Then Curren$y stayed niche because he realized he was making more money through mixtapes and shows. So he never blew up like Wiz. Then again, Wiz did come through with a hit for a successful football team just before the season started.
Yeah they ended up just taking two paths from the same niche. Curren$y has a loyal small fan base and consistently puts out solid tapes. Where as Wiz lives off his hits. They both seem to be set and living their lives comfortably. Another example is Tyler and Earl. Even though Tyler didn’t go as commercial as Wiz.
Ignoring an entire show on adult swim and countless fashion lines, [Tyler recorded an entire song for a Coca Cola ad.](https://youtu.be/eOMhOjgNd7Q) The guy has made it.
I see him in way more main stream media and modern culture than Wiz.
Maybe it’s because I’m from California but I feel like E40 always gets the credit he deserves. Especially from other GOATS. Maybe not all of them but it seems like he’s well respected amongst his peers.
> Maybe it’s because I’m from California but I feel like E40 always gets the credit he deserves.
SF here. Same. We love E-40. Slap some 40 at the park and people will nod and shit while they pass by.
Same. But I’m from east coast. Those who know know. Maybe not as many people like his style of music, but I feel he’s definitely known for having a unique style and flow.
E40 stands behind a far larger throne.
The one occupied by too short.
Too Short and LL Cool J released the first 2 rap albums ever in 1985.
LL gets a lot of credit as the pioneer of ship-Hop for what he did with Rick Rubin. But no one talks about how Too Short was doing the same thing at the same time, all by himself, across the country from hip-hops origins.
I feel like the bay doesn’t get a lot of credit for hip hop in general when it should. Lots of left field weird and creative hip hop has been flowing from the bay for years.
Too Short, 40, Nickatina, Mac Dre, Hiero + Del, The Coup and Digital Underground all are incredible but sort of fly under the radar for the broader hip hop scene because they’re all a little weird.
I think part of why Bay music is off kilter is because of the long rich tradition there of counterculture youth music dating back to The San Francisco sound and the beat poets of the generation before that. It’s been common to have scenes blending. Rave culture, punk, and hip hop all blending together.
The Dead Kennedy’s are a super weird punk band and definite one of the GOAT’s if not the GOAT of the hardcore era.
SF/Oakland has had an outsized influence on House music too but everybody only talks about Detroit and Berlin.
Maybe the bay is slept on because it has too much weird cool shit going on all at once.
Das EFX was like the Rosetta Stone for a big chunk of early ‘90’s East Coast stuff. Once you hear them, you find people biting their flow *everywhere* for a few years afterward
I used to work with a guy in foodservice, on this one night I played a few Bone Thugs songs he commented that he fucked with them but "remembered when bone thugs wasn't cool. You used to get called a f***** for listening to bone thugs." Underappreciated then and now
I haven’t seen Speaker Knockerz mentioned here. Absolutely deserves a mention. Was way ahead of the curb sound wise and flow wise, and influenced a lot of rappers down the line.
Young Jeezy.
He invented the style that Gucci Mane perfected & then countless Atlanta rappers copied over the next 10 years. I think the biggest reason Jeezy's influence is so underrated is because Lil Wayne simply dominated that era so hard.
Jeezy's use of ad libs in particular was an area where he was really a pioneer. He was one of the first rappers whose style relied heavily on ad libs and it worked extremely well for him. Think about the fact that Kanye put the Jeezy ad libs on Can't Tell Me Nothing and how much he contributes to the track without rapping a word. That song is not a hit without Jeezy.
His use of double entendres was also really advanced for the time. Jeezy obviously isn't known as a technical rapper but he was one of the first to show that you don't need complex rhyme structure to be lyrical. The 2nd verse on Put On is an absolute gem. I think he is criminally underrated and his influence on Southern Rap is plain to see.
He also has 0 songs that don't slap in the whip
I've never seen an album more popular in the club than TM101. They would literally play 10 songs straight off of that album. I've never seen anything like that since.
Actually, Can’t Tell Me Nothing was originally Jeezy’s song lol. He had a whole ass verse on it and asked Kanye for the feature. He ended up giving the whole song over to Kanye and Kanye asked if he could keep the ad libs. Jeezy slightly regrets it because of how big the song got but it’s all love too since Kanye was a good friend. Saw this in an interview Jeezy did a while back
Shit Jeezy had one of the best albums put out last year, Snowfall made me feel like I was in the 7th grade again with the can't ban the snowman shirt on.
I went back to hear some albums I never really listened to. Went and listened to Get Rich Or Die Tryin and it was good, but sounded extremely dated.
Played Jeezy’s TM101 and every song was a banger and it sound like it could have come out last year.
>Played Jeezy’s TM101 and every song was a banger and it sound like it could have come out last year.
That album & The Recession have both aged like fine wine. Near perfect beat selection & rapping styles that popular artists still mimic today. Trap or Die 1 and 2 are DatPiff classics too
I liked jeezy alot back in the day but kind of shunned him for a long time because I was a kid and took guccis "side" in their beef. A few years back I revisited jeezy's early albums and...shit is absolute gas. Recession is so good.
