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Lists that rank the best rappers and hip hop artists from every time and place.

Hip-Hop / Rap

Ludacris

Finally, a definitive list of the best rappers of all time, ranked by fans all over the world. From old school&nbsp;to the current top artists putting out&nbsp;<a href="/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">today&#39;s biggest hip hop hits</a>, this list counts down rap&#39;s best lyricists and game changers in history. Lil&#39; Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Eminem, Andre 3000, and Tupac&nbsp;are among the top hip-hop artists that appear on this amazing countdown. Famous rappers from all cities, dead or alive, and all races, from white and Black to Asian and Hispanic, are all vying to be crowned the greatest rapper ever.

What makes a rapper great? There are a number of differing good definitions and philosophies. Popular rapper J. Cole (who finds himself on the Ultimate List below) cites consistency as the most important attribute, and says it&#39;s important to look both for the big humorous &quot;punch&quot; lines as well as the underlying message of the rapper&#39;s songs. Nas (another iconic MC featured on the list) focuses as well on the meaning of the songs, as well as the scale and ambition of the rapper&#39;s narratives and storytelling. (He has also gone on the record as saying that there is no such thing as the &quot;best rapper&quot; or &quot;Greatest of All Time&quot; aka &quot;GOAT.&quot; Including influential rappers and best-selling artists, this list features successful MCs who are still considered some of the hottest names in the game today.&nbsp;

Numerous different skills and attributes all must come together to make a truly legendary MC. Obviously, a good rapper must display a sense of rhythm and an ability to compliment the beat in unpredictable and exciting ways. A gift for lyricism and vocabulary is similarly essential - you can have the flow of the century, but if the words don&#39;t come together to tell a compelling story or present a unique point of view, it&#39;s still not going to translate into a great hip-hop song. But of course there&#39;s also an intangible element that elevates some modern rappers into the ranks of the greatest of all time. Who are these&nbsp;rap legends&nbsp;who stand heads above the competition? Do you agree with the top 50 biggest rappers ever?&nbsp;You tell us, by voting for your favorites below or ranking your own list of top rappers of all time.

Rappers

The Notorious B.I.G.

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

A list of the best rap lyricists of all time. Since hip hop and rap music became popular at the beginning of the 1980s, many fans of the genre have focused on the message described in each rapper&#39;s lyrics. A form of street poetry, rap lyrics focus on many different things, dependent on who is speaking of the harsh realities of the streets. Others, contrarily, rap about the glamorous life and what it&#39;s like to live large. Sometimes, lyrical rappers fluctuate between both of these extremes.

The best lyrical rappers are universally respected by both their peers and fans for the honesty and the way they use their words in a creative fashion. Some of the most respected wordsmiths came from the golden age of hip hop. Here, you had groups like Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, N.W.A. and Black Star and individual rappers like KRS-One and Nas who are universally known as the best lyricists of all time. On the other side of the coin, you have two of the greatest rappers of all time, Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., who connected with millions of hip hop fans due to their strong lyrics that touch on the harsh realities of urban culture. A rapper who has switched from rapping about his rough upbringing to glitz and glamour is Jay Z. His debut album was universally praised for talking about life in Brooklyn during his youth, and his recent album was panned for praising <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-in-tom-ford-dresses/donatella?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">brands like Tom Ford</a> and excess.

This list includes many of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time">greatest rappers of all time</a>, who are also among the genre&#39;s most popular as well. The one thing&nbsp;these rappers have in common is&nbsp;their lyrics are considered some of the best in the history of hip hop music. These top lyricists are the greatest of all time, and it&#39;s up to you to decide who is the best lyricist in rap music. Cast your votes below.

Everyone has their own idea of the best rappers today, but that doesn&#39;t necessarily denote the most famous rapper in the world right now in 2021. Sure, the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time" target="_blank">best rapper in the world</a> could also be the most famous rapper, but this isn&#39;t always the case. While there&#39;s room for opinion, there are also plenty of qualifying factors to consider. For instance, how&#39;s their most recent album selling? How often are they in the news and media in 2021? How big is their fan base? Of course, you&nbsp;are the fan base. You&#39;re the reason why the media covers them. So, who is the most famous rapper out right now according to you fans?

When it comes to the most popular rappers, Kanye&nbsp;West is certainly going to find himself toward the top of the list. However, plenty of current hip-hop artists and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/top-new-school-rappers/ranker-music" target="_blank">top new school rappers</a> who may not have his credentials could still be considered just as famous. How about Lil Uzi Vert? He is definitely one of the celebrity rappers. Some American rappers, like&nbsp;Childish Gambino, were celebrities before their music careers. He starred on the popular TV series&nbsp;Community.&nbsp;Is it his TV and movie stardom that puts him in the spotlight? As you can see, choosing the most famous rappers today isn&#39;t going to be easy, but that&#39;s where you fans come in.&nbsp;

Check out the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-rappers/reference" target="_blank">list of famous rappers</a> below and vote up the artists you think have the most fame right now.&nbsp;

Plies

Featuring <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-soundcloud-rappers/ranker-music" target="_blank">SoundCloud rappers who went mainstream</a>&nbsp;to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-and-worst-youtube-rappers/youtuber" target="_blank">YouTubers who also rap</a> (sort of), this is the definitive list of the worst <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">rappers of all time</a>. For every decent, innovative rapper out there, there are several copycat artists that bring nothing to the table. Below, you&#39;ll find who many feel&nbsp;are the worst of the worst in the genre. Sure, these&nbsp;best of and worst of lists are subjective, but plenty of us can agree on who the wack rappers are. What some&nbsp;feel is the bottom of the barrel, you might think is pretty great. On the other hand, rappers like Vanilla Ice, Marky Mark, and The Insane Clown Posse have been, for the most part, universally panned over the years. Sales have nothing to do with it either. While researching this list we&rsquo;ve discovered there are some million-selling artists like Iggy Azalea, Drake and Nikki Minaj that are pretty polarizing among hip hop aficionados.

