Top 5 Rappers

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Top Rappers (Lyricists) of All Time

1. Rakim ... Although he never became a household name, Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs -- perhaps THE greatest -- of all time within the hip-hop community.
2. Aesop Rock - his outstanding ability to continously create scrolls of thought-provoking lyrics, parables, & rhymes baffles the mind as to how a single rapper can possess this much prowess.
3. Del Tha Funkee Homosapien - Cousin of renowned gangster rapper Ice Cube, Del's rap isn't as grim or violent as Ice Cube's is, but in fact, he's been known to include something in his music that's far too uncommon in most rap: genuine Humor.
4. Nas - Beginning with his classic debut, Illmatic (1994), Nas stood tall for years as one of New York City's leading rap voices, outspokenly expressing a righteous, self-empowered swagger that endeared him to critics and hip-hop purists.
5. Jay-Z - Hip Hop mogul Jay-Z was one of East Coast rap's top acts as the 21st century began, known for his street-hustler background and for creating his own label, Roc-A-Fella Records. A near-savant in that he has not once written down a single line of his lyrics.
6. 2pac ... More renowned nowadays for his tragic shooting death, it seems both the generation before and the generaion after Tupac Shakur's fame don't fully realize how prolific and how "true" a rapper 2pac really was.
7. KRS-One - He was the leader of Boogie Down Productions, one of the most influential hardcore hip-hop outfits of the '80s. At the height of his career, KRS-One was known for his furiously political and socially-conscious raps, which is the source of his nickname, "the Teacher."


Greatest Icons of Rap Today (in terms of overall stature)
- this will go in a "comparable" two-man tandem structure, so that you can see
the similarities and difference between the success and reception of the two rappers -

1. Eminem / 2pac ... it may seem close, but honestly it's not. Marshall Mathers (Eminem) holds a firm grip on a more broad scope of people and social groups ever since he skyrocketed to fame as the apprentice of Dr. Dre.
2. Dr. Dre / Snoop Dogg - The "godfathers" of rap, these two icons have been a mainstay in the rap culture for nearly 2 full decades. Their immediate presence inspires awe amongst the masses. And, really, where would we be without "Gin and Juice"?
3. Jay-Z / Nas - the feud between these two in the mid-90s propelled both artists to even greater heights in terms of both talent and recognition. Both artists are now universal household names when mentioning the best of NY Rap.
4. Biggie Smalls / Ice Cube - similar in terms of build, that's where the comparison stops. One is from the East Coast, the other from the West Side, both rappers polarized their audience and captivated their followers. Ice Cube fronted and led a potent gangsta-rap clique with NWA, while Biggie worked alongside Sean "Puffy" Combs and Bad Boy Prod.
5. Chuck D / Rev Run ... the two frontmen of two of the most iconic and enduring rap groups of all-time in Public Enemy and Run-DMC, these two strong-mouthed MCs had a great supporting cast and social situation that propelled them to Hip-Hop stardom.

The Best Rap Outfits and Hip-Hop Groups of Our Generation
1. Run-D.M.C. - More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music. As the first hardcore rap outfit, the trio set the sound and style for the next decade of rap.
2. Public Enemy ... Public Enemy rewrote the rules of hip-hop, becoming the most influential and controversial rap group of the late '80s and, for many, the definitive rap group of all time. With his powerful, authoritative baritone, lead rapper Chuck D rhymed about all kinds of social problems, particularly those plaguing the black community, often condoning revolutionary tactics and social activism.
3. Outkast - individually, Big Boi and Andre Benjamin could be within the discussion each as being a consideration as the greatest rappers of all time. As a duo, OutKast took Southern hip-hop in bold, innovative new directions: less reliance on aggression, more positivity and melody, thicker arrangements, and intricate lyrics. Definitely should be in everyone's top-5 list of rap duos/groups, as they have been a mainstay in terms of success and superb talent.
4. The Roots - Though popular success has largely eluded the Roots, the Philadelphia group showed the way for live rap, building on Stetsasonic's "hip-hop band" philosophy of the mid-'80s by focusing on live instrumentation at their concerts and in the studio. Though their album works have been inconsistent affairs, more intent on building grooves than pushing songs, the Roots' live shows are among the best in the business.
5. The Wu-Tang Clan ... it's not hard to classify this as a juggernaut of talent when you possess such rappers as RZA, the GZA, ODB, Ghostface, and Method Man.
6. N.W.A. ... N.W.A, the unapologetically violent and sexist pioneers of gangsta rap, are in many ways the most notorious group in the history of rap. The true antithesis of what Public Enemy stood for in terms of educating the masses, NWA sought more to pummel them to a pulp, celebrating the violence and hedonism of the criminal life, capturing it all in blunt, harsh language.
7. De La Soul ... At the time of its 1989 release, De La Soul's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was hailed as the future of hip-hop. With its colorful, neo-psychedelic collage of samples and styles, plus the Long Island trio's low-key, clever rhymes and goofy humor, the album sounded like nothing else in hip-hop. Where most of their contemporaries drew directly from old-school rap, funk, or Public Enemy's dense sonic barrage, De La Soul were gentler and more eclectic, taking in not only funk and soul, but also pop, jazz, reggae, and psychedelia.

