Jay-Z Names His Top 5 Emcees Of All-Time

    While being interviewed by Charlie Rose again on Friday, Jay-Z was asked be someone in the audience who his top 5, dead or alive was (including himself of course). No cameras are allowed at the taping, but YN captured the footage that you can view at Rap Radar.

    “I guess I would choose Big because of his ability to tell stories, to be humorous, to be dead serious. He just had it all, and the voice alone,” Jay said of his friend. “I choose Pac because his fire would overcome his…what he doesn’t have in technical skills would be overcome by passion. If you listen to that Tunnel verse with Big, he’s saying “MC Hammer and the .357…women,” Jay said, reciting a clean version of Big’s bars, before continuing on about 2Pac. “Then you hear how he comes on, he just screams on the track. His passion could put a lot of guys to sleep.”

    Mr. Carter then moved past his contemporaries and onto the legends he came up listening to. “I guess uh, Kool G. Rap,” he said of the man he once compared himself to on The Black Album. “I would uh, yeah KRS-One. I need more emcees, I gotta get Eminem and Nas in you know? Them as well. But those five, then we’ll switch’em up.”

    345 thoughts on “Jay-Z Names His Top 5 Emcees Of All-Time

      1. Undray you fag. Lil Wayne top 5. WTF? You must have been born in 99 or osmething nigga. Wayne put out a shitload of music but 95% of it is fucking trash. Nigga sound like he need to spit the marbles out his mouth.

        Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. If he includes himself, he put 7 people in his “Top 5”. Either he don’t know how to count, or whoever wrote this article is a dumbass.

      1. THE PERS0N THAT WR0TE THIS ARTICLE IS A DUMB ASS, I SEEN THE VIDE0 0F THIS..IT WAS HIS TOP 5 EXCLUDING HIMSELF AND HE C0ULDNT DECIDE 0N EM OR NAS S0 HE SAID HE SWITCHES THEM UP…

      1. Pretty damn good list in terms of lyricists and legends although I would probably replace Chuck D for KRS-One and Black Thought/Pharoahe Monch for Big Daddy Kane…very tough call though…top 10 is damn near impossible…I love dudes like Crooked I, Elzhi, Diabolic, Louis Logic, One Be Lo, but they just don’t enough classic albums to make the top 10…Masta Ace, Kweli, Mos, Common, Juice, Percee-P, all your top 10, i mean i could literally go on for days

    2. Eminem
      MF DOOM
      Nas
      MosDef
      LL Cool J

      KrsOne
      Gza
      Slick Rick
      TalibKweli
      Black Thought

      cant leave out:
      JayZ
      PharoaheMonch
      LarynHIll
      Common
      RoyceDa59
      Rakim
      RaTheRuggedMan

      and the the group leaders i forget like laryn hill

      RevRun
      MikeD
      ChuckD
      IllBill
      MethodMan

      fact is theres been alot of super Mcs over the past 30 years of hip hop. shame most of them dont make the big time but we like it thatway really its our dirty little secret

      1. You list some super dope emcees, no doubt (especially Em in his 96/97-02/03, Nas, Pharoahe Monch, Black Thought, Kweli, Jay 96-03, GZA, Common, Rakim, Chuck D, Mos Def especially on Blackstarr/Black on Both Sides, Royce, RA the Rugged Man, ILL Bill, KRS-One (legend in late 80’s early 90’s and amazing enegry live), Method Man…

        BUT your list is basically VOID w/out mentioning someone who should be in EVERYONE’S top 10-15 emcees (in my top 5-7) and that’s KOOL G RAP!!!! He along w/ Rakim/BDK basically invented using multis and he did it throughtout the verse in rapid fire deliver (along w/ bdk) before anyone and TWENTY FIVE YEARS LATER is still killing features. He’s influenced EVERY dope emcee ever (Em, Jay, Nas, BIG, Pun, Big L, 2pac, EVERY dope underground dude like diabolic, elzhi, crooked i, one be lo, louis logic, aotp, etc).

        Plus how do you leave out BIG PUN/BIG L!?!?

        If the list is of TECHNICALLY AMAZINGLY DOPE LYRICISTS i feel like KGR/pun/big l have to be in your top 10-15

      2. Just because Kool G was one of the first doesn’t mean he is the best. I don’t understand why people feel the need to put people like Kool G, Krs-1(actually, krs one deserves to be up there) just because they were one of the first.

    3. i didn’t think he wud mention nas, gud to hear-thot he wud put pac, biggy and none of his contemporaries because their still his competition..

    4. My Top 5 would go like

      1. Rakim
      2. The Notorious B.I.G.
      3. Nas or 2Pac
      4. Eminem
      5. Jay-Z

      But many honorable mentions include
      Mos Def, Sean Price, Elzhi, MF Doom, GZA, Scarface, Bun B, Lord Finesse, Kool G Rap, Big Pun, Big L, Slick Rick, KRS-One, Ghostface Killah, Jadakiss, Black Thought, Kanye West, Andre 3000, Lupe Fiasco, Canibus, Chino XL, Pharoahe Monch, Brother Ali & Big Daddy Kane

    5. Just lost all respect for this cat Jay, anyone with 2pac in their little top 5 or 10 list is dead wrong – nigga was a fukin over-hyped ball of emotions LOL at you chumps!

    6. EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!! TOP 5 are as follows:

      1. eminem
      2. 2pac
      3. Nas
      4. Big L
      5. Jay-z

      NOW SHUT UP!!!! anyone that mentions:Krs-One, Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J CAN EAT 17 DICKS!!!!!!!!

      SO SHUT UP! your opinion doesnt matter, your BROKE! nobody likes you!

