Top 20 Great Rappers

Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (/ˌɛmɪˈnɛm/; stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip-hop in middle America and is critically acclaimed as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Eminem's global success and acclaimed works are widely regarded as having broken racial barriers for the acceptance of white rappers in popular music. While much of his transgressive work during the late 1990s and early 2000s made him widely controversial, he came to be a representation of popular angst of the American underclass and has been cited as an influence for many artists of various genres.

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (/nɑːˈsɪər/; born September 14, 1973), better known by his stage name Nas (/nɑːz/), is an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Jones's musical career began in 1989 as he adopted the moniker of "Nasty Nas" and recorded demos for Large Professor. He was later featured on the 1991 single "Live at the Barbeque" by Main Source.

Tupac Amaru Shakur (/ˈtuːpɑːk ʃəˈkʊər/ TOO-pahk shə-KOOR; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of activism against inequality.

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper and songwriter. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta rap, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive laid-back lyrical delivery, offsetting the lyrics' often grim content. His music was often semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality, but also of debauchery and celebration.

André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a part of the southern hip-hop duo Outkast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi.

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Known for his versatile cadence and introspective lyricism, 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 time. Lamar's music, often inspired by his personal life, offers political and social commentary predominantly centred around African American life and culture while exploring styles unconventional to modern hip-hop music such as jazz, funk, soul, and spoken word.

Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists. He was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings and he has been central to the creative and commercial success of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole.

Ye[a] (/jeɪ/ YAY; born Kanye Omari West; June 8, 1977), better known by his birth name Kanye West[b] (/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/ KAHN-yay), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.

Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. Intent on further pursuing a musical career, he went on to release two additional mixtapes, The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010) both to critical acclaim, after signing to Jay-Z's Roc Nation imprint in 2009.

Aubrey Drake Graham (/ɔːˈbriː/ aw-BREE; born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian rapper, singer, and actor. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited for popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip-hop. He gained recognition by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–08) and subsequently pursued a career in music releasing his debut mixtape Room for Improvement in 2006. He released the mixtapes Comeback Season (2007) and So Far Gone (2009) before signing with Young Money Entertainment.

Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip-hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip-hop culture and one of the most famous hip-hop acts of the 1980s. Along with Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and Public Enemy, the group pioneered new school hip-hop music. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship.

Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known professionally as Chuck D, is an American rapper, best known as the founder, leader and frontman of the hip-hop group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D helped create politically and socially conscious hip-hop music in the mid-1980s. The Source ranked him at No. 12 on their list of the Top 50 Hip-Hop Lyricists of All Time.

Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of the hip-hop duo Method Man & Redman. He took his stage name from the 1979 film Method Man. In 1996, Smith won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By", featuring American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, whom he currently stars with Power Book II: Ghost, a spin-off of its original show Power.

William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (/rɑːˈkɪm/), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of the golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time.

O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, actor, and filmmaker. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1988 album Straight Outta Compton contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popularity, and his political rap solo albums AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990), Death Certificate (1991), and The Predator (1992) were critically and commercially successful. He has also had an active film career since the early 1990s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A in 2016.

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion),[note 1] is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr Dre's debut solo single, "Deep Cover", and then on Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic. Broadus has since sold over 23 million albums in the United States and 35 million albums worldwide. His accolades include an American Music Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and 17 nominations at the Grammy Awards.

Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr Dre, is an American rapper and record producer.

He is the co-founder of Beats Electronics, which had been acquired in 2014 for $3.4 billion by technology giant Apple Inc. He is also the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment after previously co-forming and owning Death Row Records. His career began as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru in 1985 and later transitioned to the gangsta rap group N.W.A year following. Dre was also credited as a key figure in the crafting and popularization of West Coast G-funk, a subgenre of hip-hop characterized by a synthesizer foundation and slow, heavy beats.

Bradley Terrence Jordan (born November 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Scarface, is an American rapper and record producer best known as a member of the Geto Boys, a hip-hop group from Houston, Texas. He grew up in Houston and is originally from the city's South Acres (Crestmont Park) neighbourhood. In 2012, The Source ranked him #16 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time, while About.com ranked him #6 on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007).

Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. He has received 12 Grammy Award nominations for his work, making him one of the most-nominated artists without winning.

Daniel Dumile[a] (/ˈduːməleɪ/ DOO-mə-lay; July 13, 1971 – October 31, 2020), best known by his stage name MF Doom or simply Doom (both stylized in all caps), was a British-American rapper and record producer. Noted for his intricate wordplay, signature metal mask, and "supervillain" stage persona, Dumile became a major figure of underground hip hop and alternative hip hop in the 2000s. After his death, Variety described him as one of the scene's "most celebrated, unpredictable and enigmatic figures".