We need your input. Who, to you, is the worst rapper out there? Who is the worst white rapper? Which artist made the stupidest rap ever? Who do you think are the 100 worst rappers, or even the top 10? Take a look at the list of bad rappers below and cast your votes accordingly.&nbsp;And, if you need a chaser after this list, dive into the best new hip hop with our list of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

Big Sean

Hip hop heads, who are the best new school rappers? Making the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2018/ranker-music" target="_blank">best and newest rap songs of 2018</a>, these <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-new-male-artists-2019/ranker-music" target="_blank">rising hiphop kings</a> are all watching the throne. Mainstream rap keeps changing&nbsp;over the years with gangsta rap becoming more underground, while&nbsp;trap music quickly rose&nbsp;in popularity. Regardless of rap&#39;s evolution, the best current rappers still have&nbsp;powerful lyrics, catchy hooks, and good beats. Which modern rapper is currently at the top of the hip hop game?

When it comes to radio hits, Drake is the man. With so many memorable features and popular songs, the Canadian rapper is arguably one of the best rap artists today. Compton&#39;s finest Kendrick Lamar has constantly been regarded as the hottest MC today. Lyrically talented mixed with elements of soul and spoken word poetry, K-Dot is definitely one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time">best rappers of all time</a>. Other notable rising hip hop artists include Logic, Chance the Rapper, A$AP Rocky, and J. Cole (double platinum with no features).&nbsp;

Vote for who you think are the&nbsp;freshest <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-young-rappers/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">new age rappers</a> currently in the hip hop game. Feel free to add any missing rap artists who deserve more recognition.&nbsp;

Brother Ali

Though it took a while for the music to catch on with them, some of the best rappers in hip hop history are white. While this may be hard to fathom or even accept for some, white rappers have not only been some of the most unappreciated or scoffed at in the game, but they frequently fly under the radar. These white rappers are getting the due they deserve, since after all, they are considered some of the best in history.

In the late 1980s, the&nbsp;Beastie Boys (Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D) were among the first white rappers to be accepted by the larger hip hop community. In addition to the groundbreaking Beastie Boys, in the late &#39;90s, after years of mainstream white hip hop diluted the pool, Eminem became one of the most popular and respected MCs of his time. With provocative and controversial lyrics, along with association with legendary producer Dr. Dre, Slim Shady catapulted to the top of both the album charts and became at one point one of the best rappers in the game, impressively releasing his 10th studio album in 2018.

More recently, Macklemore has become one of the most popular rappers on the planet, not to mention one of the best new white rappers. His socially conscious lyrics combined with the slick production of Ryan Lewis have combined two elements of hip hop to create one of the catchiest, and most acclaimed sounds in recent memory. While there are still some people who can&#39;t stand his brand of rap, Macklemore is easily one of the most famous white <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">rappers of all time</a>. Who is your favorite young white rapper? Who are the best&nbsp;upcoming white rappers are the best in American rap music, and which underground names stand out internationally? Who are the top 10 white rappers?

This is the Ultimate List of the greatest white rappers of all time. If you notice someone is missing, feel free to add him or her. Vote on who you consider to be the best white hip hop artist of all time.

Bands/Musicians

Lil Dicky

Hip hop heads, it&#39;s time to vote for who you believe will be future hip hop legends. From the best new rappers&nbsp;to the youngest rappers in the game right now, these rising hip hop artists are releasing fire mixtapes, top ten hits, and platinum albums. Who is currently the best young rapper making the <a href="/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">hottest tracks of 2020</a>?&nbsp;

Featuring the&nbsp;<a href="/list/best-soundcloud-rappers/ranker-music" target="_blank">best underground rappers who started on SoundCloud</a>, XXL Freshman Class, and international rappers, this list of the best rappers under 30 includes Lil Yachty, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, Lil Dicky, Logic, Chance the Rapper, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, and more.&nbsp;

Vote for the best <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/top-new-school-rappers/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">new school rappers</a> of 2018. Feel free to add any new wave rappers who deserve to be on this list of underrated rappers.&nbsp;

Method Man and Redman

The best '90s rappers and rap groups brought us some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-of-all-time/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best rap songs of all time</a> with artists like Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, and the Notorious B.I.G. dominating the decade. Often described as the &quot;golden age&quot; of hip hop and rap, the 1990s introduced many rappers and rap groups that would go on to become <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time/first-l" target="_blank">the best rappers of all time</a>.During the beginning of the decade, prominent acts and rappers like Ice Cube, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy led the charts as their fame, first established in the 1980s, continued. Each brought something new and interesting to the rap world, such as Ice Cube's 1991 release of &quot;Death Certificate,&quot; which dealt with real-world issues like racism, Los Angeles gangs, and drugs. As the decade continued, one of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-hip-hop-albums?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best rap albums of all time</a> came along in 1992. Dr. Dre's &quot;The Chronic&quot; made the now-legendary producer and rapper's name, along with the name of another up-and-coming rapper, Snoop Dogg, known around the world. Snoop and Dre represented the West Coast of the United States and alongside the late Tupac Shakur and the rest of the Death Row family, these rappers dominated the genre for the next several years. But there was another coast ready to battle for that top spot on the charts.Enter the Bad Boy family from the East Coast with top names like Sean &quot;Puff Daddy&quot; Combs and Christopher &quot;The Notorious B.I.G.&quot; Wallace. These two sides were crucial in the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry that not only produced some of the top rap music of the decade but also ultimately ended the lives of 2Pac and Biggie, as both were tragically murdered.All of these rappers and their music influenced and ushered in a new generation of rappers, the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-_00s-rappers/whatevayoulike " target="_blank">best rappers of the 2000s</a>, and put up a good fight for the best decade for rap music ever. Which 90s rapper is your favorite? Vote for the ones you like the best below or add your favorite to the list!

