Song Detail | Rap Ledger

Riches, Royalty, Respect

Kool G Rap

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

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Check out this in depth and well written analysis^✦ of just one kool g rap verse, displaying^✦ his incredible^✦ skills when it comes^✦ to lyricism^✦ and being technical:^✦

Check out his rhyme schems in these songs and the technical^✦ analysis^✦ generated^✦ as well:

Men at Work

Allied^✦ Meta-Forces

Cannon^✦ Fire

Good Die Young

- Flow

Kool G Rap seriously has one of the greatest^✦ flows OAT. he has soo many^✦ different^✦ type of flows, and he is literally^✦ a master^✦ of all of them. His flow is also^✦ versatile^✦ in a good way. usually^✦ many^✦ rappers^✦ who stick to one flow, once they try to change it, it usually^✦ sounds forced^✦ since the artist^✦ is trying to sound to much like another^✦ rapper/style. However^✦ with g rap his flows are always^✦ natural, and this is very^✦ intentional as g rap says himself:^✦

The flow is nothing^✦ but G Rap just staying with a flow that’s not dated,^✦ but is still G Rap at the same time. Because^✦ I could never^✦ flow with somebody^✦ else’s^✦ flow like that. And if I did, it might sound like somebody^✦ else’s^✦ flow, but these dudes^✦ was inspired^✦ by G Rap and so they took pieces^✦ of G Rap with them and became^✦ what they became.^✦ So what might sound like somebody^✦ else’s^✦ flow—nah, not really,^✦ that’s a part of G Rap and if we could go back and listen^✦ to each and every^✦ record^✦ I made you’ll probably^✦ hear those flows and shit that I did before.^✦ Somebody^✦ might have took a certain^✦ flow of mine and just based^✦ their whole style around^✦ that and just ran with it. I never^✦ just did one flow, I mean you hear a flow I did on “Men at Work” and you heard a different^✦ flow on “Road to the Riches,”^✦ so it’s like I never^✦ just did only^✦ one flow.

So as G rap said he has the fast type flow like in Men at Work (incredible^✦ fast paced^✦ flow) and a more laid back flow like on Road to Riches.^✦ However,^✦ those songs were from his earlier career,^✦ and since then G rap has refined^✦ his flow so much more on later^✦ albums^✦ like on Live and Let Die and 4,5,6. 4,5,6 is probably^✦ his best album^✦ flow wise, which is funny^✦ since i was recently^✦ reading^✦ a review^✦ of 4,5,6 by G rap and the first thing it said was:

Ladies^✦ and Gentlemen…. The Greatest^✦ FLOOOOOOOOOOW On Earth!!!

He also^✦ said:

If Rakim^✦ would be titled^✦ with being the “God of Modern^✦ Lyricism”,^✦ then surely^✦ Kool G. Rap is the “God of Modern^✦ Flow”, being the first to have expert timing^✦ in his lyrics^✦ and punching out syllable^✦ after^✦ syllable^✦ with machine^✦ gun accuracy.^✦

Even^✦ Martin^✦ Connor^✦ (who is a computer scientist who is known on the internet, particularly^✦ RG for giving^✦ objective^✦ and in depth analysis’s of rappers^✦ flows) had this to say about^✦ G raps flow and rhythm:

On this song, though, I wasn’t looking^✦ for his rhymes,^✦ which is generally^✦ the last thing I pick up on a song, but the rhythms of his words. What I enjoyed so much about^✦ his musical^✦ rhythms on this song was the one, small, but very^✦ unique/characteristic idea^✦ he kept repeating.^✦ It was honestly^✦ music^✦ to my ears — pun intended^✦ — when he started^✦ repeating^✦ the idea^✦ that he first mentions^✦ around^✦ 0:11, on the words “front of my.” The important^✦ aspects^✦ of this idea^✦ are that it’s 3-notes^✦ long, and faster^✦ than his other^✦ rhythms, and are triplets (which is a technical,^✦ musical^✦ term, so I won’t go into^✦ it.) This 3-note and fast rhythm, which I’ll call rhythm 1 just for simplicity’s sake, stands out from his other^✦ rhythms, which are generally^✦ slower.^✦

Now, let me walk you through how I heard this song. I heard this rhythm 1 idea^✦ once, and it stuck out because^✦ it was so unique^✦ from the other^✦ rhythms he was rapping.^✦ When he repeated^✦ it around^✦ 0:14, on “raggedy,” I knew that something^✦ was going on. However,^✦ it was up to Kool G Rap to get the most out of this idea.^✦ At 0:15, he does rhythm 1 again,^✦ on “kickin^✦ a.” Again,^✦ everything^✦ I’m quoting has 3 notes/syllables (they’re the same thing,) and they’re all fast rhythms.

