Originally Posted by Jester
I'm trying to make this the most objective list possible. This is probably going to change over time, but here's what I've got so far.
1. Aesop Rock
~ He's demonstrated his diversity over the years, and his lyrical content is virtually untouchable. If you go from No Regrets, where he shows off storytelling skill, then to Tugboat Complex Part 3, where the content is too much to digest in one lesson, it's impossible to miss his technical range of talent. His rhyme scheme is incredibly creative and complex, he's like a walking dictionary, and he's been one of the most consistent hip hop artists there's been. He displays a lot of intelligent wordplay and has an interesting voice and flow to match.
2. Chuck D
~ As the head of Public Enemy, Chuck D was one of the earliest to experiment with rhyming schemes, and Public Enemy is important in the fact that they pioneered a new take on hardcore rap that was revolutionary - musically and lyrically. Chuck D's lyrics turned rap into a socially conscious, political, and pro-black forefront. Not to mention, he has the most powerful voice in hip hop.
3. Rakim
~ I don't really like listening to him, I just get bored. However, if you listen to Paid in Full, you'll see that Rakim is responsible for basically inventing modern lyrical technique.
4. KRS-One
~ He took the state of hip hop by the throat and changed it all - he's essentially the godfather of hardcore rap. (Criminal Minded is the foundation of it.) Of course, like many musical innovations, the ideas and pieces existed, but KRS-One encompassed these ideas to truly create it. Not to mention, the grittiness of his older work stands against the test of time. He was also one of the earliest socially conscious rappers.
5. El-P
~ Incredibly adventurous and creative, El-Producto has made room for a lot of innovation in hip hop. His work with Company Flow, Cannibal Ox, and his solo work are all quality. He's the perfect balance between old school and new school, and as the frontman of Company Flow and Def Jux, El-P has basically called the shots and laid the groundwork for all modern day, backpacker rap. Company Flow was dense and abstract, while still being spacious. There was no similar hip hop at the time. It also seems that El-P's production only gets better and better - I'll Sleep When You're Dead sounds like nothing else, and is his best production yet. He's one of those few people who's great as a producer and a rapper.
6. Pharoahe Monch
~ Another innovator of modern lyrical technique, Pharoahe Monch is known for his complex delivery and intricate internal multi-syllabic rhyming. Organized Konfusion's debut album also showcases his perfect, perfect flow. The album was also quite ahead of its time; the flows and topics were progressive.
7. The Beastie Boys
~ The original white boy rap group, and the first white rappers that were of any importance, the Beastie Boys were able to widen what hip hop would be in the future. They fused a lot of their rapping with rock influences, made a lot of catchy tunes, and they were unbelievably smart - see Sounds of Science.
8. Aceyalone
~ People who relate Aceyalone to Aesop Rock are usually the ones who get him right. He lives in an irregular and interesting world, demonstrated by his lyrics. His voice works perfectly with his delivery - exciting and jumpy. His work with Freestyle Fellowship and on All Balls Don't Bounce are enough to put him near the top. He's also a leader in Project Blowed (hip hop collective).
9. Wu-Tang Clan / Gravediggaz
~ I really can't break this down to specific members, so this will have to do. Every Wu-Tang member has absolutely fantastic consistency, and they all have really interesting voices! Over Rza's eerie piano pieces and hypnotic, crunchy beats, every Wu member has a lot of character in their voices, and the lyrics are balanced between hilarious and hardcore rap-esque seriousness. Their sound is very, very recognizable. Gza is intricate, cool and literate, Ghostface Killah has a great voice for rapping, Ol' Dirty Bastard was fun with his unstable, menacing attitude and also played a comic relief with a recognizable part-sung part-rapped delivery. All the artists also went on to create lots of great solo albums.
10. Prefuse 73
~ This one might be a bit unexpected, but I think Prefuse deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest hip hop artists there has been. His glitch hop sound is incredibly original, and he's great at fucking with emotions, some reason. A lot of glitch hop stuff seems novelty - but Prefuse 73 isn't. When you first hear it, it's like, "Oh, that's neat stuff." But it takes a while to really appreciate him and take him for more than something that sounds cool.
Yes?
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