mans was the founder and frontman for one of the most influential and greatest rap group OAT in public enemy (which practically birthed conscious rap), can go toe to toe with some of the best lyricists etc. i barely see him in top 5 lists at all compared to andre 3000, who was also in a group, is frequently mentioned (with good reason ain’t tryna knock andre)

mods don’t delete the thread please I’m serious with this lol

(17 year old 6ix9ine stans don’t come itt please)

I used to work with an old head who has him as #2 after Pac.

calling the 69 stans out

lol but fr tho

Yeah they woat. Probably make up 75% of this section

I don't think hes top 5. too many other rappers beat him in most categories. He does have a good impact with PE tho

He’s good and underrated but come on man you don’t genuinely believe he’s top 5

Title should not incite 17 year old 6ix9ine stans to come in this thread whatsoever

chuck not in my top 5 rappers but public enemy is def top 2 rap groups oat

People in groups and 80s MCs get less acknowledgement in top 5 lists. Chuck D is both of those.

People love Public Enemy tho. You see Fight the Power referenced in protests, docs, films, tv shows a lot and people wearing their merch, like the Fear of a Black Planet ones you see. They get respect from all genres, look at the supergroup Chuck D is in right now with Rage Against the Machine members. You hear him in artists that came after him who are relevant now like Kendrick and Run the Jewels.

Maybe they're not as big in the US as they were here, they had a Top 5 single in the UK in 2007 or 2008 on the main pop charts.

I agree tho he should get mentioned up there more. It Takes a Nation is hard to compete with as a hip hop album.

He's fallen out of lists over the last 10 years really. In the 2000s you'd still see him on the lists still but genpop has lost the appreciation of any of the artists to come out of the 80s in the last deade

I just think there are too many other greats. He’s a legend, but not top 5 I don’t think. It’s hard to put him over people like Jay, Pac, Nas, Em etc

he should be placed in the top 5 off impact alone with public enemy. without them there would be no kendrick, nas, and most others who are conscious

He can't spit like BlackThought

Overall? It’s hard to put him top 5 but as far as impact and influence goes then maybe.

if you look at what he achieved in his career given the era he's from, he has a better claim than most people. his music might have lasted longer than any other 80s rapper. slick rick gets sampled and his iconic look gets used a lot, but it might be pe globally.

there's more to rapping than technicality.

as chuck d said on their last hit his 'simple rhymes be good for your health'

the simplicity of his lyrics made his content and sound so much stronger and easier to understand.

the combination of him and the bomb squad is an all time producer rapper combination

public enemy was and still do get referenced in all of the things you mentioned to this day so it’s confusing to me why he ain’t mentioned, but yeah i agree. it takes a nation is one of my favorite rap albums ever

also, this is a good or bad thing depending on your view of current hip hop

but when it comes to spreading hip hop globally to audiences of all different races and backgrounds, public enemy were really important. in the uk for the 40+ year olds there's people who often say they were the only hip hop they listened to growing up. for a lot of people it was that and the beastie boys.

they still tour all over the world playing to thousands, you can't say that about most of their peers. they set up a lot of the paths we take for granted in 2020

bomb squad also in the top 10 producers which they also barely get mentioned

You don’t genuinely believe