
Rappers, sorted by the size of their vocabulary (Updated January 16, 2019) - iron0013
https://pudding.cool/projects/vocabulary/
======
iron0013
This has been posted several times, but it was updated with fresh and
interesting data today--for the first time in several years. Is it possible to
get that [dupe] flag removed?

~~~
danielsf
author here, that'd be great!

~~~
nikk1
Does using a large vocabulary correlate with positive critical reception? Does
using a smaller vocabulary correlate with increased record sales?

It would be interesting to see another dimension to the data such as critical
reception or record sales.

Another idea is to break down an artist's discography, and show these stats
across different albums (would probably only work for artists with a large
discography)

------
jedberg
I wish he would add mc chris[0] to this. I have no idea where mc chris would
fall, but I suspect it would be to the right, simply because of his use of
unique sci fi words.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Chris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Chris)

~~~
dagoat
Also a shame that Project Pat[0] is not included

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pat)

~~~
oxide
He is likely a part of Three Six Mafia's entry in the list.

It is a pleasure, however, to see Canibus ranked among the top. That man is a
true legend IMO.

------
danielharan
Taken aback that there's an artist that passed MC Solaar - although in this
source, they report him using 7691 words out of the first 30,000.

[http://www.slate.fr/story/93477/rap-francais-infographie-
mc-...](http://www.slate.fr/story/93477/rap-francais-infographie-mc-solaar-
vocabulaire-orelsan-disiz)

------
tribeofone
The most surprising one for me is DMX. There is a lot of repetition in his
songs, though I remember thinking that he was a solid lyricist spitting bars
much more complex than his beats, which are certainly a bit more mundane.

~~~
anoncoward111
Literally came here to say this!! I think more of his sound comes from his
fast delivery, his different voices, and of course, his ridiculously unique
beats. The Damien songs come to mind.

I think X achieves his lyricism through the combination of small and simple
words into unique phrases. "Yall been eating long enough now, stop being
greedy" is a unique phrase that no other rapper would ever utter, but it isn't
made from complex words like Aesop Rock or Eminem would use.

------
Karlax
As the author points out, song structure biases the results, so that artists
with structured and repeated lyrics end up with a lower "vocabulary". Wouldn't
it make sense to simply combine repeated lines before counting? So you'd be
measuring vocabulary in first 35,000 non-structurally-repeating lyrics.

------
opulence
Has someone tried quantifying those who create something maximally spectacular
from the smallest number of words possible? This seems to be the theme in
math: gargantuan universes out of minimal number of axioms.

~~~
hirundo
Energy equals mass times the square of the speed of light.

------
nwni
I like the "Just W" filter. Also Action Bronson surprised me.

------
manifestsilence
I would love to see Dessa and Kate Tempest on there.

