The ES Decision: Tupac Shakur vs. The Notorious B.I.G. (with poll)

[Sticksboi05]

Tupac Shakur - murdered September of 1996

The Notorious B.I.G. - murdered March of 1997

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Who really was the better emcee?

**Poll is public so there is no cheating**

[Toe Jam]

Tupac.

But maybe it's personal preference because they both had skill.

The thing I like about Pac is that he was able to bring everything he went through in his life to words. Big didn't have it easy but he said himself that he fabricated a lot of stuff in his rhymes.

[BigMike619]

Pac. dude was a poet on the mic. he could make any gender or race feel his raps and you could put yourself in his place like you lived it. Plus Pac has put out 7 platinum albums since his death...

But BIG is nice and Ready to Die gets much love in my stereo.

on that note, i HATE that these 2 are forever linked together. outside of being boys for a second and then having a beef that was more media then reality they were 2 totally different MCs in my book. BIG represented everything that was gutter and street about NYC and Pac lived the west coast life. you couldnt get any more different. in my eyes you might as well compare chuck D with Ice Cube.

[Toe Jam]

Pac. dude was a poet on the mic. he could make any gender or race feel his raps and you could put yourself in his place like you lived it. Plus Pac has put out 7 platinum albums since his death...

But BIG is nice and Ready to Die gets much love in my stereo.

on that note, i HATE that these 2 are forever linked together. outside of being boys for a second and then having a beef that was more media then reality they were 2 totally different MCs in my book. BIG represented everything that was gutter and street about NYC and Pac lived the west coast life. you couldnt get any more different. in my eyes you might as well compare chuck D with Ice Cube.

That's a good point, Mike.

[Sticksboi05]

In terms of emotion and turning it into words, I'd go Tupac but let's be real, B.I.G. had way more lyrical talent and charisma. Nobody made words sound so smooth, not even Big Daddy Kane..

I also think Tupac led to the destruction of coast relations in the 90's with constant diss tracks at random rappers..B.I.G. left it alone for the most part..two different emcees but I can listen to B.I.G. all day whereas Tupac doesn't hit with me as much.

BTW, Puff Daddy and Suge Knight sucks, especially Suge Knight.

[BigMike619]

In terms of emotion and turning it into words, I'd go Tupac but let's be real, B.I.G. had way more lyrical talent and charisma. Nobody made words sound so smooth, not even Big Daddy Kane..

I also think Tupac led to the destruction of coast relations in the 90's with constant diss tracks at random rappers..B.I.G. left it alone for the most part..two different emcees but I can listen to B.I.G. all day whereas Tupac doesn't hit with me as much.

BTW, Puff Daddy and Suge Knight sucks, especially Suge Knight.

first off Puffy was a punk. always wanting to be on the songs, always wanting to be in EVERY video with that stupid dance and saying nothing in the songs but "uuh" and "yeah". **** was lame. Suge may have been a jerk but he was real and didnt get in the way of his artists music.

The west coast was long tired of the lack of respect from NYC long before Pac got up in the mix. Listen to Westside Connection "**** all the critics in new york"..that tells it just fine. West coast rappers knew they got no love in NYC and they were moving mass units everywhere else. Pac was just the guy who spoke up and said something the loudest.

Biggie was smooth though. no denying that.

[StillUnknown]

Tupac, not really close in my opinion.

Pac had the ability like no other rapper to make you feel every word he was spittin on the mic. his raw emotion on tracks is something that will probably never be duplicated

Big probably got him on rhyme scheme, but i give the storytelling edge to pac. not to mention pac could switch seamlessly from some gangsta track to some of the deepest introspective tracks you'll ever hear

[Salty]

BIG didnt have the catalogue that Pac had. I voted for BIG because I felt his CDs were amazing from top to bottom. Pac had great singles but i never felt like he could make a whole album...just my opinion. Biggie was growing as an MC and I would love to hear what he was 6 or 7 cd's in like Pac got.

I really do hate this argument because I feel like it is a bad comparison. Biggie only had 2 real albums while Pac had more and then all the randomness that got put out after he died.

I think the better question is who had the best CD overall. Ready to Die gets my vote on that one.

[Sticksboi05]

first off Puffy was a punk. always wanting to be on the songs, always wanting to be in EVERY video with that stupid dance and saying nothing in the songs but "uuh" and "yeah". **** was lame. Suge may have been a jerk but he was real and didnt get in the way of his artists music.

