Complex: 50 Best New York Rappers of All-Time

[JYoung24]

He’s not

He is it shouldn't even be a conversation at this point

 

[kingofnyc]

I’ve been DJing and doing block parties since I was 11 years old. E Money Bags fam was my mentor. And the nikka who dapping u is the same fukking age as me.

ok , ok , cool
so, then that tells me you lied when u replied to my post

nikka this is pure fan fiction. Lol

 

[spliz]

ok , ok , cool
so, then that tells me you lied when u replied to my post

I didn’t lie about anything.

 

[kingofnyc]

I didn’t lie about anything.

of course you lied
cause anybody that was around that mid 90’s nyc era … knows biggie was 2 , 3 or maybe even 4 times more relevant then nas & jay

it is … what it is

 

[Jerz-2]

I'm one of these crazy people who actually thinks rappers should be able to rap so let's start there. Rapping ability/skill holds the most weight. Then we can get into the catalogs, longevity, and impact. Sales and commercial status aren't something that should be highly regarded when discussing art and culture. If it needs to be a part of the discussion so be it but it should never trump the artistic side. That's where these lists fall apart. How does Diddy who writes checks not rhymes make a list of best rappers? A man who doesn't rap is one of the best rappers.

Anyone rating Nicki that high is putting commercialism before culture. She's not as skilled as several rappers rated below her. Her catalog isn't as strong as several rappers below her. Prodigy has The Infamous and other classic or near classic works but is below Nicki. Shook Ones is one of the hardest songs ever and an NY staple. He's a better rapper but is below her. How? Being a female and pop culture icon does not warrant her placement. It's strictly political and pandering.

This.

Deal with it.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Yeah 20 years ago

Why aren't you making this argument to discredit other legends? Why is it only Nas. I know why, but it's corny. Nobody cares that Rakim hasn't had a hit or plaque in some time, he's acknowledged as a GOAT/top 5-10 rapper. I'm not even sure YOU deny Nas is a top ten rapper so...what are we doing.

My general view has always been that there's nothing Nas or Jay can do right now that impacts their status on any list. Their most impactful, relevant music is behind them - as is the case of virtually every legendary artist at this stage of their career, especially in rap. They don't rise or fall for music reasons today anymore than a good or bad new KRS album would have any impact on his standing in my eyes. All they can do right now is entertain their fans/previous generations.

 

[Dwight Howard]

Pop smoke over rocky? Dude not even top 50

 

[Mike Wins]

Why aren't you making this argument to discredit other legends? Why is it only Nas. I know why, but it's corny. Nobody cares that Rakim hasn't had a hit or plaque in some time, he's acknowledged as a GOAT/top 5-10 rapper. I'm not even sure YOU deny Nas is a top ten rapper so...what are we doing.

My general view has always been that there's nothing Nas or Jay can do right now that impacts their status on any list. Their most impactful, relevant music is behind them - as is the case of virtually every legendary artist at this stage of their career, especially in rap. They don't rise or fall for music reasons today anymore than a good or bad new KRS album would have any impact on his standing in my eyes. All they can do right now is entertain their fans/previous generations.

Dude's only argument is hits

He'll say so and so got a more recent mainstream hit than Nas when Nas got like 4 gold or platinum albums since whoever he bigging up had their last one. And act like that's a dub

I will say it's interesting Nas consistently had successful singles that got heavy rotation until he called out Clear Channel and NY radio in particular for their payola schemes

 

[Cladyclad]

Why aren't you making this argument to discredit other legends? Why is it only Nas. I know why, but it's corny. Nobody cares that Rakim hasn't had a hit or plaque in some time, he's acknowledged as a GOAT/top 5-10 rapper. I'm not even sure YOU deny Nas is a top ten rapper so...what are we doing.

My general view has always been that there's nothing Nas or Jay can do right now that impacts their status on any list. Their most impactful, relevant music is behind them - as is the case of virtually every legendary artist at this stage of their career, especially in rap. They don't rise or fall for music reasons today anymore than a good or bad new KRS album would have any impact on his standing in my eyes. All they can do right now is entertain their fans/previous generations.