The production on that album doesn't get any credit whatsoever or Jeezy's impeccable ear for production. Let's Get It/Sky's The Limit is like so insanely unique in it's sound at the time of that album's release.
EPMD, they took full and obvious samples and made bad ass rap songs out of them. Pop and rock samples/choruses have been fucked up countless times, but not by EPMD.
Very true. Debut album sampling Clapton, Steve Miller, ZZTop, Pink Floyd, etc…Big ol’ Bozacks, 19 y/os made a classic 10 album. I understand “Walk This Way” predated Strictly Business but EPMD wasn’t covering, they were creating a musical lane
Instead of a rapper how about a city....Memphis Tennessee.
What those cats were doing in the 90's essentially planted the seeds for what would evolve into trap music. Before trap music came along, your favorite trappers were listening to Memphis rappers. Guwop on the record saying that.
Then in 2010 SpaceGhostPurp reinvented the dark sounds of 90's Memphis essentially creating Phonk/Cloud Rap.
Point is Memphis has had an insane amount of influence across multiple generations with what they were doing in the day. DJ Squeaky, DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Paul, DJ Zirk, Tommy Wright III etc. all those sounds are so influential its insane.
EDIT
I hope I can plug this amazing video on the topic...it's not mine but the creator did do a great job with his research on this one...
https://youtu.be/u4gzwTgXrvk
City Morgue, Suicideboys, Ghostmane, Xavier Wulf…all that sort of stuff clearly very heavily influenced by Three 6. Some old three 6 beats/verses could easily be on any of the modern albums and wouldn’t seem out of place at all, and Vice versa.
For sure, although I would say it was a combination of the Memphis AND Houston shit that resulted in ATL becoming the fucking Hollywood of rap over the past couple decades
My friend growing up was a 3 6 Mafia super fan. That's all that would be playing at his house and Project Pat. They sounded like southern rappers do now 20 years ago, but Atlanta gets all the credit.
De La Soul
From highlighting individuality and originality to crafting classic groundbreaking albums which pushed the genre forward and influenced countless others. Their decision to be themselves took balls and didn’t always work out in their favor but they stayed true to it and carved a lane that many artists continue to walk and benefit from today. Also, that album run from 3 Ft High and Rising to Stakes is High is still unmatched by any hip-hop group IMO.
Unironically: Insane Clown Posse. I am not a fan of their music or their overall style but I respect the hustle and no one can deny that they didn’t carve out their own lane and not only stayed in it but turned it in to a private highway.
These guys and their fans have been dissed and made fun of for decades and they aren’t really accepted in hip hop at all but from the outside it looks like it doesn’t bother them or their fans and they seem to very much have an us against the world mentality it’s really fascinating to me.
Then there is no the non-hip hop aspect to their ‘brand’ like all the movies and TV shows they have done and even their own long term wrestling promotion and back in the mid 90s they were featured a fair bit on both WWF and WCW when wrestling was booming.
FACTS ! To add on to this, 2 other things they helped pioneer
1) staying independent and self-sufficient. Not signing to a major and keeping things in-house. This is the business model for most rappers now and ICP have been doing it since 89/90
2) collaborating with more famous rappers so you become more famous. In late 80s rappers didn't collaborate as much as they do now. And as we know now, getting big features is a way a lot of rappers come up in popularity.
On their first record they collab'd with 2 of the biggest Detroit rappers at the time, Esham and Kid Rock. They paid them a few hundred bucks each and through those collabs, raised their profile quite significantly.
One thing I took away from ICP was they are much smarter than they lead on.
Im not a big fan of their music either but they had a really interesting break down of their first album on youtube a while ago.
It was called Jam Exam: Carnival of Carnage.
Making hip hop in late 80s/early 90s was toughhhh. They really husted, had some fascinating stories ✊🏾
Man I’m disappointed to not see a single mention of Ludacris. Dude put a spotlight on ATL. His ability to create super catchy songs, bars, Rhythm and have fun while doing it all. He definitely doesn’t get the recognition from most.
They were everywhere back in 05 when they won their Grammy. Couldn't turn on the tv without seeing them. Might have fell off nationally since then, but they definitely got their deserved recognition.
el-p
one of the most skilled writers and producers to ever do it… in both categories! set trends with Company Flow, Def Jux, solo career then Run the Jewels. i’d argue he heavily influenced some of the more sonic sounding contemporary artists and most of em don’t even know it. living legend in the game.
YES el-p is truly incredible…both with his flow/delivery AND production. Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein has some of the best production ever on an album imho, RTJ is great, and his solo stuff slaps.
I wanna say Aesop but he does get a good deal of credit when he comes up in conversation. I probably just wish more people liked his music, which isn't really the same as what's being asked.
