Was O.C. the best rapper in 1997?

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:54 pm

Let's see...

We just started seeing D.I.T.C. really jell together. Joints like "Day One" were being played on eveybody's favorite underground radio stations.

O.C. dropped IMO a classic album with "Jewelz" and his guest spots (i.e. Metal Thangz) were nothing shy of amazing.

Discuss?

MD · Post by MD » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:27 am

I don't know, there's probably a few members of the Wu that could vie for that title.

MC Homeless · Post by **MC Homeless** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:42 am

I thought KRS came hard on I Got Next.

SoulClap · Post by **SoulClap** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:05 am

MD wrote:I don't know, there's probably a few members of the Wu that could vie for that title.

B. Ware tha Siniq · Post by **B. Ware tha Siniq** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:40 am

I'd agree with that statement... if you're talking just in terms of raw execution... his flow was retarded, he had solid production all year, amazing guest spots... dood fell off hard from there though... sad story

PEACE

as far as Wu I don't know who would vie for it... after Ironman Ghost was pretty weak (relatively speaking for a little while, didn't really bring the heat on Forever... Inspectah Deck was illy that year, but he didn't have an album yet... Method Man had some good guest spots, but wasn't in his stronger period anymore... GZA was on point, but didn't have that much output, even on Forever... Raekwon was dope on Forever... etc... but all in all there weren't any mindblowing Wu solos that year... OC had a great solo and dope guest spots

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:55 am

Perhaps. Tame One repped hard that year too, though.

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:04 am

He was one of them
but do we count Biggie here..?
i don't see why we shouldn't
"life after death"
and verses on "victory", "young g's", "all about the benjamins"
all '97
if so he wins for me.

I'd say Tragedy was up there too
not only did he kill every verse he dropped on "the war report"
but he killed every verse he wrote for Noreaga on said classic album too.

Slightly down the pecking order, The Lox and Canibus were blazin' them Clue, Doo Wop and Tony Touch mixtapes
and Big Pun was rippin' everything he touched
"off the books", "firewater", various freestyles etc.

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:25 am

I Drive A Lexus wrote: I'd say Tragedy was up there too
not only did he kill every verse he dropped on "the war report"
but he killed every verse he wrote for Noreaga on said classic album too.

Did he write all of Nore's verses on that album? His flow has never been as fluid as it was on Neva Die Alone

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:42 am

That's the rumor and most of his verses certanly sound like Tragedy lyrics and have a Tragedy-like flow
i got mad love for Noreaga
but i can't really see him writin' rhymes like this on his own and they do seem very, well, Tragedy-ish.

[Noreaga] busting .360, cherry red 850
he blitz devilish, get cursed fucking with me
eyebrows thick, resemble (Some arabian guy)
arabian mind, with source for firearm
ceasar, waves bangin, brown wallabies
empty cigars, stay smoked in cool cars
queens escobar where jewels like scars
you heavy gold, Slick Rick changed it
yo, the main vic, plotting on you since '86
now it's 9-6, you lay low, you mad rich
strictly big shit, big play, heavyweight
bodycloth, hear a verse, put it in park
let the dubs spark, now we ride, my weed dark
dig deeper, black guns and black repher
my brothers keeper, throw on the world in a sleeper
the grim reaper, so much work he got a beeper
the word def, stamp that, it's on your chest
yo you bullshit, my click thick, kid we pull shit
grip tight, illegal life aerolight
thug blood, the same blood, thicker than water
slaughter, play this shit in tape recorder
from iraq to yugoslavia, somalia
capadre, diamonte, pope', world war 3
CNN history, by the powers of God,
that is invested in me, since '93
locked up, I did three, got 85% of yall
worshiping me, back in L.C., hop in cab 33

Word to "neva die alone"
possibly my favorite rap track ever
top 5 anyway.

clark bent · Post by **clark bent** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:43 am

if biggie counts he wins hands down

next would be the trio of

oc
tash
monch

ps- jewelz is not close to classic

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:48 am

clark bent wrote:
ps- jewelz is not close to classic

IMO = in my opinion.

personally, i am probably one of the few that prefer it to word...life

MD · Post by MD » Wed Mar 02, 2005 10:53 am

B. Ware tha Siniq wrote:after Ironman Ghost was pretty weak (relatively speaking for a little while, didn't really bring the heat on Forever...

"Impossible"?

You're right though, it's hard to put any of the Wu there since none of them had solos that year, but still, if we're just talking about who the best rapper was, I think a lot of the verses from Forever (Deck's especially) could fuck with anything else from that or any period.

Then again, I've been listening to Forever a lot lately.

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 11:03 am

I Drive A Lexus wrote:That's the rumor and most of his verses certanly sound like Tragedy lyrics and have a Tragedy-like flow
i got mad love for Noreaga
but i can't really see him writin' rhymes like this on his own and they do seem very, well, Tragedy-ish.

