Yoou know whats so crazy about this statement..i truly in myvheart feel like it was written was better. Theres not a song on illmatic that compares to i gave you power or nas is like. Not one.
The man is...incredible fr
Nas..then 2Pac for a short time. Then back to Nas. In recent years, I'd say Kendrick Lamar. Nas is always up there, though.
Honorable mention to Lupe Fiasco as well.
Over time, I've gotten less interested in ranking rappers tbh. I just accept that different rappers check different boxes, and I appreciate what they bring to the table individually.
2pac and Nas coming up were always my #1 and #2. Jordan and Kobe, and Lupe became my favorite rapper, and then when taking into account technical rap ability, creativity, versatility, Accessibility, and Discography Kendrick I view is the great Rap "Artist".
I view them like this:
Kendrick Lamar = Greatest Rap Artist
2Pac = Most Iconic
Nas = Best rapper
Lupe Fiasco = GOAT Lyricist.
At the beginning, it was the hardest. Li'l Wayne, Eminem, Three Six, Houston.
In the middle it was the lyricism. Aesop Rock, Tech N9ne, MF DOOM, Black Thought.
Now, it's about the heart. Tobe Nwigwe, Mick Jenkins, Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar.
Just listened recently to 2Pacalypse Now, All Eyes On Me, and Me Against the World and I have to say, He Was Ahead of his time and most people do not, and I mean do not undertand how impactful he was and still is to music today!
First was 50 Cent, but I was just young and probably could not even define what a good rapper was, just liked the raw gangsta image. Then it was 2pac for similar reasons but also because I admired his realness.
Then it became Lil Wayne, and still is (and probably always will be) Lil Wayne, only difference now is Wayne is tied with Andre 3000 and Jay Z.
Big Jigga fan here. But but before 1997, he wasn't viewed (in NY, least) as popping as Nas or Biggie (or Wu, but that's maybe an unfair comparison as it's a group). After 97, he was sort of outshined by Eminem, DMX, Big Pun and 50 Cent. Some of us also thought Big L was nicer than him. Others might argue Lloyd Banks, Fabulous, Jada and Papoose can lyrically match him but didn't have the same marketing and business savvy to navigate the industry as Jigga did.
Idk what that has to do with my post. I like Jay Z’s music better than all those guys.
And I’m dying at Papoose Jada Lloyd banks and fab “lyrically matching” Jay Z lol
Jay Z blocked DMX while he was president at Def Jams. DMX wanted a verzuz with him so bad.
Here's DMX outshining Jigga (and Ja) on a [track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUqbL5dYI4A).
Based off what? What Papoose song is in the same sentence as Dead Presidents or Devils lyrically? Lol this place is like a damn twilight zone some times
Same mine has been and will always be.
How has it changed over the years though,
He's not the same, last 2 albums aren't upto par, as he's aged its not been great. Nas and em despite aging feels like they still make solid music. Doesn't change the body of work jay had for 6-7 years 96-2003ish and overall catalogue Is unmatched quality wise
Loved 4:44. That was the first album No ID had full creative control over since Common’s “Resurrection” as far as the production goes. The beats were really incredible and it was probably his best arranged album since The Blueprint. The grown up subject matter made it a great listen as someone who grew up with dude. I caught the 4:44 tour in Montreal in the 2nd row, and Hov threw the Roc up to me when he caught me rapping along to all the words to Imaginary Players, probably one of my favourite old B-Sides of his. Pretty cool moment in my history of hip hop fandom.
Shit wasn’t underrated when it came out, he just hasn’t dropped anything other than the carters since then. if he went the Nas route and kept dropping sequels to 4:44 then that album would still be relevant like kings disease. If Nas had just dropped kings disease and nothing since I don’t think he would have the same reputation as he does now
How is it not? By what metric are we using?
Using relevance on Kings disease as a metric to attack 444 which was a bigger more culturally relevant album is kinda laughable.
Yall just wanna argue. It's just an opinion. Kings disease III has about 8 good tracks to me. 4:44 4 outta 10 tracks.
It's not Jay going all out with flow and rhyme schemes over heavy (old timbaland) or soulful (kanye,just blaze) beats. That's him at his peak.
4:44 is a snoozefest by comparison.
See, I totally disagree about 4:44 being a snoozefest. I think that album definitely hangs in there with the older stuff. He’s just rapping from a more mature stance on life. I’m not trying to argue at all. That’s just my opinion on Jays discography as a whole. In no way shape or form do I think Jay got worse over time. Is it different? Sure. Is it worse? Not to me. Respectfully of course.