      1. how can you not name biggie you fucking moron. Basicall i am saying your list sucks and your a broke nigga using the computer at the library to go on this shit

    7. Where’s Big L? Jay-Z just keep giving a fuck in his old friend, who got him into the game! Fuck Jay-z for real

      1. Big L didn’t bring Jay into the game. They were cool, and rumor has it that L was considerin signing to Rocafella around the time that they did the Bobbito and Stretch freestyle. Hinted at by Jay when he said “L’s on the Road to Riches”…

      2. He just gave a 5 names list because he had to , If it was a 10 names list . He would talk about Big L , Weezy , Kanye or other people ,Some the choice can’t leave you the choices , so don’t go hard at this nigga !!
        peace

    8. Big L
      Eminem
      Big Pun
      Black Thought
      GZA the genius
      Percee P
      Talib Kweli
      Rakim
      Raekwon
      Nas
      Doom
      Mos Def
      Jay-Z
      AZ
      Common

      probably left out a lot of worthy MCs but this is a general list

    9. Tell me this- why is it, that every time an artist names his top 5 (or 10 for that matter), people/the readers always have to come up with there own list? IT IS AN ALWAYS WILL BE A MATTER OF OPINION (god damn it) – and this is Jay´s, now respect it!
      Your entitled to yours, but why the fuck does everybody has to diss everybody else for there choices of MC´s…? It´s not a personal attack on you, just because somebody dosen´t agree with you an yours…
      The same goes for reviews, especially on the site (i really dig Hip Hop DX- i´m a a dickrider for saying´that, huh?). The reviewer sees it from his/hers perspective, so please respect that, or come constructive with it (or get the fuck outta here), instead of that childish “fuck your mother, suck a dick talk” shit- how old are you anyway…?!
      And pleeeaase, do not put every album there hit the streets is in the category “album of the year”, wait till the end of the year…Nuff said!

      1. true that, real talk.people get emotional if u don’t put their fav mc in ur list or if u have a different opinion.that shit is subjective, so don’t complain if people don’t think the same as u do cuz that’s dumb and childish

      2. A mature logical comment. Thanks.

        Too many STANS today, too many people that idolize and live through the MCs. You cant get mad at who someone likes as an MC. Every artist has some quality that attracts their fans to them. Your top five is a representation of you.

        Obviously, Jay likes intelligent hardcore rhyming with Big, Pac, KRS-One, and KGR on his list. People must remember Jay-Z is 40+, so he grew up listening to MCs in the late 80’s/early 90’s, so if your 25 and under your list will not resemble his.
        You can tell Jay is a hardcore rhymer with alot of Big in him. Big was able to be hardcore and be pop at the same time, cause Puff taught Big how to appeal to more than just the undergroung Hip Hop fan. Ask yourselves this question, If Puffy did not teach Big how to appeal to
        the masses would there be a Jay-Z?

        Plus hip hop standards have changed. Today the so called best MCs are based off sales not talent(even Jay-Z). His top 5 MCs came at a time in which sales didn’t matter the MCs mainly wanted to be heard and represent who they were at that time. Now hip hop is based solely off money no concern for self respect or the culture. In essence top 5 really dont make sense.

    10. Ok Ok Ok….No Disrespect To Anybody But BIGGIE Should Not Be In Top 5 Period…I Love Biggie But He Only Droped 2 Albums And Ready To Die Was Ok ( Just My Opinion )If That’s The Case Then Big Pun Should Be In The Top 5 Because He Was Better Than BIG..

      1.Jay-Z
      2.Nas
      3.Scarface
      4.Ice Cube
      5.2Pac
      6.Eminem
      7.Ludacris ( Tied With Busta Rhymes )
      8.The Notorious BIG
      9.Mos Def
      10.Big Pun

      Now Before Everybody Start Talking Shit…
      Why 2pac Wasn’t In Top 3 Because Somebody Said That Is Was OVER-HYPED And He Was..If You Really Know Your Rap 2Pac Is From The East And Started Out Rapping Like He Was From The East. Brenda Got A Baby ( Now Tell Me What West Coast Artist You Know Would Have Put Out That Song ) Also I Saw A Few Have Other Rapper Such Big Daddy Kane..I Din’t Grow Up On His Music Sorry…Same For Kool G Rap But I’m Listening To His Music As Of Now..But If I Had A Honorable Mention 10 This Is How It Would Go…

      11.Redman
      12.Az
      13.GZA
      14.Ghostface
      15.Bun B
      16.Common
      17.Too Short
      18.Joe Budden
      19.Royce Da 5’9
      20.Jadakiss

      I Don’t Go By What A Rapper Do In The Mixtape Circuit So Sorry Big L But I’ve Heard He Was Great…

      1. I like how you included Luda in there…..He is the feature killer, btw he outdid busta on all tracks they have been together, but I feel like he fell off as of past 2 years, just really bad. Word Of Mouf is a southern classic though

      2. Niggas with busta rhymes on their top 10 just voided their list. I never heard anyone walking around reciting his lines (cause dude is wack).

        Official top 10 but it is revolving
        Based of of Skills/Longevity/Quality/Originality

        1.NaS(media won’t tell you this ever)
        2.Jay-Z(overrated but still that good)
        3.2Pac(he made passion a skill)
        4.Rakim(classic bitches)
        5.Eminem/Scarface/Ice Cube/B.I.G.(If Eminem drops another classic, he will surpass Rakim in my eyes. His last 3 albums are no where near his first 3.)

      3. “Brenda Got A Baby ( Now Tell Me What West Coast Artist You Know Would Have Put Out That Song )”

        to reply to that statement … you got him on your list … Ice Cube!

    11. Pac, Biggie, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Big Pun, Masta Ace, Big L, Nas,Slic Rick, Jay z, AZ, Mos Def, Common…basicaly, that’s for the old school, there ‘s a lot of dope spitters from the new school, but like somebody said they don’t have enough classic albums to be on a top 10 list.Still, don’t forget Elzhi, Talib Kweli, J live, One be lo, and so on…

      However that top 10 list shit is very subjective.Even though dudes like Pac, Big… will be in almost everybody’s top 10 list, the list can change for each listener.Like u relate more to one rapper because u had the same kind of life so u ll put him in your top 10 while others won’t..

    12. only thing Id changed” Nas=Jadakiss, ’cause we need a REAL STREET REPPER On this. and “Joe Budden” – nobody spits like him, and NOBODY’s had as much hate (cept maybe Ja Rule) and he’s STILL here, dropping BOMBS

    13. Nobody asked for anyones opinion. So stop posting your lists, because if one person is off in the readers opinion, then shit starts. Just let it go. Stop posting your lists. Everybody has their preference of emcee’s. Nobody really cares what you have to say. If you’re not famous, nobody gives a fuck. It’s how the world works.

