Top 10 Rap Artists

legendzodiac · 09-02-2009, 07:06 AM

Jay Z
2Pac
Dr. Dre
Eminem
Nas
Young Jeezy

Zen · 09-02-2009, 08:51 AM

Never been one my number one genre, so my list is kinda generic I guess.

OutKast - Always seemed more out there, and experimental then any others, and absolutely stood out for me, Stankonia/Aquemini are two of the finest I've ever heard.
2Pac - Probably the first artist in the genre I got into when Changes came out, so sentimental reasons, plus the fact he's not too shabby either.
Eminem - Similar as above, Eminem Show/MMLP are genuine classics, but has tarnished himself with the current crop of garbage.
Kanye West - Absolutely legend, made the whole genre, well the mainstream portion fun and respectable again. Hasn't put a weak album out yet.
Jay-Z - Legend, end of, might have sold out his roots but his mainstream **** is still very much awesome for the most part.
Wu-Tang Clan - Anyone who makes the GOAT (36 Chambers) is obviously gonna make this list.
The Beastie Boys - Consistency and longevity in greatness.
M.I.A. - Love her current two albums, hope it continues.
Public Enemy - Next two are kinda obvious for their pure greatness and influential reasons.
N.W.A -

YoungD · 09-29-2009, 07:53 AM

Noo Order Jus putting them out there.
2Pac
Lil Wayne
Plies
Pretty Ricky
Young Jeezy
Paul Wall
J-Holiday
The Game
The Dream
Jon Young
Dizzee Rascal (British)

Tell Me Who Yours are?

clutnuckle · 09-30-2009, 12:14 PM

GZA/Genius
Nas
Immortal Technique (even if there's a lack of flow)
Inspectah Deck (older stuff, mostly)
Biggie Smalls
Digable Planets (boiler-plate but I grew up on the stuff)
Dr. Dre
2Pac
Mad Conductor
Beastie Boys

I don't look for the underground stuff enough. I should probably get on that.

overdoser · 09-30-2009, 10:19 PM

no order cept lurch

BIG LURCH 3XL & Cosmic Slop Shop
Brotha Lynch Hung
Ganksta N-I-P
Spice 1
Mac Dre
Ice Cube
Gravediggaz
Notorious BIG
Nate Dogg
X Raided

Antonio · 09-30-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio

Aesop Rock
Busdriver
Beastie Boys
GZA
Kanye West
Atmosphere
OutKast
Ludacris
Eminem
ArtOfficial

i gotta fix this

instead of ArtOfficial, i wanna say The Pharcyde

LoathsomePete · 09-30-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio

i gotta fix this

instead of ArtOfficial, i wanna say The Pharcyde

Knocking out ArtOfficial but leaving Kayne West in

Antonio · 09-30-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

Knocking out ArtOfficial but leaving Kayne West in

ArtOfficial is really good, but i got burned out on them fairly quickly. Kanye, on the other hand, i've replayed a couple of his albums and can still do so with a smile on my face.

as for lyrically, i understand how he can be hit or miss, but he does have some really great rhymes when he is actually trying.

Jester · 10-03-2009, 04:33 PM

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?

bigtex · 10-05-2009, 12:02 PM

1. Devin the Dude
2. UGK
3. Chamillionaire
4. Outkast
5. Lupe Fiasco
6. Kanye West
7. Gorilla Zoe
8. Tupac
9. Snoop Dogg
10. Deltron

obviously a fan for texas rappers but im pretty sure Houston has been the no.1 rap city in the nation consistently. the dude has been in the rap game a long time without falling into that "pop rap" category.

09-29-2009, 07:53 AM	#353 (permalink)
YoungD Groupie Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1	Best Rappers Of All Time Noo Order Jus putting them out there. 2Pac Lil Wayne Plies Pretty Ricky Young Jeezy Paul Wall J-Holiday The Game The Dream Jon Young Dizzee Rascal (British) Tell Me Who Yours are?

09-30-2009, 10:19 PM	#355 (permalink)
overdoser God Of Thunder Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 102	no order cept lurch BIG LURCH 3XL & Cosmic Slop Shop Brotha Lynch Hung Ganksta N-I-P Spice 1 Mac Dre Ice Cube Gravediggaz Notorious BIG Nate Dogg X Raided __________________ 3XL ent. for life

10-03-2009, 04:33 PM	#359 (permalink)
Jester Music Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 752	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? Last edited by Jester; 10-03-2009 at 04:43 PM.

10-05-2009, 12:02 PM	#360 (permalink)
bigtex Groupie Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: dallas Posts: 19	10 best 1. Devin the Dude 2. UGK 3. Chamillionaire 4. Outkast 5. Lupe Fiasco 6. Kanye West 7. Gorilla Zoe 8. Tupac 9. Snoop Dogg 10. Deltron obviously a fan for texas rappers but im pretty sure Houston has been the no.1 rap city in the nation consistently. the dude has been in the rap game a long time without falling into that "pop rap" category.

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09-02-2009, 07:06 AM	#351 (permalink)
legendzodiac Groupie Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 10	Jay Z 2Pac Dr. Dre Eminem Nas Young Jeezy

09-02-2009, 08:51 AM	#352 (permalink)
Zen Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chester, England Posts: 63	Never been one my number one genre, so my list is kinda generic I guess. OutKast - Always seemed more out there, and experimental then any others, and absolutely stood out for me, Stankonia/Aquemini are two of the finest I've ever heard. 2Pac - Probably the first artist in the genre I got into when Changes came out, so sentimental reasons, plus the fact he's not too shabby either. Eminem - Similar as above, Eminem Show/MMLP are genuine classics, but has tarnished himself with the current crop of garbage. Kanye West - Absolutely legend, made the whole genre, well the mainstream portion fun and respectable again. Hasn't put a weak album out yet. Jay-Z - Legend, end of, might have sold out his roots but his mainstream **** is still very much awesome for the most part. Wu-Tang Clan - Anyone who makes the GOAT (36 Chambers) is obviously gonna make this list. The Beastie Boys - Consistency and longevity in greatness. M.I.A. - Love her current two albums, hope it continues. Public Enemy - Next two are kinda obvious for their pure greatness and influential reasons. N.W.A -

09-30-2009, 12:14 PM	#354 (permalink)
clutnuckle Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: -_-_-_-_~__~-~_-`_`-~_-`-~-~ Posts: 1,276	GZA/Genius Nas Immortal Technique (even if there's a lack of flow) Inspectah Deck (older stuff, mostly) Biggie Smalls Digable Planets (boiler-plate but I grew up on the stuff) Dr. Dre 2Pac Mad Conductor Beastie Boys I don't look for the underground stuff enough. I should probably get on that.