With how common it is to see these 3 in top 5 lists, I’m interested to see why some people wouldn’t have them there.
People who don’t have Tupac, biggie, or nas in their best 5, who do you have there instead, and why?
I agree but if we going by impact shouldn’t older rappers be listed in the top 5 instead of them? Like krs one and run dmc lol? That’s why I hate these lists and arguments because it’s literally no right or wrong answer it’s all opinion based.
They should, but I think Pac is fair to put on any list like that. He wasn’t the first or best, but he absolutely played a huge role in making rap mainstream. He was a good looking guy, an actor, and made good music that was a little more approachable to new audiences. We aren’t where we are today without him.
Being a rapper from the 80’s doesn’t automatically mean that you had more impact than a rapper from the 90’s. Time is a factor, but Pac was bigger than KRS One could ever dream to be
I don't worry or bother with "the top 5"... I'll let everyone else debate that among themselves. "My top 5" is what I like for sure and I can play regardless of the day/time/weather/mood.
exactly my top five is my favorite five but I can admit that there are better rappers than them
Nah man there's no "the top 5" and if there was, Pac wouldnt feature. It would be like Rakim, Krs, etc.
My top 5 are the top 5 rappers I enjoy the most. Gone are the days I cared about objective shit.
I'm confused why everyone is so obsessed with top 5 or top 10 lists. Music isn't a sport, this is art and there are no objective answers.
Yep. Not caring about this stuff is one of the top 5 things you can do.
Hip-hop, along with being an art form, has always had a competitive, sport-like aspect to it, more so than other genre of music because of its very nature. This whole competition about who is the best on the mic on a beat is literally one of the main pillars that gave birth to the genre/movement in the first place. With that comment of yours, you might as well try telling Rakim, one of the pioneers of this very genre that you listen to, to quit calling himself shit like "The God MC" and just focus on the "art" instead. It's the rappers themselves who spur the fans to constantly debate their top 10s with each other – it's healthy for the game and it's one of the primary things that's continually keeping the genre alive and exciting and interesting for over 40 years.
What's so confusing about all this?
Objective doesnt even make sense to me tho. Like there is no objective, because rap skill, production etc. Is not something that you can quantify. My pet peeve is when people say anything 'objectively' about music.
Everybody knows the real top 5 is
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Because I spit hot fire man!
YOU'RE TOO CLOSE MAN!!😠😠😠😠
Now go get me some Cambodian breast milk.
Breast milk, you made my dayyyee
Are we doing some variation of this question every day now?
Well if we're talking about personal taste then those guys aren't in my top 5 just because I enjoy other artists more. They all have a case to be top 5 "greatest" because of their impact
Yeah, Impact and personal top 5 are different things Id say. Wu should be added to the list too
My top 5 got 2 Wu members in at 1 and 4 and I got a Wu affiliate not too far behind that.
Cuz Wu tang aint nothing to fuck wit
Some days my whole top 5 is WuTang lol
This is so real tho. When Im listening to Pac, he's #1. When I'm listening to NaS, he's #1.
Cue underdog music.
My personal list is Aesop Rock, El-P, Danny Brown, MF DOOM and JID. Killer Mike, Little Simz, Brother Ali, Conway the Machine and maybe Pusha T round out my top 10. I likes what I likes, and I fw these guys' projects more than the classics.
Danny Brown's XXX had me bobbing my head with this face
Take it off baby bend over let me see it
Get out the car Aes in itself should solidify a top 10 position based on a couple of minutes
Blood Sandwich is such a good song too. I swear no one does it like aes. Battling some good topics and it’s always an original refreshing view on things
Hell yeah this is a good list! I just got into Griselda Records artists like Conway and Westside Gunn. Do you like Kool Keith? I feel like you would appreciate him based on a lot of the r artists u list here. He’s one of my top fives
Keith's been on my list of artists to listen to for way too long. Will add some tracks to the queue, what would your recs be?
Love seeing Pusha t
YEUGCH
MF recommendations? Songs and albums
Madvillainy is the obvious pick for albums (but for good reason) - Id also recommend Vaudeville Villain (as Viktor Vaughn) and Take Me To Your Leader (as King Geedorah).
For tracks, I'd say One Beer, Money Folder, Saliva and Rapp Snitch Knishes.
I really like his collab with Danger Mouse called Danger Doom. He also produced Paul Barman if you're interested in quirky off the beaten path stuff.