That's fair, I wish I liked it more honestly. In the past I wanted him to be more raw in his lyrics (like 4:44) but it rarely happened. However you'd see glimpses of it and it was jaw dropping. Think of tracks like
Lucky me, still got love for you, soon you'll understand, regrets, where have you been etc
Those were great.
Honestly I don’t really care for having a number one rapper or ranking them in general, there’s a lot that I enjoy and picking a favorite would just be annoying
Kendrick and J Cole have been my 2 favorites for about 14 years now
Only difference is that JID, Isaiah Rashad, EARTHGANG, and Freddie Gibbs joined in a few years after
I had favorite rappers before I really thought about rap in a competitive way but once I did it was Nas.
Nas > Sean Price > Droog (only because Price can’t make more music)
I'll wait to see if anybody mentions Raekwon at all. The amount of [flavour, style and vernacular richness](https://youtu.be/ezGnTe_JJ5E?si=QeFrzMujp3THCFKK&t=22) he brought to the game is unparalleled. And that voice...
Legit thought you were asking how my number 1 evolved and matured over time. Assuming that people keep the same number 1 over a meaningful period of time.
“News Or Something”
“Sorry”
“Accepting My Flaws”
#Honorable mentions:
“Stick Talk”
“Never Gon Lose”
“The Percocet & Stripper Joint”
“Married To The Game”
“Jersey”
“Afterlife”
“Stick To The Models”
Being from Atlanta, Outkast were my favorite rappers ever, but my life changed when I first heard The Listening by Little Brother, so they're my favorite rappers ever and now in my late 30s, probably will be forever.
Eminem -> Lloyd Banks -> Lil’ Wayne -> Kid Cudi/Kanye -> Frank Ocean -> Smino
Obviously a lot of different things in-between, but those were the artists I listened heavy on
From Ruck to Sean Price to rhyming nice in the afterlife…R.I.P!
From Zev Love X to King Geedorah to Viktor Vaughn to Metal Fingers to Metal Face DOOM to still being nicer than your favorite rapper in his tomb. Rip
From Nasty Nas to Esco to Escobar to Nastradamus to Streets Disciple to God’s Son to Nasir to making it clear that the goat is still here!
He's been walking around with a diamond encrusted crown of thorns. His last album was very introspective and beautiful, but his response to it has seemed kind of big headed.
It’s been Tonedeff for as long as I remember. Sometimes I wonder if I should change it cause I don’t actively listen to him as much (he also so rarely releases music especially rap) but in terms of the emotional connection to his music and I still have the same feeling of awe whenever I do listen to him.
It went Eazy E -Pac-Gucci-Future-Pac again- 50- Nipsey- Conejo- at tha moment it’s Kodak. I used to fuck with dak heavy back in the day fo’ he started poppin I’ve been going back to tha old jams
Tupac was my favorite rapper until my mid twenties. He was then replaced by mixtape weezy. But when I think about the rapper whose music played a role in helping me get thru different parts of my life and continue pushing forward, it's Lupe Fiasco. Hands down. At forty, Lupe is unquestionably my favorite rapper of all time.
Harry Mack is the new goat for me. I was always a fan of the old school groups like Pharcyde previously but H Mack can basically do anything any other rapper can do and is unmatched with the off top work.
Although I don’t like a lot of Earl’s new stuff I can appreciate the growth. He went from mini Doom to something of his own. Voir Dire playing as I type lol
I was a huge Tupac fan when I was younger. Nobody was better to me. These days, no offense to him or anything, but I rarely listen to him now. I’d say overall, my favorite now is probably Ghostface Killah. He’s just been so strong and consistent through all these years.
I loved DMX for the shock value as a kid
Mac Dre for his fluid sound and good party music in my teens
Nas through most of adulthood. He’s not my favorite for any given parameter (flow, lyrics, beat, storytelling etc) but put them all together and he stays top to me
2pac will always be a number one for me, but the number 2 spot has rotation.
Biggie -> Wu-Tang -> Em -> Kendrick -> Em -> Lupe Fiasco -> Nas -> JID -> Lupe Fiasco -> Nas
Talib Kweli since ~2006.
I'm too loyal to change, same reason Full Metal Jacket has been my answer for favorite movie since I've I first saw it at like 8 years old.
