Which artist would best represent hiphop culture to the literary world?

[MilesTeg]

Maybe you guys should start reading some poetry before recommending rappers to the literary world.

I remember clicking on the "Books Forum" on SOHH ages ago...it was hilariously empty.

I'm not convinced any of you could list five poets off the top of your head, even including Shakespeare, who was more known as a playwright.

And even though you're so quick to reference Shakespeare, I wonder how many of you have actually read his plays, beyond skimming the Wiki / Sparknotes in high school / college before a test. Do you even understand what Shakespeare did with language? I doubt it.

But to answer your question...Ghostface, Nas & Rakim are the most poetic to me.

 

[Air Nikes N Hats]

Chuck D.......in terms of explaining Hip-Hop to an audience who doesnt understand, I think he fits the bill perfectly. He has an understanding of the ins and outs of Hip-Hop from different perspectives (artistic, business, socio-economical).

As far as using an artists catalogue......I would go with Nas. The versatility of subject matter, use of vocabulary, etc.

 

[Wise]

Pac or Jay

 

[Hovsta]

93-96 nas
Z-ro for that depressing shyt...even shakespeare would be like

 

[Mr. Manhattan]

Mos Def

 

[prophecypro]

Pretty much all the GOATs tbh

Nas, Jigga, Chuck D, KRS One, Cube etc etc

 

[Liquid]

If you want to argue full careers then I would have to say LL Cool J because IMO NO RAPPER in the history of this culture has been able to capture what hip hop is all about more than LL. Dude has been around for 26 years and has been able to stay somewhat relevant for all of them. The term Hip Hop is an evolving art form and who captures that more than LL? Even when rappers in films started becoming more of a norm, who got into some films as well? LL and I am not even a big fan of his music, but its hard to argue against him. He can't really get hate on by the underground cats because he has a battle history and he cannot be hated on by the radio/media because he has platinum hits...and is a household name till this very day. ANYTHING hip-hop related I think he would have an interesting point of view

 

[Azire]

Nas, Mos, and Skyzoo. And I feel strongly about Sky - his pen game is dense once you decipher the message.

And y'all know my cac tendencies, so I'd be remiss not to throw my boys Aes Rock and Rob Sonic up in there. And Slug from Atmosphere.

 

[Tom]

bump

 

[KILLAKUTT7]

pac, nas, rakim, ghostface killah, rza

 

[BlackZilla]

Skyzoo is up there as well.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Nobody, because the groundwork + x-future of hip hop is the anti-thesis of the common/white world. but if i had to choose one... it'd be ll cool j (as mentioned). nobody else really represents the culture in it's entirety and progressions like he did. he knew how to captivate and remain relevant with both the underground (high-elitists) and the mainstream (masses + paupers) and tracked the social-surroundings all throughout the bulk years of the game.

Maybe you guys should start reading some poetry before recommending rappers to the literary world.

I remember clicking on the "Books Forum" on SOHH ages ago...it was hilariously empty.

I'm not convinced any of you could list five poets off the top of your head, even including Shakespeare, who was more known as a playwright.

And even though you're so quick to reference Shakespeare, I wonder how many of you have actually read his plays, beyond skimming the Wiki / Sparknotes in high school / college before a test. Do you even understand what Shakespeare did with language? I doubt it.

 

[KILLAKUTT7]

Maybe you guys should start reading some poetry before recommending rappers to the literary world.

I remember clicking on the "Books Forum" on SOHH ages ago...it was hilariously empty.

I'm not convinced any of you could list five poets off the top of your head, even including Shakespeare, who was more known as a playwright.

And even though you're so quick to reference Shakespeare, I wonder how many of you have actually read his plays, beyond skimming the Wiki / Sparknotes in high school / college before a test. Do you even understand what Shakespeare did with language? I doubt it.

But to answer your question...Ghostface, Nas & Rakim are the most poetic to me.

langston hughes
maya angelou
rumi
pac
shakespeare

edit: dope picks for rappers- ghost, nas, rakim are on my list too

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

they wouldn't take nas seriously to begin with to even look at his shyt. all that simpin and what not wouldn't have been accepted by a full grown man in high-authority back in the day...

 

[KILLAKUTT7]

they wouldn't take nas seriously to begin with to even look at his shyt. all that simpin and what not wouldn't have been accepted by a full grown man in high-authority back in the day...

langston hughes was gay n i still think hes one of the greatest poets ever

aint nobody worried about nas simpin