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4. Eminem- Eminem was instrumental in ushering hip hop rap into mainstream America. Comparison's to Vanilla Ice went away quickly when word got out....this guy is a legitimate lyricist. Marshall Matters was an instant classic the day it hit the streets.
3. Lil Wayne- Lil Wayne burst onto the scene at the tender age of 12 as a part of the rap group hotboys (juvenile, bg, turk). Although, he admits he does not write his rhymes anymore, his run from 2002's squad up to the 2008 tha Carter 3 is one of the greatest runs in rap history.
2. Tupac Shakur- The effect of tupac transcends rap. He wasn't the best lyricist during his time, but when he laid words to tracks....you felt every bit of it. All eyes on me remains one of the greatest achievements in music history with the seven day theory: don killuminati being one of the most controversial rap albums of all time.
1. Jay Z- Jay Z will go down as the best rapper to ever live, simply because he was the smartest. He single handedly turned Beyonce from hated goody too shoe into superstar diva, he released hip hop classic- after classic consistently during the competitive summer season, and he built an empire through his Roc-A-wear clothing line. When you consider all his accomplishments, his influence on pop culture, and his creative word play- you have to acknowledge him as the greatest rapper ever.
But this is my list..... Who is your top 5 rapper's of all time.....
# 32
xirdneh132 @ Sep 9
Eminem didn't bring rap to the mainstream, it was already mainstream. Rap was huge during the 90s, Eminem was just a unique great artist who deserved the attention he got but he didn't make rap mainstream.
I'm still not entirely sold on Tupac and I love Tupac but to me he is the most frustrating. At times he was amazing and other times just average. For me his best songs weren't his thug songs but songs like Brenda has a baby, Keep your head up because he showed how much substance he really possessed but lyrically he was too inconsistent and he was never really a thug, his heart may have wanted to be but his brain was beyond that.
My top 5 (and this is all subjective)
5. Eminem - lyrically he is diverse, creative, and he raps passionately
4. Ice Cube - From NWA until the mid-90s there wasn't a scarier looking rapper who sounded more fierce and his presence often upstaged other rappers. On Amerikka's Most Wanted the track Endangered Species, his teaming up with Chuck D still resonates with me today besides, he deserves top 10 status alone for Staight Outta Compton.
3. Jay-Z - honestly I have never liked Jay-Z and I can't get into him but the man didn't get as big as he is without having great skills and I will give him the respect he has earned.
2. Chuck D- there was rap before Public Enemy and rap after Public Enemy. Run DMC brought rap to the mainstream, the Beastie Boys sold a lot of records, NWA brought gansta rap to the forefront but Public Enemy still stands tall of being the only enormous rap group who dominated speaking predominantly about social issues in an intelligent way that holds up to this day. Chuck D boomed when he rap and although he wasn't nearly as versatile as others the weight of his words and power of his voice took PE to another stratosphere. NWA may have changed the narrative of rap for years but PE made you realize that rap could be serious, intelligent, and sound great. They weren't the first to do this just the best. It Takes A Nation Of Millions, Fear of A Black Planet, and Apocalypse 91 were three incredibly great albums in a row that few artists in any form of music (Beatles, Jimi Hendrix being a few) who put down three unbelievable albums in a row.
1. Rakim - Versatility - listen to Follow the Leader as he is smooth with Microphone Fiend on one cut and follows it with speed and intensity in Lyrics of Fury. Paid In Full, Know the Ledge, I Know You Got Soul, the man lyrically was awesome and his delivery was as cool as you can get. He was never the biggest but the respect he had and still maintains was due to how amazing he really was, he wasn't called god for nothing.
I'm still not entirely sold on Tupac and I love Tupac but to me he is the most frustrating. At times he was amazing and other times just average. For me his best songs weren't his thug songs but songs like Brenda has a baby, Keep your head up because he showed how much substance he really possessed but lyrically he was too inconsistent and he was never really a thug, his heart may have wanted to be but his brain was beyond that.
