Hudlin (HEF) Best Rappers Alive. Word...

[Greg]

My two favorite rappers are Lupe Fiasco and Roots Manuva from the U.K. I've noticed in general I tend to enjoy more rap from the U.K. than overall American rap.

[4sake]

Immortal Technique
Joell Ortiz
Umi
Dead Prez (Stic. Man & M-1)
Tha Outlawz (Young Noble, Hussein Fatal, Edi & Kastro)
Talib Kweli
Akir
Big Lou
A-Alikes (K & Ness)
Nas

[Wise Son]

My two favorite rappers are Lupe Fiasco and Roots Manuva from the U.K. I've noticed in general I tend to enjoy more rap from the U.K. than overall American rap.

Well, here's me catching up on this thread months later, so I have to ask what other UK acts you're liking at the moment?
Also, maybe I'm just blinded by the old school, but I still think the best emcee has to be KRS. Jay-Z has got himself close, but that's who my vote would go to.

[supreme illuminati]

I will save everyone the trouble of posting and post THE list. Meanwhile you can exercise your hand for that Obama lever pull on Nov. 4th.

1. Jay-Z- Longest reign as King of New York in the history of Rap. Jay has only missed with one album in a career that has spanned 13 yrs. AMERICAN GANGSTER proved that the crown is still his and that none of the lyrical ability has left him.

2. Rakim- Aptly called the microphone god, Rakim transformed the genre forever with his slow delivery and advanced vocabulary. You can accurately divide Hip Hop into pre- Rakim and post Rakim. His lack of output notwithstanding, Rakim didn't have to make another album after LET THE RTHYM HIT EM to cement his legacy.

3. Ice Cube- Ice Cube cemented the genre of gangsta rap with his lyrics to NWA's seminal STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON. He succesfully fused NWA and Public Enemy into AMERIKKKAS MOST WANTED, DEATH WARRANT and PREDATOR. Ice- Cube's second act was also successful with WestSide Connection and now his full circle return to conscious rap.

4. Eminem- Marshall Mathers could've become another Elvis and simply grafted upon the template set by others and ride the wave of his being the great White hype. Instead, Eminem cemented his legacy in rap with skills that mark him as one of the greatest lyricists of all time and also one of the most inventive. SLIM SHADY, MARSHAL MATHERS, EMINEM SHOW, ENCORE you can never tell what Eminem would write about as there were no limits to the subject matter as well as his ability to effectively convey anything through his words.

5. L.L. COOL J- Teenaged King of New York, hearthrob, master of rap beef and still relevant after almost a quarter of a century in the game. This man personifies every stage of rap that can possibly exist, how many artists have been as successful as a teen star as they were as an adult in their thrities? Arrogance, swag, confidence, L.L. personified all of the above in his youth. RADIO, BIGGER AND DEFER, MOMMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT this is the essence of Cool J.

6. KRS-ONE- Its hard to describe just how important KRS-ONE is. First, KRS is the first rapper to single-handedly take down an established artist as a complete unknown when he crushed MC Shan. He comes out of that and gives us CRIMINAL MINDED, which today still stands as the best example of East Coast gangsta, lyricism and conscious rap all combined. KRS sets the groundwork for the message album with SELF-DESTRUCTION and then the EDUTAINMENT album.

7. NAS- At one time many, including myself, would've thought this man would be an automatic contender for greatest dead or alive. Nevertheless, despite the ups and downs Nas is the artists that gave the world ILLMATIC and that can never be discounted. It Ain't Hard To Tell single-handedly brought the East Coast back and shifted the axis of power in Hip Hop. ILLMATIC showed a level of creativity and style that can still inspire any wannabee rapper 14 yrs after its debut. IT WAS WRITTEN, I AM, STILLMATIC all show flashes of brilliance but for ILLMATIC alone he deserves entry here.

8. Andre 3000- One of half of the greatest rap group of all time! Yeah I said it! Andre 3000 is what George Clinton would be as a rapper only amped up to another level. The versatility and growth from SOUTHERNPLAYALISTICCADILLACMUSIK to IDLEWILD is one of the most dramatic in the history of rap. Its impossible to find a DRE verse that not only sounds just like another one but that even involves the same subject matter. How many rappers who have been on the top for 14 yrs can say the same?

