. Especially considering the credit he gives to Kane for some inspiration in one of the songs on Encore.

Okay YOU think Ice Cube is not great but many people of Hip-Hop do think Cube is great. His dis song "No Vaseline" is considered THE best dis/battle song ever recorded. Cube not only put good beats, great rhymes but most important most of his songs had a meaning behind them. Not "my bum is on your lips..my bum is on your lips" GTFO of here!!! LoL Redman and Kurupt? Redman was good but Kurupt couldn't even carry an album. I would put Method Man ahead of Redman easily. Andre 3000 with Outkast..yeah. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is a classic but he had help from Big Boi and Goodie Mob. Scarface with Geto Boys was great and then again as a solo artist a lot of his rhymes had a meaning behind the delivery.

I'm strictly, mostly old school now, Today its pretty much recycled garbage of how much money you have, how many hoes you hit, maybe drugs that you sold (most are fake). No substance to much of todays rap. Its all about beats and AutoTune.

For person who thinks Eminem could beat Biggie in a battle I have this for you:

[Okacz]

I really dont like BIG, maybe it's just me. It would be a draw between Tupac and Eminem, but while I like Tupacs lyrics better, I'm sticking with Eminems a bit revolutionary rap style, mixing serious stuff with completly crazy songs. And I really, really love "Lose yourself", I know it sounds like I only watched the movie, but this song is just amazing.

[Faesroll]

Only rapper I like is Eminem, so he's my pick.

[Paranoid Android]

I don't want to sound like a complete douche but none of them were/are the better rapper. Tupac realeased 5 official albums before he dissapeared/got killed. Only 2 of them were original, had a good message and lyrically decent. Many Pac fans happen to be somewhat blindfolded. They simply can't or won't see how much Nas inspired Pac. Short after dropping "Illmatic" and "It Was Written" Pac chose to make very similar songs lyric wise.
If we are to pick the "best" rapper of all time, eventhough its impossible, Nas would be the only candidate. He has realeased more than 10 great albums (Illmatic as many consider the best album of all time at the age of 20 - no guests appearances other than the unknown AZ back then. 2 years later It was written)
But saying that Nas, Tupac, Biggie or Em is the better rapper is like saying oranges are better than apples.

LOL! WHUT?? Illmatic by Nas came out in 1994. Tupac had 3 albums plus some singles. Hate to break it to but if you are from New York especially back then you didn't pay West Coast no mind so and vice versa. I find it amazing for Pac to have hear Illmatic 3 years before his release and have influence on him. Should do your research a little bit better.

[Deleted]

LOL! WHUT?? Illmatic by Nas came out in 1994. Tupac had 3 albums plus some singles. Hate to break it to but if you are from New York especially back then you didn't pay West Coast no mind so and vice versa. I find it amazing for Pac to have hear Illmatic 3 years before his release and have influence on him. Should do your research a little bit better.

I never said Nas inspired all of Pac songs/albums. All i stated was that whenever nas dropped an album (in this case Illmatic and It was written) Pac immediatly made similar songs. Best example might be songs from It Was Written. Pac even thought that Nas aimed "The Message" against him although it was a Biggie dis. Pac was always really aware of nas and spend more of his time commenting on his classic than creating his own (The world is yours, I gave you power and what not).

[notorious98]

I don't want to sound like a complete douche but none of them were/are the better rapper. Tupac realeased 5 official albums before he dissapeared/got killed. Only 2 of them were original, had a good message and lyrically decent. Many Pac fans happen to be somewhat blindfolded. They simply can't or won't see how much Nas inspired Pac. Short after dropping "Illmatic" and "It Was Written" Pac chose to make very similar songs lyric wise.
If we are to pick the "best" rapper of all time, eventhough its impossible, Nas would be the only candidate. He has realeased more than 10 great albums (Illmatic as many consider the best album of all time at the age of 20 - no guests appearances other than the unknown AZ back then. 2 years later It was written)
But saying that Nas, Tupac, Biggie or Em is the better rapper is like saying oranges are better than apples.

You lose credibility when you say Nastradamus, I Am, and Street's Disciple are "great" albums.

[Alkaholic]

You knoh nouthing Jouhn Snouh! ROFL @ Em being the better rapper. Must be a caucasian bias cause while Em lyrically has shown he's able to put together great shit, he's balanced it w/ a LOT of trash. He's third on the list.

[Deleted]

Seriously, Eminem is ahead in votes? What has this generation come to...

[Deleted]

You lose credibility when you say Nastradamus, I Am, and Street's Disciple are "great" albums.

Compare those albums to alot of rappers' and they all look great. But I agree they weren't great compared to Nas' standards although they all contained classics such as 'Nas is like', Come N get me, Shoot em up and Thiefs Theme.

