Both critics and fans enjoy lists. Rankings like these, however, take on a special significance in rap since, in addition to inspiring an audience (shoutout to Rakim), being an MC also entails demonstrating your superiority. No other genre allows artists to so overtly display their desire to outperform rivals.
It doesn't matter who is popular on this list. It doesn't offer those who are traditional extra respect points. Whoever names themselves the G.O.A.T. doesn't matter. Whether they are on a major label or an independent business, the only thing that matters is their level of sheer technical proficiency. They must have been around long enough to demonstrate their consistency.
This calls for careful consideration of complex rhyme systems and multisyllabic rhyming, as well as the need to maintain the lyrics grammatically correct while dancing around these technicalities.
The top ten rappers of all time will be covered first, followed by the runners-up who are in serious contention for the top spot. Finally, there are still other rappers that have the talent but need a little more time to develop their skills and reach maturity.
If your favorite rappers aren't represented on this page, you should check out a few of the others and see if they broaden your perspective on what's possible or complex in the rap game.
Seeing which of these artists reaches the list of the wealthiest rappers is also intriguing. Does fame imply talent and vice versa? You may be surprised at the solution.
#10 Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne deserves to be on this list, despite some people's doubts. You can find a very talented lyricist if you ignore his stupid auto-tuned sing-song rapping in his radio-centric tunes. He's been honing his craft for years now, using tons of wordplay, sophisticated rhyme schemes, and multisyllabic rhyming.
Along with his Young Money label mates, he actually popularized—and some could even argue invented—the use of analogies (rather than similes) in wordplay, which reads more like a joke with a punchline than anything else. He never wastes a line, which is his most notable talent. They are jam-packed with jokes that happen so quickly you can't even hear them all at once.
Wayne started his professional career at age 13 when Birdman signed him to Cash Money Records. He later joined the Hot Boys which launched several best-selling artists like Juvenile. He's sold over 100 million records, landing him as the world's best-selling musician. He's got 5 Grammys, 11 BET Awards, and much more.
#9 MF Doom
Like Kool G Rap, MF Doom has earned the respect of other, much more well-known rap musicians despite never being a household name. It hasn't stopped him from finding great success in the underground scene or from transitioning into voice acting for animated films.
#8 Royce Da 5'9"
Royce has been around for a very long time; in the past, he even served as a ghostwriter for P. Diddy and Dr. Dre. His most noticeable talent is his great rhyme schemes, which you hear less of in his new, more pop-oriented style. His first bar of a couplet will be relatively brief, allowing the second to be incredibly long, and when it returns to the final multisyllabic rhyme, you're left in awe.
He is also incredibly talented when it comes to internal rhymes, whether they stand alone or are a component of the outward rhyme. His lyrics improved throughout time, becoming more sincere and mature, with the message properly blending into the complexity of the rhyming rather than being harmed by it.
Eminem was created by Royce, who also had the idea for the Bad Meets Evil duet, which would eventually become successful almost two decades later. He was prevented from becoming successful with his Detroit cohorts like D12 by a string of unfortunate business circumstances, but he eventually became successful with the band Slaughterhouse.
#7 Kool G Rap
Kool G Rap is cited as one of their personal favorites by several of the greatest rappers ever. He was a pioneer of multisyllabic rhyming while preserving the effortless New York flow that served as an inspiration to many artists on our list. G Rap is a top rhymer, but because to his mafioso-style rhymes, he never achieved widespread fame.
He appears on all the "best" lists due to a combination of factors, including his flow, breath control, and visual storytelling and imagery. Due to how many musicians have attempted to imitate him, even if you've never heard of him and listened to him, he will sound incredibly familiar. For instance, Big Pun credits G Rap with giving him the mafioso look.
#6 Nas
Nas is as talented as everyone else on this list, but he prefers to bend the technical rhyming rules a little. He is able to have far more complex lyrical substance thanks to this looseness. He strikes a balance between being dogmatic and boring and being casual enough that you can actually learn something by listening.
