JAY-Z: Has 15 album and has been selling albums since 1996 but has been a active rapper from 1994- present!

Studio albums

• 1996: Reasonable Doubt
• 1997: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
• 1998: Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
• 1999: Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
• 2000: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
• 2001: The Blueprint
• 2002: The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
• 2003: The Black Album
• 2006: Kingdom Come
• 2007: American Gangster
• TBA: The Blueprint 3

Collaboration albums

• 1998: Streets Is Watching (with various artists)
• 2002: The Best of Both Worlds (with R. Kelly)
• 2004: Unfinished Business (with R. Kelly)
• 2004: Collision Course (with Linkin Park)

Lil wayne: lil wayne has 7 album and has been making them since 1999 but has been an active rapper since 1994

• 2000: Lights Out
• 2002: 500 Degreez
• 2004: Tha Carter
• 2005: Tha Carter II
• 2008: Tha Carter III

EP albums

• 2007: The Leak

OK. lil wayne and jay-z have both have been active since 1994 but jay-z has 8 more albums than than lil wayne and more award nominations.Also jay-z has sold over 50 million copies world wide(26.5miilion U.S). while lil wayne stands at about 6.5 million copies. You can say that album sales are not everything and that wayne is a better freestyle rapper but almost all of jay-z albums were freestyles.

Cocky

Critics are not the only ones saying Kanye West is cocky. He said this about himself (using a different word) in a song called "Classic" which was co written by Rakim, Nas, and KRS-one (all rappers). When he performs, his words are: "like a shiness, your highness is performing, look how long the line is…wonder what would take to be a legend like Nas is, that's so novice, I'm so polished, I got a right to be a little bit snobbish". In addition, a videotape backstage at the 2007 Grammys caught him cussing out the Grammys because he did not win. To top it off, he was quoted saying, "I'm definitely in the history books already.” Kanye West was even on Saturday Night Live for a parody on the issue. While it is funny, it does highlight that this is an issue. The other problem critics have is that he did not grow up with the same experiences that most of today's rappers have had; he did not grow up in "the hood.” A sharp contrast can be seen in rapper Jay-z who went (as he puts it) "from rags to riches.”

Confident

Kanye West has defended himself saying that what the media picks up as cocky is actually confidence. In addition, despite criticism, his music has been successful. He has released three albums and won nine Grammy awards. His success can be seen alone by the number of views his songs have had on Youtube. For the music video of his popular song "Stronger,” one post of it shows that over 35 million people have seen it. Two other songs, "Homecoming" and "Lollipop" (remix with lil wayne) have both had over 5 million views with "Flashing Lights" at just under 5 million. A song added 4 days ago reached over 80 thousand views ("Put On" with rapper Young Jeezy). Many others have over a million views or close to it. Kanye West would not be in the position he is in today without being good. This shows that he is not as cocky as portrayed because with "your highness is performing, look how long the line is…" is actually extremely accurate.

Conclusion

People's traits put them in "boxes.” It is easier to say that Kanye West is cocky or confident and a great musician. The truth is, Kanye West is both. You cannot say that you are going to be in history books, talk as if you are the best, and not be cocky. However, he is also confident, so essentially, he is a little cocky and confident. You cannot say that he is not confident when people actually do line up to see him perform. Kanye West is a cocky and sometimes immature person, but is also a confident and successful rapper who has made his mark in today's society.

I'm not a shit starter, or instigator or anything like that. I simply like rap music. And if you asked me who was the best rapper, for a long time I would have agreed with Lil (Weezy F. Baby) Wayne's self declaration of him being the best rapper alive right now. But on the dawn on everything that has happened to Kanye West, and after listening to his cameo bars on Wayne's “Lollipop” remix and Jeezy's “I Put On” single… anyone who really appreciates lyrics would have to be excited by what the possibilities can be for Kanye West.

I mean it's just a formula for greatness. Now not to exploit what happened to him and his mother, God rest her soul, but anyone with a set of ears realizes Kanye is spittin' with a whole different passion, form a whole different part of the soul many of us hope we never have to spit our rhymes from.

