Back in what feels like a former life, I was a reporter not for Rapzilla. During that time I got to cast my net wide within the Christian music industry and one of the dopest interviews I did was with the legendary TobyMac.
Of course, I had to ask him one important question:
Who are your top 5 emcees dead or alive?
I think Rakim. I like some old-school junk. KRS-One. I know it’s on the lighter side, but Whoodini. I know they weren’t about conscious rhymes but they taught me how to mix singing with rap. They would always have the singing, ‘the freaks come out at night, how many of them are friends’. You know they really taught me something more than they were some kind of conscious emcees…Q-Tip.
I know it’s really controversial, but it’s hard not to say, Jay-Z. I mean I would say I put Jay-Z and Kanye right there. Some people would kill me for saying that. Jay-Z for his changing the game and Kanye for his experimentation. I have to say a byline to all that – I do not like the vulgarity. I always get the clean version, and I do not suggest that anybody go out and buy it because there’s a lot that they talk about that I don’t think is good for younger ears, let’s just keep it at that. Don’t agree with everything they say and I don’t agree with everything they say for my life. I respect their gifts. Their abilities to rhyme.
To recap:
Rakim
KRS-One
Whoodini
Q-Tip
Jay Z/ Kanye
Let me also clarify that this interview is from 2013. Toby’s tastes probably haven’t changed too much, especially with the first three on the list.