Having^✦ mentioned^✦ rhythm 1 three times^✦ already,^✦ I was dying, dying, dying for him to mention^✦ it throughout^✦ the rest of the song. But from 0:17 to 0:34, he doesn’t at all. That might not sound like a long time, but in music^✦ that’s 7 bars, which is a long time in terms of musical^✦ time. At this point, I was incredibly^✦ disappointed, and thought I’d be able to dismiss KGR as just another^✦ good-but-not-great rapper.^✦ However,^✦ when he brought rhythm 1 back at around^✦ 0:35, on “thinking^✦ a-”, my heart leapt for joy. He even^✦ does it again,^✦ right after,^✦ on “gotta^✦ get”. I now knew this was a rapper^✦ to be reckoned^✦ with.

That’s because^✦ this is clearly^✦ a musician who understands how to unify^✦ an extended^✦ musical^✦ structure,^✦ a 4-minute^✦ long song, in unique^✦ ways. His simple repetition^✦ of a unique^✦ rhythm is a great way to keep the thread of dramatic^✦ tension^✦ throughout^✦ this entire^✦ song taught. After^✦ 0:36, I’m not paying at all to the words Kool G Rap is saying, but instead^✦ listening for that unique^✦ rhythm. Every^✦ time it comes^✦ back, it’s a relieving satisfaction^✦ of my musical^✦ expectations.^✦ For instance,^✦ he does it again^✦ at 0:45 and 0:55. I’ll let you track down the rest of the times^✦ it occurs, because^✦ it’s honestly^✦ so much fun to do so.

But please listen^✦ to these songs if you want an idea^✦ of how incredible^✦ G raps flow is:

It’s a Shame- His flow on this song is just so fucking godly^✦ and on point, its almost^✦ makes^✦ me mad how incredible^✦ his flow is here. Especially^✦ the part where he says:

The boss of all bosses,^✦ I own racehorses and a fortress

Corridors with olympic torches and Mona^✦ Lisa^✦ portraits

Jacuzzis and saunas^✦ and eatin^✦ steak at Benihana’s

Bentley’s, limousine,^✦ the front yard stream is full of pirahnas

I’m set, a private^✦ jet, I drink a lot of Beck’s

Get a lot of sess, condo^✦ and duplex,^✦ diamond^✦ infested Rolex^✦

Deliver a crown at the Wall Unit’s^✦ with Silver^✦ China^✦

Sippin^✦ on finer^✦ wine-r^✦ you see more shines^✦ than diamond^✦ miners^✦

The Highness, kingpin^✦ of heroin^✦

I’m thorough^✦ when I have to bring the terror^✦ in

Handle business^✦ in each and every^✦ borough^✦ in

Town or city,^✦ I’m rollin^✦ like Frank Nitti,^✦ I’m rich and pretty^✦

Back up kiddies,^✦ I got crimies^✦ that’s grimy^✦ and gritty^✦

A nigga^✦ that’s spunky^✦ and likes^✦ to keep his pockets chunky^✦

Makin^✦ most of my money,^✦ from all the dopefiends and junkies^✦

Kool is Back- Along^✦ with tracks like Men at Work and #1 with the bullet^✦ (renegades^✦ BDK), this track is another^✦ example^✦ of Kool G raps rapid^✦ fire fast paced^✦ flow.

1st verse of Blowin^✦ up in da world- This is honestly^✦ one of his best songs OAT, and his menacing flow is so incredible.^✦ His flow is some what sporadic (in the most amazing^✦ way possible),^✦ and it is a classic^✦ example^✦ of his trademark flow mixed^✦ with his GOAT breath control.^✦ G rap is one of those rappers^✦ that can spit 6 bars seemingly without^✦ taking^✦ a single breath. When Pun came out, his flow was one of his most stand out characteristics, and you can thank G rap for that since Pun basically^✦ took G raps entire^✦ breathless^✦ flow. For more songs with this type of flow just check out Executioner style,Let the games^✦ begin,^✦ and 4,5,6. His flow and breath control^✦ on BUIDW is especially^✦ nice when he says:

I never^✦ remembered^✦ the dinners, the brother^✦ was straight fat cat

Not even^✦ a Big Mac black, I had kit-kats on top of crackerjacks

Reading^✦ it may not sound that impressive^✦ but listen^✦ to the way G rap delivers^✦ this line with his breathless^✦ flow. Its incredible.^✦