But it's a passion that's recognizable, and just from the two cuts I've heard him on, it's a passion definitely unmatched in hip hop right now. Now if you take his producing skill, matched with his rhyming skill, coupled with that big ass ego, and now , a deep soulful humbled hurtful passion that nobody wants to, but everybody can relate too! I think we might be looking at a new king of this rap shit for a minute. When does his new album come out anyway? Just a word from a fan, if you agree or disagree holla back!

Today, labels only look for that one hit song from an artist and then they fall into mediocrity and are forever known as that one hit wonder. There are no more days of artist development, and artists are expected to already have a following, fan base, and rock solid business plan. I recently managed to sit down with Save Our Streets, an independent hip hop artist who hails from Harlem, NY. We caught up with S.O.S. right after a recent performance for Rock Me TV…

OnDaRISE What's going on S.O.S., it's a pleasure to catch up with you…I enjoyed the show…

S.O.S. Thanks a lot OnDaRISE, I appreciate the love…Yeah the show went well today.

OnDaRISE I see you have a strong following with your music…can you tell your fans a little bit about yourself and how you began your journey as S.O.S.?

S.O.S. Well, yeah God has blessed me to have such success with my music. I have been working hard to get a little break in this industry and I'm still grinding….this music is my life!! I've been rapping since I was like 12, at first it was just something to do to pass the time with friends, but as time went on I really saw that I can really make something happen with this….I mean it would be foolish to waste talent…

OnDaRISE Yeah, I agree on that!! Talent is a terrible thing to waste….Before I forget, tell me briefly about your motivation behind making that song “Can't Come Home”.

S.O.S. That's a question I get a lot

OnDaRISE Yeah it's a HOT song!!!

S.O.S. Well that song was made a while back with a beat that I got from one of my peoples. She dropped the beat off and when I heard it I immediately thought about two of my childhood friends who got caught up in the United States legal system and are both serving long term prison sentences….one doing like 10 years and the other doing like 20 years….hurts me every time I think about it….

OnDaRISE A lot of people can feel you on that song...its like your put your blood, sweat, and tears into every second…haven't seen a performance like that in a while.

OnDaRISE Aside from all that…tell me who are some of your influences that you listened to coming up in Harlem.

S.O.S. Well, you already know…Pac & BIG, Jay, Nas,…but the truth is…the way I got better was listening to my dude Wise….he's one of the dudes who is locked up for 20 years….he was one of the nicest to ever spit!!…in my opinion.

OnDaRISE OK, He must have some skills if you are saying that he is the nicest you ever heard!! On a totally different note….I want you to tell me why you deserve to make it to the next level.

S.O.S. Let me start off by saying that a lot of artist don't make quality music because they have people in their ear telling them how to sound, or how to dress….what they should and shouldn't say….its all foolish too me….My formula is simple. Do YOU….and if its meant to be then its meant to be.

OnDaRISE S.O.S. droppin some gems for the public.

S.O.S. I mean a lot of artist are watering down their sound…..trying to sound too tough…or whatever…it really cracks me up..its like WWF out there for real!!

OnDaRISE How much material have you recorded so far?

S.O.S. Man, to be honest dog…I got a lot of tracks ready to go!! Material I have had for years that still sound relevant today…

OnDaRISE I'm not gonna keep you here all day….and I'd like to thank you again for taking the time out to take this interview. Wrapping this up…can you tell us how a person interested in hearing more from you can do so.

S.O.S. Its all good fam…a favor for a favor. Check with us soon for the Ironmen Music Group debut Mixtape “Diamonds in the Rough”, Ironmen Music Group we taking over this Music business…stay tuned!!!

Tupac questioned, devoted, and wrestled with God in his lyrics. Even his titles, “Only God Can Judge Me” and “I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto,” Tupac touched on divinity. He asked, “will God forgive me for all the dirt a nigga did to feed his kids,” on the song “Picture Me Rolling.” Tupac seemed to be testing divine forgiveness, but he was sincere about the realization that God's word justifies “thug life” behavior. He says, “you make a pact with God, and ask him to forgive you and move on, because sometimes you get put in the path to kill … I feel I'm in cool standing with God” (211).

