Top 10 Good Rappers With Disappointing Solo Careers
This is a list for rappers (many who started out in a group) who despite being skilled, haven't had a very consistent solo career or haven't been able to put out a classic in their career. This does not include groups, so Run the Jewels does not count here, I am only referring to Killer Mike in his solo career.
Michael Render, better known by his stage name Killer Mike, is an American hip hop recording artist, actor and activist from Atlanta, Georgia. Killer Mike is great in RTJ, but throughout his solo career he has been very inconsistent and he has even dumbed his raps down and collaborated with the likes of Gucci Mane.
Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr., better known by his stage name B.o.B, is an American recording artist and music producer from Decatur, Georgia. I liked his early songs but I can understand not liking them as they are more pop rap and I guess there was a good reason he faded fast?
"You should've been one of the greats, now you just sound like everyone else"
Earth be like "Flat Noise"
Bernard Freeman, known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern rap duo UGK. Another OG from the south, originally of UGK, even though he was the far superior rapper in the group when he went solo he was never able to create a great album, and all of his albums have way too many features on them.
Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper and songwriter. He is known for being a member of the group The Lox, as well as being a member of the Ruff Ryders collective and for his solo work. His first solo album, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye, was released in 2001. He is currently signed into both Def Jam Records and his own label, D-Block Records. He was great in The Lox, but his solo material is more than questionable.
A rapper with bars and punchlines that sadly don't translate into great music.
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, known professionally as CeeLo Green, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. The Andre 3000 of Goodie Mob
André Lauren Benjamin, known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia, and is most known as one half of the hip-hop duo OutKast. Despite never actually releasing an official solo studio album, 3000 has built up a strong following online among hip hop listeners and often ranks very high on hip hop lists. One of the main reasons why I can't consider Andre 3000 the goat is because he has never released an actual solo rap album, and he has had so many chances throughout the years.
He doesn't even have a solo career! Sad.
Ryan Daniel Montgomery, better known by his stage name Royce da 5'9", is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Another great rapper who has lyricism and flow but who hasn't had the greatest discography.
The other half of Outkast, he was good along side Andre 3000 but when solo it feels like something is missing and he is not able to hold down an entire album by himself. "Boomiverse" is an example of how bad he has fallen off and how much he really did need Andre.
Aaron Dontez Yates, (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne, is an American rapper. In 1999, Yates and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two million albums and has had his music featured in film, television, and video games. Even with a flow like his, I am not able to listen to an entire Tech album because most of his albums are too inconsistent. He has a few good albums from back in the day, but no classics, and he has fallen off over the years and now days releases way too many albums.
Don't agree, tech N9ne was been making consistent albums since his 3rd album
Marcus Jamal Hopson, better known by his stage name Hopsin, is an American rapper, record producer, director and actor from Los Angeles, California. Hopsin was born on July 18, 1985. His first album was called Emurge but he's best known for his album titled Raw. Hopsin is great and lyrical, but his best material are his Ill Minds and aren't always on his albums. He isn't a very good album maker, as in his albums usually don't flow together nicely and seem kinda all over the place. He's still a great rapper though.
Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, better known as Logic, is one of the most influential artists in the rap game today. He was Born on January 22, 1990, in Gaithersburg, Maryland and first gained major fame through making 2013's edition of the XXL Top-10 Freshmen List and has easily become the most successful in that entire class (Only Schoolboy Q, Joey Badass and Chief Keef come close). Logic even got more popular in 2017, when he released his song, 1-800-273-8255. It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Music Video and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. It also reached number 1 on the billboard charts. It was on his album, Everybody.
Yasiin Bey, best known by his stage name Mos Def, is an American hip hop recording artist, actor and activist from Brooklyn, New York City, New York. He was great with Talib in Black Star, but he just can't hold my attention for an entire album by himself.
Colson Baker, better known by his stage names MGK and Machine Gun Kelly, is an American rapper and actor, from Cleveland, Ohio.
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, better known by his stage name Kool G Rap is an American rapper from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City.He never should've signed with Grand Hustle.
What? Below the Heavens
Christopher Brian "Chris" Bridges, better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor.
Earl Simmons, known professionally as DMX and Dark Man X, was an American rapper and actor. He was born on December 18, 1970. He passed away on April 9th, 2021 after suffering a heart attack.
Joseph Antonio Cartagena, better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper and actor from the Bronx, New York. First three albums were great, but after Pun died he just fell apart and sold out.
Better discography than Mos Def though