The 50 Best Rappers of All Time

Ranking hip-hop's elite, spanning subgenres, gender and generations

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Behind every great artist is someone who’s endured immense suffering. 

They bleed just like us. Yet, those who have transformed their pain, passion and pure joy into beautiful music have earned the right to be honored for their contributions. After enjoying, relating to, studying and then writing about hip-hop for most of my life, I embarked on a months-long process of curating a list of The 50 Best Rappers of All Time. 

So you can understand what this list is, I have to explain what it’s not. It’s not a list of the “greatest” rappers. If it was, there would be many more pioneers who paved the way for rap to become a global phenomenon. While I have the utmost respect for the culture’s trailblazers, there are plenty of lists out there that have done a great job of primarily honoring impact and influence. 

This is also not a list of the best MCs. If it was, this list would be stocked with supreme spitters with rapid-fire flows, impeccable deliveries and dizzying rhyme schemes. While I hold great value in the art of emceeing, that ground has also been covered repeatedly.

The key components of this list are “best” and “rappers.” By “rappers,” I mean those who implement the art of emceeing into a larger artistic vision to create music. By “best,” I mean the rappers whose work has endured as timeless and elite.

So, while impact, influence and mic skills are certainly factored in, this list is skewed toward rappers who’ve created songs and albums with exceptional value. 

While that’s arguably a very subjective criteria, I took care to check my personal biases and fandom to be what I call “objectively subjective.” This is not a list of favorites, but of those who, based on my experienced ear and understanding of musical history, are simply the best rappers to ever grace a mic. 

All right. I’ve yapped long enough. Let’s get to it. 

50. Cassidy 

Rarely has a steel-toed street spitter been so comfortable on smooth radio joints. But Cassidy makes this list primarily because of B.A.R.S. - The Barry Adrian Reese Story, an album born from transgressions and tragedy that displayed remarkable depth and genuine spirituality. He never again came close to this record, but for one shining moment in the fall of 2007, Cassidy was the best rapper in the game. 

49. Guru 

That voice. As one half of Gang Starr, Guru draped DJ Premier’s pristine production with velvet, word to George Costanza. Beneath his captivating mic presence and cool punchlines was an artist unafraid to bear his soul on wax. Guru’s life ended tragically, but his art is solidified in the culture forever. 

48. Cam’ron

Before he made waves as a podcaster, Cam’ron spit over dope Just Blaze beats with brass-knuckled bars to make you say “oh boy.” He piled rhymes on rhymes with the force of a bricklayer, but the Harlem spitter’s most enduring trait was his ability to be convincingly gully and glossy on the same record. The apex of his artistry is Come Home With Me, a crossover stunner that timestamps the AND1 era. 

47. Royce Da 5’9”

It could have easily been over for Ryan Montgomery. Fallen out with his Detroit friends and steeped in alcohol addiction, Royce crafted the darkly stunning Death Is Certain before spending years in limbo. But mended fences and sobriety led to a second wind that’s still in full force, as Nickel Nine has balanced lyrical supremacy with heartfelt themes better than most pure spitters of the past 25 years. 

46. Fashawn 

Nas knows talent when he sees it. But even before Fashawn was signed to Mass Appeal Records, he was gracing the underground with a powerful delivery and emotional lyrics over Exile’s soulful soundbeds. Even though he hasn’t released much in the past decade, his albums’ timeless feel ensures he’ll resonate with heads for years to come. 

45. Preemo 

If you know, you know. Mexican-American rapper Preemo experienced the worst of the mainstream before following his heart and independently releasing criminally overlooked yet undeniably stellar music. Shea Serrano and Jeff Weiss lavished praise on his opus, Concrete Dreams, but that’s just one of several projects that combine Pre’s smooth flow, cinematic storytelling and stark vulnerability for superb art. The artist formerly known as Slim Luv is pound for pound the best Latin rapper of all time. 

44. Jeezy 

Your favorite trapper’s favorite trapper took his hustling philosophy to the music industry and turned what could have been 15 minutes of fame into a decades-long career. Jeezy helped pioneer trap music and changed the game with his trademarked ad-libs over bombastic beats. But the most underrated aspects of his game are a flow that’s tightened with time and vivid storytelling that brought the streets of Atlanta to cars and homes across the nation. 

