Compiling a list of the best rappers in the world has always generated a never-ending debate. That is because nobody ever understands the metrics used to measure the status of Greatest of All Time (GOAT). Besides, even those metrics, such as the flow of music, societal influence and lyrical nature of the songs tend to be subjective. It can take longer to explain to people that Tupac is outstandingly superior to Jay-Z in terms of societal impact and mic-skills.
Similarly, Biggie topples Kanye West in terms of influence but far inferior in terms of mic-skills. But when you rank the crème de la crème in hip-hop and include the likes of Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Tupac and LL Cool J, it becomes difficult to find an answer to the greatest rapper of all time. That is a factor that makes such debates infinitely entertaining.
These are best rappers in the world right now.
1. Tupac
Tupac Amaru Shakur is considered the greatest rapper of all time. Before his death on 13th September 1996, Tupac Shakur was undoubtedly the greatest rapper at that time. Two decades later, people still sing to his praises.
One reason is that he always addressed contemporary social issues in his songs. He has sung about inequality, and the community saw him as a symbol of resistance. For a rapper who was in the industry for only five years, he had a massive influence on society. Also, he had great mic-skills and an excellent flow of music.
2. The Notorious B.I.G.
When he released Ready to Die as his debut album in 1994, Christopher George Latore Wallace, also known as The Notorious B.I.G, became the central figure in USA hip-hop. It was in the East Coast where many people considered him the great.
His visibility increased further to the West Coast despite the latter dominating the mainstream. Biggie had a short but remarkably influential career in hip-hop. Over two decades later after his death, many in the hip-hop industry still hold the opinion that he was the greatest of them all.
3. Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III professionally known as Eminem is not only one of the greatest rappers of all time, but also the fastest rapper. People regard him as one of the best because of his influence on hip-hop and society in general.
His lyrics tell stories and capture the emotions of his fans. Eminem is the risk-taker. He plays the villain and is too political. But can manage his fanbase and personal views expertly. And if there is one thing that puts him at the top is that he can rap with even the best of them all.
4. Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is among the best rappers. He ranks high because of his skilfulness in writing and recording hip-hop songs. Lamar can lyrically compete with the best of them all. In recent times, he has been releasing some hits that have revitalised storytelling in hip-hop. Also, he has maintained consistency in his music ever since he introduced himself to the scene.
5. Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter, also known as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, songwriter, record executive, and producer. He is not only one of the greatest American rappers of all time, but also a global cultural icon and the richest rapper too.
Many people rank Jay-Z highly because of his undisputed classical albums. The Blueprint album, for example, showed he is a top-notch rapper with the ability to produce fresh-sounding beats that have an incredible flow.
6. Nas
If you are looking for the greatest lyricist alive, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones professionally known as Nas gets the vote. Commercially, Nas is one of the few rappers that have released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums.
However, that is not the only thing that makes him among the best. Nas is an excellent storyteller. He is the king of the street anthem, and his style of music has influenced a whole new generation of MCs.
7. Drake
Aubrey Drake Graham, professionally known as Drake, is a Canadian singer, rapper, record producer, and songwriter. In 2009, Drake signed with Lil Wayne’s music label Young Money Entertainment. Today, many people are of the view that he has surpassed Wayne and many other top artistes as the best of them all.
Furthermore, it is undeniable that Drake has been hip-hop’s number one trendsetter ever since he joined the scene in 2009. Commercially, Drake is one of the top-selling male artists in the USA despite being a Canadian.
8. Lil Wayne
Ever since he rose to stardom, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, professionally known as Lil Wayne, always branded himself as the best hip-hop rapper alive. That can be true because he is one of the few rappers that had their albums certified platinum at the age of 17.
Perhaps one of the reasons he deserves such a title is because of his thoughtful and clever lyricism. Instead of writing lyrics, Wayne prefers spitting his verses from his head and has never gone wrong.
