Live From The Hip Hop Honors: Who’s The Most Slept-On Southern Rapper?5:03 pm | Friday, June 4th, 2010
In anticipation of the 2010 VH1 Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South, which airs on June 7, Complex and Miss Info have teamed with the network to celebrate this year’s honorees with exclusive coverage.
Yesterday, the taping of VH1’s Hip Hop Honors went down in New York City. While our homie Miss Info stayed busy asking the stars what their favorite Southern rap album was, Complex hit the red carpet and asked the stars to play alarm clock and let us know which Southern rapper we’re all snoozing on. We spoke with rappers like Rick Ross, Paul Wall, and Bun B—as well as executives like J Prince of Rap-A-Lot Records, comedians like Eddie Griffin, and actresses like the super-sexy Taraji P. Henson. Hear their answers and find out which H-Town veteran, who you might not expect, won out…
Rick Ross: It’s a few. I’m a big fan of Birdman. I love the energy Birdman brings to the table. You hearing game from a dude who made $100 million plus. That’s who I absorb my game from. That’s one of my favorite lyricists. Fuck yeah! Birdman talking that talk. That’s that talk the streets want to hear. He’s most definitely a bawse!
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Luke Campbell: It has to be JT Money of the Poison Clan. He’s not here and I wanted him to be here. I think he plays a very significant role in Southern hip hop. He was the first gangsta rapper in the South. There’s none other than him. He influenced people like Biggie Smalls. Biggie told me that himself. He told me how much he listened to Poison Clan. It blew me away. We was in the studio doing “Bust A Nut” and he said, “Yo man, I love Poison Clan.” Right then I got JT Money on the phone and let him talk to Big. I’m pretty sure they would have collaborated.
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J Prince: Ohh, man. The most underrated Southern rapper has to be Z-Ro. Z-Ro is 2pac, Scarface, and he can sing, so he’s a Luther Vandross—he’s all those people in one. His skill is so diversified. Part of the reason he never got big, every time an album came out he had to go do some time. He never got the opportunity to put in the work that the other artists that’s on the top put in. And until he do that, he’ll still be at Ground Zero.
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Chamillionaire: Ludacris. He just spits. He’s on his 10th or 11th album, it’s hard to make it there. People don’t even realize, he’s had a long career in this. He’s put out a bunch of albums and he spits, man. I guess sometimes the content he did in the past was kind of comical. I think that’s why people didn’t take him as serious. I don’t know. I think it’s more of content thing. I think people want him to be more serious so they can take him more serious. But I think the times when he wasn’t serious was the times when he was the greatest. Don’t get it twisted, Luda is still a beast. Same with Busta. Busta used to do all the crazy videos but then he got more serious which is still dope. But back then, it was crazy. People tell you to get more serious and have more content and I guess he wants that respect now. But lyrically, you can’t get on the same song as him. He’ll rip you. He does it to everybody. He’s done it to me!
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Taraji P. Henson: Ricky Ross. I’m a huge fan of his. I hate to compare him to Biggie Smalls, but he has that swag that Biggie had but he’s from the South. There’s a swag about him, a confidence that he brings to Southern rap.
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Juvenile: I’m going to say Scarface. Scarface had big albums but he don’t get the props of a Biggie or a 2pac. But if you listen to the shit he was saying, and the content of what he was saying…I think a lot of people overlook him because his music was kind of slow, gloomy, and dark. He never catered to the clubs like that. I think he’s the most underrated by far.
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Paul Wall: I think Z-Ro. I think The New York Times put him on the Most Underrated Rappers list. I think maybe because he’s so non-commercial he doesn’t get as much exposure as a lot of other artists. That’s where a lot of underratedness comes from, when artists don’t get as much exposure. He has his own unique style. It’s incredible how he blends his melodies but also the way he spits his lyrics. His flow is incredible. He’s extremely gangsta and extremely Texas. I’d describe it as Texas gangsta music.
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Eddie Griffin: Man, it’s a toss up between Pimp C and Big Boi. Big Boi took the old-school funk that George Clinton laid on us from the Mothership Connection, then put a hip-hop twist on it that hasn’t been outdone since. Pimp C left us so soon, before he ever got his accolades laid upon him. But in the underground, everybody know what time it is with Pimp C.