When it comes^✦ to flow G rap is set, with multiple incredible^✦ flows from his laid back styled^✦ flow to his breathless^✦ intricate^✦ flows that have all influenced^✦ the flows of Big Pun, Nas, raekwon,^✦ BIG, and etc…

- Storytelling^✦

Storytelling^✦ is one of the most unique^✦ and intriguing^✦ things that an emcee can do. If you look at the GOAT’s across^✦ the board, storytelling^✦ songs stand out in their discography^✦ as some of the most creative^✦ and entertaining^✦ songs. Some of the best storytellers^✦ in hip hop include^✦ eminem,^✦ nas, Biggie, Ghostface,^✦ Slick Rick, and etc… However,^✦ when it comes^✦ to storytelling^✦ in my honest^✦ and well thought out opinion;^✦ kool g rap is thee greatest^✦ hip hop storyteller^✦ of all time… The only^✦ one that comes^✦ close is nas, but in general^✦ G rap is the greatest^✦ when it comes^✦ to stroytelling…^✦ Storytelling^✦ is one of g raps main focus^✦ as well:

A lot of people say what I write is very^✦ descriptive,^✦ because^✦

I’m a writer^✦ kind of rapper.^✦ I’m not just a rapper,^✦ like, that

try to get people to dance or to move and stuff like that—I’ll

write that shit that’s gonna^✦ have you sit there and you gonna^✦

see visuals of what I’m talking about.^✦ You’re gonna^✦ see a

short little movie—I’m gonna^✦ give somebody^✦ a visual^✦ of G

Rap doing something.^✦

-Kool G Rap

I was always^✦ a writer/novelist. The first thing I wanted^✦ to do before^✦ I started^✦ rapping^✦ was to write novels. I always^✦ had the instinct to tell stories,^✦ and that’s why I’m credited for being one of the most cinematic^✦ rappers.^✦

-Kool G rap

His first album^✦ didn’t necessarily^✦ have storytelling^✦ songs however^✦ there were many^✦ instances of his ability^✦ to craft and describe images,^✦ however^✦ his 2nd album^✦ is where we see a large increase/improvement of storytelling^✦ and imagery^✦ such as:

- Streets of new york (with NY state of mind type imagery,^✦ which this song actually^✦ directly^✦ influenced^✦ NY state of mind..)

- Wanted:^✦ Dead or Alive:^✦ Beginning^✦ with a very^✦ zoomed^✦ in narrative^✦ of him on the run from the police^✦ after^✦ having^✦ committed^✦ a bank heist for the mob, it then zooms out to talk about^✦ the crime in the city^✦ in a general^✦ fashion.^✦ Kool G repeats this formula again^✦ in the second verse.

and etc…

These songs however^✦ these songs and albums^✦ are nothing^✦ really^✦ special^✦ looking^✦ at it from todays^✦ standards (they were great for the time in which they came out). They are nothing^✦ compared to his 3rd album^✦ Live and Let die, which was the mark of G raps GOAT storytelling^✦ status…^✦

From the very^✦ first track we have a long, twisty^✦ heist story^✦ that Kool G Rap tells from the perspective^✦ of a low-level^✦ mob henchman, working for the Luciano^✦ crime family.^✦ Dissatisfied^✦ by what he thinks is insufficient pay for the drug running^✦ and money^✦ laundering^✦ jobs he is required^✦ to handle from day to day, he steals a shipment of 10 kg of cocaine^✦ (around^✦ $200,000 worth) so he can go into^✦ business^✦ for himself.^✦ His bosses^✦ catch him on the way to the airport, where he is plotting to flee town with his wife and son, but they are able to escape^✦ following^✦ a gunfight. He then drives^✦ into^✦ Mexico^✦ and stops at a filling station^✦ where he is again^✦ pursued by the Luciano^✦ family.^✦ He is able to kill his pursuers, including^✦ Don Luciano,^✦ and escapes.

