The greatest rap artists of all time are still surprisingly young, which makes sense given how young the genre is itself. But don’t let their age fool you. These rap artists changed the music world forever with their rhymes and beats and made the world take notice of the rising art form of rap. Here’s a list recognizing the top ten rap artists of all time.
Number Ten: Dr. Dre
If you haven’t seen Straight Outta Compton then you need to. This movie goes on to show the genius that is Dr. Dre when it comes to rap and creating beats that fans and artists alike fall in love with. His talent is unparalleled when it comes to laying down a beat you won’t want to stop hearing and he helped mentor some other rappers on this list to get them where they are now musically.
Number Nine: Kanye West
If you forget about his Twitter rants, his fashion line, and his insane interviews, Kanye West was once best known for his rapping. This Chi-town native broke onto the rap scene years ago and is still making hits that top the charts. His ability to constantly push himself and create new art in the rap world is impressive.
Number Eight: Snoop Dogg
What list of ultimate rap artists is complete without the d-o-double g? Snoop, along with the help of his mentor Dr. Dre, helped personify what California rap style is and his voice is still unlike anything else out there.
Number Seven: Kendrick Lamar
He may be young and new to the rapping scene, but you can’t deny Kendrick’s talent when it comes to writing, rapping, and performing. The boy has got creativity and a unique spin in the rapping game thanks to his rhythms, ad-libs, and various personality voices. Here’s looking forward to what else this young rapper has in store for us.
Number Six: Ghostface Killah
This list wouldn’t be complete without at least one member from Wu-Tang Clan, and for this list, that member is Ghostface Killah. His rhymes are untouchable and clearly the product of natural talent. Ghostface was born to be the ultimate rap artist.
Number Five: Jay Z
Where to begin with Jay? He’s been making hits since the 90s and developing his talents ever since. You can’t deny that he is and always will be one of the greatest rap artists in the game.
Number Four: Nas
I mean, Nas defeated Jay in a rap war. What other proof do you need for him to make this list? Besides his vast array of impressive work, hits, and albums that never stop coming.
Number Three: Eminem
The only white boy to make the list, Eminem fought hard to make his way to the top of the rap world. With various personalities, an unbelievable flow, and some of the greatest and most technically impressive songs and verses, it’s easy to see why Eminem makes it into the top five of everyone’s best rap artists of all time lists.
Number Two: Tupac Shakur
R.I.P 2pac. Gone too soon, this rapper was a chameleon unlike any other rapper in the list. He bounced back and forth between calling for outright violence and slews of misogynistic lyrics to crooning love poetry, an ode to his mother, and a voice for peace and equality. If only we had more time to hear everything this poet had to say.
Number One: The Best Of All The Rap Artists, The Notorious B.I.G.
I may be a bit biased as a Bed-Stuy native, but Biggie is by far the greatest rapper of all time. Not only did he make hit after hit early on in his short-lived career, but he never dropped a bad song or verse. Biggie Smalls was always on point. His songs will forever be played and most fans know every single word about this young rapper’s struggles as a Brooklyn youth. At least I know I do.
There you have it. The top ten rap artists of all time. I hope your favorite rapper made the list, but if not maybe it’s time to check out what these greats have to offer.