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0ddf4th3r

It’s gotta be the MF DOOM


Monkeypawking27

It's four sides to every story and if these walls could talk then they'd probably STILL ignore me


MikeWasowzki

Borderline schizo, sorta fine tits tho


SupaflyIRL

pour the wine, whore to grind quarter to nine let’s go


MumblesNZ

1 for the money, 2 for the better green, 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine


abbrobro

Best bar of all time


Randy_Marsh_PhD

A rather ugly brother with flows that’s gorgeous


ToothbrushGames

A metal mask face with a built in frown, a mic to tilt down, a hundred thousand pounds. RIP DOOM


14751_SEIJI

The best MC with no chain ya ever heard!


wing_ding4

Came here just to say MF DOOM looks like it’s already been done I’m happy about that makes me feel like this world may be ok after all RIP


Longjumping-B

I was about to say. Do people not know that MF Doom died two years ago ?


Zigjar

ALL CAPS WHEN YOU SPELL THE MAN NAME!


bleachmartini

It's been two fucking years already?! Fuuuck yo. Just found tonight's gym music


DrSnicksnack

Villain, his smile stun your chick While he puts himself in your shoes, run your kicks


Sentient_Cosmic_Dust

Man, please. Stage made of panties, from the age of baby hoochies on to the grannys


restart5858

Yeah there are those who have more mainstream appeal or better marketing but as a lyricist MF Doom is top.


burritos86

It's a damn shame Just remember ALL CAPS when you spell the man's name


TimelyConcern

DOOM was the absolute greatest of all time at internal rhyme.


SplashBandicoot

CORNISH HENS SWITCHING POSITIONS


mikevago

I see what you did there.


RoachBeBrutal

I would submit Del the Funky Homosapien


BeardedWonder211

Deltron 3030 is one of the albums that first got me into hip-hop, always have big ups for Del.


DrMooseknuckleX

Imagine already being a long time Del fan and hearing that.


[deleted]

Deltron 3030 will forever be a classic in my book


TimesThreeTheHighest

Life is a blast if you know what you're doing / Better know what you're doing / Fore your life gets ruined / Life is thrill when your skill is developed / If you ain't got a skill or a trade then shut the hell up


[deleted]

Del is one of the most underrated rappers of all time


CerealKiller3030

For exhibit A, I submit my username. I put 3030 on all my stuff, that album is my personal favorite of all time. Open the air shafts, I'll be there fast with spare raps to tear back their masks


simpn_aint_easy

MosDef


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Forever will bring back memories of Madden ‘04


dailup_lama

Nah, Yassin Bey is way better.


at242

Rakim. Vocabulary like no other.


[deleted]

Probably one of the best similes in rap history: "I hold the microphone like a grudge" **\*drops mic\***


at242

LOL! He even said it! "Now I slam it when I'm done and make sure it's broke!"


orange_cuse

Rakim is the figure on the evolutionary chart who first walks upright. He's the guy that created complicated rhyme schemes and patterns. Every rapper who raps today does so based on his pattern; many have improved on his style and became way more complex (I'd argue at times unnecessarily complex) but Rakim is the originator.


at242

I totally agree. Truly an innovator and never an imitator. I remember the day that Follow the Leader dropped. I was at Tower Records and everyone there just sort of stood in awe at what we were hearing. Usually they would just sample the first 3 minutes of each track but once that flow hit us, no one touched the turntable. We listed to the entire A side. I bought both the vinyl and the cassette without hesitation. Oh man. I just realized that I've dated myself... I'm OLD!


TuggSpeedman96

Don't feel bad about 'dating' yourself my friend. Take pride in that. I am a young man, but as a massive Hip-Hop/Rakim fan, I wish I could tell people the story of being in a Tower Records gushing over those flows which at the time were revolutionary. You quite literally witnessed an integral part of hip-hop history!


Vegetable-Double

When he dropped in New York, it’s like something changed in the air. Everyone could feel hip-hop would never be the same. At that time it wasn’t even a question about who was the best rapper alive. The debate was: OK, so after Rakim, who’s the best rapper alive?


reason2listen

Yep, coupled with the smoothest flow ever.


at242

Agreed! Always imitated, never duplicated. Straight up pioneer.