Train robbery:^✦ An incredibly^✦ visual^✦ story^✦ about^✦ a gruesome^✦ train heist over^✦ an eerie beat that perfectly^✦ reflects/captres g raps story.^✦ Incredible^✦ imagery^✦ and extremely^✦ easy^✦ to follow^✦ story.^✦

Straight Jakcet:^✦ Honestly^✦ not his best storytelling^✦ song, however^✦ it is pretty^✦ visual^✦ and the content^✦ is very^✦ unique^✦ and intriguing.^✦

Ill Street Blues: A very^✦ well thought out and descriptive/vvid story.^✦ each evrse is amazing^✦ and pays so much attention^✦ to detail,^✦ in this incrediblely^✦ elaborate^✦ mob story:^✦

Edge of Sanity:^✦ G Rap is on the edge of sanity^✦ because^✦ he can’t get a job and his girlfriend^✦ is urging^✦ him to get off his lazy^✦ ass. He blames^✦ his place in society^✦ for committing crimes.^✦ He resorts to criminal^✦ measures^✦ and predictably,^✦ with an unsuccessful^✦ court case to follow,^✦ he ends up doing jail time. The echoing voices^✦ in the production^✦ reflect on his despair and sane-less^✦ thought process. While he’s away,^✦ his girlfriend^✦ is seeing someone^✦ else. It’s all an accumulation^✦ of bad things in G Rap’s life. One of the best put together^✦ tracks on the album.^✦ It really^✦ shows how the prison^✦ system^✦ destroys the unity^✦ and family^✦ unit,^✦ and drives^✦ the average^✦ African^✦ American^✦ male in todays^✦ society^✦ to the edge of sanity…^✦

Live and Let Die was G rap’s space to just create some of the most vivid,^✦ intriguing,^✦ and Mafioso^✦ gangster^✦ hip hop story's^✦ of all time. It is his gangster^✦ and mafia^✦ hip hop themed^✦ storytelling,^✦ in his albums^✦ up to this point that would influence^✦ scores^✦ of GOAT storytellers^✦ such as Raekwon,^✦ Biggie, Nas, and etc… However,^✦ arguably^✦ his greatest^✦ album^✦ for Mafioso^✦ and vivid^✦ storytelling^✦ is without^✦ a doubt roots of evil.^✦ Nearly^✦ every^✦ single track is a storytelling^✦ song with gangster^✦ themed^✦ plots. It also^✦ includes^✦ some of his most cinematic^✦ and imagery^✦ filled^✦ raps such as:

Hitmans Diary:^✦ Here G Rap crafts a song surrounded on the basic^✦ premise^✦ of street poetry,^✦ only^✦ with a much more violent and gruesome^✦ circumstance.^✦ The concept here finds Kool reading^✦ out of his diary^✦ about^✦ all of the little events that he ends up running^✦ into^✦ which always^✦ end with somebody^✦ dying. Yeah, some would say this is just bonafied^✦ gangsta^✦ rap, but I prefer^✦ to call it “gangsta,^✦ with a twist” due to the fact that it’s actually^✦ creative^✦ and has a story^✦ of it’s own.

One Dark Night:

Foul Cats:

Tekilla^✦ Sunrise:^✦ Here he is describing fantasies^✦ of being a glorified^✦ drug-lord, this time showing^✦ his dark side, explaining^✦ that he’ll kill anybody^✦ regardless of race, color,^✦ or creed. After^✦ this part, he goes on to tell a story^✦ about^✦ his altercation^✦ with an enemy^✦ mexican^✦ which led to a huge gun fight. The cinematic^✦ style of Kool G. Rap comes^✦ into^✦ fruition^✦ here as he describes being on the wrong side of deadly^✦ street violence,^✦ and actually^✦ story^✦ tells. The dark, brooding production^✦ fits the depressing feel of the lyrics.^✦

And finally^✦ of course the best storytelling^✦ song on the album,^✦ of g raps career,^✦ and IMO^✦ the GOAT storytelling^✦ song; Thug Love Story^✦ (Chapter^✦ I,II, and III). I simply^✦ cant explain^✦ how incredible^✦ this storytelling^✦ track is. If you are unsure^✦ of g raps storytelling^✦ skills then this song would be the definitive^✦ answer^✦ to confirm g raps GOAT status^✦ in storytelling.^✦ I gave a great an d in depth description^✦ of the GOATNESS of this storytelling^✦ song which I advise^✦ you to read if you really^✦ want to understand the intricacy^✦ of the storytelling^✦ in this song and why it’s so GOAT:

Everything^✦ from the content^✦ of g raps stories,^✦ to the plots, and the imagery^✦ and literary^✦ elements utilized in these songs are undeniable^✦ proof that G rap is the #1 storyteller,^✦ and if not certainly^✦ top 5 to top 3 storytellers^✦ OAT. Listen^✦ to these songs listed^✦ (which is a far cry from all of his storytelling^✦ songs lmao), read the lyrics,^✦ and annotations^✦ and I am assured that you will eventually^✦ be convinced of G raps GOAT storytelling^✦ skills…

