Let's steal the pop forum's idea.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Of a tournament. I'm gonna do it King of the Ring style (Old WWF in the house. 8-)) where there's 8 artists/groups and I then pair them off and we have a poll as to which one advances. Pretty simple, and it should be fun to see who takes this, because there won't be a matchup like Jimmy Eat World vs. Fall Out Boy in this tournament; we should end up with eight top of the line hip-hop acts.

I thought about picking the participants myself, but that's no fun, so let's do nominations. Throw out some names, when we get some artists/groups out there, we'll all decide which one's should make the final cut and enter the tournament.

Also, just to make this an actual contest, let's keep it to artists who are alive, otherwise 'Pac will run off with it.

Nomination #1: Nas

[Broken Parachute]

Why not..I been doing this all day.

Nomination #2: Wu Tang Clan

[Fullcollapse3k]

Nomination #3: Talib Kweli

I was thinking of nominating him.

[Bishop]

I nominate KRS-One.

[VeloriumCamper]

Biggie.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Biggie.

Deceased.

[ActorInThisPlay]

K. West, Jay-Z, Common

[ActorInThisPlay]

fer shizzle

[Trainsaw]

K-fed

[nivek87]

big L

[Broken Parachute]

K-fed

He's going to win this thing hands down. The KFed freestyle I heard is insane.

[Trainsaw]

He's going to win this thing hands down. The KFed freestyle I heard is insane.
Who can argue against a Brazilian Ass Shaker

[Web250]

Who can argue against a Brazilian Ass Shaker
Better yet, who can argue with PopoZao?

[Broken Parachute]

Who can argue against a Brazilian Ass Shaker

James Lipton can..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tZZGB7dOypU&search=James%20Lipton

[Broken Parachute]

Better yet, who can argue with PopoZao?

Honestly..James Lipton can..

[Broken Parachute]

Here's the freestyle..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LebJ5C9xans&search=James%20Lipton

[Fullcollapse3k]

I'm gonna also nominate A Tribe Called Quest.

[nivek87]

Here's the freestyle..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LebJ5C9xans&search=James%20Lipton

conan pwns

[nivek87]

i would have been pissed if he beer bonged that beer in my house

[Crocodile Logic]

i nominate Jedi Mind Tricks, Immortal Technique, dead prez, and Sage Francis.

[nivek87]

i nominate Jedi Mind Tricks, Immortal Technique, dead prez, and Sage Francis.

some top acts right there


when we going get this thing started

[Fullcollapse3k]

some top acts right there


when we going get this thing started

I'm waiting until we get more names thrown out here.

[Nick Lopez]

Bow Wow.

[Fullcollapse3k]

How many are you looking to get?


Blackalicious
De La Soul
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del tha Funkee Homosapien

I didn't really have a set number, I just figured I'd give more time. If you guys are eager to get this going now, we can get it started. Though I'm gonna toss in:

Mos Def, Common Sense, Phonte of Little Brother

[nivek87]

we need 16 total and i think we are almost there

[Fullcollapse3k]

we need 16 total and i think we are almost there

Well I was gonna go for 8, but we can do 16 all the same. I haven't actually counted how many we have right now.

[Broken Parachute]

If they haven't been nominated already, I'm nominating Mobb Deep.

We got like 20 or so I think.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Okay, let's cut it here. I'll go through and make a list of everyone we've named off, and we'll decide on 16.

[nivek87]

Nas
Wu Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Biggie
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common
Big L
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
De La Soul
Mos Def
Dr. Dre
Eminem
Big Pun
Ghostface
Scarface
Snoop Dogg
Kool G Rap
Slick Rick


heres some names, take add, but lets make 16 and get this party started

me and nick talked and we decided that winner of this would face the pop winner and winner of that would face winner of alt vs. indie


april madness if you will lol

[Fullcollapse3k]

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Will Smith
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
Kevin Federline (Jesus Christ.)
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Bow Wow (HA)
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del
Mos Def
Phonte

So 22. Let's cut it to 16. Anyone jump off right away as totally unfit for this? :D

[Broken Parachute]

Nas
Wu Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Biggie
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common
Big L
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
De La Soul
Mos Def
Dr. Dre
Eminem
Big Pun
Ghostface
Scarface
Snoop Dogg
Kool G Rap
Slick Rick


heres some names, take add, but lets make 16 and get this party started

me and nick talked and we decided that winner of this would face the pop winner and winner of that would face winner of alt vs. indie


april madness if you will lol

Take out Ghostface and put in Mobb Deep because Ghostface is part of WuTang..unless you wanna keep him seperate?

