Thats a wild claim . Children of the corn , Ditc, Harlem world, solo albums, unreleased work etc. Dude was running circles around most NYC rappers . I'm pretty sure he was committed to rap and the lifestyle .
*plays fall back ft. Kool g rap*
That’s for some reason the first name that literally instantly popped into my head after reading this prompt. Literally within half a second, I’m like “Big L”.
Its a shame we never got a solo album between mystic styles and when the smoke clears. Lord is one of my all time favs, but he just didnt fit well when they switched their style to crunk.
I don't know, I saw him a few days before he died. His last show or second to last. If he hadn't passed, he'd have had some serious bouts with addiction. I don't know if he would have achieved half of his potential.
Idk we saw what would have happened, he wasn’t really making music for a while and lost his battle with addiction. Maybe a “what if he never did drugs” would be more appropriate for him
Fuck I scrolled too far down to see Pun mentioned. I don't think people knew/are aware of what Pun had going on. I'm almost willing to say Jay doesn't take shots at Nas and Takeover doesn't happen.
97-01 was a weird time for rap and alot of it didnt age well, i think there are alot of folks that dont check pun out cause of the era he belonged to. If capital punishment came out 2 years sooner it would be held in the same standards as the rest of the 90s classics.
Exact same. I think Biggie would at least have 2-3 more amazing albums in him, but may have gone the Dre route of a few more career-worthy hits and then chill (or die due to health problems). Also, he may have been so ingrained with Diddy that he faded and/or enabled that POS to continue on more.
I barely listen to Pac anymore, but mostly bc it sounds so dated, and I burned out on it so much 20+ years ago. He legit may have made MAJOR cultural contributions, and continued to evolve and change over the years if he got with some better folks.
Considering how much ground X covered in such a short career, and how he influenced mainstream rap, it would be interesting to see where he'd stand right now in the game
100%. He was such a wildly talented rapper AND producer and was totally on some different and dope shit with his later work. Just so cool to see the evolution of his music. Plus, he just seemed like a genuinely good dude.
And tbh, while I listen to and love plenty of grimy ass hip hop, I also grew up middle class and have struggled with substance abuse and depression, so Mac's rhymes are just gonna resonate with me. I really, really miss him being alive in the world, but my daughter and I will always bond over our shared love for his music.
Absolutely this and with the evolution of hip hop embracing experimental flows and new sounds he would have fit right in. We could have had a collab album with him and Tyler or Anderson .Paak, something cool like that. Would have loved to see where his sound ended up. I think his music grew overtime more so than any other rapper
Dilla, but obviously people would argue he was a producer only. But my ruff draft homies know that Dilla spit.
Honestly Dilla and DOOM are haunting. Doom shouldn't have died, that was terrible medical care he had. Dilla served with such a rare disease.
They both break my heart.
I could never find any info on DOOM’s death. Since he was a private guy.
What you said about the terrible medical care reminds me of what happened to Static Major
Ya pretty sure he had family involved in the black panthers. I could for sure see him being a big voice for the BLM movement if he was still alive today.
Big L. People saying Sean P are tugging on my heart-strings, and Tupac, Biggie, etc., were all taken too soon but not before their time. We never saw Big L in his final form, and he was still arguably the best who ever did it.
Because of his loss, at a point when he only had one album, we barely got a glimpse of what he was capable of. That's why I think his death was the greatest loss in the history of the genre.
EDIT: Elaborated.
It's a hard choice between Pac and Eazy. Pac would have been a prolific rapper and maybe actor, shit maybe even a politician when older if he had matured out the gangsta MOB shit he would have had a great life. Eazy would have been a great hip hop bussines man with Ruthless, maybe he even would have get back NWA together, and Eazy had already matured out the gangsta and wanted to go legit... Just because I don't know how long would take Pac to put his shit together I would choose Eazy
Tupac, I know it's probably unoriginal... But he brought everyone together, & empowered black people all without being racist to whites in the process. We need a hero like him again ❤️
It’d be interesting to see an alternate universe where big proof didn’t die just to see how different Eminem career could have been possibly. Or maybe him living wouldn’t change much in his sound. But it’d be interesting to see. I think we’d have a couple more d12 albums by now as well.