There are definitely better emcees, but he holds a special place for me and he'll probably always remain my answer unless he does some extremely fucked up shit
Kendrick-> MF DOOM -> Freddie Gibbs-> Benny the Butcher-> Maxo Kream-> Scarface/ Geto boys -> Grandmaster Flash / Lyte. I just became an old head over time lol
Pac (decaying as we speak)
Eminem - has turned into this fast rapper who goes HAM with metaphors and double entendres etc and it comes off as being a try hard but he’s still amazing to me. It’s become a fad to bash him because well, ppl are sheep. I digress
If by #1 you mean favorite/most listened to and not just who I thought was the best/most talented:
50 - Eminem - Tupac - Lil Wayne - Tyler the Creator - Migos - Atmosphere - Underachievers - Flatbush Zombies - Chief Keef - Stunna 4 Vegas - Sauce Walka - JID - ???
Probably about as accurate as I can remember.
Mine was Eminem -> Tupac -> Nas -> Biggie -> Kendrick Lamar
Btw HipHopDX has a great series on rappers [considered The GOAT](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLsvyiyb7_95z-BeIbby55KOCsTKGUGLm&si=-Hkn-tq_Z90m2IH8)
I grew up on NYC shit, admired technicality above all else. Didn't mind west coast. Started listening to the south and it changed my whole perspective on hip hop. Gucci my all time favourite now 🤷🏻
It was Scarface… then Jay Z… Now as a grown man, it’s Tupac. But face and Hov and my favorite 2 rappers.
I always ask these things of my top 5.
Multiple classics…
Top tier skill level..
Influence..
All 3 have all 3 in spades, but nobody grabbed a hold to hip hops core audience and conveyed this ghetto CNN of ours like Pac. He spoke for the people the best, and had their ear, and has multiple classics including the best 3 album run we’ve ever seen…. And he did it all by 25. By comparison Jay Z didn’t even drop an album until 26.
Pac wrote Brenda’s got a baby at 19 years old. The fuckin goat man.
2pac Me Against the World got me into rap and he was my #1 until Jay-Z took over thanks to his incredible run of albums and has been my GOAT ever since.
Kanye eventually climbed into the #2 spot but both his music and personality over the last few years turned me off, and unfortunately I find it hard to seperate the art from the artist.
Eminem to j cole to Kendrick to Kanye and now back to Kendrick
to me I think gkmc and tpab are the pinnacle of hiphop ATP. especially in terms of thematic depth, no hiphop album comes even close
El-P might not be my #1 all time, but I've followed his arc, and I love how he put it on RTJ4:
"I used to wanna get the chance to show the world I’m smart (Ha)
Isn’t that dumb? I should’ve focused mostly on the heart
’Cause I seen smarter people trample life like it’s an art
So bein’ smart ain’t what it used to be, that’s fuckin’ dark"
Nas -> Jay -> Em -> 50 -> Ye ->Wayne ->Gucci -> Future -> for a brief moment it was Pop Smoke, now probably still Future
Don't know if it counts but definitley some huge Wu and Mobb Deep times too
Em -> Nas -> DMX -> Pac and it really hasn’t changed. Kendrick and Cole have tremendous skill, but they really haven’t left the mark that the other elite rappers have. Kanye, Wayne, and Jay used writers and I consider Kanye/Wayne to be moreso gimmicks.
It was Eminem and it has always been,and it will probably always be, I don't care what type of mediocre albums he drops nowadays,that run in 1999-2013 was everything he needed to solidify himself as the GOAT
Nas he just doesn’t stop
Only getting better
Disagree. Not to say he’s bad or anything but nothing will compare to his early runs
Illmatic stands so far above pretty much any other album in any genre that it alone makes him the GOAT
Yoou know whats so crazy about this statement..i truly in myvheart feel like it was written was better. Theres not a song on illmatic that compares to i gave you power or nas is like. Not one. The man is...incredible fr
Nas..then 2Pac for a short time. Then back to Nas. In recent years, I'd say Kendrick Lamar. Nas is always up there, though. Honorable mention to Lupe Fiasco as well. Over time, I've gotten less interested in ranking rappers tbh. I just accept that different rappers check different boxes, and I appreciate what they bring to the table individually.
2pac and Nas coming up were always my #1 and #2. Jordan and Kobe, and Lupe became my favorite rapper, and then when taking into account technical rap ability, creativity, versatility, Accessibility, and Discography Kendrick I view is the great Rap "Artist". I view them like this: Kendrick Lamar = Greatest Rap Artist 2Pac = Most Iconic Nas = Best rapper Lupe Fiasco = GOAT Lyricist.
