"The 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time" is a music

editorial An editorial, or leading article (UK) or leader (UK), is an article or any other written document, often unsigned, written by the senior editorial people or publisher of a newspaper or magazine, that expresses the publication's opinion about ...

and ranking of the finest

rappers Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing b ...

in history, published by the American magazines ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' and '' Vibe'' in February 2023. The ranking was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of

hip hop music Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music Music genre, genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African Americans, African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide r ...

's inception and was compiled by the magazines' respective

editorial board The editorial board is a group of editors, writers, and other people who are charged with implementing a publication's approach to editorials and other opinion pieces. The editorials published normally represent the views or goals of the publicat ...

s. To determine the rankings, the boards created a list of criteria based on a rapper's artistry, achievements, and cultural influence. It received criticism due to its exclusion of rappers who are not based in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, as well as the omission of

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...

and

reggaeton Reggaeton (, ) is a modern style of popular music, popular and electronic music that originated in Panamanian reggaetón, Panama during the late 1980s, and which rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s through a plethora of Puert ...

artists. ''Billboard'' and ''Vibe'' presented the first set of rappers on January 11, 2023, and ten more rappers were announced over the course of three weeks. The top rankings were unveiled on February 8, 2023, which crowned

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

the greatest rapper of all time and

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...

the greatest female rapper of all time. It sparked multiple debates within the hip hop industry, many of whom criticized the publications and artists featured in the premier positions.

Background

'' initially created a list of the 10 greatest rappers of all time in November 2015, with the top position held by The Notorious B.I.G. The publication revised their rankings in 2023, via a partnership with '' Vibe'', to celebrate the 50th anniversary of

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

. The updated list, published in stages between January 11 and February 8, 2023, expanded their reach to include the top 50 rappers of all time, instead of 10. The rankings were based on the votes of ten journalists who were a part of ''Billboard'' and ''Vibe'''s

s, and was led by Datwon Thomas, the

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

of ''Vibe''. To "keep hepool of nominees a little more focused," the journalists chose to exclude

and

artists and only center on rappers based in

, regardless of merit. The editorial boards then ranked the qualifying rappers based on the following criteria: * Body of work / achievements (the amount of charted music, certifications, and honors a rapper has received) * Cultural impact / influence (the significant contributions a rapper has made to nurture hip hop's evolution) * Longevity (the length of a rapper's career) * Lyricism (the songwriting abilities a rapper possesses) * Flow (how a rapper implements rhythm and

rhyme scheme A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme; lines designated with the same letter all rhyme with each other. An example of the ABAB rh ...

s in their delivery) Acknowledging that lists tend to "draw their share of criticism and praise from industry pundits and the public alike," the rankings were heavily discussed and deliberated amongst the editorial boards in order to rationalize a "well-thought-out, authentic, list that reflects hip hop's foundational pioneers, evolutionary trailblazers, and contemporary mainstays."

Top 10 rappers

2023 list 2015 list Lauryn Hill 2012

Statistics

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...

, and The Notorious B.I.G. are the only rappers to be featured in both versions of the list. *

and

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...

are the only female rappers to be included in the top rankings of the lists. *

(Trinidadian) and

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

(Canadian) are the only non-American artists to be featured in the top ten of the 2023 revision. * On both versions of the list,

is the youngest rapper spotlighted in the top ten.

Reception

2023 list

Curtis Roberts of ''We Got This Covered'' believed that it was a mistake of ''Billboard'' and ''Vibe'' to create the "head-scratching" list due to the publications prioritizing a rapper's popularity over their content. He highlighted ''Billboard'''s reputation as "the go-to domestic hit-ranking metric in the industry" and the updated rules to their

albums An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

and songs charts as a case of the magazine's alleged favoritism towards certain artists. Roberts also disagreed with

's placement as the greatest rapper of all time, arguing that he deserved to be ranked amongst the most popular rappers instead.

Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...

, who was ranked the 18th greatest rapper, called the list "irrelevant" and compared the rankings to " assholes: everybody got one and they all stink." He further denounced ''Billboard'' and their lack of hip hop knowledge, saying: "''Billboard'' ain't hip hop, so their opinion don't matter. So who gives a fuck?" Ice Cube was not concerned with his placement, but criticized ''Billboard'' and ''Vibe'' for their exclusion of

Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by his stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper. A pioneer of West Coast hip-hop, Shaw was among the first acts to receive recognition in the genre during the late ...

