Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) Billy Joel Jimmy Pop (Bloodhound Gang) Jay Z Dipset (All members) a lot of rappers are, that's the main thing you need to be to be a rapper
No one even comes close to Morrissey. Lennon was great so was Dylan but they don`t come close to Steven Patrick Morrissey. Most rappers lyrics are pretentious and laughable.
Syd Barrett, John Lennon, Shannon Hoon, Michael Franti, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Ani Difranco, Roky Erickson, Noel Gallagher, Jimmy Page, Jim Morrison, Mick Jagger... lyricists are the songwriters, right?
Bob Dylan David Bowie Leonard Cohen Neil Young Robert Hunter Lee 'Scratch Perry' Gillian Welch Todd Rundgren To name but a few
Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia Zack de la Rocha and I agree with most what everyone else has said..........
Syd Barrett David Bowie Jack Bruce John Cale Donovan Nick Drake Brian Eno Tommy Hall George Harrison Arthur Lee John Lennon Paul McCartney Lou Reed Pete Townshend Don Van Vliet Frank Zappa
mmm... i might sound a little....modern =) cause everyone of you keep saying incredible song writers, and i agree with all of them, but what about Trent Reznor? i cant understand how he describes so perfectly the human emotions that i haver experienced at some point of my life... that just seems amazing to me =I ... and, i like Maynard James Keenan too, because he puts perfectly a wonderful song with a meaning beyond normal thoughts in great music as it is tool or apc...but, thats my humble opinion =D
The singer of the band "the Spill Canvas" has awesome lyrics although they generally consist of sad love songs.