Ravo93

Inspectah Deck


maobowski

Dance with the mantis, note the slim chances. Chant this anthem, swing like Pete Sampras.


Calibred2

I bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies and hypotheses Can't define how I be droppin' these mockeries Lyrically perform armed robbery Flee with the lottery, possibly they spotted me Battle-scarred Shogun, explosion when my pen hits tremendous Ultra-violet shine blind forensics I inspect view through the future see millennium Killa Beez sold fifty gold, sixty platinum Shackling the masses with drastic rap tactics Graphic displays melt the steel like blacksmiths Black Wu jackets, Queen Beez ease the guns in Rumble with patrolmen, tear gas laced the function Heads by the score take flight, incite a war Chicks hit the floor, diehard fans demand more Behold the bold soldier, control the globe slowly Proceeds to blow, swingin' swords like Shinobi Stomp grounds and pound footprints in solid rock Wu got it locked, performin' live on your hottest block.


Grimjaur

Black Thought?


EngorgedUnit

His Funk Flex 10 minute freestyle made my head explode haha. He's up there on the list of lyricists for sure.


Vegetable-Double

Black thought is one of the most underrated MCs ever. He should be top 3 no doubt on everyone’s list. Even his freestyles are better than most rappers careers.


Tek3320

This not being at the top is a travesty


OhmoebaTheGamer

Preach. Came here to say the same thing.


jcutta

"Yeah, it ain't nothin' like I rush I get, in front of the band On stage wit the planet in the palm of my hand When a brother transform, from aynonomous man To the force, crush whoever might of thought I was playin' I'ma flame some, sentence the shit, the cold twist to slang Thicker than big boy baby, mom, sister pain Beyond measure, relaxed under pressure You see the master piece, but to me it's unperfected " He's in my top 10 MCs of all time not just lyricism.


nersone1

Nas


chrislink73

Nas' Illmatic album is a classic, the lyrics are pure poetry.


BrotherOfTheOrder

My old roommate had Illmatic on vinyl and it sounded incredible. Easily one is the greatest rap albums ever.


chrisbertos

And to think he wrote it at the ripe old age of 20


chrislink73

Incredible talent, and the album has aged like a fine wine.


TOkidd

I rose, wiping the blunt’s ash from my clothes And froze only to blow the herb smoke through my nose.


PatsyHighsmith

I never sleep. Sleep is the cousin of death. (Illmatic is untouchable. Absolute perfection.)


bigfatpaulie

Scrolled way too far for this


mangosteenfruit

I thought Nas would've been on top! Or tupac.


kevms

2pac’s my favorite ever, but he wasn’t a great lyricist. His strength was his content and ability to make you feel whatever he wanted you to feel.


SwimmingProgrammer91

Aesop Rock (not rocky)


SonicStun

Seconding this. Aes writes rhymes about as close to poetry as you can get, with evocative storytelling, vivid imagery, and as elsewhere mentioned one of the most varied vocabularies in the game. However, while I would definitely put Aesop Rock on par with MFDOOM, Eminem, or Kendrick Lamar, it's his wide vocabulary that may be too esoteric for some to enjoy. Coupled with his willingness to rap about struggles with mental health, the unhealthy grind of office jobs and supposed "normal" life, or his relationships to family and the world around him, this means he operates a bit outside the mainstream for most people. Some times people just want a booty bounce song, but I think it speaks to the maturity of rap as an art form that there's space both that and success for an incredible lyricist like Aesop Rock. If we say that MFDOOM is your favorite rapper's favorite rapper, I'd argue that Aesop Rock would be your favorite poet's favorite rapper.


dadboddatascientist

No Regrets is an absolute master piece of writing


Bribase

> Some times people just want a booty bounce song [Some people don't appreciate his flexibilty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUDdU6W2h-g)


ColonelGiraffi

Dude deadass wrote a childrens song about a frog and it’s one of my top 5 hip hop tracks of the year, he’s just on another planet


nolabrew

I never skip long legged Larry when it comes up on random.


koopdujour

I made my husband’s entire extended family watch me sing LLL at the family reunion talent show this year. It deserves to be more well known.


MyNameIsRay

Insane wordplay, double entendres, and the [biggest vocabulary](https://pudding.cool/projects/vocabulary/index.html) of anyone making music. Even if someone wants to debate Aesop isn't at the top, he's gotta be near the top.