This top 5 is something I can get behind, we got the same music taste
Real recognize real
Aesop definitely in my top 5
I'm so annoyed when Pusha always seems to miss my top 5. So many awesome rappers.
It’s so cool to see someone make an original top 10 in stead of the same artists every time
🙌
Glad to see Brother Ali in someone else’s list. I think he may be the best poet in hip hop.
This
Nas, Common, Inspectah Deck, Black Thought. I don't even think Tupac would be in my top 50. The problem with artists dying when they are young is they get GOAT status but never really had time to prove they could maintain their skills over a long period of time. Look at the the rappers in 90's/early 2000's that were being called great and how their career cratered once the gimmick was over.
Freddie Gibbs , Asap Rocky , Joey Badass , Big L , a Tribe Called Quest
It goes Method Man, Royce, Eminem, Aesop Rock, and Redman.
They not even in my top 10. Although Nas is really close, like 11 or something. But I don't believe in THE top 5. I think that's bullshit. Music is by definition a very personal thing. The Idea that the entire human race, should homogeneously agree on a definitive top 5 is bullshit. It depends on what resonates with you, what you feel. You can't predict that. And also that changes as you get older.
My top 10 is:
- Inspectah Deck
- Redman
- Kool G Rap
- Sticky Fingaz
- Gift of Gab
- Big Pun
- Chip Fu
- RA the Rugged Man
- Ghostface Killah
- Black Thought
Because those dudes I enjoy listening to the most and I will never cease to be amazed by their skills. Nas and Big are definitely top 20 for me too, but Pac just never clicked with me.
Love your list and am surprised that I am not the only one with Red, Kool G and Sticky in my top 10
Inspectah at #1. Dope. He's in my top 5 no question.
You can always tell the real Hip Hop fans. Wu, Onyx, Def Squad, The Roots, Terror Squad all being repped here. I love this!!!!!
- Eminem
- MCA
- Rakim
- MF DOOM
- KRS One
Kendrick
Danny Brown
A$AP Rocky
Freddie Gibbs
Kanye West
I like 90s rap, but I just like 2010s rappers way more. I do rly like 2pac and Nas, but I feel like the rappers in my top 5 have more versatility.
Nas is in my list of top ever but Pac or Biggie aren't anywhere even close imo.
My top impact wise is
Rakim, he's the God MC
Grandmaster Caz, the original super lyrical MC imo
KRS ONE, the first one to be a Hip Hop professor and do true conscious style besides The Message
Kool G Rap, took multisyllabic rhyming to the next level and the reason we have guys like Nas
Nas, he changed the whole Hip Hop world with one album and took the styles of people like G Rap even further
Id also throw in Big Daddy Kane, for being a top level skilled MC even today.
Now my personal top five FAVORITE
El-P (especially pre RTJ!)
Rakim
MF DOOM
Slug from Atmosphere
Ill Bill
Honorable mentions: Cage, Goretex/Lord Goat, MC Serch, Tame One, Camu Tao, Chuck D, Sabac Red, Prodigy from Mobb Deep, all of Wu Tang, Mr. Eon just to name some.
Your impact list is spot on.
That's a fine favourite 5!
El-P, hes the one who changed my view completely on what Hip Hop can be and will be.
Ra, well he's the God MC enough said.
DOOM, he helped me realize it's okay to be myself completely regardless of what others think.
Slug, proved to me you don't have to be gangster and you can be emotional and wear them on your sleeve.
Ill Bill, he showed me how you can really thought provokingly push the boundaries with subject matter and the importance of variety and being underground.
That was the era I learned that there was more to hiphop than Compton or Mobb Deep. Getting exposed to Sage Francis, Doseone, Buck65, Cannibal Ox, Necro...
Ohhhh Sage Francis!!! Personal Journals gets me in my feelings.
One of my favourite all time albums. Think I'll stick it on now actually!
Briggs me to tears man, I relate to it so much, I remember hearing it open with Crack Pipes and I was like "Wow... Hip Hop can be this raw and emotional and vulnerable!??"
I have a habit of hitting myself sometimes and the song Inherited Scars is my song I listen to make the thoughts of wanting to do it stop.
