1. "Lupe is the most gifted emcee of his generation" In response to Reply # 0
You can draw a line since the beginning...Caz, Kane, Mos/Thought, Lupe. Any one of those you could make an argument for being the most naturally gifted of all time.
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But as far as putting verses together and the technical aspect of rhyming, Lupe is clearly the best.
I prefer Kendrick's catalog, mostly because Kendrick's ability to craft albums filled with compelling themes is better, but Tetsuo and Youth really blew me away with not only the complexity of the lyricism but the types of conceptual approaches he used.
5. "Kendrick is a far better overall artist, Lupe is a far better rapper" In response to Reply # 0
Kendrick's overall musicality/creativity/artistic direction make him the greatest, but as a pure lyricist, I rarely if ever have felt compelled to read Kendrick lyrics or would want to hear him do a verse acapella. Lupe has plenty of mindblowingly good verses that would still be great acapella.
6. "Kendrick" In response to Reply # 0 Sun Aug-20-17 07:55 AM by Kosa12
Lupe is clearly better at the technical aspect of lyricism, people have already said his lyrics are more impressive on paper, which is probably true. Kendrick is better at almost everything else that rapper entails like: variety of flows, cadences, variety/use of the voice, song structures, hooks, choosing beats - though I'd say it's a tie on content but Kendrick is often more immediate, which depending on who you are could be better or worse. Since I think Kendrick is great technically as well, he takes it overall. How Kendrick uses what he is better at also makes him more effective emotionally. Kendrick doesn't have a "Mural" and never will, but with albums that I like as much as TPAB and GKMC he doesn't need one for me. That said, I still think Lupe has at least one more great album in him - Tetsuo was fantastic as was the mixtape that followed that year but I think he can go ever higher than that - specifically beat wise. Patiently awaiting his next album.
i want to say K-Dot based on my initial feeling but I don't know if Kendrick has a song as good as Lupe Fiasco's "Mural" in his catalog. I listen to "Mural" at least twice a week and I'm always struck with the same sense of awe.
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10. "Kendrick literally has about 500 more styles than Lupe" In response to Reply # 0
I don't see how anyone can say Lupe is a better rapper than Kendrick. You may like Lupe's songs more than Kendrick's, but better rapper? From a technical perspective? Fuck no.
11. "I feel the opposite" In response to Reply # 10
I could see how someone may think lupe is better technically, but rap means music to me, and I don't see how you can say Kendrick isn't far better at making songs.
I think Kendrick is the better rapper, if I wasn't being clear.
12. "rapping is an aspect of music, like singing or drumming" In response to Reply # 11
but I don't think having multiple styles equates to being better at rapping. Lupe's skill is transcendent in a way that Kendrick's isn't. I shut off Kendrick songs sometimes because of the grumbling and dumb ass voices he makes, but with Lupe I can put on a verse and just marvel at his talent even if I don't like the song.
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
13. "gonna have to agree to disagree" In response to Reply # 12
I just don't enjoy lupe's music very much. I think separating a rapper's 'skill' at rap from the music he makes is inappropriate.
Additionally Lupe has monotonous quality to his rhymes, especially in his more lyrically dense material. I think it robs his raps of musicality. Kendrick's skill is such that he can make simple things sound complex, or conversely dense, or wordy passages can sound simple.
Bottom line whether dense or simple I can understand Kendrick and I never feel like following his rhyme or line of thought is difficult. Lupe on the other hand listening to him feels like work to me.
Then again maybe I just don't mess with Lupe's beats.
17. "oh it's appropriate in this case" In response to Reply # 13
because the OP is talking about ability to rap strictly. In any other case I'd say the same as you.
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
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