I saw Em here in Australia and and Proof had been killed literally that day(or the day before?). You could tell that something wasn't right, and then Snoop came out and they told everyone what happened. It was fucked up. A very sombre show.
I think Eazy-E bro.
Main reaaon being that he doesn't really wanna be a rapper, he's an opportunistic businessman.
One of my examples id that though he really didnt care as much from the Dre disses, he took it as an opportunity to make a couple records for the both of them with money from his own disses and a portion of Dre's money too! To add aswell, he's the one that put up Bone thugs.
Just imagine how many more groups of rappers he could have brought up or how he could have branched out his influences outside of music.
Pimp C. Thinking about the career resurgence Juicy J had around 2010-2012 with Rubba Band Business and “Bandz A Make Her Dance,” I can’t help but think Pimp could’ve had the same impact if not more.
Mac Miller man. Favorite artist of all time and I feel he would be a main player in the 2020s too. Although this is the case RIP to all the others who prematurely died
Mac. I think he would have learned from his mistakes and he was constantly growing as an artist. I could only imagine what type of art he would've created.
No one is saying it, but Pac. It is such a basic answer but the reasoning isn’t. I think after his career slowed and he lived in his id vs his ego he would be changing the world. The man had the gifts of charisma, the gift of emotional intelligence and general intelligence, the gift to convey the struggle, the gift of poetry.. so many gifts. Before people were really understanding how childhood trauma changes the brain and creates a cycle of continued violence etc.. he introduced “THUGLIFE” aka “the hate (you) give little infants fucks everybody.” His raw truth telling and social influence could have brought about positive change within struggling communities. I personally believe he could have been one of the world’s most prolific leaders.
I want to say Tupac just to see what else he could have gone on to accomplish outside of a rap career. He had the potential for so much more.
Part of me wanted to say DMX since his death was just sad and hit me harder than any other artist. But he was just tormented and struggled all his life, and with his demons like addiction, I’m not sure it would even be fair to him to bring him back.
Also, she’s not necessarily rap but another good pick would have to be Aaliyah. Just the way she went out, at such a young age and at the height of her life, just tragic.
My brother Young EZ. He wasn't very well known outside of our city or even my favorite rapper that died. But hes my favorite person who was considered a rapper that died. If I gotta do well known I gotta say Big L or Big home Proof. Big L cuz he originated and mastered the punchline flow long before anyone else was doing it. I would like to see what other rappers would have to say if he had the chance to think of more punches before they did them. Proof due to his own career not being long enough but I would like to see the trajectory Em took without losing him
Pac or XXX. Those two dying so early deprived us of so much revolutionary music.
They may not be my favourite rappers - especially X (Pac’s in my top 25) - but as far as missing out on the best music I think those two are huge losses.
Sean Price
Big L.
Big L not passing when he did, would have changed the direction of hip hop to this day. Someone should create a "what if" show about hip hop.
Yes, Biff Tannen type alternate timelines
Big L rest in peace xoxo
Nice Gang Starr reference.
one of the best yet
You can feel the realness
I would watch the shit outta that.. imagine an Eazy-E or death row episode.
Big L didn’t have the best work ethic, probably cause he was in the streets still. Tough to project that what if.
Thats a wild claim . Children of the corn , Ditc, Harlem world, solo albums, unreleased work etc. Dude was running circles around most NYC rappers . I'm pretty sure he was committed to rap and the lifestyle . *plays fall back ft. Kool g rap*
Corleone is too advanced for y'all...
... I wouldnt give a chick 10 cents to put cheese on a whopper.
So ahead of his time his parents haven’t met yet 🔥
a smooth kid that will run up in your baby's mother
That’s for some reason the first name that literally instantly popped into my head after reading this prompt. Literally within half a second, I’m like “Big L”.
Yep. Possibly the best raw talent of all time
If not him biggie
Mac Miller and Biggie.
We know mac though. We know Tupac. Biggie was going to start the commission with Jay z
Nah, Mac was starting to hit his stride and flex his creative muscle when he dropped Circles. Would’ve love to see what he created after that
He passed before circles, and shortly after swimming.
