Quote (eboyd)
nobody cares about reggae anymore except for a select few people
Reggae is one of the most popular genres of music in modern times, so I don't really know what you're talking about.
Quote (eboyd)
Rakim made hip hop relevant
Nope, not true. Hip hop was relevant long before Rakim stepped on the scene. He may of made a certain style of rapping relevant, but he himself did not "make" hip hop relevant. Not true by any means.
Quote (eboyd)
It simply makes them continuously relevant
I guess that's where you and I differ. You believe that because someone contributed to the construction of modern day rap, they will always be relevant in terms of modern day emcees. Let's not forget what this topic of discussion is about -- ageism in hip hop. No one is trying to discredit Rakim, we all know his contributions to the game, but creating a form of rapping will not seal your relevance in terms of "who is hot" and "who is not" in today's rap circles. It doesn't work that way. And that is reflected in his latest album going double plastic.
Quote (eboyd)
It wasn't until he died that he became a legend and sealed his place in hip hop as more than just a fad or a cat that was popular at that time.
Your argument is slowly slipping away from you. First, you claim that people accused Pac of being fake when he came onto the scene. Who are the mysterious people you speak of? Where are their battle raps? Where are their disses aimed at Pac? Where are their interviews? Because as far as I know, Pac had the entire industry shook for his entire reign. Even his biggest nemesis refused to address him by name.
And as for the above quote, Pac gained legend status well before his death. I'd say mid to late 1995. He was a movie star, he was a rap star, and he was also a convicted felon. He was what every rapper aspired to be. You happy go lucky dudes seem to forget how much pull 2Pac had in the 90's. The rap game was his and his alone. Numbers don't lie.
Quote (Menace)
Some critics were the Freestyle Fellowship , The Pharcyde , Jurassic 5 etc. The Good Life Cafe in South Central Los Angeles was the breeding and is the breeding ground for alternative hip hop acts and most criticism came from there too
OK Menace, prove it. Don't run from another one of my posts directed at you. Stand up and prove that these artists had a problem with Pac. And don't produce quotes from 2002. I want direct evidence during Pac's lifetime that insinuates that these herbs had a problem with Makaveli. Simply put, I don't believe you.
Here is what I know about rappers that have said something about Pac DURING his lifetime..
The Fugees, Wendy Williams, and LL Cool J have all taken shots at 2Pac off wax. Radio interviews. News print columns, and the like. I'm sure there are a couple more but these artists come to mind first. Pac went back at each of them on wax, "When We Ride On Our Enemies" directed at Fugees, "Why U Turn On Me" directed at Wendy Williams, and "Lil Homies" directed at LL Cool J.
Chino XL, NaS, and DMX were the only rappers I know of who dissed 2Pac BY NAME on wax. I understand that disses from other rappers were blatant and obviously directed at Pac, but they were obviously too shook to say the man's name, so I don't count those as "official" disses towards 2Pac. They do count, but I don't consider them "official" disses. It's only official in my book when you say the man's name you have a problem with. Otherwise it seems like you're yellow.
So all this bullshit with Freestyle Fellowship and their candy cane rhymes and the Good Vibes Cafe or whatever you want to call it.. I don't believe any of that nonsense. One, because most of those cats would've been eaten alive on wax by Pac and Death Row, and two, who in their right mind would diss the money maker of Death Row Records, headed by Suge Knight, KNOWING damn well they live in the same city of Los Angeles. Freestyle Fellowship don't have the man power to stop MOB Pirus from kicking in their front door. Everyone knows how Death Row handled business in those days. On and off wax. Good Vibes nerd cafe didn't want none of that drama LOL. Who would, honestly.