43. Masta Ace

Masta Ace’s longevity is owed to his ability to sound current in any era. A dexterous, witty lyricist in the ‘90s, Ace returned in the 2000s with well-executed concept albums that engaged listeners with thoughtfulness and creativity. He’s continued his run to the present day with precise storytelling and a meticulous dedication to his craft. No wonder Eminem cited him as a major influence.

42. Lauryn Hill

We just wish she would have released more music. Though we never got a classic, pure rap album out of Ms. Hill, her unique blend of styles resulted in some of the most captivating hip-hop in existence. And when she rapped, she magnetized listeners with a mesmerizing flow, effortless insight and a commanding presence that left us all speechless. 

41. Big L 

Listening to this man is just special. He flexibly flowed with eye-popping punchlines and illustrative tales that an entire generation of NY rappers tried to imitate but couldn’t duplicate. 

But killing mics was just part of the package, as L employed creative concepts and raw honesty to stamp himself a full-fledged artist. He was murdered before we could see the full realization of his talent, but he left enough material to mark himself one of the all-time greats.

40. Eve

The Ruff Ryders’ First Lady was an essential component to DMX’s crew. Just like X, she balanced beastly bars over bare-knuckle beats with relatable rhymes about perseverance and God. Make no mistake; Eve was of her own mold, blowing our minds with swaggerful hits and three smash albums in four years. She really was that girl. 

39. Ludacris

Ludacris is better known these days for his film career, but his passion on the mic in his prime was no act. A consistently strong voice in the 2000s, Luda spazzed on intros, shouted on hits and self-reflected on deep cuts. Though he’s best remembered for being the life of the party, Ludacris’ quieter moments are some of his most powerful, and transcended him from a trendy hitmaker to an artist who truly made a difference. 

38. Lecrae 

There was Lecrae before Church Clothes, and Lecrae after Church Clothes. Once he dropped that mixtape with Don Cannon, he went from spitting out doctrine that pleased the church to being his raw, real self as a child of God. He was lambasted by many evangelicals and left in limbo, but out of Lecrae’s struggles came rap tunes with the desperation of Psalms and the triumph of the Gospels. He’s known for giving Christian hip-hop a bigger platform than it had ever had, but he should be equally respected for his impassioned delivery, clever rhymes and bleeding vulnerability. 

37. Pimp C

He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. Chad Butler wasted nary a word on the mic, whether he was spitting nasty rhymes or crying out to the Lord. His country drawl and choice emphasis of words made him an enthralling presence, and played an essential role on landmark UGK albums and classic, candy-painted cuts. Though the word “legend,” is overused, Pimp C fits the bill as a larger-than-life artist whose impact is still being felt nearly 17 years after his sudden, sorrowful passing.

UGK 4 life.

36. Treach

To say he’s underrated is an understatement, because the best MC from the outstanding Naughty By Nature is often not even brought up amongst the greats. The omission is ludicrous, given his superior flow, impressive versatility and role in crafting some of the greatest hits in hip-hop history. Above all, his poise on the mic is a primary reason that Naughty By Nature still sounds fresh to this day. 

35. Killer Mike

If there’s a rapper who could have been a fire-and-brimstone preacher in another life, it’s Killer Mike. Through his metamorphosis from hardcore ATL spitter to pure lyricist to humble spiritual rapper, the constant has been Mike’s conviction. He dropped his 2023 masterpiece MICHAEL at age 48, proving once and for all that rap isn’t just a young man’s game. 

34. Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco set himself apart from other lyricists with his uncanny knack for making a hit record that still sounds smart. He can be supremely intellectual and endearingly whimsical, but Lupe is at his best when he’s compassionate. Tetsuo & Youth, dropped amidst a flurry of gunfire in Chiraq, is both a high-minded concept album and an impassioned plea for peace. That he’s able to seamlessly weave between academic and accessible is so, so cool. 

33. Juvenile

Nine years before Jay-Z said it on American Gangster, just the sound of Juvenile’s voice was a hit. From the conversational “Ha” to the feel-good urgency of “Back That Azz Up,” Juve was a brilliant songmaker who put the Nolia on the map with the classic 400 Degreez. Though his music didn’t come with a lot of depth, Juve was an indelible voice with memorable cuts that are somehow both time-stamped and timeless. 