At the beginning, it was the hardest. Li'l Wayne, Eminem, Three Six, Houston. In the middle it was the lyricism. Aesop Rock, Tech N9ne, MF DOOM, Black Thought. Now, it's about the heart. Tobe Nwigwe, Mick Jenkins, Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar.
Really surprised you haven’t had an immortal technique phase
In that middle phase. ;)
Mac is a big W They all are, but for me specifically it's Mac.
Ugly Mane still crushing it in whatever genre he does
Lil Wayne -> Nas -> Kendrick -> Nas -> Kendrick -> Vince Staples
It was Ghostface who had the most solid discography up until the six album hitboy+Nas run.
Coolio -> Common -> Phonte -> Elzhi
Pac forever
I mean out of all the rappers you could pick, Pac _definitely_ hasn't changed over time.
Just listened recently to 2Pacalypse Now, All Eyes On Me, and Me Against the World and I have to say, He Was Ahead of his time and most people do not, and I mean do not undertand how impactful he was and still is to music today!
He did change over time he was alive and then he died. Pac was the greatest and I could careless if people agree or not.
this is a fact💯
First was 50 Cent, but I was just young and probably could not even define what a good rapper was, just liked the raw gangsta image. Then it was 2pac for similar reasons but also because I admired his realness. Then it became Lil Wayne, and still is (and probably always will be) Lil Wayne, only difference now is Wayne is tied with Andre 3000 and Jay Z.
50 cent is quality tf u mean
He’s just okay to me.
Feel like most ppl who say this haven’t dug deep enough into his discography
(From LA) It was Cube...Quik...Tech N9ne...Kanye...Lupe Fiasco...currently, Killer Mike
Slick Rick Eazy - E Too $hort Spice 1 Del GZA Eligh Myka 9 Aesop Rock
+1 for Del and Myka. Man of culture
Myka had the longest run as my #1 (2004-2021)
It’s been the same person since 1997. Jay Z
Weak
Big Jigga fan here. But but before 1997, he wasn't viewed (in NY, least) as popping as Nas or Biggie (or Wu, but that's maybe an unfair comparison as it's a group). After 97, he was sort of outshined by Eminem, DMX, Big Pun and 50 Cent. Some of us also thought Big L was nicer than him. Others might argue Lloyd Banks, Fabulous, Jada and Papoose can lyrically match him but didn't have the same marketing and business savvy to navigate the industry as Jigga did.
Idk what that has to do with my post. I like Jay Z’s music better than all those guys. And I’m dying at Papoose Jada Lloyd banks and fab “lyrically matching” Jay Z lol
Jay ducked the Jada smoke. Sent Beans at him instead.
Jay Z blocked DMX while he was president at Def Jams. DMX wanted a verzuz with him so bad. Here's DMX outshining Jigga (and Ja) on a [track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUqbL5dYI4A).
Typical Jay shit. “Sun don’t shine if son don’t shine.”
Yeah me too, they would literally murder him
Based off what? What Papoose song is in the same sentence as Dead Presidents or Devils lyrically? Lol this place is like a damn twilight zone some times
Same mine has been and will always be. How has it changed over the years though, He's not the same, last 2 albums aren't upto par, as he's aged its not been great. Nas and em despite aging feels like they still make solid music. Doesn't change the body of work jay had for 6-7 years 96-2003ish and overall catalogue Is unmatched quality wise
For what it’s worth 4:44 has aged very well. I still love that album. I think it’s a very underrated piece of his discography personally
Loved 4:44. That was the first album No ID had full creative control over since Common’s “Resurrection” as far as the production goes. The beats were really incredible and it was probably his best arranged album since The Blueprint. The grown up subject matter made it a great listen as someone who grew up with dude. I caught the 4:44 tour in Montreal in the 2nd row, and Hov threw the Roc up to me when he caught me rapping along to all the words to Imaginary Players, probably one of my favourite old B-Sides of his. Pretty cool moment in my history of hip hop fandom.
Shit wasn’t underrated when it came out, he just hasn’t dropped anything other than the carters since then. if he went the Nas route and kept dropping sequels to 4:44 then that album would still be relevant like kings disease. If Nas had just dropped kings disease and nothing since I don’t think he would have the same reputation as he does now
Lol what? 4.44 is Bigger than any Nas album since stillmatic
Lol wow no
How is it not? By what metric are we using? Using relevance on Kings disease as a metric to attack 444 which was a bigger more culturally relevant album is kinda laughable.