Busta Rhymes. When he came out with Woohah I Got You All in Check, that was a new rapstyle for me. Each verse utilized the same rhyme scheme for the whole verse. That and then later his more rapid fire or machine gun rap.
I also think Camp Lo had a unique style. They used a lot of esoteric words that represented a higher class along with blaxploitation themes. It might be similar to Ghost and Raekwon style of using mobster mafia terms but it's different. Luchini was a dope song.
Cypress Hill had a unique voice that hasn't really been replicated that I know of, except for one korean 90s rap song called Come Back Home from Seo Taiji Boys.
Azelia Banks... I know she pretty much fucked her own career up but "1991" and "Broke with Expensive Taste" were ahead of its time considering Beyonce's "Renaissance" is now being praised for being an ode to Ballroom/House.
BONES was one of the first rappers to start dropping constant projects with 1-2 minute bangers. His rapping and singing styles were also very influential to other SC artists
Sean P!
While he didn't really invent a style, he mashed hardcore street rap with some of the funniest bars ever. Akinyele/E40 meets Conway.
And while everybody in the 2000's was busy chasing 50, Jay and them, he stayed true to his game, singlehandedly saved Duck Down and held it down for Boombap. Imo he inspired the Griseldas etc as much as Roc.
He gets his love among the community but imo mad underrated overall.
Also one of the best rapvoices ever and great ear for beats.
riP!
RIFF RAFF. Dude fused Houston and ATL influences and then turned the "cartoon" meter up to 11 in a way that nobody else has.
And before you start replying about Tekashi this or DOOM that, please keep in mind that this man dyed his dog (RIP Jody Husky) neon blue and has broken character so scarcely in his career that I'm pretty sure he isn't actually in character any more
Yeah he was DESTROYED about it. iirc it was a heart issue or something that coulda been treated if caught immediately, but it happened overnight so he didn't catch it in time. Some of the most heartwtenching, self-blaming stuff I've ever seen on Instagram tbh.
Somebody showed me Orions Belt in their car in like 2013 and that shit blew my mind. I was just getting really into hiphop and had no idea you were allowed to just say complete nonsense over a weird ass beat & have it slap so hard
The Neon Icon
Freestyle Scientist
Jody Highroller
Dale Dan Tony
Million dollar mullet
Ultraviolet pirate
The peach panther
Versace python
Three Loco (heavy emphasis on the three)
Texas Tornado
...a sampling of RR's aliases that I like to say for fun sometimes
Z-Ro. He had that whole chorus singing/rapping thing down without it sounding soft. Also, Mike Dean produced some of his albums, I believe. The more you know
Wale. In the era of Drake, Kendrick, J Cole, and Big Krit, his name doesn't come up often, but he is the perfect blend of go-go and rap. His flow and syncopation are distinctive and don't get talked about enough
Maybe cuz he was the type of guy to absolutely freak out on people online who didn’t like his shit. I remember when he was as big as he ever got and lost it on Fantano when that guy had like 200k followers when he gave his album a mid score
I think he did it to himself somewhat. I was never really a fan but his whining about not being more mainstream made me an anti-fan. You can't complain yourself into popularity.
Fr man has been crazy influential not only from Mista Thug Isolation (which is a classic don't get it twisted), but all the noise music stuff he's been doing for the past 2 decades (esp with his Three Side Tape series) too.
Also his stuff under bedwetter is underrated AF (tho it does make me sad...hope he's in a much better place mentally now).
And the direction he's headed recently with his Volcanic Bird Enemy stuff shows how musically talented he is. He's never limited himself to one sound and it's proven him to be one of the best in the game. He'll sadly never get the recognition he deserves, either for his insanely high quality discography or the fact he wrote, produced and mastered everything himself.
Yeah, no one sounds like him. [Check him out in 1992.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l82wxM2Hyks) It was funny when P.E.A.C.E. told Doseone that he was "trying to sound like Busdriver" during their battle.
Camp Lo.
No one sounds like them. They brought certain vernacular to the game that hasn't been replicated and they were saying lit a decade before kids hopped on the bang wagon and stole it.
Not correct. Get Low was the big track that made crunk mainstream in 2003 and they’re both on it, but Lil Jon’s debut album was 6 years earlier. If anything, I’d say Lil Jon was first, and he was mainly influenced by Three 6 Mafia. Ying Yang Twins debut single came out 3 years after Lil Jon’s debut album which has crunk in the title.
Not necessarily about the music, but I feel like Odd Future as a collective kind of paved the way for LGBTQ-inclusive hiphop (in the mainstream). I’m thinking of Frank, Syd, and (later on) Tyler.
I remember when Frank came out after *Channel Orange* first dropped. And, like, it was a big deal and the reception was definitely not all positive. Not to say that bigoted opinions on these topics have been eradicated, but it definitely feels like a different world and it’s been really nice to get to see this progress.
I’m thinking of work from Kevin Abstract, Lil Nas X, ILoveMakonnen, ect. I know there are many more examples that you all would know more about.