9. Snoop Dogg
Today, people may not include Snoop Dogg in the top ten lists of the best rappers. But for the greatest rappers of all time, nobody can ignore Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. From his classical albums, you can tell each of his hip-hop songs have a fantastic flow and follow a specific theme. His delivery on every track outshines even the structured of lyrics. Also, Snoop Dogg is one of the sharpest concept pushers and a fantastic storyteller.
10. Rakim
When people debate about the greatest rapper of all time, William Michael Griffin Jr, professionally known as Rakim, always appears on the list. But is Rakim the greatest rapper of all time? He is probably the greatest rapper of his generation. That is because the American rapper entered the scene during the golden age of hip-hop.
It was a time when there were many hip-hop heavyweights like LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and Big Daddy Kane, among others. For Rakim, the best way of outperforming them was to come up with a unique flow and style. He also sounded technical and looked lyrically superior. At that time, many rappers never wanted to go beyond their traditional rhyme scheme.
11. Kanye West
Kanye Omari West, professionally known as Kanye West, released his debut album in 2004 titled The College Dropout. The album became a commercial success, and a new hip-hop star was born. West has always released rap songs that convinced people hip-hop was his art.
He has always been thoughtful, and his image as a rapper has made him indistinguishable from the best rappers in the world. Kanye West is also influential and has been on the search for the best rapper in Africa to work with. His first step was to sign Nigeria’s Don Jazzy to his G.O.O.D record label.
12. J. Cole
Jermaine Lamarr Cole professionally known as J. Cole is an American rapper, songwriter, and singer. Since he first released his first mixtape in 2007, many people knew he was going to be the next big thing in hip-hop.
That turned out to be the case because Cole has never gotten lost in his music. Every line in his songs is carefully thought, and you can always tell there is genuine emotion in his lyrics. He calculates what he wants to sing without veering into offensiveness.
13. Lauryn Hill
Nobody ever discusses the greatest female rappers of all time. But when it comes to giving the title of the best female rapper in the world, Lauryn Noelle Hill, professionally known as Lauryn Hill, gets the vote.
Hill is one of the few female rappers who have many Grammy Awards and record sales. Her music has always had a cultural impact. Those who listened to her music in the 1990s will say that she was phenomenal, dope, and the greatest of her time.
14. Ice Cube
If a rapper should get a title of the greatest ever because of their lyrical ability, Ice Cube fits that profile. Despite coming from the old school rap, he has some of the best lyrics hip-hop fans have ever heard.
He is also among the top mainstream lyricists and an icon in the world of rap. Ice Cube has maintained his style of music even in recent times, and that shows he is somebody that can evolve with time.
15. Andre 3000
André Lauren Benjamin, also known as Andre 3000, is an American rapper and actor. Many in the hip-hop industry consider him the best because of his consistency and flow of music. In his music career, he has been the rapper who has evolved with time and one of the few legends that renegades songs to date.
So, where are the most famous rappers from? Some of the most famous rappers of all time come from the United States. The likes of Jay-Z, Eminem, Tupac, LL Cool J, and Dr Dre, among others, are all Americans. But in America, there is always a debate on whether the greatest of them all come from the East Coast or West Coast.
In the early 1990s, fans believed West-Coast hip-hop rap was the best because they had Tupac Shakur. But those in the East Coast saw themselves as the best because they had The Notorious B.I.G.
Music always becomes dated, which is something that happens with every generation. The best rappers in the world today may not be the best tomorrow. But for most people, hip-hop has an exception. Rappers like Grandmaster Caz and Ice-T might sound old from today’s demanding standards. But then you have Rakim, NWA, and Public Enemy who will always sound relevant. That makes it difficult to rank the GOAT. All of them were innovative and introduced new influential styles that shaped the genre to what it is today.
15 best rappers in the world right now in 2021
- Tupac
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Eminem
- Kendrick Lamar
- Jay-Z
- Nas
- Drake
- Lil Wayne
- Snoop Dogg
- Rakim
- Kanye West
- J. Cole
- Lauryn Hill
- Ice Cube
- Andre 3000
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