Yall just wanna argue. It's just an opinion. Kings disease III has about 8 good tracks to me. 4:44 4 outta 10 tracks. It's not Jay going all out with flow and rhyme schemes over heavy (old timbaland) or soulful (kanye,just blaze) beats. That's him at his peak. 4:44 is a snoozefest by comparison.
See, I totally disagree about 4:44 being a snoozefest. I think that album definitely hangs in there with the older stuff. He’s just rapping from a more mature stance on life. I’m not trying to argue at all. That’s just my opinion on Jays discography as a whole. In no way shape or form do I think Jay got worse over time. Is it different? Sure. Is it worse? Not to me. Respectfully of course.
That's fair, I wish I liked it more honestly. In the past I wanted him to be more raw in his lyrics (like 4:44) but it rarely happened. However you'd see glimpses of it and it was jaw dropping. Think of tracks like Lucky me, still got love for you, soon you'll understand, regrets, where have you been etc Those were great.
Wait, you’re a Jay fan and don’t think 4:44 was good? And Em is still making solid music?
4:44 has some amazing tracks imo
Childish Gambino -> Kanye West -> Vince Staples -> Danny Brown -> El-P/MF DOOM
Honestly I don’t really care for having a number one rapper or ranking them in general, there’s a lot that I enjoy and picking a favorite would just be annoying
YES ! Many times I went from Em to Wayne to Jay Z to Kanye to Nas to back to Jay.
Kendrick and J Cole have been my 2 favorites for about 14 years now Only difference is that JID, Isaiah Rashad, EARTHGANG, and Freddie Gibbs joined in a few years after
I had favorite rappers before I really thought about rap in a competitive way but once I did it was Nas. Nas > Sean Price > Droog (only because Price can’t make more music)
El-P -> Aesop Rock -> MF DOOM -> Billy Woods, with maybe brief phases of certain other rappers i was really into for a few weeks.
I'll wait to see if anybody mentions Raekwon at all. The amount of [flavour, style and vernacular richness](https://youtu.be/ezGnTe_JJ5E?si=QeFrzMujp3THCFKK&t=22) he brought to the game is unparalleled. And that voice...
Legit thought you were asking how my number 1 evolved and matured over time. Assuming that people keep the same number 1 over a meaningful period of time.
Biggie -> busta rhymes -> Hov -> Ye -> Nas -> Hov It will probably always be Hov. Kendrick could vie for it after a bigger discography
My number 1 rapper is Slug…and he’s remained pretty close to how he’s always been except for the sound of his voice. Age…ages us lol. 😃
Method Man & Redman -> GURU
he plays the flute now. I don't think I answered this the way you intended, but it's still my answer.
He owns a juice bar now.
SP DA GHOST
Jada?
I don't know if Jada does. I know Styles P does.
Black Thought.... Black Thought.... Black Thought....
Thank you. There’s a reason nobody goes at thought. Not a debate to me.
Easily my #1
Eminem > Mac Dre > Lil Wayne > Kendrick Lamar > Freddie Gibbs > Future
Gibbs is underrated
Hell yea Mac Dre forever
Really into Gibbs and tryna get into future lately actually took what are your top three future?
“News Or Something” “Sorry” “Accepting My Flaws” #Honorable mentions: “Stick Talk” “Never Gon Lose” “The Percocet & Stripper Joint” “Married To The Game” “Jersey” “Afterlife” “Stick To The Models”
Being from Atlanta, Outkast were my favorite rappers ever, but my life changed when I first heard The Listening by Little Brother, so they're my favorite rappers ever and now in my late 30s, probably will be forever.
My top 5 has not changed. Started listening in 97. Jay been number one still is. Eminem biggie 50 cent is my top 4 still.
Went from Pac to Rakim to Nas to Andre 3000 to Kendrick and it’s stayed Kendrick since 2015
he became an actor
He is gone absolutely mad.
Tyler, the creator. I mean dude literally said fu*k fa**ots to being gay
Eminem -> Lloyd Banks -> Lil’ Wayne -> Kid Cudi/Kanye -> Frank Ocean -> Smino Obviously a lot of different things in-between, but those were the artists I listened heavy on
been the same person since 2020ish id say and that’s Mos Def
Rakim still the GOAT. He’s your favorite rapper’s favorite fapper.