If I could've been there from the beginning.. if I could be there RIGHT NOW.. if I could promise to be there when you need me, if you need me give me a shout
My current is MF DOOM, Killer Mike, El-P, Freddie Gibbs, and Eminem, but if Kendrick drops another solid project, he’s taking Em spot.
Aye El-P is a goat
El p is mad underrated and very unique who deserves more recognition not only as a rapper but a PRODUCER too.
He’s like a crazier Pharrell with less pop appeal.
Here is a man who likes what he likes instead of appealing to some made up "objectively right top5"
It’s crazy that Kendrick still isn’t there for a lot of people. There aren’t too many rappers who consistently drop great albums like he does. Not a single one is bad/mid.
I don’t think any are bad, I don’t care for Mr morale as much but don’t think it’s bad. For me part of my top five is just have some sorta personal connection with the artist. Kendrick is just now starting to do that for me and I’ve been a fan since good kid.
Loose use of the word consistent Kendrick drops an album like every 5 years
KRS-1
Common
Big Daddy Kane
Guru
Busta Rhymes
Guru is a legend!
Old Kanye: I don’t vibe with his newer stuff but I lived and breathed the older stuff up to Runaway and Power.
Lupe Fiasco: Love his wordplay and flow
Old Chance the rapper: Similar to old Kanye, love his older stuff, he kinda fell off musically.
Childish Gambino: I’ve been a fan of Donald Glover since the Derrick comedy days, love his music. Especially Camp.
Outkast (kinda cheating as they’re a duo but still): Timeless, back to back hitters.
MF DOOM will always be my number one. Unmatched lyricism
Why does ice cube never make it into anyone’s top 5?
In no order:
Mac Miller, Tyler the Creator, Childish Gambino, Logic, Jpegmafia
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Dylan
Because he spits hot fire
Aes.
Danny Brown.
Run the Jewels.
OutKast.
MF DOOM.
Those are pretty locked up.
Right now?
Add Prof.
Norman Sann.
Sage Francis.
Clippng.
Rob Sonic.
I would have Nas top 5. Biggie maybe top 10. Tupac top 20/25
My top 5 in no order would be
Nas Kendrick Wayne Lupe Andre 3k
Lupe fiasco Scarface DMX Kendrick Lamar And Jay z
If I couldn’t add Tupac.
MF DOOM, LUPE, LUNAR C, LAST EMPEROR, AESOP ROCK, NATE DOGG
It seems like alot of people have Ghostface up there. Can anyone recommend songs? I grew up on some ghost, the wu forever album, the radio would play Daytona 500 and All that I Got is You, Raekwons Ice Cream
Listen to Supreme Clientele.
people have different taste the fu
- Lancey Foux
- Yung Lean
- Bladee
- Playboi Carti
- Ecco2k
Luda!!!
His first album is one of my all time favorites
MY 5: Hov, Prodigy, Big L, Conway, Nipsey
My top 5 has no particular order, but: DMX, Xzibit, Proof, Eazy-E, Missy. Top 5’s are always hard and subject to change but these 5 to me are pretty much solid. It switches around every now and then when I’m more in a Westcoast kinda period, or any other vibe.
I find most of Nas’ music just a bit boring to be honest. Never really loved Pac. Most of the songs of him I like is with him as a featuring artist, not his own tracks. I do love BIG however.
Xzibit is another one that never gets the props he deserves
Different era I guess. Born in the 90s but didn’t develop my taste until the 00s. Andre, Nas, Common, Black Thought, Lupe.
2pac was only good for his era
I have Rakim, Nas, Biggie, 3 Stacks, Em, Jay, Big L all over Pac.
E-40, B-Legit, Do or Die, Dungeon Family, Snoop.
Nas is in my top 5. Biggie is in my top 10. Tupac is overrated to me and his music has no reply value. Ice Cube, Kurupt, DJ Quik sound better to me.
Honestly,I can’t even do top 5’s there are too many great rappers for me to choose top 5s.one day I will be on my Z-Ro shit,the next day I might be listening to Ransom,the next day maybe Tha Landlord,the next day Wu-Tang,then Don Trip,to AMG Fresh,etc,etc..I don’t really do top favorites,I listen to so much shit it’s impossible.I’m listening to something different everyday
has four year career with two albums “he’s the greatest of all time”. That’s why Biggie isn’t in my top 5.