32. Talib Kweli

From the opening moments of the masterful Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star, Talib Kweli’s mission to make music that mattered was abundantly clear. Whether with Mos Def, Hi-Tek or on his own, he’s spent his career providing top-shelf edutainment. His music can stimulate the mind and hype up the body. What more can you ask for?

31. Nelly

It’s hard to gauge the impact of Nelly, who hit the rap game like a tidal wave with a style so unique it hasn’t been seen before or since. One thing’s for sure; his melodic flow and easy grin helped boost rap higher in the pop stratosphere. And that’s not even factoring the greatness of his first two albums and slept-on excellence of the rest of his prime. 

30. The Game

Hip-hop’s biggest fan who’s way more than a fan. Jayceon Taylor earns points for being the only man who survived a rap beef with 50 Cent in his prime, but he belongs here because of his earnest commitment to making powerful hip-hop over the past 20 years. The Documentary stands as a hallmark of West Coast hip-hop, though Game distinguished himself from other gangsta rappers with jaw-dropping vulnerability. 

29. Slick Rick

There’s a reason both Jay-Z and Nas emulated Slick Rick during their historic battle for hip-hop supremacy. It’s because The Ruler is a guru of storytelling with one-of-a-kind swagger and a cool flow that sounds dope in any era. Maybe that’s why in these times, well at least to me, there’s only a handful of rappers who compare to Ricky D. 

28. Missy Elliott

Every so often there comes an artist so distinctive you can hardly describe her. But I’ll do my best with Missy Elliott, the funky force of nature with a raw style to go with her brilliant vision. She was cool not because she followed trends or even bucked them, but because she was simply her talented, profound, supa dupa fly self. 

27. Queen Latifah

The G.O.A.T. female rapper who’s one of the best rhymers ever, period. Female empowerment, unity and style were the hallmarks of her classic songs and outstanding albums that remain as relevant as ever. While this renaissance woman long ago expanded her artistic palette beyond hip-hop, she’ll always be remembered as one of the most important voices in hip-hop history. 

26. Prodigy

If Prodigy had been born a white man in Massachusetts, he’d have been a crime noir novelist on par with George V. Higgins. Instead, the Queens-raised rapper made his mark as one half of Mobb Deep, penning songs that sounded both gritty and surreal. More than a specialist, P rapped heartfelt, personal rhymes about his life and health struggles before his untimely death in 2017. 

25. Bun B

Seldom has an artist attained such substantial growth while remaining true to his roots. Bun B’s best work is as one half of UGK, with SLAB country rap tunes that are still being felt today. But his longevity as a solo artist owes to his maturity as a man of the people, principles and faith. Not to mention a voice that’s as strong as an old Texas oak tree. 

24. Common

Common was a breath of fresh air in his prime, not only because he was an alternative to pervasive hardcore rap but because his organically bright music was hopeful and unifying. Common never shied away from the truth, but his belief in God and the people brought light to even the darkest of times. More than great, wealthy or successful, he taught us to be.

23. Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg is everywhere these days, so much so that it can be easy to forget that his marvelous rapping made him famous. He popped up with Dr. Dre to help make The Chronic a classic, and followed that up with a masterpiece of his own in Doggystyle. While he never again reached those heights, he’s been largely consistent and even excellent in the 30-plus years since. With a nimble delivery and a malleable, buttery flow, Snoop makes music so smooth even your granny will want to dance to it. 

22. Yasiin Bey (f.k.a. Mos Def)

Yasiin Dante the Bey is one of the best pure spitters of all time. Beyond his dizzying bars that’ll have you talking about him to your grandson, he made hard-knock, conscious music that balanced serious tones with ecstatic vibes for a breathtaking effect. He was too creative to stay in one lane very long, but he left us with enough brilliant art to fill a college syllabus. 

21. J. Cole 

Carolina’s Finest is the epitome of an artist who inspires the dreamers. 2014 Forest Hills Drive soundtracked the fears, hopes and love of an entire generation, and a decade later his music is still being felt by the kids. Youngsters may love “No Role Modelz,” but with his growth as a family man, responsible artist and successful businessman, the rapper with the crooked smile is who the kids can look up to. 

20. 50 Cent

There’s a few phenomena of each generation that you really have to be there to understand how big they were. Hurricane Curtis was just that, with an onslaught of beloved mixtapes that changed how rappers built a buzz. The G-Unit general also gave us classics in Power of the Dollar and Get Rich or Die Tryin’ before pivoting to TV a few years later. But his over $100 million-grossing tour in 2023 proved 50’s impact and relevance remain strong long after he became a beast in the boardroom. 

