Weekly updates:

Music

No Country for Old (Rap) Men: CRC approved rappers

Robbie's back to anger you with his top MC picks

Posted by

Weekly updates


Following on from last week, here are the rappers that I would put on an album if KOCH Records still existed and gave me a hundred grand to make a rap LP.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

01. Roc Marciano

Roc has evolved from the faster, more technical style showcased during his days in The UN to his current Mack Attack delivery, spawning a number of imitators in the process. What distinguishes him is his ability to make seemingly disjointed stream-of-consciousness references flow together into a focused narrative which succeeds in transporting the listener into the world of Pimpstead.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

02. Willie The Kid

Despite hailing from the ATL, WTK reps a fly style that verges on experimental as he flawlessly unloads non-sequiturs that allude to the glamorous life that Cool C once dreamt of. When combined with the right production, The Kid achieves a state of blissed-out rap euphoria that the likes of Curren$y aim for but rarely nail. When he combined minds with Roc Marcy and the Alchemist in 2014, true greatness occurred and all was right in the world for a brief instant.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

03. Granddaddy I.U.

Having weathered unfair comparisons to Rakim early in his career as a result of his deep voiced, steady-paced delivery, I Dot U Dot continues to drop dope rhymes to this day, proving to be one of the few early ’90s veterans to never have fallen off. I credit this feat to his dedication to heroic levels of liquor intake and a possessing the dry sense of humour that Eric B’s former musical partner never exhibited in his work.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

04. AZ

Ever the underdog, The Visualiza may have lived in Nas’ shadow in terms of sales and fame, but his body of work has proven him to be the more focused and consistent of the pair. AZ has a love for the simple beauty of the English language, and has stayed dedicated to construction intricate, multi-syllable flows in a landscape where everyone else decided to dumb it down and ‘just have fun with it.’ AZ is rap’s Swiss-trained master watchmaker who realised long ago that the devil is indeed in the details.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

05. Agallah

Having endured through his initial 8-Off The Assassin stage, his time with Purple City and into his current incarnation, Agallah has produced some of his finest work in the past couple years, with an outstanding ear for great loops and his unmistakable brand of belligerent lyricism. He’s also not afraid to reveal his vulnerable side when required, but manages to pull it off without seeming corny or contrived, which is a rare feat indeed.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

06. Ka

Capable of delivering high-concept rap without being pretentious, Ka keeps it in the pocket at all times and presents multi-layered narratives that only seem to improve the more you hear them.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

07. Styles P

While Jadakiss is usually considered to be the shining star in the LOX, for my money The Ghost easily surpasses him on the grounds of better taste in beats, a staunch yet humble attitude and a deceptively simple vocal style which has a lot more depth than it might seem on first listen.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

08. Da Buze Brovaz

Clever One and Him-Lo carry on the great Philly Rap tradition of uncompromising shit-talking and a dedication to getting wasted while staying dipped in the flyest of attire. With a series of digital albums and vinyl EP’s under their collective belts, Buze Brovaz continue to deliver anti-social, non-progressive raps over hard tracks with absolutely no regard for current trends and seemingly give zero fux if you aren’t down with the program. Just as it should be.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

09. Sean Price (RIP)

The late, great Sean Price was the epitome of a great CRC rapper in that he mixed a great technique with a no-nonsense attitude that didn’t suffer fools lightly, all the while maintaining a twisted sense of humour that cruel-hearted bastards such as myself couldn’t help but appreciate. He also didn’t seem too perturbed by the fact that despite being no spring chicken, he kept getting better with age.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

010. Big Twinz

Included for his blunt honesty and for the simple fact that he once rapped ‘I’ve got a voice like I just swallowed sand.’


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

011. Mr Motherfuckin eXquire

Has a fondness for some non-CRC approved beats on occasion, but when he gets on a suitable track he absolutely nails it with his off-kilter flow and subject matter. He comes off like a complete mentalist, in the best possible way.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

012. Milano

Written off by some as a second-tier D.I.T.C. affiliate, the long underrated Milano continues to hold it down in his own lane with that fly Harlem talk over hard drums. Also holds the honour of being the only rapper to ever mention Disney’s Lilo and Stitch in a song.


Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /srv/users/serverpilot/apps/acclaim/public/wp-content/themes/acclaim/includes/posts/templates/list.php on line 91

013. Black Thought

Despite being stuck in The Roots, Thought continues to obliterate every guest shot he’s offered, proving that he’s a true verbal virtuoso with an appetite for destruction that makes Axl Rose in his prime look like a pussy.