Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Best Rappers From New York

By Olivia Cross


Anyone who is familiar with hip hop music will know about the divide between the East Coast and the West Coast rappers. Many rappers from New York are some of the world's most famous artistes to date, living or dead. Furthermore, as the history of hip hop dictates, most of them came from a life of hard knocks and struggles in order to make it in the music industry.

Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, is perhaps the world's most successful rap star to date. He is 45 years old but shows no signs of slowing down, either in the music industry or with any of his lucrative businesses and entrepreneurial skills. Married to Beyonce Knowles, who is an icon on her own in the industry, Jay Z often works with his wife to create chart topping music. He also has a song glorifying New York, NY called 'Empire State Of Mind', which is a collaboration with R&B royalty Alicia Keys.

Shawn Carter has nineteen Grammys under his belt and has been at the top of the charts consistently for years. On the Rolling Stone's list of five hundred greatest albums of all time, there are three by Jay Z. As well as his music career, he is the owner and creator of Rocawear, Roc-A-Fella Records and Roc Nation.

A real legend in hip hop, Tupac Shakur's name is well known. One of the key players in the East coast/West coast hip hop rivalry, Tupac is listed as one of the world's greatest artists ever. On record sales alone, he holds a place as an all-time bestseller in the music industry.

This heavily influential rapper hails from East Harlem in Manhattan, New York, NY. Born in the early 70s, 2pac's life was cut short in the mid nineties when he was shot multiple times during a drive by shooting. There are many conspiracy theories surrounding his murder and the aftermath.

Notorious B. I. G. Is another huge name in the industry and closely linked to Tupac Shakur as well. Other names that Christopher Wallace went by include Biggie and Biggie Smalls. Hailing from Brooklyn, Biggie was a student at the same high that Jay Z attended, and also rapper Busta Rhymes. Christopher Wallace, like Tupac Shakur, was killed in a drive by shooting in March of 1997.

Closely linked to Biggie Smalls is female rapper Li'l Kim, also from Brooklyn. She is the only female rapper alongside Missy Elliott with three platinum albums. She spent most of her life on the streets and got her start thanks to Notorious B. I. G. After impressing him with a freestyle.

Sean Combs, who is known by a number of other stage names, is, like Jay Z, a hip hop mogul. He was born in Harlem and spent his childhood in Mount Vernon in New York, NY. Best friends with Biggie, his tribute song to the rapper after his death featuring Biggie's wife Faith Evans landed the top spot on the billboard charts. In 2013, Sean 'Puffy' Combs placed first as hip hop's richest man in Forbes magazine.




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