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Ranking the 25 Rappers on Kool Moe Dee’s Rap Report Card

When the legendary Kool Moe Dee released his sophomore album, How Ya Like Me Now , in 1987, he also included a rap report card which rated himself and 24 of his rhyming peers.

Included on the inner sleeve of the album, Moe Dee’s report card broke down the 25 rappers in the following categories:

  • vocabulary
  • articulation
  • creativity
  • originality
  • versatility
  • voice
  • records
  • stage presence
  • sticking to themes
  • innovating rhythms
Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card 646X1024

The report card ranked the rappers from A+ to C and featured some of the greatest rappers of all time ; from old school legends such as Grandmaster Caz and Kurtis Blow, to Moe Dee’s contemporaries such as MC Shan and Rakim.

“I listen to everything that comes out–and I mean everything– so I figured that I’d make a pretty good critic,” Moe Dee explained to The Los Angeles Times shortly after releasing the report card. “It’s all a matter of knowing your competition. The idea of a report card wasn’t meant to be insulting. I try to have good relations with all my rivals.”

Out of all the rappers, Moe Dee gave himself, Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz an A+. LL Cool J, T La Rock, Rakim and KRS-One followed with an A score. A few rappers got graded a B+, including Doug E. Fresh, Whodini, UTFO and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, while others such as MC Shan, Public Enemy and Ultramagnetic MCs received a B. Only the Beastie Boys were unfortunate enough to receive a C out of all the artists.

25. Beastie Boys

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Beastie Boys 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Licensed to Ill (1986)

Score: 70 – C

Kool Moe Dee: They’re pretty awful. I gave them a lot of 6’s. They don’t have any vocabulary and they try to make up for their lack of originality by screaming and yelling. Besides, our tour followed theirs and wherever we went, we couldn’t get into hotels or restaurants ‘cause the Beasties had been there two weeks before and gotten into trouble.

Kool Moe Grades Rappers: Give Him A+ | The Los Angeles Times

24. Boogie Boys

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Boogie Boys 1024X683

Albums released at that time: City Life (1985), Survival of the Freshest (1986)

Score: 77 – C+

23. Public Enemy

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Public Enemy 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Yo! Bum Rush the Show (1987)

Score: 80 – B

22. Ultramagnetic MCs

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Ultramagnetic Mcs 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Singles – “To Give You Love”, “Make You Shake”, “Ego Trippin'”, “Ego Bits”, “Funky Potion”

Score: 80 – B

21. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Furious Five 1024X683

Albums released at that time: The Message (1982)

Score: 81 – B

20. The Fat Boys

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Fat Boys 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Fat Boys (1984), The Fat Boys Are Back (1985), Big & Beautiful (1986), Crushin’ (1987)

Score: 81 – B

19. Kurtis Blow

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Kurtis Blow 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Kurtis Blow (1980), Deuce (1981), Tough (1982), The Best Rapper on the Scene (1983), Ego Trip (1984), America (1985), Kingdom Blow (1986)

Score: 81 – B

18. Stetsasonic

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Stetsasonic 1024X683

Albums released at that time: On Fire (1986)

Score: 82 – B

17. Run-D.M.C.

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Run Dmc 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Run-D.M.C. (1984), King of Rock (1985), Raising Hell (1986)

Score: 82 – B

Kool Moe Dee: They definitely have this aura about ‘em–they’ve converted the whole rap world. But they don’t impress me lyrically at all. They’re very predictable–you always know just what they’re gonna say next.

Kool Moe Grades Rappers: Give Him A+ | The Los Angeles Times

16. Just-Ice

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Just Ice 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Back to the Old School (1986), Kool & Deadly (1987)

Score: 82 – B

15. Spoonie Gee

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Spoonie Gee 1024X683

Albums released at that time: The Godfather of Rap (1987)

Score: 82 – B

14. Heavy D & the Boyz

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Heavy D 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Living Large (1987)

Score: 83 – B

13. Biz Markie

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Biz Markie 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Singles – “Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz”

Score: 83 – B

12. MC Shan

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Mc Shan 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Down by Law (1987)

Score: 83 – B

11. Whodini

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Whodini 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Whodini (1983), Escape (1984), Back in Black (1986), Open Sesame (1987)

Score: 86 B+

10. Doug E. Fresh

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Doug E Fresh 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Oh, My God! (1986)

Score: 86 – B+

9. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Fresh Prince 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Rock the House (1987)

Score: 88 – B+

8. UTFO

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Utfo 1024X683

Albums released at that time: UTFO (1985), Skeezer Pleezer (1986)

Score: 89 – B+

7. KRS-One

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Boogie Down 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Criminal Minded (1987)

Score: 90 A

6. T La Rock

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card T La Rock 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Lyrical King (From the Boogie Down Bronx) (1987)

Score: 90 – A

5. LL Cool J

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Ll Cool J 1024X683

Albums released at that time: Radio (1985), Bigger and Deffer (1987)

Score: 90 – A

Kool Moe Dee: When you break him down, he’s a very good rapper. However, on his last record, he really went overboard capitalizing on his popularity. He kept bragging on himself over and over to the point of subliminal hypnotism. It was as if you were thinking of the best rapper, you’d be forced to think of him.

Kool Moe Grades Rappers: Give Him A+ | The Los Angeles Times

4. Rakim

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Albums released at that time: Paid in Full (1987)

Score: 91 – A

Kool Moe Dee: He’s one of my favorites from the New School of rappers–he gets a 10 for creativity. He’s real articulate, he uses syncopation well and doesn’t harp on all the boasting stuff–he does what he has to do and just gets it done. I saw him the other day on 125th Street and he was real humble. I asked him how he was doing over at Def-Jam (his record label). And he just said: ‘Hey, I’m still learning.’

Kool Moe Grades Rappers: Give Him A+ | The Los Angeles Times

3. Grandmaster Caz

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Grandmaster Caz 1024X683

Albums released at that time: N/A

Score: 94 – A+

2. Melle Mel

Ranking 25 Rappers Kool Moe Dee Rap Report Card Melle Mel 1024X683

Albums released at that time: The Message (with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) (1982), Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five (1984), Stepping Off (as Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five) (1985)

Score: 95 – A+

1. Kool Moe Dee

Best Rappers Alive Of 1987 Kool Moe Dee

Albums released at that time: The Treacherous Three (1984), Kool Moe Dee (1986)

Score: 95 – A+

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