Feuds

Throughout hip hop history and still in <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-diss-songs-2019/ranker-music" target="_blank">2019 hip hop</a>, there have&nbsp;been some serious diss tracks dropped. In fact, arguably no other genre has seen more beef between two artists, and in&nbsp;no other genre have so many&nbsp;rappers taken to the mic to talk smack and outright disrespect&nbsp;their peers. Whether it&#39;s <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/hip-hop-feuds/swiperight" target="_blank">East Coast against West</a> or a case of the studio gangster, plenty of rap songs were written for one reason and one reason only: to diss&mdash;simple as that. Considering all these diss tracks and feuds, some bring that absolute fire, while others might have been better left on paper.&nbsp;

So&nbsp;when it comes to the most disrespectful tracks in hip hop, Tupac&#39;s &quot;Hit &#39;Em Up&quot; against The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas&#39;s &quot;Ether&quot; are definitely up there.&nbsp;Jump to 2018, and you have Drake and Pusha T&#39;s whole back-and-forth beef, including Pusha&nbsp;T&#39;s &quot;The Story of Adidon&quot;.&nbsp;In short, hip hop is really no joke. Remember, don&#39;t dish it if you can&#39;t take it.

Take a look at the most disrespectful diss&nbsp;tracks below, and vote up those you think are the very best of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/hip-hop-feuds/swiperight?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop beef</a>.&nbsp;Don&#39;t forget, you can also vote down any songs you feel just don&#39;t bring the heat.&nbsp;

2000s Music

Lil Wayne

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

The best &#39;00s rappers include any and all worthy artists who influenced hip-hop music between 2000 and 2010. This decade brought with it some of the most talented rappers the music world has ever seen, including the likes of Lil&#39; Wayne, Rock Ross, Nas, and Nelly. (Head over to the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/top-20-new-school-rappers/ranker-music" target="_blank">best new school rappers</a> if you&#39;re looking for Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and other great 2010s rappers). Some rappers on this list were also fantastic in the 90s, but continued to be extremely relevant during subsequent years and remained top artists of 2000s&nbsp;hip hop. Agree with the choices on this best &#39;00s rappers list? Vote them up! Obviously, you can also vote down those artists you don&#39;t think deserve to be listed.&nbsp;If you have a particular favorite rapper from the &#39;00s that isn&#39;t on this list, by all means, add away!

Rap music skyrocketed to popularity in the 2000s, with artists like Eminem leading the way, as the genre went totally mainstream. In addition, the &#39;00s saw a whole slew of cross-over rap artists charting, including the likes of OutKast and Gnarls Barkley. Some of the biggest selling albums of this decade were rap albums, including Jay-Z&#39;s Blueprint&nbsp;albums, Nelly&#39;s Country Grammer,&nbsp;and 2000&#39;s The Marshall Mathers LP&nbsp;by Eminem (produced by Dr. Dre). Diddy, formerly known as Puff Daddy in the 90s (and formally known as Sean Combs), released the album The Saga Continues... as &quot;P. Diddy&quot; in 2001 and, after changing his stage name (again) to just &quot;Diddy,&quot; he released the wildly popular album Press Play&nbsp;in 2006. And, while Ludacris released his first album in the 90s, his major label debut came in 2000 with Back for the First Time.&nbsp;He followed that up with 2001&#39;s Word of Mouf&nbsp;-- thus, earning a spot on this list of the best rappers of the 2000s.

And of course, no discussion of the best &#39;00 rappers would be complete without a mention of Kanye West. West produced for others during the 90s and early 2000s, but in 2004, with the release of his debut album, The College Dropout,&nbsp;Kanye became a huge commercial success. The College Dropout&nbsp;established West as one of the most talented rappers/hip hop artists of the decade.

Yes, it&#39;s easy to put together a list of the best &#39;00s rappers with names like Eminem, Kanye West and Jay-Z, but digging a little deeper produces some outstanding artists like Talib Kweli and Jadakiss. Who do you think are the best artists of 2000s&nbsp;hip hop? Cast your votes below and be sure to add any rappers who may be missing.

The Best of the 2010s

Here are the best rappers of the decade, ranked by fans everywhere.&nbsp;From Kendrick Lamar&nbsp;and Nicki Minaj&nbsp;to Drake&nbsp;and Cardi B, this list of the top 2010s rappers&nbsp;includes popular&nbsp;artists, underrated rappers, and hip hop legends. The 2010s decade was filled with so many good hip hop acts, but which artists stood out from the rest?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Vote up the best rappers of the 2010s, and add your favorites if they deserve to be on this list.&nbsp;

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

If you were a fan of West Coast rap at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, the odds are pretty high that you&#39;re familiar with gangsta rap, one of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/popular-hip-hop-music-genres/ranker-music" target="_blank">most popular rap subgenres</a>. The lyrics focus on thug and gangster life and has elements of hardcore hip hop weaved in. Many gangsta rappers were affiliated with gangs and they weren&#39;t afraid to boast of their involvement and what activities that their respective gangs were involved in. Gangsta rappers were among the most feared rappers of the time, yet, achieved widespread commercial success due to the harsh realities that were expressed in their lyrics and unmistakable beats that were as catchy as they were innovative. Over time, gangsta rap has come to incorporate rappers from the East Coast as well, but for the most part, those formative years were where the West Coast was closely associated with the genre.

