what rappers do you think have/had the potential but never/have never lived up to it ?

1. Canibus - had the potential to blow, rhymes were tight, just never got the promotion

2. Memphis Bleek - just the opposite as canibus, Jay tried to blow him up for years and years, rhymes were wack, he never caught on

3. Beenie Sigel - Sick ass lyrics, no promo....

4. The whole Boot Camp Clik - Mad hot albums, lyrics, flow....same ol story...no promo...

5. Dead Prez - M1 is insane.....no promo

6. Redman - should be a lot bigger than he is now, got mad talent, but he was always a lazy ass pot head that took too long to put out albums..

7. Eminem - had a chance to be one of the greatest ever....fell off and got rich, got lazy

8. J.R. Writer - Personally, I think dude got sick lyrics, but he'll never get a shot.


thats just a quick list off the top...

freeway...

reakwon- has not put out anything better then average since cuban links in witch the rza had ghostface tag team the album cause they knew rea was not able to ride on the hole thing (gfk on 80% of the album), but has all the lyrical ability in the world

canibus- nuff said

method man- a bunch of mid level wu solo albums and b rated movies, but still on def jam suprisingly

rass kass

just to name a few

9. The Lost Boys - as a group, they had major radio play in NY when they were out....they were supposed to blow...just fell off instead.

10. Styles P. - should have blown a long time ago....

11. Royce 59 - always had the skill, no promo...never really blew...

12. Pharoahe Monch - Need I say more.....5 star emcee would should be runnin' shit..no promo

13. Nas - Yes Nas....nas has the skill, promotion and reputaion to run rap...but he don't try to steel the spot light.

reakwon- has not put out anything better then average since cuban links in witch the rza had ghostface tag team the album cause they knew rea was not able to ride on the hole thing (gfk on 80% of the album), but has all the lyrical ability in the world

canibus- nuff said

method man- a bunch of mid level wu solo albums and b rated movies, but still on def jam suprisingly

rass kass

just to name a few


I don't agree with method man.....he may not be hot now, but he lived up to his potential...Mef ran rap for a couple years, he was the top dog in the industry at one time....

Ras Kass coulda been something great but fucked up and wanted to blow so he commercialized his albums to try to get sales. And he got fucked by his record label.

13. Nas - Yes Nas....nas has the skill, promotion and reputaion to run rap...but he don't try to steel the spot light.

Nas?...Nas has 4-5 classic albums...how hasn't he lived up to his potential, he's considered the GOAT by half the heads here.

Nas?...Nas has 4-5 classic albums...how hasn't he lived up to his potential, he's considered the GOAT by half the heads here.

I think he is one of the greatest too...what I was saying is that he could have been bigger (money wise, commercially, MTV wise) than Jay-Z, eminem and all the rest, but he chooses not too. So in that sense he did not use all of his potential.

i co-sign Method Man ... he could of been up there as one of the G.O.A.T.'s ...

also

Juelz Santana (he still has years to prove it though)
AZ
Raekwon
Royal Flush
Mic Geronimo
Armageddon (of Terror Squad)
Ras Kass

^^forgot about armagedon....that shit off the don cartagena album was fire.

I think he is one of the greatest too...what I was saying is that he could have been bigger (money wise, commercially, MTV wise) than Jay-Z, eminem and all the rest, but he chooses not too. So in that sense he did not use all of his potential.
Ok...I agree if your talking bout mainstream exposure but a lot of rappers could have been bigger than they are.
I agree on AZ also.

Definately Method Man.... he coulda been one of the GOAT's for sure.

mos def - handful of brilliant singles and plenty of dope verses, but only one album worth listening to

Its not always good to be a commercial rapper or be on mtv, cause they play bullshit music. (mostlY)

Y'all are just saying who wasn't promoted that doesn't affect it IMO. I think 50 Cent could have been much better, his initiall mixtapes were dope but he sold out

big l he would have blown up. RIP.

Yeh, definately Big L

Prob Busta Rhymes, put some dope stuff out with the 'Leaders of the New School', some nice early stuff and then totally wasted his ability/potential to the point where if u mention his name to true lovers of hip hop u will get laughed at.

Same with Fat Joe. Early days he was ill and a par with Big Pun- then totally wasted his ability.

