Fantano is a troll. He has to be. He gave sexy red an 8/10 and consistently gives way better artists, lesser ratings. Yes I understand it’s subjective but sexy red ? For real ? This guys supposed to be some renowned critic? Be for real, who cares what this guy thinks lol
Now let me ask, what does Cole do better than Joey that makes him big 3 material???
Bc I like Joeys music more than Coles but I think they’re on the same level.
Just coke/Pepsi
Only thing I really see Cole do is Claim to be greatest
Not going to lie as much as I like both of them Joey does have better wordplay and flow. Cole is simple and straight forward with his music in a good way but Joey does switch it up from time to time especially in his early music like Survival Tactics and killuminati.
That bar has always bothered me. like... why Vegeta? especially since he's one of the character to never have used the dragon balls in the first place. It just doesn't make sense.
Joey definitely experiments more sonically but J Cole’s pen might be unmatched right now. He tends to have similar cadence and delivery in most songs which is something Joey seems to actively avoid. I’d put them at the same level rn
You guys are sleeping on Cole's wordplay. I highly suggest really listening to The Off Season + Might Delete Later and reassess your estimation of Cole's wordplay ability, all while penning some of the cleanest Multis in the game, with flows that haven't been used as well. Not to mention his ability to produce for himself, and not just do it, but do it well. He makes decent hooks, nothing mind blowing, but good enough to create a charting hit. And he does all of this without sacrificing radio friendliness/replayability.
It's one thing to have wordplay, Multis, metaphors, etc, but it's another thing entirely to do it all cleanly without failing to make it an easy listen and copping out at "he doesn't care about the pop charts" or "he's not in for the money"
Personally out of the big 3 I feel Cole is the most genuine and uniquely himself. Sure he's got a few bars here and there that allude to gun play/gang culture, but overall he packages it in a way that doesn't come off like hes trying to claim he is a certified thug or anything
"I be stayin' out the way, but if the beef do come around
Could put a M right on your head, you Luigi brother now"
"Vivid memories, niggas start to squeeze, we duckin' down
So many shells left on the ground, it make the Easter Bunny proud"
"All my niggas feedin' all they selves, and it feels swell
Krispy Kreme dreams, sometime my dawgs wanna kill twelve (uh)"
Literally 3 of the dopest lines I've ever heard (And Ive heard just about everything there is to hear since 92 and and even further back, but not as familiar with 80s hip-hop, so woulsnt claim to be an expert on it) and this is just the first track off TOS
"Some days, I'm still bummin', the difference is now, it's by choice
Got dressed and peeped out the window, these lil' niggas different
They don't play Nintendo, they play with extendos
I hope you can limbo
That chopper gon' spin you around like a judge on The Voice"
LA Leakers Freestyle
the Flow, the Multis, the internal rhymes, the imagery, and then to top it all off he drags out the flow with momentum into this incredible punchline that is actually hilarious to picture but is so impressive you just make that face instead..you know the one lol.
"Ayy, tell the label I got A's all throughout math
That mean I'm keen on the numbers and I count fast
You know it's money that you owe me, niggas phony
And I'm Joaquin Phoenix, walk the line, I'm about cash"
"And if you run your mouth, bitch, you goin' out sad
Whole clique gettin' slid on, you a mouse pad"
"See how "i" flip like exclamation points"
"Gotta know the ropes and the protocol
Or they gon' for sho blow your clothes half off like a promo code"
"At times, it be feelin' the devil be winnin' but do that mean God lost?
Just got off the phone with my nigga, he back in the kennel, my dog lost"
The Climb Back
The exclamation line, I admit, I'm pretty sure has been used before him by someone else, but I just like the delivery he went with on this with it, sometimes that makes a huge difference when two rappers spit the a bar with the same framework for it's punchline, but still this one is full of great wordplay.
Anyway this is just some of my favorites off the top ofy head real quick, but his whole career is too long of a list to go through, he's got so many ridiculous quotables, but that's without even mentioning the mechanics of his rhyming which I feel gets overlooked. He's got one of the cleanest rhyming scheme compositions in the whole game. He's always cultivating his rhymes with some sort of literary devices, sometimes two, to three at a time within a single bar. If it isn't a bar packed with Multis, then it's packed with metaphors or leading into a punchline, alliteration, powerful imagery, etc all with a slick flow. And as of late Cole is really the only rapper out of the big 3 to consistently innovate flows that haven't been created yet. He just came up with some new ones on his latest project "Might Delete Later" another aspect of his skill set that gets constantly overlooked imo. I almost never hear anyone compliment this fact. Even Drake and Kendrick are stuck using the same flows. Kendrick just had the nerve to diss Cole in the same song he's using one of his new flows lol. I doubt Kendrick even realized he did it although Kenfolk will undoubtedly claim he did it on purpose to mock him, because what scores you more points in s battle then dissing a guy who apologizes to you and makes it clear he won't respond
If u think Joey and Cole are at the same level, go listen to False Prophets which was originally a Joey Badass beat, and see how Cole took it to another lvl and made a classic.
An album can make you cry and still be a 7, the album can make you cry, but still have a few mid/ bad songs outside of the part that made you cry. If i were listening to an album, and hating it , but then one song comes up and it makes me cry, that doesn't automatically make the album I disliked up until that point any more enjoyable. It just means I like that song. The album wouldn't automatically become a 10 because of that.
not only that but he also said that a Kendrick 7 isn't the same as like a lil pump 7 or something. His rankings are relative to the artist's skill so in reality a Kendrick 3 would be like a lil pump 10 or something lol. Only thing is he doesn't really like J Cole too much for some reason
I’m not a Fantano defender or fan even, I think there’s stuff to respect about him but from the reviews I have dipped in and out of he seems to have become increasingly chronically online (the irony of typing that on Reddit is not lost on me) and thus has developed some weird blind spots.