      1. Here is my preferential list:

        1. Tupac Shakur
        2. Nasir Jones
        3. Ice Cube
        4. Notorious BIG
        5. Eminem
        6. Kurupt
        7. Eazy E
        8. KRS One
        9. DMX
        10. The Game

        As for top 5 producers:

        1. Dr. Dre
        2. Timbaland
        3. Just Blaze
        4. DJ Premier
        5. Daz Dillinger

    14. i respect his list, but the top 5 are hard to pick. but i don’t like the fact that he minimized pac’s mc’ing fashion. it’s better than that boss thug. but his list is pretty appropriate. besides eminem. but that’s just myself personal.

    15. Finally someone else thinks Pac had weak ass skills, especially for an east coast MC, yeah he had passsion and aggresion but thats it

      1. No skills!! That’s BS. Tupac music was poet, but you say it lack skills. I’m pretty sure you one of those guys that thinks Drake the best of all time.

      2. What are you Talking about fam, Just Because 2pac’s Lyrics were not the most Complex, doesn’t mean his music wasn’t Great and Deep! Alot of 2pac’s Music had a Message, they even have a class in College about how deep his music was. Plus he Put out Singles that had a Message and Meaning unlike 99% of the rappers 2day! What are you talkin about!

      3. Nigga, slap yoself. Pac had mad skills with substance in his music. I’m guessing since you think Pac ain’t got skills, Soulja boy does huh. Fuck outta here.

        Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!

    16. the only non-commercial successful rapper who COULD be included is Lupe Fiasco, though he only had 2 albums, but both were classic, however, he doesnt get the attention jay-z gets.

      besides,i love kanye too all of his 4 rap albums were great but i must say on the skill level he is not an eminem or jay-z, still he is possibly greater than anyone of these musically

    17. I think it says something about the state of Rap Music, that two of the best five to ever do it, have been dead for 13 years. Of all the music that has come out, artists making records, the best we could do was 13 years ago?

      1. i gotta disagree my dude, that’s like saying all alternative/rock music is wack cuz they’ve never done better than the beatles and that was over 2 decades ago

      1. lmao funniest shit i eva read on these blogs some dave chappele shit

        oh yea people stop posting ur top 5 doa newsflash nobody gives a shit

    18. 1) Rakim
      2) Kool G Rap
      3) Tupac
      4) Scarface
      5) Nas
      6) Andre 3000
      7) Eminem
      8) Jay-Z
      9) T.I.
      10) B.I.G.

      No particular order but top 5 is solid
      There isn’t a more realistic list

      1. TI is the ninth greatest rapper of all time?? Name a song he has made that hasn’t been about drugs, or the stuff he has bought selling drugs.

    19. my list, fuck da haterz:

      1. jay-z!
      2. kanye west
      3. j cole
      4. wale
      5. kid cudi
      6. pusha t
      7. big sean
      8. jay electronica
      9. cyhi da prince
      10. common

      kanye west’z my beautiful dark twisted fantasy in storez now bitchez! pick dat shit up and leave nickgay minaj-a-tois on da shelf!

      ROC NATION/GOOD MUZIK BITCH! FUCK CUM MONEY!

    20. MY TOP 5 IN ORDER:
      1. JAY Z
      2. BIGGIE
      3. NAS
      4. LLOYD BANKS
      5. RZA

      runners up: raekwon,ghostface,kanye
      fuck all you fake ass fagots with your shitty list.

      1. Your list sucks really. Lloyd Banks is no where near the top 5. The rest Can be proven. I think RZA is top 5 producer though, Ghostface and Raekwon are better rappers.

    21. It’s amazing how he said Tupac lacked technical skills, but yet he wouldn’t battle Tupac. If Tupac was alive he wouldn’t say that.

    22. Well, you have to have some kind of credibility to post your top 5. Everybody can do that according to their preferences but nobody has and will not listen to them.
      Peace!

    23. if someone wouldve screemed out Big L’s name in the audience i bet yall that Jay wouldv’e nodded and said yeah him 2. He just wasn’t thinking that deep into it…and he probably didn’t say Big Pun’s name because Big Punisher use to shit on Jay Z saying how Jay was garbage back in the 90’s…i cosign on Nas,Eminem,and Biggie though. add Big L and Big Punisher to the list and that would be my top 5.

    24. My Top 15 of ALL TIME DEAD OR ALIVE!!!!!
      1. Jay Z
      2. Notorious Big
      3. Nas
      4. Rakim
      5. Eminem
      6. Scarface
      7. Kool G Rap
      8. Lil Wayne
      9. Ice Cube
      10.Kanye West
      11.LL Cool J
      12.Big Daddy Kane
      13.KRS One
      14.Andre 3000
      15.Common
      Honarable Mention Jadakiss

      1. ice cube and common? surprised? they should be above wayne. wayne shouldn’t be there. don’t get caught up in the hype homie. he’s not shit but he’s not top 15. he’s not even in my top 100. top 200 for sure tho.

    25. This is my preference, the people who I feel the most. I know some people bark why did I not have Big L or Big Pun. I liked those cats they were talented as hell but the people I have on my list are talented as well.

    26. this is just my personal top 5, based on a bunch of shit i personally think is important.
      1. Rakim
      2. Krs-One
      3. Nas
      4. Tupac
      5. Biggie
      Honorable Mentions:Big L, Pun, Jay-Z, kool g rap.

      mostly those people because they changed the game so much and were ahead of their time, alot of other great MCs, those are just my tops.

    27. @ Everyone Who Has Commented:

      STOP POSTING YOUR “TOP 5 DOA” LISTS! First off, no such thing, everyone has their own/different opinions. Secondly, what are you guys basing it off? Sales? Lyrics? Media Coverage? Lastly, no one cares. We’re all fans, who are sitting online, and judging by the majority of these posts, are biased fans. Based off the lists alone, I can tell whether you’re from the west/east, whether you like mainstream/underground, or whether you have an appreciation for the game’s pioneers.