My top 5 (and this is all subjective)
5. Eminem - lyrically he is diverse, creative, and he raps passionately
4. Ice Cube - From NWA until the mid-90s there wasn't a scarier looking rapper who sounded more fierce and his presence often upstaged other rappers. On Amerikka's Most Wanted the track Endangered Species, his teaming up with Chuck D still resonates with me today besides, he deserves top 10 status alone for Staight Outta Compton.
3. Jay-Z - honestly I have never liked Jay-Z and I can't get into him but the man didn't get as big as he is without having great skills and I will give him the respect he has earned.
2. Chuck D- there was rap before Public Enemy and rap after Public Enemy. Run DMC brought rap to the mainstream, the Beastie Boys sold a lot of records, NWA brought gansta rap to the forefront but Public Enemy still stands tall of being the only enormous rap group who dominated speaking predominantly about social issues in an intelligent way that holds up to this day. Chuck D boomed when he rap and although he wasn't nearly as versatile as others the weight of his words and power of his voice took PE to another stratosphere. NWA may have changed the narrative of rap for years but PE made you realize that rap could be serious, intelligent, and sound great. They weren't the first to do this just the best. It Takes A Nation Of Millions, Fear of A Black Planet, and Apocalypse 91 were three incredibly great albums in a row that few artists in any form of music (Beatles, Jimi Hendrix being a few) who put down three unbelievable albums in a row.
1. Rakim - Versatility - listen to Follow the Leader as he is smooth with Microphone Fiend on one cut and follows it with speed and intensity in Lyrics of Fury. Paid In Full, Know the Ledge, I Know You Got Soul, the man lyrically was awesome and his delivery was as cool as you can get. He was never the biggest but the respect he had and still maintains was due to how amazing he really was, he wasn't called god for nothing.
# 33
BlackRome @ Sep 10
1. Tupac / KRS I
Tupac and KRS are basically the same rapper. Politically, Street/Gangster, Girl songs. They left classics in all rap categories.
KRS made the first album that got a parental warning. He also created the first gangster rap album. You still here the beats from Criminal Minded in todays music. Pac and KRS library is just to crazy. They can only go song for song with each other. End of story.
This is not debatable.
3. Nas. He could also touch all subjects. Eliminates Jay Z from this discussion with ETHER.
4. Ice Cube. The greatest west coast rapper. Could do it all. White America feared Ice Cube. The way rap has been bumble gummed up and dumbed down it's hard to imagine a rapper being feared.
5. LL The greatest battle rapper ever. Created a whole new genre of rap with his girl songs. 1st rapper to go platinum.
Big would just never make my top 10. He had 1 great album. The second album would have been great if it was only 1 disc. Too much Filler. Comparing it to All Eyez On Me is laughable.
Eminem is a great rapper but putting him on this list would be like putting Elvis above 5 James Browns. It's just not possible.
Lil Wayne. You have to be joking. You don't play old Lil Wayne now.
It's McDonald's fast food music. Tastes good going down but just doesn't fill you up.
You have to remember that now you might get a 6th month run with an album. In LL and Ice Cube days you would listen to that album for two years. Public Enemy rebel without a Pause the single was no 1 in Philly for a year straight.
I don't understand how the generation of today doesn't go back to listen to the great rap music of the 80's and the 90's.
I went back to listen to all the Stevie Wonder, Isley Brothers, Earth Wind and Fire and Marvin Gaye I could.
To know who the greatest rappers are is not generational. It's knowing the genre of the music. You would have had to really sit and listen to that old rap to judge. If you don't then you look silly.
If you made a list of the greatest singers of all time would you put Neyo or R Kelly on your list and not Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye.
No.
Like putting Lil Wayne on your list. It's silly to someone who has listened to rap since it's beginning. We can't have a serious talk about rap if Lil Wayne is in your top 5. Would you put Cold Play over Led Zeppelin as the greatest rock bands. Go back and listen then we can talk.
Tupac and KRS are basically the same rapper. Politically, Street/Gangster, Girl songs. They left classics in all rap categories.
KRS made the first album that got a parental warning. He also created the first gangster rap album. You still here the beats from Criminal Minded in todays music. Pac and KRS library is just to crazy. They can only go song for song with each other. End of story.
This is not debatable.