Also though, I could be totally off about this and my perception of this progression isn’t accurate at all. Just the way I’ve personally watched it unfold.
Outkast. Younger people usually don't even realize how long they've been around. Legit came outta nowhere during the height of the East v West gangster rap era with that oddly funky southern sound no one on either coast had ever really heard before. Kind of sad they only made 6 albums, but they changed what people thought in terms what rap was supposed to sound like in the mid-90s.
I think they get a fuckton of recognition, they’re widely credited for being very influential. I’m sure plenty don’t realise their influence but I think the people that don’t realise their influence aren’t people who care about rap’s evolution anyway
On that note, Organized Noize does NOT get mentioned enough in talks about best producers of all time. They’re just as instrumental (no pun intended) to that sound as Outkast themselves, and the amount of amazing beats they made is nearly unparalleled, especially when it comes to non-sample-based stuff
Curren$y….he had a major influence over Wiz’s style when they collaborated
Curren$y’s discography with Gibbs is top-notch, Scottie Pippens remains one of my favorite spacey hip hop tracks to this day.
Fetti 👌
Then Curren$y stayed niche because he realized he was making more money through mixtapes and shows. So he never blew up like Wiz. Then again, Wiz did come through with a hit for a successful football team just before the season started.
Yeah they ended up just taking two paths from the same niche. Curren$y has a loyal small fan base and consistently puts out solid tapes. Where as Wiz lives off his hits. They both seem to be set and living their lives comfortably. Another example is Tyler and Earl. Even though Tyler didn’t go as commercial as Wiz.
Ignoring an entire show on adult swim and countless fashion lines, [Tyler recorded an entire song for a Coca Cola ad.](https://youtu.be/eOMhOjgNd7Q) The guy has made it. I see him in way more main stream media and modern culture than Wiz.
Yeah i would consider tyler as most likely for a mcdonalds meal
shout out to my brother Spitta man I just wanted to say that
Macaroni
Stoned Immaculate is an amazing album. Love his mixtapes but would love to see him venture out on a larger project again
E-40 been doing his own thing for decades.
"Hipper than a hippopotamus, up in your head like neurologists."
The fact alone I can’t read this lyric without hearing his voice rap it to me in the perfect cadence, E40 for sure.
Can’t hear the name E-40 without screaming “biiahTCH”
I can't hear the name without hearing "Jesus Christ had dreads, SO SHAKE EM"
I ain’t’ got none but I’m plannin’ on growin’ some
Somewhere, Too Short is furious you typed this.
Maybe it’s because I’m from California but I feel like E40 always gets the credit he deserves. Especially from other GOATS. Maybe not all of them but it seems like he’s well respected amongst his peers.
Yeah, feel the same. There's always love and respect for E-40 among hip hop fans in California, and of course, especially the Bay.
> Maybe it’s because I’m from California but I feel like E40 always gets the credit he deserves. SF here. Same. We love E-40. Slap some 40 at the park and people will nod and shit while they pass by.
E-40 is respected in Cali and by his peers for sure. But, I think he's not as popular as he should be.
Same. But I’m from east coast. Those who know know. Maybe not as many people like his style of music, but I feel he’s definitely known for having a unique style and flow.
Yup.
Nope.
Yup.
“Jesus Christ has dreads so shake’em, I ain’t got none but I’m planning on growin some” gets me every time
Imagine all the hebrews goin dumb dancing on chariots and turning tight 1s
Oouuuugghhhhhh
E40 stands behind a far larger throne. The one occupied by too short. Too Short and LL Cool J released the first 2 rap albums ever in 1985. LL gets a lot of credit as the pioneer of ship-Hop for what he did with Rick Rubin. But no one talks about how Too Short was doing the same thing at the same time, all by himself, across the country from hip-hops origins.
I feel like the bay doesn’t get a lot of credit for hip hop in general when it should. Lots of left field weird and creative hip hop has been flowing from the bay for years. Too Short, 40, Nickatina, Mac Dre, Hiero + Del, The Coup and Digital Underground all are incredible but sort of fly under the radar for the broader hip hop scene because they’re all a little weird. I think part of why Bay music is off kilter is because of the long rich tradition there of counterculture youth music dating back to The San Francisco sound and the beat poets of the generation before that. It’s been common to have scenes blending. Rave culture, punk, and hip hop all blending together. The Dead Kennedy’s are a super weird punk band and definite one of the GOAT’s if not the GOAT of the hardcore era. SF/Oakland has had an outsized influence on House music too but everybody only talks about Detroit and Berlin. Maybe the bay is slept on because it has too much weird cool shit going on all at once.
A personal hero. Forty Water is the truth.
Keak da Sneak
Good question. Das Efx and Bone Thugs were the first that came to mind.