19. Black Thought

Black Thought’s mic skills are entrancing. There’s an integral focus to his poetry that takes listeners on a cosmic journey laced with The Roots’ soulfully savory music. There’s no topic he can’t cover, no emotion he can’t convey and no creative endeavor too daring. His exceptional longevity?

The mayo on the Philly cheesesteak. 

18. Lil Wayne

The kid riding shotgun with Juvenile on 400 Degreez showed flashes of his magnetic artistry as a youngin’, but no one could have predicted he’d become as gigantic as he did. Wayne flooded the game with popular mixtapes around his stellar Tha Carter trilogy, with a high-pitched croak and Nolia swag that made almost any track pop. The “F” in Weezy F. Baby must stand for “formidable,” because no matter how many times he’s cornered he always bounces off the ropes. No wonder middle schoolers are still wearing his T-shirts.

17. Big Boi

To rightfully call Big Boi one of the two most underrated rappers ever still fails to encapsulate how amazing he is. He was the streetwise yin to Andre 3000’s interstellar yang, but the beauty of OutKast was that both rappers carried a piece of each other. So, just as Big Boi’s cool flow and Cadillac swagger made him endearing, his uncanny insight and cheeky quips helped comprise the duo’s classics. A strong solo career has put any nonsensical doubts to rest: Antwan Patton is a first-ballot hall of famer. 

16. Raekwon

Corey Woods is the godfather of Mafioso rap. Apart from his status as one of the best rappers in the fabled Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon the Chef cooked up an undeniable classic with Ghostface Killah in Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Fourteen years later, he Francis Ford Coppola’d us with the greatest sequel in hip-hop history. His other work stands tall with evocative storytelling over cinematic production that has led to uncommon longevity. 

15. The Notorious B.I.G.

There’s no telling what Christopher Wallace could have accomplished in and beyond hip-hop had he not fallen victim to senseless violence. The way he set a scene on classics like “Warning’ and “You’re Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You) leads one to believe screenwriting was in his future. As it stands, Biggie’s two albums and show-stealing features are truly great, and his flow is perhaps the best ever. With timeless records and a vast influence on the culture, Big will be beloved for decades to come. 

14. André 3000

There may be 3,000 André clones floating around these days, but there’s only one Three Stacks. André was mesmerizing in his unpredictability, awe-inspiring with his poetry and earth-shattering in his style. He changed the game in so many ways that his impact will be felt forever, for ever ever, for ever ever. In the meantime, we’re still hoping for that solo rap album….

13. T.I. 

T.I.’s rise to the top has been brains, heart and hustle, with a helluva flow to go with it. A groundbreaking innovator of trap music, the King of da South amplified his voice so his folks could be heard. In the process, he dropped undeniable classics in Trap Muzik and King and enjoyed massive crossover success before quietly building upon one of the best-ever hip-hop discographies. He’s the most underrated rapper of all time, but as Tip once rapped, long as he keeps it real in all his rhymes, he’s fine. 

12. Chuck D

BASS! HOW LOW CAN YOU GO??!!

Hip-hop would never be the same. The booming voice of Public Enemy, Chuck D fearlessly took aim at societal oppressors, the status quo and a harmful system aimed at holding Black people back. But Chuck’s unfiltered insight and towering mic presence could not be restrained, leading to multiple masterpieces and an all-time anthem in “Fight the Power.” A star-studded remix of the song was released amidst the powerful protests of 2020, proving Chuck and Public Enemy’s message is as urgent as ever. 

11. Rakim

The sound of his voice was more than a hit; it was an instrument. Whether he rapped his magnificent rhymes in a laid-back flow or in a frenzied fury, The Master’s poise, poetry and positivity enticed listeners the way the mic magnetized him. Beyond the great work he did with Eric B., Ra’s versatility and smoothness made him strong in multiple eras, right up to a legacy-stamping album in the summer of ‘24. 

Nearly 40 years later, heads still sweat the technique. 

10. Ice Cube

Don’t let the name fool you; Ice Cube turned the temp up with blistering-hot bars that put society in a chokehold. Often controversial but never gimmicky, Cube’s potency on the mic was matched only by his passion for combating injustice. He attacked tracks like he was at war, whether he was cutting classics with N.W.A or crafting masterpieces on the solo tip. He made an impressive pivot to family comedies, but his rep will forever be that of the boldest rapper of all time. 