3. Nas. He could also touch all subjects. Eliminates Jay Z from this discussion with ETHER.
4. Ice Cube. The greatest west coast rapper. Could do it all. White America feared Ice Cube. The way rap has been bumble gummed up and dumbed down it's hard to imagine a rapper being feared.
5. LL The greatest battle rapper ever. Created a whole new genre of rap with his girl songs. 1st rapper to go platinum.
Big would just never make my top 10. He had 1 great album. The second album would have been great if it was only 1 disc. Too much Filler. Comparing it to All Eyez On Me is laughable.
Eminem is a great rapper but putting him on this list would be like putting Elvis above 5 James Browns. It's just not possible.
Lil Wayne. You have to be joking. You don't play old Lil Wayne now.
It's McDonald's fast food music. Tastes good going down but just doesn't fill you up.
You have to remember that now you might get a 6th month run with an album. In LL and Ice Cube days you would listen to that album for two years. Public Enemy rebel without a Pause the single was no 1 in Philly for a year straight.
I don't understand how the generation of today doesn't go back to listen to the great rap music of the 80's and the 90's.
I went back to listen to all the Stevie Wonder, Isley Brothers, Earth Wind and Fire and Marvin Gaye I could.
To know who the greatest rappers are is not generational. It's knowing the genre of the music. You would have had to really sit and listen to that old rap to judge. If you don't then you look silly.
If you made a list of the greatest singers of all time would you put Neyo or R Kelly on your list and not Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye.
No.
Like putting Lil Wayne on your list. It's silly to someone who has listened to rap since it's beginning. We can't have a serious talk about rap if Lil Wayne is in your top 5. Would you put Cold Play over Led Zeppelin as the greatest rock bands. Go back and listen then we can talk.
# 34
a walrus @ Sep 10
None of you's mention dEL come on now, the funky homosapian? Black thought, Mos , Guru rip , kool keith. KRS1.CHUCK D.. .TOO MUCH T.V! the definition of a rapper? vs the definition of an Mc. Im 31 this has nothing to do with the history of hip hop. Im looking at who can kill it without having to write simthing down. Creative use of the english language. Solid honest albums over a long period of time.Jay Z , Tupac , Big , Eminem all talanted people who chose to sacrafice their creativity for the dollar bill. My list consist of people who pushed the limits of this lame *** wrap game. If you scrape off the glitter can they still deliver?
# 35
JAEViBE @ Sep 10
Come on bra you list is wack - NO B.i.G, No Cube????? Nas is a great rapper but if your being real he has put very very average albums out so for that alone he have consistant so ant top 5 - lil Wayne Come on this guys have had how many great albums...1 no way he is top 5 ever.
# 36
Bigg Russ @ Sep 10
In no particular order:
Rakim
KRS-One
Chuck D.
Eminem
Nas
Biggie didn't make the list because he didn't produce enough material. He simply wasn't around long enough to make my top 5. Longevity is important.
Lil Wayne couldn't crack my top 50. Hell, it's hard enough NOT putting BLACK THOUGHT in my top five.
Rakim
KRS-One
Chuck D.
Eminem
Nas
Biggie didn't make the list because he didn't produce enough material. He simply wasn't around long enough to make my top 5. Longevity is important.
Lil Wayne couldn't crack my top 50. Hell, it's hard enough NOT putting BLACK THOUGHT in my top five.
# 37
BuddyColtrane @ Sep 10
I'm not gonna flame you for putting Weezy on your list cause it's your opinion but I must say that I totally disagree. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of his Carter albums (1 & 2), a lot of his Hot Boy era music, and his Drought/Dedication series of mixtapes but I have never, EVER felt that I was listening to a Top 5-10 rapper.
As far as my list goes, I try to go with the rappers I enjoyed the most. I grew up listening to the 90's rap (more so from the South), so my list will be more biased to my home region. Don't get me wrong, I love music from all over, I just gotta go with what I know.
Honorable Mentions:
Jay-Z - still going strong after all these years
BIG - I will get a lot of flack for this one, but he just doesn't have enough material for me.
