With so much attention being given to rappers who sing and the raging debate on whether singing is “hip-hop” we decided to ask: who are hip-hop’s best singers?

10) TJ Swan: The Juice Crew all-star sings the hooks on Biz Markie’s “Nobody Beats The Biz” and MC Shan’s “Left Me Lonely,” just to name a few.

9) Sleepy Brown:This Dungeon Family crooner has laced countless songs from Outkast and Goodie Mob including “I Can’t Wait” and Big Gipp’s “Steppin’ Out.”

8. Phonte of Little Brother: The Little Brother front man has sung hooks for his own group as well as Playaz Circle (“Paper Chaser”) and Statik Seletktah. He recently released a full CD of his singing, Leave It All Behind, as part of The Foreign Exchange.

7) Mos Def & Pharoahe Monch (tie) While the Brooklyn MC likes to sprinkle his albums and shows with jazz-inspired scats, it’s his focused pieces like “Umi Says” that endear his singing to his fans. Pharoahe’s crooning for others (Styles P’s “My Life”) as well as his own (“Pushin”) make him a favorite among singing MCs.

6) Devin The Dude: The smooth and laid back vocals of this smoked out rapper/singer can be heard on a number of songs including De La Soul’s “Baby Phat” and Dr. Dre’s “I Just Wanna F*ck You” as well as his own solo work like Just Tryin’ To Live and his latest, Landing Gear.

5) Vinia Mojica The Native Tongues would have a whole lot less soul if not for the contributions of this Queens, NY songtress. From De La Soul’s “Saturdays” to Black Star’s “K.O.S” she always kept the needle in the groove.

4) Pharrell & Andre 3000 (tie) The producer/singer/sneaker pimp multitasker rocks his falsetto on hooks for Snoop (“Beautiful”) and Jay-Z (“Excuse Me Miss”) and put his stamp on N.E.R.D. projects with songs like “Frontin.” Andre 3000′s The Love Below featured the hit “Hey Ya” and the sleepy and seductive “The Prototype.”

3) T-Pain: While he took shots early on for being a Roger Troutman clone this Tallahasee, FL native’s impact on the hip-hop and R&B game is undeniable.

2) Cee-Lo Green & Lauryn Hill (tie): One of the original rapper-turnt-singers, Cee-Lo is among a select group of MCs who has enjoyed consistent critical and commercial success with his singing ability. Lauryn’s solo debut is a hip-hop classic but she’s gone A.W.O.L. (And bonkers) since.

1) Nate Dogg: From Ludacris’ “Area Codes” and Snoop’s “Ain’t No Fun” to Dre’s “Next Episode” he is Hip-Hop’s undisputed best hooker (R.I.P.). But clearly Akon doesn’t agree with me.

Honorable Mention:

Blue Rasberry: This in-house female vocalists for the Wu-Tang clan can be heard on many of the Wu’s most popular songs including “Release Yo Delf” and “Rainy Dayz.”

Check out more of The Urban Daily’s BEST OF EVERYTHING ’08

“I vow right here, right now, to never use Auto-Tune again,” T-Pain told the website in a statement. “I’m onto something that I think is bigger and better called ‘The T-Pain Effect.’”

Read more at KYSDC.com

T-Pain dropped Hot 107.9 studios recently to do the “Rickey Smiley Morning Show,” and he explained why there have been more stories about his iced out liquor bottles than any new music from him.

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT

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After Antoine Dodson, a young man from Huntsville, AL, saved his sister from an attack, “Autotune The News” set the report to music.

This is the original news report this spoof was based on:

And in case you missed it, Mr. Dodson did a follow up interview about saving his sister.

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For the last several years, T-Pain’s Auto-Tune centered sound has dominated the Hip-Hop and R&B markets.

Now, the popular songwriter will bring that technology to the iPhone via a partnership with Antares Audio Technologies. Dubbed “I Am T-Pain.”