Also Mase

AZ, Beanie Sigel, Inspectah Deck, Redman, E Badu

I cannot say about Big L cause he's perfect

Prob Busta Rhymes, put some dope stuff out with the 'Leaders of the New School', some nice early stuff and then totally wasted his ability/potential to the point where if u mention his name to true lovers of hip hop u will get laughed at.

Same with Fat Joe. Early days he was ill and a par with Big Pun- then totally wasted his ability.

Yea thats what I meant about 50 Cent all you are just talking about people who didn't get payed.... Big L is considered the GOAT by millions of hip hop fans probably. Anyway to add to that Xzibit, he had some really dope material and then sold out, and didn't even blow up after doing so!

Big L
Big Pun
mic geronimo
mos def
AZ
cormega
Eminem(lost touch with hip hop)

B]Canibus - had the potential to blow, rhymes were tight, just never got the promotion

The whole Boot Camp Clik - Mad hot albums, lyrics, flow....same ol story...no promo...

Dead Prez - M1 is insane.....no promo

Redman - should be a lot bigger than he is now, got mad talent, but he was always a lazy ass pot head that took too long to put out albums..

Eminem - had a chance to be one of the greatest ever....fell off and got rich, got lazy

Styles P. - should have blown a long time ago....

Royce 59 - always had the skill, no promo...never really blew...

Pharoahe Monch - Need I say more.....5 star emcee would should be runnin' shit..no promo

Big L
Big Pun
Mos Def
AZ
Cormega

^^^^^

Big L
Big Pun

How can you say 2 people that have been murdered? ..
And with their debuts they did live up to their potential ..
Their Posthumous created studio albums werent as good but, they didnt fully contribute to those albums so yeah i disagree with you saying that L and Pun didnt live up 2 their potential

method man.....

Kurupt......

AZ......

AZ without a doubt his verse on lifes a bitch proved he could do great things with words and beanie sigel he needed to be pushed alot more when Roc-A-Fella was at its peak the b. is coming was a good album

How can you say 2 people that have been murdered? ..
And with their debuts they did live up to their potential ..
Their Posthumous created studio albums werent as good but, they didnt fully contribute to those albums so yeah i disagree with you saying that L and Pun didnt live up 2 their potential

Thats exactly why they didnt live up to their potential,because they were murdered.

Big pun-capital punishment is a classic and yeah baby was still a decent album. Pun could have realesed more classics in the future if he didnt die(by the way pun was never murdered).

Big L-lifestylez is a classic and the big picture is almost a classic to me. So if L was to keep the form he was in,more classic albums would have followed,hence not living to his potential.

Thats exactly why they didnt live up to their potential,because they were murdered.

Big pun-capital punishment is a classic and yeah baby was still a decent album. Pun could have realesed more classics in the future if he didnt die(by the way pun was never murdered).

Big L-lifestylez is a classic and the big picture is almost a classic to me. So if L was to keep the form he was in,more classic albums would have followed,hence not living to his potential.

Yeh ... true

but its putting it a bit harsh aint it ?

Yeh ... true

but its putting it a bit harsh aint it ?

Nah I didnt mean it the way you took it,Im angry and gutted that they aren't alive to make more good music.

ras kass

In the Future im soorry papoose gone make the list and yes papoose is a very nice artist but can he make a mainstream album we gone see

In the Future im soorry papoose gone make the list and yes papoose is a very nice artist but can he make a mainstream album we gone see

You really want papoose to be mainstream?

I want him to make money and all but I still want him to be creative and make good albums.

If he gets too much attention by media,mainstream rap fans,to much radio play then he will water down his lyrics and start making pop rap.

i co-sign Method Man ... he could of been up there as one of the G.O.A.T.'s ...

also

Juelz Santana (he still has years to prove it though)
AZ
Raekwon
Royal Flush
Mic Geronimo
Armageddon (of Terror Squad)
Ras Kass

Mic Geronimo for sure, this dude was FUCKING nasty, way ahead of his time lyrically. It's really a shame he didn't move units, then he flipped his whole style, damn went down hill after that for him. "The Natural" was a dope album IMO. Royal Flush is nice with it too... couple of Queens vets.

