GETTING STARTED + 16 ATTRIBUTES

GETTING STARTED

Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when rating rappers.

-Try to listen to at least 2 albums.
-Listen to their consensus best album, and their latest album, so you understand their best work and their evolution. 
-Rate them at their best and fullest.  You wouldnt rate Jay-Z after only hearing "Big Pimpin". so give emcees you hate the same courtesy.  
-We all know theres a culture war within the rap community, but you shouldn't have to be a stan or a hater.  Just be real and let the chips fall where they may.  
You WILL find that a rapper you wrote off, actually has some skills that you slept on.   You might find one of your favorites isnt technically a GOAT, just one of your favorites.  thats okay.
Maybe YOU hate what Nikki Minaj stands for, but it wont hurt to give credit for her strong enunciation and delivery.
-Update and tweak your ratings often.  Its never a perfect science, but if you hear a funny Lil Wayne punchline randomly on the radio, log in and bump UP his wordplay a couple points. 
That being said, lets get into the attributes:

ATTRIBUTES

FLOW (FLO): How well does the rapper use their vocals as a rhythmic instrument?  how well does their flow match, complement, or ride the rhythm of the beat they are rhyming over?  or if they are rhyming acapella, how well do they provide a rhythmic element?
Role Models: Bone Thugs

DELIVERY (DLV):  How good does the rapper's voice sound?  How good is the timbre, tone, the confidence, the enunciation, and how well does it match the emotion of what theyre trying to convey?  This is actually the one attribute where you can give a rapper credit for their SWAG.  Also, rappers with iconic voices that you instantly recognize get a big boost here.
Role Models: Tupac, Eminem, Nicki Minaj

STORYTELLING (STY): How engaging of a story can the rapper tell, how easily is the listener immersed into their narrative?
Role Models: Dance with the Devil, Children's story, Stan

TECHNICAL (TEC): How densely packed as well as creative and unpredictable are their rhyme schemes? Do they just stick to end rhymes like its the early 80's or are they able to rhyme entire sentences consistently?
Role Models: Big Pun, Eminem

VOCABULARY (VOC): (Self-explanatory) How large is the rappers vocabulary, and can they rhyme it?
Role Model: Aesop Rock

SPEED (SPD): (Self-explanatory) How fast can they rap?
Role Models: Twista, Tech N9ne

WORDPLAY (WDP): How good is the rapper with similes, metaphors, puns, and all plays on words? How keen or funny is their wit, how strong are their punchlines?
Role Models: Big L, Dizaster

RAWNESS (RAW): This is about keeping it REAL.  Will the rapper say what they think, no matter who is offended? are they willing to share unflattering personal details, or do they try to maintain a facade? do they share the low/dark/B-side, or is it always gangster and glamour?  
Role Models: Eminem, Scarface, Necro

CONSCIOUS (CNC): How well does the rapper convey truth and higher awareness for what the culture and humanity need to heal, grow, and thrive, or wake up from outdated patterns?  This can be rap that uplifts, or it can be rap that shares hard truths.  It can be rap about society, but it can also applies to self-knowledge, self-awareness.  (NOTE: Do not merely rate rappers high for agreeing with your truth, but for how profoundly they convey theirs.)
Role Models: KRS-One, Lupe Fiasco, the Guru, Immortal Tech, Damian Marley

ORIGINALITY (ORG): Do they copy the same flow as everyone else, or add something to it?  Do they talk about the same things as everyone else, or do they bring their own eclectic influences? Do they write their own bars?
Role Models: Del, Busta Rhymes, E40, Aesop Rock, Slug

VERSATILITY (VTL): Can the rapper cover all types of speeds, beats, and timings? or does their skillset only work in a niche like 90s gangsta or mumble trap? Do they have style, substance as well as technicality?  Could they rap on a club hit as well as a political song, then an emotional relationship song?  
Role Models: Kendrick Lamar

POETIC (POE):  If their verse was only the written word, how would it stand up beside actual poetry the likes of Shakespeare?  How well does the rapper immerse you into a picture they are trying to paint with imagery? how deep of insight are they actually sharing?  This is pure poetry.
Role Models: Lauryn Hill, Tupac, Eyedea

COMPOSITION (CMP):  How well is the rappers verse construction? Does it sound like a cohesive verse, or do the lines feel awkwardly thrown together? Did it all make sense and end on a strong statement, or are there too many extra words or lines that didnt really serve the aims of the song? This is also known as the art of the 16.  Think like a teacher grading a completed essay.
Role Models: Rakim

CONSISTENCY (CNS): Is verse after verse and album after album strong, or is there a lot of skips and filler?
Role Models: Nas

OFF THE DOME (OTD): How good can they rap with nothing written, nothing prepared, totally extemporaneous?   HINT: If its stacked with multi-syllabics and wordplay, its almost always written! dont be fooled. If you have never heard that particular rapper flow off-the-dome, go ahead and uncheck it in the ratings dialogue, which greys it out, leaving it blank.
Role Models: Eyedea, Del, Immortal Tech

LIVE (LIV): MC stands for move the crowd.  No emcee can have a complete game if they cant captivate a crowd.  If you havent seen a rapper live, or at least high quality video of it, go ahead and uncheck it in the ratings dialogue.
Role Models: Dizaster, Cypress Hill, Snoop

HAPPY RATING.....