With it, fans can record their own versions of T-Pain hits like “Bartender,” “Dream Girl,” and “I’m Sprung.”

Once completed, the user can upload their songs to various social networking sites like Facebook and Youtube.

Read The Whole Story

Watch T-Pain Sing Billy Jean Without Auto-Tune

VIA DX:

While Jay Z’s “D.O.A” [click to listen] calls for the death of the popular audio software program Auto-Tune, the fad is far from dead.

Antares Audio Technologies, the company that created Auto-Tune, revealed to the New York Times that sales of Auto-Tune have in fact increased since the release of Jay Z’s “D.O.A.”.

“The Jay-Z controversy is great,” Marco Alpert, vice president of marketing at Antares, told the New York Times. “We couldn’t buy P.R. like this.”

Originally created to correct a singer’s pitch, Auto-Tune has become heavily used in Hip Hop and R&B. Artists such as Lil Wayne, Kanye West [click to read], and T-Pain have benefited tremendously from Auto-Tune and although Jay-Z [click to read] is hoping the trend comes to an end he is in no way putting down the artists who have profited from it.

“The guys who did, did it great,” Jay-Z explained to New York’s HOT97 weeks ago. “Let them guys do it. They got their little niche. Let’s move on.”

I haven’t heard about these kids… Sorry… But I know that the jerk was a movie with Steve Martin and a dance popularized by James Brown. These newbies owe some royalty checks somehow, someway!

But they aren’t bad and no hate to them from me. I dig the new joint they have. Vlad or someone gets a chance to chop it up with the boyz and they defend themselves against Jay-Z and explain why real men wear them TIGHT.

Check out the video below and share your thoughts:

VIA RG:

Instead of scrambling to dismiss Jay-Z’s claims on “Death of AutoTune,” the technology’s creator Antares Audio is using the superstar’s stance for product advertisement. Dubbed the “next generation” of professional pitch correction, Antares Audio has created Auto-Tune Evo.

The new technology immediately deciphers the pitch of any inputted information, and finds the closest match in the scale the user specifies for pitch correction.

Included are minor, major, chromatic, and 26 other historical and microtonal scales.

Other new features for the product are real-time pitch shifting, throat modeling (vocal character modification), a redesigned user interface, and many more.

Hailed as a breakthrough upon its 1997 release, the Auto-Tune primarily was utilized to correct pitch and phrasing mistakes made by singers in their vocal performances.

Through other settings, the device can also be used to create dramatic distortions of the human voice such as echoing, and the now-famous computerized vocal effect first heard on Cher’s 1998 hit “I Believe.”

In recent years, the device has come to dominate the charts after prominent use from hit songwriter T-Pain and Kanye West on his multi-platinum album 808s & Heartbreak.

The Auto-Tune is often confused with its predecessor the talkbox (used by Roger Troutman, Peter Frampton, and Bon Jovi).

That device modifies the sound of instruments when a musician uses different speech sounds via a tube inserted in their mouths.

Jay-Z has stated his new single was created due to the Auto-Tune’s oversaturation, culminating with the mogul hearing the effect used in a Wendy’s commercial.

In a new press release, their new product is dubbed the “unequivocal response” to Jay-Z’s claims, asserting the Auto-Tune effect will remain a staple of the music industry.

However, the company does not address whether their creation will continue to have a future as a robotic vocal effect, or simply return to its original use of pitch correction.

At press time, Jay-Z could not be reached for comment.

Remember the hit song, Chicken Noodle Soup? Yeah… it had folks dancing, but since Webstar’s reemergence, folks have been wondering where’s Young B?

Jay-Z’s most least liked auto-tuner explains what happened in this video you can check out below:

Jay-Z has been making his rounds to speak on the demise of Auto-Tune, from his point of view. KRS has been doing the same. With alleged come-back tracks on the way from other artists, Jay had to recently explain what originally made him take a closer look at how Auto-Tune was changing the way people viewed the culture.