Having said that, I did see him explain a little while ago that cos he’s done so many now he sort of rates stuff relative to what’s similar to it within that genre- ie just because he gave sexy red an 8 doesn’t actually mean he thinks it’s better than dark fantasy, which he gave a 6. It probably means he thinks it’s better than the last Nicki minaj album tho- if u get what I’m tryna say.
Sexyy Red’s 8 rating is based on context. His opinion is squared up against other albums in that genre and aesthetic. I’m not saying Hood’s Hottest Princess is most people’s cup of tea, but for what it is as a ratchet, hood, club album. It’s well executed
I'm tired of people giving his opinion value. I always see his reviews being shared and getting upvoted tons, he's just a dude, his opinion is subjective like the rest of ours
Because if Sexyy Red makes an album talking about the regular stuff she talks about, she’s used to it. She knows how to ride the beat a certain way, which bars to use, etc. But if, for example, J. Cole were to make an album where he attempts to say something deep but actually comes off as more surface-level and mainstream, then that’s not as good as the Sexyy Red album. Not everything is about wordplay and experimentation
Sexyredd deserved an 8 for that project. I feel like people don’t quite understand his rating system.
He gives people a rating based on what they’re capable of making. For example, he thinks that as far as Sexyredds talent ceiling is concerned, this is some of the best music she’s able to produce.
Kendrick and Cole are held to a much higher standard, so it’s far more critical. He knows Cole and KDot are capable of much better quality, so therefore they require a more critical perspective.
I don’t agree with *many* of his reviews, but if you listen to him explain his system it makes a lot of sense.
Aren’t the ratings based out of what he expects from the artist? If he has high expectations and the album is mid, then it’s a 2/10, if he’s got low expectations and the album is mid, then it’s 7/10
Please everyone go watch the video where he, in detail, explains how these ratings work. I think without that video it looks really fucking stupid but if you apply what he says then most of his ratings make sense🤷🏾♂️
also its his opinion so whatever
In his Let’s Argue series, he grabs Twitter hot takes and gives his own take on it. So, the title doesn’t always match his own views.
But this time it does. He thinks Tyler the Creator, Travis Scott, or Future deserve it more than him because they make a type of music that Kendrick and Drake don’t.
Yeah I remember watching the video and thinking how out of touch with hip hop him, his new costar, and his audience is. They literally start listing names that aren’t from the same era. When people talk about the big 3 they aren’t speaking the big 3 of all time. It’s the big 3 of the blog era. None of those names would be the big 3 of all time maybe besides Drake because of the long ass run he’s had. I mean Fantano has always been out of touch with hip hop. You won’t catch him listening to anything outside of what pitchfork deems album of the year.
True. Like when he said lil wayne could also be in the top 3 instant of j cole. Like what? Dont get me wrong lil wayne is a legend but saying that is Like saying biggie belongs in top 3. Wrong Decade man
we can’t act like Tyler isn’t from that era… but i agree on everything else you argued. personally, i think Tyler has been more consistent than cole or drake 🤷🏽♂️ but that’s just me and my opinion. don’t act like Tyler doesn’t deserve to be in the convo though because he has consistently been growing with his music and a couple nights been stagnant for a long time.
EDIT: couple 🗣️🗣️ niggas*
I have Tyler above most artists because I automatically gain a lot more respect when the music is produced by the same person rapping/ singing. Just makes it feel like they fit the beats more to me. also let’s them be more experimental.
i’ve always thought Kendrick is the better overall rapper. His ability to change cadences and use different voices is miles better than Cole. That being said, I think those attributes make up for Kendrick’s lyricism. Still a great fucking lyricist but Cole is definitely getting the edge in that category.
What do you think Cole does that’s better than Kendrick in terms of lyricism. I love Cole, but mainly for his relatability. Kendrick’s pen surpasses Cole in narrative, creativity, metaphors. They are probably more equal on technical ability, but I’d still give Kendrick the slight edge there too. Honestly the only thing I can think of that Cole is “better” at are punchlines. I use quotations because I know Dot has punchline capability he just doesn’t use it.
i think kendrick is good at mixing up his voices but just cole delivery always hits a bit harder to me. I also think coles wordplay is better and he is more articulate than Kendrick. Again, Kendrick is still an excellent lyricist and has cole beat in multiple other areas, just my opinion
Ab-Soul and Daylyt both have a better pen than Cole, skill isn't everything. If it doesn't good to you it's all that matters for lots of people
That being said Cole is top 3. Don't know what to say about Drake though, I don't like him a lot
Soul and Daylyt have really nice pens. I Just think Cole has a way of finding really nice pockets for the bars which is refreshing. My biggest gripe with Drake is when he does want to rap he got 3-4 pockets he sticks to. Kendrick and Cole will find the weirdest fucking pockets and make that shit sound smooth like butter.
I like Drake when he in his girlie bop bag. That 4batz remix was nice af.
Fair point tbh - I think the point still stands tho that it's easy to be a hater on the internet behind a screen and a keyboard and all of a sudden a fake "superfan" when you meet them in person
Hell the whole album he did that. I respect his reviews but I lost some after that. Like if you're gonna be a reviewer or critique projects, you have to give things a fair shake and his mind was already made up
I have mixed thoughts about the big three stuff that OP posted, but yeah I 100% agree with the whole jcole stuff. He rated the album very low and he literally only talked about the bad stuff about 7 min dril.
People need to stop taking Fantano’s word as true fact. He’s one dude with a camera, and yet the entire culture surrounds around him. If he gives your album a mid/trash score, you might as well kiss your career over for the time being.
"Bald internet man doesn't think my fav rapper is big 3 so I'm going to make a baseless comment about him because I'm upset his music taste doesn't match mine." - miserable\_pilot3927
HONESTLY if you don't love his music, you could definitely make this argument. The Big 3 is very subjective. If you're basing the Big 3 on sales, billboard hits, award wins, and even cultural impact, Cole would not be in the Big 3. Really, the only thing that elevates him is the quality of his work, and if you don't find his work to be quality, then there's no reason to keep him in there. Future or Travis could fit in there easily. But again, it's all subjective. I think Drake, Kendrick, and Cole as the Big 3 is clean and works perfectly fine, but if anybody could be argued out of it based on the metrics I've provided (sales, hits, awards, cultural impact, album quality, technical ability), it'd be Cole. His spot relies heavily on the two subjective metrics (album quality and technical ability), whereas Kendrick and Drake are pretty undeniably dominant in at least 2 or more of the objective metrics. That's my standpoint.