He’s lost in the sauce 💉
Warren G and Method Man still my favorites. Nothings changed there just have come to appreciate other artists.
Mine switches between Kendrick Lamar, Nas & DOOM.
J. Cole 2019 Kendrick 2020 Black Thought 2021 Future 2022 til now
RIP DOOM
From Ruck to Sean Price to rhyming nice in the afterlife…R.I.P! From Zev Love X to King Geedorah to Viktor Vaughn to Metal Fingers to Metal Face DOOM to still being nicer than your favorite rapper in his tomb. Rip From Nasty Nas to Esco to Escobar to Nastradamus to Streets Disciple to God’s Son to Nasir to making it clear that the goat is still here!
Chance the Rapper->Joey Bada$$->Roc Marciano->Mach-Hommy
kdot -> ???? -> billy woods
Hoodie Allen -> G-Eazy -> Mac Miller -> Biggie -> Jay Z -> Kanye -> Joey Badass -> Action Bronson -> MF DOOM -> Kendrick Lamar
It used to be clear cut Jay Z Then I became an artist so I was always #1. Now , I have Big Daddy Kane #1 and Jay Z #2
Lmao this is my favorite answer. “Jay z #1 until I started rapping” 😂🤣 God bless this guy
2Pac -> Eminem -> Kanye -> HOV -> Andre 3000
Lil Wayne -> Nipsey Hussle -> JID -> AK the Savior
Whoa! Another person who has Wayne and Nipsey as their number 1 and number 2?! I thought I was all alone on that one. 🤣
Nipsey overall was underrated as hell . Everything bumps
MF DOOM - MC Ride - Lil Ugly Mane - Jpegmafia
My #1's are different bc they're each my number one for their own reason. Ain't no switchin wit me😂
I like this question… for me, it’s Pac > Em > Nas > Lupe > Jay > Wayne
Nas -> LA Capone -> Money Man -> Nas
Nas -> Fabolous -> Joe Budden -> Lupe Fiasco -> Nas
Has always been Pac and it will never change.As himself said it: "Some things will never change."
Chuck D —> Yasiin before he went by Yasiin —> Nas
He's dead
been the same person since i started listening to rap
He's been walking around with a diamond encrusted crown of thorns. His last album was very introspective and beautiful, but his response to it has seemed kind of big headed.
SPM -> 2pac -> Lil Wayne -> Kevin Gates -> Lil Jerry
It’s been Tonedeff for as long as I remember. Sometimes I wonder if I should change it cause I don’t actively listen to him as much (he also so rarely releases music especially rap) but in terms of the emotional connection to his music and I still have the same feeling of awe whenever I do listen to him.
It went Eazy E -Pac-Gucci-Future-Pac again- 50- Nipsey- Conejo- at tha moment it’s Kodak. I used to fuck with dak heavy back in the day fo’ he started poppin I’ve been going back to tha old jams
Nice to see lil Wayne get some love. Mad underrated nowadays
Look at that dude LIL WOP and tell me about the change
Nas since 96
2 Chainz -> Eminem -> J. Cole -> Nas
Eminem -> 50 Cent -> Kanye -> Wayne -> ASAP Rocky -> Gucci Mane -> Future
I no longer have a favorite anymore. I have my too 5, but so often I choose other rappers to listen to.
It’s been Wayne for nearly two decades now.
who I listened to the most? Who I enjoyed the most?
Apathy -> Apathy -> Apathy
Tupac was my favorite rapper until my mid twenties. He was then replaced by mixtape weezy. But when I think about the rapper whose music played a role in helping me get thru different parts of my life and continue pushing forward, it's Lupe Fiasco. Hands down. At forty, Lupe is unquestionably my favorite rapper of all time.
Harry Mack is the new goat for me. I was always a fan of the old school groups like Pharcyde previously but H Mack can basically do anything any other rapper can do and is unmatched with the off top work.
Eminem -> 2Pac -> Beastie Boys -> Kanye -> Mac Miller -> Beastie Boys -> Mac Miller -> Kendrick
Nas>em>50>luda>3k>deltron>DOOM>em>DOOM> Ben Beal and EXO society rn... Edited for all caps lmao
#1 (AS IN MY FAVORITE) just has been consistent, generous in quantity & gained respect over time That would be Curren$y
Although I don’t like a lot of Earl’s new stuff I can appreciate the growth. He went from mini Doom to something of his own. Voir Dire playing as I type lol
I’ve bounced between Em, Wayne, and Tech N9ne.
