What's the most important part of an....
- Thread starter Chicity
- Start date
That's tough. Kinda like asking to pick between the patty or the buns, both pretty trash without the other.
But if I had to choose I'd say flow. I listen to multiple rappers with weak content and dope flows, but I can't think of anybody I listen to with dope content and a terrible flow.
But if I had to choose I'd say flow. I listen to multiple rappers with weak content and dope flows, but I can't think of anybody I listen to with dope content and a terrible flow.
Flow. Easily.
Sadly, the most important thing is the beat he's rapping over. I can give a couple of examples.
When Kool Moe Dee and LL Cool J were going at it, I thought LL had better beats. I bought Kool Moe Dee's Go See The Doctor album and I wasn't feeling his production at all. In contrast, LL's Radio and Bigger and Deffer albums had stellar production so I preferred LL. I met Grandmaster Caz at a Zulu Nation Anniversary party circa 2005/6. We were discussing the LL/Moe Dee battle and Moe Dee was his generation while LL was my generation. He favored Moe Dee and said he thought Moe Dee won the battle. I told him that I thought LL won because he had better production.
Bottom line; the music has to go through your ear to get to your brain before you can analyze the lyrics. If the beat isn't banging, I'm not listening.
Another example is Keith Murray's second album. I was in my homeboy's car listening to the album and the beats were dope, but he was using made up words and wasn't really saying anything. It was really unlistenable, although the beats were dope.
As far as actual MC skills, I like cadence and wordplay. One of my favorite verses is Big's verse on The Benjamins. He said, "Fuck the state pen I fuck hoes at Penn state". It's not just the wordplay, but his cadence.
But out of all the choices listed, it's really a combination, and the beats.
When Kool Moe Dee and LL Cool J were going at it, I thought LL had better beats. I bought Kool Moe Dee's Go See The Doctor album and I wasn't feeling his production at all. In contrast, LL's Radio and Bigger and Deffer albums had stellar production so I preferred LL. I met Grandmaster Caz at a Zulu Nation Anniversary party circa 2005/6. We were discussing the LL/Moe Dee battle and Moe Dee was his generation while LL was my generation. He favored Moe Dee and said he thought Moe Dee won the battle. I told him that I thought LL won because he had better production.
Bottom line; the music has to go through your ear to get to your brain before you can analyze the lyrics. If the beat isn't banging, I'm not listening.
Another example is Keith Murray's second album. I was in my homeboy's car listening to the album and the beats were dope, but he was using made up words and wasn't really saying anything. It was really unlistenable, although the beats were dope.
As far as actual MC skills, I like cadence and wordplay. One of my favorite verses is Big's verse on The Benjamins. He said, "Fuck the state pen I fuck hoes at Penn state". It's not just the wordplay, but his cadence.
But out of all the choices listed, it's really a combination, and the beats.
Playmaker88
G Money is Cash
Lyrics
I hear you Grandmaster 5 but let's say the production is top notch
What's the most important thing that emcee can bring to the table?
Word....Life
Haa..I threw that shit before I walked in tha ROOM
I think real/truthfulness goes wit storytelling and relatability and then flows/cadence, energy and bars go together
Each can be as important/vital or detrimental to tha “dopeness” of a song
Each can be as important/vital or detrimental to tha “dopeness” of a song
Can you expound or should I add lyrics to the poll?
I thought metaphor and bars would cover lyrics but I could be wrong
Playmaker88
G Money is Cash
Content.. you can have metaphors and bars but have shitty content
For now I'm going with story telling
A good story that flows beginning verse to last gets me every time
Having that ability to have whole song work as one pc is super nice to me. Tony Story (Meek Mill) Big Brother (Kanye), Lil Boy Fresh (Juelz).....
I name these three joints in particular because I don't think they crazy nice emcees but they story telling ability was always nice and it keeps me listening
A good story that flows beginning verse to last gets me every time
Having that ability to have whole song work as one pc is super nice to me. Tony Story (Meek Mill) Big Brother (Kanye), Lil Boy Fresh (Juelz).....
I name these three joints in particular because I don't think they crazy nice emcees but they story telling ability was always nice and it keeps me listening
Word....Life
Haa..I threw that shit before I walked in tha ROOM
If I have to pick 1 I guess it’ll have to be bars cuz that can cover everything lol...being able to put words together to make a coherent thought to a beat