Peace

Canibus for obvious reasons.....His catolouge is one of the most less consistant shitz I eva herd.........Rip The Jacker and 2000 BC were him at him at his best, all his other albums are either 3-3.5/5 or less
and thats mainly cuz of his beats, and the way he tries to make every album somethin too different in terms of styles, and shit gets tired after a while.....So that nigga got alotta potential imo, but he DONT use it tho on alot of his albums.......

And CHINO XL, nigga got 3 albums, but potententially could be one of the sickest spitters in the game if he had more of a catolouge, but he still need to live up to his potential as well

Canibus for obvious reasons.....His catolouge is one of the most less consistant shitz I eva herd.........Rip The Jacker and 2000 BC were him at him at his best, all his other albums are either 3-3.5/5 or less
and thats mainly cuz of his beats, and the way he tries to make every album somethin too different in terms of styles, and shit gets tired after a while.....So that nigga got alotta potential imo, but he DONT use it tho on alot of his albums.......

And CHINO XL, nigga got 3 albums, but potententially could be one of the sickest spitters in the game if he had more of a catolouge, but he still need to live up to his potential as well


Canibus's best album is Mic Club by far IMO.

And CHINO XL, nigga got 3 albums, but potententially could be one of the sickest spitters in the game if he had more of a catolouge, but he still need to live up to his potential as well


yeah, u're right, here to save y'all was the shittttt!!!!!

I'll say Cam'ron. He's put out a lot of nice cd's, but failed to release a classic. Early on in his career, he was dope as hell.

Method too. He's still one of my favorite in the Clan, but the fact that he's only put out only one classic (Tical) and a bunch of average work with that much talent he had coming into the game is disappointing. Remember he was on Enter the 36 Chambers more then any other member of the Clan, and he put out the first solo cd, so I think it's no secret that it was the RZA's intentions to have him as the defuncto lead emcee of Wu Tang. Problem was it didn't really turn out that way.

buddens~ dont get enough props nor any exposure through def jam
mos def- ill artist but never puts anything together fully
royce da 5'9- skilled lyricist no promo
e ness- that dude on bad boy from da band lyrical monster imo
j millz- got time and potential
fabolous-doesnt make enough music 2 be goat but has the ability if he worked harder
aasim~ dude from bad boy lyrical beast just never any exposure
duke from the roots black thought ? i think thats the name LYRICALLY gifted ~ theres so many 2 name ~ but jus a few ~

Inspectah Deck
Nah. Deck is one of the best lyrists I know of. He has lived up to his potential and then some, if anything, he is underrated and doesn't get the credit he deserves. Look at his versus for Triumph, Above the Clouds w/Gangstarr or Cold World.
I bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies
and hypothesis can't define how I be droppin these
mockeries, lyrically perform armed robbery
Flee with the lottery, possibly they spotted me
Battle-scarred shogun, explosion when my pen hits
tremendous, ultra-violet shine blind forensics
I inspect you, through the future see millenium
Killa B's sold fifty gold sixty platinum
Shacklin the masses with drastic rap tactics
Graphic displays melt the steel like blacksmiths
Black Wu jackets queen B's ease the guns in
Rumble with patrolmen, tear gas laced the function
Heads by the score take flight incite a war
Chicks hit the floor, diehard fans demand more
Behold the bold soldier, control the globe slowly
Proceeds to blow swingin swords like Shinobi
Stomp grounds and pound footprints in solid rock
Wu got it locked, performin live on your hottest block
After reading that, you can't tell me he doesn't live up to his hype...

You really want papoose to be mainstream?

I want him to make money and all but I still want him to be creative and make good albums.

If he gets too much attention by media,mainstream rap fans,to much radio play then he will water down his lyrics and start making pop rap.

He got a Cd coming out Soon Call Nacirema or sumthin

Thats why i said he'll be on this list in the future because he'll water down his lyrics lose his skill and become jus another Rap failure or he could do the exaxt opposite

Nah. Deck is one of the best lyrists I know of. He has lived up to his potential and then some, if anything, he is underrated and doesn't get the credit he deserves. Look at his versus for Triumph, Above the Clouds w/Gangstarr or Cold World.

After reading that, you can't tell me he doesn't live up to his hype...

