Most Poetic Rappers?

[BroadStreetBully]

Could anyone enlighten me on the variety of poetic rappers?

[Navajo]

Yes.

Look up "A Tribe Called Quest" it's a very abstract hip hop group, in the song "excursions" their is a refrence to Poe and MLK within 3 lines of eachother.

Mos Def, very very poetic. His first album is a staple in hip hop culture, and his new album is filled with poetic verses and rhymes.

RZA. he is from the gangster hip hop group Wu Tang Clan, but his message is solid. The whole "sword" metaphor is awesome. His refrence to swords are often confused with violence, bu really he is sayin his tounge and words ate sharp like a sword and he attacks with it. Look into him before you listen to any songs, because alo of it deals with street living.

Q-tip, primary member of A Tribe Called Quest. Give him a listen.

This is begennier levle stuff here, if you want more suggestions let me know.

[BroadStreetBully]

I'm going to look up all of the rappers you mentioned. It's a shame I never listened to RZA, you could see he had some special skills especially on "Can't Go To Sleep - Wu Tang", that verse was amazing. He actually changed pitch, tone, subject, message, flow & rhymes 3 times (3 times on ONE verse)!! It was creative + dope
I'll check up A Tribe Called Quest (I never got into them but I'll look 'em up, especially Q Tip)
And Mos Def, damn I haven't checked him since I heard "Hip Hop", "Mathematics" and a few other songs, I'll give him a check.

Very interested if you name more though, I'm really drained for something and have very little energy, so I'm not going to check 'em straight away but in the future, I most defintley will.
But right now
I must rest

[brokenandlonely]

This I think is a really great topic of discussion. There are a lot of poetic rappers out there and some of the ones that haven't been mentioned are NAS(especially his more earlier work), 2pac(for expressing his emotions and drawing a picture with his words). There are actually a few underground and unsigned rappers that fits into this category of poetic rappers but I'm not sure if you meant signed or unsigned. Please clarify. :)

[BroadStreetBully]

This I think is a really great topic of discussion. There are a lot of poetic rappers out there and some of the ones that haven't been mentioned are NAS(especially his more earlier work), 2pac(for expressing his emotions and drawing a picture with his words). There are actually a few underground and unsigned rappers that fits into this category of poetic rappers but I'm not sure if you meant signed or unsigned. Please clarify. :)

A rapper is a rapper, all of them.


There are quite a variety of rappers too

For RAW shit

I'd name

Beanie Sigel
Scarface
2Pac
Ice Cube
Menace Clan
Rappin 4 Tay

For the great worldplay

Royce Da 5'9
Big L
Notorious B.I.G.

Rappers with variety

Saigon
Chamillionaire
Joe Budden

Rappers with enlightenment

Dead Prez
Immortal Technique

Rappers yet to reach their peak but still dope

Outkast
Common
Nas
UGK (both Pimp & Bun)
Tru Life (damn shame he got locked up)
etc etc etc
I know more but I'm not feeling best to go and get my Walkman, lol.

[brokenandlonely]

That is actually a really good list and I agree with you on most of those. There are a few underground rappers that are really good as well that you might want to check out. Here is a few: Celph Titled, Vakill, Dutchmassive, Army of the pharoas(AOTP) and MF Doom.

[BroadStreetBully]

That is actually a really good list and I agree with you on most of those. There are a few underground rappers that are really good as well that you might want to check out. Here is a few: Celph Titled, Vakill, Dutchmassive, Army of the pharoas(AOTP) and MF Doom.

Love this dude, the others I haven't heard (except MF Doom but never listened). I'll get on it when I catch my breathe.
You know of any others?

[BroadStreetBully]

That is actually a really good list and I agree with you on most of those. There are a few underground rappers that are really good as well that you might want to check out. Here is a few: Celph Titled, Vakill, Dutchmassive, Army of the pharoas(AOTP) and MF Doom.

Just umm, speculation but you from Chicago?

[brokenandlonely]

Just umm, speculation but you from Chicago?

Nope, I'm actually from Cali.

[BroadStreetBully]

Nope, I'm actually from Cali.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORsdcry3ejY

yo, if you see Dee, say "Hi" for me!

lol (dee was the first rapper on that video)

[brokenandlonely]

Awesome, that's actually a pretty good song. Thanks for the link! I'll have to check out some of their other songs.

[Navajo]

More it is.

Massive Attack is a Trip Hop group, they have catchy hooks and great songs. They did a vollaberation with Mos Def. It's not Rap par say, but the Dj'ing is awesome. The vocals, like I said, arnt exactly rapping.

Krs.one classic hip hop, legendary. Solid message and he has the best rhymes and stlye. His delivery is awesme to.

Cannibus, GREAT Mc.


Those three are on repeat in my cd player.

[brokenandlonely]

Navajo, I haven't heard of Massive Attack but I will keep an eye out and see what I can find. But I do agree on Krs one and definitely Canibus is way up there on top of the list. The only issue with Canibus is that his material is too complex for the mainstream.

[Navajo]

I hear you, but sometime it's good for artists not to appeal to the mainstream because of how complex and deep it is. It would, sometimes, only undermine the MC and most people wouldn't get message and only take it for face value.

So, for better or worst canibus has found a good inbetweens. In my opnion anyway.

