People Are Saying Kendrick Lamar is Better Than Nas

I am always online, on Youtube, and blogs, and Hip Hop websites, reading comments, and a lot of people have been insinuating that Kendrick Lamar is better than Nas. Before I go on, I would like to clear the air and say- No, I do not think Kendrick Lamar is better than Nas; but this is the opinion of a lot of people, and it kinda bothered me a bit, so I decided to write about it. Don't get me wrong, Kendrick Lamar is a dope rapper, and probably the best of his generation, but it is disturbing to hear people say he is better than Nas.

I think the problem of some Hip Hop music listeners is that they have a very short memory. One new kid comes on the scene, and after his second album, they start calling  him the G.O,A.T. Even Jay Z, Nas, and Eminem didn't start claiming that title till they were 10 years deep in the game with more than 5-6 albums under their belts. So, why are people saying Kendrick Lamar is better than Nas, who has been in the game for 20 plus years, and showed time and time again, with 10 albums that he is an exceptionally skilled rapper?




So, you my readers, I want to hear from you. What do you have to say about this. 

Nicki Minaj vs. Iggy Azalea...Who is Bigger Right Now?

So, Nicki Minaj has had a long run with it since she came on the scene in 2009. She has enjoyed a very successful career, and has been damn near the only female rapper on the commercial scene, before Iggy Azalea showed up. I am not talking of being the only female rapper in Hip Hop, but she was the only female rapper in the mainstream for a long time. Yea, Kreayshawn popped up for a while, but she was gone as fast as she came. Right now, no one can argue the fact that Iggy Azalea is Nicki's biggest competition.

Technically speaking, Nicki Minaj is a better skilled rapper than Iggy Azalea, but talent is not always enough. In music, as in every other industry out there, the world is more concerned with the individual that can deliver what they want, when they want it, how they want it, every time they want it. And  this has to do with dedication to your craft, hardwork, and flexibility. So, who between this two female rappers is the bigger right now?

50 Cent Says Eminem is Better than All Black Rappers

The issue of color will always come up in Hip Hop, and the latest person to discuss that is 50 Cent. In a recent interview with Music Choice, he was speaking on whether or not Hip Hop is a black thing, and he came to the conclusion that Hip Hop is black music. He also added that though it is a black thing, Eminem, a white rapper, is better than every black rapper out there. 










Read 50's words below. 



“Hip Hop is Black music, without question, and, unfortunately for some people, it’s tough to accept that you have a White artist that does it better than Black artists. It is what it is. You can get like whoever you think is the best Black artist and stand them face-to-face in a room with Em and he will eat that [guy] alive. Right now if you had 'em prepare themselves, whatever way they would have to prepare themselves to come battle…I bet what I have, everything” that Eminem would win." (Music Choice Interview)






This is a tough subject, cos people sometimes people judge based on who they like, or what sub-genre of rap music they like. Eminem is not my choice of 'The Best Rapper' alive right now, but I do have to agree that when it comes to flow and delivery on a song, Eminem will eat any rapper alive. That is not all there is to rap, and I do know Eminem has other qualities as an artist, but that is one of the qualities that people look at when they speak on who is better than who in Hip Hop. And ofcos the other criteria of commercial success; Eminem has no opponent in this department...he is light years ahead of any black rapper in this area, so 50 Cent has a point. 

Evidence Says Jay Z Has Surpassed Nas

There has always been, and there will always be an argument on who is a better rapper between Jay Z and Nas. I have always liked that the argument is always like 50/50...like half think Jay is better, and the other half people in Hip Hop feel Nas is better. If they weren't formidable opponents, then there would never have been a beef between them, and it wouldn't have been as interesting as it was. Evidence (member of the hip hop group, Dilated People) was on B Real's Smoke Box show recently, and he got talking about the whole Jay Z and Nas comparison thing. He said he always felt Nas was better at the beginning, but that Jay Z has surpassed Nas right now. 





"To me, Nas is one of the most gifted rappers of all time. From God though. Not from what he made of it. My man Planet Asia is the same way. They just got that shit on the mic. For me, I look at early Jay Z work and I don't see that God-given thing. [B-Real: He had to work on it] And God-damn-did-he. And look what he turned it into…I think Jay Z surpassed Nas at a certain point. It’s debatable, but at least it’s debatable... Maybe Nas is sharper than Jay Z right now. Maybe because Nas is on some b-boy shit. But Jay Z [may be] so powerful. It’s a debate.”






The main reason why I wasn't a Jay Z fan from the beginning was that I thought he was a basic rapper, so I understand what Evidence was saying at the beginning of his statement. And yea, it is also true that Jay Z worked on his craft. Even-though I was on Nas's side 100% during their beef in 2001, I couldn't deny the fact that The Blueprint was a masterpiece. I think that was Jay at his peak. In my opinion, that is his best album ever...and he got to that level by consistently working on his craft, unlike Nas who came in the game with a bang. Right now, in 2014, I enjoy what each of them contribute to Hip Hop, I don't compare them anymore. They the gods of rap right now. 

