A hip hop MC has to be more then just some person who can sit with a piece of paper and piece together a few rhymes. In hip hop there is nothing more objective then ones personal opinion of what constitutes not only a good rapper but a great one. Let's face it, many hip hop artists can come up with an album or two of good rhymes and they may even be able to turn those songs into platinum selling records but that still doesn't mean that they are great MC's. Some hip hop fans simply look for a catchy hook that they can sing along with and that's easy to remember, while others look for pure substance and a flawless delivery when choosing a favorite. Record sales are more about marketing then they are about quality so any list that uses that as the criteria holds little credence. So what is it that truly constitutes a great rapper? Lyrical content, delivery and adaptability!

Lyrical content simply means that the hip hop artist not only talks about something with substance but also possesses the ability to paint a vivid picture through the use of imagery. There is nothing better then hearing a hip hop artist talk about something you may have thought about numerous times and having them put it in a way that is so simple yet so profound that you never even began to look at it that way before.

Delivery is a little subjective of a category because it is not something that you can really put your finger on. The most important aspect of a hip hop artist's delivery is definitely their voice. You can have the greatest lyrics and beat but if your voice is nasal or just overall unappealing, it simply won't resonate with the audience. The second most important part of a delivery is in the hip hop world what is called "flow"! A hip hop artist's flow is what essentially distinguishes them from all the other artists. Some hip hop artist's flow may be elementary while some may have more of a melodic feel to them. Many hip hop artists have a mellow or calming effect to their voice while others have a sense of rage and urgency. All these aspects combine to create an artist's delivery.

Adaptability is one of the true litmus tests in the hip hop industry. Not only do the styles of music change with every year that past but they also change with each producer a hip hop artist works with. To be adaptable in hip hop doesn't only constitute being able to rap over any style of music it also includes ones ability to freestyle. In no way am I claiming that you can't be a great rapper without entering and winning various freestyle competitions. What I am stating is that many hip hop artists are given music to work with on short notice and many of these same artists are unable to come up with any material in that short amount of time. The truly great hip hop artist can be given an instrumental and have great material written and ready to be recorded in a few hours.

This isn't meant to be some definitive test that all should abide by. The sad thing about the state of hip hop today is that most of its stars are built without anyone really putting in much thought in regard to their talent. I'm hoping now that by using this criteria hip hop fans will put their favorite artists up to the test and see if they truly survive.