VH1's 50 GREATEST in Hip Hop

[CrimsonTide4]

50.
Sugarhill Gang
49.
Tone Loc
48.
Kool Moe Dee
47.
Arrested Development
46.
Eve
45.
Heavy D. & The Boyz
44.
MC Hammer
43.
Coolio
42.
Kurtis Blow
41.
MC Lyte
40.
Gang Starr
39.
Ja Rule
38.
Biz Markie
37.
The Roots
36.
Master P
35.
Big Daddy Kane
34.
Lil Kim
33.
De La Soul
32.
Cypress Hill
31.
Naughty By Nature
30.
Will Smith / DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince
29.
Nelly
28.
Busta Rhymes
27.
A Tribe Called Quest
26.
Ice Cube
25.
Snoop Dogg
24.
Queen Latifah
23.
DMX
22.
KRS-One / BDP
21.
OutKast
20.
Eric B & Rakim
19.
Nas
18.
Afrika Bambaattaa
17.
Fugees / Lauryn Hill
16.
Ice T
15.
Missy Elliott
14.
P. Diddy
13.
NWA
12.
Wu-Tang Clan
11.
Beastie Boys
10.
Jay-Z
9.
Salt N Pepa
8.
Grandmaster Flash
7.
Dr. Dre
6.
Eminem
5.
LL Cool J
4.
Notorious BIG
3.
Tupac Shakur
2.
Public Enemy
1.
Run-DMC



What do you think? Who needs to be taken off of the list? Was anyone omitted?

[Dionysus]

Ja Rule needs to be taken of the list.

Arrested Development, deserved to be moved up.

P. Diddy needs to be moved down.

[RedefinedDiva]

How in tarnations did Jay-Z beat out Nas? I DEMAND a recount!!

[Dionysus]

How was this rated?

[librasoul22]

This list SUCKS THE FAT ONE.

Ja Rule??????????????????????

NELLY IS HIGHER THAN MC LYTE AND THE SUGARHILL GANG??

Where is Mos Def, Talib Kweli, COMMON for God's sake???

MASTER P. IS ABOVE THE ROOTS????

Ohh the pissivity of it all!!!!!

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Dionysus
How was this rated?

VH1 did it. Let me research and get back @ you.