Drake cause I’m a dumbass zoomer
I would never include Biggie despite his influence and hits because 1. I'm biased being from the West Coast and because of the Pac beef 2. He's one of the least technical rappers/songwriters who ever became popular. Every song sounds like a COPD exacerbation and the rhymes are basic. 3. Did I mention I'm heavily biased?
Nas is in my top 3 but, especially considering how young Tupac and Biggie were when they died, I have Jay-Z, Andre 3K, Eminem, and Kendrick rounding it out. Biggie is in my top 10 though
I feel like their tragedies prevented me from comparing them fairly against the GOATs living today, it just feels weird to put them above dudes who have been alive twice as long and maybe even fallen off
Cuz there is no room for shit in my top 5?
Both pac and biggie never were in any of my top 5 lists cause they simply didn't live long enough to prove the longevity. I can't just put someone in the top5 lyricist list because they're legends. Gotta have that decades old longevity and consistency to be up there.
I mean mine is probably Hov, Ye, Pac, Lupe and Cole with HMs: 3k and Common
i just like the others more idk, i grew up listening to most of these guys and Pac was one of the first rappers i listened to lots
i was a big jay z fan so i kind of hated nas and i don’t anymore and respect him but he isn’t one of my favorites
Scarface, Redman, E40, Ice Cube...one word: LONGEVITY
I am now 15 years older than when Biggie died. The man didn't get a chance to grow and evolve and make more music. I listen to Nas' newer stuff way more than his older classics.
There's too much great stuff out that I can't stay trapped in the 90s all the time.
biggie has 2 albums, only one dropped while he was alive. can't be the goat with 1 or 2 albums. i like a couple of his songs but his sound is boring
Nas deserves to be there (as do the others). But the other unanimous imo is 3 stacks.
They had a huge influence on Hiphop no doubt, but they are no where in my top 10 let alone top 5.
- Aesop Rock
- Lupe Fiasco
- El-P
- Kendrick Lamar
- Masta Ace
Are my top 5.
The rest of my top 10
Sean Price
Black Thought
MF DOOM
Redman
Mos Def
I wanna get into Aesop more, any albums you recommend? I listened to Bazooka Tooth (the cover caught my attention tbh) and really enjoyed it.
Absolutely man. He’s my favorite for a reason. Dissecting his lyrics as he says them is such a fun pastime.
I’d start with “Labor Days” then move on to “None Shall Pass”, and end with “The Impossible Kids”. I’d listen in order of release.
After all of that I would pick what sounds cool, but those three are the pinnacle in my opinion.
None Shall Pass is a highlight
Bazooka Tooth is actually one of my least favorites of Aesop's. Labor Days is great, I love the Daylight EP, the way he did the reprise/reenvisioning of Daylight/Nightlight. His newest album is sick for sure.
A few other songs to not miss: No Regrets; Blood Sandwich; One Brick; 9-5ers Anthem; Coffin Jump; I'll Be OK (ft Slug); Dog at the Door; The Mayor and the Crook;
Also the Uncluded, his project with folk singer Kimya Dawson, their relationship did not end well, but some such music came out of it, I especially love the song Delicate Cycle
Every Aes fan you speak to will have a different favourite album which is testament to how fucking great they all are. None Shall Pass, The Impossible Kid and Integrated Tech Solutions are definitely his most accessible projects so I tend to suggest people start there.
Listen to all of them. He never put out anything not worth hearing. The Impossible Kid has plainer language tho
Great list, love the Ace and Sean Price respect
Props for the Mighty Mos Def.
Masta Ace, Scarface, Classified, Eazy-E and Elzhi
Its basic as hell and becoming less popular of an opinion year after year but Biggies still my GOAT, I think he just has 2 nearly perfect albums with more good songs between them then a lot of entire catalogues. Are there probably objectively better and more influential rappers? Yeah for sure, although I think biggie could flow with anyone.
Tupac isnt even close to my personal top 10, never really grabbed me like that, he's got good songs but a lot of misses for me and his delivery has never really sounded nice to my ear. I actually find his movies, interviews, etc. more interesting than his rap career.
Nas isnt really it for me either, loved illmatic but don't even listen to it much these days and none of his other stuff has hit me the same (at least not full project wise). I also think his more recent run was insanely overrated and kinda disappointing.
I feel like I might as well also mention Jay Z and Eminem as usual suspects that I don't overly fuck with. Both have some classic albums with some of my favourite songs but both have annoying voices to me and large amounts of either mediocre or just bad songs.
