>he has set such a standard for MCing that I think it is
>arguable that no one has eclipsed it completely yet.
>
>so while the no. 1 spot is always a debate, Biggie definitely
>has the credentials to be in that conversation, regardless if
>you're from New Orleans, Mexico City or Brooklyn .

now you make another great point. While everyone from Em, Nas, Keith Murray, Mystikal, Fat Joe, Pac and COUNTLESS others say how LL was they favorite mc at one time or another, all these wack mcs out now, ask them who they fav was that they studied and tried to emulate. You hear names like Biggie Jay Z and 50, I think that says something, what about you? Basically if you take Big out of the equation, hip hop is not hurting to me, in fact it's in a better position. Now take away a Chuck D, Rakim, KRS, LL, Nas, Wu Tang............hip hop misses out on a lot. They type of rapper Big was come and go often, that's just my opinion. I was impressed by Ready to Die but didn't pay too much to Big (according to billboard many others didn't either) cause like I said earlier Death Row and Wu Tang was running shit while he was alive