How awesome was late 90's, early 2000's rap music?

[cyclonedave25]

Takes me back to my high school days. Which is pretty much the only time I listened to rap. Back then I really enjoyed Nelly/St. Lunatics, Dre, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G., Outkast, etc

[PhillipJCY]

I can honestly only come up with three big rap names out today. Lil' Wayne who is completely overrated, Pitbull who makes the same songs over and over again (Mr. 305/Worldwide, Insert City, Spanish Words, Insert City, Mr. Worldwide, rinse, repeat), and Wiz Khalifia who I haven't heard enough about to know how to spell his name.

I completely agree. Rap today is dreadful compared to the 90's and early 00's.

[cyhiphopp]

Todays R&B/Rap is NOT good, especially not compared to the 90s.

Even current Eminem is not near as good as early Eminem.

I would like to throw the following into the mix for "old school" hip-hop and rap:

A Tribe Called Quest
Wu-Tang Clan
Cypress Hill
House of Pain

[Pitt_Clone]

late 90's, early 2000's? What about late 80's, early 90's? NWA, Public Enemy, Naughty By Nature, solo Dre, Snoop?

Don't forget 2pac. I'm not huge into rap in general, but 2pac, Snoop and Dre in their primes were pretty damn awesome.

[ChrisMWilliams]

Takes me back to my high school days. Which is pretty much the only time I listened to rap. Back then I really enjoyed Nelly/St. Lunatics, Dre, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G., Outkast, etc

I was the exact same way!

[Mr Janny]

Todays R&B/Rap is NOT good, especially not compared to the 90s.

Even current Eminem is not near as good as early Eminem.

I would like to throw the following into the mix for "old school" hip-hop and rap:

A Tribe Called Quest
Wu-Tang Clan
Cypress Hill
House of Pain

I agree with you, but I also think, for the most part, that every generation thinks that the music that was popular when they were growing up is better than what's popular now. I think a lot of it is human nature.

[Mr Janny]

Don't forget 2pac. I'm not huge into rap in general, but 2pac, Snoop and Dre in their primes were pretty damn awesome.

no doubt. 2pac and Dre doing California Love still holds up today.

[cyhawkdmb]

My Senior year this song was our Basketball Teams song.. played it all the time... that and Kid Rocks Cowboy.

[ISUME]

This video nails how rapping is today.

[cyhiphopp]

You mean macklemore and Mac miller aren't good artists?

Macklemore is good, but when I sit down and listen to his whole album, it isn't better than the average Beastie Boys album from back in the day. He does give me some hope for the current gen of hip-hop because he seems like he's got some of that old school vibe. Hopefully it wont be ruined by doing crappy collaborations with pop artists.

[zmjames6]

I was the exact same way!

Can we add Busta Rhymes, Bone Thugs n Harmony, Juvenile, Ja Rule, Jurassic 5, and Master P to this list? Not as good as others listed earlier, but still good stuff from the same era.

[Cyched]

Not as into rap, but late 90's - early 00's music in general is still my all time favorite

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I heard some Beastie Boys last night when I was out and about. Great

[Mr Janny]

I heard some Beastie Boys last night when I was out and about. Great

yeah, they're kind of transcendent, though. They belong to a lot of different eras.

[Angie]

Don't forget 2pac. I'm not huge into rap in general, but 2pac, Snoop and Dre in their primes were pretty damn awesome.

I love Death Row in their prime, but never really got into 2pac. I don't know why.

Also loved East Coast at that time, although Puffy is/was a giant d-bag.

As far as late 90s - yep, Jay-Z was killing it. He had some of the smartest lyrics out there. And as big of a turd as Kanye is, he's been the best besides Jay-Z in the last 15 years - he's got the best beats.