This list of rappers considered the best is a compilation of lists from a variety of sources.
List
| No. | Rapper | HipHop365 | The Source | LiveAbout | Billboard | Average ranking (mean) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nas | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1.7 |
| 2. | Jay-Z | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3.2 |
| 3. | 2Pac | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.0 |
| 4. | The Notorious B.I.G. | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4.2 |
| 5. | Rakim | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 4.7 |
| 6. | Eminem | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6.5 |
| 7. | Drake | - | - | - | 8 | 8.0 |
| 8. | Nicki Minaj | - | - | - | 10 | 10.0 |
| 9. | Scarface | 7 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 11.2 |
| 10. | Big Daddy Kane | 9 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 11.5 |
| 11. | Ice Cube | 6 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 12.0 |
| 12. | Kool G Rap | 11 | 18 | 8 | - | 12.3 |
| 13. | André 3000 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13.0 |
| 13. | Slick Rick | 13 | 15 | 11 | - | 13.0 |
| 15. | J. Cole | - | - | - | 15 | 15.0 |
| 15. | KRS-One | 17 | 7 | 12 | 24 | 15.0 |
| 17. | LL Cool J | 16 | 11 | 24 | 14 | 16.2 |
| 18. | Missy Elliott | - | - | - | 19 | 19.0 |
| 19. | Big Pun | 10 | 19 | 25 | 26 | 20.0 |
| 20. | Kendrick Lamar | - | - | 39 | 2 | 20.5 |
| 21. | Lauryn Hill | 26 | 9 | 18 | 30 | 20.7 |
| 22. | Chuck D | 24 | 12 | 15 | 34 | 21.2 |
| 23. | Common | 12 | 22 | 19 | 37 | 22.5 |
| 24. | Kurtis Blow | - | - | - | 23 | 23.0 |
| 25. | Mos Def | 20 | 23 | 14 | 36 | 23.2 |
| 26. | Kanye West | 15 | 31 | 37 | 11 | 23.5 |
| 27. | Pharoahe Monch | - | 27 | 21 | - | 24.0 |
| 28. | Black Thought | 25 | 34 | 16 | 28 | 25.7 |
| 29. | Raekwon | 18 | - | 34 | - | 26.0 |
| 29. | Redman | 21 | 21 | 20 | 42 | 26.0 |
| 31. | GZA | 30 | 32 | 17 | - | 26.3 |
| 31. | Lil Wayne | 36 | 36 | - | 7 | 26.3 |
| 31. | Talib Kweli | 22 | 28 | 29 | - | 26.3 |
| 34. | Snoop Dogg | 27 | 29 | 41 | 9 | 26.5 |
| 35. | Method Man | 23 | 33 | - | 25 | 27.0 |
| 36. | AZ | 28 | - | 27 | - | 27.5 |
| 37. | Masta Ace | 35 | - | 22 | - | 28.5 |
| 38. | Melle Mel | - | 10 | - | 48 | 29.0 |
| 38. | Pusha T | - | - | - | 29 | 29.0 |
| 38. | Too Short | 29 | - | - | - | 29.0 |
| 41. | Ghostface Killah | 39 | - | 28 | 22 | 29.6 |
| 42. | Killer Mike | - | - | 30 | - | 30.0 |
| 43. | DMX | 19 | 43 | 42 | 21 | 31.2 |
| 44. | Big L | 45 | 26 | 23 | - | 31.3 |
| 45. | Kurupt | 32 | - | - | - | 32.0 |
| 46. | The D.O.C. | 49 | 17 | - | - | 33.0 |
| 46. | Kool Moe Dee | - | - | 33 | - | 33.0 |
| 48. | Q-Tip | 48 | 20 | 38 | 27 | 33.2 |
| 49. | 50 Cent | - | 50 | - | 17 | 33.5 |
| 50. | Spice 1 | 34 | - | - | - | 34.0 |
| 51. | Future | - | - | - | 35 | 35.0 |
| 52. | Canibus | 31 | 44 | 32 | - | 35.6 |
| 53. | Busta Rhymes | 38 | 37 | 36 | 33 | 36.0 |
| 54. | Queen Latifah | - | 25 | 40 | 44 | 36.3 |
| 55. | MC Lyte | - | - | 26 | 47 | 36.5 |
| 56. | DJ Quik | 37 | - | - | - | 37.0 |
| 57. | Gucci Mane | - | - | - | 38 | 38.0 |
| 57. | Lil Kim | - | 45 | - | 31 | 38.0 |
| 59. | T.I. | - | 40 | 44 | 32 | 38.6 |
| 60. | Royce da 5'9" | - | 48 | 31 | - | 39.5 |
| 61. | Jadakiss | 43 | 24 | 46 | 46 | 39.7 |
| 62. | Dr. Dre | - | - | - | 40 | 40.0 |
| 62. | Prodigy | 33 | 39 | 48 | - | 40.0 |
| 64. | Guru | 42 | 30 | 49 | - | 40.3 |
| 65. | Ludacris | - | 42 | - | 39 | 40.5 |
| 66. | Bun B | 40 | 35 | 45 | 43 | 40.7 |
| 67. | Fabolous | - | 41 | - | - | 41.0 |
| 68. | Lupe Fiasco | - | 49 | 35 | - | 42.0 |
| 69. | Posdnuos | - | 38 | 47 | - | 42.5 |
| 70. | Beanie Sigel | - | - | 43 | - | 43.0 |
| 70. | Ice-T | 41 | - | - | 45 | 43.0 |
| 72. | E-40 | 46 | - | - | 41 | 43.5 |
| 73. | Ras Kass | 44 | - | - | - | 44.0 |
| 74. | Immortal Technique | 47 | - | - | - | 47.0 |
| 74. | Styles P | - | 47 | - | - | 47.0 |
| 76. | Rick Ross | - | 46 | - | 50 | 48.0 |
| 77. | Rev. Run | - | - | - | 49 | 49.0 |
| 78. | Gift of Gab | - | - | 50 | - | 50.0 |
| 78. | Twista | 50 | - | - | - | 50.0 |
Sources
- HipHop365 - "The 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time". Original article unavailable, archived via Ranker.[1]
- The Source - "Top 50 Lyricists". Published in The Source magazine, list via ThisIs50.[2]
- LiveAbout - "The 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time". List by Henry Adaso.[3]
- Billboard - "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time". List by Carl Lamarre, Gail Mitchell, Keith Murphy, Michael Saponara, Datwon Thomas, Mark Elibert, Eric Diep, William E. Ketchum III, Heran Mamo and Neena Rouhani.[4]
Notes
- The Wu-Tang Clan has four members on the list: Raekwon #29, GZA #31, Method Man #35, and Ghostface Killah #41.
- The Juice Crew has three members on the list: Big Daddy Kane #10, Kool G Rap #12, and Masta Ace #37.
- The Firm has two members on the list: Nas #1 and AZ #36.
- The LOX has two members on the list: Jadakiss #61 and Styles P #74.
- N.W.A has two members on the list: Ice Cube #11 and Dr. Dre #62.
- The following duos are members of the list: Bad Meets Evil (Eminem #8 and Royce da 5'9" #60), Method Man & Redman (Redman #29 and Method Man #35) and Black Star (Mos Def #25 and Talib Kweli #31).