[Paranoid Android]

I never said Nas inspired all of Pac songs/albums. All i stated was that whenever nas dropped an album (in this case Illmatic and It was written) Pac immediatly made similar songs. Best example might be songs from It Was Written. Pac even thought that Nas aimed "The Message" against him although it was a Biggie dis. Pac was always really aware of nas and spend more of his time commenting on his classic than creating his own (The world is yours, I gave you power and what not).

Wait?? So Tupac who was out before Nas and already had songs such as "Brenda's Got A Baby" and "Keep Ya Head Up" so already a track record of socially conscious songs and then Nas dropped an album and Tupac made similar songs??? Dude you are all over the rap map and need to study up on you Hip-Hop. Please tell me where Pac kept commenting on Nas' Album. Was he asked question in an interview? Okay...don't mean he was obsessed with Nas.

[Sliske]

Biggie. Old Eminem is better than all 3 options though. New eminem is worse than even Tupac, who i think is terrible.

[Paranoid Android]

Seriously, Eminem is ahead in votes? What has this generation come to...

Well let's be honest this is being posted on MMO-Champ. I am going to have to say that their Hip-Hop does not go too far from the popular artist and obviously ones up to the year 2000.

[notorious98]

Okay YOU think Ice Cube is not great but many people of Hip-Hop do think Cube is great. His dis song "No Vaseline" is considered THE best dis/battle song ever recorded. Cube not only put good beats, great rhymes but most important most of his songs had a meaning behind them. Not "my bum is on your lips..my bum is on your lips" GTFO of here!!! LoL Redman and Kurupt? Redman was good but Kurupt couldn't even carry an album. I would put Method Man ahead of Redman easily. Andre 3000 with Outkast..yeah. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is a classic but he had help from Big Boi and Goodie Mob. Scarface with Geto Boys was great and then again as a solo artist a lot of his rhymes had a meaning behind the delivery.

I'm strictly, mostly old school now, Today its pretty much recycled garbage of how much money you have, how many hoes you hit, maybe drugs that you sold (most are fake). No substance to much of todays rap. Its all about beats and AutoTune.

For person who thinks Eminem could beat Biggie in a battle I have this for you.

Method Man is not a great MC and the fact that you're so quick to dismiss Redman means you've never listened to him. As for "No Vaseline", no, the consensus on best diss song of all time is "Ether" followed very closely by "Hit 'Em Up". I'd even rank "Bitch In Yoo" and "Real Muthafuckin' G's" higher than "No Vaseline". As for Kurupt, there's been a ton of extremely good MCs that haven't sold albums. It doesn't make them bad, it just means they aren't for mainstream appeal. I think you're mistaking being an MC with being a solo artist. Dismissing an MC like Andre because he was in Outkast is being incapable of seeing the MC for being the MC. It's making the mistake of seeing the group as a crutch as opposed to a gateway.

---------- Post added 2013-06-07 at 06:35 PM ----------

Compare those albums to alot of rappers' and they all look great.

No they don't. Having one or two songs doesn't make it a "great" album compared to anybody who also has one or two songs. Which most albums are capable of producing.

[Paranoid Android]

Method Man is not a great MC and the fact that you're so quick to dismiss Redman means you've never listened to him. As for "No Vaseline", no, the consensus on best diss song of all time is "Ether" followed very closely by "Hit 'Em Up". I'd even rank "Bitch In Yoo" and "Real Muthafuckin' G's" higher than "No Vaseline". As for Kurupt, there's been a ton of extremely good MCs that haven't sold albums. It doesn't make them bad, it just means they aren't for mainstream appeal. I think you're mistaking being an MC with being a solo artist. Dismissing an MC like Andre because he was in Outkast is being incapable of seeing the MC for being the MC. It's making the mistake of seeing the group as a crutch as opposed to a gateway.

Sorry never said Method was a great MC. I like him better than Redman..my opinion. Again, never said Andre 3000 was bad. I LOVE Outkast and as far as Andre I like that he always pushed what Hip-Hop and he as an artist. The person who mentioned Kurupt is rattling off MC's which again its everyone's opinion but when you get to mentioning Kurupt, Method, Redman, Andre or whoever it is more of you going to who you like as an artist. No I don't think being solo makes you a better MC. I stated Ice Cube and Scarface as great MC's and they were in a group.

[Eroginous]

There's always a conflict when it comes to whos the best rapper alive, but it's pretty much accepted that Eminem, Nas, Jay-Z, Big Pun, 2pac, Big L, and Biggy were the greatest rappers to ever live. When it comes down to lyrics, flow, and impact on the genre it's usually Em, Big and 2pac chosen from those few I listed that are named.