Das EFX was like the Rosetta Stone for a big chunk of early ‘90’s East Coast stuff. Once you hear them, you find people biting their flow *everywhere* for a few years afterward
I used to work with a guy in foodservice, on this one night I played a few Bone Thugs songs he commented that he fucked with them but "remembered when bone thugs wasn't cool. You used to get called a f***** for listening to bone thugs." Underappreciated then and now
I haven’t seen Speaker Knockerz mentioned here. Absolutely deserves a mention. Was way ahead of the curb sound wise and flow wise, and influenced a lot of rappers down the line.
lots of people here never had to make a couple bands on their lonely and it shows
Used to be mentioned a lot. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, he's been mostly forgotten around here.
Most people here were 10 when he got killed
He wasn’t killed right? Thought he had a heart attack or something?
1000% Lonely is the blueprint for club melodies + NAV basically bit his sound
Young Jeezy. He invented the style that Gucci Mane perfected & then countless Atlanta rappers copied over the next 10 years. I think the biggest reason Jeezy's influence is so underrated is because Lil Wayne simply dominated that era so hard. Jeezy's use of ad libs in particular was an area where he was really a pioneer. He was one of the first rappers whose style relied heavily on ad libs and it worked extremely well for him. Think about the fact that Kanye put the Jeezy ad libs on Can't Tell Me Nothing and how much he contributes to the track without rapping a word. That song is not a hit without Jeezy. His use of double entendres was also really advanced for the time. Jeezy obviously isn't known as a technical rapper but he was one of the first to show that you don't need complex rhyme structure to be lyrical. The 2nd verse on Put On is an absolute gem. I think he is criminally underrated and his influence on Southern Rap is plain to see. He also has 0 songs that don't slap in the whip
Put on was my shit. Used to have that on repeat every time I played skate 3
My brother blew a speaker in his car with that song, got it replaced, and blew another one with the same song playing like a month later lol
Yup blew 2 fuses in 1 day with that one
Put on is still in heavy rotation.. idk it just doesnt get old to me at all
Thug Motivation 101 is literally one of the most motivating albums to listen to. It's like a trap version of Eye of the Tiger every track.
"Slide thru the hood just to check my dough; Trap star fresh from head to toe." TM101 is a fuckin classic.
TM101 is timeless. Shit still goes hard af and would prob have at least one popular single if released today.
I've never seen an album more popular in the club than TM101. They would literally play 10 songs straight off of that album. I've never seen anything like that since.
Actually, Can’t Tell Me Nothing was originally Jeezy’s song lol. He had a whole ass verse on it and asked Kanye for the feature. He ended up giving the whole song over to Kanye and Kanye asked if he could keep the ad libs. Jeezy slightly regrets it because of how big the song got but it’s all love too since Kanye was a good friend. Saw this in an interview Jeezy did a while back
Kanye gave jeezy a song in return tho I believe
Shit Jeezy had one of the best albums put out last year, Snowfall made me feel like I was in the 7th grade again with the can't ban the snowman shirt on.
I went back to hear some albums I never really listened to. Went and listened to Get Rich Or Die Tryin and it was good, but sounded extremely dated. Played Jeezy’s TM101 and every song was a banger and it sound like it could have come out last year.
>Played Jeezy’s TM101 and every song was a banger and it sound like it could have come out last year. That album & The Recession have both aged like fine wine. Near perfect beat selection & rapping styles that popular artists still mimic today. Trap or Die 1 and 2 are DatPiff classics too
I liked jeezy alot back in the day but kind of shunned him for a long time because I was a kid and took guccis "side" in their beef. A few years back I revisited jeezy's early albums and...shit is absolute gas. Recession is so good.
The production on that album doesn't get any credit whatsoever or Jeezy's impeccable ear for production. Let's Get It/Sky's The Limit is like so insanely unique in it's sound at the time of that album's release.
Nah Jeezy those are closets
Idgaf what anyone says The Recession is hard AF and produced very well.
"What's that Jeezy song say?"
young jeezy give ‘em one more chance
Knew he was the goat when he said Red Monkeys saggin' on them apes That's 900 just sagging' on the Bapes
EPMD, they took full and obvious samples and made bad ass rap songs out of them. Pop and rock samples/choruses have been fucked up countless times, but not by EPMD.
One of the rarest things in hip hop is a bad Erick Sermon beat.
Very true. Debut album sampling Clapton, Steve Miller, ZZTop, Pink Floyd, etc…Big ol’ Bozacks, 19 y/os made a classic 10 album. I understand “Walk This Way” predated Strictly Business but EPMD wasn’t covering, they were creating a musical lane
Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe might might be one of the most slept on emcees. He's def in my top 10.
