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Who said. “ There's no better lyricist in American history. " ?
I’m an audiophile who loves all genres/sub genres (except pop country)…I just don’t see it Mac…”jealous asss bitches coming for my riches”…seriously? I can appreciate everyone has a different view but this seems lame…I agree w/the general art statement but hopefully nobody compliments me on my stick figure art, it’s horrible…
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I see what you're saying.
When I was young, maybe 8, I had this sad epiphany that maybe my favorite rapper - Pac - wasn't as good as I thought. Maybe he wasn't as good as Common, Eminem, Nas - these guys used bigger words, often had more complicated rhyme structures often seemed more advanced in their thoughts and concepts.
Then I grew and listened to more and more. And I a was fan of Pac through out my life, but from 9-years old to 20 years old I didn't think much differently of him vs. the other great rappers.
Then around my senior year of college, I wrote my senior thesis for my English & Creative Writing Major, "The Historiography of Hip Hop". Going through the all the greats, mapping their structures, influences, styles - trying to explain the growth of rap from where it was to where it is today, I learned why 2pac meant so much to me at 7, 8, 9.
I rediscovered Pac as an adult, and to my surprise, affirmed my 8-year old opinion: Tupac was the best.
He had the Nas internal rhymes. He had the Jay-Z pauses, jokes. He was doing the most advanced, thoughtful rap - wrapped in an envelope of that kid at the park cracking-wise talking non-sense. That kid you know. 2pac had infused his game - his structures, his styles - in these voices of the street that - to me - surpass any in their tangibility, immediacy and potency. I feel like it's like the Wire, although I have not finished that series.