hey saltowlrd. im hoping you all can suggest me some great rappers with lots of smart lyrical content.


my favorite musical genre is normally broadway stuff and i've got lots of progrock on my mp3 player too. lately i have been finding myself enjoying rap when i hear it (at work we play the rap station and i'm always impressed when i hear some slick original rhymes that catch me off guard). and i am very interesting in diving into a genre of music that i haven't had a particularly close relationship with.




what are the CORE RAPPERS that you think i should be familiar with, the icons of the industry or w/e. i mean like in terms of quality not necessary WHATS HOT, but like who is the best. and after that, who else? i know that rap is really diverse and i'm sure that there's lots of stuff out there that i don't even know about but i like.


smart lyrics really turn me especially if a song can tell a good story so if you could point me in the direction of your own favorites i would love to give them a listen!

I made a long reply, but it disappeared. Welp, here are some of my favourite albums/raps anyways, all of them are classics I think.


Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus
This is the only album Company Flow released (there is another but it doesn't have raps) and it is the best. Awesome, simple beats and insane raps.


Nas - Illmatic
Well, everyone likes this, it's the only thing worth listening to from Nas??


Big L - Lifestylez
A girl asked my for a ring, I put one around her whole eye. Niiiiiiice. I like this album.


Mobb Deep - Infamous
It's great. also it's the only thing worth listening to from Mobb Deep?


GZA - Liquid Swords
Wu-Tang - Chambers
(It's Wu-Tang)

cunninlynguists
sage francis
deltron 3030
busdriver
k'naan
dälek
sadistik
aesop rock
nujabes
blue scholars

some good stuff

i actually got loads of new hip-hop yesterday so if any of that's good i can say, though it's all pretty random underground stuff and by no means essential/core/whatever you might be looking for.

i also really like jackson jackson and archive when they do hip-hop.

yeah i want both. i mean imo it's important to be familiar with the iconic rap artists if i want to get into the genre but then on the next level i am also interested in the less pop stuff that has a stronger focus on the lyrics etc.

well i am a nerd so all i care about is lyrics, weirdass production and technical skill.

yes this sounds about right.

so far there has been a huge list here and thanks everyone!! it'll take a while to sort through these but keep them coming. im ...getting..blacker...by the m o m e  n  t

some not mentioned: krs-one, rakim, lil b, eric b, lord finesse, big boi, andre 3000, pharcyde, el-p, j cole, slick rick, pete rock & cl smooth, royce da 5'9", fugees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fWBxg5xDDA

also this is the best song off of steel's rap playlist, i can upload it if anyone is interested

so i've just downloaded these: nas-illmatic, company flow-funcrusher plus, and i found a torent of "wu-tang discography (1993-2005)" with 36 chambers (1993), wu-tag forever (1997), wu chronicles (1999), the w (2000), iron flag (2001, wu chronicles 2 (2001), collectice (2003), the legend of the wtclan (2004) and think differently (2005).


these are on my mp3 player now and also i've been reading the wikipedia pages for nearly all the artists mentioned. (as is the natrual instinct for man in 2011 to immediately wiki EVERYTHING). imo i am well on my way to becoming wellversed in rap thanks and i look forward to the journey ahead of us