Celebrating hip-hop’s most frivolous acts usually encounters a ton of backlash. Rappers who tend to fall into this category are labeled as socially reckless, politically indifferent, or just plain ignorant. However, not all music is made to be soul-searching manifestos. Case in point: Waka Flocka Flame. In honor of the ATL native gracing the Middle East with his presence on Jan. 23, here’s a few of our favorite, perhaps embarrassing ear candy rappers.
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| 2 Chainz |
Granted, the bar was never set that high for a rapper whose former onstage moniker was Tity Boi. He might have ditched the name, but 2 Chainz is still as lascivious as he’s ever been. His latest album, “B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time,” dangles dirty pretensions over monstrous beats (“Netflix,” for example) resulting in irrepressible auditory pleasure. His raucous execution of bars make his lyrical content an afterthought, despite how many problems he may claim to have. His show at House of Blues next month is a guaranteed good time.
| Juicy J |
The man might have scored an Academy Award in 2006, but that does not make him any less taboo. In 2012, Juicy J released his third solo album “Stay Trippy,” spawning the quintessential stripper anthem “Bandz a Make Her Dance.” But Juicy is no novice to penning crude songs — he made quite the stir when Three 6 Mafia released the cringe-worthy “Slob On My Knob” in 1999. Last year, he teamed up with Katy Perry for the track “Dark Horse” off her fourth album, “Prism.” Although Perry’s rap crossover will probably be short-lived, the song is at least a breath of fresh air.
| Honorable Mention: Juvenile |
So really, he hasn’t really been relevant in years. But when he seemingly came out of nowhere in 1998 with the pseudo-serious “Ha,” he set Cash Money Records on fire. Soon after, he realized he was better off specializing in songs that carried a much different message. Two of them, “Back That Azz Up” and “Slow Motion,” turned out to be the biggest hits of his career. In 2006, he tried his hand at being pseudo-serious again with the single “Rodeo” off his seventh album, “Reality Check.” It was a well-received tune, but he never really gained back the following he once had.