Does Eminem belong in GOAT of all time conversation?

[big van vader]

It has always rustled my jimmies how people say they can't relate to something, so that makes it bad.  Like somehow, the billionaire drug kingpin who kills people with automatic weapons and rocks designer clothes no one's even heard of, is someone they can relate to. 

What kills me though is those same people will diss the Emmys for not including a show like The Wire or diss the Grammys for lack of diversity.  I'm sure not being able to relate to the content plays a part in those committees' decisions which is BS.

While I agree content should be palatable, IMO content is a smaller portion of what rappers should be judged on with actual rap skills (wordplay, delivery, etc) being the majority.

With that said, Em is top 10.  I just don't believe someone can name 10 more SKILLED rappers.

 

[stillin729]

No. If we're basing this strictly off sales then yes he's one of the GOAT selling rappers but he's put out too much trash since his last good output. The stuff he puts out these days is embarrassing. 

Not sure what is embarrassing, Recovery was widely praised and won the Grammy for best rap album

I understand a lot of you live in this NT bubble though

 

[gllahone84]

 

[thadocta]

I've never seen that Cam'ron gif used before, is it new?

View media item 300949

 

[fudgemoney24]

Even though I didn't like his last few albums and I like Jay-Z's music better, Eminem is the GOAT in my eyes

 

[King of Trash Style]

He's top 10 off of his first 3 albums and the 8 mile soundtrack alone.

 

[ice city fc]

Recovery was critically acclaimed by everyone though

Who's "everyone" ?

Yuppies and teeny boppers from the suburbs?

Or you mean the actual critics, the father of said bops?

As a fan of the genre I'd be embarrassed to be in possession of Recovery.

 

[stillin729]

Who's "everyone" ?

Yuppies and teeny boppers from the suburbs?

As a fan of the genre I'd be embarrassed to be in possession of Recovery.

Critics did I not say "critically" wasn't talking a lick about yuppies and teenie boppers

So if you don't live in the city then your opinion is invalid?

Guess I better move back in to make my rap albums legit again

 

[ice city fc]

I'm just saying, citing the critics as a reason why an album isn't trash isn't valid.

No one cares what the bloggers have to say.

I'm just sorry your boy has managed to tarnish his legacy.

 

[scotthallwithapick]

He's in my top 5 but his last few albums def taint his resume

 

[stillin729]

I'm just saying, citing the critics as a reason why an album isn't trash isn't valid.

No one cares what the bloggers have to say.

I'm just sorry your boy has managed to tarnish his legacy.

Lol ok if back to back Grammys for best rap album does that

 

[Hahahaha]

Who's "everyone" ?

Yuppies and teeny boppers from the suburbs?

Or you mean the actual critics, the father of said bops?

As a fan of the genre I'd be embarrassed to be in possession of Recovery.

I can't stand "Recovery" but embarrassed to have it???

 

[dipsetgeneral]

Meh...

I wouldn't say top 5... not even top 10 honestly.

The type of crap he raps about is just nonsense, but he is a master at the craft of rapping.

I would never deny dudes skill at the art of rapping/mcing, but he subject matter is just... I don't know.

His best work was from the 8 mile soundtrack.

To dudes saying he would smash your favorite rapper in a battle... although that may be true.

Think about this...

1) If you put Jay-Z in a battle against Em... Jay would lose without a doubt, but does that make Em better than Jay-Z

Okay now ask yourself this if you put Jay-Z in rap battle with most of the top notch battle rappers he would lose... does that mean that Mook, Ars, Lux, Soul Kahn, Diz, Con, etc.... does that mean that those battle rappers are better than Jay-Z

Whoa, my mind is blown.

+

But of course Eminem is arguably the greatest to ever grab a mic. There's no question.

 

[incredibleev]

I don't understand how he's supposed to evolve. I haven't seen Nas, Jay or any other legendary rapper evolve. Nas makes a little more mature music but he still has the same style of songs. Jay has only gotten worse with his last five releases. Kanye, lyrically hasn't evolved at all but you could say musically but he also doesn't make his own beats.


I absolutely HATED Recovery but it's a business. This is his job to make money and sell. Jay Z been putting out average music for years. I'm not mad at all, it's what's got him paid and put him over the top the last few years. NaS is making more mature music, he's selling less and less.

Jay-Z has absolutely 100% evolved as an artist, Nas has at least worked with new people, tried new things, then came back to his roots to make his most successful work in a long while. And I admit, it is difficult to judge evolution as an artist in hip-hop. But Eminem is LITERALLY making the exact same songs he could've made in his 2000's glory days and has not pushed any boundaries of the genre, has not tried to push his sound and material to another place. 