      1. What do you care cory. I checked your facebook music. Your on that flocka, OJ, and Gucci shit. You couldn’t begin to appreciate Big L

    28. Damn Jay No BDK,I Understand though everyone U mention, You either took somethin from their Style.No LL stop C’Mon son.Me Personally “Brad Jordan”,My Alltime favorite Storie teller 20 + yrs and still doin it!!!

    29. I hate when people say Pac lacked technical skills. Go listen to his flow on Ambition as a Ridah, Hail mary, How do you want it, Unconditional love, old school and all of his 500 plus track (Which biggie hadnt been able to accomplish before he died) and have the guts to repeat that Pac lacked technical skills… and how you gon speak about rappers being humourous and not speak about the nigga who first put you on an album

      1. Excatly, 2pac was the Greatest, 2pac aint lack nothin, they(Jayz) just say that just to make they self look bigger, 2pac had the whole package,2pac is the most Hated and the most love MC ever,new 2pac album on the way also, so haters get madd, 2pac was bigga than Hiphop anyway.

    30. Top 10 (No Particular Order)

      BIG
      Jay-Z
      Nas
      Rakim
      Andre 3000
      Em
      KRS
      Cool G Rap
      Pac
      Scarface
      Honorable Mention: Method Man

    31. No Order
      Jay-Z (best career)
      KRS-One (held the culture down at an important stage)
      Rakim (the real blueprint)
      Lil’ Wayne (prolific)
      Biggie (the greatest story teller)

      1. Wanye? prolific? Really? If he met himself 10 years ago, he’d be calling himself a faggot for going all hipster. He’s pop trash and their isn’t anything deep about him.

    32. Top 5
      1. Barney the Dinosaur
      2. The Green Power Ranger
      3. Elmo
      4. Sloth from the “Goonies”
      5. Taylor Swift
      Runners up: Kermit the Frog, Batman, Ryu from Street Fighter, Aslan, Ronald McDonald, and Mr. Roger
      …in no order

    33. ….and here everyone goes with their top number list of emcees as if they haven’t posted it up on here before.

    34. My Top 5 in no particular order are:

      2Pac
      Biggie
      Jay-Z
      Nas
      Eminem

      These are the Artists Albums that you Buy, and You can Make a Dope Greatest Hits Album with each Artist. Matter of Fact, i have lol

    35. Top 5 Dead Or alive
      1-A)Pac
      1-B)Big
      2)Hov
      3)Nas
      4)Snoop
      5)Rule(Yeah I said it motha phucckas Ja Rule listen to his real shit man and besides ain’t nothing wrong with making songs for bitches “I Loves My Bitches” Ha Ha
      Next in line making it top 10 would be
      6)DMX
      7)Kanye West
      8)LL Cool J(Best Free Stylist Ever)
      9)Busta Rhymes
      10)Redman & Methed Man(You cant have one without the other)
      Honorable Mention 11)Ice Cube

    36. You obviously have little knowledge of hip-hop history and its pioneers. However, I do agree with you on young money.

    37. I ain’t gonna make no top 5 list DOA cuz most of ya’all know the niggas that be on it so top 5 RIGHT now:

      1. Andre 3000
      2. Rick Ross
      3. Crooked I
      4. Jay Z
      5. Eminem (Even though the nigga is more pop than hip hop)

      Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      1. SO…..slim shady lp is pop marshell mathers lp is pop the eminem show is pop encore is pop RELAPSE is pop…. you must be one of those guy’s that only listen to singles cus one thing eminem is not is pop… pop is something that you would play for your 8 year old kids now way you would play an eminem album in front of your kids infact out of all the people you named he is the last person you want your kids to listen to

        everyone you named on your list has pop singles its called mainstream get used to it.

      2. …And another Stan is yet again offended by the relationship between “Eminem” and “pop”… truth is, you don’t sell 5,000,000 worldwide using hardcore lyrics in this day and age without having serious pop influence. And Recovery wasn’t even bad (wasn’t great either), it’s just blatantly obvious this album was, in fact, pop rap. Which isn’t a bad thing if it’s executed well (EXAMPLE: Kanye’s new album)

      3. So you saying eminem dont have hardcore lyrics and just because he sold more than 5 million records he’s pop so i guess that makes jay-z pop or are you just saying recovery is pop and you forgot about his other six albums that wasnt pop and recovery still had harcore lyrics.

        you cant compare what kanyeis doing to what eminem is doing kanye is really singing and makeing real love song’s not that that’s a problem im just saying.

      4. Deeznut you need to get off Shady dick. His first 3 albums were hip hop but the last three have been average to just straight shit. Shady was ill as fuck and then encore happened and he’s been downhill since. Nigga you just have to much Shady juice in you to see it.

        Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      5. That’s your opinoin encore wasnt that good of an album but to me relapse and recovery is.. Just like the way you like rick ross and i dont. it’s all what you think and you think shady trash and i know rick ross is trash.

    38. I know everyone has their own biases depending on where they are from and who influenced them, but this is my top 5 in no particular order…

      1) Lupe Fiasco
      2) Rakim
      3) KRS-One
      4) Jay-Z
      5) Andre 3000

      Honorable Mention: Big Pun, Biggie, Common, Eminem, Black Thought, LL Cool J, & Talib Kweli

    39. top 5 in the game now…

      1.Cudi
      2.Kanye
      3.B.O.B
      4.Lupe
      5.Wale(even though he dont release enough musik)

      pick up man on the moon 2 and my beautiful dark twisted fantasy.

      P.S. dont buy pink friday she dont deserve yo money

    40. what? 2pac, no technical skill ???, he obviously hasn’t heard all of 2pac to say that, 2pac had more technical skill then jay-z and biggie

      1. Jayz just dont wana make it seem like 2pac was the best thats all. Hes kinda envy of 2pac, but he better thank 2pac, cause if 2pac was still here Jayz wouldnt be the dude he is today,Real Talk.

