Note: This list has been known to fluctuate but I feel the rappers listed are my all time favorites. Lets get into it!
Honorable Mention: J. Cole, Logic, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Lupe Fiasco
10) Nicki Minaj & Drake: It may seem odd to see 2 rappers in the top 10 spot but I feel both rappers have not only revolutionized the game but also held Young Money down in Lil Wayne's absence. Nicki is in my opinion the most dominant female rapper we've ever seen. Drake is perhaps the greatest pop rapper we've ever seen minus Kanye West. Top Albums: Pinkprint & Queen/Nothing Was the Same , Views
9) 2pac: It may seem odd to have 2pac this far back but the GOAT is...not my favorite rapper. My statement revealed alot if you've been following my rap debate courtrooms. I feel Pac just had the complete package. He could make gangster anthems, love songs, and conscious rap songs too. Top Albums: Me Agaisnt the World, All Eyez on Me
8) Ludacris: Ludacris is one of my original favrorite rappers. He brings a comedic and energeteic sound pretty much everytime he spits. He's also a very succesful MC. Luda might be one of the best punchline rappers I've ever seen too. Top Albums: Word of Mouf & Chicken- n-Beer, Theater of the Mind
7) The Notorious B.I.G.: There's a lot I could say about Biggie Smalls. He was a rapper truly ahead of his time. His flow and delivery were legendary. It really amazes me how I had never heard Biggie's albums till 2005. Welp better late than never right. I'm team Biggie over team Pac...if that even is something people still talk about over 20 years later.... TA: Ready to Die & Life After Death
6) Nas: Nas is one of those rappers who is generally always held in high esteem. I love how he always makes thought provoking songs and his albums are basically always really good. His lyricism is dope too. He's been accused of "always rapping the same" or "not selling well". I just gotta say, "haters gonna hate" TA: Illmatic, Stillmatic, Life is Good
5) The Game: The Game has long been one of the best west coast rappers ever. His ability to continue to impress lyrically while tbh he was never bad. He has a habit of mimicking other rapper’s styles. TA: The documentaries 2, Documentary
4) T.I.: The king of the south has been one of my favorite rappers for quite some time. I admire his confidence on the mic and rhythmic rapping style. Even when TI falters with a bad album you can count on him to bounce back. King & Paper Trail, Dime Trap
3) Eminem: Slimshady always gets a lot of praise from me. He’s just an incredibly real rapper. He’s also in the conversation for GOAT. To me, to be a great rapper you have to change the game in some ways. He pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable for a rapper to rap about. Top Albums: Marshall mathers Lps, Slimshady Lp
2) Jay Z: Shawn Carter embodies the rags to riches rap story. Jay just has been one of my favorite rappers from get jump. I remember in 2001 I told an older cousin that Jay and Luda were my top rappers. Truth is that Jay-Z continued to prosper while many rival acts kinda faded. He’s just got an impeccable flow and clever wordplay. Jigga gets slighted by some rap fans and honestly I’m not sure why. TA: Blurprint 1, Reasonable Doubt, Black Album
1) Kanye West: Kanye is my favorite rapper all time. I could talk about how he changed the sound of rap with his producer skills but I’m really looking at him as a rapper. He seems to change his image every time he comes out. Once a great back pack rapper; then he turned into a superstar pop rapper. I love how his music seems to always be socially relevant too. While his first 3 albums were classics, It was mbdtf that was his grand return to rap. Ultimately another reason I admire Kanye has to do with a friend that passed putting me on to him. TA: My beautiful dark twisted fantasy, College Dropout. Late Registration
Honorable Mention: J. Cole, Logic, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Lupe Fiasco
10) Nicki Minaj & Drake: It may seem odd to see 2 rappers in the top 10 spot but I feel both rappers have not only revolutionized the game but also held Young Money down in Lil Wayne's absence. Nicki is in my opinion the most dominant female rapper we've ever seen. Drake is perhaps the greatest pop rapper we've ever seen minus Kanye West. Top Albums: Pinkprint & Queen/Nothing Was the Same , Views
9) 2pac: It may seem odd to have 2pac this far back but the GOAT is...not my favorite rapper. My statement revealed alot if you've been following my rap debate courtrooms. I feel Pac just had the complete package. He could make gangster anthems, love songs, and conscious rap songs too. Top Albums: Me Agaisnt the World, All Eyez on Me
8) Ludacris: Ludacris is one of my original favrorite rappers. He brings a comedic and energeteic sound pretty much everytime he spits. He's also a very succesful MC. Luda might be one of the best punchline rappers I've ever seen too. Top Albums: Word of Mouf & Chicken- n-Beer, Theater of the Mind
7) The Notorious B.I.G.: There's a lot I could say about Biggie Smalls. He was a rapper truly ahead of his time. His flow and delivery were legendary. It really amazes me how I had never heard Biggie's albums till 2005. Welp better late than never right. I'm team Biggie over team Pac...if that even is something people still talk about over 20 years later.... TA: Ready to Die & Life After Death
6) Nas: Nas is one of those rappers who is generally always held in high esteem. I love how he always makes thought provoking songs and his albums are basically always really good. His lyricism is dope too. He's been accused of "always rapping the same" or "not selling well". I just gotta say, "haters gonna hate" TA: Illmatic, Stillmatic, Life is Good
5) The Game: The Game has long been one of the best west coast rappers ever. His ability to continue to impress lyrically while tbh he was never bad. He has a habit of mimicking other rapper’s styles. TA: The documentaries 2, Documentary
4) T.I.: The king of the south has been one of my favorite rappers for quite some time. I admire his confidence on the mic and rhythmic rapping style. Even when TI falters with a bad album you can count on him to bounce back. King & Paper Trail, Dime Trap
3) Eminem: Slimshady always gets a lot of praise from me. He’s just an incredibly real rapper. He’s also in the conversation for GOAT. To me, to be a great rapper you have to change the game in some ways. He pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable for a rapper to rap about. Top Albums: Marshall mathers Lps, Slimshady Lp
2) Jay Z: Shawn Carter embodies the rags to riches rap story. Jay just has been one of my favorite rappers from get jump. I remember in 2001 I told an older cousin that Jay and Luda were my top rappers. Truth is that Jay-Z continued to prosper while many rival acts kinda faded. He’s just got an impeccable flow and clever wordplay. Jigga gets slighted by some rap fans and honestly I’m not sure why. TA: Blurprint 1, Reasonable Doubt, Black Album
1) Kanye West: Kanye is my favorite rapper all time. I could talk about how he changed the sound of rap with his producer skills but I’m really looking at him as a rapper. He seems to change his image every time he comes out. Once a great back pack rapper; then he turned into a superstar pop rapper. I love how his music seems to always be socially relevant too. While his first 3 albums were classics, It was mbdtf that was his grand return to rap. Ultimately another reason I admire Kanye has to do with a friend that passed putting me on to him. TA: My beautiful dark twisted fantasy, College Dropout. Late Registration