LogFAQs > #948093602

Kastrada posted...

You are acting like lyrics are the end-all-be-all. That's never been the case in hip-hop. I am not not not saying these four are the same at all. Because I know someone will take it this way.

Let's look at Tupac. Lyrically Biggie smokes him. But Pac had better cross over appeal with beats, hooks. His legacy and sales have eclipsed Biggie. The vast majority of people that aren't backpackers or NY heads are going to put Tupac ahead of Biggie in a list.

Now on a much much much lower scale, Drake has far more cross over appeal, sales, influenced the current sound of rap as it is now. J. Cole is a great rapper and has his own thing going but he's always been third in the GOAT of his class.

It's always been:
1. Kendrick
2. Drake
3. J. Cole
4. Big Sean trailing behind comfortably.
The only reason I put Drake and Kendrick as the 1A/1B is because they are both two sides of the same coin.
Lyrics, flows, albums, etc...

In every category you can think of for a rapper, one of those two will do it better than J. Cole. Now if you are talking lyrically, then yes J. Cole destroys Drake no contest. But that's not what the topic is about nor is it what I am talking about. It's about the total package over the past 10 years.

What measure are you using when you pit Drake vs Cole aside from influence and lyricism

To me, J Cole has more meaningful albums but again this goes back to my point the measure is different and I'm not saying you are wrong by saying in todays standards Drake is better but its different than how it used to be.

Ja rule was as big as Drake in his time but how many times do you hear people saying he was a goat? He sold records but because he had so much competition any argument about him being the best would get shut down quickly. He wasn't even that bad of a rapper but he is definitely the equivalent of Drake for his time

Yes influence has always been a goalpost in rap i mean Jay Zs influence is the reason I feel like no matter how much Nas is a better rapper (imo) Jay won the war because of his respect and reach. But take away one crucial element from the equation, the fact that Jay Z is a great rapper himself, it holds no weight

I feel like the fact that Drake is influential is the gleaming factor of why people think he's the best. That's not how it used to be.

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