Top 10 Rappers

Tupac Shakur has long been the measuring stick by which all of his peers have been judged. With a career and life plagued by prison sentences, drug charges and blood spilling rap rivalries, Shakur is the eponymous representation of the gangsta rap lifestyle. As the only performing artist in history to have an album sit atop the billboard 200 whilst still serving a prison sentence, Shakur cemented his persona as the true bad boy of rap. If the true mark of greatness is when everything before you is obsolete and everything after you bears your mark, then Tupac is truly great, and therefore perfectly placed at the top of my list.

Widely accepted not only as the best rapper of the decade, but of all time, Eminem has earned his number one position in this list thanks to his electrifying and shocking rhymes, which have earned him the respect and admiration from fans and rap veterans alike.

The extent to which Biggie Smalls changed the rap scene in the mid nineties cannot be underestimated. During a time when the commercial side of the hip hop scene was being dominated by west coast artists, Smalls’ first, and only album released during his life, won Grammy acclaim and gave notoriety to the East coast with B.I.G as the central figure. This began the east coast-west coast rivalry which would dominate rap during the mid nineties, with back and forth lyrical threats paving the way for the deaths of both smalls himself and west coast rival Tupac Shakur. With a flowingly poetic style, biggie smalls created some of the most unique, autobiographical storytelling in rap history.

While he is still widely criticized for “dumbing down” his lyrics in order to improve his sales, his lyrical agility and his “street smart” style keeps captivating listeners all around the world.

One of the most important figures of Hip Hop, Nas is also one of the best lyricists on this list. However it is his aura, always full of mystery, and his varied lyrics, which deal with many different issues both personal and social, what has earned him his legendary status.

Despite having recently become the pop newcomers ‘go to guy’ for some instant cool credibility, Snoop Dogg is still one of the most creative and original performers in rap history. As yet another of Dr Dre's hugely successful protégés Snoop Dogg stormed onto the rap scene as a solo performer with his quadruple platinum debut album Doggystyle, capturing fans around the world with his mellifluous vocal style. Very few artists stand the test of time in the rap music industry, but by constantly being aware of the changing tides of culture and reinventing himself with every album release Snoop Dogg remains as significant today as he has ever been.

While the verses of West do not carry the same weight and complexity as others on this list, they are still packed with wit and punch enough to make him not only a solid rhymer, but also an all around influence in the rap scene.

Lil Wayne is one of those rappers who you will either love or hate, but in any case no one will come out unaffected once he/she listens to his lyrics. He is one of the very few rappers in the industry who is constantly reinventing himself and his style. The only thing he lacks to become legendary is a true masterpiece.

With collaborator Eric B, formed one of the most respected MC/DJ partnerships in hip-hop history. Listen to Paid In Full or Juice (Know The Ledge) to hear their skills at their peak.