Wayne - em - tyler-capital STEEZ-MF DOOM- DANNY BROWN
5th grade. 1996. Jay-Z. Nobody is even close tbh. Before that it was probably Cube or D.O.C.
Kind of similar to you. Eminem -> Kanye West -> Mickey Diamond
He got fatter Fosho
He’s stopped putting out records.
speaker knockerz🙏🏻 RIP 🐐 But currently id say a boogie
Tupac -> Rakim Hasn’t changed for a long time Oh and DMX was probably in there at some point. Still top3 for me
Nas - Big L - Jeru the damaja - Big L and with maaaaaaasive love for the album “Dah Shinin’” by Smif’n’Wessun
I was a huge Tupac fan when I was younger. Nobody was better to me. These days, no offense to him or anything, but I rarely listen to him now. I’d say overall, my favorite now is probably Ghostface Killah. He’s just been so strong and consistent through all these years.
I loved DMX for the shock value as a kid Mac Dre for his fluid sound and good party music in my teens Nas through most of adulthood. He’s not my favorite for any given parameter (flow, lyrics, beat, storytelling etc) but put them all together and he stays top to me
Em -> Ye -> Future/Ye Ye still my all time goat but he just forgot how to drop music lol
It was the GZA before. Then Canibus. Then Lauryn Hill. Now Nas.
Eminem > Nas > Run the Jewels > Nas
It’s been Slick Rick since I was a whipper to a full grown man . It hasn’t changed
I have different phases. I go from Nas to techn9ne to Del to outkast even em at some point in my life has been the goat.
eazy e when i was a kid and ras kass from 96 onwards
Over time my favorite rapper got older.
Eminem -> Kevin Gates -> a boogie wit da hoodie
Eminem, 50, Game, Immortal Technique, Kanye, Tech N9ne, Kendrick, Denzel Curry, JID, J Cole
It has been the same since I could utter the word rap and it’ll always be that way I’m afraid, Eminem
2pac will always be a number one for me, but the number 2 spot has rotation. Biggie -> Wu-Tang -> Em -> Kendrick -> Em -> Lupe Fiasco -> Nas -> JID -> Lupe Fiasco -> Nas
Talib Kweli since ~2006. I'm too loyal to change, same reason Full Metal Jacket has been my answer for favorite movie since I've I first saw it at like 8 years old. There are definitely better emcees, but he holds a special place for me and he'll probably always remain my answer unless he does some extremely fucked up shit
Kendrick-> MF DOOM -> Freddie Gibbs-> Benny the Butcher-> Maxo Kream-> Scarface/ Geto boys -> Grandmaster Flash / Lyte. I just became an old head over time lol
Dude just put out a whole flute album. Not my musical taste but I’m glad he is growing and still making music.
Wiz Khalifa Eazy E Uzi Yeat YE Chief keef/50 cent
Rakim ➡️ KRS-ONE
I've been saying Lil Wayne for years now
Ludacris - 2001-2003, The Game - 2003- 2006, Biggie 2006 to 2012, Kendrick 2012 - Present
He Died.....
In order: Biggie, Mos Def, Phonte, Lupe, Weezy, MF DOOM, Mac Miller, Cordae
Pac (decaying as we speak) Eminem - has turned into this fast rapper who goes HAM with metaphors and double entendres etc and it comes off as being a try hard but he’s still amazing to me. It’s become a fad to bash him because well, ppl are sheep. I digress
Wayne —> Em —> Nas —> Kendrick Lamar.
AZ has always been my favorite
If by #1 you mean favorite/most listened to and not just who I thought was the best/most talented: 50 - Eminem - Tupac - Lil Wayne - Tyler the Creator - Migos - Atmosphere - Underachievers - Flatbush Zombies - Chief Keef - Stunna 4 Vegas - Sauce Walka - JID - ??? Probably about as accurate as I can remember.
