Every level of rapping ability explained. Level one trash. The bottom of the barrel. Artists famous for putting out garbage. You can get hit, [ __ ] Cut the [ __ ] off, bro. Cut the [ __ ] the [ __ ] off. They can't flow. Their voices are annoying. Their lyrics are stupid. Just no redeemable qualities whatsoever. Are you talking, man? That [ __ ] stinks. If you started rapping today with zero experience, you would be better than everyone here. Punk [ __ ] trying to clown me. How crazy is that, right? Fix your posture. By the way, you're way too hunched over. I need you to understand like these guys are physically incapable of just phoning in some men. [Music] Their trashness just jumps out and indiscriminately ruins every song they get in here. Back in the day, there was this guy named Birdman and he used to own legendary label Cash Money Records. But what he was known for the most was ruining tracks with his awful rapping be my deal with anger cuz [ __ ] I don't give a [ __ ] to take it slow [Music] I you either play it as a joke or you just tolerate it for another artist you like the [ __ ] is this [ __ ] doing? But no one is actually seriously bumping level one rap. This [ __ ] is trash. When you said my verse wasn't hard, [ __ ] Who the [ __ ] did you think you talking? Everything that come out my [ __ ] mouth is hard, [ __ ] Level two bad. Unlike the level one rapper, you can get away with playing level two rap in public. Now and then, if you're lucky, you may even get the occasional listenable verse. Still though, their rapping ability is extremely limited. So most of the time they stick to one sound or even one flow. Level two includes one trick ponies like Ice Spice. I'm friend she like [ __ ] how you feel and I'm thick. Yo, she dead serious. Just keeps making the same song over and over again. Then you have trend chasers like Lil Pump. Gucci gangos. [Music] Their lack of skill means they often resort to employing gimmicks and internet trends to draw people in. So, it's no surprise when they go in and out of style faster than the Yeezy 350s did. Finally, you have people that are just out of touch with the genre like Will Smith trying desperately to fit in. This is the bounce back. Watch Will Y. This is the bounce back. Yo, what the [ __ ] is he doing, bro? And the harder they try, the cornier it gets. It's just a neverending cycle of ass, buddy. You've been rich for 25 years. What the [ __ ] are you doing posted up on a corner with a fitted and a [ __ ] varsity jacket? You don't put on some moccasins and a knitted sweater right this instant? Level three, mid. All right, I know these days youngans use the word mid to describe anything ranging from the worst [ __ ] they've ever heard to like a seven out of 10 song, but we're here today to define real mid. Like Tiger, like Moneybag Yo, like a Travis Scott feature. Not good, not bad, just pure cardboard. Planned rap caviar fire. Back that ass. Back that ass. Girl, you look good. Make me spin that cash. Level three rap is best suited as background music and any sort of car or function where not offending people is the primary objective. And that quality has made it perfect for Wing Stop commercials and annual 2K soundtrack. realy just got paid. I'm a boss and I hang around. As a result, mid rap has basically become corporate over the years. That's why you hear it everywhere, but it still has no fan base. I don't know about you, but me personally, I have never met a single Tiger fan. Unlike level two, mid rappers might actually have more than one flow, some like surface level word play. You might even get a nine on me like Rajan Rondo, 30 on me like Steph Curry, 33 on me like Scotty Pippen. And we can just keep going like this. Filler bars galore in the NBA. Like come on, bro. Now, people are gonna get mad that I'm putting Travis in this category. But remember, bro, we're basing this off pure rapping ability. And I don't know, name one Travis Scott bar right now. You can't do it, right? Because truth be told, stripped of its blockbuster sound, Travis Scott's rapping is just bland and forgettable. I'm sorry. It's the truth. That's why his features never hit. He's not a verse guy, but that's fine. I mean, great artist, mid rapper. Very important distinction to make for this bit. All right. Up until this point, it's been all shits and giggles. Time to start making people mad. Level four. Okay. In here, we will begin talking about respected rappers. Some of them may even be your favorite. Level four is full of what I like to call elevated mid. I'm trademarking that. Don't steal it, please. What separates it from normal mid is that these guys may have the ability to get introspective on a track or bust like a fast flow or uh like an impressive rhyme scheme. And because of this, they enjoy great amounts of respect from casuals. You can't really distinguish them from the higher levels. Yeah, it was stupid. Who Who are your favorite artists? You listen to hip-hop? Yeah. Uh, have you guys heard of Joiner Lucas? And also, old heads thirsty for the tiniest drop of lyricism in the mainstream. Might as well be level seven. It's all the same to them. They heard that Jack Harlo album. They were like, "Shit, this is real rap. He's bringing it back." Cordday popped off and they were like, "Damn, son. Where'd you find this? [Music] cuz I'm way dope. I better stay sober. I paint pictures. They heard Big Sean and said, "Yeah, he's top three." We going to see who get the [ __ ] laughs. When in reality, these guys are decent. You know, that's about it. Even still, they usually end up forming deep connections with their audience and managed to stay relevant for over 10 years in some cases. Level five. Good. Everyone from this level on can rap. Whether you love them or hate