The Art of Rap 1

Inspired by Henry Louis Gates Jr's article in FT Weekend Magazine - or to be more truthful, Kagan McLeod's illustrations of hip hop stars - I have decided to review a few hip hop 'artists' and rate their quality.

#1 Lupe Fiasco: Freshness:7 Roots:4 Gangsta: 0 Soul: 5 Lastability:2 'Classic' Track: 'Kick Push'
#2 The Game: Freshness:4 Roots:5 Gangsta: 7 Soul: 3 Lastability:2 'Classic' Track: N/A
#3 Kayne West: Freshness: 8 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 4 Soul: 4 Lastability: 8 'Classic' Track: 'Jesus Walks' Trivia Fact: Kayne West is pretty much over-rated...
#5 T.I.: Freshness: 5 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 6 Soul: 4 Lastability: 5 'Classic Track': N/A
#6 Saul Williams: Freshness: 10 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 10 Lastability: 9: 'Classic' Track: 'Amythist Rocks' or anything he has ever done Trivia Fact: Saul Williams inspired me to explore poetry, hip hop and pretty much everything that is good and true.
#17 Aesop Rock: Freshness: 6 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 1 Soul: 5 Lastability: 6 'Classic Track: That one off Tony Hawks
#18 Nelly: Freshness: 4 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 3 Lastability: 6 'Classic' Track: N/A Trivia Fact: I dressed up as Nelly for a Halloween (?) party at uni
#19 50 Cent: Freshness: 3 Roots: 3 Gangsta: 8 Soul: 1 Lastability: 4 'Classic' Track: The 'In the club'/'Thomas the Tank Engine Theme tune'
#20 Rah Digga: Freshness: 3 Roots: 4 Gangsta: 2 Soul:6 Lastability:3'Classic' Track: 'This Ain't No Lil' Kid Rap'
#21 Jay Dee (J-Dilla): Freshness: 6 Roots: 5 Gangsta: 5 Soul:6 Lastability:5'Classic' Track: 'Front Street'
#22 Ludacris: Freshness: 5 Roots: 2 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 2 Lastability: 5 'Classic' Track: N/A
#23 Dead Prez: Freshness: 6 Roots: 10 Gangsta: 5 Soul: 9 Lastability: 6 'Classic' track: 'Hip Hop' but I like ... 'Be Healthy'
#28 Abstract Rude: Freshness: 6 Roots: 6 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 6 Lastability: 6 'Classic' Track: Pigeon John 'Life Goes On'
#29 Wildchild
#30 Madlib: Freshness: 10 Roots: 6 Gangsta: 2 Soul: 8 'Classic' Track: MadVillian 'All Caps' Trivia Fact: Dedicated to Pete Brown. God bless ya, Brother.