Is 50 cent the most overrated rapper ever?

The most overrated rapper is without a doubt, unquestionably... 2Pac!

I'm not huge on 2pac, with some exceptions, but I also don't see how one can listen to "Unbelievable" or "One More Chance" by Biggie and not see, plainly, that he's the shite.

Alec

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Biggie was amazing any which way you look at it.

50 Cent is a comedian and a pin-up. Otherwise, he just sucks. In understand his appeal, but as I once described him in a review, he's hte most non-descript major rapper ever.

RUN FROM THE COPS, FUCK DAT, NIGGA IM TOO FAT, I'LL FUCK AROUND AND GET AN ASTHMA ATTACK..

is alright by me.

50 is bad though in a year no one will care about him.

better than tupac and 50, sure.

I love that line!

Two guys that I do enjoy, but are probably the most overrated that come to mind are Kool Keith and MF Doom.

Kool Keith, I sort of realized after a point that I really only liked the original Dr. Octagon album and the Ultramagnetic stuff.

i dunno. sex style and dr. dooom, i feel like i need to take a shower after i listen to those records. has any rapper ever made sex feel so..unappealing as kool keith....maybe nas some of his creepy ass gross stuff like where he digs up graves to make that frankenstein hottie or farts in a girls face in that one mixtape song i heard.

charlie was asking his typical "deep" questions. dangermouse seemed kinda uncomfortable. the best was when charlie was out of material and just read every song title off the back of the CD case, then asked him what those titles "meant to him"

haha yeah i think i got it cornfused with the 13th warrior movie w/antonio banderas.

I see Biggie's a small target here. Not that he needs my defense, but:

Then came the worst date, May 21st
2:19, that's when my momma's water burst
No spouse in the house so she drove herself
to the hospital, to see if she could get a little help
Umbilical cord's wrapped around my neck
I'm seein' my death and I ain't even took my first step
And now I made it out, I'm bringin' mad joy
The doctor looked and said, "He's gonna be a Bad Boy"

Every rapper mentioned in this topic is better than 50 Cent though, I think he could have been going for a lot lot longer if he hadn't completely flooded the market with tens of albums by all his friends on his label, all rapping about exactly the same subject matter.

Apart from of course Young Hot Rod, who is the future!

BIGGIE is here (with Jay-Z, Big Boi, Big L, etc)..........

50 Cent is here (with Pun, Ghost etc)...........

Tupac is here with Juelz Santana and Papoose.

"So instead of makin hoes suck my dick up
I used to do stick-up
Cause hoes is irritatin like the hic-CUPS
Excuse me, flows just grow through me
Like trees to branches
Cliffs to avalanches
It's the praying mantis
Deep like the mind of Farrakhan
A motherfuckin rap phenomenon"

yeah this is one of my favourite moments in rap
loads of the others are biggie related too

some of ghostfaces sex raps are fucking disgusting,they sound like something out of naked lunch
agree about nas though,there was a pretty raspy song on streets disciple i think

Well, yeah, I'd judge him on his entire body of work. Even the stupid song with his daughter.

Battle skills
Body of work
Breath control
Concepts
Flavor
Flow
Freestyle
Industry impact
Live performance
Longevity
Lyrics
Originality
Poetic value
Social impact
Substance
Versatility
Vocabulary
Vocal presence

50 Cent is a superior MC to 2Pac.

Christgau agrees with me on this check the reviews:

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. [Interscope, 1991]
"Keep Ya Head Up" Choice Cuts

Me Against the World [Interscope, 1995]
Tough-guy sentimentality is an old story in American culture, but self-pity this rank is usually reserved for teen romances and tales of brave avant-gardists callously rejected by the mass media. His I-love-Mom rings true because Mom was no saint, and his respect for old G's seems genuine, probably because they told him how smart he was. But whether the metaphor be dead homies or suicide threat, the subtext of his persecution complex is his self-regard. What's doubly galling is that these are essential hip hop themes--as Ice Cube and B.I.G. have made all too vivid, it is persecution that induces young black men to kill each other and themselves. That such themes should rise to the top of the charts with this witless exponent of famous-for-being-famous is why pop fans decry the mass media. C+

