Greatest Rappers Of All Time

[Gaynelle Alnutt]

The 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time" is a music editorial and ranking of the finest rappers in history, published by the American magazines Billboard and Vibe in February 2023. The ranking was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop music's inception and was compiled by the magazines' respective editorial boards. To determine the rankings, the boards created a list of criteria based on a rapper's artistry, achievements, and cultural influence. It received criticism due to its exclusion of rappers who are not based in North America, as well as the omission of dancehall and reggaeton artists.

Billboard and Vibe presented the first set of rappers on January 11, 2023, and ten more rappers were announced over the course of three weeks. The top rankings were unveiled on February 8, 2023, which crowned Jay-Z the greatest rapper of all time and Nicki Minaj the greatest female rapper of all time. It sparked multiple debates within the hip hop industry, many of whom criticized the publications and artists featured in the premier positions.

Billboard initially created a list of the 10 greatest rappers of all time in November 2015, with the top position held by The Notorious B.I.G.[1] The publication revised their rankings in 2023, via a partnership with Vibe, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop. The updated list, published in stages between January 11 and February 8, 2023, expanded their reach to include the top 50 rappers of all time, instead of 10. The rankings were based on the votes of ten journalists who were a part of Billboard and Vibe's editorial boards, and was led by Datwon Thomas, the editor-in-chief of Vibe. To "keep [the] pool of nominees a little more focused," the journalists chose to exclude dancehall and reggaeton artists and only center on rappers based in North America, regardless of merit.[2]

Acknowledging that lists tend to "draw their share of criticism and praise from industry pundits and the public alike," the rankings were heavily discussed and deliberated amongst the editorial boards in order to rationalize a "well-thought-out, authentic, list that reflects hip hop's foundational pioneers, evolutionary trailblazers, and contemporary mainstays."[2]

Curtis Roberts of We Got This Covered believed that it was a mistake of Billboard and Vibe to create the "head-scratching" list due to the publications prioritizing a rapper's popularity over their content. He highlighted Billboard's reputation as "the go-to domestic hit-ranking metric in the industry" and the updated rules to their albums and songs charts as a case of the magazine's alleged favoritism towards certain artists.[3] Roberts also disagreed with Jay-Z's placement as the greatest rapper of all time, arguing that he deserved to be ranked amongst the most popular rappers instead.[3] Ice Cube, who was ranked the 18th greatest rapper, called the list "irrelevant" and compared the rankings to "assholes: everybody got one and they all stink." He further denounced Billboard and their lack of hip hop knowledge, saying: "Billboard ain't hip hop, so their opinion don't matter. So who gives a fuck?" Ice Cube was not concerned with his placement, but criticized Billboard and Vibe for their exclusion of Too Short, citing it as an undeserved snub.[4] Ja Rule, who was also omitted from the list, responded to the list via social media, writing: "There ain't 50 rappers dead, alive or waiting to be born better than me. [...] Congrats to everyone on the list, but check my rsum."[5] Charlamagne tha God felt that it was too early for Kendrick Lamar and Drake to be mentioned among the greatest of all time.[6]

During an interview with The Art of Dialogue, Melle Mel, who was ranked the 48th greatest rapper of all time, commended Eminem and Lamar as capable rappers, but questioned their influence on hip hop culture.[10] He further argued that Eminem is only considered to be amongst the best because he is white, and that Lamar's music does not resonate with vital aspects of contemporary hip hop.[10][11] Additional criticism was aimed towards Nicki Minaj's placement and Lil Wayne's artistry.[12] Melle Mel's remarks polarized the hip hop industry. Fat Joe, Kevin Gates, and 50 Cent criticized his comments about Eminem,[13] while Chuck D offered an explanation for his critiques.[14] Citing his longevity as a prime example, he compared Melle Mel to basketball player Wilt Chamberlain and how he would often criticize newer generations of players.[14] Agreeing with Melle Mel, psychologist Umar Johnson accused Eminem of upholding white supremacy by usurping Black rappers from consideration.[15][16]

