Getty Image / KMazur / Contributor
It’s one thing to write rap lyrics that are catchy and something that you can nod your head to. It’s a totally different animal to construct a hip-hop track that tells an intriguing story while also having a harmonious flow. Not every rapper has the talent or skill set to tell a compelling story through a song. In the history of rap, certain rappers have excelled at storytelling, and on Thursday, the internet tipped their cap to these brilliant hip-hop raconteurs.
Early on Thursday morning, the Twitter account for XXL Magazine asked the question: “Who is the best storyteller in hip-hop?”
https://twitter.com/XXL/status/1215226712323174404
The internet was quick to respond with their favorite rappers who they believe to be the greatest rap storytellers. There were hip-hop fans making cases for Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, J. Cole, Nas, Kanye West, Biggie Smalls, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, Fresh Prince, Immortal Technique, Offset, Scarface, and Meek Mill.
https://twitter.com/Donn_Knee/status/1215322612076896257
Eminem cuz he's got an eclectic collection.. Crazy stories, Serial Killer stories, Funny stories, Deeply Personal and Heartbreaking ones, Motivation and Inspiring ones, tons of disstracks..
AND He Wrote Stan!
— The Selfie 🐐 is the 🐐 (@Liviakai21) January 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/sammyfidoe/status/1215257476867805185
Kanye:
TCD: narrative album
LR: concept album
Grad: narrative
808s: concept
MBDTF: narrative
Yeezus: narrative
TLOP: narrative
ye: hybrid
KSG: hybrid
JIK: hybridHow many others have consistently made album-level storytelling primary? Kendrick and…?
— Film Colossus (@FilmColossus) January 9, 2020
— pink tony 🇮🇹 (@natebadfellas) January 9, 2020
All these comments and no one mentions cube. Lol. Sample. Dope story telling with political undertonehttps://t.co/foM0BGQjyd
— Abdul azeez (@ezln323) January 9, 2020
It’s borderline insanity that Jay Z hasn’t been mentioned
— Mike P (@MVPizzle) January 9, 2020
Why isnt everyone saying Pac.. 16 On Death Row, Brenda's Got A Baby, Dear Mama, I Ain't Mad At Ya, So Many Tears, Me Against The World, Only God Can Judge Me, If I Die 2Nite, Letter 2 My Unborn, My Block that's just a few.. Ppl must've forgot
— Notti (@Juvasstoel) January 9, 2020
Nas
— 🔥LaVaH🔥 (@FLOWLAVAH) January 9, 2020
The obvious answer is Slick Rick, but look at how many people here forget…
THE FRESH PRINCE
Parents Just Don’t Understand
Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble
I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson
Nightmare on My Street
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air pic.twitter.com/YBA7o4ekVu— Paul Little 🎮 (@ItsPaulLittle) January 9, 2020
Immortal Technique
— WESTON (@ph_dofie) January 9, 2020
RELATED: Snoop Dogg Names His Top 5 Rappers Of All-Time And It Is A Quality List
https://twitter.com/JollyNils/status/1215226829910552576
Scarface
— Marques. (@___Kees) January 9, 2020
Meek mill
— Tu'nchi (@freezy_rooster) January 9, 2020
Based on only eyeing up the replies to the XXL Magazine tweet, it appears the rankings of the best storytellers in rap are:
5.) 2pac (Brenda’s Got a Baby)
4.) Eminem (Stan)
3.) Nas (I Gave You Power)
2.) Kendrick Lamar (Keisha’s Song)
1.) Slick Rick (Children’s Story)
The responses seemed to declare Slick Rick to be the overwhelming winner as the best storyteller in rap. The British-accented lyricist from the Bronx has spun tales through hip-hop songs since the mid-1980s and broke out with his instant classic The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, which hit No. 1 spot on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart in 1988. Rick the Ruler was famously known for his storytelling ways as heard in Children’s Story, The Moment I Feared, and Mona Lisa.
Slick Rick dropped one of the greatest albums in the history of this culture. The Great Adventures literally elevated story telling in Hip-Hop to a more lyrical level. His cocky ‘British-Bronx’ flow and charismatic charm is unmatched. There’s a reason I have this guy as my avi 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/5Rs7X3gzYV
— To Pimp A Tweet (@HipHop4Everyone) January 9, 2020
Slick Rick told children's stories and stories for all ages. Everyone else playing for second. #TheRuler
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 9, 2020
R- ravishing
I- impressed
C- courageous or careless
K- for the #Kangols which he's got that he wears every day, and
Y- y not?— Dazzling Urbanite v2.0 (@PDotEsco) January 9, 2020
When you see Slick Rick is trending but it’s only because he’s freakin awesome #knockemouttheboxRick pic.twitter.com/FrNqZFSPyt
— rvd74 (@rvd74) January 9, 2020
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