Socially^✦ conscious/Content:^✦

Kool G rap is far from being a socially^✦ conscious^✦ rapper^✦ in the same sense that emcees^✦ such as Talib Kweli^✦ and Common^✦ are, however^✦ he has a great deal of socially^✦ conscious^✦ songs, and his typical^✦ subject matter/content^✦ is substantive^✦ and can be “socially^✦ aware”^✦ in other^✦ ways. Some of his best socially^✦ conscious^✦ storytelling^✦ songs include:^✦

Road to riches:^✦

Erase^✦ Racism

Crime Pays:

Edge Of Sanity^✦

Blowin^✦ Up In da World

Where ya At

Home sweet home

However^✦ even^✦ when he is not necessarily^✦ being socially^✦ conscious^✦ his content^✦ contains alot^✦ of graphic and vivid^✦ descriptions^✦ of poverty, the street life, and struggles of blacks in america. His content^✦ can also^✦ be very^✦ entertaining^✦ like a movie when he talks about^✦ mafia^✦ type drug deals and heists. it is always^✦ versatile^✦ and intriguing,^✦ and never^✦ bland.

Discography^✦

People really^✦ don’t realize^✦ how great Kool G rap’s discography^✦ is. His first two albums^✦ with DJ Polo^✦ (1989: Road to Riches^✦ and 1990: Wanted:^✦ Dead or Alive)^✦ are classics^✦ which helped^✦ revolutionize^✦ lyricism^✦ and were absolutely^✦ mind blowing^✦ for its time. They are great albums^✦ (a little “dusty”,^✦ but not as dusty^✦ as other^✦ albums^✦ of the time and you can certainly^✦ appreciate^✦ it) and certified^✦ classics.^✦ His next album^✦ Live and let die in 1992, would end up being his last DJ Polo^✦ album^✦ but also^✦ being one fo the best projects of his career.^✦ Here we G rap experimenting and significantly^✦ advancing his versatile^✦ flows, impeccable^✦ lyricism,^✦ and top notch flow. For 1992, this was so ahead^✦ of its time, establishing a more advanced platform which would become^✦ the blueprint^✦ for countless^✦ GOAT rappers.^✦ It also^✦ includes^✦ features^✦ from ice cube, big daddy^✦ kane, and scarface^✦ and he outshines^✦ them all. Another^✦ certified^✦ classic,^✦ and significantly^✦ better^✦ album.^✦ After^✦ that we have his first solo^✦ album^✦ 4,5,6 and his most commercially^✦ successful^✦ album.^✦ This arguably^✦ his best album^✦ sonically^✦ and in terms of flows, and while he may not have as much storytelling,^✦ he still delivers^✦ on every^✦ single track murdering^✦ it, with many^✦ features^✦ including^✦ a classic^✦ nas feature.^✦ This album^✦ is considered^✦ a classic,^✦ however^✦ its more debatable.^✦ It’s still a GOAT level^✦ album.^✦ If you missed^✦ the classic^✦ g rap cinematic^✦ storytelling^✦ on 4,5,6 then his next album^✦ in 1998 would certainly^✦ make up for that; Roots of evil.^✦ It is the ultimate^✦ work of lyrical^✦ mobsterism. Everything^✦ about^✦ the album^✦ screams Mafioso,^✦ starting from the album^✦ cover.^✦ The cover^✦ is an adaptation^✦ of the video^✦ cover^✦ of the film Scarface.^✦ Instead^✦ of the Cuban^✦ refugee turned^✦ wealthy drug kingpin^✦ Tony^✦ Montana (the lead character played by Al Pacino)^✦ and the summary^✦ of his saga,^✦ it features^✦ Kool G Rap and the summary^✦ of his career.^✦ Lyrically^✦ and musically,^✦ Roots of Evil^✦ fully^✦ epitomizes Mafioso^✦ rap. Different^✦ standout^✦ tracks such as “One Dark Night,” “Tekilla^✦ Sunrise,”^✦ “Mobstas,”^✦ and “Thug’s Love Story^✦ (Chapter^✦ I, II, III)” are all demonstrations^✦ of Kool G Rap’s versatility.^✦ “One Dark Night,” a bass-heavy track, is a short but intense tale of a shootout.^✦ “Tekilla^✦ Sunrise,”^✦ with its Latin^✦ guitar^✦ samples,^✦ is a song that “makes^✦ you want to see G Rap and Antonia Banderas busting off clips at each other^✦ in an action^✦ flick.” (Juon, RapReviews).^✦ “Mobstas,”^✦ backed^✦ by fluctuating^✦ synthesizer play, is an intricately^✦ pieced^✦ mosaic^✦ in which Kool G Rap paints a dream. He meets legendary^✦ mobsters and vigilantes (including^✦ Al Capone,^✦ Frank Costello, Lucky^✦ Luciano,^✦ Bugsy^✦ Siegel,^✦ Baby^✦ Face Nelson,^✦ Machine^✦ Gun Kelly,^✦ John Dillinger). Thug Love Story^✦ is a “9-minute^✦ excursion^✦ into^✦ the underworld, and is without^✦ a doubt thee greatest^✦ storytelling^✦ song in hip hop history.^✦ It is one of the greatest^✦ mafiaso hip hop albums^✦ and one fo the greatest^✦ hip hop storytelling^✦ albums,^✦ with every^✦ single track resembling a more lyrical^✦ version^✦ of biggies^✦ cinematic^✦ Niggas^✦ Bleed. At this point in g rap’s discography,^✦ he has been on a straight winning^✦ streak with 5 incredible^✦ and classic^✦ (or near classic)^✦ albums^✦ from 1989 to 1998. He improves dramatically^✦ throughout^✦ these albums^✦ and delivers^✦ every^✦ single album.^✦ After^✦ this point he has The Giananca Story^✦ in 2002 and riches,^✦ royalty, respect in 2011. TGS in 2002 is not as great or classic^✦ as his previous^✦ 5 albums,^✦ however^✦ it received^✦ great feedback and includes^✦ some of g raps best verses^✦ and songs. It is a step down nonetheless,^✦ but a decent^✦ to good album^✦ with some classic^✦ mob deep features.^✦ Then his 2011 album^✦ was an even^✦ bigger^✦ step down and is his worst album^✦ reciveing mixed^✦ reviews.^✦ However^✦ someone^✦ in the games^✦ as long a g rap, who has 7 official^✦ albums,^✦ the first 5 being incredible^✦ and GOAT level,^✦ the next being a decent^✦ to good album,^✦ one slip up is quite impressive.^✦ His other^✦ albums^✦ shown in the picture^✦ above^✦ are compilation^✦ albums,^✦ and some collab albums^✦ that are alright with mixed^✦ reviews.^✦ G rap however^✦ has one of the best first 5 album^✦ runs in hip hop history,^✦ and has been consistently^✦ releasing music^✦ more than nearly^✦ every^✦ other^✦ 80s rappers.^✦

