Because DOOM was the best.
I guess I’ll mention Jean Grae, this one really struck me at the time. Parts of it still sound magical to me:
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jean grae is one of the dopest flip mode squad affiliates who is not busta.
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Unfortunately, my english is not good enough to judge lyricism. Only with german rappers, but there are just a few I really like.
I mainly judge by flow and rhyme schemes…
Love the usual suspects. Doom, Nas, Ghostface, Inspectah Deck (most of Wu Tang actually), Rakim, Mos Def, Pharaoh Monch
Lately I discovered Dr Octagon and Dr Doom, I missed those albums back then. Kool Keith sounds great
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I don’t wanna take away from everyone else mentioned, but I can’t not mention 3 Stacks. Showing up everyone even on packed tracks:
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I think you’re right.
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Hard to come up with an all-time favorite, however i’ve always loved the poetry of Kevin McMahon (Prick, Lucky Pierre)
Would’ve been great if John Malm Jr. hadn’t embezzled so much from Nothing Records and Trent Reznor would’ve been able to drive more culture from the perspective of a “vanity” (he doesn’t generally halfass things) label.
I’ll loop back and get into rappers though!
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I’m sorry I have to leave this thread or I’ll be here all day. everyone gets a like and some love.
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Nas, Rakim and ice cube are my top 3.
Like Unifono, I’m not a native English speaker so for me the best lyricists are French rappers.
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Mikah9
Doom
Awolone
Kool Keith
Chuck D
Kane
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Im a big OutKast fan. Not gonna choose there
After that, Nas, Wu Tang, Eminem, Krs
Also love for Kool Keith and loads more
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and Dj Deeon. I like it dumb
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Schooly D, Marley Marl, KRS One, Roxanne Shante, Rakim, I like the early stuff best.
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America America America blah blah blah
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Nas is my favorite. He’s a lot of people’s favorite and for good reason. But one person that I don’t think gets nearly enough mentions is Boots Riley from the Coup.
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Any takers for Necro? 
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You’ve passed the test.
I have to check back in to say steal this tape is still one of my favorite unknown albums to this day. I think I still have that tape somewhere. That one has me and jesus the pimp in a 79 granada last night, classic track about how his dad was a pimp not at all from the perspective of glamorizing the game. them cats was on the grind for so long, amazing that if you sound commercial like heiro you still can only make it so big, coup was like Oakland’s answer to Outkast though.
I can’t mention heiro without dropping casuals name though. favorite heiro member along with pep love.
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Mine is Kendrick. Too real.
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Way too many to choose. I lived in NY from 1994-1999, so have a soft spot for Biggie. I don’t really listen to his stuff these days, but his music is a part of some great memories from back then.
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Too many great ones to pick a favorite. Here’s a shortlist:
MF DOOM - He can dunk word salad around a ring of bologna.
NAS - He’ll start with one thought or idea, and then 5 minutes later he’s done touring your subconscious and the train conductor is asking for your ticket.
Danny Brown - Wild, brilliant, off-kilter, and funny.
A Tribe Called Quest - The interplay between Pfife Dawg and Q-tip is classic and also timeless. It also helps that their beats were next-level. If I could only pick one hip-hop group to listen to, it would probably be them.
Honorable Mention: Quasimoto. He might just be my spirit animal.
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