![]() ![]() “Respiration” (with Black Star & Common) (1998)įew artists in all of music have had the vocal range and versatility as Queens’ Pharoahe Monch. Few artists have taken ownership of their presentation as boldly as Mos. From set to set, the Rawkus Records alum veers into Dancehall, Soul, and Hip-Hop, depending on the crowd and his mood, never married to playing the hits. On stage, Mos’ defiance also keeps things exciting. He followed three years later with The Ecstatic, an acclaimed album that lost many of the fans who attached themselves to an artist who was bringing independent Hip-Hop to radio and television (including the “Rap City” theme) a decade prior. In addition to the name-change, Mos released 2006’s Tru3 Magic deliberately without promotion, artwork, or corresponding tours. In the last 10 years, the MC/actor has largely shunned the spotlight. This former bookstore-owner has been a beacon of principles, living his life like his music. His rhymes and ideas have been controversial, from calling out cultural re-appropriation and carpet-bagging record executives to standing up for social martyrs like Amadou Diallo and Assata Shakur. By 2000, with a wide array of styles circulating as hits, Mos was competing with superstars, and led the charge to restore Hip-Hop’s emphasis of lyricism, activism, and unpredictability. Using 12″ singles as a vehicle, guest work, and compilation appearances, Mos emerged as one of Hip-Hop’s saving graces at a troubled time of lazy rhymes, big beats, and fashion over focus. At a time when the Native Tongues were transitioning into the 2000s, Mos Def unofficially carried the torch for years before his own albums. With trial by fire, the Brooklyn, New Yorker made early appearances alongside legendary outfits like De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Common. One of Hip-Hop’s most versatile voices, Dante Smith has built a career making exactly the music he’s wanted to make, on his terms, buyer-be-warned, and Heads adore him all the more because of it.įrom the gate, Mos Def was asked to hang alongside the greats. A devoted artist with two revered classic albums under his belt (1998’s Black Star collaboration with Talib Kweli, and 1999’s Black On Both Sides solo debut), the mighty Mos has made hits seemingly by accident, with a vocal style that commands audiences in verse, melody, free-form poetry, and everything in between. Mos Def, now preferring to be known as Yasiin Bey, has carried much of Hip-Hop’s ruling tenants since the 1970s into the new millennium. Knighted by legends, working in all corners of the culture, listen to these artists’ music, message and read up on their impact before casting your vote. ![]() These MCs have evolved through trends and eras of Hip-Hop, still producing cohesive discographies, respectively. Both MCs are skilled singers, who frequently tap into Soul, R&B, and Rock & Roll to make their albums and shows all the more dynamic. Label-mates and collaborators, Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch have had very parallel careers in terms of choosing principle over Pop-yet each has enjoyed mainstream success, sometimes seemingly by accident. The next two MCs to square-off are two of the most versatile in Hip-Hop history, in terms of vocals, genre, and presentation. For the next several months, we will roll out battles, starting with artists from similar eras paired against one another, until one undisputed King or Queen of the microphone reigns supreme. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not unlike March Madness. ![]() As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. ![]()
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