[Broken Parachute]

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Will Smith
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
Kevin Federline (Jesus Christ.)
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Bow Wow (HA)
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del
Mos Def
Phonte

So 22. Let's cut it to 16. Anyone jump off right away as totally unfit for this? :D
KFed and Bow Wow gotta go. Hahaha I think that's pretty unanimous.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Don't use separate emcee's from their groups.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Well, I suppose if we HAVE to, we can get rid of them.


Will would have run away with this anyways. It wouldn't be fair.

I was kinda thinking Big Will might stay on. He's a joke now, but the guy put out quality hip-hop in the 80's.

[Fullcollapse3k]

We can also cut off Phonte if no one else wants to back him. I think he's the fifth best active emcee in hip-hop right now, but I'm likely alone in that.

[nivek87]

Take out Ghostface and put in Mobb Deep because Ghostface is part of WuTang..unless you wanna keep him seperate?

i agree with the ghostface to mobb deep

[Fullcollapse3k]

Plus, I had a no deceased emcee rule, so I left off Big L and BIG.

[nivek87]

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Will Smith
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del
Mos Def
Phonte


we got 19, 3 more to knock off

[nivek87]

Plus, I had a no deceased emcee rule, so I left off Big L and BIG.
ight. well with that said, every jay vote represents big l and biggie
joking

[Fullcollapse3k]

Let's go ahead and cut off Tay. That makes 18 going off the list above.

[Fullcollapse3k]

We could also combine Kweli and Mos Def into Blackstar, but their solo work is so damn good, too.

[Broken Parachute]

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Will Smith
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del
Mos Def
Phonte


we got 19, 3 more to knock off

There are so many on that list that you have to keep, it's hard to ditch. Kanye, Talib Kweli, WuTang, and Immortal Technique are the 4 that really have to stay in my opinion. If we have no other choice, we'd have to get rid of Will Smith..but like it was said, he has had quality shit.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Most of that list is can't miss, I can't really choose to knock off anyone else.

[Broken Parachute]

If we can't come up with something though Rick you're just gonna have to knock someone off.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Haha, hold up. We forgot Rakim.

This is like a sin.

[Broken Parachute]

Haha, hold up. We forgot Rakim.

This is like a sin.

Haha now we're adding to it too. This is the most confusing tourney out of all of them.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Alright, we can cut Will Smith and replace him with Rakim, so we still have 18.

We can't leave the best on-mic emcee of all-time out of this, plain and simple. I don't know how we all overlooked him.

[Broken Parachute]

Maybe we could trade Jay Z to the Alternative forum (because of his Encore CD with LP) and get a first round pick in exchange?

[Fullcollapse3k]

Updated:

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Rakim
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del
Mos Def

So 19. Shit.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Unless anyone's greatly opposed, I'm combining Mos Def and Kweli into Blackstar.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Dammit, we left out MC Lars, too.

And here I thought leaving off Rakim was tragic..

[Broken Parachute]

Updated:

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Talib Kweli
KRS-One
Rakim
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del
Mos Def

So 19. Shit.

Let's do it this way. Instead of taking off, let's start the list over from here. Take your top 10 from that list, then add the 6 best that are left. Would that work?

[Fullcollapse3k]

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Blackstar
KRS-One
Rakim
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
A Tribe Called Quest
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams
Del

18. Two more to go.

[Broken Parachute]

Narrowing it down to 2 is easy now..just pick the ones you like least.

[nivek87]

saul williams?

[Nick Lopez]

get del outta there.

[Broken Parachute]

Del and Saul Williams I guess then.

[Fullcollapse3k]

If I were forced to take two, it would be Sage Francis and Jedi Mind Tricks.

[Fullcollapse3k]

We also forgot The Roots. Damn it.