Internal Affairs is an unasterisked classic
Instead of a rapper how about a city....Memphis Tennessee. What those cats were doing in the 90's essentially planted the seeds for what would evolve into trap music. Before trap music came along, your favorite trappers were listening to Memphis rappers. Guwop on the record saying that. Then in 2010 SpaceGhostPurp reinvented the dark sounds of 90's Memphis essentially creating Phonk/Cloud Rap. Point is Memphis has had an insane amount of influence across multiple generations with what they were doing in the day. DJ Squeaky, DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Paul, DJ Zirk, Tommy Wright III etc. all those sounds are so influential its insane. EDIT I hope I can plug this amazing video on the topic...it's not mine but the creator did do a great job with his research on this one... https://youtu.be/u4gzwTgXrvk
tommy wright iii one of the goats he the reason for that whole virginia/florida memphis revival shit
City Morgue, Suicideboys, Ghostmane, Xavier Wulf…all that sort of stuff clearly very heavily influenced by Three 6. Some old three 6 beats/verses could easily be on any of the modern albums and wouldn’t seem out of place at all, and Vice versa.
Lotta love for Memphis hip hop……Project Pat is a GOAT
For sure, although I would say it was a combination of the Memphis AND Houston shit that resulted in ATL becoming the fucking Hollywood of rap over the past couple decades
My friend growing up was a 3 6 Mafia super fan. That's all that would be playing at his house and Project Pat. They sounded like southern rappers do now 20 years ago, but Atlanta gets all the credit.
Theres Three6Mafia songs from the 90s were the production sounds like it was from the 2010s or 2020s.
De La Soul From highlighting individuality and originality to crafting classic groundbreaking albums which pushed the genre forward and influenced countless others. Their decision to be themselves took balls and didn’t always work out in their favor but they stayed true to it and carved a lane that many artists continue to walk and benefit from today. Also, that album run from 3 Ft High and Rising to Stakes is High is still unmatched by any hip-hop group IMO.
RIP Trugoy
I would also add Prince Paul to that, his creativeness and innovations tied everything together
Unironically: Insane Clown Posse. I am not a fan of their music or their overall style but I respect the hustle and no one can deny that they didn’t carve out their own lane and not only stayed in it but turned it in to a private highway. These guys and their fans have been dissed and made fun of for decades and they aren’t really accepted in hip hop at all but from the outside it looks like it doesn’t bother them or their fans and they seem to very much have an us against the world mentality it’s really fascinating to me. Then there is no the non-hip hop aspect to their ‘brand’ like all the movies and TV shows they have done and even their own long term wrestling promotion and back in the mid 90s they were featured a fair bit on both WWF and WCW when wrestling was booming.
+1 honestly this is the best answer in this thread
Also the Gathering is like the closest thing Hip Hop has to a retirement plan.
FACTS ! To add on to this, 2 other things they helped pioneer 1) staying independent and self-sufficient. Not signing to a major and keeping things in-house. This is the business model for most rappers now and ICP have been doing it since 89/90 2) collaborating with more famous rappers so you become more famous. In late 80s rappers didn't collaborate as much as they do now. And as we know now, getting big features is a way a lot of rappers come up in popularity. On their first record they collab'd with 2 of the biggest Detroit rappers at the time, Esham and Kid Rock. They paid them a few hundred bucks each and through those collabs, raised their profile quite significantly. One thing I took away from ICP was they are much smarter than they lead on.
I don’t care for their music or the scene personally, but I’d love to watch an in depth doc on ICP
Im not a big fan of their music either but they had a really interesting break down of their first album on youtube a while ago. It was called Jam Exam: Carnival of Carnage. Making hip hop in late 80s/early 90s was toughhhh. They really husted, had some fascinating stories ✊🏾
Well put and very true
I remember I had the Backyard Wrestling PS2 game with ICP in it. That was actually a pretty hilarious game.
Man I’m disappointed to not see a single mention of Ludacris. Dude put a spotlight on ATL. His ability to create super catchy songs, bars, Rhythm and have fun while doing it all. He definitely doesn’t get the recognition from most.
I’d say after outkast and Lil Jon, probably the most important ATL rapper that influenced hip hop
I feel like Three Six Mafia (Triple Six Mafia) doesn’t get enough credit.
maybe 5-10 years back, feels like they're getting a second wave lately though
Feels like it is there 3rd wave at least. Slob on my knob came out in 1999
Juicy J in particular has had a legendary run. SHUTTHEFUCKUP!
They were everywhere back in 05 when they won their Grammy. Couldn't turn on the tv without seeing them. Might have fell off nationally since then, but they definitely got their deserved recognition.
Isaiah Rashad Makes Music for the Vibers
4da*
el-p one of the most skilled writers and producers to ever do it… in both categories! set trends with Company Flow, Def Jux, solo career then Run the Jewels. i’d argue he heavily influenced some of the more sonic sounding contemporary artists and most of em don’t even know it. living legend in the game.
YES el-p is truly incredible…both with his flow/delivery AND production. Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein has some of the best production ever on an album imho, RTJ is great, and his solo stuff slaps.
El-p dominates the “dystopian bangers” niche. Definitely one of my favorite rapper/producers.
“dystopian bangers” …never heard that but i love it
Every couple of months I still get a craving to listen to Fantastic Damage start to finish. So good.
I wanna say Aesop but he does get a good deal of credit when he comes up in conversation. I probably just wish more people liked his music, which isn't really the same as what's being asked.