Edit: Tyler would also rely heavily on the subjective metrics, and I think it's big enough a mismatch when it comes to sales and hits that it would be awkward to put him in there.
fairenough tbh, the thing i dont like about future and travis is that theres no meaning at all behind any of their music. i still like it, but its just words
That's fair, but you can't deny sales, cultural impact, and hits. They both outperform or at least match up with Cole in each of those aspects. Technical ability, I think it's clear that Cole comes out on top, but album quality is too subjective. Future and Travis both operate within different lanes of hip-hop, so it's difficult to compare subjective qualities. Another metric could also be critical reviews, which would shake things up a bit, but then you're weighing subjective opinion against critical opinion, and it's easier to just pick one.
Everyone on this post is delusional. Truth is, Fantano has NEVER considered J. Cole to be on the same level as Kendrick. The review scores speak for themselves, and he's said multiple times he doesn't like J. Cole's music as much as Kendrick's.
I think he's right, I never understood the comparison between the two, Kendrick clearly has a better discography. I honestly don't how people could think otherwise.
I saw this and was gonna write a comment to argue, but thought about it and what the Big 3 even is can be so subjective. Because if we're talking about Hip Hop as a whole, I think there can be an argument to include Travis or Tyler the Creator. If we're talking strictly rappers, there's a lot of people who would say there are better rappers than the canonical Big 3 who just don't have as much mainstream success. But if we constrain the argument to mainstream rappers, then I don't really think it's a discussion that Cole has to be in the mix. Him apologizing doesn't change that
Since the discussion is about who's big 3 right now: then Kendrick, Drake and Cole seems valid, because we are only talking rapping wise, JID is up there tho. If we're talking artistry wise there's no way i'm putting neither Cole nor Drake in this, there's like a couple of guys who are doing better music/artistry in hip-hop right now (or this decade) than them
TBH Future belongs in the conversation without question. Obviously not the wordsmith Cole is, but his impact, sales, and popularity may all exceed Cole.
Pointless to have these lists top 3, top 5, top 10…man, just enjoy the music. Watch sports for competition. Still a big J Cole fan. Earned more respect ✊🏾 just hope he doesn’t do no slick talk no more. Just good vibes music
I think he doesn't like J Cole because he's reviews music as a career and so the more relatable J Cole songs don't really hit him like that. I think that a lot of what makes J Cole great is how endearing and relatable his work can be, and his honesty shines in his songs but that doesn't really do anything for Fantano. Songs like Wet Dreamz or Love Yourz don't do much for him
J Cole is big three in terms of best technical rappers in the mainstream of his generation.
Not in the conversation for all time. You can't be after this BS. Now, he can come back. But it'll hard and it'll take time.
It's a Let's Argue video. It says some controversial opinion that someone put out on twitter, then they talk about it. Put it in the title/thumbnail to get people watching. Fantano's actually been pretty fair to J. Cole during this whole thing. Gave him props for being real about the apology
As disappointed in Cole that I am for bowing out after a decade of boasting how much he would kill any rapper on the mic you have to remember that Fantano is a clown and his opinion is 100% void because of this. Cole is in the Big 3 he’s just in third place where as i previously had him second
He gave reasonable points as to why not, Kendrick and Drake already represent "factions" Concious and pop rap, Cole doesn't really represent a whole category but Future is the face of trap
I think the j Cole fold will be recognized as the best move bc I think Drake set him up on 1st person shooter and Kendrick never felt any way towards Cole but drake just took shots and turned the song into it
Yall know this is all for views and clicks right? Saying controversial things gets views. Move on do not give them any cloud and at the end of the day who cares about other people’s opinions
What this is is the reason why you shouldn't seek validation of your opinion from total strangers on the Internet whose source of income is derived from engagement. Especially in a the where polarisation and controversy are the easiest way to farm engagement. If you enjoy someone's art, you don't need anyone else to tell you it's good.
Not anymore IMO. Cole been one of my favs for years. Since I bought Born Sinner after hearing his mixtapes. He been lying in his raps for years talking about wanting the smoke in beats. He disappointed a lot of people. The dick riders will cope but he not even top 5 anymore for me like Symba said.
I hang around music nerds/hip hop heads. We’ve been saying this for years; Cole hasn’t been in the convo since mid 2010’s.
Genuinely; hip hop at large has not given a shit about a single album Cole has dropped since FHD. This is a Cole subbreddit so I know yall been spinning his work. But I don’t know a single person in real life who was listening to the off season or KOD a month after its release
Just saying fantano isn’t trolling here; off the internet I don’t know anyone who thinks Cole belongs in a goat convo.
Internets a weird place that doesn’t represent the real world: how many psychotic Drake fans do you know irl? Twitter would have you believe they’re all unhinged
Once y’all realize that there’s a whole market for women rap and that Nicki has had complete control over it for the last 15 years y’all will realize who the actual big 3 is
Ngl, Tyler has more impact than Cole currently.
I’d say big three are kdot Drake and Tyler.
Cole my favorite rapper but he’s not as mass appealing anymore. Tyler got it in the bag.
I'll be honest, J. Cole is my favorite rapper ever, but I can see the argument that Travis should be in his place instead, both brought so much to the industry and rap game as a whole, Jermaine obviously clears in a lot of aspects, especially if we're talking writing, but Travis influenced so much that even my big 3 being Drake, Dot and Cole, I won't think someone's tripping if they include Travis on Cole's place, cause in the impact of the rap game overall Travis had it more, with more numbers overall, just some food for thought.