[CreamyIllegalApple]

I've listened to rap since I was 6 years old, when I got my first radio, listening to the new york hip hops stations. After I've grown a sense of lyricism and more depth of music learning from a Julliard graduate for years, the only rapper I now like is Eminem. Eminem has great messages.

[danecobain]

Have you heard of Dr Syntax (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5d4nP91br0)? My friend got me in to his music a few months ago, I can't get enough of him - i like how his lyrics tell stories, rather than going for the traditional rap technique of rapping about how 'gangsta' he is

[magic]

Check out the Buddhist rapper Maxi Jazz from the British Band "Faithless". He wins hands down. For an example, go on YouTube and search "Faithless - Killer's Lullaby" - I would provide links but "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." :zipped: :police:

[The_Phantom]

i think you should check out a rapper called lowkey...from the uk.

he's mad poetic and his messages are crazy too. very political in some of his work, he's certainly opinionated

[Navajo]

The Gza is the best MC, for me. Crazy good, best lyricist in hip-hop.

[Salaam]

So many to choose from... but I'll dip into my head a pick out who comes to mind right now:

Grym Reaper aka Too Poetic who's sadly no longer with us.
Canibus
Kool Keith
Kamanchi Sly
Joe Budden
Rakim
Malik of MD7
Akhenaton (although I don't understand a word he says... I don't speak French. Sounds like poetry to me though)
Defisis...

...and Me.

[mrbloom]

I'm amazed no one has mentioned MF Doom.

It's like they know what's 'bout to happen
Just keep ya eye out, like 'aye, aye captain'
Is he still a fly guy clappin' if nobody ain't hear it
And can they testify from inner spirit
In living, the true gods
Givin' y'all nothing but the lick like two broads
Got more lyrics than the church got 'Ooh Lords'
And he hold the mic and your attention like two swords
Or even one with two blades on it
Hey you, don't touch the mic like it's AIDS on it

[Salaam]

Never been compelled to listen more than once. The only thorough listen he had from me was in the KMD days. I understand he's a little unconventional, but sometimes a little too strange for my liking.

[YoungLady]

There's loads, but I will only name one.....

...... B.O.B

Song - Airplanes

"I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this
'Cause after all the partyin'
The smashin' and crashin'
And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion
And all the pandemonium and all the madness
There comes a time when you fade to the blackness
And when you're starin' at that phone in yo' lap
And hopin', but them people never call you back
But that's just how the story unfolds
You get another hand
Soon after you fold
And when your plans unravel in the sand
What would you wish for if you had one chance?
So airplanes airplanes
Sorry I'm late
I'm on my way
So don't close that gate
If I don't make that
Then I switch my flight
And I'll be right back at it
By the end of the night "

[S.Tehrani]

Nothing to contribute here, you guys have already covered most of the greats. Though I have to laugh at the quoting of "Airplanes". I've always considered B.o.B. terribly mediocre/simplistic and he was totally killed by Eminem's verse on that song. :dead:

J.Cole > B.o.B. and Drake



Rappers yet to reach their peak but still dope

Outkast
Common
Nas
UGK (both Pimp & Bun)
Tru Life (damn shame he got locked up)
etc etc etc
I know more but I'm not feeling best to go and get my Walkman, lol.
Uhhhh...Outkast and Nas have already had their most classic albums. I'm not sure how you're saying they haven't reached their peak, not only have they had major critical acclaim and sold tons, but I don't think either will ever top their classic material. Not to mention UGK is now done. :zipped:

[po37j4ck]

m&m of course

[J ッ]

i think you should check out a rapper called lowkey...from the uk.

he's mad poetic and his messages are crazy too. very political in some of his work, he's certainly opinionated

Lowkey and Akala are my favourite poetic rappers from the UK at the moment. Really educational. A little taster of them both:

z4OI0GUCI_A

xqoZ3zaMXjU

[Henry Krinkle]

Nas reached his peak way back in 1994, with Illmatic, which is still to this day one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made.

Also, no mention of Ill Bill? Makes me sad. Everyone here should check out Ill Bill, Non Phixion, Goretex, any guys from the Psycho+Logical-Records really. Incredible lyricists.

If there are any Dutch people here, check out Osdorp Posse, great lyrics and the first hardcore hiphop group here in Holland.

Also, B.o.B. shouldn't be mentioned in this thread, he is awful. His best track is his diss track against Tyler, The Creator. That reminds me, Tyler, The Creator and anyone from OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) is great.

Also as many have mentioned before me, Wu-Tang Clan.

When I was twelve, I went to hell for snuffing jesus

If you don't know where that line is from, you don't know rap.

[J ッ]

I'd like to add Roots Manuva here as well. "All things to all men" and a lot of his other work is wonderful.

[Johnny Jackoff]

It's completely lame that I'm the first to mention these three:

Aesop Rock

Kool Keith

Cyne

[spark]

Loving this thread and definatly some cool posts to check out!
My input (sadly I can't post links because of my post count)...
Rhyme Asylum have some really great word play in my opinion
youtube: 'Rhyme Asylum fire' and you get a great live rally from them

youtube: 'dead prez hell yeah live' love to see rap perfromed like this, definatly poetic.

I'd still say Kanye (first album), Nas, Biggie, 2pac, black the ripper, tyler the creator, imortal technique.

there's tons. i'll keep an eye on this thread.

[Shanalorm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X100o6AttnQ