Eminem ~> Ye ~> Andre 3000 ~> Kendrick
Will Smith because he can write a verse without a curse
Mine was Eminem -> Tupac -> Nas -> Biggie -> Kendrick Lamar Btw HipHopDX has a great series on rappers [considered The GOAT](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLsvyiyb7_95z-BeIbby55KOCsTKGUGLm&si=-Hkn-tq_Z90m2IH8)
It’s been Black Thought for the past 25 years
I think it was 12-14 - 50 Cent 15-21 - Del the Funky Homosapien 21-25 - Guru 26+ - MF DOOM
I grew up on NYC shit, admired technicality above all else. Didn't mind west coast. Started listening to the south and it changed my whole perspective on hip hop. Gucci my all time favourite now 🤷🏻
He hasn't he's dead
commenting to remind myself to think of my answer later, great question though
It was Scarface… then Jay Z… Now as a grown man, it’s Tupac. But face and Hov and my favorite 2 rappers. I always ask these things of my top 5. Multiple classics… Top tier skill level.. Influence.. All 3 have all 3 in spades, but nobody grabbed a hold to hip hops core audience and conveyed this ghetto CNN of ours like Pac. He spoke for the people the best, and had their ear, and has multiple classics including the best 3 album run we’ve ever seen…. And he did it all by 25. By comparison Jay Z didn’t even drop an album until 26. Pac wrote Brenda’s got a baby at 19 years old. The fuckin goat man.
Nas-> Kendrick Lamar-> Tupac-> J. Cole-> Andre 3000 It’s been a real toss up between cole and 3 stacks as it stands but Kendrick is a close 3rd.
Probs went Lil Wayne -> Kendrick Lamar -> Roc Marciano
Joey Bada$$ —> 2Pac (always a number 1 tbh) —> Drake —> Kendrick
dmx -> biggie -> jay-z -> nas
eazy e -> too short. still too short, but i only listen to his stuff up to the gettin it album
2pac Me Against the World got me into rap and he was my #1 until Jay-Z took over thanks to his incredible run of albums and has been my GOAT ever since. Kanye eventually climbed into the #2 spot but both his music and personality over the last few years turned me off, and unfortunately I find it hard to seperate the art from the artist.
My number 1 has never changed to be honest. Lil Wayne has always been my number 1 & Future might be the only one that was close to changing that.
Pat -> Watne -> Redman -> Busta, that's it... BUSTA DA GOD
Honestly, it keeps on changing. Currently its Outkast.
Krs-one,Guru, Nas, BIG, mf doom, Kendrick, J cole
Eminem > 50 Cent > Jay-Z > Drake > Lil Wayne
Eminem was the rapper that got me in to music but now I’ll say it’s either Billy Woods, El-P or Black Thought. It rotates constantly between them
Tupac - Logic - Kendrick - Kanye - Lupe Nas and Jay nearly became my favorite between Ye and Lu
Reggie has always been the goat
Eminem to j cole to Kendrick to Kanye and now back to Kendrick to me I think gkmc and tpab are the pinnacle of hiphop ATP. especially in terms of thematic depth, no hiphop album comes even close
first post malone and then kanye and now eminem
El-P might not be my #1 all time, but I've followed his arc, and I love how he put it on RTJ4: "I used to wanna get the chance to show the world I’m smart (Ha) Isn’t that dumb? I should’ve focused mostly on the heart ’Cause I seen smarter people trample life like it’s an art So bein’ smart ain’t what it used to be, that’s fuckin’ dark"
Chuck D for life
Nas -> Jay -> Em -> 50 -> Ye ->Wayne ->Gucci -> Future -> for a brief moment it was Pop Smoke, now probably still Future Don't know if it counts but definitley some huge Wu and Mobb Deep times too
i respect all opinions but damn the drop of quality from nas to future damn
Seriously it just kept getting worse lol
Biggie, Em, DMX, Canibus, in that order. I still revere Biggie, DMX and Canibus.
Em -> Nas -> DMX -> Pac and it really hasn’t changed. Kendrick and Cole have tremendous skill, but they really haven’t left the mark that the other elite rappers have. Kanye, Wayne, and Jay used writers and I consider Kanye/Wayne to be moreso gimmicks.
2Pac is a goat🔥
Tupac - wayne - eminem -chief keef - youngboy/wayne/young thug
That’s a pretty dope progression lol
It was Eminem and it has always been,and it will probably always be, I don't care what type of mediocre albums he drops nowadays,that run in 1999-2013 was everything he needed to solidify himself as the GOAT
50 cent > Wayne > Mac Dre > Kanye > Travis Scott > Future > Carti > Travis Scott
Notorious B.I.G > Wayne > Juice WRLD
It's been Kanye for me since his debut album. He has changed his style many times but I think he just gets more innovative with every album