[Sir Jig-A-Lot]

5. Jay-Z - Hip Hop mogul Jay-Z was one of East Coast rap's top acts as the 21st century began, known for his street-hustler background and for creating his own label, Roc-A-Fella Records. A near-savant in that he has not once written down a single line of his lyrics.

I'll admit that Jay has skills (he's a better business man IMHO) , but i think he is nowhere near as talented as the media has made him out to be. As far as never picking up a pen, I think maybe he should have from his 4th album onwards, as most of his tracks since then have terrible ad-libbing such as strange noises: "uh-oh-uhuhuhuhuh" "j-j-j-j-jyeeeeeeeeeeah" or calling himself one of his lame nicknames: "Hooooooooov" "Young H-O" etc etc. Biggie he is not as far as not writing a thing down. Don't get me wrong, I ain't hatin' on him, I like a lot of his stuff, butt he just is not the microphone god they make him out as. Don't Believe The Hype.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

I consider his first four albums as the best of his career. Then, as you pointed out, he kinda got into the "pop" game, with the "Girls, Girls, Girls" and all that media-exposure, music videos bull. He peaked after that 6 year period at the top, then followed by a 6 year period of whoring himself to MTV, and then came "the Black Album", and it seemed good again. Then he retired. He honestly should have stayed retired, since you always should seek to go out at the pinnacle.

If Kumicho ever gets back into this discussion, he'd laugh at the comparisons between Jay-Z and Brett Favre.

[Sir Jig-A-Lot]

I hear ya,IO. The only albums of Jay's I can listen to from start to finish are:
Reasonable Doubt (It's a given)
Hard Knock Life
The Blueprint (Original)
The Black Album

The new one holds promise but have not digested it properly as of yet.

I think guys like Kool Keith, Redman, Big Boi ,Kool G Rap, Big Pun & even Shyne (did y'all hear his debut cd?) should have been rightly given the critical acclaim Jay has.Those guys (& others)can flip it any stylee they want w/out soundin' lame.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

I still have to compile that list of top "ol' skool" rappers from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s (guys like EPMD and Big Daddy Kane)

And that second list of the best upcoming acts in the re-emerged scope of Hip-Hop and top underground acts (guys like Kanye West "need" to be included, but I try to not give more more props than necessary, kinda like Jay-Z).

I hate that Rap has died and that now Hip-Hop runs supreme. Rap was originally and simply "rhythm and poetry", which is mostly what I listen to, but "Hip Hop" is more beats-oriented and "dancibly-friendly".
I like that at times, but I'm not sure if I love rap and/or hip-hop more at this stage.
Some punk artists and their fads changed the game, so I'm left trying to make my own definition.

Somewhere along the lines of progression, both genres switched meanings and became the other.
(If you're a history buff, it's like what happened between the original "Republicans" and the Democrats. Now, they're the inverse of what they once were. :? )

[Drew]

Wow. I look at my old post and LOL outloud....


IO, you did a commendable job and I think a lot of where you put people is generally correct...but how can I take your list seriously without LIL WAYNE ON IT!!?!?!?!?!?



Totally kidding....