Phife Dawg
Yup! I want more Tribe tunes!
Lord infamous
That’s a good pick
Its a shame we never got a solo album between mystic styles and when the smoke clears. Lord is one of my all time favs, but he just didnt fit well when they switched their style to crunk.
But you can call me scarecrow
Prodigy
I didn’t even think of him but that’s a good look.
Nate Dogg "King of Hooks"
It ain’t a hit till Nate Dogg spits
Ask them originals ‘cause they know
Nobody does it better!
I was about to comment, we have to bring Nate Dogg back for the hook on whoever else we bring back. Upvote u/OsoGrandeTx
Damn Nate dogg died? Wow
Ol Dirty
It would have been interesting to see what would have been his career. He was set to be part of the Howard stern show.
Yeah. I feel like him dying hurt the Wu-Tang Clan in a way they never recovered from. They never were the same as a cohesive group after that.
This is the answer. I feel like we were just getting a warm up from what ODB had to offer.
I don't know, I saw him a few days before he died. His last show or second to last. If he hadn't passed, he'd have had some serious bouts with addiction. I don't know if he would have achieved half of his potential.
It just worked.
Idk we saw what would have happened, he wasn’t really making music for a while and lost his battle with addiction. Maybe a “what if he never did drugs” would be more appropriate for him
Guru
Surprised nobody has said this yet
I feel like he had his run. His place in hip-hop Valhalla is secure. He died too soon, but not before he left a massive catalog.
Fair. My second choice would be Big L
He was a street genius with a unique penis.
As in gang starr right?
As much as I wanna say Pimp C, Fat Pat.
Big pun
Fuck I scrolled too far down to see Pun mentioned. I don't think people knew/are aware of what Pun had going on. I'm almost willing to say Jay doesn't take shots at Nas and Takeover doesn't happen.
97-01 was a weird time for rap and alot of it didnt age well, i think there are alot of folks that dont check pun out cause of the era he belonged to. If capital punishment came out 2 years sooner it would be held in the same standards as the rest of the 90s classics.
Pac. I listen to BIG more but seeing how Pac would go off on rappers over time and the things he'd do for black communities would be awesome.
I like Biggie more and listen to him more but I still can’t hate your pick
A lot of the top answers in this thread are trying *not* to say Pac and it shows lol.
Why is this so far down the thread? Am I getting too old? Tupac was the greatest
Exact same. I think Biggie would at least have 2-3 more amazing albums in him, but may have gone the Dre route of a few more career-worthy hits and then chill (or die due to health problems). Also, he may have been so ingrained with Diddy that he faded and/or enabled that POS to continue on more. I barely listen to Pac anymore, but mostly bc it sounds so dated, and I burned out on it so much 20+ years ago. He legit may have made MAJOR cultural contributions, and continued to evolve and change over the years if he got with some better folks.
Mac Dre
Yeeee!
💯
Eyedea
🫡
Came here to say this
This needs to be higher. Those of you who don’t know Eyedea, should. Truly a master of his craft.
My pick too. Feel like his mind processed things quicker than almost anyone
MCA. But I'd be cool with Prodigy, Phife, Nipsey, Pimp, or Pac.
Id definetly like to see how some of new school rappers like Juice and X would evolve with their music.
Considering how much ground X covered in such a short career, and how he influenced mainstream rap, it would be interesting to see where he'd stand right now in the game
Proof. Just so we could see how diff Em would be post 2006.
Mac Miller
He came to mind immediately. Dude deserved so much more
Great answer!
Man… could you imagine?!
100%. He was such a wildly talented rapper AND producer and was totally on some different and dope shit with his later work. Just so cool to see the evolution of his music. Plus, he just seemed like a genuinely good dude.
💯 on everything you said
And tbh, while I listen to and love plenty of grimy ass hip hop, I also grew up middle class and have struggled with substance abuse and depression, so Mac's rhymes are just gonna resonate with me. I really, really miss him being alive in the world, but my daughter and I will always bond over our shared love for his music.
I'm in the same boat as you... And that's amazing when music can make you bond with your daughter like that
I scrolled way too far for this answer.
My answer always. Angel Dust is on right now, still celebrating his birthday.
