Top 10 Greatest Rappers of All Time

I'm First in foremost you cannot be considered the greatest of anything if you're not recognized. No that doesn't mean the more titles you have determined your greatness, but a substantial amount of people should agree before calling you the greatest. Why? "Great" people influence more people and greater people. Great people skills ultimately are recognized before their name. For example; Michael Jordan is considered one of the greatest, and during his time I'm sure there was a person that could've beaten him, but that doesn't mean that they have more skills than Jordan. If greatness was determined by one time frame, one game, one accolade, and one album, than a lot of "Greats" wouldn't or would be “Great.” Time ultimately shows your talent, work ethics, being able to withstand even under pressure. You could be the best basketball player in the world but if no one sees it, you're only great to yourself, and if you don't compete how do you know you're even as great as you think? There's a saying that states anything you are cable of doing there's someone better. Everything you've endured there's someone who's encountered more. People are reflection of you so if not now than maybe in the next generation. This is why opinions vary. Billboard recently released their post on who they believe are the #Goat of rappers are and others like myself highly disagree with the list. 1. How can you put people with less than 5 albums ahead of people with over 10 albums to their name, they haven't proven themselves to that standard. 2. How can you put someone who’s first album was only 3 years ago on a list of anything great? Derrick Rose was supposed to be great and look what happened, no shade just facts. 3. How can you not put the one person who literally changed the entire genre on the list? Like if he’s not considered great why did we let him change the dynamics of the music? People on the list look up and form their words based on what this man has said, but he’s not on the list, that’s stupid. Without anyone of these rappers today’s hip hop genre would be different, and this is why they’re the #Goat

1. Jay Z

Hov is Hov because he's mastered all areas across the board. Jay Z has songs displaying his lyrical talents and even gives you his own "Lyrical Exercise." Categories includes; overall content, flows, consistency, storytelling, using literary elements (figurative language, imagery, connotation, allegory, Diction, character, foot, rhymes, rhythm, structure, tone, symbolism,) hit songs, diversity, and even radical in the WTT album. Jay Z is the multiple entendre kings, making it possible for many to relate to his lyrics, because most of them are referring to more than one topic. Jay Z has 12 solo albums and 4 collaboration albums.

2. Andre 3000

The impact of 3 stacks is highly overshadowed. I can't make him one because he only has one solo album, that's if you even count his duo/solo album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Andre is insanely creative in all aspects of hip hop. From his rhymes to his flows, and the uniqueness of Andre as a rapper is what sets him apart from all other rappers. Outkast has 6 studio albums and Andre has 0 solo albums.

3. Nas

The platform Nas has created is really the reason why he's a Goat. Nas go toe to toe, head to head with the greats and if he doesn't beat them with his creative lyrics, definitely leaves a scar. Nas is a great rhymer, story teller, and lyricist. However Nas lacks diversity in flows. Nas has 11 solo albums and 2 collaboration albums.

4. Rakim There's really not much of an argument of why Rakim made the list. He's talented and is noted for it. Any hip hop head or MC would instantly agree after Paid in Full. For me Rakim introduced the art of being a lyricist. Until this point lyricism was critiqued based on vocabulary, rhymes, and character topic. Most during this time period were considered lyrical because they were political, and Rakim proved that this wasn't necessarily the case. Rakim has 3 solo albums, 1 collaboration album, and 4 albums that included partner Eric B.  

5. Biggie

Biggie only has 3 albums, but they were great albums. When it comes to straight rapping, Big is diverse with flows and word play. Jay Z and Biggie have similar formats of rapping, but I wouldn't say they're the same. Biggie is the most controversial subject of hip hop to me, because unlike others who were short lived, he's instantly recognized as the greatest. I sometimes wonder if we place him on a higher scale because of the media attention he received when he was alive. Oh well, Biggie helped set the bar of what should be considered lyrical or not. 

Marshall Mathers

6. Eminem

Eminem is one of the best freestylers to enter the rap industry. It took a lot in me to give Eminem this spot over Common, but he deserves it. Now personally I can't listen to an entire Eminem album straight, so I wouldn't consider him a dynamic song writer, but definitely a lyricist. Eminem's vocabulary is structure is unique and of course he has a great story telling ability. Eminem is pretty direct with his music. Eminem has 8 solo albums. 

7. Tupac

I'm no Tupac fan, but his impact on the hip hop/rap genre alone gives him a place on the Goat list. Tupac isn't number one because his lyrics were mainly based on the rhymes, like a lot of west coast rappers during that time period. He knows true story telling and has some word play, but nothing compared to the others on the list. However Tupac has probably the biggest influence on the genre. Tupac mastered diversity in character and topic, appealing to all races and genders. His intellect and pure poetry is why he's respected among professors, and ultimately would be the first person a student who studies hip hop would research. Yes there’s a class about hip hop studies added to some colleges in the recent years. Tupac has 10 solo albums and 2 collaboration albums. 