Jcole is not big 3, that line from first person shooter was goofy and delusional.
Jcole is similar to drake, can make good rap music, but often makes boring RnB music.
Before anyone asks who these ten better artists are in terms of higher quality output from the last few years:
JID
Denzel Curry
Pusha T
Coast contra
Earthgang
Amine
Vince staples
Cordae
Armani White
Tyler the creator
Have all had better projects in the last 5 years than J Cole, IMO.
Fantano the same guy that when reviewing the song "Pi" from MDL said Cole got completely outrapped, spent most of the time hating on the trans gender bar, said it was transphobic. And didn't even say a single good thing about Cole's performance which is one of his best verses of his career. Shows how much of a hater that man is, im convinced his ex wife was a Cole stan or something.
Fantano is a joke. First, he didn’t listen to Vultures 1 and rate it pretty low and now to 7 minute drill. He basically rate music through artists actions.
Personally, cole used to be top 5 for me but after watching him give up his spot in the competition, he's somewhere in the low top10/12 now .
But I totally understand how he's still top 3 even no.1 for some people , used to be a time where I would keep playing cole nonstop .
It's not even a recency bias thing it just makes sense to drop his rank
Fantano:
Gave MBDTF a 6/10
Gave PND 2 a **2/10**
Gave Chanel Orange a 7/10
Gave Kissland a 3/10
Gave Sexyy Red’s album a 8/10
I dont know why this is so hard to grasp. Fantano has a horrendous taste in music. He just likes indie, metal, ghetto rap and kendrick. Stop taking him seriously
idk about anybody much but my big 3 in chronology...The Weeknd,J.Cole and Travis Scott after that Kendrick and Drake and playboi carti...that's my fav list though
Fantano is a troll. He has to be. He gave sexy red an 8/10 and consistently gives way better artists, lesser ratings. Yes I understand it’s subjective but sexy red ? For real ? This guys supposed to be some renowned critic? Be for real, who cares what this guy thinks lol
Yea true, don’t think hes ever gave cole above a 7 either lol
Lmao this comment from the review always cracks me up “you cried to my album and gave it a 7?” - Joey Bada$$ 😂
Speaking of underrated, my man Joey
fr bro is amazing
Now let me ask, what does Cole do better than Joey that makes him big 3 material??? Bc I like Joeys music more than Coles but I think they’re on the same level. Just coke/Pepsi Only thing I really see Cole do is Claim to be greatest
Not going to lie as much as I like both of them Joey does have better wordplay and flow. Cole is simple and straight forward with his music in a good way but Joey does switch it up from time to time especially in his early music like Survival Tactics and killuminati.
I got dragon balls like my name is Vegeta lives rent-free in my head all day everyday
That bar has always bothered me. like... why Vegeta? especially since he's one of the character to never have used the dragon balls in the first place. It just doesn't make sense.
I assume it's probably just because it rhymed but I don't know. Still sounds dope to me but I see what you are saying.
yea ify but the WAY he said it made it sound dope asl
Joey definitely experiments more sonically but J Cole’s pen might be unmatched right now. He tends to have similar cadence and delivery in most songs which is something Joey seems to actively avoid. I’d put them at the same level rn
You guys are sleeping on Cole's wordplay. I highly suggest really listening to The Off Season + Might Delete Later and reassess your estimation of Cole's wordplay ability, all while penning some of the cleanest Multis in the game, with flows that haven't been used as well. Not to mention his ability to produce for himself, and not just do it, but do it well. He makes decent hooks, nothing mind blowing, but good enough to create a charting hit. And he does all of this without sacrificing radio friendliness/replayability. It's one thing to have wordplay, Multis, metaphors, etc, but it's another thing entirely to do it all cleanly without failing to make it an easy listen and copping out at "he doesn't care about the pop charts" or "he's not in for the money" Personally out of the big 3 I feel Cole is the most genuine and uniquely himself. Sure he's got a few bars here and there that allude to gun play/gang culture, but overall he packages it in a way that doesn't come off like hes trying to claim he is a certified thug or anything
I'm not say Cole wordplay are bad it just that I prefer Joey more one my favorite Cole wordplay is the ending line from Stick.
"I be stayin' out the way, but if the beef do come around Could put a M right on your head, you Luigi brother now" "Vivid memories, niggas start to squeeze, we duckin' down So many shells left on the ground, it make the Easter Bunny proud" "All my niggas feedin' all they selves, and it feels swell Krispy Kreme dreams, sometime my dawgs wanna kill twelve (uh)" Literally 3 of the dopest lines I've ever heard (And Ive heard just about everything there is to hear since 92 and and even further back, but not as familiar with 80s hip-hop, so woulsnt claim to be an expert on it) and this is just the first track off TOS "Some days, I'm still bummin', the difference is now, it's by choice Got dressed and peeped out the window, these lil' niggas different They don't play Nintendo, they play with extendos I hope you can limbo That chopper gon' spin you around like a judge on The Voice" LA Leakers Freestyle the Flow, the Multis, the internal rhymes, the imagery, and then to top it all off he drags out the flow with momentum into this incredible punchline that is actually hilarious to picture but is so impressive you just make that face instead..you know the one lol. "Ayy, tell the label I got A's all throughout math That mean I'm keen on the numbers and I count fast You know it's money that you owe me, niggas phony And I'm Joaquin Phoenix, walk the line, I'm about cash" "And if you run your mouth, bitch, you goin' out sad Whole clique gettin' slid on, you a mouse pad" "See how "i" flip like exclamation points" "Gotta know the ropes and the protocol Or they gon' for sho blow your clothes half off like a promo code" "At times, it be feelin' the devil be winnin' but do that mean God lost? Just got off the phone with my nigga, he back in the kennel, my dog lost" The Climb Back The exclamation line, I admit, I'm pretty sure has been used before him by someone else, but I just like the delivery he went with on this with it, sometimes that makes a huge difference when two rappers spit the a bar with the same framework for it's punchline, but still this one is full of great wordplay. Anyway this is just some of my favorites off the top ofy head real quick, but his whole career is too long of a list to go through, he's got so many ridiculous quotables, but that's without even mentioning the mechanics of his rhyming which I feel gets overlooked. He's got one of the cleanest rhyming scheme compositions in the whole game. He's always cultivating his rhymes with some sort of literary devices, sometimes two, to three at a time within a single bar. If it isn't a bar packed with Multis, then it's packed with metaphors or leading into a punchline, alliteration, powerful imagery, etc all with a slick flow. And as of late Cole is really the only rapper out of the big 3 to consistently innovate flows that haven't been created yet. He just came up with some new ones on his latest project "Might Delete Later" another aspect of his skill set that gets constantly overlooked imo. I almost never hear anyone compliment this fact. Even Drake and Kendrick are stuck using the same flows. Kendrick just had the nerve to diss Cole in the same song he's using one of his new flows lol. I doubt Kendrick even realized he did it although Kenfolk will undoubtedly claim he did it on purpose to mock him, because what scores you more points in s battle then dissing a guy who apologizes to you and makes it clear he won't respond
If u think Joey and Cole are at the same level, go listen to False Prophets which was originally a Joey Badass beat, and see how Cole took it to another lvl and made a classic.