So, who are the best gangsta rappers? Any list of gangsta rappers has to include the likes of Tupac Shakur, Ice T, Snoop Dogg, DMX, 50 Cent and N.W.A. When you think of gangsta rap, you generally will consider the rappers on this list to be the most important voices in the genre. If not for the gangsta rap artists on this list, rap music as as whole may not have expanded in the way it has and the lyrics certainly wouldn&#39;t have been as revolutionary if not for gangsta rap.

That said, it&#39;s up to you to determine who are the best gangsta rappers. If you think a rap artist is missing from this and should be on it, feel free to add them.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best gangsta rap bands of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest gangsta rap musician ever?&quot;&nbsp;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band&#39;s music instead of just voting for the most popular gangsta rap bands that you might&#39;ve heard of.

Snow Tha Product

Responsible for some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">hottest tracks of 2020</a>,&nbsp;these women rappers and MCs know how to handle a mic. Since the early days of hip-hop, women took&nbsp;part in crafting the genre&#39;s overall tone and sound. Though hip-hop music is commonly associated with a glorification of male-exclusive camaraderie, women MCs help to break that mold, off-setting more men-centric attitudes with a steely, seen-it-all perspective of their own. Some women rappers&nbsp;make up a part of a successful rap group, such as Digable Planets or Salt-N-Pepa. But just as often, the best female rappers&nbsp;pursue their own solo rap careers, sometimes with the assistance or stewardship of an established&nbsp;rap act. (For example, Bahamadia got an early boost in the &#39;90s from Gang Starr&#39;s Guru. Lil&#39; Kim, as well, was mentored in the rap game by none other than the late Biggie Smalls himself.)

Who are the best women rappers out there? As of today, more and more women hip-hop acts generate&nbsp;just as much buzz for new releases as men. So much so, in fact, that acts like Cardi B are now scoring the top-charting singles around. Girl power, indeed.

Snoop Dogg

If you&#39;re a fan of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-of-2013/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">rap music</a>, you should have at minimum a base knowledge in old school rap. If not for old school rappers, it&#39;s highly unlikely that rap would have evolved into the popular artform that it is today. Many of old school rappers are widely respected by the artists repsonsible for <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">today&#39;s biggest hip hop hits</a>. For the sake of this list, all of the classic old school hip hop artists featured became popular during the rap&#39;s golden age, which occurred during the 1980s through the mid-1990s. The diversity, innovation and ultimately, the influence of of these old school rappers cannot be stated enough.

So, who are the best old school rappers? If you know old school rap, you know that the likes of Run DMC, De La Soul, Eric B &amp; Rakim, Gang Starr, Grandmaster Flash and the Beastie Boys. These names are widely recognized as some of the best old school rappers. If not for the contributions of these artists, old school rap, and thus, good rap music would cease to exist. &nbsp;Who are your favorite old school rap artists?

That said, it&#39;s to you to determine the best old school rap. If you are familiar with old school rap and old school rappers, feel free to chime in with your vote. If you notice someone isn&#39;t on this list and should be, feel free to add them.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best old school <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/abstract-hip-hop-bands-and-artists/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop bands</a> of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest old school hip hop musician ever?&quot;&nbsp;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band&#39;s music instead of just voting for the most popular old school hip hop bands that you might&#39;ve heard of.

Ice Cube

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

The golden age of hip hop is often associated with the East Coast - however, that doesn&#39;t mean that West Coast rappers were slouches. In fact, West Coast rap took the world by storm when it first rose to commercial and critical prominence at the end of the 1980s. Fierce and funky, West Coast rap was defined by lyrics that drew attention to the realities of west side street violence and drugs that not only caught on in the underground, but also achieved widespread acclaim as well. Mostly through the prolific work of California rappers, West Coast rap inspired a new sound and a new generation of West Coast rappers who continue to abide by the ethos set forth by the genre&#39;s initial artists.

So, who are the best West Coast rappers? Any respectable West Coast rappers list has to include legends like Tupac Shakur, members of N.W.A., (Ice Cube, Eazy-E and Dr. Dre), Snoop Dogg, Mac Dre, Warren G, Nate Dogg, and more recently, Kendrick Lamar and ScHoolboy Q. No matter how you cut it, West Coast rappers dramatically shaped how pop music sounds, even if that wasn&#39;t initial intention. West Coast rap is a powerful, important genre that remains widely respect in the pantheon of music history.

It&#39;s up to you to determine who this list will recognize as the best West Coast artists. If you notice anyone missing from this list and should be included, feel free to add them. If you know West Coast hip hop, feel free to chime in with your vote.&nbsp;This list answers the questions &quot;who are the best West Coast <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/old-school-hip-hop-bands-and-artists/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop bands</a> of all time?&quot; and &quot;who is the greatest West Coast rappers ever?&quot;&nbsp;If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the band&#39;s music instead of just voting for the most popular west coast hip hop musicians that you might&#39;ve heard of.&nbsp;

Busta Rhymes

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

It probably goes without saying, but New York City is undeniably the birthplace of rap. Its impact is still very much alive as the genre continues to grow and change around the world. This is a list of the best New York rappers and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-young-rappers/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop music artists</a>. As you know, there&#39;s a long list of them, but who do you think are the best rappers from NYC?&nbsp;

When ranking the most famous or even <a href="https://www.ranker.com/tags/top-10?ref=internalCrossLinking_tag">top 10</a> NY rappers, the Big Apple can count Biggie, Jay-Z, Rakim, 50 Cent, Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, KRS-One, Mos Def, Slick Rick, Nikki Minaj, Run-D.M.C., Mase, and Wu Tang among its influential children, and that&rsquo;s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to rappers from New York! While a pretty good amount of research went in to compiling this list, there&#39;s always room for improvement. There are so many New York rap luminaries to choose from, finding a spot for them all is near impossible.

