How long until the "best rapper ever" consensus changes?

[Rivers17ncsu]

He got kicked out of the conversation after releasing Encore, Relapse, and Recovery.

I personally liked Relapse and Recovery quite a bit, but definitely nothing compared to his first three albums.

[dell71]

My $0.02...

http://www.virtualsportsdaily.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46288

(gotta fix it up a bit, though, a lot of the text looks funny since the whole server ordeal)

[Yawkey Way]

I think it's a little crazy to throw names like Andre 3000 and Joe Budden and Kendrick Lamar around in a thread like this. Sure the pure hip-hop heads know and respect the talent of these artists, but the overall title "best rapper ever" is a perception that is believed by an entire population. Andre or Budden don't have the mass appeal to an entire nation like Tupac or Biggie did/will. Being the best rapper ever, even if you don't want to hear it, entitles marketability and an overwhelming connection to a large fan base. If you can find a way to market Andre 3000 as the best rapper "EVER" to the majority of music listeners, be my guest.

[NAHSTE]

I think it's a little crazy to throw names like Andre 3000 and Joe Budden and Kendrick Lamar around in a thread like this. Sure the pure hip-hop heads know and respect the talent of these artists, but the overall title "best rapper ever" is a perception that is believed by an entire population. Andre or Budden don't have the mass appeal to an entire nation like Tupac or Biggie did/will. Being the best rapper ever, even if you don't want to hear it, entitles marketability and an overwhelming connection to a large fan base. If you can find a way to market Andre 3000 as the best rapper "EVER" to the majority of music listeners, be my guest.

You make it seem as if he is some underground rapper. Stankonia sold four million copies. Speakerboxx/The Love Below sold 11 million copies. Everyone and their mama has heard Hey Ya. The average music listener knows who he is. Silly to even mention him along with Kendrick and Budden in terms of exposure.

[Houston]

Andre has the exposure, people are just dumb as implied earlier.

[1ke]

But not everyone is dumb, its just that he will never be mentioned as the GOAT. I love him just as much as anyone. Hell Southernplayaistic...... came out when I was 11. I grew up with Outkast. My favorites even to this day. But I cant mention him as the GOAT. Top 5, but not 1.

[Woy]

You can make the argument though because he has an impressive resume with three classic albums. The fact that he rapped beside another great rapper for those albums shouldn't diminish his case.

He's one of my all-time favorites and is in my top 5, but he's not my GOAT. The argument can be made though.

[Houston]

But not everyone is dumb, its just that he will never be mentioned as the GOAT. I love him just as much as anyone. Hell Southernplayaistic...... came out when I was 11. I grew up with Outkast. My favorites even to this day. But I cant mention him as the GOAT. Top 5, but not 1.

We're not saying he will be, just that he has all the tools to be.


I'm not old enough to completely speculate on this, but I'm pretty sure that Outkast circa 2003(Speakerboxxx/The Love Below) had a bigger year then Tupac/Biggie ever had. And that's coming off the wave from the previous album Stankonia, which had "Ms. Jackson" and "So Fresh So Clean" as hits.
People easily forget what Outkast has done. They won album of the year, no other rapper(minus Lauryn Hill..I guess) can say that. Also, even though it was a double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is the best selling rap album of all time.
They had all the exposure you could ever ask for.

Your only possible knock on Andre, is that he's missing a solo album.

Also don't forget that Tupac and Biggie are elevated because of their deaths. If Andre had died in 2003, we'd have a different story on our hands. Especially if Tupac and Biggie hadn't died in the peak of their popularity.

[RosettaStoned]

No those titles will never change. Nor should they. As much as I love Andre, he is not, and more than likely will not get mentioned as the best ever.

Kanye, is a very good musician, with one of the most creative just fucked minds ever, but best rapper ever is not a title for him.

Ems first three albums gave him a very nice start, but every album since, and his producing skills just fucked him.

So no...

That's silly recovery and the bad meets evil album are two of his best albums.

[NAHSTE]

But not everyone is dumb, its just that he will never be mentioned as the GOAT. I love him just as much as anyone. Hell Southernplayaistic...... came out when I was 11. I grew up with Outkast. My favorites even to this day. But I cant mention him as the GOAT. Top 5, but not 1.

That is fine if you don't think he's number 1, it's all subjective, but I found it to be a dubious claim by Yawk that Dre 3k would not get recognized as the GOAT due to lack of exposure. Kendrick Lamar and Joe Budden are virtual unknowns, but OutKast is one of the most popular mainstream rap acts of all time.

[MvP]

Kendrick Lamar and Joe Budden are reality unknowns

Fixed.

[NAHSTE]

Also don't forget that Tupac and Biggie are elevated because of their deaths. If Andre had died in 2003, we'd have a different story on our hands. Especially if Tupac and Biggie hadn't died in the peak of their popularity.

If Andre had died in 2003, I'd have a lot fewer Rich Boi, Lloyd and DJ Unk songs on my iPod. Oh and we'd have never have gotten the best verse of his career (Int'l Players Anthem).

[1ke]

We're not saying he will be, just that he has all the tools to be.


I'm not old enough to completely speculate on this, but I'm pretty sure that Outkast circa 2003(Speakerboxxx/The Love Below) had a bigger year then Tupac/Biggie ever had. And that's coming off the wave from the previous album Stankonia, which had "Ms. Jackson" and "So Fresh So Clean" as hits.
People easily forget what Outkast has done. They won album of the year, no other rapper(minus Lauryn Hill..I guess) can say that. Also, even though it was a double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is the best selling rap album of all time.
They had all the exposure you could ever ask for.

Your only possible knock on Andre, is that he's missing a solo album.

Also don't forget that Tupac and Biggie are elevated because of their deaths. If Andre had died in 2003, we'd have a different story on our hands. Especially if Tupac and Biggie hadn't died in the peak of their popularity.

Oh jesus.... This is bad. Bigger than Me Against the World? No no no.....bigger than All Eyez on Me? And after All Eyez on me the release of the Hit Em Up single. Having heard the Hit Em Up single, it was a must you go out and by the cd. Still the only single CD I have ever bought.

Or Ready 2 Die, and right after that the Junior Mafia album. No, 2 of those 4 albums help changed rap forever. These two had all of the buzz and as big a year as Outkast ever had PRE-internet too.

Their deaths to me are irrelevant. Everyone knew while they were alive what the deal already was.

Again, I love Outkast and Im not trying to hate. And Nashte, youre right about them even being listed with Lamar and Budden. One Ive never heard of and the other got popular cuz of the Madden soundtrack.

[Rivers17ncsu]

the only times people I know who find their music by listening to the radio rather than sites on the net know who Budden is is when they remember Pump It Up lol