Top 5 (Dead or Alive)

So I had a huge argument about who was in the top 5 dead or alive rapper list. Apparently no one can agree on the same 5 artists or the exact order for that matter. I've come to the conclusion "to each his own." There are thousands of rappers and there is no way, with the way people are, that people can agree on the same list. First of all 5 is a small number, there would be a better chance of people agreeing on the best top 10 than the best top 5.  I decided that after getting badgered on what I thought was the top 5, I would ask many different people who have different tastes. Now I must say some people are just damn hard headed, I had made it EXTREMELY clear that it was top 5, not top 1, or top 7, but the human race is extremely flawed and I guess I can't get mad at people for being the simple humans that they are. Now I had posted a blog on myspace, as well as sent messages to different people on my friends list. I figured myspace was the easiest way to find different kinds of people. My blog had said: 

PLEASE ANYONE SOMEONE let me know. It's for an article, who is your top 5 dead or alive? mine...

1. Big L

2. Biggie

3. Big Pun

4. Nas

5. Eminem

What makes these artists your top 5?

What do you think makes an artist a legend?

Now I only got response to that specific blog and it was from my friend Karl. I guess that I should have made it clear that it was top 5 dead or alive rappers, but either way this shows that people have different outlooks on music regardless. This is what Karl had to say:

" 1. David Bowie

 2. Michael Jackson 

3. Freddie Mercury

 4. Cool Kids

 5. Buck 65

 top 5 because they all excel at what they do, either making insane beats or coming up with new styles of music or having sick flow. What makes a legend is how much of an impact they have on how many people, and how much of an influence they have  on other people also I like their songs a whole lot also for the record Kanye would probably be on my list if he wasn't such a dickhead when he's not making music"

Now that was an interesting list, but lets look at what other people had to say. I messaged like a bagillion people on myspace and only got a couple responses, and thats cool because it was just enough to show how different people see music. Soooo this is what I said:

Subject: Top 5 dead or alive 

"I'd love to know who are your  top 5 best rappers (dead or alive). What makes these artists your top 5 and what do you think makes an artists a legend? Its for an article I'm writing. I'd appreciate your help. Thanx. =)"

Now note how more than once I said top 5! People don't listen, but i digress. The Hundreds sponsored skate Ake Turner had responded, not quite what I asked for, but hey its a response. He said :

"Whoa, I dunno..kanye thts all only because the limit has been pushed due to this man...these last years rappers are going to have to step it up, better yet, don't rap at all"

Now, did i not say DEAD OR ALIVE? Why must his list be limited to one person? Do the dead rappers not count? I don't know but anyways, next person was my friend Donna, a girl who was practically raised in Summit, and must I say it shows from the looks of her list:

"My top 5 is...

1. Jay-z, he is fucking amazing he makes nuttin but hits and hes been around since like 4ever

2. Lil Wayne - hes a great artist but nobody really paid attention to it when he first came out he really shows passion 4 his music

3. Busta Rhymes - he has talent but people seem to overlook his ability of how he flows lyrically

4. Kanye West - he is confident wit all his music he changes his style and u never kno what to expect from him

5. Lupe Fiasco - he different to me he has his own genre hes not followin others hes his own individual"

Ok so, many people would disagree with her list completely but she has the right to her own opinion. Now I have one more list I'd like to show you guys. One that was more similar to one that people would relate to. This last person was a boy from Union named Malcolm, and i guess he just decided to disregard what i said about top 5 and do what he wanted:

"1. 2pac

2. eminem

3. nas

4. Big L

5. nas

6. wu tang (the whole crew)

7. Lupe fiasco"

Now i don't know what was going through his head, head wrote some other stuff but I didn't even bother writing it down because frankly, I didn't even know what the fuck he was talking about. So there you have it, the top 5 dead or alive rappers, in many different peoples perspectives. Choosing top 5 rappers out of thousands is complicated, no two people can agree on one exact list, its like "Che Guevara with bling on, it's complex."

-Tawn