Complex magazine put out this great comprehensive list. It goes from 1979 to 2018. I used to listen to rap so much as a kid in the 1990s. I remember when Nas came out with Illmatic in 1994. An older friend told me about him and for some reason I always remember that. It was my first memory of rap besides MC hammer and vanilla ice- lol.
Tupac was my favorite rapper for a long time because his rise to prominence and sad death was at the time that I was most into rap. I always liked him better that Notorious BIG. (Lol I live in Toronto, but I was always More a fan of west coast rap than east coast rap). I don’t really follow rap as much anymore. Maybe it’s becas I’m older, but to me the news rap is just mumbling. In the old days rap used to have such witty lyrics and there were real messages behind the music.
Anyways here’s the list. Maybe it will take you down memory lane as well.
New rap has lost its ability to convey a message, it's all about appearances and beats now and strengthening racial stereotypes instead of fighting them. There are a few good conscious rappers emerging as the exception though.
Thanks for the insightful comment. That’s good that there are young socially conscious rappers. Any that you’d recommend?
Kendrick Lamar, childish gambino, logic etc:
I wrote an article a while back about the old guard of conscious rappers if your interested:
https://screwballpsyche.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/the-best-conscious-rappers/
I like Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino. I haven’t listened to Logic too much. I will.
Your blog was nice. I liked how you had KRS One at the top. He’s a great teacher and he sees things very clearly. I don’t know Akala. I’ll check him out too.
Lol I now have so much rap to listen to.
Tupac is still a legend. He is still listened by millions. Love for Tupac fan
Nice that Tupac is still popular for so many people.