Complex: 50 Best New York Rappers of All-Time

[Piff Perkins]

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

Not even Jay believes that, given that he himself pointed to the "whose the best MCs" discussion as a list with more than one person. Nor does hip hop view it like that, given the prevalence of "Top 5" as a concept. We get it, you're a stanley tho.

Here is my argument, which most people will agree with: if someone is an unquestioned top 5 rapper, whether NY or otherwise (Pac), I'm not going to argue or take offense with GOAT arguments. Jay is not my GOAT but guess what? He fits the bill, and if I see a list with him at #1 my immediate thought is "that makes sense." If I see Biggie as #1, I feel the same. If I see Nas at #1, I feel the same. Pac, same. If I was 50 years old I'd feel the same about Rakim and LL. All that matters in my mind is whether someone is in the conversation or not.

This is generally how most rankings go, whether boxing or filmmakers or quarterbacks or NBA players. If someone says Jordan is the GOAT, I'm not questioning it. If someone says LeBron is the GOAT, I'm not questioning it. But if someone said...Wilt is the GOAT? I'm gonna question that, despite him clearly being in any top 10-20 conversation you have.

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

Biggie still clears Jay Z.

 

[Cladyclad]

Not even Jay believes that, given that he himself pointed to the "whose the best MCs" discussion as a list with more than one person. Nor does hip hop view it like that, given the prevalence of "Top 5" as a concept. We get it, you're a stanley tho.

Here is my argument, which most people will agree with: if someone is an unquestioned top 5 rapper, whether NY or otherwise (Pac), I'm not going to argue or take offense with GOAT arguments. Jay is not my GOAT but guess what? He fits the bill, and if I see a list with him at #1 my immediate thought is "that makes sense." If I see Biggie as #1, I feel the same. If I see Nas at #1, I feel the same. Pac, same. If I was 50 years old I'd feel the same about Rakim and LL. All that matters in my mind is whether someone is in the conversation or not.

This is generally how most rankings go, whether boxing or filmmakers or quarterbacks or NBA players. If someone says Jordan is the GOAT, I'm not questioning it. If someone says LeBron is the GOAT, I'm not questioning it. But if someone said...Wilt is the GOAT? I'm gonna question that, despite him clearly being in any top 10-20 conversation you have.

Idgaf what Jay Z thinks lol

These are my thoughts

2pac first 2 albums are worst than Jay worst album. Also his run too short vs Jay

Biggie got classic albums but will get drowned in deep water

Nas too inconsistent not enough impact for long stretches. Possibly the worst album for a goat at the same time possibly having one of the best

Lil Wayne by admission from his own fans. His albums are not great outside 3 or 4

Drake got the hits and numbers. Got impact. Maybe 1 true classic. But he not a better rapper and the ghostwriter shyt happened

Eminem dude got all the numbers but homey got more bad albums than good. Dude apologized like 3 times for wack shyt

Kanye is c00n and he don’t write his shyt but he got numbers and impact

Old timers runs just not on par

 

[ThirdAct]

In his prime he was putting out mid music (Nastradamus was bad and I AM was only slightly better). He recovered with Stillmatic then like you said hit a wall for awhile (though I do think the N Word album was gimmicky, I actually think it's a pretty good drop. It's not amongst his worst)...

Did Jay not put mid music out in his prime too though? Vol 3, BP2, Dynasty, overrated ass Vol 2? None of those albums are better than I Am...also you gotta keep in mind Nas got fukked over by bootlegging in that era.

 

[Mike Wins]

Tell me this formula lol

Listen to LAD and Vol. 1 back to back. If you can't see it, I can't help you

Man went from "too much West Coast dikk licking" to having Too Short guest on two albums in a row, right after BIG had him on LAD

 

[Mike Wins]

Did Jay not put mid music out in his prime too though? Vol 3, BP2, Dynasty, overrated ass Vol 2? None of those albums are better than I Am...also you gotta keep in mind Nas got fukked over by bootlegging in that era.

Jay's duds are completely ignored by his stans and most mainstream media.

For example The Firm album, where Nas got like 4 verses outside Phone Tap, get held against him. But them two duds Jay had with R. Kelly, it's like they don't exist

 

[ThirdAct]

Jay's duds are completely ignored by his stans and most mainstream media.

For example The Firm album, where Nas got like 4 verses outside Phone Tap, get held against him. But them two duds Jay had with R. Kelly, it's like they don't exist

They always remember the good shyt but conveniently forget the frisbees lol.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Listen to LAD and Vol. 1 back to back. If you can't see it, I can't help you

Man went from "too much West Coast dikk licking" to having Too Short guest on two albums in a row, right after BIG had him on LAD

I don't see how anyone can deny this. That album clearly became the blueprint for NY shyt in terms of mixing mainstream records and street records of the highest quality. Sure there were albums before it. IWW comes to mind. But the craft is just higher level. It's not good enough to just have a dope ladies track...it's has to be on some iconic shyt. Or a dope party record...it has to be iconic. Or a street record...it has to be iconic etc etc.

 

[Cladyclad]

I don't see how anyone can deny this. That album clearly became the blueprint for NY shyt in terms of mixing mainstream records and street records of the highest quality. Sure there were albums before it. IWW comes to mind. But the craft is just higher level. It's not good enough to just have a dope ladies track...it's has to be on some iconic shyt. Or a dope party record...it has to be iconic. Or a street record...it has to be iconic etc etc.

What u describing is mad albums prior to LAD lol

 

[Piff Perkins]

What u describing is mad albums prior to LAD lol

And there were west coast albums before The Chronic. Who cares, what's your point.

 

[Cladyclad]

And there were west coast albums before The Chronic. Who cares, what's your point.

U said it was the blueprint for ny and it wasn’t. that was a staple that has been going on already. So your post made no sense at all

as good as lad was it was not revolutionary at all. It was just shyt that was already out

 

[Juggalo Fred]

No Flatlinerz??

 

[BmoreGorilla]

I don't see how anyone can deny this. That album clearly became the blueprint for NY shyt in terms of mixing mainstream records and street records of the highest quality. Sure there were albums before it. IWW comes to mind. But the craft is just higher level. It's not good enough to just have a dope ladies track...it's has to be on some iconic shyt. Or a dope party record...it has to be iconic. Or a street record...it has to be iconic etc etc.

I tend to disagree with this. I think it was a combo of Ready to Die and Cuban Linx that was the blueprint for a ton of NY albums that’s came after. Sure LAD sounded more polished but they had a bigger budget to work with by then

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

Nicki above all members of wu tang lol

 

[Westbama Heartthrob]

Idgaf what Jay Z thinks lol

These are my thoughts

2pac first 2 albums are worst than Jay worst album. Also his run too short vs Jay

Biggie got classic albums but will get drowned in deep water

Nas too inconsistent not enough impact for long stretches. Possibly the worst album for a goat at the same time possibly having one of the best

Lil Wayne by admission from his own fans. His albums are not great outside 3 or 4

Drake got the hits and numbers. Got impact. Maybe 1 true classic. But he not a better rapper and the ghostwriter shyt happened

Eminem dude got all the numbers but homey got more bad albums than good. Dude apologized like 3 times for wack shyt

Kanye is c00n and he don’t write his shyt but he got numbers and impact

Old timers runs just not on par

This is a horrible take