    41. biggie flow reminds me a fat fuck with a donut struck down to his troath

      as far as Pac, yall mothafuckaz have to bow down to the goat

      1. Fair enough *proceeds to bow to Biggie*

        Haha jk honestly though Biggie was better than Pac as far as technical skill comes, even though neither are the GOAT

    42. I forgot

      Jay-Z aint shit. he just fit into the gap left by the greatest. Remember the 90s when there were so many unelievable MCs in the game it looked like a fuckin marvel comic book. the game was full of superheroes like DMX, Pac, Snoop (in his prime), Nas (before he sold his ass out to jay-z), Mobb Deep (before they give their ass to G-Unit), the Wu, Naughty by Nature etc. Jay-Z was just in the shadow of all these rappers, or at best, he was just one of them. But now since some of them died, some left and some sold out, everybody call him the goat. GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE ! I dont bite this shit ! Hip-Hop died a long time ago no matter what people say.

      Fuck a Drake, Wayne, Kanye, Jay-Z, Minaj, Budden, Eminem (yes i said Eminem) etc.

      1. I like how One Be Lo is just sandwiched in between all of those hip hop pioneers haha.. He’s a great MC no doubt, but he looks kinda awkward along with names like Nas and Pac

    43. “You gots to go with a name you can quickly trust
      I’m not sayin I’m number one, uhh I’m sorry, I lied
      I’m number one, two, three, four and five”

      ~Krs-One~

      1. Yeah bro I always thought he was the most underrated MC ever. Some of the shit he says is mind blowing, gotta rewind it like 10 times to figure it out. I’ve never heard a bad verse from him, and in fact he’s bodied everyone on every track he’s been on except maybe 1 or 2

    44. My top five favorite

      1.Ol’ Dirty Bastard

      2.Busta Rhymes

      3.Sticky Fingaz

      4.Gorilla Zoe

      5.DMX

      My Top Five Groups

      1.Onyx

      2.Outkast

      3.M.O.P

      4.Wu-Tang Clan

      5.Boyz N Da Hood

      1. Your list blows major dick, ODB and and the Dog are alright but the rest on there are hot garbage. and in the groups Outkast and Wu are good but the rest are hot garbage too. What music do you listen to nigga.

    45. just waitin for someone to have the BALLS to admit, Lil Wayne is top 5. I stand by this I don’t care what anyone thinks. and BIG is not goat, pac has the edge on that

      1. its not about having the “balls” to put him in, he has to earn it so if you had a top 5 list who would you kick off to put Lil Wayne on it…Jay-Z, Biggie,Nas,Tupac, Eminem, Rakim, Krs-One, Big Daddy Kane…get a grip because someone is hot today doesnt mean they are greatest of all time. Shawn Kemp, Anthony Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill all used to be monsters but you never hear their names mentioned as all time greats, its not what u do in a moment its what you accomplish in a career…Lil Wayne may be one of the greatest of all times one day, but until then stop trying to rush it.

      2. Bro, exactly what has lil wayne done but saturate the game with non-sensical, mediocre mixtapes, albums loaded with features that are half-assed and destroy the shit out of auto-tune?

        His career is made up of one-liner punchlines (eg. you’re too weak like fourteen days), kissing birdman, being a fake blood (he has been signed to a record label since 11…when did he have time to go gangbang?) and signing another mediocre rapper from Toronto, Drake.

        Please tell me what he has done that’s considered great…and please leave out album sales because that has nothing to do with being SKILLED ARTIST. I DO NOT, I REPEAT I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY BITCHES HE FUCKED, HOW MANY AWARDS HE WON (based on the fact that awards are given to the person with popularity and album sales voted by a bunch of white people that dont know SHIT about HIP-HOP) or HOW MUCH MONEY HE IS MAKING.

        Call me a hater if it makes you feel better, im not a fan of wayne but i am a fan of hip-hop. i listen to wayne. i have his old stuff from hot boys (no homo) i have tha carter 1, 2, 3, i have a bunch of his mixtapes (dedication 2 is by far his best of anything) and I know my shit.

        Rebuttle…

    46. 2pac , snoop , nate dogg , suga free , daz dillinger , kurupt , trey d , nas , gangstarr , dr dre , eazy e , too short , big syke , warren g , butch cassidy , busta rhymes , ice cube , ice t , wu tang , …

    47. Personal Top 5:

      1.Brother Ali
      2.Nas
      3.Talib Kweli
      4.Black Thought
      5.Tech N9ne

      Now for all you 90’s snobs out there, I made my list with mostly post golden age favorites because my generation deserves to have some dignity when it comes to hip hop. So basically I enjoy listening to ‘Shadows on the Sun’ more than ‘All Eyez on Me’.

      1. 1. Pac(G.O.A.T.)
        2. Big(Past)
        3. Weezy(Present)
        4. Kanye(Present)
        5. Big K.R.I.T.(Future)
        Top 10:
        6.Eminem
        7.DMX
        8.Nas
        9.50 Cent
        10.The Game

    48. 1.Nas
      2.Jay Electronica
      3.Lupe Fiasco
      4.Pharoahe Monch
      5.Andre 3000
      some others(no particular order)
      Jadakiss
      Biggie
      Mos Def
      Blu
      Kanye
      Skyzoo
      Doom
      Big L
      Big Pun
      Cannibal Ox
      eLZhi
      Shad
      Method Man
      Black Thought

    49. not in order (except monch, he is g.o.a.t to me)

      Pharoahe Monch
      Big L
      Biggie
      Jay Z
      Eminem

      honorable mentions to: Pac, RA The Rugged Man, Nas, Big Pun, Rakim, G Rap…… ain’t easy to narrow it to 5 when all I’ve mentioned are some of my favorite artists.

      Side Note: people who talkin Nikki Minaj to be the best Female MC, no. She gets nowhere near Jean Grae, Real Talk.

    50. they say pussy and paper is poetry, power and pistols, plotting on murderin motha fuckas fo’ they get you, picturing pitiful punk niggas coppin please puffin weed as i position myself, to clock g’s.

      my enemies scattered in suicidal situations, never to witness the wicked shit that they was facin, pockets is packed with presidents pursue your riches, invading the player hatin’ tricks, while hittin switches.

      man some of you cat’s probably haven’t even realized where that came from.

