Rick Ross and the statement "Best Rapper Alive"

[ScottTickle888]

I have been a hip hop fan for many years... but recently Rick Ross was interviewed on XM Hip Hop Nation and the interviewer hit me with a big surprise. Her words were:

"So Rick Ross, how does it feel to be the best rapper alive"

... I had to stop for a moment. While I know Rick Ross has a raspy voice, a charming personality, and enough tattoos and jewelry to keep the magazines and rap blogs talking about him.... but best rapper alive??

I hear these comparisons of Ross to Biggie. And while yes they both are overweight with raspy voices, I find this a very bold statement to be making about Ross at this point in his career. Personally, his barking on tracks and his atrocious line up of MC's on "Maybach Music" put him so far from best rapper alive, I cant even bear to put the two in the same sentence.

This blows my mind... please anyone who follows hip hop do share your thoughts on this!

 

[primetime]

Rick Ross is NOWHERE near the best rapper alive. Ice Cube, hell even deceased 2pac are far superior to him. Eminem is better. 50 cent is better.

I barely know Rick Ross.... best rapper ever? Not quite...

 

[drewskee]

The title itself is absurd because it's likely based off which rapper is the most popular or sells the most records, which we all should know doesn't accurately reflect an artist's true talent, nor the quality of the art form as a whole. I mean, shit, the same title was unofficially bestowed upon Lil' Wayne as recently as a year or 2 ago. And with all the thousands of different rappers in the game, regardless of popularity, there's just no way to determine one that stands above all the rest. It's all just a matter of personal opinion.

With that said, I do enjoy the music of Rick Ross, and to a slightly lesser degree I enjoy that of Weezy as well. I do respect each one's hustle and growth over the years as an artist....but neither one of these guys has any business being put in the same category as the all-time greats.

 

[Soda Bobinski]

So long as lyrical masters such as Rakim & MF Doom still draw breath , no way can this Rick Ross person ever be considered 'Best Rapper Alive'.

 

[jhop220]

Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkaw3JH1qjg

 

[Tickle Fiend]

I like Rick's music but he's definently not the greatest alive. The content of a lot of his music is the same and I doubt truly lives up to the image he potrays. The list goes on as to who ranks ahead of Sir Ricky for greatest. Like Drewskee said, it's just a matter of personal taste.

 

[ScottTickle888]

Thank you all for replying. As you said Drewskee... the problem is an artist is judged now adays by how many records are sold, how many radio anthems you have, and how many interviews and music videos you make cameos in.

It's sad for the state of hip hop. In this day and age its not even about mainstream vs. underground. With the internet, theres so many avenues for every type of MC to be exposed to the world. What it comes down to in the end is 1. Are you talking about SOMETHING 2. Are you taking the time to select your beats and choosing the correct sounding MC to flow on those beats 3. Are you making music that is YOU or are you trying to simply sell records.

I'm sure this radio host on XM, whoever she was, is paid to ask the questions... who knows if it's actually how she feels. But what is upsetting is those questions are coming based off of what Americans think of hip hop as a whole. As Tickle fiend said... i'm sure Rozay has dropped a few bangers, but lets watch out with the crown titles for now.. he's got a ways to go before he earns those stripes.

 

[ShiningIce]

Rick Ross???? Seriously??? DMX, Nas, Eminem, Lil'wayne, Mike Sonoda. They are ALL better than him.

 

[asutickler]

Shit, he's not even the best rapper over 400 pounds.

 

[myth77]

This post outlines some good points made in your Nas thread...the fact that a statement like that could be made just illustrates how little folks know about real hip-hop anymore. If you've been ingesting mainstream radio for the last 15 years, you have no actual idea what 'good' is, let alone knowing who 'the best' is. It would be helpful for an interviewer to have a working knowledge of music history in order to avoid making statements like that, but that situation is not likely to change, given what music is continually produced.

There is no immediate way to solve such ignorance 🙂. Mainstream radio and tv are so far from ever getting around to playing quality music, that it is impossible to enlighten others about what good hip-hop is through these outlets. The best we can do is keep supporting the good artists...and try not to injure anyone who says stupid sh*t like 'Rick Ross is the Best Rapper Alive' . If he's the best, then so am I 🙂. Now where's my Rap Crown?? 😀

 

[kis123]

I would take Ice T over Rick Ross.
I would take Chuck D and Flava Flave over Rick Ross
And I'd take both Tupac and Biggie over Rick Ross (and I was not a huge fan of Biggie). Hell I'd even take Diddy over Rick Ross.......

Who the hell did he pay for that interview anyway? He should've kept his money and spent it somewhere else

 

[ScottTickle888]

Kis123 I honestly have noo idea who this interviewer was. I just started listening to XM radio the beginning of July. I primarily listen to Shade 45 and Backspin, but had switched to XL Hip Hop Nation (they were prolly playing My Life by Slaughterhouse for the millionth time and I was sick of it) They were interviewing Rick Ross and when I heard her ask that question I had to listen to the full interview to see how Ross reacted. The dude doesn't need more money with his album being the number 1 album in sales for hip hop right now... its obviously off of what the "people" think. It just shows where we're at in terms of what the general public thinks is quality music.

Myth77 you may have your Hip Hop Crown! All I can say is this interviewer must have a thing for grunts, cause I will admit Rozay has that grunt perfectly timed now between his "Maybach" Music Clips.... but for serious what is up w his grunt??

I thank everyone for commenting on this thread. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who saw a problem with this interview. I'm not saying Rick Ross is a horrible rapper... I just think the fans of today need to study their hip hop history and understand where the genre originated from. Some of that originality needs to come back for the genre to survive into the future.