[Noreaga] busting .360, cherry red 850
he blitz devilish, get cursed fucking with me
eyebrows thick, resemble (Some arabian guy)
arabian mind, with source for firearm
ceasar, waves bangin, brown wallabies
empty cigars, stay smoked in cool cars
queens escobar where jewels like scars
you heavy gold, Slick Rick changed it
yo, the main vic, plotting on you since '86
now it's 9-6, you lay low, you mad rich
strictly big shit, big play, heavyweight
bodycloth, hear a verse, put it in park
let the dubs spark, now we ride, my weed dark
dig deeper, black guns and black repher
my brothers keeper, throw on the world in a sleeper
the grim reaper, so much work he got a beeper
the word def, stamp that, it's on your chest
yo you bullshit, my click thick, kid we pull shit
grip tight, illegal life aerolight
thug blood, the same blood, thicker than water
slaughter, play this shit in tape recorder
from iraq to yugoslavia, somalia
capadre, diamonte, pope', world war 3
CNN history, by the powers of God,
that is invested in me, since '93
locked up, I did three, got 85% of yall
worshiping me, back in L.C., hop in cab 33

Word to "neva die alone"
possibly my favorite rap track ever
top 5 anyway.

yeah, Buckwild had some nasty stuff on there. Tragedy's production also sounds incredibly similar to Havoc's style - first time I popped that it in, I coulda swore Havoc did 3 or 4 beats on there. Marley Marl brings the fucking heat on his cuts too...

This is one of the best rap albums ever created IMO, and if they had left off the Capone phone skits and Closer, it would be undeniably classic in my book.

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:28 pm

yeah, Buckwild had some nasty stuff on there.

Word, "black gangsters" is eerie
Finesse also delivered with the smooth "channel 10"
and the mad slept on Nashiem Myrick came correct with "drivers seat" and "t.o.n.y" too.

ardamus · Post by **ardamus** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:20 pm

O.C. was up there in '97 but I can't say he was the best.......thats actually a tough one to say who was the best to me for that year......

mud · Post by **mud** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:23 pm

RZA and B.I.G. are tied.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:38 pm

Philaflava wrote:
clark bent wrote:
ps- jewelz is not close to classic
IMO = in my opinion.

personally, i am probably one of the few that prefer it to word...life

yes, yes you are

Combo7 · Post by **Combo7** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:50 pm

New Jack Numbskull wrote:Perhaps. Tame One repped hard that year too, though.

Yep. His performance on "Where Yo Skillz At?" may be enough by itself to make him the best in '97.

Sensasianal · Post by **Sensasianal** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:13 pm

I Drive A Lexus wrote: I'd say Tragedy was up there too
not only did he kill every verse he dropped on "the war report"
but he killed every verse he wrote for Noreaga on said classic album too.

well, the mystery of why I liked Noreaga's rapping so much on the war report is solved, assuming this is true.

on topic, jewelz is a seriously good album. as good as word...life? probably not, but quality nonetheless....

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:25 pm

Sensasianal wrote:
I Drive A Lexus wrote: I'd say Tragedy was up there too
not only did he kill every verse he dropped on "the war report"
but he killed every verse he wrote for Noreaga on said classic album too.
well, the mystery of why I liked Noreaga's rapping so much on the war report is solved, assuming this is true.

on topic, jewelz is a seriously good album. as good as word...life? probably not, but quality nonetheless....

Jewelz is dope but nowhere near Word...Life.

Was it Nore who almost got rushed by a bunch of Muslims at a show for some of the 5%er shit he was spittin on the War Report? and he said it wasn't him and tried to pass the blame off to Tragedy?

zygmontone · Post by **zygmontone** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:25 pm

off topic, but i actually am listening to word...life right now

and gotdamn is this shit dope

time's up is one of my favorite tracks ever

clark bent · Post by **clark bent** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:46 pm

word life is to jewelz

as

ressurection is to one day it will all make sense

SoulClap · Post by **SoulClap** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:15 pm

clark bent wrote:word life is to jewelz

as

ressurection is to one day it will all make sense

Kind of except Jewelz is dope while One Day is sleep inducing.

blastmaster · Post by **blastmaster** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:40 pm

I am with Phila on this one. Jewelz is amazing. Few albums sound whole like that shit, especially for the time. Guest appearances from Big L, Foxxx, and OK helped a lot too.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:59 pm

Danja Mowf was my favorite in 97.

Quotashun · Post by **Quotashun** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:30 am

jewelz is a great album, but i appreciate it more for the production than for o.c. loved his more aggressive style on word... life though.

peanut butter · Post by **peanut butter** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 3:40 am

Common Sense

PEACE

Henessee Williams · Post by **Henessee Williams** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:08 pm

definitely up there.

blessingindisguise · Post by **blessingindisguise** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 5:07 pm

Jwelz is classic

rainmaker · Post by **rainmaker** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 9:13 pm

Hov...Vol. 1