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THE BEST RAPPER EVER: Recapping Round One

May 27, 2009

After one week of voting, few surprises

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Chubb Rock

Rating: 2.7 | Faves: 3 | Rank: 317

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Currently 2.67/5
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Name: Richard Simpson

Reppin': Brooklyn, NY

Breakthrough: After the moderately successful release of 1989’s And the Winner Is... (Select), Chubb Rock found his biggest commercial and critical notice with The One (Select, 1991). The acclaimed album, which reached No. 13 on Billboard's Hip-Hop/R&B chart, produced three hit singles "Treat'em Right,” "Just The Two Of Us," and "The Chubbster.” The 6’4,” 250-pound Rock was heralded for his lyrical dexterity and articulate rhymes that were as witty and street infused as they were at times socially conscious.

Now You Know: Rock is widely credited with catapulting the careers of production duo Trackmasters, who worked on the big man’s underrated fourth release I Gotta Get Mine Yo (Select). The Trackmasters’ Tone and Poke would go on to dominate late-’90s rap and R&B, manning the boards for such notable acts as The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Nas, Foxy Brown, Will Smith and Destiny’s Child. They were also the first to sign Queens, N.Y., newcomer 50 Cent in 1999, with plans to release Power of the Dollar, a project that was eventually scrapped when 50 was shot nine times and dropped from his label.