[Nick Lopez]

We also forgot The Roots. Damn it.
Del, Saul Williams, Jedi mind Trix.

[Broken Parachute]

More adding and subtracting hahaha

[Fullcollapse3k]

Saul Williams is money, though. Guy's incredible.

[Fullcollapse3k]

I'm gonna leave it up to Kyle, haha. Pick two to stay on:

Del
Saul Williams
Jedi Mind Tricks
Sage Francis

[Fullcollapse3k]

Alright, Del and JMT it is. I absolutely want to keep on Saul Williams, he's the only one of the four I'm a pretty big fan of. Though I like all four to a certain extent.

The final 16:

Nas
Wu-Tang Clan
Blackstar
KRS-One
Rakim
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Common Sense
A Tribe Called Quest
Immortal Technique
Dead Prez
Sage Francis
Blackalicious
De La
Big Daddy Kane
Saul Williams

Now we have to figure out how they're matched up. I could seed them based on who I think's best, but that's biased. I guess I'll just make it totally random.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Okay, here it goes.

Bracket 1: North

Nas
Blackalicious

Blackstar
Sage Francis

Bracket 1: South

Jay-Z
Kanye West

Big Daddy Kane
KRS-One

Bracket 2: North

Wu-Tang Clan
Immortal Technique

De La Soul
Common Sense

Bracket 2: South

Rakim
Saul Williams

A Tribe Called Quest
Dead Prez

Winner of 1-North plays the winner of 1-South, winner of 2-North plays the winner of 2-South. And yes, I did set it up so there could be a couple intriguing matchups. Especially in the final four, if it comes to Nas/Jay-Z.

[nivek87]

looks good

[Fullcollapse3k]

I like this Jay-Z/Kanye West matchup.

[Broken Parachute]

Wow this should be good.

[itsjdiggity]

damn, no LL or NWA (unless this counts as deceased)

[itsjdiggity]

...or Wheezy

[nivek87]

damn, no LL or NWA (unless this counts as deceased)

i guess NWA falls under deceased, i suppose but if that was the case, wu would be out too, i guess

[anishkabob]

this is the best thing ever.

[ActorInThisPlay]

man Lil Jon didn't make the list...

[Fullcollapse3k]

Alright, I'm gonna start this up now.

[Fullcollapse3k]

How exactly are we basing our votes? Who you like better, who's a better MC, better overall artist, or just go however you want? Because with a couple of these I could swing to either side depending on how I look at it.

Take it how you want it. I didn't really base any criteria, I just have certain factors that I'm using to determine my vote. You can go with who you like more, who you think's better overall, whatever.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Ok. Some of these are really hard.

I had a couple toss-ups. I almost went with Tech over Wu-Tang, just because I think that group's mad overrated, but they've done a lot more for music than Tech has.

[itsjdiggity]

i thought Big Will was gonna be on this

[Fullcollapse3k]

i thought Big Will was gonna be on this

He was one of the cuts from last night. I didn't want to see him go, he would have provided more to the old school vibe of it.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Yeah, there's some I picked where I know the other one is "better" but I either liked the one I voted for better or I listen to them more.

I went with Kanye over Jay-Z for the same reason you did. I know Jay's done more for music and he's a much better emcee, and he's largely responsible for 'Ye, but I'm hostile towards Jay-Z, and Kanye's one of my favorites.

[Fullcollapse3k]

Okay, here it goes.

Bracket 1: North

Nas
Blackalicious

Blackstar
Sage Francis

Bracket 1: South

Jay-Z
Kanye West

Big Daddy Kane
KRS-One

Bracket 2: North

Wu-Tang Clan
Immortal Technique

De La Soul
Common Sense

Bracket 2: South

Rakim
Saul Williams

A Tribe Called Quest
Dead Prez

Winner of 1-North plays the winner of 1-South, winner of 2-North plays the winner of 2-South. And yes, I did set it up so there could be a couple intriguing matchups. Especially in the final four, if it comes to Nas/Jay-Z.

Round 2:

Bracket 1: North

Nas
Blackstar

Bracket 1: South

Jay-Z
KRS-One

Bracket 2: North

Wu-Tang Clan
Common

Bracket 2: South

Rakim
A Tribe Called Quest