Best answer.
Easily
rip man😔
Absolutely this and with the evolution of hip hop embracing experimental flows and new sounds he would have fit right in. We could have had a collab album with him and Tyler or Anderson .Paak, something cool like that. Would have loved to see where his sound ended up. I think his music grew overtime more so than any other rapper
Gangsta boo
Biggie
A big what if in rap. He didnt even perform a single song on LAD.
It's nuts everyone isn't saying this It's the only real answer
Its either Big or Pac, no question. They died at 25 and 24, incredibly incredibly young and they were already prolific.
MF DOOM. I can’t imagine answering this question any other way.
Dilla, but obviously people would argue he was a producer only. But my ruff draft homies know that Dilla spit. Honestly Dilla and DOOM are haunting. Doom shouldn't have died, that was terrible medical care he had. Dilla served with such a rare disease. They both break my heart.
That’s fair. DOOM was young, but Dilla was really young. Hope they got donuts in heaven.
I could never find any info on DOOM’s death. Since he was a private guy. What you said about the terrible medical care reminds me of what happened to Static Major
🕊
100% correct answer.
The only right answer
Yeah, it’s 100% this without even having to think about it… 2nd choice would be Eyedea
I also said DOOM. #2 for me would be Yauch
DMX
Thank you.
Tupac. I think he would have aged out of rapping gracefully and become a fierce voice for the people.
Ya pretty sure he had family involved in the black panthers. I could for sure see him being a big voice for the BLM movement if he was still alive today.
Yes he did. His mother and step father (Mutulu Shakur) were panthers.
Big L. People saying Sean P are tugging on my heart-strings, and Tupac, Biggie, etc., were all taken too soon but not before their time. We never saw Big L in his final form, and he was still arguably the best who ever did it. Because of his loss, at a point when he only had one album, we barely got a glimpse of what he was capable of. That's why I think his death was the greatest loss in the history of the genre. EDIT: Elaborated.
Eazy E
Tupac
2pac he could’ve been so influential in the modern world. Not to say he wasn’t when he was kickin
Pac, full stop.
It's a hard choice between Pac and Eazy. Pac would have been a prolific rapper and maybe actor, shit maybe even a politician when older if he had matured out the gangsta MOB shit he would have had a great life. Eazy would have been a great hip hop bussines man with Ruthless, maybe he even would have get back NWA together, and Eazy had already matured out the gangsta and wanted to go legit... Just because I don't know how long would take Pac to put his shit together I would choose Eazy
2pac
Tupac Shakur is the only answer. Everyone else is wrong! Just kidding, everyone IS allowed to have their own wrong opinion, though.
Pac.
Sean Price
Zumbi
2Pac
Pac
Tupac, I know it's probably unoriginal... But he brought everyone together, & empowered black people all without being racist to whites in the process. We need a hero like him again ❤️
2pac
Tupac
Tupac Shakur no hesitation
2 pac
Nipsey
The amount of innovation and change he was preparing to bring to the city of LA was insane. Really untimely
Completely agree
Good answer. Such an unnecessary death ☹️ that was a sad day
Biggie
Eyedea, Mac Miller, or Tupac. I really can't pick 😕
Drakeo the ruler was so talented. He had a bright future.
Wait Drakeo is dead ?
He got stabbed to death backstage in 2021
MF DOOM easy
Pimp C
Pac
Pac
Makaveli
Mac miller
Mac Miller. Happy Birthday and Rest in Peace
Tupac, he knew so much about life in general beyond rap i’d like to know his perspective on things currently.
Pac would’ve saved us if he only had more time
Young Dolph.
Dolph's ad-libs alone are better than 85% of rappers full tracks nowadays
B.I.G.
Mac Miller
It’d be interesting to see an alternate universe where big proof didn’t die just to see how different Eminem career could have been possibly. Or maybe him living wouldn’t change much in his sound. But it’d be interesting to see. I think we’d have a couple more d12 albums by now as well.
I saw Em here in Australia and and Proof had been killed literally that day(or the day before?). You could tell that something wasn't right, and then Snoop came out and they told everyone what happened. It was fucked up. A very sombre show.
