Rap The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked  

Ranker Hip Hop
Originally by
17.4k votes 1.5k voters 8.9k views 200 items

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 best rappers of all time, 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. 

So, of all the respectable rappers out there, which artists have the best reputations? And as fans, who makes the list of rappers you respect most? Kanye West? Kendrick Lamar? Of course, you have all your female rap artists, too—and they should be included on any such list. There's a great deal 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. 

 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. 

list ordered by

1
752 209
Eminem is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Marshall Mathers LP, The Slim Shady LP, The Eminem Show Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known by his stage name Eminem, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and actor. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of the group D12, ...more

2
522 150
Dr. Dre is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Chronic, 2001, Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang / Let Me Ride Andre Romelle Young, known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper and entrepreneur. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. ...more

3
442 151
Snoop Dogg is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Doggystyle, Tha Doggfather, Tha Last Meal Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, best known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American recording artist and actor from Long Beach, California. His music career began in 1992, when he was discovered ...more

4
494 182
Kendrick Lamar is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
good kid, m.A.A.d city, Section.80 Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, better known as Kendrick Lamar, is an American hip hop recording artist from Compton, California. In 2004, Lamar signed to Carson-based independent record label, Top ...more

5
661 182
Tupac Shakur is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
All Eyez on Me, Me Against the World, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage names 2Pac and briefly as Makaveli, was an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him one ...more

6
456 114
The Notorious B.I.G. is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Ready to Die, Life After Death, Born Again Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known by his stage names The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper. Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York ...more

7
405 109
Ice Cube is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, The Predator, Death Certificate O'Shea Jackson, Sr., better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and filmmaker. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later ...more

8
342 136
50 Cent is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added Get Rich or Die Tryin', Get Rich or Die Tryin' / The Massacre, Street King Immortal Curtis James Jackson III, better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, singer, entrepreneur investor and actor from New York City. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of the ...more

9
406 117
Nas is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Illmatic, Life Is Good, Untitled Nas album Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known as Nas, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the son of jazz musician Olu Dara. Since 1994, Nas has released eight ...more

10
216 95
Redman is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added Muddy Waters, Whut? Thee Album, Doc's da Name 2000 Reginald "Reggie" Noble, better known by his stage name Redman, is an American MC, rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. He came to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam ...more

11
155 55
Royce da 5'9
Matt1345 added Rock City, Street Hop, Death Is Certain Ryan Daniel Montgomery, better known by his stage name Royce da 5'9", is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He is best known for his longtime association with Eminem as well as his ...more

12
175 65
DMX is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Jóhannes Snær Magnússon added It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood Earl Simmons, better known by his stage names DMX and Dark Man X, is an American rapper and actor. In 1999, DMX released his best-selling album ...And Then There Was X, which featured the hit ...more

13
139 53
Proof is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Matt1345 added Searching for Jerry Garcia, Grown Man Shit, I Miss the Hip Hop Shop DeShaun Dupree Holton, better known by his stage name Proof, was an American rapper and actor from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups Goon Sqwad, 5 Elementz, ...more

14
89 24
Nate Dogg is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added Music & Me, Welcome To The Dogg House, G-Funk Classics Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American singer, rapper, and actor. He was noted for his membership in rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he ...more

15
170 85
Tech N9ne is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Everready, Anghellic, Absolute Power Aaron Dontez Yates, better known by his stage name Tech N9ne, is an American rapper. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two million albums ...more

16
234 84
André 3000 is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Royal Flush, Class of 3000: Music Volume One, DoYaThing André Lauren Benjamin, better known by his stage name André 3000, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being ...more

17
95 25
Busta Rhymes is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added When Disaster Strikes…, The Big Bang, The Coming Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, producer, and actor from Brooklyn. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after ...more

18
172 97
Joyner Lucas is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added 508-507-2209, Along Came Joyner Joyner Lucas is an American rapper from Worcester, Massachusetts.

19
193 71
Rakim is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The 18th Letter, The Archive: Live, Lost & Found William Michael Griffin, Jr., better known by his stage name Rakim, is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...more

20
227 86
Eazy-E is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added Eazy-Duz-It, It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa, Eternal E Eric Lynn Wright, better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright is affectionately called "The Godfather of Gangsta ...more

21
168 65
Method Man is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Tical, 4:21... The Day After, The Riddler Clifford Smith, better known by the stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. He took his stage name from the 1979 film Method Man. He is perhaps best known as a ...more

22
250 120
J. Cole is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
princ3ss.13 added 2014 Forest Hills Drive, Born Sinner Jermaine Lamarr Cole, better known by his stage name J. Cole, is an American hip hop recording artist, songwriter and record producer from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Cole first received ...more

23
232 110
Jay-Z is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Watch the Throne, The Black Album, Reasonable Doubt Shawn Corey Carter, known by his stage name Jay Z, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in ...more

24
72 29
The Game is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added The Documentary, Doctor's Advocate, Jesus Piece Jayceon Terrell Taylor, better known by his stage name The Game or simply Game, is an American rapper and actor. Game is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one ...more

25
64 23
Xzibit is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added At the Speed of Life, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz, Restless Alvin Nathaniel Joiner, better known by his stage name Xzibit, is an American rapper, actor, and television host. He is known as the host of the MTV show Pimp My Ride, which brought him ...more