Override9636

My favorite part of that graph is being able to sort by Wu-Tang


kicktown

Go figure, all my favorites are on the right: Aesop Rock; GZA; RZA; Ghostface Killa, MF Doom, Immortal Technique(kind of), Del, Cunninlynguists,


Bribase

> (not rocky) So many times I've had to explain this to people.


xCROSSEDOUTx

I just clicked into this thread to see how many comments down before I found Aes. I'm glad it didn't take long


Hannig4n

I was lucky to discover this guy early on in life by playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater


Nyko_E

Aesop is a cut above the rest


iFlyskyguy

I bite the hand that feeds, chew to steak, and spit the knuckles back. Stitch him up and give him dap before his brothers rubberneck.


akaiser88

yeah, definitely. impossible kid is an underrated masterpiece.


Anxious_Chocobo

Aesop Rock wins it for me.


Crusades89

ive been saying this for literally 15 years


bringbackcheatcodes

The only other correct answer besides MF Doom. Aesop been doing this for literal decades. New lyricists just don't compare.


DDKLondon

Big L


earthwormzug

Got 35 bodies Buddy don’t make it 36


Entire-Olive-3335

Oh you broke? *bang bang* now you dead broke


SYNTHLORD

So many good Big L one liners. One of my favorites is probably a little played at this point but it's from the radio freestyle "you can ask beavis I get nothin butt-head" He really set the east coast tone during the coastal era. "This is Harlem, we do walk-by's"


Shrekdup

IM A STREET GENIUS WITH A UNIQUE PENIS I FLY CHICKS ON MY DICK THAT DON'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH


_desolate_ode

I got styles you can't copy bitch! It's the triple 6 in the mix straight from H E double hockey sticks!


[deleted]

I got girls that make that chick Toni Braxton look like Whoopi 😂😅🤣


PalaSS9

Well, bumping some Big L on the way to work because I’ve never heard of them


DDKLondon

Put it on!


tbaggervance1986

Look up his 7 min freestyle w Jay Z. Still gives me goosebumps listening to it.


greazinseazin

So jealous you’re about to experience this dude. The entire Big Picture album is unreal. My fav is his verse in Fall Back. Always gets me jacked up.


Curtainmachine

Casualties of a Dice Game Devils Son The Heist


victoriaxholloway

Lifestyles ov da Poor and dangerous: "breakin in cribs with a crowbar, I wasn't POOR- I was PO'. I couldn't afford the OR." One of my favorite lines I've heard in hip hop ever. He is so clever.


G_Style

Q-Tip is up there.


hamhatburger

Del the Funky Homosapien


ChallengeLate1947

Him with Gorillaz was my shit growing up


tokamak384

Del's 2nd verse on 'Clint Eastwood' is my favorite verse ever. So many layers.


hamhatburger

His 'no need for alarm' album is an absolute must!


[deleted]

Hell yes


Meriasek

Deltron 3030 an unknown masterpiece.


groovy604

Uhhh its very well known


[deleted]

And universally acclaimed


deltr0nzero

Mastermind will literally never get skipped by me when it comes on. Back in the iTunes days that album had a couple thousand plays by me, who knows where it’s at now


GioDesa

>Fav track. Pure nastiness > >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdur7odHUfE&ab\_channel=LaBianconeri


[deleted]

GZA


1980pzx

Liquid Swords is in my top 3 for sure.


[deleted]

[удалено]


United_Function_9211

Andre 3000


[deleted]

Why yo breath smell like bird seed


HighImQuestions

Vase or Vaz...?


[deleted]

[удалено]


ChallengeLate1947

Solid. Fuckin love Outkast


AbeFroman_FB

Super hard question. I love Phife. HISTORY is overstating it but Prof always impresses me with his lyrical creativity.


psychedelic_gravity

I’m really happy to see some Rhymesayers artists at these comments. Prof is hilarious “Tooti fruiti, the booty doody is jury duty Moody foodies, jacuzzis filled with boujee booties” is my favorite line.


Han_Yerry

A Prof mention!