8. Lil Wayne

I know some of you are wondering "why the hell did I put Wayne on the list," but truthfully he deserves to be viewed as a Goat. Lil Wayne has the most music in hip hop, and is the reason for why mixtapes are as popular as they are. However during Wayne's great years he displayed true talent, and literally lead hip hop over everyone on this list, and held his own when featured on the others songs. Lil Wayne shows dynamic flows, metaphors, similes, and personification in his years before 2010. Yeah go back and think about it for a second. Lil Wayne's decline occurred after 2010, so if you judge his lyricism & rapping ability after then, than no he's not a #Goat, but before 2010, yes he is. Lil Wayne has 12 solo albums, 6 collaboration albums, and over 12 mixtapes.

Diamonds off of  the album Late Registration

9. Kanye

Kanye completely changed the entire hip hop industry with his beats alone. He forced the producers to add more elements to their beats, think about it. However that's not why he's a rap goat. Based off of Kanye's last album Yeezus, I would not consider him a #Goat, but that doesn't take away from all of the genius work Kanye has done in the previous years. He's the only #goat that has all of his albums hit certified platinum. Kanye has displayed lyrical talents in songs like "Diamonds," diversity in flows and overall song quality. Every single Kanye album sounds different. If you were to turn on one song from any album you could instantly guess which album it's on, even if you're not an avid Kanye listener. He brings elevation to hip hop, forcing everyone to think outside of the box, showing that through a number of artist who was founded from Kanye. Think about...almost every unique talent in current hip hop is connected to Kanye in some way. Kanye has 6 solo albums, 1 collaboration album, and I think like 2 mixtapes. 

10. Lauryn Hill

Hands down L boogie is the best female rapper, still to this day. She only has one album that is still the best album a female rapper has created. Her direct lyricism and dynamic vocal range is what makes her a great artist as a whole. Lauryn Hill doesn't have a lot of music content, her impact and yes, because she's a female is why she's on the list. Lauryn has 2 solo albums and 2 albums with the Fugees.

Why they didn't make the cut?

Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar

Too soon! Yes, more than likely these three will inevitably make the list in time, but now is too soon. Anything can happen between now and the next 10 years. Everyone on the list has succeeded relevancy and acknowledgment for over 10 years of work. These are the rappers your current favorite rappers were inspired by, and most importantly these people changed the genre in one way or another.

Big L, Big Pun

I grouped these two great MCs together because their stories are synonymous and they both died around the year 2000, before truly establishing their mark in hip hop. Big L has 2 albums released while he was alive and 3 posthumous albums released after his death. Big Pun only has 2 albums to ever be released and features on a few of Terror Squads albums. Call it bias or whatever, but they don't have enough work to fully establish them as a GOAT and they didn't leave a strong enough mark during the time of their passing.

Big L has features on his both of his albums that could've made him standout enough to make a true impact on the genre. His 1995 debut album feature Jay Z, who murdered "Da Graveyard," and his 2000 album The Big Picture features Tupac. Although the album was released after his death the weight of the album should've carried his legacy, especially since his death had just occurred.

Big Pun also has 2 albums, his debut album Capital Punishment received a Grammy nomination, and had a platinum hit "I'm Not a Player." The 1998 Capital Punishment displayed lyrical talent and received a lot of recognition, even while competing with the industry leaders such as; Jay Z, Lauryn Hill, Outkast, Black Star, A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock etc... Pun's sophomore album Yeeeah Baby wasn't as successful. He isn't on the list because not only does he not have a substantial amount of albums, he hasn't left the legacy that numbers of any of his competitors would've left had they'd also died. He got his shot to compete with the best.

Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

Honestly I have no clue where to put Lupe, because he is great. Part of me wants to include him on the list, but some could argue he hasn't left a strong enough mark either. The other half of me wants to exclude him, because I feel like he should be on the list with Kendrick, J. Cole, and Drake, but others could argue he's closer to the Kanye, Lil Wayne era. So Idk Lupe is Lupe, and he and Cudi regardless if they dislike each other are kinda in the same era in my mind.

Black Star

Ok now Mos Def and Talib Kweli are great, but I don't think they truly changed hip hop. Most kids these days don’t know who either of them is, and yes that's highly unfortunate, but it's true. They haven't done anything truly amazingly different that others haven't on the list. Now understand that I love Black Star, but this is simply the truth.