Do you think there will be an hip hop artist that will be able to obtain mainstream success...?

Question

...and get respect from the underground at the same time? I think The Notorious B.I.G. was the closest rapper to obtain this. I would give a nod to Talib Kweli, but I don't believe his success on the mainstream isn't as successful as Biggie. Considering the underground and mainstream are so far apart nowadays, I think would be impossible for someone to bridge that gap.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Did you forget about Nas aka Jesus of Queens Bridge?

Edit: HI ME!

bonniethon (puirt a buel) · Answer

I always felt Cube managed that quite well. Now, I don't know because serious mainstream success requires such a vastly different type of hip hop than serious underground success. Jay-Z gets a lot of respect from underground emcess, but a lot of underground fans can't stand him, so it's not him. 
Lupe maybe?

Omagus · Answer

I disagree with your contention that "mainstream" and "underground" are far apart.  I think they overlap quite a bit, and there are plenty of artists that are either currently in the good graces of both sides or have spent quite a bit of time there:

-Common
-The Roots
-Mos Def
-Jay-Z
-Nas
-Talib Kweli
-Murs
-Jurassic5
-Dilated Peoples
-Little Brother
-Anything DJ Premier produces

However, I think the best answer to your question is OutKast.

EDIT
Ha, The Th3rd said it 17 seconds before I did.

Anonymous · Answer

^
I see one of my better thirds said it 10 seconds before me.

edit: How have I been doing?

Lupe to a certain extent but early Nas is the best example of Mainstream success while still getting respect.

Anonymous · Answer

Nas,Lupe, a lot of cats, you just have to be real and orignial, not in da club, stackin money, ridin high, makin crap metaphors, terrible slang, sippin bacardi, pimpin shawties,  gettin paper, etc.

The Th3rd · Answer

I think Outkast have achieved that.

Outkast went Diamond which many hip hop artists haven't but then again due to them constantly keeping original material they never lost many underground fans

Anonymous · Answer

The answer is E40.  Hes gone mainstream and is still dope as ****. For example, on the song Gouda, he drops the new record label name then disses it "Warner Brothers, the machinery YEE"

R-Jay · Answer

it was drake but people are criticizing him like crzy now
it was wayne but then he went mainstream
it was papoose but he stop rappin to continue his many failed attempts to marry/break remy ma out of prison

Local African · Answer

Ludacris. he hasnt ben taken over by money or fame. he stilll real with the streets and industry

Jets, Fool · Answer

nas, without a doubt

Do you think there will be an hip hop artist that will be able to obtain mainstream success...?

11 Answers