Who's the greatest ever Lyricist?

[sir roger]

David St Hubbins / Nigel Tufnel / Derek Smalls

[VladimirIlyich]

Doo Wah Diddy,Diddy Dum Diddy doo.

Beat that work of genius.

[Paul]

Having been thinking about hip hop lyrics when posting on this thread and how they’re often risible, I was struck by two tracks I’ve been listening to lately when they came on, one after the other, in the car when I had a playlist on shuffle this morning.

 

4:44 by Jay Z and Garden Shed by Tyler, The Creator are pretty groundbreaking lyrically - and not just for hip hop. However, seen through the lens of hip hop culture both are mind-blowing to be honest.

 

On the Jay Z track he apologises for his infidelity to Beyoncé which is a huge enough leap in the misogynistic world of hip hop as it is. However, the sincerity and brutal self-honesty and criticism is unlike anything I’ve heard before in any genre as he ascribes her miscarriage to his behaviour and invokes his grown up children googling his shagging around to reveal his sense of shame. It’s shockingly honest to the point where every time I hear it I’m still amazed.

 

In a similar vein, Tyler, the supposedly homophobic, misogynistic “Fuck you, world” Odd Future brat uses the track Garden Shed to come out as gay. The imagery is brilliant and the juxtaposition of Estelle’s plaintive vocal with his deep as fuck flow really evokes how conflicted he’s been. For someone as credible as Tyler to come out in the world of hip hop makes the idea that a British footballer couldn’t do so almost laughable. Brave as fuck.

[Mook]

Rappers don't get 40,000 rival fans turning up at their gigs to sing about them taking it up the arse though.

[VladimirIlyich]

Having been thinking about hip hop lyrics when posting on this thread and how they’re often risible, I was struck by two tracks I’ve been listening to lately when they came on, one after the other, in the car when I had a playlist on shuffle this morning.

 

4:44 by Jay Z and Garden Shed by Tyler, The Creator are pretty groundbreaking lyrically - and not just for hip hop. However, seen through the lens of hip hop culture both are mind-blowing to be honest.

 

On the Jay Z track he apologises for his infidelity to Beyoncé which is a huge enough leap in the misogynistic world of hip hop as it is. However, the sincerity and brutal self-honesty and criticism is unlike anything I’ve heard before in any genre as he ascribes her miscarriage to his behaviour and invokes his grown up children googling his shagging around to reveal his sense of shame. It’s shockingly honest to the point where every time I hear it I’m still amazed.

 

In a similar vein, Tyler, the supposedly homophobic, misogynistic “Fuck you, world” Odd Future brat uses the track Garden Shed to come out as gay. The imagery is brilliant and the juxtaposition of Estelle’s plaintive vocal with his deep as fuck flow really evokes how conflicted he’s been. For someone as credible as Tyler to come out in the world of hip hop makes the idea that a British footballer couldn’t do so almost laughable. Brave as fuck.

'Rapper takes it up the crapper' has a certain ring to it.

[Paul]

Rappers don't get 40,000 rival fans turning up at their gigs to sing about them taking it up the arse though.

 

They do get shot though.

[Mook]

They do get shot though.

[cloggypop]

.

[liverbobs]

Paul Weller.

[Total Longo]

It's Roger Waters.

[Thoth]

It's Roger Waters.

 

+1