Greatest Hits [Death Row/Interscope, 1998]
or anyway, greatest myths ("God Bless the Dead," "Keep ya Head Up") *

AND THEN 50 CENT:

Get Rich or Die Tryin' [Shady/Aftermath/Interscope, 2003]
Gets no cuter as his character unfolds ("What Up Gangsta," "Patiently Waiting") **

Guess Who's Back? [Full Clip, 2003]
Has a mouth on him, which with mix-tape beats he'd better ("U Not Like Me," "Rotten Apple") *

The Massacre [Shady/Aftermath/Interscope, 2005]
He's impossible to love but hard to resist, and though that may not be what he'd prefer, hard to resist will do. All the ugly gangsta lies are here, especially as regards the brutalization of women and the business of death. But they're incidental to the mood of the piece, which is friendly, relaxed, good-humored, and in the groove. As cute as Jay-Z if somewhat less intelligent, 50 throws a party that doesn't quit. I note for the record that Dr. Dre claims production on just two tracks while Eminem takes four, and that "Candy Shop" and "Just a Lil Bit" are both by "Scott Storch for Tuff Jew Productions." A-

Basically rates some 50 mixtape as better than Pac's Greatest Hits. And I agree.

50 is obviously no Biggie Smalls but he has a good voice and charisma.

pac kills everybody in this thread

If you get a chance to hear Dyson speak, take it. The guy is an incredible speaker.

...Dyson, a self-described "intellectual mack,"...

i know lots of white ppl love tupac, ie me - was referring specifically to anglo pieces of shit who are emphatically confused & angered by dudes music while repping for some white devil-approved bullshit mc

never read the 50 book

[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 3 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic before 2 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic before 3 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic before 2 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big)
(Posse's gettin big)
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big and my posse's gettin bigger) --> Mike Diamond
[ Ice Cube ]
Ice Cube in effect and I'm the posse leader
Love my woofer and hate my tweeter
Rap, don't sing, and groupies do flock
Gold rings and things keep the girlies on my jock
[ Kid Dee ]
Posse 2 Kid Dee is cunning
It's all about girls and making cash money
(Crenshaw) Crenshaw is where I chill
Never ever sick but always ill (ill)
[ Sir Jinx ]
Sir Jinx, no debatin
Beats I cut keep the woofers vibratin
3rd to the cut, but that's alright
Cause C.I.A. is on the mic
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big)
(Posse's gettin big)
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big and my posse's gettin bigger)
[ Ice Cube ]
Females on my tip and it ain't funny
(Why?) I don't know, probably cause I got money
Don't want me, just want my riches
Things like that keep stitches on my britches
[ Kid Dee ]
I wear all 501's
Many wear Adidas, but I have none
Filas, I'm coolin, girls are droolin
Rulin all classes cause I am schoolin
[ Sir Jinx ]
Yes boy, and I am with it
Reachin for the crown and I damn sho' get it
Be the king, rap, don't sing
And when I come around here's who I bring
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big and my posse's gettin bigger)
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big)
(Jealous posses on my tip) --> King Adrock
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic before 3 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic before 2 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ Ice Cube ]
(My) posse on the move with fly girls
Fresh Fila gear and my hair in curls
Would get a motel but I'm too cheap
About to let her have it in the backseat
Chick's gettin ill and I assume
This girl won't go to the motel room
Me in the backseat turned up the sound
But my man K-Dee nowhere to be found
[ Kid Dee ]
Skeezer poppin drag and it ain't no joke
If I had to pay attention she'd wind up broke
Talkin quite dirty and that's the clue
Started kissin and huggin on Posse 2 (2)
Headed for the skirt, had to admit it
Willin not illin, she was damn sho' with it
Whispered in my ear, talkin that sex
Hurry up in the back, homeboy, I'm next
[ Sir Jinx ]
Jinx teed off cause my girl's no fun
I'm the only one that's on a dry run
She had a beef, I had a gripe
[ Ice Cube ]
But I heard different, she's not that type
[ Sir Jinx ]
I dissed her and dismissed her, threw her out of the place
Start poppin that trash, threw my hand in her face
Grabbed another girl who loved the posse
Headed to the Fox and the rest's history
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big and my posse's gettin bigger)
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big)
(Jealous posses on my tip)
(Posse's) (posse's) (posse's gettin big)
(Posse's) (posse's) (posse's gettin big)
(Posse's gettin big and my posse's gettin bigger)
[ Ice Cube ]
Posse 1 Ice Cube and I'm the ace
[ Kid Dee ]
Posse 2 roll the deuce, Kid Dee's in the place
[ Sir Jinx ]
Sir Jinx in the back and I'm the trey
[ Ice Cube ]
I talk more crap and down with Dre
[ Kid Dee ]
(The Wreckin' Crew) is with it, hip to get busy
[ Sir Jinx ]
Eazy-E, Ron De Vu keep chasin those skizzies
[ Ice Cube ]
[Names] just make that noise
[ Sir Jinx ]
This rhyme is dedicated to the Vick Boys
[ Ice Cube ]
To all the girls out there wanna get in our face
[ Kid Dee ]
To the Crenshaw cruisers, keep pumpin that bass
[ Sir Jinx ]
And to any rap team, if you wanna be king
[ Ice Cube ]
You must stand in line if you know what I mean
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big and my posse's gettin bigger)
[ all ] My posse
[ all ] My posse
(Posse's gettin big)
(Jealous posses on my tip)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic on di 1 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] Seize di mic before 3 (right)
[ all ] My posse
[ Cube ] On di mic before 2 (right)
Hey yo Dre
Kick in the bass
West Coast style!

