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)

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

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.

Big Punisher.

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

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!!!

my list would include:

AZ
Cormega
Roc Marciano
Planet Asia
O.C.

Intro to the MIC mixtape (Buzzin’ ) still makes me laugh.

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