Who were the best New York rappers in 2018 and 2019? Who are the greatest old school New York rappers? Vote on the list and add your favorites or anyone that you think is missing from this list of New York hip hop artists.

Wiley

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

Are you off your trolley for British Hip Hop? <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/nico-lang/2013/09/71-simple-british-slang-phrases-everyone-should-start-using/" target="_blank">Barmy</a>! Because this is a list of the best British rappers that emerged from the 1970s to the 2000s, with subgenres ranging from British Grime, British Trip Hop, Brithop, and Gangsta Rap.&nbsp;

British rap is just British <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-young-rappers/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">rap artists</a>&nbsp;rapping lyrics over mixed and scratched beats, but a distinct culture and attitude come from this particular music genre. In the UK, this style arose from two distinctly different areas &ndash;&nbsp;the U.S. hip hop scene of the late 70s/early 80s, and &ldquo;dub/toasting,&rdquo; which was introduced to the UK by Jamaican immigrants as early as the 1960s. &nbsp;

Despite its controversial entrance into the <a href="http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.38519/title.dizzee-rascal-compares-parts-of-the-u-s-to-the-third-world" target="_blank">british music scene</a>, British hip hop&nbsp;became popular through such outlets as pirate radio, mix tapes and speciality record shops. By the 90s, rappers from the UK had developed a distinct style with cities such Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds, and Manchester, all sporting their own unique sound and style. &nbsp;

Many&nbsp;of these British rappers are some of the best the world has to offer, and should definitely be known on a global scale. So who are some of your favorite British <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/gay-rappers-list/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop artists</a>? Which London rappers define English rap? Who are the best british rappers, white or black?

Pimp C

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

The Notorious B.I.G. once rapped, &quot;I wonder if I died / Would tears come to her eyes / Forgive me for my disrespect / Forgive me for my lies.&quot; Biggie, we forgive you. Several famous rappers and hip-hop stars have unfortunately passed away. This list ranks the best of them. Some of these musicians were shot during an illegal activity, while others died of natural causes. Two famous rappers are suspected to have died in conjunction with the East/West rap rivalry of the 1990s.

<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is the best rapper</a> who is already dead? Tupac Shakur tops our list. Tupac died on September 13, 1996 after being shot in Las Vegas. He was 25 years old. The Notorious B.I.G. died on March 9, 1997 after being murdered in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. Though many believe that his death was retaliation for the murder of Tupac, no arrests have been made in correlation with either murder.&nbsp;

Adam Yauch, aka, MCA of the Beastie Boys, died on May 4, 2012 after a three year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old. On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah was killed, along with eight others, when her flight to the Bahamas crashed shortly after takeoff. She was 22 years old.

Are you surprised that so many famous rappers have died? Take a look at this list and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Update: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-2020/music-lover" target="_blank">Dive into the best new hip hop with our list of 2020&#39;s top rap songs</a>.

Who&#39;s your favorite battle rapper? These battle rappers have competed in some of what are arguably the best rap battles ever. Battle rapping is a genre unto itself and it deserves to be recognized. Sure, some of the best rappers have serious skill when it comes to rap battles, but even they may not be able to stand up against the battle MCs to follow. In short, these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop artists</a> know how to come up with quick and clever lines, and they&#39;re considered the best to do it.

Who&#39;s the best battle rapper in your opinion? Who are the top battle rappers of all time? Aside from Eminem, you think any white battle rappers are among the top 5 battle rappers? Vote up your picks from the list below and vote down any rappers if you feel they aren&#39;t quite as good.&nbsp;

When it comes to the rap game, it's all about respect. In other words, a rapper's career will only go so far if they aren't respectable. Not only that, but they need to respected by their peers—not just the fans. Take some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time" target="_blank">best rappers of all time</a>, for instance. You got Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and so on. Some of rap's best artists have plenty of respect attached to their names, and that's why they remain as some of the industry's greatest years after the midst of their careers.&nbsp;So, of all the respectable rappers out there, which artists have the best reputations? And as fans, who makes the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">list of rappers</a> you respect most?&nbsp;Kanye West? Kendrick Lamar? Of course, you have all your <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/female-rappers/whatevayoulike" target="_blank">female rap artists</a>, too—and they should be included on any such list. There's a great deal&nbsp;of hip-hop artists, but only some have the top street cred and it's up to you to decide who deserves the most respect—at least for this list of rappers with the best reputations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Peep the extensive list below and vote up the rappers you think are most respectable. You can also vote down artists, as well as add the ones you think deserve some serious credit.&nbsp;

Hip Hop Wars

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Lists that rank the best musical records to ever hit our ears.

The Greatest Albums

Hip-Hop Albums

What are the best hip hop <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-albums-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">albums of all time</a>? The answer, of course, is totally subjective. Everyone has differing opinions about which hip hop and rap albums should be ranked on top, and that&#39;s what this list is all about. Vote for your personal favorite hip hop albums ever, and vote down those albums listed that you don&#39;t feel are worthy of the honor.

The hip-hop albums here represent decades of great music from notables rappers and hip-hop artists -- some we&#39;ve lost, and others who continue to make <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/old-school-hip-hop-bands-and-artists/ranker-music" target="_blank">great new hip hop tracks</a>&nbsp;year after year. Some of the biggest and best hip hop albums ever made include classics like The Chronic from Dr. Dre, Fear of a Black Planet&nbsp;by Public Enemy, Paid in Full&nbsp;by Eric B. and Rakim and N***az4Life&nbsp;by N.W.A. And no list of amazing hip hop albums would be complete without Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers&nbsp;by Wu-Tang Clan and Life After Death&nbsp;by The Notorious B.I.G.

