It’s 2:40 AM here, and I have to be up in 5 hours. I did that thing where I go to bed, try to sleep, then give up and get out of bed. I saw that No Ceilings leaked early, so I figured I’d throw it up.

There are two levels of hip-hop stardom. The first consists of the rappers who ride the success of a major hit like a breaking wave—guys like Nelly, Cam’ron, and 50 Cent. They make great music and a ...