      1. Thats From 2Pac’s If I Die 2Nite, I Used Those Lyrics in my English class in high school as an example of alliteration. Classic.

    51. 1. Pimp C (real rhythm and poetry)
      2. Snoop Dogg (super-under-rated freestyle artist, and know how to make rap alive to this day)
      3. Bun B (wonderful wordplay, rhymes, punch lines, et cetera)
      4. Kanye West (just listen to his three first albums’ singles)
      5. I don’t know…

    52. put jadakiss equal 5th with prodigy and your list is spot on.. nice to see banks gettin his props he is a true mc!!

      LLOYD BANKS HFM2 IN STORES NOW! support real hip hop

    53. Listen My top 5 in no particular order is RAKIM, G RAP, KRS, NAS, BIG, JAy Z hands down people north south east west and 1 more redman I fucks with a lot of new shit but we talking lyrics and nobody can out shine a lyricist I dont care how many HIT SONGS u have!!!! Ok eminem and man its a lot of great artist to choose homie but thats my opinion

    54. WHERES THE RESPECT TO THE BIG PUNISHER? ANY OF YALL CATS CHECK CAPITAL PUNISHMENT? I WAS 5 WHEN IT DROPPED AND KNOW MORE ABOUT THEN MOST OF YALL

    55. Where’s Ja Rule Ya’ll?

      1)Tupac Shakur(No Doubt)
      2)LL Cool J
      3)Ja Rule
      4)DMX
      5)Big Pun
      6)Ice Cube
      7)Rakim
      8)Nas
      9)T.I.
      10)Young Buck

      In no particular order excluding Tupac, He’s eternally #1

    56. 1. Outkast (i’ve got to wait until dre drops his solo album to decide who’s better between him big boi)
      2. Tupac
      3. Nas
      4. Slug (from atmosphere)
      5. Talib Kweli

    57. Top 5
      1. Barney the Dinosaur
      2. The Green Power Ranger
      3. Elmo
      4. Sloth from the “Goonies”
      5. Taylor Swift
      Runners up: Kermit the Frog, Batman, Ryu from Street Fghter, Aslan, Ronald McDonald, and Mr. Roger
      …in no order

    58. Oh yeah…

      1. Pimp C (real rhythm and poetry)
      2. Snoop Dogg (superunderrated freestyle artist, and know how to make rap alive to this day. Who doesn’t love Snoopy?)
      3. Bun B (wonderful wordplay, rhymes, punch lines, et cetera)
      4. Racionais MC’s (brazilian hip-hop group, led by Mano Brown. Fantastic)
      5. Kanye West (just listen to his three first albums’ singles)

    59. top 5 all time
      1. Prodigy (mobb deep)
      2. Biggie
      3. Rakim
      4. Eminem
      5. Jay-z

      Top 5 of this era
      1. Lloyd banks
      2. Jadakiss
      3. Styles P
      4. Fabolous
      5. J Cole

      YO GO OUT AND GET LLOYD BANKS HFM2 OUT TODAY

    60. TOP 10 ALL TIME

      1. KOOL KEITH
      2. BIG DADDY KANE
      3. RAKIM
      4. MF DOOM
      5. CHUCK D
      6. RAMMELLZEE
      7. BLACK THOUGHT
      8. Q-TIP
      9. ROXANNE SHANTE
      10.SCHOOLLY D

      PEACE FROM AUSTRALIA !!!

      NAPPIE RASH

      1. bite this , go on girl & have a nice day are all classics .
        liked her voice even though big daddy kane wrote her lyrics !
        lord finesse would be another pick .

      1. You’re sleeping. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Wayne, Ye(no offense, love him, no homo), Drake, TI are not in the top 5. Em is definitely not number one. You forgot Pac, Nas, Big, Rakim, and Kool

    61. Lists are dope. When I was a kid it was hearing different people’s top 5 that got me curious about rappers I hadn’t been exposed to. Some 12 year old who only likes what he hears on the radio might come on here and see names like MF Doom, Murs, or even legends like Big L or Kool G Rap and look them. One of the best ways to keep Hip Hop alive in my opinion.

      1. Word up… i aint gon lie when i was a kid all i listened to was shit on tv and radio. then i got exposed to everything from the 80s to the 90s to underground.

        but i doubt that people who like flocka, wayne, drake, gucci will even begin to comprehend the complex lyricisms of DOOM or even G Rap…

      2. This is true y’all. I appreciate these lists too. Hip Hop is all about opinion and interpretation, so spreading the knowledge is the essence of what Hip Hop is

    62. top lyricists right now (in no order)…fuck album sales and swag…thats for kids

      1 jay electronica
      2 lupe fiasco
      3 shad
      4 j. cole
      5 fashawn
      6 sha stimuli
      7 skyzoo

      and NO i didnt leave out wayne or drake…stupid kids

      “i got money in these jeans so they fit me kinda snug” shut the fuck up with that shit…nigga soundin like wayne EVERYDAY

      1. nice list my friend.. i think i would try to queeze blu in there too.. simply for making Below The Heavens haha.. cuz that’s one of the best albums ever made.. i like Wale too though.. he’s always being overlooked as a lyricist just cuz he’s so subtle with his punchlines and metaphors.. sometimes they’re really hard to catch.. but he is hella nice with the lyrics.. you got a good list goin’ there though..

    63. my top 10 (opinons are welcome.. just curious to see what other hip-hop heads are thinkin):

      (no order)

      1. Pac
      2. Biggie
      3. DMX
      4. Jada/Styles
      5. Eminem
      6. Big L
      7. Big Pun
      8. Clipse
      9. Jay
      10. Nas
      11. Krs-One
      12. Wu-Tang
      13. Twista
      14. Lil Wayne

      damn, was gonna do just ten but couldnt narrow it down..

      1. Oh phuck mb…didn’t see the “(no order).” Was thrown off because I saw the numbers by the side and had Pac and Biggie at the 1 and 2 spot, respectively.