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Mystikal: I’ma say Fiend. He was a No Limit Solider. He just made bad contract moves. It became a bad situation. It doesn’t say one thing about his talent. Fiend was original, unique, and strong. I call him Young Lion because his voice was so strong. That was a bad boy. Fiend still out here doing his thing, but he just ain’t caught that break yet. But now that I’m home I think that’s going to change, I’m not playing.
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Bun B: I think 8ball & MJG. They been right there with us along the way. You call me a legend, you got to call them legends. Anything I’ve done in my career, they’ve done as well. They’ve lasted just as long as we have. We came up in the same clubs, worked the same circuit, and walked the same road. If you add up all of my fans and all of 8ball & MJG fans, it’ll come to an equal number. I just think they don’t get enough credit. They’re not just great rappers, but they’re great writers. And they really created a strong movement in this game. Them and Suave House are a force to be reckoned with in this music industry. Hopefully, next year we’ll get around to Dirty South part two and honor the people we missed this year.
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Willie D: I would say Z-Ro. Without a doubt. The only difference between him and the guys out here doing it big is he hasn’t had the exposure. Period. He’s hasn’t had the exposure, I don’t know why but I just know it’s not there. When it’s there, the world gonna know. He’s one of the world’s best-kept hip-hop secrets. Believe me. He got the South on lock. When people finally figure it out they going to say, “Damn!”
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supafly June 4, 2010 at 6:53 pm
i think its Curren$y
Miami Mike DeVine June 4, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I know for a fact that luke is correct, it’s JT Money whom I’ve known since a kid and the day he signed to the label. Him and Scareface are slept on like David Banner…..You heard the truth from the 2Live- Family. Check out the Avenue and dance all nite. In memory of Producer Eric G.
YingYangTwinsPR June 4, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Ying Yang Twins Gumbo Volume 1 available June 22, 2010
Check them out on the VH1 Hip Hop Honors Awards June 7, 2010
FA REAL June 5, 2010 at 12:15 am
after 16 amazing albums, the answer is CLEARLY Z-Ro
ChuckB June 5, 2010 at 5:26 am
when u think about it, even the part of drake that blends melodies in raps is kinda Z-Ro’s style…
i never really was feeling every one of Mike Jones’ cousins when Houston was poppin, but i had to admit when he did his thing on “Get Throwed”
jet$ June 5, 2010 at 7:14 am
FU*K everybody on this list the most slept on southern rappers r CURREN$Y AND J.COLE FTW
yo June 5, 2010 at 12:51 pm
you probably should have read this
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=slept%20on
before typing up that link-bait headline
khakanaka June 5, 2010 at 2:24 pm
C’mon man! whatabout Jay Electronica!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rezauhhhhh June 5, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Nope… all these fuckers are in the game and suck. Real slept on rappers are the Sore Losers from dallas Texas they are perplexity and overmanish style to the rap game, or art game.
http://www.myspace.com/wearesorelosers
AG June 5, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Supafly you’re a moron. Currensy is far from the best slept rapper. In fact he may be the most over hyped rapper in the game. Sure, homie has a few nice pair of shoes so you and other clowns fuck with him. But lyrically he’s just not that nice.
You’re a moron. Step your rap senses up.
UGK, despite the fact they do get mad love, are the most slept on rappers. They are the best duo to ever do it, so anywhere but the top spot and fools are sleeping on them.
And Bun B killed it at his show at S.O.B.’s on Wednesday.
david June 6, 2010 at 11:52 am
currensy>? he came out last year bro…..z ro will rap circles around him
Maga D. June 6, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Really? How is Curren$y slept on? He’s on MTV/XXL/mixtapes with DJ Drama… Thats called making it big already. Maybe he’s not on the radio yet, but give it some time he’s already there.
On this list, I’d give it to Z-Ro too. Maybe Jay Electronica.
brian June 6, 2010 at 4:52 pm
man this is easy: Z-Ro is the damn truth, if you don’t know his music, then damn I feel sorry for ya
PABLO June 6, 2010 at 6:57 pm
LIL FLIP IS SLEPT ON BIG TIME I THINK DJ’S NEED TO STOP HATING ON THE MAN. HIS DONE EVERYTHING HIS GOT THE RECORDS TO SHOW HIS GOT THE RESPECT FROM THE STREET WHAT ELSE DOES HE NEED TO DO?????
