Kendrick Lamar is the greatest lyricist of the 2010s. No one else comes close.

[dubsmith_nz]

He's definitely made the music I've enjoyed the most. I never thought lyricism was his strong point in terms of witty punchlines and quotables. Storytelling, painting a picture and building a theme is where he is elite. Flow and rhymes a top notch as well.

 

[I'm Blackman]

Kendrick is a phenomenal artist but its not his lyrics that make him great.

Its the fact he knows how to put it all together thematically.

From the cover art to to the videos and visuals to the beats to the themes.

It all forms one cohesive vision

Kendrick is more of a artist than fans give him credit for.

His "lyrics" may actually be the weakest part of his overall toolkit.

I cant quote many Kendrick lamar bars but I can always tell you the overall message of each project.

very well said.

 

[I'm Blackman]

edit: nvrmind...thought mean best mcs who put out a project in the 10s.



pick one

 

[I'm Blackman]

KRIT is lyrically superior to Kendrick. I'm saying this as a fan of both too

People talk about the big 3 of the 2010s era being Kendrick Drake and Cole when KRIT has put together one of the greatest catalogues the game has ever seen

Only reason he generally doesn't get that love is because of the politics. His southern accent, where he's from, his sound, and his time spent on Def Jam all play a part in why he isn't as big as them

Both him and Kendrick are timeless artists. It's a shame casual listeners don't acknowledge KRIT on that level like he deserves to be

Great artist; not super elite lyrically. Kendrick's bars don't wow lyrically when you read them off paper; it's his delivery/flow that makes them sound better. On pure lyrics this guy is the best of the new age/2010 rappers

and then

I find lupe's bars too forced/overdone

Krit is a monster.

 

[Chip Skylark]

Lupe dropped in 2004 though, so I remove him from the list.

I'd say it's Joey Bada$$, KRIT, Ab-Soul and Kendrick.

I mentioned him cause it’s a few rappers that’s rapping at such a high level and no one is seeing them

Lupe
Black thought
Royce
Ka
Roc
Elzhi
Jay electricity


and they’ve somehow gotten better over the past decade

 

[Chip Skylark]

Kendrick is a phenomenal artist but its not his lyrics that make him great.

Its the fact he knows how to put it all together thematically.

From the cover art to to the videos and visuals to the beats to the themes.

It all forms one cohesive vision

Kendrick is more of a artist than fans give him credit for.

His "lyrics" may actually be the weakest part of his overall toolkit.

I cant quote many Kendrick lamar bars but I can always tell you the overall message of each project.

Dap and rep

I’ve always felt like this

ab soul is the best lyricist on TDE and I feel like Isaiah is the best rapper while Kendrick is the best artist

 

[A Pimp Named Slickback]

Yall nikkas is weird bro..nobody yall mention..krit jay elect jcole elzhi blu lupe etc.... can fukkING SEE STYLES P THE GHOST ON HIS WORST DAY

Read the title again breh

 

[bnew]

Krit >>>>>>>>>

And I fukk with Kendrick but it's level to this shyt

what tracks would you recommend?

 

[HiiiPower]

Drake
Kanye
Future
Frank

all better.

two of these don’t even write their own lyrics, and future? Foh

 

[BulletProof]

Wasnt a lot of competition.

And I love Kendrick.

 

[A Pimp Named Slickback]

Ka, Lupe, or Roc got it

I'm not the greatest rapper, the greatest rapper's a lie

 

[Stuckinthe90s]

Who was the greatest female comedian of the 2010s though?

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Drake had verses you remember.

 

[Black_Panther_JS]

Kendrick got it, but based on the replies obviously the term "lyricist" doesn't have a clear definition. Some of these dudes might have some bars that look better on paper but none of them can deliver those lyrics in a song as good as Kendrick

For me it's Kendrick, Joey Bada$$, Earl Sweatshirt, Big K.R.I.T. and probably Soul

Also the whole "he doesn't have quotables" is dumb, quotables are subjective anyway

 

[Insensitive]

The reason these discussions always flop is because the same people who go on and on about
lyrics don't really care about lyrics or lyricism, what they care about is song writing.

If we start talking about lyrics sincerely there are just as many dudes as nice as
if not nicer then Lupe fiasco or even Nas.

If we're talking old school giants, how can we so readily dismiss Redman ? Ghostface ? Andre 3k ? Big Boi ? Jay-Z ? Hell 2pac ? etc.
if we're talking about underground kings, why are guys like this left out: Bus Drivers ? Aceyalone ? El-P ? Cannbal Ox ? K-Rino ? Rass Kass ? Myka Nyne ? Immortal Technique ?etc.
if you're talking about very abstract types of lyricism: Aesop Rock ? Post- Below The Heavens Blu ? Post-The New Danger Mos Def ?


"Lyricism" on this website is almost always cut and chopped down into Punchline or Wordplay, one or two small aspects of the overall package.
Themes being explored ? (fukk the theme, what about them quotables !!????)
Concepts albums ?
"Abstract" hard to pin down, open to interpretation lyricism ?
Multi-syllabic rhymes ? (usually pegged as "Too easy". )

Words being repeated but with a purpose ?

Let's not even get onto Lyrics being "Detached" from the vocal performance and losing their context.

"If God Slip, I finesse" <---- One of the hardest bars of 2020 and in context (the theme of the song, a kid dying
doing street shyt, EVEN HARDER).

The reason "The Booth" low key descends further into obscurity is because these discussions aren't centered around Hip-Hop
as an artform and who is or isn't doing interesting shyt in it.
They're list wars for dudes to jerk off their favorite artist