If any of your top 10 favorite hip hop albums aren&#39;t listed here, by all means, add them. Whether you&#39;re a fan of more recent hits or those&nbsp;classic hip hop albums, be sure to vote up what you think are truly the greatest rap albums of all time.

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AMAZON

Illmatic

Illmatic is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas, released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records. After signing with the label with the help of MC Serch, Nas recorded the album in 1992–1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Its production was handled by Nas, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and DJ Premier. Styled as a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives based on Nas's experiences in Queensbridge, New York.
The album debuted at #12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 59,000 copies in its first week. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. Despite the album's low initial sales, Illmatic received rave reviews from most music critics, who praised its lyrical content, production, and Nas's lyricism. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, and in 2001 it earned platinum certification after shipping one million copies in the United States.

All Eyez on Me

All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released February 13, 1996 under Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records.
The album is frequently recognized as one of the crowning achievements of 1990s rap music. The album featured the Billboard Hot 100 number one singles "How Do U Want It" and "California Love". It featured five singles in all, the most of any of Shakur's albums. Moreover, All Eyez on Me made history as the first double-full-length hip-hop solo studio album released for mass consumption. It was issued on two compact discs and four LPs.
Chart-wise, All Eyez on Me was the second album from 2Pac to hit number-one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The album won the 1997 Soul Train R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year Award. Shakur also won the Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at the 24th Annual American Music Awards and is also commonly referred to as one of the greatest hip hop/rap albums of all time. The album was certified Diamond by the RIAA in July 23, 2014.

The Chronic

The Chronic is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Dr. Dre. It was released on December 15, 1992, by his own record label Death Row Records and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood. The album is named after a slang term for high-grade cannabis, and its cover is a homage to Zig-Zag rolling papers. It was Dr. Dre's first solo album after he had departed from hip hop group N.W.A and its label Ruthless Records over a financial dispute. On The Chronic, he included both subtle and direct insults at Ruthless and its owner, former N.W.A member Eazy-E. Although a solo album, it features many appearances by Snoop Dogg, who used the album as a launch pad for his own solo career.
Upon its release, The Chronic received generally positive reviews from music critics and earned considerable commercial success. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and had been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America with sales of over three million copies in the United States, which led to Dr.

Ready to Die

Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released September 13, 1994 on Bad Boy Records. The label's first release, it features production by Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, among others. Recording for the album took place during 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of B.I.G.'s experiences as a young criminal. Ready to Die is his only studio album released during his lifetime; as he was murdered days prior to the release of his second album Life After Death.
Ready to Die was released to critical acclaim and became a commercial success, achieving gold certification in only two months after its release and then going double platinum in 1995 after only one year following its release. it then eventually reached quadruple platinum sales. It was significant for revitalizing the East Coast hip hop scene, amid West Coast hip hop's commercial dominance. The album's second single, "Big Poppa", was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards.

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is the second studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. The album was released on October 22, 2012, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and was distributed by Interscope Records. The album serves as Lamar's major label debut, after his signing to Aftermath and Interscope in early 2012. It was preceded by the release of Kendrick's debut studio album Section.80, released exclusively through the iTunes Store independently.
The album was recorded mostly at several studios in California with producers such as Dr. Dre, Just Blaze, Pharrell Williams, Hit-Boy, Scoop DeVille, Jack Splash and T-Minus, among others. Billed as a "short film by Kendrick Lamar" on the album cover, the concept album follows the story of Lamar's teenage experiences in the drug-infested streets and gang lifestyle of his native Compton, California. Upon its release, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City received rave reviews from music critics, who praised its thematic scope and Lamar's lyrics. Good Kid M.A.A.D City earned Lamar four Grammy Award nominations at the 56th Grammy Awards including Album of the Year.

Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is the debut studio album by the American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released November 9, 1993, on Loud Records and distributed through RCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and it was mastered at The Hit Factory. The album's title originates from the martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. The group's de facto leader RZA, also known as Prince Rakeem, produced the album entirely, utilizing heavy, eerie beats and a sound largely based on martial-arts movie clips and soul music samples.
The distinctive sound of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) created a blueprint for hardcore hip hop during the 1990s and helped return New York City hip hop to national prominence. Its sound also became greatly influential in modern hip hop production, while the group members' explicit, humorous, and free-associative lyrics have served as a template for many subsequent hip hop records.

Life After Death

Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released March 25, 1997 on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997. It features collaborations with guest artists such as 112, Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Mase, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort, Angela Winbush, D.M.C. of Run-D.M.C., R. Kelly, The LOX, and Puff Daddy. Life After Death exhibits The Notorious B.I.G. further delving into the mafioso rap subgenre. The album acts as a sequel to his debut Ready to Die and picks up where the last song "Suicidal Thoughts" ends.
The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1998, including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for its first single "Hypnotize", and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for its second single "Mo Money Mo Problems". Along with Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, AZ's Doe Or Die, Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, and Nas' It Was Written Life After Death has been considered by music writers as one of the seminal mafioso rap albums, as well as a landmark in hip hop music.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the fifth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, released on November 22, 2010, through Roc-A-Fella Records. Following a period of legal and public image controversy, West took a short hiatus from his music career. During a "self-imposed exile" to Hawaii, he conceived the project; West subsequently worked on it through a communal development that involved him and other musicians and producers contributing collectively to its music between 2009 and 2010. Production was handled by West and several other record producers, including Jeff Bhasker, RZA, No I.D., and Mike Dean, among others. The record's original cover art, by George Condo, was rejected by some retail outlets; it features a presumably naked Kanye West being straddled by a nude winged female, with a spotted tail protruding from her buttocks. A second artwork, featuring a ballerina in black holding a wine glass with red juice was sold in the stores who refused to sell the album with the original cover. However, the original cover was pixelated for iTunes.