Big Q June 7, 2010 at 12:11 am
The new Eightball and MJG new album is SICK!!!!!!
tgunnz1 June 7, 2010 at 6:42 am
YA”LL ARE NUTs!!! YOUNG JEEZY BEEN SLEPT ON SINCE HE FIRST CAME OUT. Y he aint big like wayne, ti, rick ross that mean hes the one Do U BELIVE? Everybody step they hustle up when jeezy came out.What wrong with america? >SOUTHKAK ALL DAY
BIG FRED June 7, 2010 at 10:04 am
EITHER DEVIN THE DUDE OR KILLER MIKE!! 2 SOUTHERN OG MONSTERS IN THE RAP GAME WITH LITTLE PUB!
Violent J June 7, 2010 at 10:29 am
Dungeon Family 1st gen M.S.O.
maurice garland June 7, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Devin, Killer Mike, Z-Ro…and yeah, I have to say Luda.
Evan Craighead June 7, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Jacki-O! No doubt! She has so many hit songs. Best female rapper out, period.
LeezyMoney June 7, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Z-Ro da crooked hands down
Teedra June 7, 2010 at 11:13 pm
PASTOR TROY!!!
r.jay June 7, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Yall must not of heard of playa fly. da truth!!1
joe June 8, 2010 at 12:43 am
MAN SLIM THUG AND PAUL WALL SUCKED VH1 SHOULD HAVE INVITED LIL FLIP AND Z-RO INSTEAD OF PAUL WALL AND SLIM THUG CHAMILLIONAIRE IS WAS COOL.
LQtheChi June 8, 2010 at 2:37 am
The illest underrated rapper/s from the south: Dirty aka The Dirty Boyz, Devin the Dude, J. Cole… And how you gone have the hip hop honors joint and not have triple 6, luda, 8 ball and mjg… WTF…?!?!?
Vincent June 8, 2010 at 8:17 am
There were no Memphis artist at all!!! How did this happen? Al Kapone, Yo Gotti, Three Six Mafia, Eightball & MJG, Dramma Boy, Jazzy Pha, TELA
vic June 8, 2010 at 10:52 am
LIL FLIP!!!!
BigCheez99 June 8, 2010 at 12:15 pm
First OFf niggas for get niggas like Pastor Troy, FIEND,Turk, BG, MAC,MIA X,ZRO is the fucking the man, Project Pat…the show shouldnt have even been thought of without Scarface, 8ball&MJG, Tela
Lanie June 8, 2010 at 3:55 pm
I would have to say Soulja(Magnolia) Slim he was killed right before he really blew up national. If he would have still been here Wayne would not be the major of new Orleans he is now. YOu would be surprised how many people spitting his stuff without given credit.
wayne June 8, 2010 at 8:48 pm
lanie i agree wit u 100%.im from da no.slim waz about 2 bust da game wide open.also MAC those 2 r n my top 5.still hav da original copies.albums u fuck niggaz need 2 listen 2 hype enough, give it 2 em raw,streets made me,years later,years later few months after,shell shocked,world war 3..FREEMAC
Corey817 June 9, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Lil Flip!!! Sad He Wasent At The Show Best Solo Artist Outta Texas, These DJ’s Need 2 Stop Hatin Cause Flip Has Been Putting Out Better And Better Music Yr After Yr But Yall Continue 2 Hate…
Doug June 11, 2010 at 7:12 pm
to those saying curren$y, j cole and that i gotta say i love those guys curren$y makes the best music to smoke to…but z-ro the best slept on rapper in the south(prolly the whole country) i ask my partners in houston who is “houston’s favorite rapper” they all say z-ro. listen to him from “look what you did to me” to his last project “cocaine” he’s got albums for days so there is plenty of material to sample and understand why z-ro needs an honor at these awards but is too real to ever get mainstream recognition
Nita June 19, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Z-ro is definitely slept on. He is the realest rapper in the industry….. I love you Z-RO….. Forget all those fake ass rappers….. Also, K-train from Fedtyme Records. ( R.I.P. Lonestar)..