Top 5 MCs Who Should Have Been Superstars

by Kevin on September 18, 2008

I love top 5/10 lists and there is a really dope one by Michael Partis over at RealTalkNY. I won’t post the full thing here, but I’ll give you his list…

Bonus: Little Brother

5. Big L
4. Cormega
3. Jean Grae
2. Canibus
1. AZ

I’d co-sign the list but put Little Brother in the top spot and remove Canibus. Read the criteria for the list at RealTalkNY before you comment. Some stupid people over there are putting Ghostface and Busta on their lists… hello? LOL Who’s on your list though?

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Posted in Around The Net,Lists,Whatchu Think?

TACH

Not sure if they fit on this list… but De La Soul has to be the most underrated group in hip hop, hands down! They’ve been putting it down since the 80′s….
http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

VERY true! Good call
Thomas

Of course I left a wordy response on the site. I don’t disagree with his list. Making up my own list would be the following:

5. Royal Flush – His voice, delivery and flow were on point. He had the production behind him and the “radio” songs for spins; probably came out at the wrong time. Queens was poppin at that time….Noreaga was on top at that point.

4. Sauce Money – One of the few who could hang with Jay on a track during Jay’s early years. I think his lack of “song making ability” stopped him from blowing up; radio songs to get them spins. Plus, his album didn’t live up to the hype. Good street joints, but no variation in his rhymes…can’t rap about “cut a check or su*k a d**k” in every verse. He and Jay had great chemistry together though.

3. O.C.- I use to think he was one of the best out when “Jewelz” dropped. If you don’t have that album please cop it. From the first to last track nothing, but fire. Plus, the production is a who’s who’s of dusty beat makers. Great marriage between the lyrics and tracks. Buckwild and DJ Premier provided some of the best back drops for him.

2. Cormega – Paints vivid pictures of ghetto life, hustling, loyalty, and has a passion that can be felt in his rhymes. Lyrics are nothing complex or too deep, but he has the innate ability to take the same topic and make it fresh.

1. Ali Vegas – Was suppose to be the next ‘Nas’. He has that nasal flow, depth to his lyrics, and had good production behind him. His album Generation Gap was shelved for some unknown reason. Supposedly, he has a deal with a label owned/ran by Lamar Odom his “cousin”. You know “cousin” aka close family friend.
Simba

1. Killer Mike
2. Joe Budden
3. Pastor Troy
4. Ras Kass
5. Z-Ro
trapperjohnmd

Ali Vegas
Canibus
Camp Lo
Cormega
AZ
http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

Damn Thomas, once again you peeked my interest. I’ve heard of all those cats, but never really paid attention to them (with the exception of O.C. who you previously turned me on to). I’m gonna have to take another listen to these guys.
trapperjohnmd

Thomas list is dope
Tommylux

Thomas, I quite agree with your list. I’ve always wondered why Royal Flush didn’t blow more, I think “Ghetto Millionnaire” is one of the most slept-ons of all time, the production on it was bananas and Flush killed it on the mic too. I also co-sign on OC.

I’d stick with the original list concerning AZ. I’ve been listening to a lot of him recently and I still don’t understand why he isn’t up there with Nas, jay etc. maybe some people don’t like the high-pitched voice… the same can actually be said about Big L.

I’ll also throw in a new one: Skillz, cos he showed on “from Where” that he can easily make a classic album, and he can flow over any kind of beat. Don’t forget he’s ghostwritten for may people, which tells me that he has the formula but somehow it doesn’t work for himself

but let’s not forget that becoming a superstar also depends a lot on the way you’re being pushed and promoted by your label, featurings, gossip, etc.. I don’t want to take some shine off of any stars, but some of them certainly just became that famous out of pure circumstance, maybe even coincidence
trapperjohnmd

Honestly, Nas subjects are deeper, but AZ is the better lyrically. He still has a ill flow after all this time
trapperjohnmd

People should also check for Sha Stimuli, he’s in my top 5 out now along with Royce, Phonte, Cormega, and Elzhi
trapperjohnmd

Oh Shit, I forgot Skyzoo, very dope
Mike

Little Brother?? The article says: “There are a lot of underrated rappers who may lack mainstream success or album sales but do tons of shows, have critical acclaim, and have mad fans worldwide. So people and groups like The Roots, Talib, Mos, Common are out.” I think Lil Brother falls in that category plus they are very new although they’ve been around for a while because ever since they’ve come out they’ve been gaining in popularity. They are newer than Joe Budden, Papoose & the Clipse which he put as honorable mentions.

I agree with AZ and Canibus. Ali Vegas did have some bangers years ago. I know its supposed to be mc’s but i added groups also so I would put:

K-Solo (I think he is iller than Redman although I know most everybody would disagree. Both his albums are incredibly dope to me lyrically, style wise and beats by the green eyed bandit)
People Under The Stairs
J-Zone
Boogiemonsters
Ras Kass(I know he’s been around forever and has a huge fanbase but has he ever been huge mainstream)
Thirstin Howl III
Blackalicious
Jeru Da Damaja (Another I think really fits on this list… incredibly dope emcee but never blew up)
The Coup
Rasco (Fresh CALI emcee)
Keith Murray… and finally my favorite who I hope blows up with his new album…
MURS

There are many more who should be superstars but what does that mean?? A Video on MTV? Going Platinum but being broke?? This is a quick list I could think of. peace
Mike

oh yeah i agree about BIG L too… forgot to put him on there. I would argue that he should be number 1. I think AZ’s voice is the issue why he never blew. you can get lost in his flow and it all sounds to same but he is super lyrical
Dyno

I’d have to say
1. Heiroglyphics
2. Chaundon
3. Skillz
4. Chino XL
5. Inspectah Deck
I’ll leave it at that for now hahahaha
BC

Man. Everytime i hear Cormega spit, it breaks my fucking heart, how he hasn’t acomplished more in his MC life i don’t know, as well as Royce, with Mega, i know he has a seed now, and thats his priority, and Royce has been in and out of jail, but god damn, they are two of taletned MC’s i’ve ever peeped.