The west coast was long tired of the lack of respect from NYC long before Pac got up in the mix. Listen to Westside Connection "**** all the critics in new york"..that tells it just fine. West coast rappers knew they got no love in NYC and they were moving mass units everywhere else. Pac was just the guy who spoke up and said something the loudest.

Biggie was smooth though. no denying that.

It's true but Tupac took it to an unnecessary level.

And yes nobody has been smoother.

"Old school, new school need to learn though, I burn baby burn like disco inferno."

And out of all their albums, Ready To Die is the best, sorry for all of you who love All Eyez on Me.

From, Ready To Die and out of nowhere to Suicidal Thoughts..just spit out what that lifestyle is about under any type of beat; plus he does it in a unique way, like on Warning where he does two voices as sort of a story.

[StillUnknown]

BIG didnt have the catalogue that Pac had. I voted for BIG because I felt his CDs were amazing from top to bottom. Pac had great singles but i never felt like he could make a whole album...just my opinion. Biggie was growing as an MC and I would love to hear what he was 6 or 7 cd's in like Pac got.

I really do hate this argument because I feel like it is a bad comparison. Biggie only had 2 real albums while Pac had more and then all the randomness that got put out after he died.

I think the better question is who had the best CD overall. Ready to Die gets my vote on that one.

Me Against The World>>>>>>>Ready to Die

its all opinions though:2cents:

[BigMike619]

It's true but Tupac took it to an unnecessary level.

And yes nobody has been smoother.

"Old school, new school need to learn though, I burn baby burn like disco inferno."

I dunno man, if you think your "boy" had you set up and shot I would be mad too. And if you listened to BIG and Pac they always said it was a beef with THEM and NOT east vs west. that was a media thing.

"its not about east and west..its about niggaz and ****es..power and money..ridahs and punks"...which side are you on?

pac also made some of the sickest battle rhymes ever.

[BigMike619]

Me Against The World>>>>>>>Ready to Die

its all opinions though:2cents:

probably his deepest CD. thats my favorite CD as well.

[Sticksboi05]

probably his deepest CD. thats my favorite CD as well.

Still not better than Ready To Die

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The beef was there but let's be real B.I.G. didn't push on it like Tupac obsessively did.

[RammsteinSkins]

This is the toughest thing I have ever thought of.I love both but I have to give it to B.I.G. for personal preference.Tupac was more about life issues and I like to listen to that from time to time but I mostly like B.I.G's style of kill him on the mic and no questions asked.I think Tupac is more talented though because he kills it on Hit Em Up,2 Of Amerikkas Most Wanted with Snoop,and Ambitionz az a Ridah.

Still nobody can touch Biggie on Dead Wrong,Ten Crack Commandments,Warning,and Juicy.B.I.G. has a movie coming out the 16th so maybe it could give people more evidence.

[BigMike619]

Still not better than Ready To Die

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The beef was there but let's be real B.I.G. didn't push on it like Tupac obsessively did.

BIG had NO way to respond to "Hit em up". that was a yellowstone of blows.

and honestly, BIG was a ****ing IDIOT to come out to LA after Pac was shot. I wish NO ill on any man but to come to the city where he was from was straight up silly.

[BigMike619]

This is the toughest thing I have ever thought of.I love both but I have to give it to B.I.G. for personal preference.Tupac was more about life issues and I like to listen to that from time to time but I mostly like B.I.G's style of kill him on the mic and no questions asked.I think Tupac is more talented though because he kills it on Hit Em Up,2 Of Amerikkas Most Wanted with Snoop,and Ambitionz az a Ridah.

Still nobody can touch Biggie on Dead Wrong,Ten Crack Commandments,Warning,and Juicy.B.I.G. has a movie coming out the 16th so maybe it could give people more evidence.

Pac had 3 movies before 00.

I always loved Papaz Song. deep as hell...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFe8NmtFD2s - 104k

[StillUnknown]

This is the toughest thing I have ever thought of.I love both but I have to give it to B.I.G. for personal preference.Tupac was more about life issues and I like to listen to that from time to time but I mostly like B.I.G's style of kill him on the mic and no questions asked.I think Tupac is more talented though because he kills it on Hit Em Up,2 Of Amerikkas Most Wanted with Snoop,and Ambitionz az a Ridah.

