Who’s the Most Under-Rated Rapper Alive? Posted by Nathan S. on 05/01/13 | Filed under Top Stories, Opinion, RH Nation Answers

For the next "Question of the Week", I thought we'd dig into one of the most classical of classic rap debates, perhaps second only to "Who's the Greatest Rapper Alive?" I think you know where I'm headed with this: "Who's the Most Under-Rated Rapper Alive?"

First things first, we need to be working off the same definition of "under-rated". As I laid out in the Rick Rubin piece, "under-rated" is the gap between the recognition an artist deserve based on their achievements and talent, and the recognition they receive.

That definition changes the normal conversation up slightly. For example, I can pretty much guarantee that if you have this conversation in a room full of rap nerds, Skyzoo's name is going to come up. Since's he's so often selected as one of the most under-rated, ironically that might just mean that he's actually properly rated. (Feel free to argue that he's still under-rated, that's what we're here for.)

Personally, Black Thought has to be on my most under-rated list. (He's been on my mind a lot since the Combat Jack interviews.) Here's a guy who's made multiple classic or near-classic albums, a guy that would force literally any other rapper alive to bring their A game if they're on the same track as him, and yet it's sadly rare to hear his name come up.



And I don't know if I can actually put his name down, but in a strange way I feel like Common is on the verge of being under-rated. In the internet age we only remember what you did last week, and since Common's started focusing on movies as well, the world's forgetting just what an ill emcee he is and has been. (His verse on Big Sean's "Switch Up" was weak though, so maybe not.)

Either way, food for thought. As always I'm expecting RefinedHype Nation to come through with some