Ever the conscientious social critic, here Lord Jamar offers his take on lyricism versus charisma in hip-hop, rappers with alternative sources of income, using drugs in potentially dangerous situations, and what it means to have more than one chain. “Once is luck, twice is skill,” Jamar says, “It’s saying, ‘I know how to get money.'” Watch the clip above.
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21 Replies to “Lord Jamar: 2Pac Wasn't the Best Lyricist, But He Made You Feel More”
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Tupac was the greatest lyricist of all time!!! Facts
Mary J Blige isn't the best vocalist, but she makes you feel more.
Tupac wasn't up there with Mos Def, Big or Jay-Z, Em or 3Stacks, but he was definitely a solidly above average pure rapper by late 1993, even in a superficial way. If you want to hear him at his most efficient, listen to California Love, peep the alliteration and the references and the types of language he brought into the game: "dressed in Locs and khaki suits, and ride is what we do/Flossing, but have caution, we collide with other crews." That phrase, "collide with other crews" is something only he would say, and the flow in that whole verse is crazy sharp. Listen to "If I Die 2Nite." Peep the way he can infuse urgency into the track with not just his voice — which was tailor made to lead an army or be a rapper — but with his lyrics. "Seeing cemetery photos of my peers/Conversating like they still here." If you want to talk about manic intensity and the level of stress and exasperation you might feel in that situation, it's hard to think of a better couplet than that. From late 93 til his death, Tupac was NASTY as a "lyricist." And as an overall songwriter, just think of it this way: The same person that made "Keep Ya Head Up," an uplifting ass song few rappers regardless of subgenre made, also created "Hail Mary," maybe the most thuggish song ever made. Lol, ppl really weren't on Pac's level when you think of it that way. Top 5 ever.
Pac Lives On ?
I agree PAC wasn't lyrical it was delivery and creativity like If I die tonight with using the letter P in the lyrics They pussy is poetry___ power and pistols plotting Joey to me is mediocre
Pac is one of the best lyricist… I’ll say that again pac is one of the best lyricist….. read it again ! You can tell who listens to pac and who don’t really listen to pac and pac could battle anybody stop playing with him ! Pac is from the east coast
I agree Pac wasnt the best lyricist, but going by the criteria a lotta cats use you cant exclude Pac. Is he Lupe with the bars? No, not even close. But is he as good as BIG or naS? Absolutely, yes.
preach Lord and teach these folks about hip hop
Lost me at the beginning.
You dont "stop being a crip"…you may stop "gangbanging", but you never stop being a crip.
2 pac had bars and he made you feel it that's that Gemini dule
Nigaz had to get the definition for a lot of what PAC was saying so stop hating these people try to dirty PAC name. He was the best person to make you feel, an understand his words. Tupac Amaru Shakur was the best lyricist
How did 2pac wrote dear mama if he is not
New York dudes be stuck on Bars but they don't really take into account what a man has to say though. While Biggie had bars ,NEVER was saying things and motivating people on the level of a Tupac Shakur.
I’m sick of people acting like 2pac wasn’t nice with his pen. He was lyrical.
Tupac in 93-94 was playing with a lot flows and poetic shit that only people are really into the English language would understand. Like the alliteration on the first few bars on If I Die Tonight.
Wtf does lyrical mean,was anybody better than pac. No we still talking about Pac till this day
This dude is also tryna destroy 2pacs legacy , he's s just more non cha lant
Joey Badass miss me with that. What an insult to one of Hip Hop's greatest artist.
Pac was good at making melodramatic music that was very moving. He was like Bob Marley or MJ in that regard, but an MC is a technical ability.
He was very average when it came to that. He lyrics were average, his cadence was basic, his flow was simple, and if not for the double vocal techniques he utilized on tracks, he would sound pretty average on tracks and he had almost no versatility. One style, same subject matter.
He is not on the level of Black Thought, Nas, 3000, Big, KRS, DOC, Slick Rick, Redman when it comes to pure MC ability.
He's just a mainstream icon so his legend looms large but his ability as an MC was not top level
The problem is that many people don't understand the word "lyrics" or "lyricist". That word according to the dictionary means the words of a song or poem as in being emotional. It does not mean "technical proficiency" as used by many people in hip-hop community
You guys are crazy DMX is mad lyrical.