It's one of the biggest factors when differentiating one rapper from another. All rappers boast about how dope they are. It's a very ego driven genre. And having the slickest, tongue twisting flow is definitely noteworthy. But if under scrutiny one finds that the meat of those flows are simple run of the mill references, you aren't going to be held in the same regard as someone who's saying something you've possibly never heard before, or draws on something not as current or mainstream. It's what made/makes DOOM so special. Rakim. It's why Canibus was so revered at one point.

And I'm not in here saying Oddisee is wack, 'cause that absolutely isn't the case. But taking your comparison into account, the biggest thing that Tip and Phonte have over Oddisee is charisma. With the former, when you listen to them rap their distinct personalities shine through. Tip's quirkiness and Phonte's humor are a huge part of what makes them compelling. They're entertainers. What is Oddisee's selling point? His laid back vibe and common man presence?

>>And I felt there were a couple of points I could have
>>elaborated on, thus the additional post(s). And I didn't say
>>that Oddisee "only" rapped about those things. But that
>those
>>subjects are very central to his music, and that the brand
>of
>>obscure reference heavy battle/bragging rap that RZA did and
>>many enjoy isn't really found much in Oddisee's music, or
>much
>>of a focus for him. And I think that's a fair assessment.
>
>What's the difference between rapping about "how nice I am"
>and bragging raps?
>
>Just because RZA's style is more obscure you're giving him the
>nod?
>
>I agree it's about preference at that point but I am not
>understanding the flaw people in this post are claiming
>Oddisee has.
>
>If you're a Phonte fan or a Tribe fan etc it doesn't make
>sense to me to not like Oddisee because he creates music with
>the same sense of values as some of our favorites.
>