Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

by 9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) 2009-10-01, 6:52 pm

It seems that in order for an album to be a classic, there must be lyrical ability involved.

some feel that Purple Haze/Diplomat Immunitity is a classic, those albums were full of average-below average lyrics (some horrible), but it had flawless production which carried them.

Some consider Master P Ghetto D to be a classic, and P wasnt a lyrical dude.

Eazy E wasnt lyrical, but had one of the best deliveries that hip-hop has ever seen and he managed to make a classic.

Shit, i consider The Recession to be a arguable classic.Jeezy wasnt lyrically great, but his charisma n/h and delivery was on point .

So, is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album without being very lyrical, by just spittin decent lyrics?

i think so, but there arent that many of em

by Clayton Bigsby 2009-10-01, 6:55 pm

9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) wrote:

I think so, but there arent that many of em

off the top of my head

Master P - Ghetto D
Jeezy - TM 101 & The Recession
Project Pat-Mista Don't Play

by ChapterBlack 2009-10-01, 6:58 pm

That depends on tastes. Some people don't weigh lyrical ability as being as important as content or charisma. If the artist has other qualities to make up for the lack of lyrical abilities like you said, then yeah it's possible.

For me though, lyrical ability is an absolute must for a classic album. It's what got me into hip-hop in the first place.

by WhatIsReallyReal? 2009-10-01, 6:59 pm

yes. it is possible.....

i thought Ghetto D was a classic until I listened to it very recently and its got waaaay too many tracks....its his best album, but its not a classic. seems like some people believe that every rapper HAS to have a classic, so they pick what they think is his best and call that album that artist's classic...

Also, if you look at older rap albums, like Beastie Boys albums and DMC's albums....those albums are ranked very highly by various publications and critics and they aren't lyrically excellent by any means...they get credit for being first, or one of the first, not lyrically dope.....

by WhatIsReallyReal? 2009-10-01, 7:00 pm

a song can be well written and not be lyrically flashy....

by Clayton Bigsby 2009-10-01, 7:01 pm

ChapterBlack wrote:That depends on tastes. Some people don't weigh lyrical ability as being as important as content or charisma. If the artist has other qualities to make up for the lack of lyrical abilities like you said, then yeah it's possible.

For me though, lyrical ability is an absolute must for a classic album. It's what got me into hip-hop in the first place.

I value lyrical ability but I think there is more than 1 way to craft a classic. Lyrics don't always have to be the dominant ingredient.

by South-East 2009-10-01, 7:04 pm

(IMO) I think Chamillionaire's Sound of Revenge was a (southern)classic but his album was lyrically up to par.

But yeah, i think albums can be classics without lyricism.

by ChapterBlack 2009-10-01, 7:06 pm

Clayton Bigsby wrote:
ChapterBlack wrote:That depends on tastes. Some people don't weigh lyrical ability as being as important as content or charisma. If the artist has other qualities to make up for the lack of lyrical abilities like you said, then yeah it's possible.

For me though, lyrical ability is an absolute must for a classic album. It's what got me into hip-hop in the first place.

I value lyrical ability but I think there is more than 1 way to craft a classic. Lyrics don't always have to be the dominant ingredient.

I agree, that's why I said for me though, but I can't help it, I'm a lyric-head, flows, wordplay, metaphors, it's what I love about hip-hop the most, the rhetoric....

by 9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) 2009-10-01, 7:07 pm

WhatIsReallyReal? wrote:yes. it is possible.....

i thought Ghetto D was a classic until I listened to it very recently and its got waaaay too many tracks....its his best album, but its not a classic. seems like some people believe that every rapper HAS to have a classic, so they pick what they think is his best and call that album that artist's classic...

Also, if you look at older rap albums, like Beastie Boys albums and DMC's albums....those albums are ranked very highly by various publications and critics and they aren't lyrically excellent by any means...they get credit for being first, or one of the first, not lyrically dope.....

if u look at most critics, they usually dont classify southern albums as universal classics, more like "a southern classic" which i think is stupid.

Whats yo opinion on 400 Degreez by Juvenile?

by WhatIsReallyReal? 2009-10-01, 7:08 pm

9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) wrote:
WhatIsReallyReal? wrote:yes. it is possible.....

i thought Ghetto D was a classic until I listened to it very recently and its got waaaay too many tracks....its his best album, but its not a classic. seems like some people believe that every rapper HAS to have a classic, so they pick what they think is his best and call that album that artist's classic...