Aquemini

Aquemini is the third studio album by American hip hop duo OutKast, released on September 29, 1998 through LaFace Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius and Gemini, which is indicative of the album's recurring theme of the differing personalities of the two members. The group recorded the majority of the album in Bobby Brown's Bosstown Recording Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
Released as the follow-up to the duo's 1996 album ATLiens, Aquemini expands on the previous record's outer space-inspired compositions by incorporating live instrumentation. The commercial success of ATLiens allowed for more creative freedom for the group, which led to the members self-producing the majority of the tracks. The band employed a large number of musicians for the album, who frequently entered and exited the studio throughout the recording process and had a major influence on the writing development of the album's songs. Lyrically, Aquemini explores various themes including human nature, addiction, and interpersonal relationships.

The Infamous

The Infamous is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep, released April 25, 1995, on Loud Records. The album features guest appearances from Nas, Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, A Tribe Called Quest member Q-Tip, and close Mobb Deep affiliate Big Noyd. Embedded with hyper-visual lyricism, dark soundscapes, gritty narratives, and hard beats, it marked Mobb Deep's transition from a relatively unknown rap duo to an influential and commercially successful one.
Upon its release, The Infamous achieved notable commercial success. It debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200, and number three on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. The album produced three main singles, which all achieved varying degrees of chart success, with "Shook Ones Pt. II" being the most successful. On June 26, 1995, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Left-over songs from the album were released along with Mobb Deep's 2014 album The Infamous Mobb Deep.

2001

2001 is the second studio album by American hip hop recording artist Dr. Dre, released on November 16, 1999, by Interscope Records. It is the follow-up to his debut album The Chronic. It was produced primarily by Dr. Dre and Mel-Man, as well as Lord Finesse, and features several guest contributions from fellow American rappers such as Hittman, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, and Eminem. 2001 exhibits an expansion on his debut's G-funk sound and contains gangsta rap themes such as violence, promiscuity, drug use, street gangs, and crime.
The album debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 516,000 copies in its first week. It produced three singles that attained chart success and has been certified sextuple platinum in sales by the RIAA after sales of six million copies in the United States. Despite mixed criticism toward its gangster-themed lyrics, 2001 received general acclaim from music critics. As of July 2013 the album has sold 7,664,000 copies in the United States.

Madvillainy

Madvillainy is the debut album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, a group consisting of MF Doom and Madlib. It was released on March 23, 2004 on Stones Throw Records to overwhelmingly positive reviews. It received universal acclaim from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 93/100 from Metacritic.

Straight Outta Compton

Straight Outta Compton is the debut studio album by American hip hop group N.W.A, released August 8, 1988 on group member Eazy-E's record label Ruthless Records. Production for the album was handled by Dr. Dre, with DJ Yella giving co-production. The album has been viewed as the pioneering record of gangsta rap with its ever-present profanity and violent lyrics. It has been considered groundbreaking by music writers and has had an enormous impact on the evolution of West Coast hip hop.
Straight Outta Compton redefined the direction of hip hop, which resulted in lyrics concerning the gangster lifestyle becoming the driving force in sales figures. It was later re-released on September 24, 2002, remastered and containing four bonus tracks. An extended version of the album was released on December 4, 2007, honoring the 20th anniversary of the original album.

Jabapac

ATLiens

ATLiens is the second studio album by American hip hop duo OutKast, released on August 27, 1996, by LaFace Records. The duo wanted to improve on their 1994 debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik and gain respect for their growing Southern hip hop scene. OutKast recorded ATLiens in sessions at several Atlanta studios—Bosstown Recording Studios, Doppler Recording Studios, PatchWerk Recording Studio, Purple Dragon Studios, and Studio LaCoCo—as well as Chung King Recording Studio and Sound On Sound Recording in New York City.
The record features outer space-inspired production sounds, with OutKast and producers Organized Noize incorporating elements of dub, reggae, and gospel into the compositions. Several songs feature the duo's first attempts at producing music by themselves. Lyrically, the group discusses a wide range of topics including urban life as hustlers, existential introspection, and extraterrestrial life. The album's title is a portmanteau of "ATL" and "aliens", which has been interpreted by critics as a commentary about the feeling of being isolated from American culture.

Midnight Marauders

Midnight Marauders is the third album by hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released November 9, 1993 on Jive Records. It was released two years after A Tribe Called Quest's second album, The Low End Theory, and reached #1 on the R&B/HipHop Charts and #8 on the Billboard 200 in 1993. Midnight Marauders is also seen by many fans and critics as a classic jazz rap album along with The Low End Theory.

The College Dropout

The College Dropout is the debut studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. The production of the album was often halted by the lack of confidence that producers had in West's rapping ability, eventually being convinced based on the success of his early musical ventures. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint, which showcased his melodic and soulful style of hip hop production.
The album's production was handled entirely by West, and features vocal contributions from Jay-Z, John Legend, Ervin "EP" Pope, Miri Ben-Ari, and Syleena Johnson and many other artists. Diverging from the then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop, West's lyrics on the album concern themes of family, religion, self-consciousness, materialism, and personal struggles. The album was promoted by singles including "Through the Wire" and "Jesus Walks", both of which received critical acclaim. "All Falls Down" and "Slow Jamz" both charted within the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, with the latter charting at number one.

The Low End Theory

The Low End Theory is the second album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Released on September 24, 1991 through Jive Records, the album produced three singles: "Check the Rhime," "Jazz," and "Scenario."