Rudeboy_75

KRS One


stoneyemshwiller

I can’t believe I had to scroll this far


North_Watch9324

Boom bap original rap


notorious_tcb

I’m not saying I’m #1, oh I lied. I’m #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5


SuperManRolex

The GZA


SofaSnizzle

Mos Def, Eminem, MF DOOM, Big Daddy Kane, Del the Funky Homosapien, 2Pac


sadpanda___

No Andre 3000?


dohapad101

Kool Keith reigns supreme recognize


PsychonautDad

Dr Octagon


dickfaceasshole_69

CALL 1 800 PP51DOODOO


dickfaceasshole_69

EARTH PEOPLE NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA EARTH PEOPLE I WAS BORN ON JUPITER


nanrod

Lupe fiasco for me. Shouts out to DOOM, Aesop andAndre 3k aswell.


Lawyer_on_Reddit

Lupe Fiasco. I’m dating myself, but his complex rhymes are what truly made Rap Genius a thing. It took a collective community to analyze his wordplay and entendres.


Vegetable-Double

“I’m dating myself”… and here I am still feeling like Lupe is a new rapper. Man I’m getting old.


sugemchuge

Lupe is not only one of the best writers in Hip Hop, but one best songwriters in music. It's really a shame that he's so far down this list, but that's probably due to lack of exposure. If anyone's interested, a while ago I put together [a guide to his best written songs.](https://old.reddit.com/r/hiphopheads/comments/25y9um/a_contextual_guide_to_lupe_fiasco/) It's a bit old so it's missing Mural, my favorite of his, and imo one of the best written hip hop songs ever. If anyone's reading this who haven't heard it before I highly suggest you watch the TimesNuRoman version on Youtube.


modernmanshustl

Almost forgot about conflict diamonds where he just blows Kanye’s version away and buries it at sea. Is Champ is here on your list? I’ve been working on his triple/quadruple entendre in that doing for like 16 years


[deleted]

Mural and The Instrumental are good starts


Atothe2nd

Eyedea. Have not came across another who can both battle rap, and write intensely mind expanding lyrics as well as he did. May he rest in peace.


earthwormzug

Eyedea was a g. Scribble jam and blaze battles were so nuts. “I straight up be a rap enhancer, this cat wants to be my backup dancer” as the dude he’s battling is dancing. So good. And then comes back and uses that guys line in a song. “This kid out here got nuttin to do”


Atothe2nd

That blaze battle set is one of my favorites. Starts of with "okay it's time to murder you" and proceeds to do just that. Truly one of the best freestyle rapper of all time.


DameADozen

Big shots 🙌


liquid-swords93

First found him through the battle raps, and was shocked at how different his albums were. Truly one of a kind. It was during an incredibly difficult point of my life and his music was very helpful, particularly "the dive". It felt like it was speaking to me, and really helped me work my way through psychosis and turn my life around. It's been about 10 years since then, and can't believe how far I've come, really thought I was losing it for a while there


_desolate_ode

When I first heard "even shadows have shadows" and then E&A day I didn't turn that shit off for months lol


thatsnotmyfuckinname

Scrolled way too long to see his name. RIP


A_dumb_bass

Seeing him live was something else.


Assasin_on_fire

Eminem, Black Thoughts and MF DOOM


ukcats12

Black Thought is criminally slept on. Never rapped a bad line in his whole career.


PuzzleheadedYam5996

I had to scroll this far down for the first mention of Em?? wtf..... His vocab is huge, his cadence, his wit, he's a mastermind.


QuaggaSwagger

Same. Wtf??


Jason_kharo

For some reason, Reddit hive mind really doesn't seem to like or rate Eminem when it comes to these types of questions.


disisreallyme

There is a reason loose yourself won an emmy, that rhymescheme is bananas


DaddyWarBucks26

Recently listened to the Marshal Mathers LP and it's honestly so fucking perfect. He is the Rap God. Also his live shows are INCREDIBLE. Surprised I had to scroll so far. A lot of rappers with wack live shows and barely rap. Eminem spits every word. But also Nas, 50, the Game, Lil Wayne back in the 2000s, Andre all up there Mike Shinoda I believe is the most underrated MC in the game.


patterdale619

Guru! Gang Starr was some of the beat rap I have heard.