, citing it as an undeserved snub.

Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop rap, pop and contempo ...

, who was also omitted from the list, responded to the list via social media, writing: "There ain't 50 rappers dead, alive or waiting to be born better than me. ..Congrats to everyone on the list, but check my résumé." Charlamagne tha God felt that it was too early for

and

to be mentioned among the greatest of all time.

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group 4 All the Sistas Arou ...

, who was ranked the 19th greatest rapper, shared her thoughts on the list during an interview with ''Billboard'', saying: "Sometimes, even if you think you’re great, you still look around and see so many icons and legends in this list, and you’re just humbled to be a part of that list. And to be in the top 20 when talking about that many people. I am blessed. I am thankful, and yeah, it feels good." Lamar approved of his placement via his guest appearance on the standalone version of

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

's " America Has a Problem", with the lines: "''Billboard'', they know / After HOV, rightfully so".

argued that he should have topped the rankings, speaking with

Zane Lowe Alexander Zane Reed Lowe (born 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter. After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence through pr ...

for

Apple Music 1 Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), a ...

: "I will tell you that I am a motherfucking one. Everybody whose names you named, they also know I’m number one. Go ask ’em. They know what it is."

Melle Mel comments

During an interview with ''The Art of Dialogue'',

Melle Mel Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961), better known by his stage name Grandmaster Melle Mel or simply Melle Mel (), is an American rapper who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Career Glover began per ...

, who was ranked the 48th greatest rapper of all time, commended

and Lamar as capable rappers, but questioned their influence on

hip hop culture Hip-hop culture is an art movement that emerged in New York City, in the borough of The Bronx; Primarily within the black community. Hip Hop as an art form and culture has been heavily influenced by both male and female artists. It is charac ...

. He further argued that Eminem is only considered to be amongst the best because he is

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, and that Lamar's music does not resonate with vital aspects of contemporary hip hop. Additional criticism was aimed towards

's placement and

's artistry. Melle Mel's remarks polarized the hip hop industry.

Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...

, Kevin Gates, and

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...

criticized his comments about Eminem, while

Chuck D Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known professionally as Chuck D, is an American rapper, best known as the leader and frontman of the hip hop group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D is also a me ...

offered an explanation for his critiques. Citing his longevity as a prime example, he compared Melle Mel to basketball player

Wilt Chamberlain Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( ; August21, 1936 – October12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player. Standing tall, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons. He was enshrin ...

and how he would often criticize newer generations of players. Agreeing with Melle Mel, psychologist Umar Johnson accused Eminem of upholding

white supremacy White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine ...

by usurping Black rappers from consideration. Following accusations of being

racist Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...

, Melle Mel defended his comments via his podcast, ''Hip Hop Center''. He argued that he does not have any animosity towards his peers, but his comments were stemmed from ''Billboard'' and ''Vibe'''s rankings. He criticized the publications for creating the list due to their lack of notability in hip hop, adding that "they’re known for records. So obviously, ''Billboard'' is more leaning toward guys that made records, compared to guys like myself that put in all the time in hip hop." He called it "almost impossible" for him to be racist, and used Eminem's songs where he acknowledged his

white privilege White privilege, or white skin privilege, is the Social privilege, societal privilege that benefits white people over Person of color, non-white people in some societies, particularly if they are otherwise under the same social, political, or ...

to justify his remarks. "If he basically said what I said, we said very similar things, how could what he say not be racist but then what I said was racist? In other words, if he’s right for saying what he’s saying, then the only reason that I could be wrong is that I’m

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

and I said it." During his guest appearance on Ez Mil's single " Realest", Eminem dissed Melle Mel and claimed that his race works against him in the hip hop industry.

2015 list

Much of the criticism surrounding ''Billboard'''s 2015 list was centered around the exclusion of

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...

. Many journalists also believed that including Lamar on the list was premature, and that the writers involved with the rankings showed favoritism instead of following a specific metric.

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

found the list to be disrespectful, while The Game created his own version after sharing his own vitriol.

Tyga Micheal Ray StevensonMicheal Ray Stevenson

described the list as dated and argued that Drake and J. Cole should have been included.

Ghostface Killah Dennis David Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang ...

, who was ranked the eighth-greatest, was appreciative of his placement.

References

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Billboard'' and ''Vibe''{{'s 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time Lists of hip-hop musicians Billboard lists