9. Snoop Dogg- The king of the West Coast and one of the pillars of the G- funk era Snoop is timeless. From his first verse on DEEP COVER to Sexual Seduction, Snoop combines style and substance in a way that no one can really match. He can give you GIN N JUICE, DRE DAY and MURDER WAS THE CASE and come back years later and hit us with his verse on THE NEXT EPISODE, then switch to BEAUTIFUL and DROP IT LIKES HOT. I6 years in and he is still the best the West has to offer.

10. T.I.- The best of what can be considered as the next generation. URBAN LEGEND, KING, and now PAPER TRAIL show that this is no fluke and the title of King of The South is well deserved.

Thats your top 10 and I KNOW you all agree with it!

Except for switching Rakim to #1,dropping T.I. in favor of LUDACRIS (yeah I said it),puttin TUPAC in SNOOP's place,inserting BIGGIE and BIG PUN as tied with TUPAC? Can't argue too much at all with this list. Remember,this list grades you on consistent megabrilliance,not "who's the new flash in the pan". Let's see if Nicki Minaj the Lil Kim ripoff can still hold it down a decade from now like L.K. the Queen Bee has. Let's see where Justin Timberlake is a decade from now. Same for all these wakk Southern rappers,who singlehandedly produced most of the lyrically inept wakk raps outside of the raggedy overdone ganxta genre.

[Wise Son]

Except for switching Rakim to #1,dropping T.I. in favor of LUDACRIS (yeah I said it),puttin TUPAC in SNOOP's place,inserting BIGGIE and BIG PUN as tied with TUPAC? Can't argue too much at all with this list. Remember,this list grades you on consistent megabrilliance,not "who's the new flash in the pan". Let's see if Nicki Minaj the Lil Kim ripoff can still hold it down a decade from now like L.K. the Queen Bee has. Let's see where Justin Timberlake is a decade from now. Same for all these wakk Southern rappers,who singlehandedly produced most of the lyrically inept wakk raps outside of the raggedy overdone ganxta genre.

Supreme, mate, you know you're my man and all, but I have to question something there. Are you actually rating Lil' Kim as an emcee there? I mean, come on, she is... What's the phrase...?Sh- no, wack.

I actually dig Nikki Minaj. I was bloody sceptical about her at first, because she looked like nothing more than a new Kim or Foxxxy Brown - dull flow and / or ghost-written lyrics, and a good helping of T & A to distract from those shortcomings. But no, she's won me over. The girl flows better than Kim could ever hope to, can rap about a wider range of subjects than sex and her dead boyfriend, and is someone who is weird and distinctive in how they present themselves (actually, I'm just thinking she should collaborate with George Clinton ).

I'm not putting her up there with Lyte and Missy just yet, but when has Kim ever dropped a verse like Nikki did in Roman's Revenge or Monster?

[APEXABYSS]

jay-z? #1? hell no!! where would jay-z be without kanye west. he dropped his entire rocafella label for kanye. jay-z is not the best rapper- jay-z has hired the best producers.
who is the greatest music producer? whoever you name, jay has worked with them. other artists make hits. jigga buys them. "empire state of mind" was originally alicia key's song. somehow it became jay-z's song... hhmmmmm

alive? nas
dead? pac
honorable mention: scarface
producer: the rza, kanye west, dr. dre
group: wu-tang, run-dmc, p.e., outkast, geto boys

[Hypestyle]

