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hrap-120;996885 said:Why didnt you make a poll so people could vote???
Punisher__;996895 said:Well, first off, let's put it into perspective. Pac was no one's lyrical giant, and his overall musical output was average at best. However, his death at an early age helped to cement legendary status, regardless of the actual merit of his work. Common was not bound by the same circumstance. He actually had to put in work for the clout that he has received, and has amassed a repertoire that is far more impressive than anything that Pac did.
I'd say Common has the majority of those sub-categories locked up, with ease. Longevity, creativity, catalog, wordplay, songwriting, changing up your style, technical skill, battle skills and flow are, without question, areas where Common easily outclasses Pac.
Where I'd call it a draw would be emotion, storytelling, industry impact, legacy and respect in the game. Pac conveyed great emotion and he was a good storyteller. But Common is no dull shark, either. In fact, I'd confidently put "I Used to Love H.E.R." against any Pac track, with respect to emotion and storytelling. I believe they're both highly respected...Pac as an outspoken voice, and Common as an industry veteran, who is 18 years in.
Social impact, influence, and peak performance are the only areas where I'd say Pac surpasses Common. But that is only because Pac is more popular on a global scale, so it's easy for people to advocate for Pac, as his name is more familiar. Common's lack of mainstream visibility is what hurts him in the three aforementioned areas, IMO.
So when it's all said and done, Common is and should be higher on a G.O.A.T. list.
Mvpbrodie93;996901 said:How is he more creative and a better songwriter?
Punisher__;996925 said:I guess it depends on how you define "better." Pac, to me, was simple. Effective...but still simple. I found his lyricism to be generic, cliched, and revolving around generalities. He was limited as far as his wordplay goes, and it showed with his musical output, which I thought lacked depth.
Common relied on intricacy and multi-layered rhyme schemes to write, incorporating puns, punchlines, and many other literary techniques in his music.
Mvpbrodie93;996946 said:to Be completely honest, whose crafted MORE classic rap songs then tupac?
Mvpbrodie93;996946 said:to Be completely honest, whose crafted MORE classic rap songs then tupac?
Mvpbrodie93;996946 said:to Be completely honest, whose crafted MORE classic rap songs then tupac?
Sm00thness101;996960 said:I'm tired of everybody shitting on pac about lyricism and all that other bullshit. At the end of day, Pac had the hottest music (check his numbers). He spoke from the heart and people felt that shit. They could relate to it. Damn near everybody can rap at least one pac song word for word. Music is in the entertainment industry. That's what it's all about entertaining. With that said how the fuck does common have an edge in longevity? Pac been dead since 96 and he still gets more airplay than common. Niggas don't ride around bumpin common. I actually dude think dude is skilled (Sixth Sense, the light, I used to Love her..etc) but he falls just below pac.
Punisher__;997002 said:But "classic" is such a gray, overused term. It really doesn't mean much nowadays, does it? Pac having more classics is just a testament to him being the more visible rapper. On topics like album sales, commercial impact, classics, etc, etc...it's an unfair comparison, by default, because Pac's simplicity catered to that particular demographic. Common is not that type of emcee, and never has been.
That's why I said it's easier for people to advocate for Pac, because he has that large commercial following and is more well-known. It's like asking, who has more classics...Aretha Franklin or Nina Simone? Of course people are going to say Aretha because she's more of a presence in mainstream media, despite the fact that Nina is clearly the superior artist with a superior set of skills and catalog.
Put that in context here. The only thing that Pac has going for him that Common doesn't is that commercial success and pop culture obsession.
Mvpbrodie93;997008 said:You don't like Aretha?
hrap-120;996999 said:Pac was one of the few artists to appeal to the streets and to the suburbs without selling out.
he spoke in the language of the people and touched on topics most rappers shy away from.
there is a reson why Tupcas lyrics are studied in Universities, and why are intellectuals like Michael Eric Dyson write books about him..
he was a unique talent and millions of people felt his music.