Influence^✦

G rap is one of the most influental^✦ rappers^✦ of all time. His legacy^✦ and imapct on hip hop is often^✦ understated^✦ to say the least. When you think of the pioneers^✦ of 90s hip hop, you usually^✦ think of emcees^✦ like KRS ONE, Rakim,^✦ Big Daddy^✦ Kane, Chuck D, adn etc… However,^✦ people really^✦ don’t acknowledge the impact^✦ that g rap has had on Hip Hop. For starters, G rap literally^✦ influenced^✦ the entire^✦ sub genre of hip hop knwon as gangsta^✦ rap and mafioso^✦ rap. G rap pioneered^✦ the drug and mafia^✦ themed^✦ raps, influecing countless^✦ gangster^✦ rap artist.^✦ G rap is the father^✦ of gangster^✦ rap, literally^✦ making^✦ him the OG of rap… Without^✦ G rap we would not have rappers/groups like

- Nas

- Raekwon^✦

- Ghostface^✦ killah^✦

- Biggie

- Jay Z

- Big Pun

- The LOX

- Big L

-AZ

- Scarface^✦

and etc…

And without^✦ G rap we would'nt have classic^✦ mafioso^✦ themed^✦ rap albums^✦ like:

Lets not forget^✦ to mention^✦ the fact that Rakim^✦ was not the only^✦ one to master^✦ multisyllable^✦ rhyming^✦ in the 80s… G rap was just as important^✦ to the pioneering^✦ of modern^✦ lyricism^✦ today^✦ as rakim,^✦ and he is arguably^✦ (from a technical^✦ aspect) just as good and in some aspects^✦ better^✦ than rakim….^✦

Just check out this Kool G Rap Demo^✦ the same year that paid in full came out

G rap was rhyming^✦ just as insane^✦ as rakim,^✦ and his debut^✦ album^✦ in 1989 was just as influntal and impactful to lyricism^✦ in hip hop… In fact it was G raps multisyllable^✦ raps and intrciate^✦ rhyme schemes that helped^✦ significantly^✦ influence^✦ lyrical^✦ heavy^✦ weights such as:

