The Most Respected Rappers, Ranked

Ranker Hip Hop
Updated July 19, 2021 58.8K votes 4.9K voters 34.0K views

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. 

Ranked by
  • Tupac Shakur
    1

    Tupac Shakur

    All Eyez on Me, Me Against the World, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
    2,346 votes
    • Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Political hip hop, Gangsta rap, West Coast hip hop
    Tupac Amaru Shakur ( TOO-pahk shə-KOOR; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Much of Shakur's work has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of resistance and activism against inequality.Shakur was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City but relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1988. He later moved to Los Angeles in 1993 to further pursue his music career. By the time he released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, he had become a central figure in West Coast hip hop, introducing social issues in the genre at a time when gangsta rap was dominant in the mainstream. Shakur achieved further critical and commercial success with his follow-up albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Against the World (1995). Later that year, after suffering legal troubles and a robbery and shooting, Shakur became heavily involved in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. His double-disc album All Eyez on Me (1996) later became one of the best-selling albums in the United States. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas; he died six days later and the gunman was never captured. The Notorious B.I.G., Shakur's friend turned rival, was at first considered a suspect, but was also murdered in another drive-by shooting several months later. Five more albums have been released since his death, all of which have been certified Platinum. Outside music, Shakur also gained considerable success as an actor, with his starring roles as Bishop in Juice (1992), Lucky in Poetic Justice (1993), Ezekiel in Gridlock'd (1997), and Jake in Gang Related (1997), all garnering praise from critics. Shakur is one of the best-selling music artists of all time having sold over 75 million records worldwide. In 2010, Shakur was inducted to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. In 2017, Shakur was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone named Shakur in the list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
  • The Notorious B.I.G.
    2

    The Notorious B.I.G.

    Ready to Die, Life After Death, Born Again
    1,682 votes
    • Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Hardcore hip hop, East Coast hip hop, Gangsta rap, Mafioso rap
    Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), known professionally as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or Biggie, was an American rapper. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest rappers of all time.Wallace was born and raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. His debut album Ready to Die (1994) made him a central figure in East Coast hip hop and increased New York City's visibility in the genre at a time when West Coast hip hop dominated the mainstream. The following year, he led Junior M.A.F.I.A.—a protégé group composed of his childhood friends—to chart success. In 1996, while recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip hop feud. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His second album, Life After Death (1997), released two weeks later, rose to No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. In 2000, it became one of the few hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond.Wallace was noted for his "loose, easy flow"; dark, semi-autobiographical lyrics; and storytelling abilities, which focused on crime and hardship. Three more albums have been released since his death, and he has certified sales of over 17 million records in the United States, including 13.4 million albums.
  • Nas
    3

    Nas

    Illmatic, Life Is Good, Untitled Nas album
    1,481 votes
    • Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop, East Coast hip hop
    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 consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums and sold over 25 million records worldwide. Aside from rapping and acting, Nas is an entrepreneur through his own record label, retail sneaker store, and magazine publishing. He serves as Associate Publisher of Mass Appeal magazine, as well as an owner of a Fila sneaker store. He is currently signed to Def Jam Recordings and Mass Appeal Records. His musical career began in 1991 when he was featured on Main Source's track "Live at the Barbeque". His debut album Illmatic, released in 1994, received universal acclaim from both critics and the hip hop community. It is frequently ranked as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. He did Illmatic's "N.Y. State of Mind" in one take. His follow-up album It Was Written debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, stayed on top for four consecutive weeks, went platinum twice in only two months, and made Nas internationally known.
  • Ice Cube
    4

