I think I understand this viewpoint. He's seen as kind of a folk hero for the downtrodden, urban, single mother-raised sensitive black American. The gangsta Bob Marley.

If we're talking about widespread cultural influence, Pac is the more relevant artist.
But I don't think anybody honestly believes he was a better rapper than BIG. Better songwriter, certainly. More diverse. But Biggie, insensitive misogynistic oaf that he was, would lay the kid out in a battle.

So in terms of raw, innate talent, its BIG.

No love for the old school huh? ...except for demonrail's post.

Afrika bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force
N.W.A.
Public Enemy
Ice-T
Erik B & Rakim

...damn you dudes are crazy.

They all seem to be into new pop-rap.

KanyefuckingWest over a number of Public Enemy (to name one absentee) albums that totally sweep his entire career off in a matter of seconds. I rest my case.

apples and oranges.
in terms of influence, yeah Public Enemy are a lot more important to the evolution of hip-hop.
when it comes to my own enjoyment, i would take any Kanye album over any artist you guys have mentioned.
i'm 20 years old, grew up in a different era. i do appreciate NWA for example but The Chronic sounds a lot fresher to my ears than Straight Outta Compton, sorry.

i don't expect anyone to agree with my list. even though i doubt most of you guys have given Kanye a proper chance. i fail to see how a De La fan wouldn't find his first two albums great.

Nas, Jay-Z, Wu-Tang, Dr. Dre, Mobb Deep, DMX.. new pop-rap? HAHA k.

ha ok, that explains. Ready to Die has the same vibe as 36 Chambers.. heck, the ONLY guest he accepted on his debut was Method Man due to how much he loved Wu-Tang.

it's funny though, people around my age always call my taste "dusty" but here Biggie is considered "new pop-rap". ;)

if we're being reality here, then R2D only has 2 poppy songs, which also happen to be the best songs on the album.

Can someone recommend me a Tupac album?

tupac took bubble baths and had a nose ring i do not fuck with gays

Me Against the World is his best, followed by All Eyez on Me.

what about Prodigy? apparently he might be a homosexual, still one of the hardest ever.

fucking dudes ain't no thing i'm talking about bubble baths and that fairy shit

lol, fair enough

Thanks

I was under the impression we were supposed to name our own personal top 25. The ones that meant the most to us over the years. That's what I tried to do. I didn't pick "the most influential of all time" or whatever. And I think if you look at my list again you'd see that at least half of it isn't what I'd call "new pop rap" or whatever. But whatever.

Does Mary J. Blige's What's the 411 qualify as "new pop-rap"? It's one of my favourite summer albums, either way.

what's so wrong with a little pop anyway?

i can listen to FutureSex/LoveSounds the whole way through tbh.. MULTIPLE TIMES. are you jealous??

Are there really no Antipop Consortium fans here? I find that surprising.

Me!

Im not versed enough in rap to make too much of a commentary on the genre, ive still never heard a Drake or Lil Wayne song. But my fave APC album is Arrythmia. They can be quite hit and miss at times but when they nail it its gold stuff.