      2. Good list.but big pun and big l over jay-z and nas?they definitely deserve to be above them on the list.don’t get me wrong,big pun and big l were great,but they were only in the game briefly…plus big l was one-dimensional,dope wordplay and metaphors,but you rarely saw him with substance.big pun pretty much the same applies.they’re definitely in the top 15 though.

      1. what’s wrong with his list? Z-Ro is actually a GOOD rapper from the south. So is K-Rino. And so what Wu-Tang is not a rapper. They have 10 rappers (including Cappadonna) that’s better than most mainstream artist out right now…

    64. My list (not including me)

      1. Shawty Mane
      2. Gucci Mane
      3. Fabo of D4L
      4. OJ Da Juiceman
      5. Waka Flocka Flame
      6. Game
      7. Vinnie Paz
      8. Shawty Lo
      9. Soulja Boy
      10. 50 Tyson

      Eminem is the gayest rapper alive
      Kill that motherfucker cunt in beehive
      Jay-Z been suckin’ off gay horny toads
      I kill off Kanye and DMX down the road
      Drake takes cock in his ass by J Cole
      Kid Cudi and BoB buttfucked in the asshole
      Wiz Khalifa ain’t got shit cuz he sucks
      TI goin’ back to prison to get his ass fucked
      Tupac is a fuckin’ queer, the Game rules Cali
      Snoop Dogg and Dre are faggots, call me
      Like a G6, better than those faggot Three 6 Mafia
      I’ll fuckin’ expose Nas as a dick sucker, fuck y’all
      Fuck rock music, they can suck my fuckin’ ass
      The only real rappers are Game, Gucci, and Vinnie Paz
      Anyone who likes Atmosphere, Lupe or Murs are fags
      Shawty Mane the best rapper go this shit in the bag

      1. you’re an idiot. atmosphere (slug), lupe and murs would rap circles around these motherfuckers in their sleep. this is a greatest rapper alive list not your personal favorites list illiterate fuck

      2. LOLOLOL! This is the type of people that dislike rappers w/ great lyrics. The fact that you have Shawty, Gucci, Fabo, Oj, Flocka Lame, Vinnie, Shawty Lo, Soulja Boy(LOL SMH), and 50 on your list means you don’t know shit about rappin’. Release your self from their third arm, please.

      3. WHAT nigga! Pac a queer?? Lmao @ ur WACK
        ass list… muthafuka’s that aint nobody
        from my hood even heard of, nigga aint nobdy I know, bumpin no damn Fabo from D4L
        in they ride. yo dum ass have the nerves to DISS TUPAC and think you gone get away with it? who the hell is Vinnie paz? hahahaha, yo ass done made up some names!! yo whack ass… u can go kill urself now!!!

      4. the only good lyricist on your list is Game…soulja boy sucks more dick than gucci and fabo….sorry taste in music

      5. nigga, you iz a dumbass fuck……I mean on yo list, Game is the best and Vinnie go hard too, but the rest of them niggas, especially since you on 50 Tyson nuts garbage, like you. How you gonna dis T.I. Drake, and say Dre and Snoop are queers. eat dick you dumb cunt!!

      6. I’m going to cut all your dicks off and chew on them while I rape you all in the ass with passionate intensity.
        DON’T DISAGREE WITH ME FAGGOTS.

      7. sojia boy? kill ya self twice for that one, guccie? fuck outta here dude cant even use complete sentances, oj da juice man hmmmmmmmm wack, shawty lo are you serious dude kill yourself 3 times, fabo? really FABO? smh what happened to hiphop? ypu need to jump in a full bath with a plugged in toaster

      8. @ “BestRapperAliveList”

        Whatever you do. Don’t tell anybody from your hood or any other person your real name, don’t give them your phone number or address. You might get beat that crap out with a bitch ass comment like that. I mean, I’m not even gonna get specific, it’s just obvious. THIS was the ABSOLUTE WORST comment I’ve read in my life!

        Cause I could bet my house that 99% of people that are familiar with hip hop (even young ones) disagree with you and probably think you’re stupid as fuck. Of course it’s opinions, but THIS is straight IGNORANCE turned to braindead.

        I mean, unless you’re joking… then maybe it might be half funny, but seriously, even the people ON YOUR LIST could fuck you up if they knew what you just stated.

        Call whoever you want faggots, the only faggot at the end is you, and you know it. Especially with that faggity ass attitude of yours.

        Please don’t have children. Then again, you can’t, cause you probably don’t like women. Don’t even adopt children. Lord knows what they’ll turn out to be…

      9. I’m surprised you even know who Vinnie Paz is considering you’re taste in awful hip hop. And if he knew who you were he’d lynch you for puttin him in a list with those faggots and for dissing the cats you dissed. GTFOH!

    65. I’m gonna switch it up and do a top 5 one from each area of the country with a wild card in here.

      West – Tupac
      South – Ludacris (probably gonna be a lot of hate but he’s an amazing lyricist if you listen to his recent shit)
      Midwest – Atmosphere (Slug)
      East – Biggie
      Wild Card – Nas for Illmatic alone.

      Honorable Mentions
      Outkast
      Bun B
      Tech N9ne
      Ice Cube
      Jay-Z
      Big L

      There ya go, hate on it if you must but this is just one name of many from each region.

    66. man there are too many to come up with a top 5. i guess most people will have their own personal lists. but jay is picking “his” top 5. and i’d expect his list to be just as he said. because he always admired nas and em. and biggie. i just feel like jay is picking the top 5 most influential of all time. not the best of all time. because hell i like dilla. dilla had a very slick flow and was a dj. what about ghostface, or rakim, or big daddy kane, man there are a ton of ’em boss thug…hell i could say ice t. he wasn’t one of the greatest but he was definitely a huge influence on me, and a lot of others, in his early work.