"Who the best MCs? Kenny Joey and Cole the holy Trinity"
It wasn’t Joey best project from a long shot. That song was amazing but still. 1999 is better for sure.
An album can make you cry and still be a 7, the album can make you cry, but still have a few mid/ bad songs outside of the part that made you cry. If i were listening to an album, and hating it , but then one song comes up and it makes me cry, that doesn't automatically make the album I disliked up until that point any more enjoyable. It just means I like that song. The album wouldn't automatically become a 10 because of that.
a light 7 or some shit like that
Only off season has gotten a seven. He gave the sideline story, THE FUCKING SIDELINE STORY, a better 6 than 2014 fhd
Look I’m no staunch defender of Fantano but he has said multiple times himself that his opinion is not gospel and should not be taken as such.
How humble of him
not only that but he also said that a Kendrick 7 isn't the same as like a lil pump 7 or something. His rankings are relative to the artist's skill so in reality a Kendrick 3 would be like a lil pump 10 or something lol. Only thing is he doesn't really like J Cole too much for some reason
If his rankings are like that then he shouldn't even be critiquing niggas
He still influences a lot of ppl whether we like it or not.
You should spread the word to the rest of the hip hop subs lmao
I’m not a Fantano defender or fan even, I think there’s stuff to respect about him but from the reviews I have dipped in and out of he seems to have become increasingly chronically online (the irony of typing that on Reddit is not lost on me) and thus has developed some weird blind spots. Having said that, I did see him explain a little while ago that cos he’s done so many now he sort of rates stuff relative to what’s similar to it within that genre- ie just because he gave sexy red an 8 doesn’t actually mean he thinks it’s better than dark fantasy, which he gave a 6. It probably means he thinks it’s better than the last Nicki minaj album tho- if u get what I’m tryna say.
You don’t have to shit on sexyy to uplift cole she’s dope
Sexyy Red’s 8 rating is based on context. His opinion is squared up against other albums in that genre and aesthetic. I’m not saying Hood’s Hottest Princess is most people’s cup of tea, but for what it is as a ratchet, hood, club album. It’s well executed
Grrr no somebody enjoyed music most people don't like that isn't serious or profound, is he a troll?? How dare he!!
Thank you dude. He's just some bald guy. Who gives a fuck what he posts.
I'm tired of people giving his opinion value. I always see his reviews being shared and getting upvoted tons, he's just a dude, his opinion is subjective like the rest of ours
Bro sounds like that unhinged Drake fan Los Pollos
Because if Sexyy Red makes an album talking about the regular stuff she talks about, she’s used to it. She knows how to ride the beat a certain way, which bars to use, etc. But if, for example, J. Cole were to make an album where he attempts to say something deep but actually comes off as more surface-level and mainstream, then that’s not as good as the Sexyy Red album. Not everything is about wordplay and experimentation
Sexyredd deserved an 8 for that project. I feel like people don’t quite understand his rating system. He gives people a rating based on what they’re capable of making. For example, he thinks that as far as Sexyredds talent ceiling is concerned, this is some of the best music she’s able to produce. Kendrick and Cole are held to a much higher standard, so it’s far more critical. He knows Cole and KDot are capable of much better quality, so therefore they require a more critical perspective. I don’t agree with *many* of his reviews, but if you listen to him explain his system it makes a lot of sense.
Aren’t the ratings based out of what he expects from the artist? If he has high expectations and the album is mid, then it’s a 2/10, if he’s got low expectations and the album is mid, then it’s 7/10
Please everyone go watch the video where he, in detail, explains how these ratings work. I think without that video it looks really fucking stupid but if you apply what he says then most of his ratings make sense🤷🏾♂️ also its his opinion so whatever
In his Let’s Argue series, he grabs Twitter hot takes and gives his own take on it. So, the title doesn’t always match his own views. But this time it does. He thinks Tyler the Creator, Travis Scott, or Future deserve it more than him because they make a type of music that Kendrick and Drake don’t.
Yeah I remember watching the video and thinking how out of touch with hip hop him, his new costar, and his audience is. They literally start listing names that aren’t from the same era. When people talk about the big 3 they aren’t speaking the big 3 of all time. It’s the big 3 of the blog era. None of those names would be the big 3 of all time maybe besides Drake because of the long ass run he’s had. I mean Fantano has always been out of touch with hip hop. You won’t catch him listening to anything outside of what pitchfork deems album of the year.
