The 25 Best Eight-Bar Verses in Rap History (Complex)

[King Lance]

25. Rick Ross on "Stay Schemin" (2012)
24. Jay-Z on "Frontin" (2003)
23. Q-Tip on "Scenario" (1992)
22. ScHoolboy Q on "Brand New Guy" (2011)
21. Lil Wayne on "Pop Bottles" (2007)
20. Starang Wondah on "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka" (1996)
19. Black Thought on "Guerilla Monsoon Rap" (2002)
18. Talib Kweli on "Definition" (1998)
17. 2Pac on "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (1996)
16. Eminem on "Bad Meets Evil" (1999)
15. Raekwon on "Motherless Child" (1996)
14. Lloyd Banks on "You Don't Know" (2006)
13. Nas on "Mo Money, Mo Murder (Homicide)" (1995)
12. Billy Danze on "Ante Up" (2000)
11. Lil Wayne on "Shooter" (2005)
10. Hittman on "XXplosive" (1999)
9. Eminem on "Say What You Say" (2002)
8. Kanye West on "Runaway" (2010)
7. Ice Cube on "Burn Hollywood Burn" (1990)
6. Kendrick Lamar on "Backseat Freestyle" (2012)
5. Malice on "Grindin'" (2002)
4. Q-Tip on "Bonita Applebum" (1990)
3. Jay-Z on "U Don't Know" (2001)
2. Pimp C on "Big Pimpin'" (2000)
1. Big Pun on "Twinz (Deep Cover '98)" (1998)

http://www.complex.com/music/2013/04/th ... ar-verses/

[Shameek]

Solid list imo.

Stay schemin probably doesnt belong to that list but whatever

[tadpole25]

agree on 14.

also, Tupac - Same Song

[Rattle1]

I like the list, for once.
It would have been a perfect list for me if Jay-Z on "U Don't Know" was 1.

[eXceL]

stopped looking once i saw #25

[ChristinaE12]

What the fuck. I don't even know what else to say to describe it. I really don't agree with 98% of the "list" though.

Maybe, if I understood on what criteria they are basing it on.... I still don't think I'd agree at all, though.

[Shameek]

What the fuck. I don't even know what else to say to describe it. I really don't agree with 98% of the "list" though.

Maybe, if I understood on what criteria they are basing it on.... I still don't think I'd agree at all, though.

I think a bar is not just 1 line or 2 lines, it's more than that. To me, a bar is just a musical duration of time, it refers to the counts in a beat and there are many ways to rate a bar : The rate at which they drop rhymes, the flow, the nature of their sentences, the nature of the rhymes, the rhythms (quadruplets, to quintuplets, to sextuplets and more),..

There's a difference on what looks good on paper and what's a good bar Imo, some songs have great rhymes, multisyllabic rhymes, other songs are made with an incredible rhythm

based on that, I thought they made a very good list but it's still their opinion

[ChristinaE12]

What the fuck. I don't even know what else to say to describe it. I really don't agree with 98% of the "list" though.

Maybe, if I understood on what criteria they are basing it on.... I still don't think I'd agree at all, though.

I think a bar is not just 1 line or 2 lines, it's more than that. To me, a bar is just a musical duration of time and there are many ways to rate a bar : The rate at which they drop rhymes, the flow, the nature of their sentences, the nature of the rhymes, the rhythms (quadruplets, to quintuplets, to sextuplets and more),..

There's a difference on what looks good on paper and what's a good bar Imo, some songs have great rhymes, multisyllabic rhymes, other songs are made with an incredible rhythm

based on that, I thought they made a very good list but it's still their opinion

Oh.. I understand the technical side of it.

Regardless.. Some of them are just straight bizarre to me. Am I weird to think that Renegade should have definitely been on there.. That's a start.

[Shameek]

What the fuck. I don't even know what else to say to describe it. I really don't agree with 98% of the "list" though.

Maybe, if I understood on what criteria they are basing it on.... I still don't think I'd agree at all, though.

I think a bar is not just 1 line or 2 lines, it's more than that. To me, a bar is just a musical duration of time and there are many ways to rate a bar : The rate at which they drop rhymes, the flow, the nature of their sentences, the nature of the rhymes, the rhythms (quadruplets, to quintuplets, to sextuplets and more),..

There's a difference on what looks good on paper and what's a good bar Imo, some songs have great rhymes, multisyllabic rhymes, other songs are made with an incredible rhythm

based on that, I thought they made a very good list but it's still their opinion

Oh.. I understand the technical side of it.

Regardless.. Some of them are just straight bizarre to me. Am I weird to think that Renegade should have definitely been on there.. That's a start.

Which ones, for example ?

There are so many great 8-bar verses that it's impossible to make a list like that but I think 24 out of the 25 songs deserved to be on the list, just like 50 other 8-bar verses deserved to be on this list as well lol

[ChristinaE12]

That's actually harder than it appears. Cause the song itself is golden. It explains and describes our fucked up society perfectly. Just everything about it.

I could split either one of his 2 verses in half and use them. To meet Complex's "guidelines", obviously.

I think part of their list that puts me off so much is the content. Probably more than anything. Like 'Pop Bottles'. That is complete and utter shit. Content is easy, predictable, unoriginal.. etc. But that is just my way of thinking, I suppose.

In the end.. I do realize it is still purely and only their opinions.

[Shameek]

They decided to include this song on the list because of the delivery but I do agree that the content is unoriginal and predictable lol

[ChristinaE12]

They decided to include this song on the list because of the delivery but I do agree that the content is unoriginal and predictable lol

Understand. But, that is another thing I would disagree with them on. To label something as "Best" in anything. It needs to be overall quality.. as a whole. Not just great in one specific area. But in multiple areas across the board. Again, this is just how I think.

I understand what they are going for, to a point. They just go about it completely ass backwards.

[Spyder]

guess id have to go back and listen to what verses are eight bars to compare em to this list

[eXceL]

What the fuck. I don't even know what else to say to describe it. I really don't agree with 98% of the "list" though.

Maybe, if I understood on what criteria they are basing it on.... I still don't think I'd agree at all, though.

I think a bar is not just 1 line or 2 lines, it's more than that. To me, a bar is just a musical duration of time and there are many ways to rate a bar : The rate at which they drop rhymes, the flow, the nature of their sentences, the nature of the rhymes, the rhythms (quadruplets, to quintuplets, to sextuplets and more),..

There's a difference on what looks good on paper and what's a good bar Imo, some songs have great rhymes, multisyllabic rhymes, other songs are made with an incredible rhythm

based on that, I thought they made a very good list but it's still their opinion

Oh.. I understand the technical side of it.

Regardless.. Some of them are just straight bizarre to me. Am I weird to think that Renegade should have definitely been on there.. That's a start.

renegade was 16 bar verses, this list is for 8 bar verses