that's tough. I'd really need to think on that one.



Pharrell killed in on SNL last night.

Was listening to tons of NERD before the show aired.

Here is my top 5

1) Nate Dogg: Yeah, this dude DEFINED west coast rap choruses in the 1990s, and he was EVERYBODY's album, and especially their singles. If Tupac hadn't have died K-Cee and JoJo would have rivaled him but it is what it is and Nate Dogg holds the crown.

2) B-Legit: He actually has several solo records, but you wouldn't know it because all his best shit is rapping alongside e-40. And to be sure, e-40 would NOT be the same without him either. If e-40 hadn't be so damned prolific on his own, I'd dare see that HE'D be on this list. He otherwise fits the description, having initially made a career with feature verses on just about EVERY rapper out there, BUT he also made dozens of solo records which also showcased b-list rappers.. Indeed, this makes e-40 perhaps one of the most unique rappers in history having simultaneously been a big name rapper in his own right and yet perfectly being a b-list accessory rapper. He is a genre unto himself.

3) Big Syke: This dude WAS the Tupac/Deathrow sound. He had the cadence and delivery as well a voice dripping with pure swagger. Dude just sounded like Death Row.

4)Phife Dawg: This dude was always my favorite part of Tribe Called Quest but I doubt he could carry a group. Really, we all know Tip was the heart and soul of Tribe music.

5)Redman: I said it. I LOVE redman. I especially dig the Funk Doc era.. But lets be honest. This dude just didn't take his raps seriously enough to be a solo rapper. He NEEDS a collaboration to really pull it off. Its like he feeds off other rappers.. for example, I DON'T like Method Man, yet, when he combines with Redman they both get better.

By the way, I think we should distinguish between B-List rappers whose legacy is guest appearances in nationally popular groups and those whose career was merely limited to the local scene.

My top 5 locals only?

(1) Scarface: Yeah. This dude is BAD! But really, outside of Houston and LA never caught on. Should. THIS is still perhaps the single best rap song ever released. Cadence. Substance. Delivery. Beats. Samples. What more do we need?

(2) DJ Quik: While Quik did get some national attention, realistically he was more like a traditional B-List supporting rapper who made a career rapping on other peoples' tracks BUT in LA dude is definitely a certified veteran legend.

(3) The Grouch: This dude was the antithesis to Eminem, he was a white rapper that surprised everybody. A Yay Area staple that didn't translate well out of the underground scene. Even in LA folks be like, "Who?"

(4) Silkk the Shocker: I also really loved Silkk, but this dude really didn't get big beyond the New Orleans area, even when No Limit was at its 1999 peak. Still, a solid and very original a rapper, and whose solo releases were actually better than his guest appearances.

(5) Twista: While for a brief window it appeared that Twista might jump on Death Row bandwagon and catch fame, he came a few years too late, especially as The Chronic 2001 essentially destroyed Death Row's attempt at an early 2000s revival. Twista was big in Chi-town though, and the dude had a lot of unique skills and an original persona. I personally was digging it.

Scarface and Quik are both awesome.

Is Kurupt B-list? Cuz that dood is really underrated. What about Masta Killa? Maybe not right?

I guess I'm finding this activity tougher than I'd have thought.

B-List Emcees For me:

Inspectah Deck
Jeru the Damaja !!
Wildchild
Medaphoar
Oh No
Count Bass D
Domo Genesis
Sole
Black Sheep
Black Moon (Both entirely under appreciated rappers)
Has-Lo
E-40

Still not really sure what b-list is in this context but these are all pretty overlooked rappers, for one reason or another. None of them are truly B-list. The true b-list rappers are motherfuckers like Wyclef, Will i Am, Zach De-La Rocha, and all the other wet nap bitches who rap poorly to appeal to the people who can't handle true hip hop.

I mean seriously- Coolio was a massive star for a second. I remember it well. I was a teenager. He was so obviously Not the real deal that it was laughable when he turned up on Yo! Or MTV Jams, in between Nas and Dr. Dre.

So that's what I'm thinking of I guess... But I don't have favorite crappy skim milk bitchass rapper. So I listed rappers that don't ever receive the attention they deserve.

Inspectah Deck is a classic B-list rapper, wow.

^^im glad you mentioned him.

Re: E-40

You know, I really love how ridiculously diverse this guy is, how prolific he is, how gangsta he can be, while also being semi-comedic/alternative in his style. I think he is one of the few rappers who *TRULY* deserve to go down in history as one of the all time greats of the game (alongside Jay-Z, Nas, Dre, and the Wu) because he has been able to stay relevant (and even influential) for three god damn decades, and he has done so more relentlessly than anyone else I named.
So while Furious Five, Treacherous Three, De La Soul, public enemy, NWA, Tupac, Biggie, and the Beasties may be the first to come to most peoples' minds when they think of "Best of All Time," it's really more because they were in the right place at the right time than anything else.