26
127 95
2 Chainz is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time, Beez in the Trap, T.R.U. REALigion Tauheed Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition for ...more

27
118 51
Mos Def is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added Black on Both Sides, True Magic, The New Danger Yasiin Bey, better known by his former stage name Mos Def, is an American hip hop recording artist, actor, and activist from Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Best known for his music, Mos Def ...more

28
125 60
KRS-One is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Hip Hop Lives, Return of the Boom Bap, Criminal Minded Lawrence Krisna Parker, better known by his stage names KRS-One, and Teacha, is an American rapper and occasional producer from The Bronx, New York City, New York. KRS-One rose to prominence as ...more

29
140 70
Lauryn Hill is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, MTV Unplugged 2.0, Ms. Hill Lauryn Hill is an American singer–songwriter, rapper, producer, and actress. She is best known for being a member of the Fugees and for her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Raised in ...more

30
60 29
Big Sean is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added I Decided, Dark Sky Paradise, Finally Famous Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Big Sean signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music in 2007, Def Jam Recordings in 2008, ...more

31
41 8
Cypress Hill is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1525053266880 added Cypress Hill, Black Sunday, III - Temples Of Boom Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino-American hip hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 ...more

32
112 52
Ol' Dirty Bastard is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones, Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are) Russell Tyrone Jones, better known under his stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard, was an American rapper and occasional producer. He was one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group ...more

33
81 58
Yelawolf is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Matt1345 added Trunk Muzik 0-60, Radioactive, Arena Rap EP Michael Wayne Atha, better known as Yelawolf, is an American hip hop recording artist from Gadsden, Alabama. He is currently signed to Shady Records, Interscope Records, and has since founded ...more

34
56 32
Hopsin is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added Knock Madness, Raw, Haywire Marcus Jamal Hopson, better known by his stage name Hopsin, is an American rapper, record producer, director and actor from Los Angeles, California. In 2007, he was signed to Ruthless Records, ...more

35
50 25
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added International Artist, The Bigger Artist Artist Julius Dubose (born December 6, 1995), better known by his stage name A Boogie wit da Hoodie (or simply A Boogie), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is signed to ...more

36
46 23
Joell Ortiz is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added The Brick, Road Kill, Free Agent Joell Ortiz is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York, and a member of the group Slaughterhouse.

37
114 53
Ghostface Killah is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added Ironman, Supreme Clientele, Fishscale Dennis Coles, better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ...more

38
92 39
GZA is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added Liquid Swords, Grandmasters, Pro Tools Gary Grice, better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American rapper and songwriter. A founding member of the hip hop group, the Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is known as the group's ...more

39
46 22
Young Buck is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added Buck the World, Welcome to the Traphouse, The Rehab David Darnell Brown, also known as Young Buck, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, and producer. Buck is a former member of the hip hop group UTP Playas. As a music executive, he is ...more

40
92 44
Slick Rick is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, The Art of Storytelling, The Ruler's Back Ricky Walters, better known by his stage name Slick Rick, is a Grammy-nominated English rapper. He has also been known as Rick the Ruler, MC Ricky D, and Ricky Dee. He began his career in late ...more

41
81 35
Ice-T is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Power, O.G. Original Gangster, Home Invasion Tracy Lauren Marrow, better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He began his career as a rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he ...more

42
93 42
RZA is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo, Birth of a Prince, Digital Bullet Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA, is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, MC, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter.

43
63 50
Nicki Minaj is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added Queen, The Pinkprint, Pink Friday Onika Tanya Maraj, better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian rapper, singer and songwriter. Born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York, ...more

44
72 35
Chuck D is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Autobiography of Mistachuck, Rock da Funky Beats / Dance With You, An Interview With Chuck D Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, better known by his stage name Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as ...more

45
42 25
Danny Brown is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added XXX, Old, The Hybrid Daniel Dewan Sewell, better known by his stage name Danny Brown, is an American hip hop recording artist from Detroit, Michigan. He is known for his individuality, being described by MTV as ...more

46
67 29
Scarface is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added The Diary, The Fix, Mr. Scarface Is Back Brad Terrence Jordan, better known by his stage name Scarface, is an American rapper. He hails from Houston, Texas and is a member of the Geto Boys. He is originally from the city's South Acres ...more

47
146 94
Donald Glover is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
The Dankest Meme added "Awaken, My Love!", Because the Internet Donald McKinley Glover, also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, is an American actor, writer, comedian, rapper, singer, and producer. He first came to attention for his work with Derrick ...more

48
79 40
Raekwon is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1519704292721 added Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Instrumentals, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, Immobilarity Corey Woods, better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since ...more

49
41 6
OutKast is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
1525053266880 added Stankonia, Aquemini, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below Outkast was an American hip hop duo formed in 1992, in East Point, Atlanta, Georgia, composed of Atlanta-based rappers André "André 3000" Benjamin and Antwan "Big ...more

50
83 48
Missy Elliott is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked
Under Construction, Supa Dupa Fly, Miss E ...So Addictive Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Her first major success came as a songwriter with childhood friend and producer ...more