Also, if you look at older rap albums, like Beastie Boys albums and DMC's albums....those albums are ranked very highly by various publications and critics and they aren't lyrically excellent by any means...they get credit for being first, or one of the first, not lyrically dope.....

if u look at most critics, they usually dont classify southern albums as universal classics, more like "a southern classic" which i think is stupid.

Whats yo opinion on 400 Degreez by Juvenile?

Honestly, I don't know that album well enough to call it...i should prolly revisit it......

by Clayton Bigsby 2009-10-01, 7:09 pm

9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) wrote:

if u look at most critics, they usually dont classify southern albums as universal classics, more like "a southern classic" which i think is stupid.

That shit has always baffled me too.

It's like they never wanna give the south equal credit so our classic have to have a disclaimer attached.

by 9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) 2009-10-01, 7:14 pm

WhatIsReallyReal? wrote:
9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) wrote:
WhatIsReallyReal? wrote:yes. it is possible.....

i thought Ghetto D was a classic until I listened to it very recently and its got waaaay too many tracks....its his best album, but its not a classic. seems like some people believe that every rapper HAS to have a classic, so they pick what they think is his best and call that album that artist's classic...

Also, if you look at older rap albums, like Beastie Boys albums and DMC's albums....those albums are ranked very highly by various publications and critics and they aren't lyrically excellent by any means...they get credit for being first, or one of the first, not lyrically dope.....

if u look at most critics, they usually dont classify southern albums as universal classics, more like "a southern classic" which i think is stupid.

Whats yo opinion on 400 Degreez by Juvenile?

Honestly, I don't know that album well enough to call it...i should prolly revisit it......

im split of callin 400 Degreez a classic, but it made a big impact and it put the south in a visible position in the mainstream.

by 9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) 2009-10-01, 7:15 pm

Clayton Bigsby wrote:
9th Ave. (Til_Infinity) wrote:

if u look at most critics, they usually dont classify southern albums as universal classics, more like "a southern classic" which i think is stupid.

That shit has always baffled me too.

It's like they never wanna give the south equal credit so our classic have to have a disclaimer attached.

c/s...its either a classic or no classic at all...theres no such thing

by jkpnyc 2009-10-01, 7:31 pm

doggystyle

lmaoo at purple haze being a classic....personal one for me tho

by infamous-wunz 2009-10-01, 7:37 pm

50 cent Get Rich Or Die trying, the lyrical ability was good but it wasnt overwhelming IMO.

by Sickology101 2009-10-01, 8:06 pm

yes it is possible......

by y0ungg_m0ney 2009-10-01, 8:11 pm

big was really never that lyrical

by Giraffe Ribs N Collards 2009-10-01, 10:26 pm

Yeah I believe its possible. The songwriting and production has to be out of this world though.

For instance...

Rob Base and Dj EZ Rock created a classic album that consisted of party and uptempo jams. I wasnt the greatest lyrical performance you'll hear, but it was great at what it was.

Same thing goes for Heavy D and the Boyz with Big Tyme. They were playing a lot of songs from that album well into the early 90s.

by CutThroatBalla 2009-10-01, 10:32 pm

Yes its been done already.

by MyfriendscallmeMrParker 2009-10-01, 10:38 pm

CutThroatBalla wrote:Yes its been done already.

by cHIVe 2009-10-02, 7:32 am

Yes. GRODT, TM101, Diplomatic Immunity are all classics imo and none of them are great lyrically.

by KufiSmacke® 2009-10-02, 7:44 am

infamous-wunz wrote:50 cent Get Rich Or Die trying, the lyrical ability was good but it wasnt overwhelming IMO.

c/s
Surprised it wasn't mentioned earlier, first that came to my mind when I read the title..

by illuminati 2009-10-02, 11:35 am

y0ungg_m0ney wrote:big was really never that lyrical

THE FUCK?

kanye west wasn't exactly a jay-z / nas on late registration/college dropoup, but he was still way better than GRODT / TM material so yeah it is possible

by UK_HIP_HOP 2009-10-02, 12:04 pm

Doggystyle = top 5 album

and snoops lyrics wernt amazing

but, the delivery, cadences and beats were sublime

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Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

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Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?

Re: Is it possible for a rapper to make a classic album, with decent lyrics?