G.O.A.T.S

KEEP IT OLDSKOOL  DEBATES THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

You hear a lot of rappers today state that they are the "best rapper alive" or "God made me the greatest MC"  etc but "oldskooledy speaking" my contention is like all impressionistic art the best are in the Oldskool. The criteria that we at Keep It Oldskool WILL NOT USE is sales. How many records a rapper sold has no bearing on if they are one of the greats. Vanilla Ice’s 1991 album “To the Extreme” went seven times platinum (7 million records sold) which out sold records put out by NWA, Ice Cube  and A Tribe called Quest in the same year. Vanilla Ice would not be in the top million rappers of all time so it is because of examples like that record sales will not be used. Every rapper who comes out must think they are the best. I am sure the LA Dream Team, Young Mc and Rick Ross all thought or think they are the best. They would be wrong but its ok to think it. Our top five is based solely on the skill they had/have and the effect they had on the game. Plenty of people will disagree or agree with this list. We believe that a good debate is healthy when it is based on logic and concise facts. The "swagger factor" that you hear and see on the MTV garbage is fugazy. You can have all the swagger in the world that will not change the fact that you are wack. (What up Lil Wayne,2 Chains etc) Without any more ado here is the Keep It Oldskool Top 5 M.Cs of all time



 
  No other M.C changed the game the way he did. In 1986 we were not that far removed from "Hotel Motel Holiday Inn..." Rakim who burst onto the scene that year changed the intricacies of constructing a rhyme. His skill is boundless. Rakim has influenced every rapper that has come after him. From the first single "Eric B for President" Rakim showed that you did not need to be hype jumping around stage asking people to say "Ho". With the second LP Follow the Leader song "Lyrics of Fury" and lyrics like "Ya tremble like an alcoholic, muscles tighten up, What's that, lighten up! You see a sight but, Suddenly you feel like you’re in a horror flick, you grab your heart then wish for tomorrow quick"   he took hold of the greatest of all time and for our money nobody can touch him.  For that reason his in the TOP 5 all time





 1A would have to be KRS One no MC has as many styles as KRS. Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone is a true statement when speaking about this MC. Fresh on the scene in 1987 KRS knew to keep our attention after his classic battle on wax with MC Shan that his debut album would need to be about more then telling everyone that the bridge is over.Hence the album cover with the gun and songs such as "Superhoe" But on his very next LP he evolved into what we know him as know a teacher. From the "You Must Learn" through "Outta Here" KRS has consistently provided classics with a message. The message varies from the streets,history and even social issues. For that reason he is a TOP 5 all time


 LL Cool  J is a bit of a paradox. From his star making cameo in Krush Groove this Queens born and bred MC debuted in 1985. His skills are unmatched and as he stated in the song "4.3.2.1"  " I dare any MC in the game to play yourself out of postion and mention my name" His battle rap skills are legendary. The part where the paradox comes in is that he tends to make songs for the ladies.Ofcourse that is fine as his name is Ladies Love Cool James. For that reason you have to look past songs like "Headsprung","Luv you better" or "Hey Lover". When LL decides that he needs to remind us what his skills are you get jems like "Murdergram", "Why do you think they call it dope", "It gets no rougher" etc For that reason he is the TOP 5 all time



 Big Daddy Kane from his rapid fire delivery to slowed down monotone vocals is another TOP 5 MC . This Brooklyn MC exploded into the game after a few years behind the scenes writing songs for Biz Markie and Roxanne Shante in 1987 with "Raw" As part of the one of the most dynamic crews ever (The Juice Crew) Big Daddy Kane has always been able to separate himself from being an average MC with lines that were unheard of before but are now part of normal speak such as "And battling me is hazardous to your health so put a quarter in your ass because you played yourself"  Big Daddy Kane in just his first 2 albums (of 7) cemented his place on the Mount Rushmore of the TOP 5 MCs of all time.



 The Last MC to make it into the TOP 5 all time is Nas. His story origin reads like the Apprenticeships of the dark ages. From his discovery by the Large Professor who put him on the Main Source album song "Live at the Bar B Que" to recording demos in the studios that were booked by Eric B for Rakim. (As the studio was booked Large Professor was working on Eric B and Rakim album whenever Rakim did not show up or was not there Nas was able to go in and record) From those early sessions and seeing the master Rakim at work the  impressionable child genius debuted in 1994 with Illmatic. To this date and before there was never a more anticipated Hip Hop album. With its 10 songs Illmatic was leap years ahead of its time. Nas skills bemoan a talent that cannot be taught but have to be already encoded in your DNA. He has also like many MCs strayed into more pop friendly songs, but after a battle on wax with another well know MC he recaptured what made him a TOP 5 MC of all time


 We at Keep It Oldskool realize that many may disagree and believe other rappers should be in the TOP 5. We welcome any dissenting views but again please leave record sales and swagger out of any retort