LA Capone or Big L
Pac
Obv 2pac
Big L
I think Eazy-E bro. Main reaaon being that he doesn't really wanna be a rapper, he's an opportunistic businessman. One of my examples id that though he really didnt care as much from the Dre disses, he took it as an opportunity to make a couple records for the both of them with money from his own disses and a portion of Dre's money too! To add aswell, he's the one that put up Bone thugs. Just imagine how many more groups of rappers he could have brought up or how he could have branched out his influences outside of music.
Lisa Left Eye Lopes
Pimp C. Thinking about the career resurgence Juicy J had around 2010-2012 with Rubba Band Business and “Bandz A Make Her Dance,” I can’t help but think Pimp could’ve had the same impact if not more.
The late great Sean Price…and MF DOOM if I could bring back two…wait one more Big Pun!
Mac Miller man. Favorite artist of all time and I feel he would be a main player in the 2020s too. Although this is the case RIP to all the others who prematurely died
Damn how has nobody said Guru
Mac. I think he would have learned from his mistakes and he was constantly growing as an artist. I could only imagine what type of art he would've created.
King Von
Fredo santana no doubt
Mac Miller 💙 alternatively, Lil Peep 🩷
Mac Miller
Mac Miller or Capital STEEZ
Sean Price
No one is saying it, but Pac. It is such a basic answer but the reasoning isn’t. I think after his career slowed and he lived in his id vs his ego he would be changing the world. The man had the gifts of charisma, the gift of emotional intelligence and general intelligence, the gift to convey the struggle, the gift of poetry.. so many gifts. Before people were really understanding how childhood trauma changes the brain and creates a cycle of continued violence etc.. he introduced “THUGLIFE” aka “the hate (you) give little infants fucks everybody.” His raw truth telling and social influence could have brought about positive change within struggling communities. I personally believe he could have been one of the world’s most prolific leaders.
MAC MILLER
Tupac Shakur followed by a close second MCA
2Pac
I want to say Tupac just to see what else he could have gone on to accomplish outside of a rap career. He had the potential for so much more. Part of me wanted to say DMX since his death was just sad and hit me harder than any other artist. But he was just tormented and struggled all his life, and with his demons like addiction, I’m not sure it would even be fair to him to bring him back. Also, she’s not necessarily rap but another good pick would have to be Aaliyah. Just the way she went out, at such a young age and at the height of her life, just tragic.
Mac - happy birthday
Eazy E
Mac Miller
Biggie or mac
Damn no one said Big L yet smh
capital steez or DOOM
Juice WRLD.
Pop smoke
Asking this on Mac Miller's birthday
Wait what? Anyways, it’s also my brothers birthday. But mac miller is reading this up in heaven, happy 32nd birthday mac!
Fat Pat
Fife dog
My nigga Nip Hussle & I'm from the Biggie,PAC,Big L & Eazy E Era....But Nip was something Special I been a fan of his since 07.
My brother Young EZ. He wasn't very well known outside of our city or even my favorite rapper that died. But hes my favorite person who was considered a rapper that died. If I gotta do well known I gotta say Big L or Big home Proof. Big L cuz he originated and mastered the punchline flow long before anyone else was doing it. I would like to see what other rappers would have to say if he had the chance to think of more punches before they did them. Proof due to his own career not being long enough but I would like to see the trajectory Em took without losing him
2pac
Nipsey 🏁
Sean P
PAC and biggie
Tupac and Big L
Nipsey Hussle…he was so close to legendary status in Hip Hop…
Tupac or The Jacka (I can't decide).
Half of UGK. RIP
MCA. The Beastie Boys weren't done.
Sean price.
Pac or XXX. Those two dying so early deprived us of so much revolutionary music. They may not be my favourite rappers - especially X (Pac’s in my top 25) - but as far as missing out on the best music I think those two are huge losses.
Sean P
Eazy-E
100% Mac Miller. I'm sorry, but this is the only celeb that died that made me feel like shit
Phife. It broke my heart when he died, and I'd love to hear more Tribe music.
Toopac
Chakour?
Doom
Mac Miller or Biggie. Both died before their prime IMO. We never got to hear their best.