S. Samuel
[Each week, SOHH asks two entertainment personalities to name their Top 5 rappers of all-time. To make things tricky, we've created a "Hall of Fame" of emcees (see right) who are universally respected and therefore may not be mentioned. After Killer Mike sliced up his fave five, Twista unwinds his top spitters.]
Pharoahe Monch. Right off the top of my head, the first name that comes to my mind is Pharoahe Monch from Organized Konfusion. It’s his lyrics. Listen to his songs. His early stuff alone just gave me the feeling that Rakim gave me when I heard his rhymes. He’s just got some of the dopest, illest lyrics that I’ve ever heard. That first Organized Konfusion album was crazy.
Mickey Factz. D*mn, this is getting hard. I’m going to have to name a new rapper I really like for my list. I really like Mickey Factz. It’s all about his wordplay and lyrics. The best way I can put it is I hear a rapper that reminds me of the emceeing from the era that I felt like lyrics was the sh*t. Or it’s like when I get that tingle in my body. That’s a real rapper. So when I start hearing those sentences come together and the words and syllables, it just does something to me. So when I listen to Mickey Factz, I can tell this n*gga will tear a n*gga’s head off. He’s super cold to me.
Black Thought. It’s the flow and subject matter. Whenever I listen to Black Thought, I focus in on his flow and subject matter. I love when rappers got substance.
Jay Electronica. I know he’s another new rapper but I’m going to name Jay Electronica. That’s another rapper that really pops in my head. Watch out for him, he’s one of my favorites out there right about now.
Bahamadia. And one final rapper to name, I’d have to say Bahamadia. She always had an ill flow and I don’t want to leave a female out. So I gotta go with her to end my Top 5 list.