When it comes to Big, Eminem, and Tupac Shakur, who do you think was the better rapper/songwriter/over all artist and also WHY? In my opinion 2pac was. Three classic albums in a row (Me Against The World, All Eyez On Me, Makaveli) and his influence on rap is still alive today. He touched on alot more subject matters then BIG and Em although you could make an argument that it was because BIG's career was alot shorter. Eminem had classic albums too, but even as a die hard Em fan I have to say that Relapse and Encore were pretty bad and hurt his legacy. Also it's cool he loves his daughter but damn, he makes so many songs about her it's almost like he uses it to sucker people in with emotions. Recovery was a great album at the time but it doesn't have classic replay value like Ready To Die or All Eyez On Me have 15 years later. Also 2pacs work ethic was light years ahead of BIG's. When BIG died he had not even 12 unreleased songs which only 3-4 of them were actually good. 2pac on the other hand had over 200 songs done unreleased at the time of his death. Classic records like Changes, Unconditional Love, and Until The End of Time were throwaway songs he never intended to release yet became huge hits.

I never liked Biggie, the whole Bad Boy crew was a bunch of over hyped self promoting clowns. Tupac was a true artist and poet, even though his works are largely ignored and forgotten by the rap world. He might not have had the lyrical genius of Eminem or the vocabulary of Aesop Rock, but he definitely had a gift to pull the listener into his songs and make you feel what he was saying.

Not to mention he's put out more quality work than 99% of any other artist, living or dead. He was a workaholic when it came to his craft, and that's why he was so great.

Eminem was the first rapper to take his shitty life and turn it upside down, spilling the contents out for the whole world to see. In a genre of music where the typical artist hides the truth behind a wall of glamor and violence, Eminem was a breath of fresh air in the music industry. He brought a brand new style of flow and lyrical depth that has long since gone unrivaled.

However, Eminem also has his fair share of trashy songs and garbage lyrics.

To me, the best artist is Aesop Rock. Lyrics, flow, rhyme scheme, and production value are all top notch, pushing the other 3 suggestions to the wayside.

[eschatological]

Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, all better in terms of "social consciousness rap," which is what people claim 2Pac and to a lesser extent Eminem are about. I'd say they're also at least as good as these guys.

In the whole Nas vs. Jay-Z thing, early on I was big on Nas. Jay-Z has gotten better over the years, though, he was never a great lyricist, but he's improved and is an excellent producer. His beats are top notch.

In the 2Pac vs. Biggie debate, I have to go with Biggie. Biggie was a master behind the microphone. So was 2Pac, don't get me wrong, but Biggie had the flow hypnotic.

I haven't listened much to rap lately, but yeah. I really liked Kid Cudi when he came out a few years back because he was kind of whacky, but that's about it.

[nyc81991]

I don't want to sound like a complete douche but none of them were/are the better rapper. Tupac realeased 5 official albums before he dissapeared/got killed. Only 2 of them were original, had a good message and lyrically decent. Many Pac fans happen to be somewhat blindfolded. They simply can't or won't see how much Nas inspired Pac. Short after dropping "Illmatic" and "It Was Written" Pac chose to make very similar songs lyric wise.
If we are to pick the "best" rapper of all time, eventhough its impossible, Nas would be the only candidate. He has realeased more than 10 great albums (Illmatic as many consider the best album of all time at the age of 20 - no guests appearances other than the unknown AZ back then. 2 years later It was written)
But saying that Nas, Tupac, Biggie or Em is the better rapper is like saying oranges are better than apples.

I agree. NaS is probably the best MC of all time. But everyone has their own opinion.

[Deleted]

They all have shit songs and good songs.

But I'l vote eminem because he has a wide variaty of rap styles + hes lyrics almost go awesome mode in any mashup.

[Deleted]

Going from the poll i'd have to pick biggie,
But yeah .. couldn't see any of them at live shows except eminem who got cancelled cause the festival got hit by a storm
I'd prefer Mobb Deep & Wu tang clan over those i have seen both of those live .. good gigs !

[Deleted]

Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, all better in terms of "social consciousness rap," which is what people claim 2Pac and to a lesser extent Eminem are about. I'd say they're also at least as good as these guys.

In the whole Nas vs. Jay-Z thing, early on I was big on Nas. Jay-Z has gotten better over the years, though, he was never a great lyricist, but he's improved and is an excellent producer. His beats are top notch.

In the 2Pac vs. Biggie debate, I have to go with Biggie. Biggie was a master behind the microphone. So was 2Pac, don't get me wrong, but Biggie had the flow hypnotic.

I haven't listened much to rap lately, but yeah. I really liked Kid Cudi when he came out a few years back because he was kind of whacky, but that's about it.

As people who don't listen to rap that often I think our viewpoint is worth more then those of fans. I'm not a fan of any rapper but just like in every genre every artist have good and bad songs. From a neutral point of view it's easier to say why a certain artist get's a vote...fanboys like this one:

Seriously, Eminem is ahead in votes? What has this generation come to...

People like this fanboy over 1 artist and listen to 1 song of another and if that 1 song is not good then ALL their music is shit.