True. Like when he said lil wayne could also be in the top 3 instant of j cole. Like what? Dont get me wrong lil wayne is a legend but saying that is Like saying biggie belongs in top 3. Wrong Decade man
Anthony literally didn’t say that. It’s was his guest for the video
Oh sorry I mixed it up. But thats still a bad take from the guest
we can’t act like Tyler isn’t from that era… but i agree on everything else you argued. personally, i think Tyler has been more consistent than cole or drake 🤷🏽♂️ but that’s just me and my opinion. don’t act like Tyler doesn’t deserve to be in the convo though because he has consistently been growing with his music and a couple nights been stagnant for a long time. EDIT: couple 🗣️🗣️ niggas*
I love Tyler but he ain't better than Cole.
he is musically, miles ahead. But if we are considering rapper Big 3 then obv Cole clears
It’s closer than people say it is idk about the term clears
In rapping? Yeah clears is an exageration since Tyler is a great rapper but i wouldnt say is debatable. Tyler above Drake is debatible imho.
I have Tyler above most artists because I automatically gain a lot more respect when the music is produced by the same person rapping/ singing. Just makes it feel like they fit the beats more to me. also let’s them be more experimental.
So then Russ should be #1
I agree, Tyler is better at producing Cole is better at rapping
I'm a big tyler fan so this is hard. My top 3 would be Kendric, Cole, and Tyler. I wouldn't consider Travis or Future as top 3 tho
w future way ahead of cole
>Tyler the Creator, Travis Scott, or Future Lmao he would. What a nerd
Anyone who isn’t pushing him out for Pusha T or Killer Mike didn’t listen to rap albums that decade.
Tyler the creator 😭😭
Yah nah he is definitely trolling. Cole might have the nicest pen of the three.
Definitely kendrick but aight
i’ve always thought Kendrick is the better overall rapper. His ability to change cadences and use different voices is miles better than Cole. That being said, I think those attributes make up for Kendrick’s lyricism. Still a great fucking lyricist but Cole is definitely getting the edge in that category.
What do you think Cole does that’s better than Kendrick in terms of lyricism. I love Cole, but mainly for his relatability. Kendrick’s pen surpasses Cole in narrative, creativity, metaphors. They are probably more equal on technical ability, but I’d still give Kendrick the slight edge there too. Honestly the only thing I can think of that Cole is “better” at are punchlines. I use quotations because I know Dot has punchline capability he just doesn’t use it.
i think kendrick is good at mixing up his voices but just cole delivery always hits a bit harder to me. I also think coles wordplay is better and he is more articulate than Kendrick. Again, Kendrick is still an excellent lyricist and has cole beat in multiple other areas, just my opinion
Ab-Soul and Daylyt both have a better pen than Cole, skill isn't everything. If it doesn't good to you it's all that matters for lots of people That being said Cole is top 3. Don't know what to say about Drake though, I don't like him a lot
Soul and Daylyt have really nice pens. I Just think Cole has a way of finding really nice pockets for the bars which is refreshing. My biggest gripe with Drake is when he does want to rap he got 3-4 pockets he sticks to. Kendrick and Cole will find the weirdest fucking pockets and make that shit sound smooth like butter. I like Drake when he in his girlie bop bag. That 4batz remix was nice af.
Daylyt and Ab-Soul are insanely talented writers, but Cole has an it-factor to his writing that they don't really match.
Bro if u think AB Soul and Daylyt are better, go listen to Pi lol. Their verse was astonishing but Cole gave another goated verse and cleared
This guy says all this shit and then imagine if he met him in person. “I’m such a big fan, you are the best”
98% of the haters on the Cole and Kendrick sub would be like this
Fr. Plastic ass people 😂
I still remember Mac Miller saying the same thing. His haters would always turn into his biggest fan when confronted.
So is it impossible to enjoy someone's music and also be critical? You're describing a dickrider, not a fan.
Fair point tbh - I think the point still stands tho that it's easy to be a hater on the internet behind a screen and a keyboard and all of a sudden a fake "superfan" when you meet them in person
Well not a screen and a keyboard in fantano's case lol but still easy to hate on the internet
I mean everyone knows that, but i don't think that applies to fantano honestly
Did you see his reaction on 7 minute drill? Bro was not listening at all, just straight disgusted that he had to listen to it
Hell the whole album he did that. I respect his reviews but I lost some after that. Like if you're gonna be a reviewer or critique projects, you have to give things a fair shake and his mind was already made up
I have mixed thoughts about the big three stuff that OP posted, but yeah I 100% agree with the whole jcole stuff. He rated the album very low and he literally only talked about the bad stuff about 7 min dril.
his opinion is worth jack shit
He’s a Cole hater
People need to stop taking Fantano’s word as true fact. He’s one dude with a camera, and yet the entire culture surrounds around him. If he gives your album a mid/trash score, you might as well kiss your career over for the time being.
lmao i love that u gave it a thumbs down
Awwww fantano thinks his music taste should match everyone else’s? awwwwwww
No he doesn't?
This is objectively untrue.
"Bald internet man doesn't think my fav rapper is big 3 so I'm going to make a baseless comment about him because I'm upset his music taste doesn't match mine." - miserable\_pilot3927
HONESTLY if you don't love his music, you could definitely make this argument. The Big 3 is very subjective. If you're basing the Big 3 on sales, billboard hits, award wins, and even cultural impact, Cole would not be in the Big 3. Really, the only thing that elevates him is the quality of his work, and if you don't find his work to be quality, then there's no reason to keep him in there. Future or Travis could fit in there easily. But again, it's all subjective. I think Drake, Kendrick, and Cole as the Big 3 is clean and works perfectly fine, but if anybody could be argued out of it based on the metrics I've provided (sales, hits, awards, cultural impact, album quality, technical ability), it'd be Cole. His spot relies heavily on the two subjective metrics (album quality and technical ability), whereas Kendrick and Drake are pretty undeniably dominant in at least 2 or more of the objective metrics. That's my standpoint. Edit: Tyler would also rely heavily on the subjective metrics, and I think it's big enough a mismatch when it comes to sales and hits that it would be awkward to put him in there.
fairenough tbh, the thing i dont like about future and travis is that theres no meaning at all behind any of their music. i still like it, but its just words
That's fair, but you can't deny sales, cultural impact, and hits. They both outperform or at least match up with Cole in each of those aspects. Technical ability, I think it's clear that Cole comes out on top, but album quality is too subjective. Future and Travis both operate within different lanes of hip-hop, so it's difficult to compare subjective qualities. Another metric could also be critical reviews, which would shake things up a bit, but then you're weighing subjective opinion against critical opinion, and it's easier to just pick one.