Still nobody can touch Biggie on Dead Wrong,Ten Crack Commandments,Warning,and Juicy.B.I.G. has a movie coming out the 16th so maybe it could give people more evidence.

this is why there will never be definitive answer to this question, at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference.

and Em outshined Big on Dead Wrong:silly:

[Salty]

BIG never responded to Tupac. Tupas was the only one of the two perpetuating that beef. Pac was a punk plain and simple. I hate to say it and I know Im going to get flamed for it and thats fine. Look at all the crap he did. He is one of those who became famous and respected because he died. He didnt sell the same units when he was alive as he did after he died. Big put the east coast back on the map and paved the way for some of the best rappers (ex: Jay Z) Tupac gave us the Outlaws wow thanks.

Still not better than Ready To Die

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The beef was there but let's be real B.I.G. didn't push on it like Tupac obsessively did.

[Sticksboi05]

BIG had NO way to respond to "Hit em up". that was a yellowstone of blows.

and honestly, BIG was a ****ing IDIOT to come out to LA after Pac was shot. I wish NO ill on any man but to come to the city where he was from was straight up silly.

No Biggie just ignored Tupac's childish "I'm gonna start crap for no apparent reason" stuff. B.I.G. ignored the "beef".

Ready To Die put the east coast back on top almost by itself and yes, look at Tupac's sales before and after he died...big big difference.

[Toe Jam]

this is why there will never be definitive answer to this question, at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference.

and Em outshined Big on Dead Wrong:silly:

Em finds a way to do that to just about anybody.

Jay-Z learned the hard way.

[RammsteinSkins]

Yeah,it kinda suprising that Diddy didn't take the rivarly that Pac made into a whole 'nother level.Maybe he did but idk because I have faint memory of rap then because I was young.

[BigMike619]

BIG never responded to Tupac. Tupas was the only one of the two perpetuating that beef. Pac was a punk plain and simple. I hate to say it and I know Im going to get flamed for it and thats fine. Look at all the crap he did. He is one of those who became famous and respected because he died. He didnt sell the same units when he was alive as he did after he died. Big put the east coast back on the map and paved the way for some of the best rappers (ex: Jay Z) Tupac gave us the Outlaws wow thanks.

well, youre right about one thing...youre gonna get flamed for this!! hahaa

he was a punk? i get that he did talk a lot of **** but name ONE time that Pac didnt back up the **** he talked. Pac said **** that people wouldnt say but thought. He knew that NY was trying to hold back rappers because they were the "mecca" of rap. he went after police, media, rappers, etc. he held no punches.

he was respected as SOON as Tupacalypse came out and he broke out with "trapped". heck we was the tightest on "same song" with DU. the man could rap and he may not have paved the way for rappers but he did real well for himself as well as the west coast.

and BIG didnt put Jay Z on, Jay knew that BIG was blowing up and used to ride his coattails at shows so he could put himself on. Jay tried to make his own way but was more known for "Hawaiian Silky" then anything else at the time. He stepped in and tried to take over where Biggie left off when BIG died.

[StillUnknown]

BIG never responded to Tupac. Tupas was the only one of the two perpetuating that beef. Pac was a punk plain and simple. I hate to say it and I know Im going to get flamed for it and thats fine. Look at all the crap he did. He is one of those who became famous and respected because he died. He didnt sell the same units when he was alive as he did after he died. Big put the east coast back on the map and paved the way for some of the best rappers (ex: Jay Z) Tupac gave us the Outlaws wow thanks.

pac went gold, plat, 2xplat before he died, its not like he was struggling to sell records. death always helps record sells, they did for Life After Death as well

[BigMike619]

No Biggie just ignored Tupac's childish "I'm gonna start crap for no apparent reason" stuff. B.I.G. ignored the "beef".

Ready To Die put the east coast back on top almost by itself.

childish beef? Pac thought that BIG had him set up and shot. thats not very childish to me. you know that BIG and Fluffy were upstairs when he was shot, right? and Pac believes "who shot ya" is about him. thats not childish if you think a man tried to have you killed off. and battle raps are as old as rap itself. ask MC Shan and KRS-One about that..

The east coast never really fell off, they just werent putting out the same quality as the west coast at the time. and then in the later 90s the south came and took over. everyone is still there but everyone now gets a piece of the spotlight and NOT just NYC.

[BigMike619]

Yeah,it kinda suprising that Diddy didn't take the rivarly that Pac made into a whole 'nother level.Maybe he did but idk because I have faint memory of rap then because I was young.

fluffy aint no gangsta..he just hung out with them. he knew if he pushed it too far with suge he would get killed. i think he did the smartest thing he could..signed mase, dressed up in shiny suits and started dancing again. you saw what happened when he was with Shyne in a club and a gun came out. sung like a pigeon!! :laugh: