You obviously can't go wrong with either one, but ATBS I think it's Pac and I don't think it's especially close. The NWA argument basically is the trailblazer argument - if there's no NWA there's no TuPac. And that's probably true. But that's where it ends for me. Pac was plenty influential himself and he put out a shit ton more music than NWA did (and all of it extremely high quality, at least the before death stuff).
But even beyond the volume issue, Pac was a five tool rapper to a degree unlike anyone really before or since. There are a few litmus tests for a rapper - can he resonate with the streets, can he speak for the streets (socially conscious), can he make hits (radio/club play)/sell albums, can he freestyle, can he rhyme in new and chinteresting ways, can he take out a rival with a dis track?
Pac checks all the boxes, resoundingly. I know our esteemed Asian thinks Pac didn't produce enough bangers but from 93 to at least 98 you couldn't turn on a radio or go to a club without hearing Pac multiple times. Every album he put out had a shit ton of hits on it, even beyond the singles.
Pac rolling NWA more than I thought. Difference maker here is Pac just had a much larger discography of great material. Maybe if NWA had stuck together a little longer and grew there sound they could have been the GOAT.
Pac rolling NWA more than I thought. Difference maker here is Pac just had a much larger discography of great material. Maybe if NWA had stuck together a little longer and grew there sound they could have been the GOAT.
I know we don’t deal in hypotheticals here, but imagine the library he’d have if he didn’t get assassinated by Suge Knight.
OBK so doesn't realize we voted on easy, cube, and Dre. Not to mention he doesn't know Dre produced half of Pacs work. Or know anything about Ren, Yella, DOC or Arabian Prince.
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But even beyond the volume issue, Pac was a five tool rapper to a degree unlike anyone really before or since. There are a few litmus tests for a rapper - can he resonate with the streets, can he speak for the streets (socially conscious), can he make hits (radio/club play)/sell albums, can he freestyle, can he rhyme in new and chinteresting ways, can he take out a rival with a dis track?
Pac checks all the boxes, resoundingly. I know our esteemed Asian thinks Pac didn't produce enough bangers but from 93 to at least 98 you couldn't turn on a radio or go to a club without hearing Pac multiple times. Every album he put out had a shit ton of hits on it, even beyond the singles.
I love NWA but Ice Cube said it best:
Suge killed Biggie
Tupac is just one guy. Easy choice.