The Top 15 Best Rappers Ever

Honorable Mention

Kanye West

West is the most talented guy overall on this list. As a rapper/producer/innovator he deserves at least a honorable mention. He isn't the best rapper ever by any means, but, he's creative as hell and knows how to make killer albums either for himself or for others. Plus, "Jesus Walks" might be one of the best songs of this decade.

#15 Ol' Dirty Bastard

The funniest rapper ever. Ever. His first solo album, "Return to the 36 Chambers", was awesome. The cd cover was a picture of his food stamp voucher card. Classic. He was reportedly drunk half the time and high the other half while making that album and you could tell. "Brooklyn Zoo", the only single from that album, was sick. He was the oddest oddball in the Wu-Tang Clan and will be missed.

#14 Common

Common has such a smooth, calm flow. His raps are realistic and sound sincere. The guy has a feel for the street but doesn't front like he's street. "The Corner" is a great song and one of my favorites of the last couple of years. Hooking up with Kanye West was the best thing this cat could've ever done. Nobody listened to his first couple of records until West produced "Be" in 2005.

#13 Mos Def

The most underrated rapper on the list. I might even be underrating him. Mos Def is becoming more well known for his acting than his rapping, which is too bad, he's a great rapper. Smart, funny, sarcastic, Mos Def is a minimalist when it comes to rhymes. He's never had a huge hit and seems to do better rapping with other people, playing off of their words and ideas.

#12 50Cent

I would put 50 higher if I truly believed he could do it without Dr. Dre. I don't question the flow, but, it's those wicked beats along with his raspy voice that makes the magic. This might be just me but him having an energy drink, clothing line, etc. doesn't help when it comes to his portrayal of himself as a bad ass in his songs. Remember when he first came out of nowhere? All anyone knew was that he'd been shot a thousand times and looked like a super hero. Now he's orchestrating a symphony in a Vitamin Water commercial...damn it 50!!!

#11 T.I.

He could one of these days be top five. Easy. For now he needs to serve his time on weapons charges and figure out how to make his next record not sound like all his previous records. That's my only beef with T.I., he figured out what works and just keeps doing it over and over. Now trust me he's a freak on the mic, no doubt, but he's needs to expand. The gun charges helps the rep so he has that going for him. Good job T!

#10 Lil' Wayne

Weezy is the hottest rapper as of right now. He's easily the most willing to do anything on a track he feels like doing. Plus no one works more than this guy. If he's not putting out mix tapes in between his albums he's on other people songs doing outlandish verses. Wayne is one of the few guys that could carry a whole record without any cameos from anyone else.

#9 Talib Kweli

Nobody knows who this guy is. He couldn't be picked out of a line-up by his own family. All this guy does is keep making brilliant albums. His new one "Eardrum" is fantastic and last album "Beautiful Struggle" in 2004 was better than the classic "Reflectional Eternal" from 2000. If him and Mos Def had continued rapping together in Black Star they could've been the art house version of Outkast.

#8 LL Cool J

LL is a blast from the past. Growing up I wanted to be LL Cool J. "Bigger and Deffer" is an awesome record, I still rock it, and "Walking With the Panther" had more hits than "Thriller" for God's sake! I put L so high because he keeps coming back from the dead. Every time people clown him he roars back with a hot track. He's a legend and even though he thinks he's the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time), which he's not, he is what a rapper is supposed to be.

#7 Ice Cube

Forget the crappy Friday sequels and forget the crappy Barber Shop movies and even try to forget the really crappy kids movies and for the love of God don't mention XXX:State of the Union. Forget all that. I forgot all that when I put this list together. All I can remember is his killer vocals with N.W.A. and his first three records - "Amerikkka's Most Wanted", "Kill At Will" (EP), and "Death Certificate". That alone makes Cube the shit.