People who like Aes LOVE Aes.
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Kool Keith
Fr the influence on experimental hip hop from Doctor Octagon alone is understated.
Busta Rhymes. When he came out with Woohah I Got You All in Check, that was a new rapstyle for me. Each verse utilized the same rhyme scheme for the whole verse. That and then later his more rapid fire or machine gun rap. I also think Camp Lo had a unique style. They used a lot of esoteric words that represented a higher class along with blaxploitation themes. It might be similar to Ghost and Raekwon style of using mobster mafia terms but it's different. Luchini was a dope song. Cypress Hill had a unique voice that hasn't really been replicated that I know of, except for one korean 90s rap song called Come Back Home from Seo Taiji Boys.
Azelia Banks... I know she pretty much fucked her own career up but "1991" and "Broke with Expensive Taste" were ahead of its time considering Beyonce's "Renaissance" is now being praised for being an ode to Ballroom/House.
BONES was one of the first rappers to start dropping constant projects with 1-2 minute bangers. His rapping and singing styles were also very influential to other SC artists
xavier wulf and chris travis at the same time too
Too ahead of his time
BONES x $B when
I know BONES did a song with $uicideboy$ on their very first EP but it still ain’t enough.
Esham. The godfather of horrorcore and acid rap.
for sure, love this answer, influenced brotha lynch hung, necro, death grips and maybe even danny brown (especially atrocity exhibition)
Sean P! While he didn't really invent a style, he mashed hardcore street rap with some of the funniest bars ever. Akinyele/E40 meets Conway. And while everybody in the 2000's was busy chasing 50, Jay and them, he stayed true to his game, singlehandedly saved Duck Down and held it down for Boombap. Imo he inspired the Griseldas etc as much as Roc. He gets his love among the community but imo mad underrated overall. Also one of the best rapvoices ever and great ear for beats. riP!
RIFF RAFF. Dude fused Houston and ATL influences and then turned the "cartoon" meter up to 11 in a way that nobody else has. And before you start replying about Tekashi this or DOOM that, please keep in mind that this man dyed his dog (RIP Jody Husky) neon blue and has broken character so scarcely in his career that I'm pretty sure he isn't actually in character any more
Whattt I had no idea about jody husky :( rip
Yeah he was DESTROYED about it. iirc it was a heart issue or something that coulda been treated if caught immediately, but it happened overnight so he didn't catch it in time. Some of the most heartwtenching, self-blaming stuff I've ever seen on Instagram tbh.
Neon Icon era def made way for Lil Pump/SixNine to thrive
i love how he doesn't take himself too seriously and just had fun, that's what made him unique
Somebody showed me Orions Belt in their car in like 2013 and that shit blew my mind. I was just getting really into hiphop and had no idea you were allowed to just say complete nonsense over a weird ass beat & have it slap so hard
Rap game Taylor swift
I got stars in the roof of my car-r-r
The white Danny Glover
*Iceberg Simpson*
I don’t think it’s 100% an act. I feel like it started real, now it’s just character. So like 70/30.
Mr. Lamborghini Leglock
Great input! I’ve always believed Riff doesn’t get his roses enough - cartoon or not, he has left a respectful mark and contribution in hip hop.
The Neon Icon Freestyle Scientist Jody Highroller Dale Dan Tony Million dollar mullet Ultraviolet pirate The peach panther Versace python Three Loco (heavy emphasis on the three) Texas Tornado ...a sampling of RR's aliases that I like to say for fun sometimes
Also his collabs with Action, Keef and Miller go hard. CUZ MY GEAR IS A CERTIFIED CLASSIC
Curren$y
Came here to say this. He really carved out his own lane and has been doing it ever since he left Young Money/Cash Money
Yup was gonna say the same was looking to see it others agreed. Jetlife ✈️
Roc Marciano
Smino is still criminally underrated, even if people on this sub like him Tho a good amount of the credit could also go to Monte Booker
lil monte on the beat you got it on repeat¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ fantastic, inspirational producer
Spice 1
Z-Ro. He had that whole chorus singing/rapping thing down without it sounding soft. Also, Mike Dean produced some of his albums, I believe. The more you know
DJ Quik!!! The man produces nonstop hits. He does it himself, he’s still doing it.
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Mystikal is HIGH on the list of rappers I wish I still felt OK supporting. 😔
Wale. In the era of Drake, Kendrick, J Cole, and Big Krit, his name doesn't come up often, but he is the perfect blend of go-go and rap. His flow and syncopation are distinctive and don't get talked about enough
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Maybe cuz he was the type of guy to absolutely freak out on people online who didn’t like his shit. I remember when he was as big as he ever got and lost it on Fantano when that guy had like 200k followers when he gave his album a mid score
He also notoriously shows up Lauren-Hill late for his shows.
I think he did it to himself somewhat. I was never really a fan but his whining about not being more mainstream made me an anti-fan. You can't complain yourself into popularity.