Don't get me wrong- Grandmaster Flash is a legend but he's not a great emcee, or really even an emcee at all. The rest are brilliant, or WERE brilliant for a while, and either burned out, faded away, or died. De La Soul may be an exception, as well as the Beastie Boys, but I am not sure how the Beasties are viewed from within the hip hop community. They were a white boy hardcore band who saw an opportunity and went for it. But as fun as they are, and as relevant as they are to alternative audiences, they're not truly representative of the spirit or sound of hip hop. Just my opinion.

Anyway, E-40 has been a SURVIVOR. And he has been all over the place, working with rappers from every sector of ever tier of the community. He's done backpacker, he's done krunk, he's done hardcore, he's done party, he's done sexy (sort of), he's done gangsta, he's done socially conscious, and he's fucking done it all well, and he has worked for his fans like an over eager Asian accountant working his way up the floors of an office building.

People talk about HOV as though he's this hip hop messiah. Well- yeah, he survived the 90s and ended up being a much more skilled emcee than anyone ever anticipated, but shit, he's only been at it since 95/96! By now, most bands are about that old. Now he's amazing, and I love him, and I get a little teary whenever I hear "Big Brother" because Jay really has been the Mohammed Ali of the post gangsta hip hop era, and the biggest success story by far besides. But if Jay is that revered for kicking out 12 albums and lasting 20 years, then E-40 should be the undisputed heavyweight champion of hip hop- period- end of story. I'm just saying that if we judge one emcee based on the quality and quantity of his work, why don't we do that with E? Because he's released like 30 fucking albums, been in several projects and groups, and he's been at it for more consecutive years than anyone else.

That said..... His voice sometimes irritates me. Sometimes I want to skip through his tracks because the chorus/hook is appallingly stupid, or just plain dull. His cadence is excellent but sometimes he uses that excellent cadence to sound like a proper twat. You can totally tell by his voice that he's a fat ninja with glasses.

Anyway, he's definitely B-list even though he's an A-list talent. I think Talib Kweli is kind of in B-list territory these days, but he's one of the best in the game. Speaking of game, GAME seems to be rather B-list, or viewed as such by many, but I think he's goddamn awesome. Busta Rhymes is rightfully B-list (if you've been a judge on MTV spring break's stupid little game shows, that pretty much makes you fuckin' B-list as fuck.

I've put far too much time and thought into this explanation.
Fucking listen to SMOKE DZA!!

Dude I didn't mean it in a bad way if that's what you're thinking. I LOVE Deck. He just doesn't get enough play anywhere in the "Wu-niverse," and his solo records are too few and far between.

He needs more attention. He's got a wicked, crazy amount of skill. I want to see him utilized more on Wu Tabg albums (highlighted more... More in the spotlight) because I think Wu Tang has FIVE member who are just beyond awesome, and could probably do the work of the entire group by themselves, and they are:
1. Raekwon
2. Ghostface Killah
3. GZA
And 4. Inspectah motherfucking Deck!
With RZA being ... Well, just kinda the George Martin of the group. His production is essential to their sound, but he's also probably the 5th best emcee.

(RZA is a killer emcee, in my opinion. Not sure how you guys feel about that but that's what I think)

nah i agreed with you. he killed them Wu posse cuts. but sadly his debut wasn't on par with Liquid Swords, OB4CL, Ironman, Tical, etc.

RZA did have some crazy verses back in the day. "Diary" from 6 Feet Deep, "4th Chamber", "Nutmeg"..

Oh, shit!

I forgot Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz. TOTALLY b-list, if not c-list/d-list. But damned if they didn't rock my world back in '98 with "Deha Vu: Uptown Baby" :)

Edit: Wow they may be F-list. You can't even find their album on iTunes. That's sad. Jesus.... you can find songs by my ex girlfriend on iTunes. And she's just my ex-girlfriend. A woman who works for a booking agency, and makes music with her band in her free time. Poor Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz. :(

Whoah, seriously? I think Bobby Digital kicks the fucking shit out of Tical. And no, it's probably not on par with "OB4CL" or "Liquid Swords," but those are two of the best hip hop records ever made. They're made my two guys from the same group, both feature RZA, and RZA probably had more to do with the quality of the albums than anyone really knows.

I mean, he's the Godfather. He's the reason Wu Tang sounds like nothing else in the world, except for the shit (Jedi Mind Tricks) that is blatantly trying to rip off Wu Tang Clan.

I'm just trying to be fair, you know? Yeah he's not as good a rapper as the John and Paul of Brooklyn street rap (talking about GZA and Rae); but he's inimitable, and his contributions to hip hop are beyond measure.

Deck is amazing. No doubt. Y'all need to love The Resident Patient if you don't already.

um yeah:


or

oh no man, you didn't understand me. that particular post was about Deck, not RZA. :o

to sum it up, Deck is the greatest "B-list" rapper ever.

RZA is a fucking legend. he's more of a producer than a rapper, but he's had his moments as a rapper as well.

back on a Lil B kick. forgot how much i love this guy.

has Based God dropped any 2014 mixtapes yet?

NERD's In Search Of... do y'all prefer the original UK Neptunes version, or the re-released US live band version?

Honestly, I think I actually like the US version more.