Real musicians. Actually wrote lyrically good rap tunes..

Too short
Eric B and Rakeem
The beastie boys
N.W.A
Whoodini

If and when I listen to rap it's always the old stuff. The early mid 90s had a handful of gems but over all the 80s were much better.

I think it can be said the NWA is/was the Beatles of rap. Hard to argue against that.

This was the start of the collapse of western civilization. (srs)

I see it the same way I see.metal. not a huge fan but there are a handful of groups or arist that are good.

Not something I can sit around and listen to all day that's for sure.

Well the 80s laid the foundation the 90s built off of and perfected.

I’ll give you that they were authentic lyricists and musicians back then. They had to be. They were pioneering a brand new art form. The Juice Crew innovated a new style of Hip Hop that would influence generations to come, even many of the rappers today. Before they came along rap was just rocking a party with simplistic rhymes and basic break beats. After Rakim, Kane, G Rap, Masta Ace, Marley Marl, DJ Polo, etc. came along they changed the game. More obscure and creative samples, the MPC was now a tool. Emcees began writing multi syllable rhymes, really stepped up their wordplay and delivery (Rakim used his voice like percussion, there may be no one greater to this day).

So if you’re talking about this type of 80s Rap:



I’m with you 100%.

But where I prefer the 90s is creativity and complexity. That always comes in time with any genre. Big Daddy Kane had a super dope braggadocio flow. But by the mid 90s New York rappers became competitive lyricists trying to outshine each other with the most genius concepts and it bred classics such as this one from Nas:



An entire song packed with metaphors told from the perspective of a gun. This is the type of songwriting you could teach a masterclass on. You can probably hear some of Kane’s influence in Nas’ rhyme scheme, but he takes it to new heights. The beat also has more depth and engagement with the record as a whole. DJ Premier’s chop/fusion of 3 different jazz records… fuarrk it’s hard to emphasize how good it is.

Sadly by the early 2000s, the culture began to degrade at the hands of big corporations and record labels pushing low IQ club music and it tainted Hip Hop. But the impact of the golden era will last forever and every so often you get artists who emulate the peak sound. The 90s sound.

Tl;dr:
-80s rap was fantastic
-90s rap is a better version of it

Yeah, 80's and 90's was definite peak years for rap, especially late 80's - early 90's.

Agreed OP

I agree. It seemed more real and authentic.

Then the Juice got involved and made it all about lifestyle and image.

It went from rappers talking about life in their community, to rappers sitting in Rolls-Royce convertibles in front of $10,000,000 mansions.

Still listen to krs-one crew

Das it

I don’t really listen to rap but I like the Beastie boys and Too Short.

Too short isn’t some sort of poetic rapper I just like when he raps about the sloots and pumping’ in his Cadillac.

Rap sucked until Tupac came, and it sucks since Tupac left.

I'm a huge fan of the early hip hop

this is when it was fun

Fat Boys don't get the credit they deserve these guys could rap with the best of them

damn his beat is dirty AF

Quit glorifying that art house closet poofter. Dfs.

Only Viper can compete
youtube.com/watch?v=tsfnuyyjaB0

This is the epitome of glorified mediocrity. It's just irony for the sake of being ironic. Top comment is about this hack signing a Veggie Tales DVD. Lol! So lit fam! Fuark, kids are a bunch of retards nowadays.

You're just too big of a coward to become a crackhead and so you become a hater. Sad!

This one by Viper is fr nasty tho.

youtube.com/watch?v=m3CEeSuTthw

Yo it was all about dr Dre and Eminem


Without those two? I would have hated rap


I did hate rap before those two together


They changed everything


Where is b d?

This.

He had some good tunes that can't be denied but he isn't what everyone makes him out to be.

When you listen to him in interviews he actually comes across as intelligent and grounded. Ashamed he couldn't get away from the stupid nonsense that cost him his life.

Haha the fat boys.the king od the human beat Box maybe.

That movie they came out with was funny though

They were also on one with Sheila E but I can't remember the name.of it

Were you a fan of Dre back when he wore eye shadow and make up before his N.W.A days ? Ha.

Dr.dre was good but in reality he couldn't touch Eazy, or cube and I dare say M.C Ren was the better . He has yella though.

Never got into emeinem but again it's not my go to music.