According to Tupac's rationale, since he was not doing wrong toward the innocent, God's grace would fall upon him. He said, “now I've got to accept it like a man and go to God if I get killed,” but, “for many thugs, God is the great accomplice to a violent lifestyle” (211). Tupac realized God's awareness of such violent situations. In “White Man's World,” Tupac said, “God bless me please / making all my enemies bleed” (203). He was touching on Psalms by requesting what Dyson describes as, “divine favor and retribution” (203). Tupac also displayed divine projections in his videos. His song “I Ain't Mad at Cha” was made into a video packed with religious imagery. Tupac was assassinated in the video that incorporated the Pearly Gates, dead black legends, and angels. His mother assumed that it was her son's way of making peace with God.

Tupac was prophetic in a modern sense. From his youth, he was interested in spiritual matters. Tupac's early mentor, Leila Steinberg, says, “he studied every spiritual teacher you could imagine” (204). Steinberg also realizes that Tupac often questioned organized religion, concentrating more on spiritual reality. According to Dyson, “Tupac truly felt that he and others could help transform the world” (205). Like ancient Jewish prophets, Shakur proclaimed the word of God in the form of criticism against the injustices of society. According to The Mystica, classical literary prophets placed more emphasis on the importance of ethical monotheism rather than the performance of the cult and foretelling the future. Prophets are said to show deep concern and love the poor and needy. Tupac did just that.

Steinberg recalls Shakur's idea about the privilege to explore spiritual truth. “If you are a poor person in the ghetto with no money, how can you expound on life? So it's very racist to have the luxury of exploiting your humanness, because when you're in the hood, you don't get to ponder because you're trying to eat” (206). Tupac also suggested remedies for spiritual malaise that represented the experiences of the oppressed. By his own admission, “Tupac was "bitter" about the poverty he was reared in, but only later, through his lyrics, did the world discover just how much he had really suffered. That suffering led him to deepen his understanding of spirituality and of God” (207).

Shakur was revolutionary in his demand for social reform, most notably in the black community. Rapper Big Tray Dee says that Tupac, “had a lot of things on his mind that he addressed through his songs. And I knew he was a real spiritual person, maybe not as far as proclaiming it, but you can hear it in his songs, in his art. He is looking for an answer, trying to find it with his people, through his music” (207). Whether he realized it or not, Shakur developed into an urban poet, telling the truth about poor black life on the streets.

Tupac's view of God as liberator allowed him to anticipate his worldly death. “The readiness to die is characteristic of thug theology, as much because of the intensity of the suffering they observe and endure as the belief that they have squared themselves with God” (212). It is similar to the perspective of African-American slaves, who awaited the heavenly kingdom as an escape from the oppression they experienced on Earth. Tupac trusted in God, but was also discontented during a substantial part of his life. Rapper Mos Def noticed, “Pac was one of the most valuable Americans of his generation, but he was also one of the most flawed and conflicted and really unhappy persons as well” (212). Shakur sensed that his time on Earth would be short, and he was not content in this world. Jail time was even more disheartening for Tupac. He said, “jail killed my spirit, it wore me out. I'm tired now. I don't know if I'm making any difference” (215).

As a child, Tupac thought prison time would educate him even more about the everyday struggle of blacks. Unfortunately, the penitentiary only taught Shakur that he could not change everyone. Jada Pinkett Smith, a childhood friend of Shakur, says of the prison sentence, “I think a part of Pac just died right there, and then he just sold his soul. I mean, the one thing about Pac is that he thought he could work around God and work around the devil. He really thought he had some tricks up his sleeves” (216). Following his jail stint, Tupac began rapping about his experience on the street. He wanted the people to be aware of his condition, similar to that of many minorities stuck in poverty. It wasn't his prison sentence that made Shakur upset at society, it just provoked his cause.

Tupac's music was his salvation, creating an opportunity to express revolutionary ideas to the people. I have always been interested in prophetic actions similar to the workings of Tupac Shakur. Those who are voiceless in the state of oppression deserve to be represented. Tupac provided an outlet for his impoverished brethren. I am impressed with Shakur's intentions during his Earthly existence. Reading Michael Dyson's article only reinforced my passion toward the issue.