Eminem - While I will agree he's sick with it, I can't relate to him 100% as some of his earlier material was a turn off for me. Not his flow or lyrics because he was killing it, but some of the subject matter was a little out there (and I like a variety of music FWIW).
Slick Rick - Hard to leave him off, but I just like my top guys more
Big Boi/Pimp C/ 8Ball & MJG - All members of three of my favorite five groups. Ball & MJG as well as Big Boi were all very underrated on the mic (you'll see why with Big Boi)
LL/Ludacris - LL is a legend, nuff said. Ludacris is one of the coldest around right now. However, these two have been a little hit or miss to me
Common - thisclose to the top 10, in fact call him 10b.
10) Lupe Fiasco - the one new cat I'm feeling the most right now. If he ever brings out mroe music, then I may move him higher.
9) KRS One - He can battle, he can teach. This guy breathes the art of hip-hop.
8) Bun B - I know some of y'all gonna trip, but to me this guy is the most underrated of all time IMO. Go listen to Murder from the 3rd UGK album, and tell me this cat don't go hard. For God's sakes, if Hov ain't quoting Biggie he quoting Bun
7) Scarface - never the most clever with his lyrics, but he can pull you in and keep you there, which is a quality that few have.
6) Chuck D - Love this guy. This guy (along with KRS and my top 5) should be required listening for ALL rappers coming into the game.
5) Ice Cube - along with NWA, ushered in the era of gangsta rap (for good or bad). Can still drop an LP that bangs from start to finish.
4) Rakim - He's the blueprint for all those after him. To me, maybe the bet pure MC ever.
3) Nas - took the KRS/Rakim formula to another level. Never afraid of being his own man whcih may have cost him sales, but has always endeared him to me.
2) 2Pac - Every one associates him with Cali, but the impact he had on the south (I'm from south GA), cannot be understated. He inspired nearly every rapper not from NY (hell a lot of the NY cats also) that came along from 93-05, hell even today. Name another rapper who touches every listener between 8 and 88.
1) Andre 3000 - To me, he transcends beyond Hip Hop. I have NEVER heard a 3 Stacks verse that I have disliked, EVER. An example of his greatness. If Big
Boi was a solo artist, he would be viewed as a top 25 or even top 10 (in some people's eyes) rapper. Big Boi is THAT good. 3 Stacks has rendered this man to be damn near an afterthought. It's like MJ/Pippen or Magic/Worthy in that regards.
As far as my list goes, I try to go with the rappers I enjoyed the most. I grew up listening to the 90's rap (more so from the South), so my list will be more biased to my home region. Don't get me wrong, I love music from all over, I just gotta go with what I know.
Honorable Mentions:
Jay-Z - still going strong after all these years
BIG - I will get a lot of flack for this one, but he just doesn't have enough material for me.
Eminem - While I will agree he's sick with it, I can't relate to him 100% as some of his earlier material was a turn off for me. Not his flow or lyrics because he was killing it, but some of the subject matter was a little out there (and I like a variety of music FWIW).
Slick Rick - Hard to leave him off, but I just like my top guys more
Big Boi/Pimp C/ 8Ball & MJG - All members of three of my favorite five groups. Ball & MJG as well as Big Boi were all very underrated on the mic (you'll see why with Big Boi)
LL/Ludacris - LL is a legend, nuff said. Ludacris is one of the coldest around right now. However, these two have been a little hit or miss to me
Common - thisclose to the top 10, in fact call him 10b.
10) Lupe Fiasco - the one new cat I'm feeling the most right now. If he ever brings out mroe music, then I may move him higher.
9) KRS One - He can battle, he can teach. This guy breathes the art of hip-hop.
8) Bun B - I know some of y'all gonna trip, but to me this guy is the most underrated of all time IMO. Go listen to Murder from the 3rd UGK album, and tell me this cat don't go hard. For God's sakes, if Hov ain't quoting Biggie he quoting Bun
7) Scarface - never the most clever with his lyrics, but he can pull you in and keep you there, which is a quality that few have.
6) Chuck D - Love this guy. This guy (along with KRS and my top 5) should be required listening for ALL rappers coming into the game.