Lord Jamar Says Drake is Better Than Kendrick Lamar

Brand Nubian member, Lord Jamar was in the news a lot last year, not for his music, but for his controversial statements. It seems he wants to keep riding that wave in 2014. In a recent interview on VladTV, Lord Jamar was asked what he felt about the cold war between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, to which he retorted...

“I mean, shit, ya’ll niggas, go ahead and battle. Why not? Like, ya’ll got some sort of emcee beef? Then battle, you know what I mean? ‘Cause that’s all it could be, ya’ll are not tough guys and all of that where you’re gonna need to be fighting and all that type of shit. That shit is corny anyway. So, you both feel like ya’ll some sort of lyrical prodigies and all that, show and prove.”




When he was now asked who he felt would win a battle between the two rappers, he picked Drake.

“You know, I’m gonna be honest, I’m more acquainted with Drake’s lyrics than I am of Kendrick’s lyrics. He be saying some shit. Almost always kills it. I might have to fuck with Drake. I might have to go with Drake. And it ain’t about light-skin. it’s just I’m a little more acquainted with his shit. I don’t know, yeah, I think I would go with Drake. Send me some more of Kendrick’s shit maybe I’ll change my mind later.“

He then added that he felt that Drake was a more all-rounder artist than Kendrick Lamar.


“Probably all around, he probably is,” Lord Jamar said. “At the end of the day that’s what it’s about," he said, referencing an artist's ability to make songs. "It’s not about how well you can rhyme, to me it’s about making songs too. You got rappers and you got songwriters, and not all rappers are good songwriters. That’s why a lot of these freestyle dudes and battle dudes, they can’t really make a song to save they life.”



I totally agree with him; Drake is more of an all-rounder rapper than Kendrick Lamar to me. Kendrick got that whole multiple rhyme scheme/flow on lock right now, and I always give it to him. But that is not all what matters in music. That's why I agree with Jamar; Drake is a better all-rounder rapper. You can't say Drake don't be killing shit when he is featured on songs, and he then goes on to make a super duper hook, and then he can make an all round R&B song, and still Ace it. Come on! You got to give it to dude. Unless you don't really understand music.

Modenine Says 'M.I Is a Better Rapper Than Ice Prince'

Well, if you are a real hip hop head, you already know that M.I is a better rapper than Ice Prince. It's only people that listen to popular rap music that would say otherwise. I don't even join in this argument anymore; I just keep quiet when I know the person is just about what he/she sees on TV. Anyway, in a recent interview with HipHop World Magazine, the legendary Modenine was asked who he felt was a better rapper between Ice Price and M.I, and he said...

 I can’t just say one name, there are pros and there are cons. I like them for different reasons; both of them can sing , both of them can carry the hooks, both of them can make good songs, both of them can follow, right now I like them for different reasons.

But lyrically M.I. He edges not by a very wide margin but yeah.

That's Mode being diplomatic cos he didn't want to offend anyone, but ofcos, the answer is clear.

Is Ice Prince Better Than MI

Do you like the fact that i used a pic from when Ice Prince was still hungry? lol! Anyway, I was chilling with some of my friends yesterday, and this argument came up. I don't really consider it an argument, cos we just laughed it off. Apparently, one of my friends that's closer to the younger generation...teenagers, said most of them had concluded that Ice Prince was a better rapper than MI. I am not a big MI fan perse, but i know and listen to him enough to know that he is way better than Ice Prince.



I can say what would bring up this judgment in the first place is the fact that Ice Prince is currently all over the place. He is the hottest rapper out. Remember i said "hottest", i didn't say best. What that really means is that he is the wave for now. Of cos, i don't dispute the fact that he CAN RAP. But when it comes to a well rounded craft, MI beats him out. When you listen to an Ice Prince verse, you appreciate the metaphors (which MI has mastered), and the way he rides the beat. But, you can't really count on hearing a well crafted story, or a style switch between verses. Most times, Ice Prince uses the same repetitive rhyme pattern. Of cos, if you don't know too much about rap, you wont understand all that i'm saying.









If you are not just about a good beat and a nice voice on it...if you really listen, you would know that MI has more quality rhymes than Ice Prince.  What i mean is that when it comes to the total package- wordplay, delivery, story telling, voicing, lyrics patterning....MI is better than Ice Prince. And if you take your time to listen to Ice Prince critically like i did, you would notice that he burrowed a little of his style from MI...and a little from Drake...just a little from Drake...that dragging of last words in a verse, that's Drake's thing. Or should i say, that was Drake's thing, cos Drake nolonger does that.


This dones't take anything away from Ice Prince. I think he is a cool rapper, for the section of the population he carters for. Personally, i think his "Superstar" single is a success. For him to make a song better than "Oleku" is a job well done by him. And yes, i do believe the Superstar song is better than oleku. Oleku had a banging beat, a great chorus, nice flow, with okay verses...which were kind of monotonuos. But on superstar, he didn't have the luxury of a great hook...just an okay one. So, he had to make up for it with his delivery and lyrics, and he did okay...he did great.


With all that said, i think Ice Price is a good rapper, but MI is better than him.