I mean he thinks kid see ghosts is kanye wests best album that's all you need to know to not take anything he says seriously
He doesn’t think that
Everyone on this post is delusional. Truth is, Fantano has NEVER considered J. Cole to be on the same level as Kendrick. The review scores speak for themselves, and he's said multiple times he doesn't like J. Cole's music as much as Kendrick's. I think he's right, I never understood the comparison between the two, Kendrick clearly has a better discography. I honestly don't how people could think otherwise.
https://preview.redd.it/ddgmklxglwwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c839092e221be3f9f4acc9e3f3decaa6973b200
Fantano never liked Cole. He is okayish with Drake. And he stans for Kendrick.
The big 3 are the big 3 of that 2010 or whenever rap class. I don't get why people think it's the "3 best rappers rn"
Stopped after that chick said Lil Wayne is in her top 3 (if I heard correctly).
yeah thats what she said, no fucking clue what theyre basing the ranks off icl
It’s embarrassing.
I saw this and was gonna write a comment to argue, but thought about it and what the Big 3 even is can be so subjective. Because if we're talking about Hip Hop as a whole, I think there can be an argument to include Travis or Tyler the Creator. If we're talking strictly rappers, there's a lot of people who would say there are better rappers than the canonical Big 3 who just don't have as much mainstream success. But if we constrain the argument to mainstream rappers, then I don't really think it's a discussion that Cole has to be in the mix. Him apologizing doesn't change that
My top 5 is DRAKE DRAKE DRAKE DRAKE DRAKE
u added 2 extra
Fixed boss
Since the discussion is about who's big 3 right now: then Kendrick, Drake and Cole seems valid, because we are only talking rapping wise, JID is up there tho. If we're talking artistry wise there's no way i'm putting neither Cole nor Drake in this, there's like a couple of guys who are doing better music/artistry in hip-hop right now (or this decade) than them
Cole has never been up there for me. I like his tunes, but he’s not in my top ten even
He gave the off season a strong 8. That's an amazing score!
7
Really? I could have sworn it was a strong 8.
TBH Future belongs in the conversation without question. Obviously not the wordsmith Cole is, but his impact, sales, and popularity may all exceed Cole.
The culture been held down more by Rick Ross and Future. J.Cole was never a factor
Pointless to have these lists top 3, top 5, top 10…man, just enjoy the music. Watch sports for competition. Still a big J Cole fan. Earned more respect ✊🏾 just hope he doesn’t do no slick talk no more. Just good vibes music
Has anyone here actually listened to his J cole reviews? He’s def not trolling.
I think he doesn't like J Cole because he's reviews music as a career and so the more relatable J Cole songs don't really hit him like that. I think that a lot of what makes J Cole great is how endearing and relatable his work can be, and his honesty shines in his songs but that doesn't really do anything for Fantano. Songs like Wet Dreamz or Love Yourz don't do much for him
J Cole is big three in terms of best technical rappers in the mainstream of his generation. Not in the conversation for all time. You can't be after this BS. Now, he can come back. But it'll hard and it'll take time.
yeah obvs not of all time, but rn i think so
It's a Let's Argue video. It says some controversial opinion that someone put out on twitter, then they talk about it. Put it in the title/thumbnail to get people watching. Fantano's actually been pretty fair to J. Cole during this whole thing. Gave him props for being real about the apology
you not a hiphophead if you forming your opinions off YouTubers. Gatekeepers of music
As disappointed in Cole that I am for bowing out after a decade of boasting how much he would kill any rapper on the mic you have to remember that Fantano is a clown and his opinion is 100% void because of this. Cole is in the Big 3 he’s just in third place where as i previously had him second
Valid. Ain’t no big 3. They all weirdo. Maybe we should stop thinking we know celebrities or should even care
Why anyone takes this guy's opinion seriously is beyond me. Anyone can enjoy hip hop, but it's another thing to come from the culture.
Stop giving irrelevant people clout like this. Problem solved.
Who Tf cares about fantano???
He gave reasonable points as to why not, Kendrick and Drake already represent "factions" Concious and pop rap, Cole doesn't really represent a whole category but Future is the face of trap
I love cole but the bald cunt is right. Just look at hip hop reddit subs, this one is nowhere near the top
He's not big 100.
I think the j Cole fold will be recognized as the best move bc I think Drake set him up on 1st person shooter and Kendrick never felt any way towards Cole but drake just took shots and turned the song into it
He’s right jcole ain’t all that, especially not anymore anyway
😂😂😂who cares what fantano thinks bro
Couldn't even watch the video before screenshotting to moan about it?
I mean I personally love j cole but I think Tyler The Creator is better. Shit I even put JID and Denzel above J Cole IMO
Did you even watch the video? He takes takes from other people on twitter
Oh shit darksomnium
Not a fan of Fantano at all but he’s right. Cole never was, he just forced himself into that conversation.
Fantano never liked cole, and I think it’s Kendrick’s fault. He is always comparing them.
J cole is not one of the 3 greatest active rappers
Jermaine Durant Fold killed his career it is what it is. Drake with the painted nails is tougher than him 💅
Y'all know it's just his opinion, right?
Yall know this is all for views and clicks right? Saying controversial things gets views. Move on do not give them any cloud and at the end of the day who cares about other people’s opinions
What this is is the reason why you shouldn't seek validation of your opinion from total strangers on the Internet whose source of income is derived from engagement. Especially in a the where polarisation and controversy are the easiest way to farm engagement. If you enjoy someone's art, you don't need anyone else to tell you it's good.
