Rap is whatever you make of it. It's an art like any other form with limits only in one's mind. With enough exposure to the rap game, I am informed enough to form the following list. This is solely my opinion but I am sure a lot of people can reason with me on this list provided they've been acquainted with the work of these artists.
We'll look at various skillsets to parameterize and see who's good at what.
THE PARAMETERS ARE:1. Lyrical content/context :
Rap at the end of the day, more than anything else, depends upon what you say and what you express, how different your content is from the rest of the rappers and how you raise the bar and up the game. Clever usage of metaphors and similes with good vocabulary is what makes a rapper interesting. Mentions and refers to a context of mass appeal makes the listeners feel more connected to the rappers.2. Flow :
The inevitable element in any aspect of Hip-Hop and not just rap music. A rapper's flow determines how well he keeps up with the beat and produces a rhythm of his own. Listeners love rhythms in any form of music; from folk songs to rock songs. So, flow has always been there in any form of music. In rap however, it is well appreciated if the tempo of the flow is fast. Quickness is well appreciated and has always been seen as an important element to have in one's arsenal of skills.3. WordPlay :
This element relates to the clever usage of puns, paradoxes, oxymorons, internal rhymes and multi-syllable rhymes. The better one is at wordplays, the better skilled one is considered. Important thing to notice here is that wordplay is a tool in itself that helps making the flow and the content better and interesting.4. Punchlines :
Very relatable to the first point, punchlines form the content of the lyrics and are under the perimeter of the context. So, it could be merged with the first context if needed. I kept it as a separate point in order to emphasize the importance of it and how well it is appreciated and respected in the rappers' circle. Punchlines are the lines in a verse that cleverly form the highlights of the songs. It involves heavy usage of metaphors and similes along with cross referential elements. The punchlines are expected to be clever. It is mostly used to express one's superiority over others but it can be used differently if the rapper intends to.Keeping the above 4 elements as the parameters, the following are the top 5 rappers upping the game. The list is solely an expression of my opinion.
1. Crooked I/ KXNG Crooked (Dominick Wickliffe):
Genius: http://genius.com/artists/Crooked-i
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrookedIntriago
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crooked_I
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KXNGCROOKED/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/theofficialcob
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kxngcrooked/
"You gotta see it before you be it
View it before you do it
Envision it truly then you'll be living it
Be as successful as what you looking to do
Remember whatever you looking for is looking for you" #crookedi #knxgcrooked
- Lyrical content/Lyrical context - 5
- Flow -5
- Wordplay -5
- Punchlines -5
Notables: Did Hip/Hop Weekly. Released Quality songs EVERY WEEK on Youtube for ONE YEAR. The full playlist is available here
2. Chino XL (Derek Keith Barbosa):
#chinoxlGenius: http://genius.com/artists/Chino-xl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CHINOXL
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chino_XL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChinoXLOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chinoxl/
"Startin' drama with Chino, God forbid
Auction my lyrics on eBay, that's God for bid." #chinoxl
- Lyrical content/Lyrical context - 5
- Flow - 4
- Wordplay - 5
- Punchlines - 5
Notables: One of the most intelligent rappers; he is a verified member of Mensa. Mensa is the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardized, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test.
Wordsmith: Every line or two in this song is a punchline. True Story.
3. Eminem(Marshall Bruce Mathers III):
Genius: http://genius.com/artists/Eminem
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eminem/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eminem
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EminemVEVO
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eminem/
"That's why we seize the moment
Try to freeze it and own it, squeeze it and hold it
‘Cause we consider these minutes golden
And maybe they'll admit it when we're gone
Just let our spirits live on
Through our lyrics that you hear in our songs." #eminem #slimshady #marshalmathers
- Lyrical content/Lyrical context - 5
- Flow - 5
- Wordplay - 5
- Punchlines - 4
Notables: Has been nominated for over 310 awards and won over 155 awards that includes 15 Grammy Awards and an Oscar Award. Considered to be a legend and one of the best rappers alive by many. He is also one of the most popular music artists with over 91 million facebook likes; only second to Shakira.
Lose Yourself:
4. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth:
Genius: http://genius.com/artists/Kendrick-lamar
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendrick_Lamar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kendricklamar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kendricklamar
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/KendrickLamarVEVO
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendricklamar
"And I'm not sure why I'm infatuated with death
My imagination is surely an aggravation of threats
That can come about, ’cause the tongue is mighty powerful
And I can name a list of your favorites that probably vouch
Maybe cause I'm a dreamer and sleep is the cousin of death
Really stuck in the schema of wonderin' when I'mma rest." #KendrickLamar #KDot
- Lyrical content/Lyrical context - 5
- Flow - 4.5
- Wordplay - 4.5
- Punchlines - 4
Notables: Has been nominated for 114 awards and has won 40 of those awards. Considered to be one of the best in the game at present.
Rigamortis:
5. TechN9ne (Aaron Dontez Yates):
Genius: http://genius.com/artists/TechN9ne
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_N9ne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechN9ne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealTechN9ne/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/StrangeMusicInc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealtechn9ne
“You must really like my imperfections
Cause you stay on dismay, temper detections
And thats nightly, too much messing with my psyche
That enough hurts, but you fight me
So you must love to dislike me.” #Techn9ne #Nina #StrangeMusic
- Lyrical content/Lyrical context - 4
- Flow - 5
- Wordplay - 5
- Punchlines - 4
Notables: He is the number one independent hip-hop artist. With Strange Music as his music label and his amazing K.C flow, Tech is always hot in the game. Known for his tireless tours, lively concerts and amazing collabs, Tech is the undisputed underground king.
WorldWide Choppers :
Image sources :
RAP
Crooked I
Chino XL
Eminem
Kendrick Lamar
Techn9ne
Let me know what STEEMIT thinks of my list.
About Me: https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@isteemit/hello-from-the-other-side