Top 10 Intellectual Rappers

Dog Lipstick

I came across this article, I've only actually listened to a couple of guys on the list but was interested to see what other people's opinions were of it.

http://listverse.com/2011/07/17/top-10-intellectual-rappers/

Boom_Bap

Kool Keith belongs on the top 10 mental rapper lists, filling spots 1 - 7.

I've spoken to Sage Francis and Slug a few times and they come across as being smart guys but I'm not qualified to judge their intelligence.

I think all listed have to have a good level of intelligence to have gotten to where they are today.

But if i was to go out on a limb, i would say that Illogic is the most intelligent of those listed.

CiaranMT

Always named I've seen dropped in now and then, but the list is of people who, for the most part, I haven't checked out. This is my project for the week

Rjd2

I really wished I hadn't read what was number 1..:mad::mad::mad::(:mad:

holystungun9

When I saw the thread title, the first rapper that came into my head was Speech from Arrested Development. The album Zingalamaduni is a proper classic with fantastic music and rapping. Maybe it's a bit 1994 for this top ten but he is someone who deserves a bit of recognition.

careca11

i would have thought KRS 1 would have been on the list , and perhaps Immortal Technique

Camac Hibs

Not sure about some of those on that list, I reckon being intellectual is more than having the biggest thesaurus. I would definitely include Kweli, Mr Lif, Black Thought in my top 10 "intellectual" rappers, with Invincible, Nas, Q-Tip, Blu and Geologic from Blue Scholars up there as well.

Da Shins Kelly

Where's Nas? The extent of his vocabulary as well as his turn of phrase are very impressive. The man's a f*cking excellent writer.

Aesop Rock is pretty clever too. However, his lyrics can be quite difficult to understand sometimes, I find. It's just metaphors layered with metaphors, so much so that it becomes very hard to decipher what exactly his point is. He does strike me as a very smart bloke though. He's struggled with his mental health though too, as far as I know.

Lupe is a very good writer too, in my opinion. He's a good storyteller and makes some interesting points in his songs.

It's an interesting list though, and a good demonstration of just how great hip hop is. I've always said it, but hip hop has the best writers in music, hands down.

GodlessInfidel

Rjd2 wrote: »

I really wished I hadn't read what was number 1..:mad::mad::mad::(:mad:

What's wrong with Aesop Rock? I'm not necessarily agreeing thats he's the most intellectual rapper of all time but he's definitely a contender and one hell of a dope M.C.

Previous posts have mentioned Nas and don't get me wrong overall i'm a bigger fan of Nas than Aesop but over the course of his career the former has spent alot of time rapping about bitches, bling and rims whereas to his credit Aesop Rock rarely if ever wastes time on that garbage.

Here's the man himself sticking it to the Catholic Church in four minutes of brilliance

p.s no mention of GZA the Genius on the list ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onf64uJUqAA

Orizio

I can only assume they confused the term 'intellectual' with 'worst' considering the number 1.

ghostface ste

Rhymesayers must have paid for that article

pragmatic1

If its intelligent lyrics, I'd put GZA, Ras Kass, Technique, Nas, Rakim up there. But a large vocabulary doesnt equal intelligence. Nas doesnt believe in evolution and mos def was made to look like an idiot on Bill Maher one night.

For real intelligence I'd have chuck d, technique, gza, jay-z, 50 cent, rza, murrs, 2pac, dj quik, dr dre.

floggg

The entire concept of that list is just dumb.

What qualifies a rapper as being intellectual? and who can really judge. And why should one care.

Labelling one rapper as intelligent or intellectual is implying others aren't. Just because a rapper is political or emo doesn't mean they are intellectual. And just because a rapper does gangsta rap doesn't mean they ardent intellectual. Bun B is a lecturer. Kook Keith isn't.

I don't get this constant making of endless list of various rap attributes.

Dope beats dope rhymes, what more do y'all want?