Imagine listening to KD3 and Magic and calling them “disappointing”. You have some insanely high standards.
You don’t like listening to PAC talk about his ENEMIEEES, while enjoying some HENNESYYYYY!?
In the PENITENTIARYYYYYY. Bury me a GGGGGGG!
The artists who I feel like are the greatest objectively (outside of my personal opinions) are
- Eminem
- Drake
- Lil Pump
- Iggy Azalea
- DJ Khaled
Honestly I haven’t listened to most of the artists you listed much until you mentioned it I hadn’t heard of most of them but they don’t seem good enough to be on this list.
>! Kidding, don’t kill me !<
I mean Eminem and drake have released horrible stuff but putting them on a list with lil pump is just disrespectful😭😭
Never have i downvoted then upvoted so fast
Eminem should be in everyone's top 5 though and is arguably the GOAT
My personal go to 5
Lupe A$AP Rocky Busta Rhymes Stove God Curren$y
Because Big L and Big Pun! But I still love NAS, Biggie, and Pac.
Personal opinion, as far as just enjoying the music...no real order
Kendrick
Eminem
Busta
Dmx
Big Pun
I’d consider Nas due to illmatic but the others just can’t fuck with MCs who had original b-boy style or even originated hip hop style like Grandmaster Caz, T la rock, Kool Moe Dee and Rakim. Or dropped knowledge like Chuck D and Wise Intelligent. Or wrote lyrics like GZA and MF Doom. Or flowed like Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap. Or had a hard, wild style like ODB. Or made it seem so easy, unbothered and witty as Biz Mark & Flava Flav. For example. Biggie and 2pac basically turned on their own with that ignorant gangsta shit and pretty much became wack pop acts ffs.
Our local rappers are good. I grew up on them. Their style resonates with me. I don’t care who other people think are the top 5. I have my personal favorites.
I don’t have Pac Hov or Nas in my personal top 5, but if I had to pick a top 5 regardless of my taste, all 3 are in it with Rakim and Big
For me C.L. Smooth belongs in the top 5
I have Biggie and Nas but I have Hov first. But Jay Z is more inflated in rappers top 5 than Nas or Biggie so it's nothing controversial. I do have André before Pac tough, and Kendrick too. I love Pac but I'm all for lyrical guys and Pac it's not on the same level of Jay, Nas, Biggie or André.
Why people like Hov?
Eminem Lil Wayne Ghostface Kanye Raekwon
Nas is right there for me too but I mean, I would never argue with anyone who has any of those guys in their top 5
I feel people who put them in the top 5 typically do it because everyone else does. Personal taste is so broad that it seems weird that so many people have the same top 5.
Doom, 3k, ken, Wayne, el-p
I think
I don’t have pac in my top five. Maybe top 10. I like pac, he not in my top 5. I know I’ll get slammed but it MY opinion.
I think we need to clarify the distinction between personal Top 5 and The Top 5 i can see why many people might not have them in their personal Top 5
My personal top 10 (no particular order)
Chino XL
Apathy
Celph Titled
RA The Rugged Man
Inspectah Deck
KXNG Crooked
Big Pun
Vinnie Paz
Jarren Benton
Chris Rivers
Some other honorable mentions are Esoteric, Tondeff, Prev 1, Madchild, U-God, Diabolic, Aesop Rock, Skyzoo, Slug, Black Thought, GZA
Tunechi 38 spesh Big krit Andre 3000 (not in any order)
There’s a big different between popular and what makes your top 5. People who pick rappers just because they’re popular lose respect off the bat. It makes me think you don’t actually listen to anything. Biggie and Tupac really aren’t that strong in the bigger picture compared to some who get far less credit.
- Kool Keith.
- Dr octagon
- Dr doooom
- Black Elvis
- Mr.Gerbick
Grandmaster Melle Mel, Run, Rakim, KRS1, Ice Cube Pac and Biggie weren't top 5 even among their generation. Biggie was known for his flow, Pac for his charisma and his ability to write fast. Pac could have used an editor and he would have gone up in the ranking. The DOC is one of the greatest lyricist the late 80's and 90's produced. Ras Kass honorable mention
User deleted comment
17d
I have
MF DOOM
Ghostface Killah
GZA
Aesop Rock
EL-P
Andre 3000
Sean Price
Vinnie Paz
Roc Marciano
although Nas I'd put up there
GZA, Lupe Fiasco, Nas, Eminem, 5th spot is a tossup between 50, Yeezy and Wayne.