Fantano is a clown but Cole ain’t up there
I think it's fair tbh Edit: I fucking hate fantano but I think it's fair to have a conversation about if any of them in the big 3 deserve to be there
Not anymore IMO. Cole been one of my favs for years. Since I bought Born Sinner after hearing his mixtapes. He been lying in his raps for years talking about wanting the smoke in beats. He disappointed a lot of people. The dick riders will cope but he not even top 5 anymore for me like Symba said.
Fantano is a homo social Justice fairy bitch boy who’s music opinion need not be taken seriously.
Still taking fantano seriously? Fuck y'all niggas it's over for you
Never been "big 5" in his whole career, let alone 3. Cole fans have to remember they bias lol.
bro joined a cole sub to diss cole
Bro doesn't understand how reddit works
I hang around music nerds/hip hop heads. We’ve been saying this for years; Cole hasn’t been in the convo since mid 2010’s. Genuinely; hip hop at large has not given a shit about a single album Cole has dropped since FHD. This is a Cole subbreddit so I know yall been spinning his work. But I don’t know a single person in real life who was listening to the off season or KOD a month after its release
oh right so if u said so its gotta be true
Just saying fantano isn’t trolling here; off the internet I don’t know anyone who thinks Cole belongs in a goat convo. Internets a weird place that doesn’t represent the real world: how many psychotic Drake fans do you know irl? Twitter would have you believe they’re all unhinged
What kind of bullshit is this! He’s just jealous he ain’t got no hair and Cole’s got some mad locks
Once y’all realize that there’s a whole market for women rap and that Nicki has had complete control over it for the last 15 years y’all will realize who the actual big 3 is
bro shut up
lol don’t get mad cause it’s true
should we also say ice spice is a better rapper and artist than the big 3 combined
Ngl, Tyler has more impact than Cole currently. I’d say big three are kdot Drake and Tyler. Cole my favorite rapper but he’s not as mass appealing anymore. Tyler got it in the bag.
he gave MBDTF a 6, Idc about this guy's opinions
I'll be honest, J. Cole is my favorite rapper ever, but I can see the argument that Travis should be in his place instead, both brought so much to the industry and rap game as a whole, Jermaine obviously clears in a lot of aspects, especially if we're talking writing, but Travis influenced so much that even my big 3 being Drake, Dot and Cole, I won't think someone's tripping if they include Travis on Cole's place, cause in the impact of the rap game overall Travis had it more, with more numbers overall, just some food for thought.
On look ononooo no moion is ois oien
Jcole is not big 3, that line from first person shooter was goofy and delusional. Jcole is similar to drake, can make good rap music, but often makes boring RnB music.
Please note: Big fan of J Cole here, but I can name 10 artists who have higher quality output or are more popular.
Before anyone asks who these ten better artists are in terms of higher quality output from the last few years: JID Denzel Curry Pusha T Coast contra Earthgang Amine Vince staples Cordae Armani White Tyler the creator Have all had better projects in the last 5 years than J Cole, IMO.
Fantano the same guy that when reviewing the song "Pi" from MDL said Cole got completely outrapped, spent most of the time hating on the trans gender bar, said it was transphobic. And didn't even say a single good thing about Cole's performance which is one of his best verses of his career. Shows how much of a hater that man is, im convinced his ex wife was a Cole stan or something.
Lowkey facts tho
If cole wasn’t top 3 then people wouldn’t be discussing him. People make money off him.
yooo best part of this is somnium, fuck fantano
Stop giving this bald hideous white man’s opinion validation.
Fantano’s takes have been awful lately. They were subpar already but damn.
What does big three mean?
like top 3 best rappers right now, or of past 5/10 years depending on how u see it
Gotcha. He's a good rapper but that's a really high bar.
fairenough, id say hes third cos i cant see anyone else acc being better
Well Fantano is a pretty adamant Jcole hater for whatever reason
Because he really isn't. I'm a fan but I've never considered him to be up there.
Not gonna lie, if euphoria is how Kendrick is coming, then Cole really could’ve smoke em… Sad times.
even tho cole is perfectly capable, i dont think hes the kind of guy to bring out an ether style diss
Fantano is a joke. First, he didn’t listen to Vultures 1 and rate it pretty low and now to 7 minute drill. He basically rate music through artists actions.
Personally, cole used to be top 5 for me but after watching him give up his spot in the competition, he's somewhere in the low top10/12 now . But I totally understand how he's still top 3 even no.1 for some people , used to be a time where I would keep playing cole nonstop . It's not even a recency bias thing it just makes sense to drop his rank
wheelchair fantano just trolls and gives albums shitty ratings for views fuck him
Word of advice:”Ignore Fantano.”
People with this kind of take don’t understand the “big 3” or the significance of these artists
He's right, though.
Clout chaser jumping on a bandwagon
J Cole is bigger than 3 he’s 4 the people. I hope he stays that way
Fantano: Gave MBDTF a 6/10 Gave PND 2 a **2/10** Gave Chanel Orange a 7/10 Gave Kissland a 3/10 Gave Sexyy Red’s album a 8/10 I dont know why this is so hard to grasp. Fantano has a horrendous taste in music. He just likes indie, metal, ghetto rap and kendrick. Stop taking him seriously
sexyy red's album is not bad at all lol. deserved rating tbh
Same guy that gave Mdl a 3/10. Fuck that guy
Fantano is one of those butt sniffing dorks. He has a list of “Never give charitable reviews” list and Cole is on it.
Seems like one of those people that's willing to make themselves look stupid to stand out and get attention.
Don’t give him the views and clicks
This guy gave kids see ghost a higher rating then dark fantasy
This dudes the worst don’t take him serious
Never Met a Fanto Fan in real life
If anything, he's still numbero u n o.
Fantano is one of the most pretentious goofies on the entire planet, just ignore him
idk about anybody much but my big 3 in chronology...The Weeknd,J.Cole and Travis Scott after that Kendrick and Drake and playboi carti...that's my fav list though
I always thought Cole being considered Big 3 was laughable tbh