 

[stillin729]

Jay-Z has absolutely 100% evolved as an artist, Nas has at least worked with new people, tried new things, then came back to his roots to make his most successful work in a long while. And I admit, it is difficult to judge evolution as an artist in hip-hop. But Eminem is LITERALLY making the exact same songs he could've made in his 2000's glory days and has not pushed any boundaries of the genre, has not tried to push his sound and material to another place. 

If you're making the same songs as 2000 and still relevant that would tend to say something about an artist

 

[elcristo]

In my opinion, I'd say he is. One of my favorite artists for a while now.

 

[Peep Game]

Not sure why he wouldn't be in the conversation, especially on pure skill alone. Sure, than that Re-Up compilation and some of Bad Meets Evil, since Post-Eminem Show, he's been like Bynum double teamed in the post. But every once in awhile when he gets questioned, he can still obliterate anybody at anytime. Solo-wise, he probably has 3 great albums, but unfortunately he breaks even with 3 mediocre, underwhelming, possibly even awful albums. Had Em never rapped in those garbage accents with Meek Mill-like yelling, and him and Dre didn't botch most of the beats on those 3 albums, I wouldn't even have to write this, and there would be no question for him being top 3.

I feel like frisbeeing Recovery, Relapse, and Encore after writing that.

 

[mossman1975]

He still hasn't made that classic album

 

[antidope]

He still hasn't made that classic album

Marshall Mathers LP is a classic

 

[mossman1975]

Marshall Mathers LP is a classic

Good album but Nope

Skip Songs

Stan

The Real Slim Shady

Kim

^Keeping it from being classic plus the replay value aint there

 

[Hahahaha]

Good album but Nope


Skip Songs

Stan
The Real Slim Shady
Kim



^Keeping it from being classic plus the replay value aint there

You skip Stan and Kim? Your opinion is voided. Stan has been deemed one of the best hip hop storytelling songs of all time

 

[airjordan jb23]

I think he is... He's got 3 classic albums (imo) with SSLP, MMLP, & TES. The skill is there, the flow is one of the best, his singles did work, & he was one of the biggest names in rap for a long time.

& singles (meaning his more comedic tracks) aside, his more emotional tracks are some of the deepest rap songs out & shows his versatility as an artist with how he can switch it up.

 

[mossman1975]

You skip Stan and Kim? Your opinion is voided. Stan has been deemed one of the best hip hop storytelling songs of all time

I never liked Stan sorry, didn't do nothing for me

And Kim is Garbage, the wackest song on the album

 

[Hahahaha]

Jay-Z has absolutely 100% evolved as an artist, Nas has at least worked with new people, tried new things, then came back to his roots to make his most successful work in a long while. And I admit, it is difficult to judge evolution as an artist in hip-hop. But Eminem is LITERALLY making the exact same songs he could've made in his 2000's glory days and has not pushed any boundaries of the genre, has not tried to push his sound and material to another place. 

I don't see your Jay point at all and I agree it's hard for artists to evolve especially in hip hop

Jay has tried stuff, nothing seemed that risky to me. Marrying Beyonce could be consider evolving and it definitely helps his name.

WTT...he sounds old and dated while his young partner in crime brings all the excitement and entertainment
Blueprint 3...far from evolving, the same recycled style and another radio friendly album
AG...back to his roots supposedly
Kingdom Come....trash (more pop music from Hova)
Black Album...his risk was claiming he was retiring and claiming he was the best. It worked for him. The world crowned him

I don't see how Jay has evolved. He made some good money and has given an amazing illusion. Don't think NaS has evolved. Don't think Eminem has evolved. I'm not even a big Em fan like that and I hated him a long time because he is a corny white boy but I don't care. Talent is talent.


And to people saying they can't relate, I don't relate to a lot of his music either but you gotta recognize the talent. All the rappers I listen to, I can relate to 3-4 of them max.

 

[bigrockford]

Good album but Nope


Skip Songs

Stan
The Real Slim Shady
Kim



^Keeping it from being classic plus the replay value aint there

View media item 302130
Stan, & Kim?! "Skip songs"?! You can knock the silly songs all you want. The wordplay in all of them is amazing. Dude brought up an interesting point about Em being able to do everything beter than X artist, but does that make him better?.. Em does really well in features IMO because the subject matter is not up to him like in his albums. For people saying hes not at least top 5, who's better? What are they better than him at? Take your favorite artist's song, imagine Em was on it, Your telling me he wouldn't have out-rapped your favorite rapper?