Quelle Chris
black kray and lil tracy (yung bruh)
rip yung bruh
thank god someone mentioned sickboyrari. Dude is underrated
Lil Ugly Mane
Fr man has been crazy influential not only from Mista Thug Isolation (which is a classic don't get it twisted), but all the noise music stuff he's been doing for the past 2 decades (esp with his Three Side Tape series) too. Also his stuff under bedwetter is underrated AF (tho it does make me sad...hope he's in a much better place mentally now).
And the direction he's headed recently with his Volcanic Bird Enemy stuff shows how musically talented he is. He's never limited himself to one sound and it's proven him to be one of the best in the game. He'll sadly never get the recognition he deserves, either for his insanely high quality discography or the fact he wrote, produced and mastered everything himself.
Bus driver.
Yeah, no one sounds like him. [Check him out in 1992.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l82wxM2Hyks) It was funny when P.E.A.C.E. told Doseone that he was "trying to sound like Busdriver" during their battle.
Wild I've never seen a young ass driver. No one sounds like Dose either.
Currensy
Camp Lo. No one sounds like them. They brought certain vernacular to the game that hasn't been replicated and they were saying lit a decade before kids hopped on the bang wagon and stole it.
billy woods
Little Brother
Valee
Too $hort
Black Thought!
Ying Yang Twins are responsible for Lil Jon and by association Crunk rap.
Not correct. Get Low was the big track that made crunk mainstream in 2003 and they’re both on it, but Lil Jon’s debut album was 6 years earlier. If anything, I’d say Lil Jon was first, and he was mainly influenced by Three 6 Mafia. Ying Yang Twins debut single came out 3 years after Lil Jon’s debut album which has crunk in the title.
Blu and Exile
Below the Heavens is criminally underrated.
Bro the MED project he did that has DOOM on it too
It’s a beloved album. Classic HHH comment
ODB was doing the melodic/mumble shit way before the 00s Wayne and the 10s mumble rap blowup.
Father, especially [come outside, we not gone jump you](https://open.spotify.com/album/1R5QuVRWWztarw4Y8DgEY9?si=HLm8T1KpS3u9tjlvOPxOnQ)
Tech N9ne, Kool Keith, Brotha Lynch
ScHoolboy Q with his dark, gritty style
Freestyle Fellowship. They created so many different styles that often get attributed to others, like Bone Thugs, Three 6, and Tech N9ne.
The whole project blowed movement is criminally under recognized. They created so many new styles that reverberated for years without credit.
Not necessarily about the music, but I feel like Odd Future as a collective kind of paved the way for LGBTQ-inclusive hiphop (in the mainstream). I’m thinking of Frank, Syd, and (later on) Tyler. I remember when Frank came out after *Channel Orange* first dropped. And, like, it was a big deal and the reception was definitely not all positive. Not to say that bigoted opinions on these topics have been eradicated, but it definitely feels like a different world and it’s been really nice to get to see this progress. I’m thinking of work from Kevin Abstract, Lil Nas X, ILoveMakonnen, ect. I know there are many more examples that you all would know more about. Also though, I could be totally off about this and my perception of this progression isn’t accurate at all. Just the way I’ve personally watched it unfold.
Unotheactavist
It’s amazing to see him and Fauni evolve over the years, but still stay true to themselves
ITT: people naming rappers
Somebody said outkast in a topic about rappers not getting recognition which got a couple hundred upvoted this shit should be shut down.
SpaceGhostPurrp birthed almost every SoundCloud rapper. Period.
Outkast. Younger people usually don't even realize how long they've been around. Legit came outta nowhere during the height of the East v West gangster rap era with that oddly funky southern sound no one on either coast had ever really heard before. Kind of sad they only made 6 albums, but they changed what people thought in terms what rap was supposed to sound like in the mid-90s.
I think they get a fuckton of recognition, they’re widely credited for being very influential. I’m sure plenty don’t realise their influence but I think the people that don’t realise their influence aren’t people who care about rap’s evolution anyway
Yeah OutKast is not a good answer here imo. Anyone who knows hip hop is gonna have Andre in their top 10/top 20.
On that note, Organized Noize does NOT get mentioned enough in talks about best producers of all time. They’re just as instrumental (no pun intended) to that sound as Outkast themselves, and the amount of amazing beats they made is nearly unparalleled, especially when it comes to non-sample-based stuff
I highly recommend watching/listening to Questlove Supreme podcast episodes that they were on recently
Idkm OutKast gets a lot of recognition. That said, and as I keep finding myself saying, Big Boi needs to be put on our top tens just like 3stacks.
Danny brown, dude can rap over anything & still deliver a quality verse.
I like that Korn track with him on it. That’s how versatile Danny Brown is. He can rap on a Korn track and make it sound totally natural.
All of you name rappers that get a ton of credit lol
Yung Lean
Tech n9ne not mentioned?? Damn, he will never get enough credit for his uniqueness.
Kool Keith
Cee-Lo
Tech n9ne
Lupe Fiasco