Recently Vibe.com had an NCAA -like bracket on who is the "Best Rapper Alive." After the dust settled, Eminem beat Jay-Z 69% to 31%.
Although I think Slim Shady and Hov should be in the discussion of the "Best Rapper Alive," the last time I checked Rakim, Chuck D , KRS One and Big Daddy Kane are still alive. But unlike some hip hop purists, I am not an Eminem hater.
I think Marshall Mathers is one of most underrated MC's of his time. The thing that separates Em from the rest of the pack is that he is not afraid to open himself emotionally to the masses.
Its one thing to be a great wordsmith or to rhyme with grand bravado, but the ability to raise the curtain and let everyone into your life is not an easy thing to do; for the exception of 2Pac, Em is one of few rappers to do this effectively, (I think this why LL Cool J is hardly mentioned in the "Best Rapper" debates, because even though he is one greatest rappers ever, I think people knows "Ladies Love Cool James", but they still do not know James Todd Smith).
Now do I think Emeniem the best rapper alive, it's hard to say.
I like Mr. Carter (Shawn, sorry Weezy), I think Nas is another rapper who takes a lot of chances lyrically and through they might not be the best rappers alive, you cannot deny the lyrical skills of Common, Q-Tip, Pos and Dave from De la Soul , Andre 3000 (whose word play is vastly underrated) Kanye West, MC Lyte, a pre-breakdown Lauryn Hill, Black Thought from the Roots and underground rappers like MC Asheru.
But check out the brackets below and tell us not just on who is the great rapper alive, but also who should've been on and off the initial list of 64.
--Kevin Lockett
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