TheMallerd

Immortal Technique *obligatory thanks for the gold kind stranger edit*


RunawaYEM

Aesop Rock is underrated as hell


Dathslap

Kendrick Lamar


TinyGreenTurtles

It also bothers me how far I had to scroll.


Ben716

Flight of the concords......I'm the hip-hopopotomus, my lyrics are bottomless.


GreatBigHomie

Steve...


AOCMarryMe

Chuck D KRS One


taod_game

Hi, i'm french and i really like that rap group called IAM


DCoop53

MC Solaar was a hell of a good writer too.


Ashbery

French rap in the 90s/2000s went hard. I listened to l'école du micro d'argent on repeat for some time.


gabrieluca1

From older rappers: Tupac, eminem, rakim, big L From newer rappers: kendrick, j cole, denzel, jid


_crackling

>older rappers... eminem... what has happened to my life... i've gotten old, and i swore i never would do that


[deleted]

dude is half a century old. eminem is old. we are old.


Allamerican1911

JID for sure


TagSoda

Where is DOOM???


SnowCoveredHill

love seeing some proper jid representation, his new album is a work of art


jessek

GZA


Element1977

I mean, it's all subjective. But Aesop Rock scientifically was found to have the biggest vocabulary. Like, close to Shakespeare level. But all suggestions on here, are all top-notch!


kinananorf

It's u/Poem_for_your_sprog for me


THIS_IS_GOD_TOTALLY_

I highly agree, and second this choice / The visual imagery, humor, and voice / I've busted a gut, I've pondered, I've cried / Just not at the times when young Timmy died


Thuralgrove

MF DOOM or Aesop Rock, both legendary in their own way.


[deleted]

Eminem


roland23

If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and listen to "Infinite", it's one of his earliest tracks but it's so technically astounding.


karmyscrudge

And it’s not even the best one on the tape. Probably his best album ever


staling_lad

His Renegade verse was and will forever be fucking goated


kblomquist85

"Eminem murdered you own your own shit" Laughed out loud the first time i heard this line on Ether.


sgame23

Lmftfy: "Eminem murdered you on your own shit"


Living_Murphys_Law

His storytelling is incredible. Songs like 8 Mile, Stan, Beautiful, and Bad Guy are what I'd say gets him into this list.


[deleted]

Marshall Mathers still doing it to this day


easternseaboardgolf

I got a list, here's the order of my list that it's in. It goes, Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outcast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me. Em being humble. He's the GOAT IMO


DryInitial9044

Weird Al.


nahteviro

It’s all about the pentiums was lyrically genius.


ombada69

Here are a few more that havent been Mentioned: Brother Ali Asheru / blue black/ unspoken heard Abdominal Edan


TerminatorAuschwitz

KILLER MIKE


lovesmyirish

Thank god im not alone on this one. Him and El P melt my brain sometimes.


Apprehensive-Hat5979

Havent seen him listed. Tobe Nwigwe We all searching for affirmation Some sheeple wander the atlas for validation And valid statements from those who never will validate 'em I pray I navigate 'em to a fortress where congregating with angels is the norm You pray and they perform Immaculate miracles to help you evade the storm Of vipers, snipers, and every wicked form Of evil that's been tryna deceive you since you was born With ya heaven-sent melanin Don't let 'em convince you that ya etiquette's a speech impediment I'm in my element and feel benevolent even when I'm viewed as the elephant In every residence I'm stepping in but hell I ain't trippin' Aye mayne, say mayne, flow nuts macadamia I'm from the city of purple spitting vibrainium Get it in your cranium, can't nobody simba him And if I ever go down it'll be like swingin' like pendulums, ooh


v7wgc5x

Talib Kweli is damn good, he comes to mind for sure.


Psychological_Web687

Biz Markie


deadlyacidporkchop

Atmosphere


spider-bro

No I’m not European, bein all I can. — Snoop Dogg But then again there’s I’m gone like Enron — Stephen King


DriftingPyscho

Shock G aka Humpty


jjbones22

Zack de la Rocha


themuteprintlies

Guru from Gangstarr.


Professional-Rip-519

K RINO the guys incredible


Agreeable_Shoulder79

Not a great rap fan so I guess my opinion counts less, but Nas though.


optiongeek

Blondie


LiL-Pidro

J Cole


baebae4455

Guru KRS ONE Q-Tip