“I just think in Hip Hop, when a trend becomes a gimmick, it’s time to move on,” Jigga told Chicago radio station WGCI earlier this week, echoing statements we reported on yesterday. “I saw a Wendy’s commercial and they’re using Auto-Tune. They’re joking on it. It’s like, OK, enough of that. … It was a trend. It was cool in the beginning. Some people made great music with it. Now it’s time to move on.”

Marco Alpert, VP-marketing for Antares Audio Technologies spoke on his product, telling SongsforSoap.com that their will always be a need for his product in music. He also said that their company had no problem with what is being said about its product or how it is used in the Wendy’s ad.

“We’re thrilled to have our brand out in the general world of pop culture. When it’s made it into Wendy’s commercials, we know that we’ve definitely moved beyond the rather rarified boundaries of the professional audio-technology world. Controversy is good for the Auto-Tune brand, and kind of fun to boot.”

Check out these Disciples of Auto-Tune below:

Mixed and mastered by fellow ATLien Mr. SOS, this is a witty albeit “no seriously” cry to all those robotic singers (not just the grand high FemBot, Rihanna) who use and abuse this little program. We heard through the grapevine that a viral video will follow. Until then, check the song out:

Chapter 13 – “Blame It On the Auto-Tune”

Click here to download the track

-Snark Jacobs

MediaTakeOut.com just caught wind of an interesting rumor. According to one of our snitches over at Def Jam, Jay Z has recorded a “singing track” in auto-tune.

Here’s how MediaTakeOut.com’s insider describes it:

“Jay sings the entire hook using the auto-tune at one point he even hits a high note. Not even autotune could make that note sound on key.”

What do you think? Speak on it in the comment section!

Thanks to NahRight for the video.

Now that almost every MC is altering their voice using the latest studio equipment, The Urban Daily is paying tribute to 10 MCs whose real voices are as critical to their success as their lyrics.

(Props to Big Jo at Beatlcub for sparking this for me!)

1) Scarface
There are deep voices and then there are deep voices. No disrespect to Jay Hova but if God was an MC he’d sound like Brad Jordan. His unmistakable timbre has a mix of southern gangster but holds the weight of a preacher.

2)Chuck D
If Barack Obama were to lose his voice tomorrow, I’d call Chuck D to overdub all of his speeches. The authoritative bass in his vocals is both unmistakeable and undeniable.

3)DMX
From the canine growls of “What’s My Name” to the calm of “How’s It Goin’ Down” Earl Simmons knows better than most the power of his own voice. Unfortunately, these days he is doing more talking before a judge than before an audience.

4) Busta Rhymes
As I’ve stated before The Dungeon Dragon has a voice that spits flames (“Woo Ha”) or simply smolders (“Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See”) depending on what the beat tells him to do. But you really don’t appreciate a voice like Mr. Smith’s until you hear it live.

5) Ludacris
Chris Lova Lova’s days on the radio have made him one of the most listenable MCs in the game. Vocally, he rivals Will Smith for clarity, cross-over appeal and replay value, but brings a swagger that is uniquley his own.

6) Mystikal
A Cajun cousin to Busta’s growl, Mystikal brought a weezy twist to the scream scene. On cuts like “Danger” Mystikal takes a more musical, singy approach giving him a Scatman Crothers in a strip club feel.

7) Rev. RUN
From “Rock Box” to “Run’s House” to “Jockin’ Jay-Z” no voice has proved as enduring as Rev. Run’s.

8 ) Ice Cube

Forget bean pies and St. Ides, props to anybody that can sling “Are We There Yet?” and Death Certificate and be completely believable without altering his voice one bit.

9) Rakim / Big Daddy Kane (tie)
One of the most sampled voices in the game, Rakim seduced listeners with an easy-going delivery that set you up for some of the most potent couplets ever put to paper. Kane was the pimptastic alter ego that could talk the stripes off a zebra.