- eminem^✦

- Elzhi^✦

- Pharoahe Monch

- Joell Ortiz

- Black Thought

- R.A the rugged^✦ man

- Canibus^✦

- MF DOOM

- Papoose^✦

- RZA

- Immortal technique^✦

- Vinnie Paz

- Action^✦ Bronson

All the rappers^✦ I named^✦ above^✦ have mentioned^✦ G rap as a major^✦ influence^✦ lyrically.^✦ IMO^✦ he is probably^✦ the 2nd most influental^✦ rapper^✦ of all time (with rakim^✦ at #1), with not only^✦ helping revolutionize^✦ lyricism,^✦ but by also^✦ help creating^✦ an entire^✦ sub genre of hip hop that has literally^✦ directly^✦ influenced^✦ some of the greatest^✦ hip hop albums^✦ of all time.

Lets also^✦ not forget^✦ the artist^✦ that he not only^✦ gave the entire^✦ blueprint^✦ for all of these artists styles,^✦ flows, and careers,^✦ but he also^✦ helped^✦ them get put on in the first place. One of the best examples^✦ is nas. When nas came out the biggest comparison^✦ was rakim,^✦ but another^✦ huge comparison^✦ was g rap. G rap comparisons were everywhere, and nas has admitted^✦ this since nas’s style is so heavily^✦ influenced^✦ by g rap. Before^✦ illmatic^✦ kool g rap actually^✦ tried to get nas signed^✦ to def jam and set up a meeting^✦ for nas with Kevin^✦ liles.^✦ They rejected him since they said his style was too similar to g rap. G rap didn’t give up on nas and gave nas studio^✦ sessions^✦ at his house. And it was at G raps house where nas met MC serch, who would lead nas to live at the barbecue^✦ and blow up. Kool G Rap was the one putting nas’s name out to producers^✦ and rappers^✦ telling^✦ them how crazy^✦ this kid was. All of this is pre-illmatic.^✦ G rap practically^✦ helped^✦ catapult nas’s career^✦ both through his influence^✦ in style and business^✦ connections^✦ that he gave nas. Once illmatic^✦ came out nas had already^✦ knew the right people and producers^✦ through g rap, and according to G rap the “passing^✦ the torch moment^✦ was nas’s feature^✦ on Fast Life (fun fact: nas is on the cover^✦ of the 4,5,6 album^✦ right next to g rap) track:

“Fast Life” was looked^✦ at as a passing^✦ of the torch to Nas, because^✦ before^✦ I had been shopping him around.^✦ He recorded his whole demo^✦ in my studio.^✦ By the time we did “Fast Life” together,^✦ Nas had already^✦ started^✦ to make his entry^✦ into^✦ the game. That was the first time we had rapped^✦ together^✦ on a song, and the timing^✦ made it a passing^✦ of the torch. Before^✦ that, I set up a meeting^✦ with Lyor Cohen^✦ and Kevin^✦ Liles^✦ at Def Jam to talk about^✦ Nas. Kevin^✦ Liles^✦ was the one who said that he sounds too much like a G Rap, and so Def Jam passed.^✦ I knew I had some influence^✦ on him but I knew he had his own identity.[3]^✦

— Kool G Rap

And it stands today^✦ as nas’s favorite feature^✦ since it showed^✦ how he could go toe to toe with one of the best, who birthed his style. So without^✦ g rap, their would be no nas at all. Literally.^✦

G rap’s influence^✦ and impact^✦ on the game can’t be overlooked at all.

Renegades^✦

Kool G Rap nearly^✦ never^✦ gets outshined^✦ on a track. Its almost^✦ always^✦ a renegade:

- He renegaded^✦ Big daddy^✦ Kane, Masta^✦ Ace, and marley^✦ marl in their prime on the symphony. His original^✦ verse was like 10-15 minutes, so they cut it and the rest of the verse went to his CLASSIC^✦ men at work. He outshined^✦ them all without^✦ a doubt.

- He renegaded^✦ Mobb Deep on the realest. Alchemist said that he wote his verse first and quickly, and just left everyone^✦ in the studio^✦ completely^✦ stunned and speechless. He even^✦ received^✦ a hip hop quotable^✦ of the month for it:

He renegaded^✦ Big L on fall back, with superior flow and lyricism.^✦ It was kind of embarrassing^✦ to hear big ls verse with g raps tbh.