Nas is one of those people that has exactly the right amount of talent from all the different sorts to combine without ever getting in the way of the lyrics (pretty much the opposite of Tech N9ne below). He made it to all of the top rankings in part because he took advice from Kool G Rap and built on it.
Nas has put out eight records in a row that have gone platinum or multi-platinum. He engaged in a number of well-publicized feuds with Jay-Z, 2pac, Cam'ron, and Young Jeezy. He has been nominated for 12 Grammys, 5 MTV Video Music Awards, and he has won some BET Hip Hop Awards. So far, he has sold over 30 million records.
#5 Sage Francis
Sage Francis belongs to the cerebral "backpacker" school of rap, which is doomed to never gain widespread popularity but offers more content per song than any other hip-hop subgenre. Francis is a skilled artist who can create anything, but his storytelling and images are his genuine assets.
Francis could easily be ranked higher on the list, but his writing is so dense with intellectual material that it prevents him from writing anything that is purely enjoyable. Often, you have to make an effort to listen to him because you are drawn to his complexities. I'm confident that he will soon strike a balance and advance.
He founded Strange Famous Records and serves as its CEO. At the age of eight, he started honing his craft while learning to rhyme to Public Enemy and Run DMC. He holds degrees in journalism and communication.
#4 Jayz
Like Nas, Jay-Z is a rapper who has the ability to be excessively sophisticated but opts to be looser in his approach. As a result, he has more space to develop and communicate his message, which is his real strength. When you listen to Jay-Z, you hear a man with a lot of life experience and wisdom to share.
He is the richest musician in the United States and the first millionaire rapper since everyone enjoys his songs. He has 22 Grammy Awards, is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has sold more than 50 million albums and 75 million singles. What else is there to say about Jay-Z when you've heard his music and heard about him?
Both Roc-A-Fella Records and the clothing store Rocawear were created by Jay-Z. He established and is the owner of the 40/40 Club network of exclusive sports bars. Recently, he acquired the streaming service Tidal. Most impressively, he is wed to Beyonce, a well-known singer.
#3 Chali 2na
The sound of expertise is chali 2na. There is no room for improvement. The main issue is that he opts to write more inspirational songs, which might get stale, and tries to write commercial singles. One of my issues with Big Pun is his pursuit of money through corny pop songs. Whatever the case, Chali is the most sophisticated rapper in the world.
He is a part of Ozomatli and Jurassic 5. His stage name is derived from the deep-voiced animated StarKist Tuna mascot. He is well-known in the rap community, but many people first heard of him as a result of a Linkin Park collaboration.
He is able to use every opportunity to incorporate an internal or external rhyme with several syllables, and his lyrics are sophisticated and make perfect sense. His baritone voice is also very appealing.
#2 Tech N9ne
Without a doubt, Tech N9ne has the best flow of all time. He comes close to being at the top thanks to his use of triplets, sixlets, intricate rhyme systems, multisyllabic rhyming, unusual time signatures, and other devices. He has unequaled vitality. So why is he not first?
He adheres to the guidelines so closely that occasionally he even invents words or phrases to fit into the multi. Although it's not a big deal, he might easily win the competition if he can get past it and perhaps improve his storytelling.
He is one of Strange Music's co-founders. Video games, television, and movies have all used his music. He has continued to operate independently rather than joining a major label, and despite a slight slowdown in his progress, he is still enjoying popular success without them.
#1 Eminem
Eminem has raised the bar for expertise. His music is next-level in terms of complexity, vocabulary, rhyming words you'd never think to put together, etc. when he isn't concerned with achieving mainstream appeal. His freestyle abilities are virtually infinite, and he is performing actions that seem unnatural.
In the drama movie 8 Mile, which is centered around rap battles, he played the lead role. He has received numerous awards, including 15 Grammys, 8 American Music Awards, and 17 Billboard Music Awards.
He debuted all ten of his number-one albums at the top of the Billboard 200. The only artist to have accomplished this is him.
0 Comments