I said rakim last hit album was 10 years before ice spice was born

I gave a simple rundown why Jay is easily the goat. His comp has waaaaay more significant flaws than he does

After number 1. Idgaf because none of it matter because everything after 1 is preference. Number 1 is fact at this point

 

[Mike Wins]

I said rakim last hit album was 10 years before ice spice was born

I gave a simple rundown why Jay is easily the goat. His comp has waaaaay more significant flaws than he does

After number 1. Idgaf because none of it matter because everything after 1 is preference. Number 1 is fact at this point

You still ain't explained how Jay better than BIG when he followed the LAD formula for over 15 years and never made an album as good as LAD

 

[Piff Perkins]

Dude's only argument is hits

He'll say so and so got a more recent mainstream hit than Nas when Nas got like 4 gold or platinum albums since whoever he bigging up had their last one. And act like that's a dub

I will say it's interesting Nas consistently had successful singles that got heavy rotation until he called out Clear Channel and NY radio in particular for their payola schemes

I largely agree with you but disagree on the last point. Nas had hits because he used to make hits. When he stopped making good radio tracks, and stopped caring about bangers, his presence on radio faded. Nas was blackballed after Stillmatic yet his next album had some of his biggest hits. Few years later when Def Jam was working HHID and Untitled, radio politics were not an issue. He just didn't have the songs. The title track from HHID charted, as did Can't Forget About You, but traction wasn't noteworthy.

Banger wise, Street's Disciple comes to mind in 2004 but it makes sense why that track didn't take off (too slow/BPM out of line with most radio tracks at the time).

I personally think the Def Jam era is a major reason we're having this conversation about relevance, and was largely a forgettable period until 2012. If Nas had kept approaching radio the way he did on his previous albums, he would have had radio play back then. Especially with Def Jam working the records. If he turned in a Premo single in 2006, or some 1980s r&b remake featuring [insert hot female r&b artist] at that time, he would have gotten automatic spins if the tracks were dope.

 

[Cladyclad]

You still ain't explained how Jay better than BIG when he followed the LAD formula for over 15 years and never made an album as good as LAD

Jay Z don’t got make believe stories on his albums

Jay Z don’t got skits on his albums

No song on any jay album sound like LAD

Y’all think of any type of shyt and hope it sticks lol

Vol 2 is nothing like LAD

 

[Mike Wins]

I largely agree with you but disagree on the last point. Nas had hits because he used to make hits. When he stopped making good radio tracks, and stopped caring about bangers, his presence on radio faded. Nas was blackballed after Stillmatic yet his next album had some of his biggest hits. Few years later when Def Jam was working HHID and Untitled, radio politics were not an issue. He just didn't have the songs. The title track from HHID charted, as did Can't Forget About You, but traction wasn't noteworthy.

Banger wise, Street's Disciple comes to mind in 2004 but it makes sense why that track didn't take off (too slow/BPM out of line with most radio tracks at the time).

I personally think the Def Jam era is a major reason we're having this conversation about relevance, and was largely a forgettable period until 2012. If Nas had kept approaching radio the way he did on his previous albums, he would have had radio play back then. Especially with Def Jam working the records. If he turned in a Premo single in 2006, or some 1980s r&b remake featuring [insert hot female r&b artist] at that time, he would have gotten automatic spins if the tracks were dope.

I think most everyone agree 2004-2008 was his weakest stretch. It also get unreasonably held against him given those albums all sold well and got critical acclaim without any major hits, although the HHID song did get a lot of airplay and drove a big first week. Whereas Jay's weaker projects get a pass because "sales" or "hit singles"

Distant Relatives got a video with 175 million views on Youtube but dudes on here will tell you nobody listened to that album

 

[Mike Wins]

Jay Z don’t got make believe stories on his albums

Jay Z don’t got skits on his albums

No song on any jay album sound like LAD

Y’all think of any type of shyt and hope it sticks lol

Vol 2 is nothing like LAD

I said "formula" not "sound"

Dude literally lifted like 5 bars from LAD to open one of his biggest hits all time

He most definitely tried to make a Bad Boy album with Vol. 1

His best post "retirement" album basically a Bad Boy album too

 

[Cladyclad]

I said "formula" not "sound"

Dude literally lifted like 5 bars from LAD to open one of his biggest hits all time

He most definitely tried to make a Bad Boy album with Vol. 1

His best post "retirement" album basically a Bad Boy album too

Tell me this formula lol