I didn’t start listening to rap till I was 17. Tupac is in my five. But I don’t like how biggie sounds. And I just never looked up Nas.
Whoa
Future thug Kanye chief keef Kodak for me
I think it’s probably just generational tbh. Growing up no one around me was really listening to 90s rap, I was like 12 when Finally Rich dropped, 16 when DS2 dropped and i think those two albums really defined my taste in terms of rap.
What’s crazy to me is that era is now bygone, it felt like just yesterday that it was the new sound. When I talk to teenagers about future now they look at me the way I looked at my dad when he talked about The Rolling Stones. Such is time
Lol, I stopped caring about these top whatever lists years ago. There are just artists I listen to and artists I don't listen to.
BTW, I'm so happy to see so many people giving props to Redman 💯
RxKnephew is well into my top 5. The guy has mastered many different flows. Selects excellent beats and puts out work on a consistent basis for years. I don’t think there is a better rapper alive right now.
I think there are obvious top rappers, but I do not necessarily always listen to their music.
I would rather listen to underground tapes from Playa Fly, DJ Paul & Juicy J, DJ Zirk, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, Three Six Mafia, Lil Noid, Lil Glock & SOG, etc. rather than listen to a Tupac song.
I don't usually do favorite lists but thinking on it i'd have to have
Pac
OneBeLo
Lupe Fiasco
Black Thought
Then it's a toss up for that fifth spot in my list.
No particular order but it goes something like Andre 3000, MF DOOM, Big L, Yasiin Bey, Black Thought, Kendrick, Guru, but I most definitely would put Nas, Pac, and Biggie up there
I don’t think Pac makes my top 10 but he’s in the 10-20 range for sure.
I’ve got Prodigy, Nas, Jay Z, GFK, Biggie…
1: Andre 3K 2: Kendrick 3: MF DOOM 4: Smino 5: MIKE
I got: 1. Kendrick 2. Nas 3. Jay
Pac and big are high on that list tho. L and Pun too. And can't forget canibus
Big L, J Cole, Eminem, Rakim, André 3000
There’s only one person who has a top 5 spot locked, imo, and that’s Black Thought.
Wayne, Em, Jay, Ye, Black Thought
Because they aren’t as good as Kool G Rap, Big Pun, Andre 3000, Black Thought or Conway.
Redman - his flow fucking rules and he's a Wildman, love the energy too.
El-P - my favorite white rapper by a mile. Love his way of being esoteric and spaced out weirdness, while somehow being cool AF and not weird for weird sake in his Company Flow and Def Jux years. Also one of my favorite producers as well as a bonus. Dude woke up the underground scene and had it moving when he came along.
Guru - not a phenomenal rapper but a capable rapper that I love to listen to. He fit perfectly with those Premo beats in Gang Starr, one of my top 5 hip hop groups. I don't think you need to be blowin peoples minds to be someone's favorite rapper.... it's mostly the voice.
Ghost Face - dude fucking kills it every time, I don't need to defend Ghost!!!
Black Thought - saw the Roots last year, and that 'Can you digg it' song he did blew my fucking mind. Plus its the Roots, they are the best.
Edit: honorable mention , Ice Cube so I'm not all east coast lol
EL-P
Aesop Rock
Kanye West
Pusha T
Aceyalone
Rakim , Kool G ,Kane, Black Thought and LL Innovators changed the game
Not targeted towards me but I want to list my top 5. Em, nas, pac, Method Man, MF Doom. Love Rakim and Cube so much that I could exchange them with MM and MF depending on how I’m feeling.
My personal top 4 in no order is
Kanye , Wayne, Lupe, Kendrick
That last spot is always tricky but right now I’d throw Freddie Gibbs in it
Wayne and Kendrick both have spots there for me.
Jadakiss is a solid choice too.
Pac is on the list cause Me Against The World is great. Biggie is on the list cause Ready To Die is also great. Nas is on there cause Illmatic is also great. As for my other two personal choices? I'd choose Method Man and Rakim.
1-Wayne 2-T-pain 3-kanye 4-Wiz 5-blxst
I know pain and blxst arent “hip hop” but they still in my top 5. And id put biggie in my top 10 but just not 5
Pac/big/nas are certified legends, add jay-z/eminem/lil Wayne/etc to that list.
