Finally, a definitive list of the best rappers of all time, ranked by fans all over the world. From old school to the current top artists putting out today's biggest hip hop hits, this list counts down rap's best lyricists and game changers in history. Lil' Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Eminem, Andre 3000, and Tupac 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's important to look both for the big humorous "punch" lines as well as the underlying message of the rapper'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's narratives and storytelling. (He has also gone on the record as saying that there is no such thing as the "best rapper" or "Greatest of All Time" aka "GOAT." 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.
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't come together to tell a compelling story or present a unique point of view, it's still not going to translate into a great hip-hop song. But of course there's also an intangible element that elevates some modern rappers into the ranks of the greatest of all time. Who are these rap legends who stand heads above the competition? Do you agree with the top 50 biggest rappers ever? You tell us, by voting for your favorites below or ranking your own list of top rappers of all time.
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186,180100,031Tupac Amaru Shakur ( TOO-pahk shə-KOOR; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September... more
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228,911124,535Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often... more3
153,53483,831Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), known professionally as The... more4
140,69179,792Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, songwriter, and record... more5
98,08572,594Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American... more6
100,77676,030O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper,... more7
106,51188,940Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known as Nas, is an American rapper, songwriter, record... more8
102,39179,429Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg, is an... more9
88,27960,134Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and... more10
81,78356,952Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an... more11
98,95684,751Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z (stylized as JAY-Z),... more12
93,43180,598Kanye Omari West (born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record... more13
67,89758,755André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name André 3000 (formerly... more14
75,06265,569Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American... more15
71,21861,673Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an... more16
63,93257,090Aubrey Drake Graham, who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian singer, songwriter,... more17
30,12926,599Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj (), is a... more18
33,50528,741Jacques Berman Webster II (born April 30, 1992), known professionally as Travis Scott, is an... more19
32,32530,367Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), better known by his stage name Kid Cudi (;... more20
42,89040,634Rakim Mayers (born October 3, 1988), better known by his stage name ASAP Rocky (stylized as... more21
39,85434,527Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, better known by his stage name XXXTentacion, was an American rapper,... more22
27,49125,919Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an... more23
38,03836,050Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (born September 25, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, writer,... more24
17,39017,258Ryan Daniel Montgomery (born July 5, 1977), better known by his stage name Royce da 5'9", is... more25
9,1409,065Daniel Dumile (born 1971), better known by his stage name MF Doom (stylized in all caps), is a... more
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