Just yesterday my friends and i had a debate on who are the top 10 rappers (who hit main stream) of all time so i want to bring this to Shoryuken and see what the people here think. My top 5 isn’t just being the better lyricist, the rapper can provide decent lyrics but nice songs to listen to (Jay Z for example) and still be considered a better rapper than a rapper who is a great lyricist (Nas). Artistic+Skill is how i’ve rated them.
My list
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Eminem - The most part, the common overall draft pick when it comes to best rappers of all-time is either Tupac or Biggie… sometimes even Nas, but i think Eminem should definitely be in the conversation and an arguable best of all time. In my opinion he is the best of all time. As i said, Lyrics and Artistcry is what makes the ranks and eminem just sells over both those categories. His ability of using polysyllabic rhymes and extended metaphors into rap flows and having down to earth meaning in his songs is just something different that very few rappers have shown and that includes the legends such as Tupac and Biggie. Eminem has been amaizing when popping out diss tracks, to freestyling, to giving real life messages in his content.
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Tupac - I think he’s overrated to be considered the best rapper of all time. I think he was a 5 star lyricist but if i did base this on lyrical ability alone then tupac would be at 4-5. His legendary music is what makes him above Biggie and Nas because his music had a deep message in it and it was backed up by amaizing instrumentals to make it feelable. The problem i had with tupac is 1. I think he is lyrically inferrior to biggie and nas, 2. His message content (while deep) seems to be to secluded to a black audience mostly… not all of his messages are relatable for none black listeners. Nevertheless he is the biggest legend of rap music for a reason.
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Notorius BIG - I think Biggie was a better rapper than Tupac. I think he lyrically killed Tupac with his Who shot ya diss track. I can’t say if he was a better lyricist than Eminem but i can’t blame anybody who thinks so. Biggie had the lyrics, the flow, and the music so he can be considered above tupac fairly… contrary, i just think Tupac made better music and had better messages in his songs than Biggie did which is why i place him at 2.
4/5. Can’t decide between Jay-Z and Nas. Nas is the better lyricist and is more true to hip hop than Jay-z’s hits BUT i’ve always seen Nas as a Street Lyricist (my opinion on him is the same as Rakim when he was asked on who is better between Eminem and Nas) and this means his music just can’t win over other audiences like Jay-z can. Nas’ messages are real while Jay-z’s music is just great to listen to which is something i think Nas loses at. Jay Z is not as bad at rapping as most people say either because he can provide good lyrics to his music, no one should deny that. To close, i think both are very even and it really depends on how you value lyrics over artisticry that much to decide who is better from the two.
Notable mentions are KRS One, Rakim, Mos Def, Redman, groups like the Roots, Fugees, Busta Rhymes, Andre 3000, Bone thugs…