But music is subjective, it's like asking someone who the best member of the wu tang clan is. Some might say method man or raekwon or Ghostface or GZA but deep down we all know it's inspectah deck (iykyk).
Conway the Machine
GZA
Project Pat
Lil Wayne
And the greatest story teller in hip hop; Slick Rick
Pac, Kenny, Hov, eminem, Nicki... Wale is #6 Biggie was overrated. Nas is in my top 10 though.
Biggie only put out 2 albums, some of it didn't age too well. Nas only put out 1 that I like. So there's that. Different strokes for difrunt folks some like pepsi some like coke.
I don’t understand the love Nas gets. I’m west coast and I think he is garbage. Love GURU, KRS ONE, Kool G Rap Erick Sermon and others but Nas I just don’t understand why the East coast jocks him so hard.
Dot, Hov, 3 stacks, black thought, rakim
Well pac and biggie are there, then I add nate Dogg and Big l, then I feel you have to have a group which is whoever I'm listening to the most out of ATCQ, Flatbush Zombie, Wu Tang.
So yeah just no room for Nas.
I have Pac and Nas but not Biggie. Personally it’s just his “sound” to me. I like certain songs but his voice and cadence don’t do it for me personally. I know he’s great and raps about some big things but he’s not my favorite.
I have Eminem, Black Thought, and Lil Wayne rounding out my 5 with Nas and Pac.
Ghostface Killah , Heaven Razah aka Hell Razah , Killah Priest ,
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but some people's opinions really suck. I mean look at the losers running for president. The fact that millions of people voted for those old losers that don't represent them says it all. I'm using politics as an example, not being political. It is an example of bad taste.
Nas, Biggie, & Tupac are high quality hip hop, yet people come up with these GOAT lists with some scrub rappers that aren't even on their own top 5. They have smoked themselves retarded.
Nas, Big Pun, OutKast, Mob Deep, Kanye.
All these artists have at least one song that make me feel like I’m on top of the world and can slap anyone in the room lol.
I’m Gen Z so I’d argue it’s harder for my generation to pick because there’s so many talented artists since they been out.
I haven’t thought about my top 5 in forever but my immediate response I can’t see myself putting the previously mentioned rappers above J.Cole, Kendrick, and Lil Wayne. They’ve been dominant and influential to me for too long. 2Pac might make it to 4 or 5. But even then I’d say 4th and 5th is a competition between him and some others like: Ice Cube, Andre 3000, Gunna, and Kanye West. Big Sean and 50 Cent as honorable mentions.
Nas didn't make it. He had his music. Then he had some very bad music. Had he been shot and killed he probably would be in top 5. Sad to say.
They are in my top 10 for sure
I don't have them in my top 5 because it is a personal list about who has an impact on me and whose sound I like. In no particular order, I've got Jadakiss, DJ Quik, Royce da 5'9, Cassidy, and Westside Boogie. And that list changes up frequently
Joseph Simmons
Tupac
Biggie
Lil Wayne
Nas.
So yea , all 3 there for me
doom, kendrick, eminem, tyler, odb
Eminem Chuck D Ice Cube Eazy E Tupac
Well I have not seen tonedeff. So tonedeff, tonedeff, tonedeff, tonedeff, tonedeff.
Big L, Big Pun, Andre 3k, Slug. Personal preference of course
Guru, Big L, Nas, Jay, DMX/BIG are my top 5…
2pac was a passionate artist but not a phenomenal or top tier rapper. Pac isn’t even in my top 10. I have other reasons but they wouldn’t lead to productive discussion.
Oddisee, Mac Miller, Isaiah Rashad, Kanye West, and 50 Cent are my personal top 5 five that came to mind when I read the question & listed in no particular order….Over the years my favorites have changed, but these artists have consistently stuck with me because of their great lyrics, multiple good albums, and they always felt authentic. They also came into my life during crucial moments of personal growth.
- DOOM
- Eminem (relapse era)
- Bizarre (fuck you)
- Scatman John
- bbno$
edit to add why: I enjoy the weirdos
To me there’s a difference between “my top 5” and “the top 5”. Pac, for example, isn’t my personal favorite, I like some of his stuff but don’t listen to much, but I can admit that his impact on the game is undeniably in “the top 5”.