them, their skill is undeniable. They can carry their own against almost anyone. Almost. Level 5 has word play on tandras and storytelling for days. They enjoy respect amongst most people in the industry, but still fall short with those rap purists and hardcore hip-hop fans who just refuse to buy into the hype. You know, to them they're just okay. They're hating. This is probably the most varied group on here. As you can see, level fives in every corner of the genre, including but not limited to young guys who rap over alchemist beats, golden age pioneers, blog era lyricists, bling era pop stars. [Music] Again, Kanye, generational artist, good rapper. You may be wondering, well, why can't a guy like Drake be level six? You know, he can rap. Allow me to demonstrate. I'm used to seeing tears drop over enormous meals. The restaurant clears out faint echoes of Lauren Hill. See, it's like all the aesthetics are there, you know? Um, he gets the cadence right, conductor be, but if you dive any deeper, you just start hearing [ __ ] like this. I feel checklovakia, [ __ ] What the [ __ ] What? He said that [ __ ] like it was so tough, too. Like to me, Drake's lyrical bag feels like that one scene in that James Franco movie where they go to North Korea and they see like a beautiful grocery store. Yep. Guess no one's hungry here after all. But later in the movie, upon further inspection, they find out it was all just like a cardboard cutout. You know, it was all in like 2D. That's what Lyrical Drake feels like. North Korea grocery store. The point I'm trying to make is that even though a lot of these guys seem stellar at first, they're just missing that one piece that will make them great. DMX lacks technical ability. Uh Drake is extremely shallow, so he lacks depth. Chance is corny. So it's like just like if they had this one thing, they could easily be level six. Great. And suddenly we get a lot less mainstream. And for a good movie, cursive then cursed words and a curve version and a cursed version is the word version never first perfect to the first person I mean some of these guys rap so good nobody even wants to hear that [ __ ] zero compromises are made here rapping is intricate the lesson is inevitable the youngans are bored this is not a music at this level the rapping just demands your attention can't just fade off into the background anymore like slow down come back even faster then switch gears again do a different type of speed halfway through that switch gears again to a different type of speed. This is what he's so good at. That's why he's close now so off filter and yet he never loses his timing. There are some exceptions though. I'm talking about prime way Cole maybe. I don't know about ax. I don't know about ax with coal. My description off the top magician level sixes have the ability to wash any rapper in the world on the right day. Their name commands instant respect from real hip-hop fans across the globe. And even though they rarely go mainstream, they often end up staying relevant in the underground through multiple decades and end up inspiring generations to come. Guys like MF Doom, like Common, like Rockanger, it can't be mixed diluted. It can't be changing. And Rockim is really a good example of why some level sixes fall short of the top. Rapping is like a sport. And as the years go by, people learn from pioneers and become better, taking the craft of rapping to higher heights. So even though Rakim's rapping incredibly sounds still fresh years later, he's naturally been outmatched by people who have taken his style and built upon it, taking rap global with better storytelling, more vivid imagery, and more of an expressive cadence. The same applies for many others on this level. We're also once level seven goat. Goat rappers are extremely rare and come by once in a generation. Top and bevel rap on a doctor level. So f Scott Fitzgerald. Maybe I'm the new rock. Maybe I'm fat barrel undergarments. So armor be my intimate apparel. Preardashian Kanye. My have the ability to do everything at an elite level. It's like they see rap in 4D. They can go complex. They can simplify. They're good in the underground. sound good in the mainstream, just masters at their craft. They sound completely unique and their voices are instantly recognizable to the point where nobody can really even copy them even if they tried their hardest. [ __ ] Oh, hell no. [ __ ] beat. I haven't seen one person replicate the meme flows of Andre 3K. The monumental presence of a Jay-Z. You knew where the fan was. I had it laid out for you knew where the plan was. 300 mill later, now you understand. Unlimited depth of a Kendrick Lamar. I can see the evil. I can tell it. I know it's illegal. I don't think about it. I deposit every other zero. thinking of my partner. I need you guys to understand, bro. I know hating Kendrick is cool now because he's super mainstream and popular these days. But here's the thing, he's just the best. And it's not even really close. He just has everything. There's no weakness. His bag is too deep. And how could I go the whole video without mentioning Prime Eminem emphasis on the Prime? I would never diss my own mama just to get recognition. Take a second to listen for you think this record is dissing. Hey. Hey, we got one. We got us one [ __ ] This is timeless excellence unchallenged by any critic or detractor. In 100 years, when the history of hip-hop will be entrenched in school textbooks, these guys are going to be the first ones mentioned. If you want to find out what makes hip-hop so great and popular, start by listening to one of them rap. You'll be a fan soon enough. But if you already are a fan of rap, it's time to find out what kind of fan you are. There are seven types, and you're certainly one of them.