But I really hate to see your list because theres no Common, Big Pun, or Big L on it.....and while I think Common should be on there bar none, it makes me wonder whether or not L or Pun actually deserve to be on the list..... Personally those are the two that will forever catapult east coast ahead of west coast for me...in terms of the 90's rivarly and shit (of course noting that a lot of the big name powerhouses kind of cancel each other out like pac and biggie) Both of their styles were so different but so killer....if I'm listening to either of their CD's...for that moment I convince myself that they're the best rapper ever lol

Let's see.... for lyricist... Immortal Technique and Chino XL get an honorable mention from me (if I'm going to add on to your list)


and of the up and comers...I don't know what you guys think about Drake, but he seems to be okay. As he hasn't actually put out a CD yet, we'll see where he stands...say 10 years from now.

And despite dude being a straight asshole sometimes, I think Kanye is a phemonimal musical talent...if the dude continues to put out music like Late Registration and Graduation...I see a spot for him near the top. (I don't include 808's as it wasn't a rap album, but I thought that shit was genius too)

What are other's opinions on L, man?

[Sir Jig-A-Lot]

Big L was around for just a hot minute, but he had a nice flow on him. He was probably the most talented of the DITC lyricists. I see L in the same boat as Shyne, a guy with mic skillz but really only had a lone album to prove it. I don't count their respective posthumous & post-incarceration albums. They were both nice with it.

As far as Kanye goes, dude is a great beatmaker butt such an mediocre rapper. He seems to function better as a sideman on the mic (the best example being on Common's Be album) than as the guy upfront. He has improved somewhat the last few years butt no way will his name come to mind as a sure shot or contender on a list like this.

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

You're right about 'Common Sense from the City of Wind', Drew. I think I could do without Jay-Z in the 4 or 5 spot and make Common a "post-placement". It seems only right.

I think the basis I originally put Jay-Z above anyone else is that he had less "dud" albums and has been more recognizable as a superior talent throughout the years. I really do like other talents more than Jay-Z, especially those that are mainstays in the industry as long as Common has been, but I think I've only consumed around three of his albums, and I hear that some of his other works are rather forgettable. I need to make that judgment myself, though.

Hell, I love Xzibit (well, some of singles are great, but I still have yet to love an entire album of his other than 'Restless') and Tha Pharcyde's debut, but I know not many are going to agree with me in saying that they are "top-tier" talent.

Also, I know my lists aren't that great, and they are in a small sample of what I personally love and attribute as the best artists in the genre, but I still want to provide those little-known but phenomenal talents from the 80s and early 90s, as well as those underground and heavily-marketed rappers from the year 2000 until today. Kanye West, as much as he is polarizing, definitely deserves an honorable mention in his musical efforts in which he was played on nearly every radio station and television channel for 2 straight years. He didn't do that without having at least a shred of talent, and he helped propel lesser-known groups into relative stardom by collaborating alongside them. He was like "Dr. Dre"-lite this post-millenium.

[Sir Jig-A-Lot]

I dunno,IO.. Jay has more dud albums than Common methinks. Common started off decently (his beats not rhymes were kinda so so on the first 2 albums), then dude found his feet on album 3 and has grown by leaps n' bounds & has remained consistent ever since (2/8 albums bein' duds). Jay, as we both seem to agree seems to have more duds than homeruns..
(even if you don't count the collaboration albums)

Hitters
Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998)
The Blueprint (2001)
The Black Album (2003)
The Blueprint 3 (2009)

Duds
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997)
Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000)
The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse (2002)
Kingdom Come (2006)
American Gangster (2007)
Streets Is Watching (1998)
The Best of Both Worlds (2002) – with R. Kelly
Unfinished Business (2004) – with R. Kelly
Collision Course (2004) – with Linkin Park

[¡ñ±£¿®∆L Ф¶†ïς@п]

Fuck, after the Dynasty, I shut his shit off and only listened to his first few albums to get that sound out of my head. I didn't realize he was much more active around 1999 onward than when I first heard about him in late '94, early 95.

I didn't realize I liked "The Black Album" until around mid-2006. Thanks for showing that comparison, Jig. It seems I've heard more Common albums than I have Jay-Z at this point. What the hell, Jay-Z? Can't retire when you're at the top? He released around 5 albums after he said he was done.

*shakes head*