#6 Nas

Nas is the king of New York because to me he is the most associated with the New York hip hop sound. His first record "Illmatic" might be arguably the greatest rap record ever. It feels like he painted a picture of New York with his vocals. Nas isn't the best New York rapper (Rakim, Jay Z, Biggie) but because he never got as huge as Hova or Biggie he seems to just be New York instead of world wide. I think that's the way Nas wants it.

#5 2Pac

If this were a list of my 15 favorite rappers Pac would be number one by a mile. I loved this dude so much. He to me is the true definition of a rapper. The attitude, the voice, the presence, the bravado, the controversy, the ego, the rep, and now the legend. He had a prolific work ethic in the studio, that's why he's had more records released post humorously than alive. 2Pac sounded great with any producer he worked with. His deep voice and staccato delivery could be shaped to work with so many different track styles. Some street guy took a bunch of his verses and made a legendary mix tape before Tupac died that sounded like straight up fight music. I've only heard the tape once at a buddies house who's a huge hip hop head. That tape made you wanna go out fight a brother or two I promise. "Holler If Ya Hear Me" from Strictly for my N.I.G.G.A.Z. is my favorite rap song ever. The fight in that guy's voice is wicked and he doesn't use a single cuss word one. I miss his music. I miss his movies. I wonder what he would've evolved into over the years.

#4 Rakim

This mug had the coolest voice and smoothest delivery of hard lyrics ever. I thought his partner Eric B was a joke and I never liked him, but I got nothin' but love for Rakim. I was a freshman in high school when "Don't Sweat the Technique" came out and the record got washed up in the Dr. Dre craze, but me and my boys didn't sleep on Rakim. The songs Microphone Feind and Don't Sweat the Technique are bad ass tracks. Rakim was true and made you believe he could really beat your ass unlike a lot of these paper cut-out rappers of today.

#3 Jay Z

The word is prolific. Jay Hova might be about everyone else's number one. Jay often calls himself the greatest rapper alive, referring to Biggie being gone, and he might be. The fact that he doesn't write anything down and just goes in the studio and lays it down over a beat is mind boggling. Whats kept Jay Z relevant and on top for so long is that he has changed with the times. Forget the Jordan-like retirement and weak "Kingdom Come" album after retirement, Jay Z is bad. He works with great producers and they in turn keep him sounding current. Unlike a lot of fad rappers who are hot for a minute, Jay's body of work and current record "American Gangster" prove he can stay on top year in and year out. What I like about Jay Z is that he doesn't over exaggerate his toughness. He has mega street cred from back in the day and doesn't wear it out.

#2 Eminem

Marshal Mathers is the greatest rapper talent wise ever. Period. He's the most creative and inventive with lyrics and difficult word combinations. He changes his delivery and sound of his voice to fit whatever track he's on. He understands how to make hard rap and how to make pop rap and he doesn't make being white a clique. Emenim has made two of my favorite rap records ever. Two! "The Slim Shady LP" and the follow up "The Marshal Mathers LP". Most of the tracks on the first album were produced by the Bass Brothers and not Dr. Dre. The reason I mention that is he, unlike 50Cent, can create without the Dr's safety net. "Lose Yourself" (Em's best song) from the 8 Mile Sdtk. didn't have anything to do with Dr. Dre. So why isn't Eminem number one? He is the most gifted rapper on this list in my opinion. So why? Well I'll tell you why-he won't stop rapping about his daughter or his ex-wife or Britney Spears or boy bands or any other redundant topic. I hear he's planning a comeback and working on a new record as we speak. I hope he comes out spitting mad game, over hot tracks, with interesting topics or he might fall down this list.

#1 The Notorious B.I.G.

Pop in 1994's "Ready To Die". Or listen to him on Puffy's "Victory". Or listen to his verses on "Mo Money Mo Problems" from "Life After Death" and that will answer all questions as to who the greatest rapper ever is, was or ever will be. I didn't appreciate Biggie until after his untimely passing. That's my fault. This dude was the truth. Period. I know I didn't like him as much as I should've because of his beef with 2Pac. My bad. I get it now. Christopher "Big Poppa" Wallace is the...Greatest Ever.