He renegaded^✦ BDK again^✦ in his prime with #1 with the bullet^✦ with not one but two incredible^✦ verses^✦ displaying^✦ that G rap could outrap^✦ BDK in terms of flow and incredibly^✦ fast paced^✦ rhyming;^✦ two of BDK’s most special^✦ traits…

Kool G rap murdered^✦ Pun twice on wishful thinking^✦ and dramaticide. Even^✦ though pun delivered^✦ well, g rap just stole the track.

He renegaded^✦ AZ and Papoose^✦ (who had a lyrical^✦ miracle verse but still couldn’t be as technical^✦ as g rap) on Thug connection^✦ in terms of flow, lyricism,^✦ and content.^✦

He embarrassed Ghostface^✦ Killah^✦ on dogs of War from his 36 seasons album…^✦

IMO^✦ he renegaded^✦ ghostface^✦ and raekwon^✦ on rivers^✦ of blood, but not that bad.

He is the first person^✦ to outshine^✦ canibus^✦ on a record,^✦ from allied^✦ meta^✦ forces.^✦ Even^✦ though its close and canibus^✦ held his own, g rap outshined^✦ him with an epic^✦ verse.

I still think G rap outshined^✦ nas on fast life. Nas held his own and was able to keep up but g rap flowed^✦ better,^✦ was more technical,^✦ and has better^✦ replay^✦ value than nas’s verse IMO.^✦

The only^✦ time I can think of G rap ever^✦ getting outshined^✦ was by RA the rugged^✦ man on 3 kingz. RA increased his rhyme density^✦ by 10-15% tho, to keep up with G rap, and RA is ALWAYS^✦ praising Kool G Rap as the GOAT emcee and GOAT lyricist.^✦ That’s it. The rest can’t outshine^✦ him by a lot.

Overall, G rap is a GOAT imo^✦ the 2nd greatest^✦ rapper^✦ of all time, and just a full package.^✦ His delivery,^✦ flows, lyricism,^✦ content,^✦ storytelling,^✦ punchlines,^✦ consistency, legacy,^✦ and etc… is all just top notch. He has a top 10-15 flow OAT, top 5 technical^✦ lyricist,^✦ #1 storyteller^✦ OAT, has one of the best first 5 album^✦ runs OAT, and is the 2nd most influential^✦ rapper.^✦ The importance^✦ of g rap is so incredible^✦ and unbearable,^✦ that it is criminal^✦ that it is outshined^✦ by the GOAT legacy's of rakim,^✦ KRS, and BDK. Even^✦ Big daddy^✦ kane said:

“I always^✦ feel like I took his slot. I always^✦ felt he never^✦ got the props he deserved. When I took off it wasn’t really^✦ enough^✦ room for us two, so my man never^✦ got to shine the way he could have. I don’t think the world knows how great Kool G rap is on the mic”

And even^✦ peter^✦ Rosenberg^✦ said to G rap:

“How do you feel being the guy who allowed other^✦ people to make bread. You were the guy who never^✦ sought money^✦ or glory,^✦ you just did your job, added^✦ to the craft, and help facilitate^✦ other^✦ people”

He even^✦ said in response to Rosenberg^✦ asking^✦ if he knew nas was going to make more money^✦ than him saying:

“I would’ve never^✦ thought of it like that… Im one of the guys who appreciates true lyricism.^✦ If I hear something^✦ that I feel the world needs to hear, I just wanna^✦ get it out there. (I didn’t do it for a big pay day). Which is why I never^✦ monopolize^✦ off the game like that.”

He is truly^✦ one of the most influential^✦ GOAT rappers^✦ that never^✦ gets the recognition^✦ he deserves; but at the same time doesn’t care as long as he is delivering^✦ and contributing to the art form in making^✦ authentic music^✦ and giving^✦ the pathway for others^✦ to do so as well. The dude is so real, humble, and committed^✦ to his art in ways that is lost IMO^✦ in todays^✦ hip hop. His whole persona brings together^✦ street-level^✦ wit with the verbal^✦ aptitude^✦ of a bookworm, bridging the gap between high-brow lyrical^✦ nerds and head-nodding tough guys in a manner^✦ that has yet to be duplicated^✦ effectively^✦

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— The Alchemist, Blastah Beatz, Gordon “H.U.M.P.” Humphrey, DJ Infamous, The Insurgency, Leaf Dog, LEVEL 13, Marley Marl, Simply Smashin, DJ Supa Dave

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