March MC Madness

I take 7 MC's put em in a line

And add 7 more brothas who think they can rhyme

Well, it'll take 7 more before I go for mine

And that's 21 MC's ate up at the same time...

One of my favorite things about Hip Hop is the great debates. Best album. Best DJ. Best song. And my all-time favorite, who is the best MC?

In honor of the Final Four, I seeded some MCs and let em play it off for the National Championship. (note: most "underground" MCs were not participating)

ELIMANATED OPENING ROUND: O.C., Jeru Tha Damaja, Ice Cube, Grand Puba, Chuck D, Method Man, Pharoahe Monch, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien.

FIRST ROUND:
-#1 Seed Rakim vs #8 Gza- The Genius may be Wu’s most lyrically gifted member but Ra serves him like clock radio speakers. Don’t sweat the technique.
-#2 Seed Biggie vs #7 Nas- Brookyln v Queens. This is a tighter battle than expected. But, Big’s smooth delivery and gunplay lyrics take Nas. Biggie Smalls is the illest.
-#3 Seed Big Daddy Kane vs #6 Seed Lord Finesse- Lord Finesse is the tourney’s midmajor surprise. His punchlines are incredible, and when BDK strays to his playboy/player rhymes, he jumps on him. BDK recovers late and proves there ain’t no half stepping.
-#4 Seed KRS-One vs #5 Big L- KRS takes the Teacher label a bit too serious and Big L’s smooth and crafty punchlines knock KRS out of the tourney. Harlem over the Bronx, put it on.

FINAL FOUR:
#1 Rakim v #5 Big L- Rakim just has too much for L. He comes at him from the political and ideological angle, the street angle, throws in some complex wordplay. L spits the ill street slangs, but in the end he just can’t climb the mountain that is the Microphone Fiend.

#2 Biggie v #3 Big Daddy Kane- Very similar styles here in that both can flow with the sex and player rhymes. BDK can twist it quickly, then again BIG hung with Bones on a track. Both bring in the R & B crooners, BDK can spit the subliminal disses, as BIG might have too. In the end though, Big just takes over. His street tales champion BDK, proving to the cameo’ed one, relax and take notes.

GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP:
#1 Rakim v #2 Biggie- The Hip Hop equivalent of the 72 Dolphins v the 85 Bears. The cool and clam that is The R and the overwhelming presence of Big. Both had their hanger ons, notably Eric B and Puffy (although both of them did craft some fine beats for these maestros to flow over.) Both never seemed to never be rattled, never lose their cool. Music for the two has endured through cycles and changes in Hip Hop, yet they are both revered. Rakim could flow over a sparse beat, Biggie weaved his tales over 80’s samples. Kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug, then I jet. My mind's my nine, my pen's my Mac-10. This one heads to overtime, maybe even a second one. In the end…he ain’t no joke…Rakim Allah.

Related: Also, check About.com Rap's Top 50 MCs