    Ice Cube

    AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, The Predator, Death Certificate
    1,460 votes
    • Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop, Political hip hop, Hardcore hip hop, Gangsta rap
    O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, actor, producer, director and writer. Ice Cube initially gained recognition in 1984 as a member of the hip hop group C.I.A., which gained limited commercial success prior to disbanding three years later. Ice Cube, alongside Dr. Dre and Eazy E, then formed the group N.W.A, where he gained extreme notoriety as the group's primary songwriter and performer, noted for becoming one of the founding artists of gangsta rap, and pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music, as well as visual imagery in music videos.After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, Ice Cube embarked on a successful solo career, releasing the albums AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) and Death Certificate (1991), both of which have attained platinum certification in the United States, while also being classed as defining albums of the 1990s. Much of his musical output has contained harsh socio-political commentary and storytelling, which has earned him several accolades from multiple publications and artists, often cited as an influence and one of the best rappers of all time.Following the release of Death Certificate, Ice Cube transitioned into film, where his popularity was further enhanced by his starring role in Boyz n the Hood (1991), where his performance was heavily praised. He also wrote and starred in the Friday film series, which contributed to reinventing his public image as a movie star. Ice Cube has also featured in the Barbershop, Ride Along, and XXX film series, while also serving as a producer to several other films, including Straight Outta Compton (2015), a biographical film depicting the career of N.W.A.. As a businessman, Ice Cube has founded his clothing line, Solo by Cube, as well as the 3 on 3 basketball league Big3, which predominately features retired NBA players.
  • Dr. Dre
    5

    Dr. Dre

    The Chronic, 2001, Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang / Let Me Ride
    1,970 votes
    • Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Rap music, Gangsta rap, G-funk, West Coast hip hop
    Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and was previously co-owner of Death Row Records. Dr. Dre began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru and found fame with the influential gangsta rap group N.W.A, which popularized explicit lyrics in rap to detail the violence of street life. He is credited as a key figure in the crafting and popularization of West Coast G-funk, a hip hop subgenre characterized as synthesizer-based with slow, heavy beats. As of 2018, he is the third richest figure in hip hop, with a net worth of US$770 million.Dr. Dre's solo debut studio album The Chronic (1992), released under Death Row Records, made him one of the best-selling American music artists of 1993. It earned him a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for the single "Let Me Ride", as well as several accolades for the single "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". That year, he produced Death Row labelmate Snoop Doggy Dogg's quadruple platinum debut Doggystyle, and mentored producers such as his step-brother Warren G (leading to the multi-platinum debut Regulate...G Funk Era in 1994) and Snoop Dogg's cousin Daz Dillinger (leading to the double-platinum debut Dogg Food by Tha Dogg Pound in 1995). In 1996, Dr. Dre left Death Row Records to establish his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. He produced a compilation album, Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath, in 1996, and released a solo album, 2001, in 1999. During the 2000s, Dr. Dre focused on producing other artists, occasionally contributing vocals. Dr. Dre signed Eminem in 1998 and 50 Cent in 2002, and co-produced their albums. Dr. Dre has won six Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year; Non-Classical. Rolling Stone ranked Dre number 56 on the list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including 2Pac, Eminem, The D.O.C., Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Knoc-turn'al, 50 Cent, The Game, Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak. He has also had acting roles in movies such as Set It Off, The Wash and Training Day.
  • Kendrick Lamar
    6

    Kendrick Lamar

    good kid, m.A.A.d city, Section.80
    1,932 votes
    • Genres (Music): Hip hop
    Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most skillful and successful hip hop artists of his generation.Raised in Compton, California, Lamar embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name K-Dot, releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). He began to gain recognition in 2010, after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, he independently released his first studio album, Section.80, which included his debut single, "HiiiPoWeR". By that time, he had amassed a large online following and collaborated with several prominent hip hop artists, including The Game, Busta Rhymes, and Snoop Dogg. Lamar's major label debut album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, was released in 2012 by TDE, Aftermath, and Interscope Records to critical acclaim. It debuted at #2 on the US Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The record contained the top 40 singles "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", and "Poetic Justice". His critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) incorporated elements of funk, soul, jazz, and spoken word. It debuted atop the charts in the US and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony. In 2016, Lamar released Untitled Unmastered, a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly. He released his fourth album Damn in 2017 to further acclaim; its lead single "Humble" topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Aside from his solo career, Lamar is also known as a member of the West Coast hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, alongside his TDE label-mates and fellow South Los Angeles–based rappers Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Schoolboy Q. Lamar has received many accolades over the course of his career, including thirteen Grammy Awards. In early 2013, MTV named him the "Hottest MC in the Game", on their annual list. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016. In 2018, Damn became the first non-classical and non-jazz album to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music.