      1. NOT JUST FOLLOW THE LEADER TAKE A TRIP WITH ON HIM “THE GHETTO” AND LISTEN TO THE PRECISION ON “NO OMEGA”. THIS IS THE TYPE OF DISCUSSION I LIKE I’M FEELING MOST OF YOUR LISTS AND ASIDE FROM THE VERY ANGRY ONES WHO BELIEVE THEIR OPINIONS ARE THE GOSPEL, THIS IS A GOOD HEALTHY COVERSATION FOR HIP HOP. YOU GET DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS BASED ON AGE GROUPS, BUT ALOT ARE CALLING OUT THE SAME MC’S. MY TOP TEN.

        1.RAKIM
        2.BIGGIE
        3.G-RAP
        4.EM
        5.NAS
        6.ANDRE 3000
        7.KRS
        8.COMMON
        9.JAY-Z
        10.BLACK THOUGHT

      1. DMX at #1, gtfoh nigga. I like the Dog, but he should not be near no ones top 10.

        Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      2. how are you gonna say X doesnt belong in anyones top ten? its all personal opinon. did you notice NOT ONE person had ricky ross on their top ten?? what does that tell you??

        “bawse” (in his own mind)

    67. This is my list you muthafukas:
      1. Big Punisher Christopher Rios R.I.P.
      2. Guru Keith Elam R.I.P. The Gangstarr Foundation
      3. Nasty Nas Nasir Jones
      4. Royce Da 5’9″
      5. The Real Slim Shady Marshall Mathers
      6. Biggie Smalls Christopher Wallace R.I.P.
      7. Kool G Rap KGR
      8. Termanology
      9. Joell Ortiz
      10. Jadakiss/Game Tie for 10th

    68. jay z is garbage he shouldnt be on top 100, there are so many more mcs that would rip jay z limb for limb in the booth

    69. sojia boy? kill ya self twice for that one, guccie? fuck outta here dude cant even use complete sentances, oj da juice man hmmmmmmmm wack, shawty lo are you serious dude kill yourself 3 times, fabo? really FABO? smh what happened to hiphop?

      1. David lyricism is much more than technics. Although Aesop Rock is technical he is no where as great a story teller as J Cole.

    70. I hate this shit so much whenever douchebag under sun wants to start putting up their list like it really matters to anyone else.

    71. My personal 5 would hip hop acts would be Eminem,Lupe,Outkast,Cunninglingust and 2pac. I don’t get the underground guys in here listing Vinnie Paz and Immortal Technique. I know they are lyrical, but I can’t listen to that shit for long periods of time, after a while it’s like get off the political BS and let me just vibe to something.

    72. The non obvious list:
      1. Blu
      2. Elzhi
      3. Brother Ali
      4. Slug
      5. Jay Electronica
      6. Fashawn
      7. MF Doom
      8. J. Cole
      9. Shad
      10. Danny!
      Honorable Mentions: Che Grand, Wale, Curren$y (not bad for the south)

    73. imma add on cuz fuck it rite….

      sha stimuli
      madvillain
      mf doom
      murs
      pac
      biggie (forgot em both)
      la coka nostra(already put slaine)
      crooked i
      b-real(very underrated)
      brother ali
      fabolous(mixtapes r fire)
      fort minor
      non phixion
      brown bag all stars
      dilated peoples
      swollen members
      kool g rap
      epmd
      wu tang
      jadakiss
      sticky fingaz
      ill bill
      lloyd banks
      outkast
      ….there’s more but put all the shit i said together and it’s the playlist for all time

    74. @I SEE NOW Dope list I agree with most of them I see you know your old School Hip Hop and you respect those that paved the way. My Top 10 is based more on Lyrics and also on how they’ve changed Hip Hop @ some point

      1.RAKIM (Listen to Eric B & Rakim then come talk to me y’all)
      2.KRS-1
      3.Nas
      4.Jay-Z
      5.Big Daddy Kane
      6.Kool G Rap
      7.Andre 3000 (Forget about the Clothes peep his Lyrics)
      8.Scarface
      9.Common
      10.LL Cool J
      Bonus: Slick Rick or Ice Cube

    75. Top 5 from each region

      East:
      Nas
      Hova
      Big
      Big Daddy Kane (Put Jay on the map)
      Talib Kweli

      South:
      Scarface
      Andre 3000
      T.I.
      Bun B
      Devin the Dude

      Midwest:
      Eminem
      Tech N9ne
      Kanye
      Bone Thugs
      Twista

      West:
      Pac
      E-40
      Ice Cube
      Yukmouth
      Rass Kass

      It’s impossible to make a perfect list…

    76. Pac
      Big
      Nas
      Em
      Jay/Game(interchangeable).
      Love it it or hate it,they’re just the top five in rap and lyrical terms and influence to the industry.
      Am not an American,so i can give u a non biased view different from east coast/west coast sentiments.

      from Nigeria with love.

      1. Big up dawg 4 kamn thru wid that list!!wea would rap musiq b withoutn tha lyks of ma man Nas….thumbs up!!kip it pimpn nigga…

    77. TOP 5
      1.Eminem (set the precedent 4 white rappers even just rappers in general and just what lyrical and musical passion is about)

      2.Biggie(amazing storyteller grabbed your hear; BEST FLOW EVER)

      3.Kanye west(need i saw more he is on the level of michael jackson of rap)

      4.Jay-z(just based on longevity he is on my list; but his wordplay is genius and his swag looks like this : jay-z > everyone else)

      5.Big Pun(i would say behind eminem the 2nd BEst lyricist ever and really broke open the scene for every latino rapper;my personnal favorite)

      my top 5 fav emcees include

      1.Big Pun
      2.LLoyd Banks
      3.Kanye WEst
      4.Fabolous
      5.Eminem

    78. 1. Based God
      2. Waka Flocka Flame
      3. Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em
      4. OJ the Juiceman
      5. 50 Tyson

      no one touches their lyrically talent.

      1. this has to be the funniest list i ever heard are you serious lol wow lol really hahahahaha really hahahahahahahhaha lol

    79. My personal favorites

      1.Luda
      2. Pun
      3. KRS
      4. Em
      5. L
      6. Pac
      7. BIG
      8. Kiss
      9. DMX
      10. ODB
      Runners up: Jay-Z/Nas/Posdnuos/Beanie/Shyne/Petey Pablo etc and in no particular order

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