Intro to the MIC mixtape (Buzzin’ ) still makes me laugh.
http://www.takabeats.wordpress.com tak

yo, we’re talking SUPERSTARS— i’m thinking underground and mainstream dap. i think ya’ll are erroneously sleeping on Big L. dude could tell a story, drop hilarious punchlines, and his flow was immaculate. AND he was about to sign with Roc-A-Fella. think about where jay is now, even with his history of wack signings (AMIL, memph, freeway), and where Big L would be alongside him. the good die young, for real.
Marcha

No love for Masta Ace? THE MOST UNDERATED RAPPER!;
5. Big L
4. Little Brother
3. Jean Grae
2. AZ
1. Masta Ace
trapperjohnmd

Freeway isn’t wack. Buzzin is a classic. Mega has a album dropping this year
http://praverb.blogspot.com Praverb

Big L is one of my favorite emcees…nice list

my list would include:

AZ
Cormega
Roc Marciano
Planet Asia
O.C.
http://www.michaelpartis.blogspot.com Michael Partis

Yo thanks for checkin my list out & for ya feedback. Imma have to think about Ali Vegas; can’t lie it’s been a min since I even thought bout him. I HOPE Skyzoo and Shi Stimuli don’t have 2 be on this list in da future.

On the comments @ Real Talk NY I mention how I’m mad I didn’t give some love to dead prez, they deserve some consideration too.

Good lookin ya’ll. Keep the list goin!!!
http://cantstopfanatics.blogspot.com/ nofrillz

there are some stupid idiots on the original post. how ca you be hip hop & only heard onw jean grae track.

anyway…i’d co sign camp lo, ali vegas & skills
BC

Man. Can’t believe i left out, the greatest ever.

Big Punisher.
Thomas

Big Pun shouldn’t be on any list such as this because he was a superstar before he died.
BC

The same could be said about Big L?
Thomas

Big L was a hood star about to blow. Big Pun had major spins on radio, t.v.; big time adversiment in magazines such as the Source, Vibe, and XXL. Big L didn’t have this.

Pun was a Plantiun artist, Big L was not. The original article is about artist who are nice that never got the shine they deserved. Big L (commerically) was not at the level Pun was when he died.
nofrillz

big l was a superstar….lmfao

pun was a bonafide star. L…i duno where you got that from. thomas is exactly right.
Bmk

One.Be.Lo. period point blank.
http://www.youtube.com/tharealeraq eraq

Yo! The joint where Mega got at Nas, Poetry is one of the illest disses ever period! He took each of Nas’ song titles and dissed him with them.

Check it, I had One Love for niggas, those days are over
Halftime expired, the game is over
It ain’t hard to tell, you pay niggas, not to rob you
Life’s A Bitch and so are you
I Am, a nightmare to Street Dreams
My New York State Of Mind will outshine ya weak team
Take a trip down Memory Lane
Niggas had ya ride in flames
You didn’t represent nigga you cried in pain
If the world is yours nigga why you hide ya chain?
If ya girls is yours, I won’t even go there
My niggas, respected, yours is labeled cowards
If rap is a gun, I Gave You Power
You better watch them niggas, thats close to you
Or I’ma pop them niggas
If you could see the future, whats the outcome nigga
It Was Written, you think you a thug
You rule the world, I’ma take it in blood
You a Suspect Nigga wit a live niggas rap
I’m sendin’ you the Message, ya rhymes are wack
One time for the mind, I’ma make you bow
And I’ll prove who’s the illest, so Hate Me Now

I definitely agree with most of the top 5:

1) Masta Ace (2 classic CDs back to back + part of the juice crew + ill group collabo in EMC)
2) Sticky Fingaz (outshined eminem on his own shit, when he was in his prime! He has that fire, energy, wit, and most importantly grimeness in every verse! There are not too many Sticky 16s I don’t love. Plus the Kirk Jones CD was a classic and one of the most creative CDs ever–Money, The State vs. Kirk Jones, What if I was white?)
3) Cormega (Damn near ever CD is practically flawless, plus the credibility to support the shit that he talks)
4) AZ (Just needs more consistent beats, the singles are generally hot w/ Premo on production (i.e, The Format & The Come-up) check out my remixes of some of his tracks @ http://www.youtube.com/tharealeraq)
5) Inspectah Deck (Outshines nearly everybody he’s done a track with and part of the greatest rap group ever, but still gets minimal respect–his solo albums are solid too)
6) Steele of Smif n Wessen (He is probably one of the most lyrical out of the BCC)
http://www.thewordisbond.com lork

what the hell, no e-rule? this guy was ahead of this time when the listen up lp dropped in 93. best flow on a track i’ve ever ever heard. one of the most underrated.