"My Flow Got the Fans Rethinkin' Who the Greatest was"

This ain’t gonna be long. And I know a lot of people still may not know who I’m speaking on, or even agree with what I’m saying but I just felt like this needed to be said.

Earlier this week, Complex Music named DaBaby as their best rapper alive for 2019, and although I wholeheartedly understand this decision and how and why they came to it. I unfortunately have to strongly disagree. DaBaby had a phenomenal year. Truly phenomenal. Between “Suge”, “Bop”, “Under the Sun”, “Cash Sh*t”, even “Panini” with Lil Nas’ X, everywhere you went, you heard dudes voice. I can’t knock it at all. He had a stronghold on the charts, Spotify playlists and social media alike. And having dropped two albums with 1 (Kirk) going number 1, it’s hard to question his #1 ranking.

Yet… here I am to question it.

https://www.discogs.com

When we talk about rap, and the best rapper of 2019, the real answer to that question in Benny the Butcher, plain and simple. Aside from having what I truly believe was the best album of the year, Benny was just unparalleled in his excellence throughout the year.

As I said, we can leave “The Plugs I Met Aside”, as I’ve already reviewed that, but Benny’s 2019 catalogue goes so much further. Alongside The Plugs I Met, Benny would drop the collaboration album “Statute of Limitations”, with Smoke DZA to high, high acclaim. And then he would undoubtedly lead the way on Griselda’s collaboration album “What Would Chine Gun Do” (WWCD). In doing this he not only heightened his own reputation thereby pushing his own name into the epicenter of hip-hop alongside some of the games best. But he also carried the whole of Griselda records on his back and has been an integral part of the groups shift into hip-hop’s spotlight.

What’s more, I honestly don’t know too many other rappers who feel confident enough in their own skill and ability to have features with Pusha T, Black Thought, Jadakiss, Royce Da 5’9, Styles P, 50 Cent, Eminem and of course Dame D.O.L.L.A. all in the space of 12 months. Throughout the year Benny just spazzed. And if you go and listen to the third verse on the song "5 to 50" from The Plugs I Met, you'll hear Benny deliver  one of the best verses from last year. He filled his verses with as much pain as there was wisdom, and talked about the ills of the coke game in ways that are comparable to Pusha T and early Hov. And any rapper whose name is placed alongside those men is not only doing something right, but they're doing something amazing. Now again, I’m honestly not tryna take anything away from the DaBaby, he really did have an amazing year, and has set himself up to be a staple in hip-hop for years to come.

 

However, we’re talking about rap. And in talking about rap, I truly don’t think its possible to look past someone who boasts as strong a resume as Benny was able to put on display in 2019. Yes, other rappers have the numbers, yes, other rappers have the accolades, yes, other rappers play the social media game better. All that is good. But I personally don’t think any other rapper rapped better than the Butcher in 2019.