Where Do You Rank Them? (Vol 46) - KRS-One
- Thread starter Goldie
- Start date
Put it like this;
I was 13 in the summer of 86 when The Bridge by MC Shan came out. The Bridge came out in the early summer while South Bronx came out later, like in August.
MC Shan had a few loosies and b-sides floating around and was making a serious run for the K.O.N.Y. title. LL Cool J was in between albums.
Shan's album came out in early 1987. The Bridge Is Over came out around the same time. (I remember being at a school dance on the day of the 1987 dunk contest when the DJ played The Bridge Is Over and the crowd went nuts. I remember it was that day of the dunk contest because that's what we were talking about. It was the day Michael Jordan jumped from the foul line and double pumped the ball)
So Shan's album came out in early 87 and The Bridge Is Over came out in early 87 too. Shan's album was o.k. maybe 3.5-4 mics. It certainly wasn't wack but there were a couple of duds like MC Space and Another One To Get Jealous Of.
If The Bridge Is Over didn't put an end to MC Shan's career, the Criminal Minded album did. Criminal Minded was a 5 mic classic while Shan's album was just o.k.
Boogie Down Productions/KRS One released an album every year from 87-93. He was one of the top MCs when I was in high school. If you were to make a list of the best MCs of his era it would be between KRS, Rakim and LL Cool J. Kane, Kool G Rap, Chuck D and Ice Cube were in the conversation but KRS made a niche for himself by doing the socio-political thing. KRS and Chuck D were at the forefront of the Black Power movement via Hip Hop. Rakim represented the 5% Nation of Islam and LL Cool J's lane was strictly for the ladies.
In terms of todays MC's, its common for people to say its between J Cole, Kendrick and Drake. For the past 5 years it's been those 3 at the top with people like Future, Asap Rocky, Big Sean, etc. in the mix.
Anyway, as it is now, it was the same way back in the late 80s, you had KRS, Rakim and LL Cool J, and then there was everybody else (Kane, Slick Rick, Kool G Rap, Chuck D, Cube, Ice T)
KRS was at the very top for a good 5 years 87-92, the same way, Lil Wayne or 50 Cent were at the top for 5 years. The same way 2Pac and Biggie were at the top for 5 years.
I voted top 10.
I was 13 in the summer of 86 when The Bridge by MC Shan came out. The Bridge came out in the early summer while South Bronx came out later, like in August.
MC Shan had a few loosies and b-sides floating around and was making a serious run for the K.O.N.Y. title. LL Cool J was in between albums.
Shan's album came out in early 1987. The Bridge Is Over came out around the same time. (I remember being at a school dance on the day of the 1987 dunk contest when the DJ played The Bridge Is Over and the crowd went nuts. I remember it was that day of the dunk contest because that's what we were talking about. It was the day Michael Jordan jumped from the foul line and double pumped the ball)
So Shan's album came out in early 87 and The Bridge Is Over came out in early 87 too. Shan's album was o.k. maybe 3.5-4 mics. It certainly wasn't wack but there were a couple of duds like MC Space and Another One To Get Jealous Of.
If The Bridge Is Over didn't put an end to MC Shan's career, the Criminal Minded album did. Criminal Minded was a 5 mic classic while Shan's album was just o.k.
Boogie Down Productions/KRS One released an album every year from 87-93. He was one of the top MCs when I was in high school. If you were to make a list of the best MCs of his era it would be between KRS, Rakim and LL Cool J. Kane, Kool G Rap, Chuck D and Ice Cube were in the conversation but KRS made a niche for himself by doing the socio-political thing. KRS and Chuck D were at the forefront of the Black Power movement via Hip Hop. Rakim represented the 5% Nation of Islam and LL Cool J's lane was strictly for the ladies.
In terms of todays MC's, its common for people to say its between J Cole, Kendrick and Drake. For the past 5 years it's been those 3 at the top with people like Future, Asap Rocky, Big Sean, etc. in the mix.
Anyway, as it is now, it was the same way back in the late 80s, you had KRS, Rakim and LL Cool J, and then there was everybody else (Kane, Slick Rick, Kool G Rap, Chuck D, Cube, Ice T)
KRS was at the very top for a good 5 years 87-92, the same way, Lil Wayne or 50 Cent were at the top for 5 years. The same way 2Pac and Biggie were at the top for 5 years.
I voted top 10.
CeLLar-DooR
OG
I wanna say top 25 but if I actually made a list, he wouldn't be on it
He's a legend for what he's done but I just never got into his music.
This is what I'm talking about, people like Kanye, Lupe and J Cole are being voted into the top 10, while older MCs like KRS are gonna end up forgotten because this website is full of thirty somethings that can't remember the impact Criminal Minded had when it dropped.
I'm not dissing the younger generation, but it is what it is.
It's probably the way you guys feel when the mumble rappers say they never listened to 2Pac.
Do u think it's just KRS tho? Cuz cats like LL and Rakim got mostly top 10 votes.
It might have to do with the fact that LL and Rakim stopped when the game was over. KRS kept going. In 2002 KRS tried to challenge Nelly to a battle. I was 30 years old and I thought KRS was going to chew Nelly up and spit him out. But the teenagers of that generation supported Nelly and made KRS look like an old fool that's out of touch with reality.
Maybe if KRS stopped circa 2000 people would have better memories of him. Because he's been dropping an album every year since he went indie in 1998 and I think a lot of his old fans would rather cherish the oldies rather than listen to his new material.
Having said that, I wouldn't mind listening to a BDP/KRS Greatest Hits double CD of his best songs from 87-97.
LL had billboard hits all the way to 2008 tho fam
Then Cardi B needs to pay homage to KRS -One ...That will solve the generation gap they both from the Bronx the birthplace of The Culture
Yeah well LL's lane was always more commercial than KRS. LL didn't curse, didn't talk about politics and didn't talk about using drugs (he has a few outliers).
If LL really wanted to he could probably make a comeback. I don't think it's possible for KRS to make a comeback.
And that's what separates somebody of LL's caliber from the rest.
I do think people sleep on KRS, but I don't think most feeling he's in the top 25 range is disrespect.
Yeah but KRS was a BEAST! circa 87-88.
Think about it, Run DMC, LL Cool J and MC Shan were all from Queens.
KRS said, "Manhattan keeps on making it/Brooklyn keeps on taking it/Bronx keeps creating it and Queens keeps on faking it"
He also said, "Bronx created Hip Hop/Queens will only get dropped"
Keep in mind, Run DMC were from Queens and their album, Raising Hell had just sold 3X Platinum. LL was in between albums. MC Shan was hot at the time.
Nobody wanted it with KRS. I was expecting Run DMC or LL Cool J to throw their hat in the ring but it didn't happen.
But in context that'll be like some no name nigga dropping 1 hit that's dissing compton and expecting K.Dot to drop a diss. KRS wasn't the KRS we know today, he was unknown. Plus that was a direct diss to shane, wouldn't have made sense for LL to jump in it.
Kendrick was already a star. KRS was unknown before that and like I said that was a shane diss.
He dissed Mr Magic, Malrley Marl, MC Shan, Roxanne Shante and the entire borough of Queens.
When The Bridge Is Over dropped, there was a new sheriff in town.
They were all the same crew tho (juice crew). LL wasn't in the juice crew.