5) Ice Cube - along with NWA, ushered in the era of gangsta rap (for good or bad). Can still drop an LP that bangs from start to finish.
4) Rakim - He's the blueprint for all those after him. To me, maybe the bet pure MC ever.
3) Nas - took the KRS/Rakim formula to another level. Never afraid of being his own man whcih may have cost him sales, but has always endeared him to me.
2) 2Pac - Every one associates him with Cali, but the impact he had on the south (I'm from south GA), cannot be understated. He inspired nearly every rapper not from NY (hell a lot of the NY cats also) that came along from 93-05, hell even today. Name another rapper who touches every listener between 8 and 88.
1) Andre 3000 - To me, he transcends beyond Hip Hop. I have NEVER heard a 3 Stacks verse that I have disliked, EVER. An example of his greatness. If Big
Boi was a solo artist, he would be viewed as a top 25 or even top 10 (in some people's eyes) rapper. Big Boi is THAT good. 3 Stacks has rendered this man to be damn near an afterthought. It's like MJ/Pippen or Magic/Worthy in that regards.
# 38
dubbduces @ Sep 10
If you are the same guy who posted this: http://www.operationsports.com/shadt...ales-are-down/ please stop speaking music from "people of african descent now!!
# 39
Juiceman612 @ Sep 10
No order here, but Biggie needs to be on there. Ready To Die is one of the greatest albums ever. If Nas is on there, Big needs to be on there. Lil Wayne on there is pretty much ridiculous in my opinion.
# 40
Juiceman612 @ Sep 10
...also if I was listing my own top 5 in terms of what I listen to most I'd go Big, Eazy-E, Del, Kool Keith, and probably Ghostface. Not greatest of all time top 5 list, but top 5 I listen to.
# 43
turftickler @ Sep 10
Curtis Blow, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J., Eric B./Rakim, and Digable Planets. This new school rap is crap. Basically, any rapper that is from the 80's and 90's. Then we would have to throw Snoop and Dr. Dre in there also. It's hard to do a top five with all that old school talent.
# 44
The Fight @ Sep 10
@Grunt I think your absolutely right, this is generational and regional.
Disclaimer: I'm 25 years old.
I think in order to answer this question correctly, you have identify the difference between Artist, Lyricist, Rapper and MC. List your top five from each of those categories (no repeating) and it will be easier to see who's at the top of what.
IMO excluding groups:
Artists:
3000, Em, Biz, Doug E, Jay (sorry LL)
Lyricists:
Nas, Guru, B.I.G., Kane, Face (that was hard, couldn't get Pun, Talib, E-40, Mos or MC Lyte in there)
Rapper:
Cube, Pac, Red, Dark Man/Ren (conflicted, if MC Ren is in then X isn't and vice versa), 50 (say what you will about Fif, when he spits/hate raps, everyone for some reason or another listens)
MC:
18th Letter, KRS, Chuck, G Rap, Ace (too many to mention for honorable mention here, one name is above all though, MC Gusto! LMAO)
Disclaimer: I'm 25 years old.
I think in order to answer this question correctly, you have identify the difference between Artist, Lyricist, Rapper and MC. List your top five from each of those categories (no repeating) and it will be easier to see who's at the top of what.
IMO excluding groups:
Artists:
3000, Em, Biz, Doug E, Jay (sorry LL)
Lyricists:
Nas, Guru, B.I.G., Kane, Face (that was hard, couldn't get Pun, Talib, E-40, Mos or MC Lyte in there)
Rapper:
Cube, Pac, Red, Dark Man/Ren (conflicted, if MC Ren is in then X isn't and vice versa), 50 (say what you will about Fif, when he spits/hate raps, everyone for some reason or another listens)
MC:
18th Letter, KRS, Chuck, G Rap, Ace (too many to mention for honorable mention here, one name is above all though, MC Gusto! LMAO)
# 45
turftickler @ Sep 10
If I have to go current, I have to go with LaCrae, Ambassodor, Da Truth, Dre Marshall, Bizzle, T-Bone, and many more. Check 'em all out on youtube. Here is a video from Bizzle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=007SqSxssqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=007SqSxssqo
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