Certain MCs like Biggie Smalls, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Nas cultivate/d a "thug from the streets" image, but are considered to be inventive and clever lyricists.
The beauty and the bane of hiphop, of course, is that anyone can try his hand at it - with the result that the hiphop market is glutted with substandard product.
I prefer Grandmaster B. MWC reference.