This isn't to diminish his accomplishments at all. I'm a big fan. L was the first BIG solo rap star and the blueprint for so many that followed. He's on the Mount Rushmore of rap music, IMO.

And when I say THAT status, I mean rap dudes that my 60 year old, suburban mom and her friends know about. That when you ask the average, white collar dude on the street to name a rapper, he comes up. Pop icon shit.

Basically, Jay-Z, Eminem, Snoop Dogg level, where it transcends music and they're just known (I'd include Big and Pac, but we know their legacy is cemented as much by their death and what's been made of it)

Was hip hop too young when he was in his prime? The machine that propels one to that level wasn't quite in full swing just yet? Did he lack that ONE big hit that got on the radar of people who otherwise avoid hip hop like the plague? Too much spotty material? Was he too involved in side projects (Hollywood)?

Or did he and I just don't see it?

This is spun from a discussion with a friend of mine about which rapper someone would name if they were asked, randomly on the street, to drop ONE name, and I realized that I didn't think LL would come up amongst a lot of people.

___________________________
OL' DIRTY BASTARD on himself:
"I may curse, I may have a bad mouth, whatever whatever. I'm not that bad, yaknow'mean. Bad to y'all, I dunno how y'all... I don't give a fuck. Um, I'm a good person at heart, for real and shit.