Hip Hop History Month:
Hip-Hop’s Top 10 Storytellers
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In the thirty years since “Rapper’s Delight,” hip hop has had all types of brilliant MCs. From the complex rhymes and peerless flow of Rakim, to the thoughtful introspection of the late, great 2Pac, to the fiery battle raps of LL Cool J, the best rhymesayers in rap cover a variety of styles and techniques. But one of the most respected aspects of the emceeing is the ability to tell a story. Continuing the rich history of the African oral tradition (which stretches back to West African griots up through Delta bluesmen); these rappers mastered the art of hip hop narrative…. |
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| 10. MC Lyte She made her name ripping apart then-rival Antoinette on “10% Dis,” but Lyte’s first recording was “I Cram to Understand U (Sam)”, an angry account of a failed relationship with a crack-addicted boyfriend that the First Lady of Rhyme recorded at 15. Even as a teenager, Lyte’s brash, no-nonsense style conveyed both the resentment and the sorrow that too many young people experienced when facing substance abuse. The iconic femcee would go on to write some of the best stories of the era; from the metaphysical drug-deal-gone-bad in “Cappucino” to “Poor Georgie”–an even-more tragic take on relationships than “…Sam” centered around alcohol and drug abuse. Download: “Cappucino” “Poor Georgie” |
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