YES. I've had this feeling forever but as simple as it is I could never quite articulate it. The feeling you get routinely from most great MCs of lyrics just pouring out of them(not talking passion, more like purpose) is relatively rare with him, especially on Life After Death. You can't fuck with several moments of perfection but the G.O.A.T. accolades blindsided me the first time I heard them and I'm still kind of baffled. Pac is miles ahead at any rate.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/thefed/v2/archives/18/18.2/images/birdo.jpg

as much as i do like biggie...this is a good point.

His sense of humor and charisma lent a certain warmth to proceedings though.

pac had a great, natural voice. tho i'm not as much a fan of his.

It's kind of interesting, there's no in between he's either hot or cold.

How do you guys think they compare beat-wise? I think Pac's beats are pretty awful even intolerable. While B.I.G. has some of the finest production in Hip Hop.

i think if you separate the themes from the style pac's stuff is far more performative (never heard that word before)

there are quite a few really cornball pac songs, but he also has some really amazing ones ("so many tearz," "how do u want it," temptations").

his production can also veer onto the way wack side - many of them are just 4-measure looped beats that go on ad infinitum with little/no development ("ambitionz az a ridah"). kind of cheap. most of the time, this is really cheap, but sometimes, it's really good (again, "how do u want it").

that piece, if you mean the cover story was by hsa hsu whos definitely not unfamiliar with rap or its history.

i think 50 cent is a pretty good rapper when he wants to be. the mixtapes and the first album were mostly great. he has a somewhat lacksadacsical way of rapping, which makes it look like hes not trying (and sometimes i dont think he is) but its quite deceptive i think. hes not the greatest MC but most of the technically brilliant rappers of the past 5-10 years dont seem able to write very good songs (then again a lot of the shitty ones dont either).

Er, the point of that tune was that you can never find a perfect woman, which is what Frankenstein thing was supposed to be about, not sex.

But I agree with you that eroticism isn't really Nas's forte.

Nah as Jess pointed out it was by Peter Shapiro who wrote the 'rough guide to hip-hop' which i'm not a fan of either. I like Hua Hsu!