I agree wit you, I was thinking about the market success and overall exposure, he's my favourite lyricist

IMO Inspek Deck is THE best lyricist... along with Big L

ok I'm very sorry to say this but eminem. he had the potential to be the best ever, and he's my fav rapper, but he could've been alot better, now he is rubbish, I,E "smack that ft akon" "shake that ass ft. nate dogg" . my point is proven, even his supposed come back song "no apologies" wasn't half as good lyrically as mmlp and or eminem show, sslp, infinite.

^^^Why say sorry?

But yeh, Em coulda had another few classic albums.... untill money filled his eyes

Mos Def was involved in two of the best projects of the 90s with Blackstar then Black on Both Sides (he had one really dope 4 CD mixtape that had a lot of his guest shit too, although I don't know how that fits in), then with New Danger and Tru3 Magic it looks like he just completely lost focus. His flow is gone, his lyrics have gone downhill, and with his move to more live instrument stuff he's really making some sub-par shit that just isn't fun to listen to. I love Mos but he's kinda lost it, he could have been one of the best. The catalog he has now is still really good, but the sky was the limit for him.

Proof - he was dopest MC in D12 by miles, but his career was cut short.

Everlast - he was nothing special lyrically but I loved his delivery on House of Pain's last album. He decided to do that guitar strumming country stuff after HOP though. :(

50 Cent - Let money corrupt him and now makes pop rap.

Eminem - Became lazy after The Eminem Show

I'll say Cam'ron. He's put out a lot of nice cd's, but failed to release a classic. Early on in his career, he was dope as hell.

i co-sign this ... if you listen to his shit from Children Of The Corn he could have been known as a great in hip hop ...

ok I'm very sorry to say this but eminem. he had the potential to be the best ever, and he's my fav rapper, but he could've been alot better, now he is rubbish, I,E "smack that ft akon" "shake that ass ft. nate dogg" . my point is proven, even his supposed come back song "no apologies" wasn't half as good lyrically as mmlp and or eminem show, sslp, infinite.

Kinda stepped on the same point I made,yes Em sold out for the money.

If you look back at Em in the 90s,you see him shoutin out underground emcees etc but now hes lost touch with hip hop as an art and the rest of the real emcees.

^Did Eminem not beef with Dilated Peoples during the Everlast beef?

^Did Eminem not beef with Dilated Peoples during the Everlast beef?

I think they had a small beef,Em dissed evidence from Dilated peoples.

50 cent
mobb deep
snoop dogg

LUDACRIS

this man is so sick, hes got soo much fuckin potential its not even funny, if he didnt waste so much time bein a nympho and talkin about sex and fuckin around, then he could definately be one of the best ever, unfortunately i dont think he really gives a shit about bein the best i think he just likes ot have fun while rapping, its too bad though

If by potential, you mean has the ability and doesn't use it...

Bubba Sparxxx

Andre 3000 (lately)

Mos & Talib (haven't been as good since Black Star)

UGK is pissing me off, considering Ridin' Dirty is an absolute classic...as of now, they're making bullshit

50 (as much as I despise this fuckers music...he has the ability to be quite the spitter. Proven on Guess Whose Back)

Mos & Talib (haven't been as good since Black Star)

what about black on both sides, train of thought, and quality?

what about black on both sides, train of thought, and quality?

Black on Both Sides was ill. Yet...IMO, not as good as Black Star. Talib's flow gets on my nerves if I listen too often. However, I didn't catch that feelin' on Black Star. Perhaps they evened each other out...similar to Andre and Big Boi.

I'm not sayin' they're other shit isn't dope. Hell, I bump Quality, Black on Both Sides, and Reflection Eternal on a weekly basis. However...not as good as Black Star

NaS
As good as Nas' catalogue is, I don't feel that he lived up to his potential. Nas is my favorite rapper, but he never equaled or excelled the expectations he set for himself after his debut. I don't know if any of you remember this, but when Nas was comin out everybody was claiming he would be the greatest ever, thats why every top producer wanted to work on Illmatic. Don't get me wrong, Nas is top 3 of all time and is the greatest rapper alive to me, but he was supposed to change the game nd be the undisputed #1 of alltime, lofty expectations yes, but he did fall short of them.