Much of the criticism surrounding Billboard's 2015 list was centered around the exclusion of Tupac Shakur.[21] Many journalists also believed that including Lamar on the list was premature, and that the writers involved with the rankings showed favoritism instead of following a specific metric.[22] Snoop Dogg found the list to be disrespectful, while The Game created his own version after sharing his own vitriol.[23][24] Tyga described the list as dated and argued that Drake and J. Cole should have been included.[25] Ghostface Killah, who was ranked the eighth-greatest, was appreciative of his placement.[26]

Prodigy is an essential figure in the East Coast rap scene and was one half of the legendary Mobb Deep duo with Havoc. Born in New York, he and his partner gained recognition for their raw and real depictions of New York at the time, in all its grittiness. The duo had a hold on the 1990s, especially with the release of the seminal 1995 album The Infamous. Prodigy stood out for his vivid storytelling, careful rhyme schemes and authenticity that helped cement Mobb Deep in the rap history books. Though he passed away in 2017, he continues to have an impact on the genre and artists today as someone who shaped rap towards the end of its golden era and beyond.

Critics define his music by its mix of soulful beats and gritty but poetic lyrics, all flavored by East Coast rap tendencies. Some of his most popular albums include Marcberg, released in 2010, and Reloaded, out in 2012. As a rapper rooted in the underground scene, he never achieved ridiculous commercial success, but instead left an impact on rappers for years to come.

Though Juice WLRD passed away a mere six days after turning 21, his impact on a generation remains ever present. (His posthumous releases, including Legends Never Die in 2020, channel his power). Among many things, fans credit him for being a voice for challenging mental health topics. Despite his early passing, he left behind a trove of thousands of unreleased songs, per his label.

Beyond music, the artist has established himself as a memorable figure in comedy through series like Loiter Squad and in fashion through his labels Golf Wang and Golf le Fleur, which sell nail polish, luggage and apparel. He continues to inspire listeners and artists today through his honesty, humor and artistic range.

Standing on the shoulders of the women who came before her, Lil' Kim didn't just flaunt her lyrical skills and musical talent, but she also reveled in her sexual power and bold fashion style. (See her 1999 VMAs look that's still considered iconic today.) Some of her biggest songs include "Crush on You," "The Jump Off," "Put Ya Lighters Up" and "Not Tonight." Her contributions to the genre remain immense, from her fearlessness in the industry to her musical talent and the road she paved for artists ahead.

His first studio album (with the same name as the aforementioned mixtape) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. And since, he has stayed consistent with his original style in wordplay, experimental production and genre-blurring. Some of his most popular songs include "Praise the Lord," "F**kin' Problems," "Fashion Killa" and "L$D." The rapper is also a face of fashion, be it for Dior, Bottega Veneta or alongside Rihanna, who he has two sons with. (One is named RZA, after the Wu-Tang Clan rapper.)

The artist was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles when he was just 24 years old, which may be why he has more posthumous albums than studio albums in his discography. Still, his legacy and imprint on hip-hop remains strong as ever, from music to fashion and broader culture.

It's hard to talk about the rap game today without mention of Eminem. Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri, he came up in the gritty streets partly reflected in his semi-autobiographic movie, 8 Mile.

He remains one of the artists who substantially shaped the genre and the culture, known to hip-hop lovers and great artists alike. In recent years, he has been leaning into entrepreneurship more through developing a TV series and partnering with brands like Hennessy to celebrate hip-hop.

Alongside his music career, Ye is also known for entrepreneurship in fashion, across shoes and apparel, in addition to his kids with ex-wife and reality television megastar Kim Kardashian. Mirroring his great successes are great challenges as well, from his public mental health battles to a growing list of controversies in recent years, with an emphasis on antisemitic comments that spurred major fallout. After having his deals cut with major brands like Adidas and Gap, he pivoted to selling his own gear via YZY. There are also his fashion choices that gravely missed the mark.

Outside of music, Kendrick Lamar focuses on pgLang, the creative communications company he founded in 2020 with Dave Free. It specializes in music and visual media production, seen in music videos, an ad campaign for Calvin Klein and a short film for Chanel.

Jay-Z has had a prolific career and has earned numerous accolades, including 23 Grammy Awards, which makes him one of the most awarded artists and rappers in history. As he continues his efforts in business and social impact, he remains a music pioneer and, accordingly, an inspiration.

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