10) Lauryn Hill
Gender be damned, she raps better than most rappers and sings better than most singers, but doing both so well is simply divine. Her voice is distilled with so much pain and passion that you just want to pour it in a highball glass and zone out.

Honorable Mentions:

Chubb Rock
MC Lyte
Slick Rick
Kool Moe Dee
KRS-One
Rah Digga
Lord Have Mercy
Treach of Naughty By Nature
Melle Mel
Rock from Heltah Skeltah

Click Here For more Best of Everything 2008

Despite the fun I’ve had poking fun at him, I don’t hate Kanye West. Seriously. I think he is easily one of the best hip-hop producers of the new millennium with above average mic skills. But everyone needs to know their lane and Mr. West just swerved out of his like that night six years ago when he busted his jaw. This is not hate: Kanye West SHOULD NOT sing.

After breaking his boycott of the VMA’s (wait, is it a boycott if you’ve been to all of them?) in exchange for bringing an end to one of the worst broadcasts in MTV history, Yeezy took the stage drenched in a single spotlight with a blinking heart pinned to his chest. Somewhere Liberace is applauding. But with a finger on the auto-tune button he ran into his new single, “Love Lockdown” to the screams of the lemmings in the audience.

For someone with such a strong sense of melody he was horribly off-key until the computer kicked in. And if you could get past the vocal performance to listen to the words the song makes no damn sense:

I’m not lovin you, the way I wanted to
What I had to do, had to run from you
I’m in love with you, but the vibe is wrong
And that haunted me, all the way home
So ya never know, never never know
Never know enough, til its over love
Til we lose control, system overload

Da fuck? Syntax error indeed. This will be a hit at the karaoke bar because when you sound awkward in front of your drunk friends, you’ll sound JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL.

However, none of this is Kanye’s fault, as evidenced by the applause and screams. This is all of our faults for letting vocal mediocrity in music slide for so long. It is just enough to get by, to be “aight” on the mic cuz our ears have been desensitized since Barry White and Luther died. The people who make careers singing are barely singing these days so the rappers figure “why not me?”

Remember that debacle called Best of Both Worlds? Jay-Z took it upon himself to sing on “Honey”-badly. At first I took it as a joke, a-la Erick Sermon vamping Luther Vandross on “Sowhachasayin?” But Jay-Z, (who is LL’s only real contender for the G.O.AT) kept doing it throughout the song. He was FEELIN himself and nobody pulled him to the side and said “umm, you got R. Kelly standing right there. Maybe you should step back in the booth and do that rain man thing you’re so good at and leave that to the pee-pee bandit.”

That was 2002. Six years later T-Pain (who I give props for simply pimpin’ the system) has anyone with a mic thinking they can sing. And when I say sing I don’t mean holding a note for a couple bars on a hook (Mos, Pharoahe, love you like cooked food but don’t get carried away). These fools really think we want to hear whole songs/albums of them shrieking into a microphone. I think what bothers me is that Kanye stood there taking him self SO SERIOUSLY. I can hang with Pharrel’s bad Curtis Mayfield impersonations because at the end of the day he’s just having fun. But nothing is just for fun to Kanye. He is an artiste and we should be grateful to hear anything he graces this world with. Untitled Please.

It’s gotten so bad that you got Ne-Yo telling Lil Wayne to sit down over his own beat. (He sounds ridiculous rapping, too, but I think that was his point.)

I am pleading with any rappers contemplating a career change to ask themselves these questions first: If you hadn’t gotten respect as a rapper first and this was the first impression of your talent to the world, would you still sing? Would Quincy Jones, whose taste runs the gamut from Michael Jackson to Al. B Sure, be impressed by your singing ability? And lastly, if your recording contract depended purely on your ability to sing, not produce or rap, would you still have a deal?

If you can’t answer yes to those three questions, shut up and rap.