It Was Written

It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released July 2, 1996 on Columbia Records in the United States. Following the moderate sales success of his acclaimed debut album, Illmatic, Nas chose to focus his efforts in a more mainstream direction. Primarily produced by Trackmasters, it is a departure for him from the raw, underground tone of his debut album towards a more polished, mainstream sound. The album features mafioso and gangsta themes, and marks the first appearance of Nas's short-lived supergroup The Firm, which included rappers Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega.
The album proved to be Nas’s most commercially successful release, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It also heralded Nas’s mainstream popularity and followed the success of other mafioso rap albums such as Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… and Reasonable Doubt. However, his stylistic changes and increased mainstream success fostered accusations of selling out within the hip hop community. It has been viewed by music writers as one of Nas' best works and remains Nas' best-selling release, with over 4 million copies in the United States alone.

Liquid Swords

Liquid Swords is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, released on November 7, 1995, by Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album began mid-way through 1995 at producer RZA's basement studio in the New York City borough of Staten Island. The album heavily samples dialogue from the martial arts film Shogun Assassin and maintains a dark atmosphere throughout its course, while it incorporates lyrical references to chess, crime and philosophy. Liquid Swords features numerous guest appearances from the entire nine piece Wu-Tang Clan.
Upon its release, Liquid Swords peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart, and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. On January 11, 1996, it was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album initially received favorable critical reviews for its lyrical complexity and hypnotic musical style. Over the years, its recognition has grown, with a number of famous publishers proclaiming it as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2007, the Chicago Tribune cited it as "one of the most substantial lyrical journeys in hip-hop history".

Me Against the World

Me Against the World is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Tupac Shakur. It was released March 14, 1995 on the Interscope Records label. It was his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police and Shakur being poor, which many believe might have contributed to Shakur's artistic reemergence on record, as his material is believed by Steve Huey of AllMusic to have become markedly more "confessional", "reflective", and "soul-baring".
Me Against the World, released while Shakur was imprisoned, made an immediate impact on the charts, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. This made Shakur the first artist to have an album debut at number one on Billboard 200 while serving time in prison. The album served as one of Shakur's most positively reviewed albums, with many calling it the magnum opus of his career, and is considered one of the greatest and most influential hip hop albums of all-time. Me Against the World won best rap album at the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards.

Doggystyle

Doggystyle is the debut studio album from American rapper Snoop Dogg, then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg, released by Death Row Records on November 23, 1993. The album was recorded soon following the release of Dr. Dre's landmark debut album The Chronic, to which Snoop Dogg contributed significantly. The style he developed for Dre's album was continued on Doggystyle. Critics have praised Snoop Dogg for the lyrical "realism" he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow.
Despite some mixed criticism of the album initially upon its release, Doggystyle has earned recognition from many music critics as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the most important hip hop albums ever released. Much like The Chronic, the distinctive sounds of Doggystyle helped introduce the hip hop style of G-funk to a mainstream audience, bringing forward West Coast hip hop as a dominant force in the early 1990s. As of 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America has certified Doggystyle quadruple platinum in sales, and it serves as Snoop Dogg's highest-selling album.

Stankonia

Stankonia is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo OutKast, released October 31, 2000 on La Face Records. The group's previous release, Aquemini, played a significant role in introducing Southern hip-hop to other areas of the United States. In the spring of 1999, OutKast began working on Stankonia in the duo's recently purchased Atlanta recording facility, Stankonia Studios. The band's ownership of the studio allowed for fewer time constraints and subsequently, more musical experimentation. Stankonia features appearances from many local Atlanta musicians whom the group discovered while visiting clubs in the city.
On Stankonia, the duo hoped to create a chaotic musical aesthetic, and incorporated a diverse array of musical genres, including drum and bass, gospel, rock, salsa, funk, and psychedelia. Recording sessions became difficult as André 3000 wished to abandon his rapping vocal style in favor of a more melodic technique, an approach to which Big Boi and other producers were unaccustomed. In order to maintain musical cohesion with Big Boi and continue his musical evolution, André 3000 incorporated both techniques on Stankonia.

Paid in Full

Paid in Full is the debut album of American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on July 7, 1987, by Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The duo recorded the album at hip hop producer Marley Marl's home studio and Power Play Studios in New York City, following Rakim's response to Eric B.'s search for a rapper to complement his disc jockey work in 1985. The album peaked at number fifty-eight on the Billboard 200 chart and produced five singles, "Eric B. Is President", "I Ain't No Joke", "I Know You Got Soul", "Move the Crowd", and "Paid in Full".
Paid in Full is credited as a benchmark album of golden age hip hop. Rakim's rapping, which pioneered the use of internal rhymes in hip hop, set a higher standard of lyricism in the genre and served as a template for future rappers. The album's heavy sampling by Eric B. became influential in hip hop production. The record has sold over a million copies and the Recording Industry Association of America certified it platinum in 1995. In 2003, the album was ranked number 228 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American recording artist Lauryn Hill, released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. After touring with former group the Fugees, Hill met Rohan Marley, and became pregnant with his child. The pregnancy, along with several other circumstances, would inspire her to make a solo record which would eventually become The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Recording sessions for the album took place from late 1997 to June 1998, and were held primarily at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a neo soul album that incorporates styles such as R&B, hip hop, soul, and reggae. Its lyrics touch upon Hill's pregnancy at the time and the turmoil in her former group the Fugees, along with themes of love and God. The album's title was inspired by the film and autobiographical novel The Education of Sonny Carson, and Carter G. Woodson's The Mis-Education of the Negro.
Upon its release, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill received rave reviews from music critics who frequently complimented it for Hill's honest presentation of a female's view on life and love.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted is the debut studio album by rapper Ice Cube. It was released after his acrimonious split from his former group N.W.A. It was originally released on May 16, 1990. Primarily produced by Public Enemy's production team The Bomb Squad, the album was an unexpectedly large critical and commercial success, and remains one of the defining hip hop albums of the 1990s.

What are the best hip hop albums of all time? The answer, of course, is totally subjective. Everyone has differing opinions about which hip hop and rap albums ...