Rolling Stone Magazine:  50  Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time
1-   The Message(Grandmaster Flash/Melle Mel/Furious Five)
2-   Rapper’s Delight (Sugar Hill Gang)
3-   Planet Rock (Afrikaa Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force)
4-   Sucker MC’s (Run-D.M.C.)
5-   Mind Playing Tricks on Me- (Geto Boys)
6-   Nuthin’ But a G Thang  (Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg)
7-   Fight the Power  (Public Enemy)
8-   Juicy  (Notorious B.I.G.)
9-   Straight Outta Compton  (N.W.A.)
10-   Paid in Full  (Eric B. & Rakim)
11-   C.R.E.A.M.  (Wu-Tang Clan)
12-   They Reminisce over You  (Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth)
13-   La-Di-Da-Di  (Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick)
14-   Rebel Without a Pause  (Public Enemy)
15-   **** tha Police  (N.W.A.)
16-   Big Pimpin’  (Jay-Z & UGK)
17-   Peter Piper  (Run-DMC)
18-   Dear Mama  (2Pac)
19-   Paul Revere  (Beastie Boys)
20-   In Da Club  (50 Cent)
21-   Rock the Bells  (LL Cool J)
22-   Strictly Business  (EPMD)
23-   I Know You Got Soul  (Eric B. & Rakim)
24-   It Takes Two  (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock)
25-   AIn’t No Half Steppin’  (Big Daddy Kane)
26-   Scenario  (A Tribe Called Quest & Leaders of the New School)
27-   Flava in ya ear (remix)  (Craig Mack, Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes)
28-   Lose Yourself (Eminem)
29-   Mama Said Knock You Out  (LL Cool J)
30-   Hypnotize  (Notorious B.I.G.)
31-   NY State of Mind (Nas)
32-   Jesus Walks  (Kanye West)
33-   99 Problems  (Jay-Z)
34-   PSK- What Does it Mean?  (Schoolly-D)
35-   Shook Ones, pt. II  (Mobb Deep)
36-   Rosa Parks (Outkast)
37-   It was a Good Day  (Ice Cube)
38-   Gat Ur Freak On (Missy Elliott)
39-   My Name Is (Eminem)
40-   The Breaks  (Kurtis Blow)
41-   California Love  (Dr. Dre & 2Pac)
42-   South Bronx  (Boogie Down Productions)
43-   Top Billin’  (Audio Two)
44-   Me, Myself and I  (De La Soul)
45-   Lost Ones  (Lauryn Hill)
46-   Push It  (Salt N Pepa)
47-   That’s the Joint (Funky 4 + 1)
48-   The Symphony  (Marley Marl/ Craig G/ Master Ace/ Kool G Rap/ Big Daddy Kane)
49-   Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel  (G.M. Flash/ Melle Mel)
50-   B.O.B. (Outkast)

My editorial soon to come… (I’m mad..)
 

[Battle]

Great list, Hype!


What?!

Biz Markie didn't make the list???

[Mastrmynd]

Only 1 OutKast song and it's B.O.B.?
*sigh*

At least they made the list...but at 50?
50?!

[Battle]

Only 1 OutKast song and it's B.O.B.?
*sigh*

At least they made the list...but at 50?
50?!

Actually, OutKast had 2 songs that made the list.

[Battle]

Westwood - *EXCLUSIVE* Eminem freestyle Radio 1

Em & Kon Artis spittin' fiya ova CEEs

[Hypestyle]

...also, on the gender side of things, no MC Lyte and no Queen Latifah 

-- I really wanted the Fat Boys to be in the mix, one of their early cuts like "Jailhouse Rap", "Fat Boys", "Human beatbox pt. 1", etc.

I was also somewhat surprised that Hammer's "U can't touch this" wasn't included; historically, it's an important record, regardless of what certain people feel in retrospect about Hammer's career and the pop-implications that came into play...

No Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince.. I'd put "girls ain't nothing but trouble"  or "Parents just don't understand" on there..

[Battle]

...also, on the gender side of things, no MC Lyte and no Queen Latifah 

-- I really wanted the Fat Boys to be in the mix, one of their early cuts like "Jailhouse Rap", "Fat Boys", "Human beatbox pt. 1", etc.

I was also somewhat surprised that Hammer's "U can't touch this" wasn't included; historically, it's an important record, regardless of what certain people feel in retrospect about Hammer's career and the pop-implications that came into play...

No Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince.. I'd put "girls ain't nothing but trouble"  or "Parents just don't understand" on there..

Yup!

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

STAN wasn't included!

I know there is an Elvis dynamic with Eminem that causes a backlash but that song is clearly one of the 50 greatest of all time.

[Metro]

I will save everyone the trouble of posting and post THE list.

emcees
pharoahe monch
mos def
jean grae
nas
wu-tang
lauryn hill
outcast
immortal technique
public enemy
pharcyde


beats
premier
stoupe
hi tek
kanye
danger mouse
9th wonder
pharrell
jazzy jeff
kay gee
mister cee