Judge Selection for Build the Perfect Emcee

Here's the email I sent out to the hip-hop bloggers I want as judges for my Build the Perfect Emcee thing. If you have a weblog and want to be a judge just reply below and I'll check you out if a space opens up.

Hello my hip-hop brethren,
I'm emailing you this because we have either spoke in the past or we have traded links over these past few months that I've been blogging. This email is being bcc'ed to just about everyone else on my blogroll. Let me just say thanks for the good reading, insight, laughs, and advice that you guys have given me.

I working on a "best emcees" list and I am asking for your help as a judge. Yes, another best emcees list. Hip-hop wouldn't be hip-hop if we didn't rank our favorite rappers from time to time. This one is a little different. My idea is that every "best" list is flawed because one artist may be the best at one thing (like storytelling) yet fall to a low spot on the overall list. Because he ranks low we're really just saying that we don't think highly of storytelling, though there re many fans who do. Get me?

This list ranks emcees by by categories. I have them listed below. If you choose to help (and please, please do...I really want to know what you think!) then this is what needs to happen:

1. There is a first round where we all nominate the emcees. For each category choose as as many emcees as you think really excel in that area. Just email me with the list. I'll compile it.

2. I'll have a list of the top three nominees for each category. You will rank them each. I'll copile that list and have winners.

3. You can post your personal list on your site. I'll post the finished list to Blocritics.org with a link to each of your sites.

4. Because I'm so hyped about this I'll also be taking out a Google ad to promote the final results. No, I'm not paying for it. I'm getting it free from 1and1.com

Even if you don't want to participate you can follow up on everything at this part of my blog: http://dieselnation.blogs.com/hiphop/top_emcees_project/index.html

And here are the categories.

In advance, thank you Jay, Jon, Trent, Eric, Lynne, Micheal, JT, Cal, "Clyde", and Alex!

In my next update I'll tell you who wants to be down. Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2003 in Top Emcees Project | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Build the Perfect Emcee

In hip-hop we just love making lists. Who's the best emcee of all time? Or right now? The most underrated? The best female emcee?

Most of these lists are flawed because we are looking at an artist's skills too narrowly. There are many ingredients that need to come together to make a top tier rapper. When we rank a great storyteller over a great punchline emcee we are really just saying that we enjoy a good story song over one that makes us laugh. So if that's what we keep falling into with these endless lists, why don't we just rank emcees by category and call it a day? Or in other words "Build the Perfect Emcee!"

So that's what I'm going to do. And I'm excited about it. Though not by myself. Making my own list is fun, but I probably care the least about what I think. I really want to find out what others out there are into. Specifically, I most want to hear from the opinionated people people I listed on the front page of my weblog under the title "Hip-hop Blogs."

This is how I'm going to make all that happen.

1. Nominations- for ideas I am posting the categories on two message boards.

2. Judges- I am sending out an invitation to about a dozen hip-hop bloggers who's opinions I respect (but not nessisarily agree with). I want them to help me build a combined "official" list and they can feel free to post their personal rankings on their own websites.

3. Final list- I think I'll post the final list on the neutral RMHH forum or Blogcritics. I'll discuss this with the judges.

So...let me know what you think. This idea is still baking and your suggestions are appreciated. Here are the categories:

Build The Perfect Emcee

A. Talent

voice
flow
cadence
punchlines
battles
freestyles
guest appearances
melody
singing
vocab
poetic

B. Personality

integrity
humor
gullyness
business sense
interviews
good to fans
intelligent
philanthropy
charisma
drive
confidence

C. Extra Curriculars

acting
girlfriend
politics
crew
athlete
website
videos
producer
live show
fans
fashionable

Also, feel free to copy and paste these categories on your favorite hip-hop message board and vote amongst yourselves.

November 13, 2003 in Top Emcees Project | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack