Storytellers, Battle rappers, Message rappers and Pop rappers

So the Retro Kidz are rocking tonight with Slick Rick. We all know how great Slick Rick is. Perhaps the greatest storyteller our culture has ever produced. See I think comparing Slick Rick to say a Jay Z is like comparing Shaq to The Big ‘O’ (Oscar Robertson, google it young’uns). Not only are they from two different eras but they play different positions. The Big O was a guard who was the only NBA player who averaged a triple double for a whole season. The Shaq Diesel is perhaps the biggest most athletic big man ever to play the game.

You can’t compare them because as a guard you touch the ball more. You have the ability to create your own shot much easier than a center. A center for the most part must be fed the ball and his/her success depends more on the supporting cast.

I say this to say there are different positions as far as MC’s in Hp-Hop.
Storytellers or narrative rappers such as Nas, Slick Rick or Ghostface.
Battle rappers like LL Cool J, Chino XL, Big Daddy Kane.
Message rappers like Talib Kweli, KRS ONE, Public Enemy.
Entertainment rappers like Jay Z, Ludacris, Kanye.

Storytelling rappers can paint a whole narrative complete with dramatic arcs, protagonists, antagonists, climaxes and nadirs. Think ‘Children’s Story’ or Wu Tang (Ghost) on ‘Impossible.’

Battle rappers’ work is centered around chest pumping, braggadocios content. Although they may be like LL and have actually battled and built their career on destroying people’s career (Moe Dee, Canibus) most battle rappers are battling an opponent in absentia. Swagger rappers are a merger of Battle and Entertainment (see below) rappers.

Message rappers should not be confused with conscious rappers (which are actually a sub category). These artists are focused on teaching a lesson. That lesson can be positive or negative. Trap Stars like Jeezy are essentially message rappers with a not so positive message. A Talib Kweli or Common are message rappers with a focus on a community building message.

Entertainment or Pop rapper can be any combination of the previous categories. Their music has 1) pop appeal and 2) punctuated by catchy couplets. These verses are often long chains with non sequitirs (elements of storytellers think “Through The Wire”). Boastful like a battle rapper. And in the model of Jay Z they often claim to “never have wings on,” they “get their by any means on.”

This was supposed to be about the Retro Kidz but I got on a roll. Hope you like it. I came up with this theory on the way down to Thanksgiving Dinner.