9. Ghostface Killah

The greatest rapper of the greatest rap group of all time, the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah has been an exciting force for more than 30 years. He drew in listeners with his high-pitched voice and breakneck storytelling, and solidified their interest with heartfelt rhymes over soulful sonics. Ghost’s catalog is chunky with gems, but no matter how high he’s ascended he’s never lost the rugged relatability that made him endearing on day one. 

8. Scarface

Scarface is the undisputed greatest southern rapper of all time. With an intimidating voice and authoritative command of the mic, Face used his platform to rap personal tales that also represented hoods across America. In the process, he broke ground with Geto Boys and dropped a genre-defining classic in The Diary. For more than a quarter century, he was equal parts fierce and vulnerable, with one common thread: Brad Jordan always kept it real. 

7. Kendrick Lamar

The voice of his generation. Kendrick could have retired after his opus, good kid, m.A.A.d city, and still have earned a spot on this list. Instead, he dropped two more culture-shifting albums, won a Pulitzer Prize, curated a star-studded soundtrack, released an emotionally resonant double album and eviscerated a rap megastar in a historic battle. With the Super Bowl up next, there’s no telling how high K-Dot will fly. 

6. DMX

Every word uttered in DMX’s gravelly voice was charged with electric passion. Anchoring his barking hits and snarling street songs was a lyrical technician and visionary artist. Aside from having the most extraordinary five-album run in all of hip-hop, Dark Man X compiled a top-five all-time rap discography before his passing in 2021. The fearless rapper’s unmatched presence was owed to his fear of the Lord, and his humble, spiritual transcendence penetrated the very souls of his adoring fans.

5. Kanye West

Hip-hop’s most controversial figure is most assuredly a top-five artist, both behind the boards and on the mic. Mr. West bridged the gap between Benz drivers and backpackers with cheeky, self-aware rhymes before reinventing himself in exhilarating fashion time and time again. Yeezy spoke from his soul, poured out his heart and exhausted his body in the pursuit of shattering creative boundaries. And just when we thought it was over, Ye proved he was still here for a reason with the gospel-inspired DONDA in tribute to the late, great love of his life. 

4. Eminem 

Marshall Mathers just wanted to make enough off of rap to send his daughter to college. Then he met Dr. Dre, bleached his hair blonde and shocked the world with razor-sharp insight, gleeful satire and virtuoso classics. He’s one of the most skilled rappers to breathe on the mic, but it’s his emotional resonance on everyman ballads that most endure after all this time. Whether or not it’s truly the death of Slim Shady, Eminem’s spirit will live on through his songs long after he’s gone.

3. Nas

Nasty Nas set the scene ablaze as a prodigious MC with a film director’s vision and a poet’s dexterity. After crafting hip-hop’s greatest-ever album in Illmatic, Nas amassed the best discography in rap history with a late-career renaissance that has aged him like Bordeaux. His story is one of survival as much as it is triumph, with a comeback tale that’s tailor made for the big screen. Until then, we can visualize his saga through his picturesque lyricism. 

2. Jay-Z

For a hustler who just so happened to know how to rap, S. Carter’s career hasn’t been too shabby. That may be the understatement of the decade, as Jay-Z shattered glass ceilings in music and business while rocketing to new heights with the culture on his back. At the heart of it all is a preternatural rapper armed with layered lyricism, timeless themes and the best ear for beats in hip-hop history. With enough classics to soundtrack a cross-country flight, Jay’s legacy is solidified even as he continues to break new ground. 

1. 2Pac

The greatest there ever was, and perhaps the greatest there ever will be. Tupac Shakur’s short life was as tragic as it was influential, but he valiantly turned his pain into sublime, timeless art. With a poet’s creativity and a rock star’s bluster, Pac bled nearly every conceivable human emotion onto tracks in a mesmerizing manner. He taught us to keep our heads up, love our mothers and soak up the sun, all with that infectious grin and heartbreaking look in his eyes. His persisting relevance across ethnicities and cultures, gender and generations, is living proof that despite his flaws, 2Pac ultimately changed the world for the better.

At its heart, isn’t that what hip-hop is all about?