The Undisputed Top 10 Rappers of All Time (According to Me)

Beyond art and design, I’ve always had a deep love for music. I have zero musical abilities myself, but I’ve always appreciated good music across a wide variety of genres, especially hip-hop.

This list has lived in the Notes app on my phone for years. Like… legit years.

You can ask my buddy Nick. We’ve been going back and forth on this every few months since probably 2019 (maybe longer). I’ve seen all the lists: Rolling Stone, Complex, random internet debates and social media hot takes… and sure, everyone’s got their own opinion. But at some point, I figured it was time for the real hip-hop genius (me, obviously) to finally put my list out there for people to either nod in agreement or tell me I completely butchered it.

So, without further ado… here it goes.

10. Rakim

To be completely honest, I didn’t get into Rakim until the 2010s, which is pretty late, considering he’s been around since before I was born. I’ve always loved hip-hop, but I didn’t really dig into Paid in Full, his classic with Eric B., until much later, and I was completely blown away. Yeah, it has that late '80s, early '90s flow, but the lyrics, the presence, and the weight behind his delivery really stood out. What’s wild is that he’s still doing it, still sharp, and still staying true to the New York, East Coast style he helped create. Every time I see a fresh pair of Timbs with the laces untied, I think of Rakim.

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9. Kanye West

Say what you want about him, but musically, Kanye’s in a league of his own. It's really hard to leave out some of the other hip hop legends out there, and you may disagree with me, but I stand by this one. Easily one of the top 3 to 5 rapper-producers ever. (Fun fact: his concert was the first one I ever went to, back in 2005 just after Late Registration dropped, when he was at his peak.) Over nearly 20+ years, he’s put out an incredible body of work. While I think his earlier stuff is stronger, he’s done more than enough to earn a spot in the top ten. It’s rare for an artist to drop three back-to-back no-skip classics like The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation. Beyond that, his influence on the music industry has been massive and undeniable.

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8. Big Pun

Big Pun was a lyrical genius who made complex rhyme schemes look effortless, and he delivered them with unmatched power and precision. Capital Punishment remains one of the greatest debut albums in hip-hop history (maybe a future article 🤔). It kicks off with “Beware,” arguably one of the best rap songs ever, where he sends a warning shot to fellow rappers that he’s here to make a lasting impact. Gone way too soon, but his influence still echoes throughout the world of hip-hop.

“There's no regrets, remorse only results in loneliness
Only the strong survive and strive through life as warriors
All of us die, some of us killed, even massacred
Who wanna try? Punisher will if you ask for it”

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7. Black Thought‍

I almost just dropped this video in and called it a day because honestly, that’s all you really need.

‍‍Philly’s finest. No gimmicks, no fluff. Just a flawless delivery style and brilliant lyricism, consistent for decades. Whether he’s lighting up a Roots track on Illadelph Halflife or a ten minute freestyle, Black Thought proves time and again that true MCing never goes out of style.

6. Jay- Z

Jay Z’s greatness isn’t just about longevity. It’s about evolution. From the raw storytelling on Reasonable Doubt to dominating the early 2000s with classics like The Blueprint and The Black Album, to teaming up with Kanye for the monumental Watch the Throne and beyond, he’s left an indelible mark on the rap game. 

5. Lil Wayne

Definitely one of the most prolific and influential rappers ever (and even the self-proclaimed Best Rapper Alive 😉). Easily deserving a spot in the top five. Maybe a controversial take, but, in my opinion, No Ceilings is his best work. It was on repeat on my iPod nano for months straight back in 2009. Then there’s the entire Tha Carter catalog, stacked with bangers from top to bottom (except for Tha Carter 6, but we don’t need to talk about that here 😳). Back in the mid-2000s, the hype around every new CD, or mixtape was unreal. And when you factor in the sheer number of songs and features he’s put out? Wild. The output alone puts him right up there with the best to ever do it.

4. Nas

Nas dropped Illmatic at 20 years old and instantly became one of the best to ever do it. Still the greatest hip-hop album of all time. And then, just 2 years later, he followed it up with It Was Written, another incredible album that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. That has to be one of the best one-two punches in hip-hop history. His storytelling, his flow, and the beats he’s rhymed over (shoutout to DJ Premier) are unmatched. There’ve been a ton of legendary rappers out of New York, but to me, Nas is the king of raw, East Coast hip-hop. All-time legend. No debate.

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3. Big L

Big L was one of the greatest lyricists of all time. He was way ahead of his time, rapping with speed, flow, sharpness, and power. His freestyle game was on another level, and his two marquee albums, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous and The Big Picture, are straight-up timeless. What he was able to accomplish in such a short career, before being killed at just 24 years old, is just incredible. I always wonder what his career would’ve looked like had he not been killed. I think it's possible he could’ve ended up even higher on this list.

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2. Notorious BIG

Biggie had an effortless flow, vivid storytelling, and a level of charisma that no one else had in the mid-90s. Yet another incredible artist taken too soon, killed at just 24 years old with his whole career still ahead of him. Ready to Die, Life After Death, and even Born Again were always in the front of my CD binder when I first got my license in high school and I would cycle through them just about daily. And they still hold up to this day. Though his time was short, his impact was permanent. Biggie will always be one of the greats.

1. Eminem

I may sound crazy or dramatic, but I’ve always said Eminem is in a category of his own. And I mean it. I don’t think there’s another rapper out there even in the same stratosphere. He came on the scene in the late ’90s, and The Slim Shady LP was actually one of the first CDs I ever bought. (I got it at Sam Goody in the North Shore Mall for all you Massachusetts folks. Talk about nostalgia. Looking back I guess it's a bit questionable for a 10 year old to own the unedited version of that CD but I turned out fine…I suppose.) The creativity he brings to his (often controversial) lyrics still blows my mind every time I listen. His catalog is massive, his impact was huge, his storytelling is second-to-none, and his technical skill is impeccable. At his peak, and even to this day, no one is touching him.

And he’s got the numbers to back it up. Multiple records in the hip-hop world, from fastest-selling rap album to most words in a hit single.

8 Mile was a cultural moment, too. When that movie came out, it was everywhere, and it only cemented his place in the culture. There’s truly no one like him. A white kid from a trailer park in Detroit with that much raw talent, hunger, and lyrical genius? It’s unheard of.

The greatest to ever do it. Period.

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Honorable mentions

(In no particular order)

• Drake
• Prodigy
• Kendrick Lamar
• Immortal Technique
• Jadakiss
• Tupac
• The Game
• Snoop Dogg
• Vinnie Paz
• Raekwon
• Ghostface Killah
• J. Cole
• DMX

Think I missed someone? Wanna talk hip hop? Hit me up! I'm always down.

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