Top 3 East Coast Rappers
Notorious B.I.G.
Today, Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls aka the Notorious B.I.G. is almost a mythical figure, a poor, overweight kid from the slums of New York who hooked up with some of the most powerful figures and producers in hip-hop, released only two albums in his short life and set the world on fire. His death was a tragic event that was made only worse by the death of rival Tupac Shakur, who it is reported, made peace with Biggie before his death. Listening back on his records, it is true that Biggie was a minor genius, with a sense of rhythm, wordplay and poetry that few youths his age could even dream of possessing. He will sorely be missed and deserves all the praise given.
Nas
The real New York poet, Nas’ debut record “Illmatic” is a landmark not only in New York hip-hop, but in recorded musical art—it is that good. Nas has never been able to match the brilliance of “Illmatic” and his street-wise tales of the city, but he doesn’t really need to. “Illmatic” was so powerful because of its vivid imagry and Nas’ internal rhyme patterns that seemed otherworldly. With a unique style of musical production that is now considered the classic New York sound, “Illmatic” and Nas are a testament hip-hop as poetry.
Slick Rick
Noted for his trademark eye-patch, Slick Rick is one of the more interesting New York rappers. Born in London, but raised in New York, Slick Rock was known for his clever story songs about bedtime stories, games at the poker table gone awry, and his great eye for literary detail. Rick spend five years in jail during the early 90s which stifled his career. He could have been a huge star if it wasn’t for his prison sentence, but despite that, Slick Rick is still considered a legend the scene, as seen by his nick name Slick Rick “The Ruler.”
Alan McGee is a freelance writer from MN. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/top-3-east-coast-rappers-1589793.html