Obviously VH1 did not watch BROWN SUGAR.


~~~~~~~EDITED~~~~~~~~~

From vh1.com

More than a musical style, hip-hop is a history of American culture, and a testimony by its artists of their life experiences. In 1985, when Run-DMC ordained themselves the “Kings of Rock,” in their lyrics of their hit song of the same name, they probably never imagined that one day they would be recognized as such. As the pioneers of hip-hop music, they convinced the world to dance to poetry with a beatbox. They invited anyone who would listen to “Walk This Way” in “My Adidas,” all the way to the top of VH1’s list of the “50 Greatest Hip-Hop Artists.” And in the words of the great Run-DMC themselves, “It’s like that! And that’s the way it is! Huh!”

Hosted by hip-hop music mogul Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, the two-hour special features provocative interviews with hip-hop music legends Afrika Bambaataa, Chuck D., Grandmaster Flash, MC Hammer and KRS-One. Newer artists interviewed include Snoop Dogg, OutKast, Busta Rhymes, Eve, and Nelly. Each offer a unique perspective that pays homage to their predecessors, speaks to future of the music, and proof that hip-hop music has woven itself into the fabric of American music and culture.

VH1’s “50 Greatest Hip-Hop Artists” serves as a platform for hip-hop music’s superstars of the past, present and future to acknowledge their hip-hop peers.

In our “Greatest” tradition, “50 Greatest Hip-Hop Artists” features archival clips, classic performances and exclusive interviews with the some of the world’s greatest entertainers. It also represents VH1’s recognition of hip-hop music as a significant music form and the integration of the genre into our music programming repertoire.

[treblk]

They should have done a poll on their website.
shoot, as much as I'm on that bad boy, I would have told them who to pick.

They don't even have Ice Cube.

[Gina1201]

Yes, they do. He's number 26.

I'm also mad that T. Kweli wasn't on the list.

@ treblk: Thanks for the PM the other day!

[treblk]

Originally posted by Gina1201
Yes, they do. He's number 26.

I'm also mad that T. Kweli wasn't on the list.

@ treblk: Thanks for the PM the other day!

my eyes must be playing tricks on me, cuz I could have sworn he wasn't there...ok well, they don't have E-40

Gina, your welcome girl.

[Blackwatch]

I just saw this last night, and I must say this was straight booty. I understand that Run-DMC paved the way for rappers to become millionaires, but I think that you have to take it with a grain of salt because they were a product of Rick Ruben's desire to see white kids like rap. While they themselves were true to hip-hop's genesis, what gets them the accolades is that they crossed over, intentionally. Remember they were not the "Kings of Rap" they were the "Kings of Rock" trying desperately to gain a white audience-which didn't feel rap at all until some white (Beastie) boys went platnium- BEFORE RUN-DMC!!!!!! (check your history). I appreciate Run-DMC, but I think the number one hip-hop artist of all time is LL Cool J. He has the longevity, the lyrical skill, the true hip-hop passion, creativity and the commercial success to be given that title. Even though he isn't my favorite hip-hop artist (not enough social commentary for me, personally), I respect him tremendously for longevity, creativity, and versatility.

I wonder what the criterior was for judging this, because A Tribe Called Quest has to be much higher than 27!!!!!! . They had the hip-hop passion, the street credibility, the lyrical skill, the record sales, social thoughfulness, production values, musical innovativeness and creativity that warrants at least top five consideration. I think that the "Low End Theory" album has yet to be matched (With "People's Instinctive travels.." and "Midnite Marauders" a close second and third) with its artistry and innovation. At that time, nothing was out that sounded like Tribe, and no one since has been able to come close. Even Outkast can come with some creativity, but it comes off as too gimick-ish to me sometimes. I think Tribe's contributions are highly underated because they actually brought true artistry to rap. When Tribe came on the scene, it wasn't just about rage against societal ills and/or braggadoccio anymore, now you had to actually channel that rage and package that bragging with true artistry and intelligence, which people are still trying to do today and cannot match. Even today, ARTISTS such as Common, Taleb Kweli, Mos Def, Roots, etc. are doing their thing with artistry and thoughtfulness, but it dosen't resonate like Tribe's stuff did in the mid 1990's as far as wide spread appeal and rotation in mainstream circles. Admittedly, rap was at a different place back then, but Tribe is the reason that was different then. Regardless of what was popular in rap ("The Chronic" was out back then, and the whole 'gangsta rap Minstrel show' thing had taken off), you were going to listen to Tribe's stuff because it was just that good . I can't say that about the true Rap ARTISTS of today.

I am sorry, but the whole Wu-Tang thing I never understood, maybe you have to be from New York or something, but I have never heard anything from them that I thought was remotely relevant. Just my opinion .

Thank God they didn't have those "Hot Boy- Cash Money minstrels" on the coundown. At least the judges had some scrouples!!!

All in all, these count down things are just ratings grabbers and conversation pieces, nothing will ever be official in these countdowns. But I think it's a good debate.
Blackwatch!!!!!!

[CrimsonTide4]

I am not a hip hop head like some of you are but a lot of what made this list look the way it does can be attributed to 2 things:

1. RECORD SALES

&

2. Crossover appeal

[librasoul22]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
I am not a hip hop head like some of you are but a lot of what made this list look the way it does can be attributed to 2 things:

1. RECORD SALES

&

2. Crossover appeal

This is probably so. I want to scream at VH1, THESE TWO ELEMENTS DO NOT A HIP HOP ARTIST MAKE!!!

The only things these two elemets make is a manufactured pop machine. ANYONE can make a popular record. All it takes is hot production (which has little to do with the artists themselves, unless they produce), and a gimmick (which is the repsonsibility of record execs and image consultants).

HIP HOP artists are people who have somethign conscious and meaningful to say. Sure the beats matter, but LYRICS are also important. And IMAGE is minimal.

IMO, the top ten would have to include:

Nas, Biggie, Grandmaster Flash/ Furious Five, Common, Sugarhill Gang, Eric B./Rakim, De La Soul, ATCQ, Salt N Pepa, The Roots.

To me, each of those has made an indelible mark on hip hop, and/or has shown consistency and longevity.

Blackwatch, the only reason I woudl disagree about LL is his content. The man is fluff. Sure he sells, sure he has been around for a minute, but if he didn't look like he did, do you think he would be as successful? I don't know.

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by Blackwatch
I wonder what the criterior was for judging this...

Exactly! And I do not think that the info on the website explains it at all. It's easy to choose many of the names, like Lil' Kim , because the usual VH1 watcher will easily recognize the name. But, I think "greatest" implies people who actually made history and paved the way for other, not simply whose video is in rotation, or what names you have to drop in onder to prove that you are "in the know."

Personally, I would have put NWA higher, and Dr. Dre as a soloist does not belong on the list at all.

Now, as far as my Nasir Ben Olu Dara Jones... thats just a TRAVESTY!

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally posted by straightBOS
Now, as far as my Nasir Ben Olu Dara Jones... thats just a TRAVESTY!

That's what I'm sayin'!

[CodeBlue_R3]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
50.
Sugarhill Gang
49.
Tone Loc
48.
Kool Moe Dee
47.
Arrested Development
46.
Eve
45.
Heavy D. & The Boyz
44.
MC Hammer
43.
Coolio
42.
Kurtis Blow
41.
MC Lyte
40.
Gang Starr
39.
Ja Rule
38.
Biz Markie
37.
The Roots
36.
Master P
35.
Big Daddy Kane
34.
Lil Kim
33.
De La Soul
32.
Cypress Hill
31.
Naughty By Nature
30.
Will Smith / DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince
29.
Nelly
28.
Busta Rhymes
27.
A Tribe Called Quest
26.
Ice Cube
25.
Snoop Dogg
24.
Queen Latifah
23.
DMX
22.
KRS-One / BDP
21.
OutKast
20.
Eric B & Rakim
19.
Nas
18.
Afrika Bambaattaa
17.
Fugees / Lauryn Hill
16.
Ice T
15.
Missy Elliott
14.
P. Diddy
13.
NWA
12.
Wu-Tang Clan
11.
Beastie Boys
10.
Jay-Z
9.
Salt N Pepa
8.
Grandmaster Flash
7.
Dr. Dre
6.
Eminem
5.
LL Cool J
4.
Notorious BIG
3.
Tupac Shakur
2.
Public Enemy
1.
Run-DMC



What do you think? Who needs to be taken off of the list? Was anyone omitted?

Hmmm...I'm too young to remember 1 & 2. Tupac, LL Cool J, Salt and Pepper, Eminem, Queen Latifah, Dr. Dre, Missy Elliot should be in the top 10.