Random
Source Code
Random
Well, I'm not as qualified as many to write what I think should be a somewhat definitive list. I was only hardcore into rap from 1988 to 1994, so anybody whose work was totally or mostly after 1994, I leave off the list due to ignorance (people, I'm sure, like Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Common, Eminem, 50 cent, whomever...) Also, notice how it's "World's" Best Rappers List, and we're probably almost exclusively talking about American rappers.
I personally think that the greatest 3 rappers in terms of flow, technique, and skill, not taking into account people who never sold all that much (e.g. the great Grandaddy I.U.), from mid 80s to mid 90s would be, in no particular order:
Rakim
Big Daddy Kane
Nas
Additionally, in terms of overall skill and/or cultural/political significance, I would add the following, who began in the mid 80s and did most of their good stuff by the mid 90s, in no particular order:
LL Cool J
KRS-One
EPMD
Roxanne Shante' (only a select few songs were really good, but overall she is very significant)
Antoinette (possibly the closest thing, at least until the mid 90s, to a female Rakim or Kane)
Latifah
Lyte
(I mean, why ain't the females bein' represented?)
Nikki D (one of the best rap albums ever, totally overlooked, totally phat skillz)
Salt-N-Pepa (specifically Salt b/c of her phat skills and before anyone jumps on me, listen to "Swift" from Black's magic, also to see how much better she was than Pepa, compare their various, respective "Solo Power" songs on the "Salt With A Deadly Pepa" album)
Public Enemy (specifically Chuck D)
King Sun
K-Solo
D.O.C.
Lakim Shabazz (possibly, don't remember him that well)
Cookie Crew
Monie Love
probably 2 or 3 NWA-associated people (Dre, Eazy, Cube)
Yo-Yo
Kool G. Rap (can't believe I went ths long w/o mentioning him)
Grandaddy I.U.
Snoop Dog (perhaps)
That's all I can think of now from mid 80s to mid 90s. Note that I did not cover early 80s b/c I don't know enough about it. I'm sure I'd say Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz, Africa Bambataa, Kurtis Blow...people like that.
Above is my World's Best Rappers List.
50👍 77👎
#1 rapper ever - BIG L
hes too fucken sick. lyrically the best there ever was. r.i.p. big l
in no other order
biggie
talib kweli
mos def
pharoe monche
jay z (check out dj monster mouse's remix of the black alum called the grey album. its remixed with the beatles the white album and its fucken sick)
atmosphere
jadakiss
jurrasic 5
nas
roots
binary star
gangstarr
tupanc
50 cent and g - unit belong somwhere towards the very bottom of any bodys list that knows what skills are.
"get too close and gete shanked up/i knocked so many teethe out i made the toothe fairy bankrupt"
big l
61👍 98👎
10 Tupac
9 Eyedea
8 Nas
7 Mos Def
6 Talib Kweli
5 Tech N9ne
4 Crooked I
3 Chino XL
2 Royce Da 5'9"
1 Eminem
that list is from a mother fucker who actually knows what he's talkin' about not some wack ass pop rap wanna be mother fuckers gettin' crunk
60👍 98👎
one person said this, theyre not only mcs theyre also pioneers
with that said
BEST(NO ORDER):
2Pac
N.W.A.(all of them members r tied but Eazy- E is deff the best)
50 Cent
Lloyd Bank$
Public Enemy(Flavor Flav and Chuck D)
Eminem
Ludacris
DMX
Big L
RUN DMC
Jay Z
Nas
T.I.
Worst:
Any member of Murder Inc, especially Ja Rule(pussy)
Cassidy(got merked by G-Unit now whos thug?)
no matter wut u say, 50 and G-Unit are at the top bitches
55👍 93👎
In no muh'fuckin' order:
Immortal Technique
Chino XL
Talib Kweli
Big L
Tech N9ne
The old eminem
Binary star
Lil' Wayne's aights for a commercial southernor?
Listen to some of tihs tihs, chyo.
Dance wit teh devil, OMG!!1!
57👍 100👎
best solo rappers (no particular order)
Rakim
Nas
Notorious B.I.G
Tupac
Guru of Gangstarr
Cormega
Big L
Jay-Z (only counting Reasonable Doubt)
Prodigy of Mobb Deep
Canibus
Twista
Mos Def
best groups (gain no order)
Wu-Tang Clan
N.W.A.
Mobb Deep
Public Enemy
Blackstar
the 7 pillars of rap (you must have these albums)
Illmatic - Nas
Paid in Full - Eric B. and Rakim
The 36 Chambers - Wu-Tang Clan
Ready to Die - Notorious B.I.G
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Raekwon
Reasonable Doubt - Jay-Z
All Eyez on Me - Tupac
"where the fuck is eminem or 50 on this list!?"
57👍 103👎
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
Big L
2pac
biggie
Canibus
Rakim
KRS
Royce da 5 9
One Be Lo
Guru
Black Thought
Chuck D
Pep Love
Big Daddy Kane
Mellie Mel
Nas
Mac Dre
Talib
Tech N9ne
Why the hellz aint 50 on the World's Best Rappers List?????!!!
-because he got murked by the game
42👍 81👎