Who's the best rapper of all-time?

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Best in what? Lyrics? Rhyme? Speed? Rhythm?

If it’s rhythm, then I gotta give my man Tech a shout - he’s the OG master


If it’s musical diversity - then Kanye has it, the dudes done rap, rnb, an industrial album, a weird gospel album.

Eminem is the master at rhymes, and has some damn good speed as well.


Do MCs count - coz this guy has great flow:

I guess the poll is meant for best overall rapper.

 

[laz0001]

I guess the poll is meant for best overall rapper.

Then I probably gotta say Eminem. He might be mainstream but he’s seriously master level at all aspects. His rhymes are the best for sure, he’s insanely fast when he wants to be (rap god), his lyrics and storylines are superb ( old school stuff like Stan) and he has well known tunes for days.


Edit - like I see quite a few votes for Tupac and rakim. Tupac wrote some great lyrics, and rakim has rhymes, but Eminem beats Tupac with technical ability, and rakim raps over pretty basic backbeats - so I give it to em on ability to write a tune.

 

[Mr Warmth]

I was getting mad for a second but I see you left the best for last

Redman all day!

 

[BadJuJu707]

Kool Keith, Tech N9ne, Aesop Rock and Guru are my favorites. I hate to pick one but I guess its Keith.

 

[POWER2]

Inspired by this thread. https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/rakim-is-the-best-rapper-of-all-time.4070995/

And with the help from poster @HughPhug.

I personally added Lauren Hill, because we needed at least one woman in there.

Any poll on hip-hop that includes white voters will eventually drift to Eminem. smh. LOL

Dude is not even close to the best. After listening to hip-hop for 40 years straight, and break dancing, pop locking, free styling, and etc growing up, I know.

 

[link67]

Shit, looks like you MFers forgot about Dre...

 

[Pliny Pete]

Why the fuck is Dr Dre on that list?

<Lmaoo><Lmaoo><Lmaoo><Lmaoo>

 

[lowlife]

Tired of the same dusty ass hip hop convos on here lol

 

[Luminosity]

Big L and your poll is shit

 

[POWER2]

Thread derailed. lol

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Big L and your poll is shit

Thank you.

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Thread derailed. lol

How is it derailed? The voting is well balanced.

 

[POWER2]

How is it derailed? The voting is well balanced.

Anyone with this AV has no business running this poll. smh. lol

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Anyone with this AV has no business running this poll. smh. lol

It's just an AV, it has no relation to this poll. I'm not even a pot smoker. I also change my AV all the time.

Btw I'd love see your list of rappers that you would have on the poll.

 

[Simian Raticus]

Personal favourites are Biggie and Nas.

But I voted for Eminem, and I'm not even a huge fan.

It's just hard to argue with him being the greatest.

Massive sales across multiple albums, iconic songs, lyrically complex in a way that mainstream rappers typically are not. Ticks too many boxes not to be.

Side note: Redman is generally underappreciated in GOAT discussions.

 

[Breaducce]

The Answer is Nas, He can rap anyway you want on an elite level and his newer stuff hasn't shown a steep decline like other greats.

 

[Kaybee]

I picked Hov, but it could be also be Nas or Tupac; there isn't much separating the trio and really Jay's longevity was the tie-breaker. I'm not a huge Kanye fan but he has a much better argument than a large segment of this list; could probably add Kendrick here too.

 

[DC23]

Personal preference. Ace Hood. Flow is on another level.

 

[Buddy Revell]

Have to go with Biggie Smalls. Ready to Die is a musical masterpiece and hands down the greatest concept album in rap history and Life after Death is an all-time great in its own right. Tupac and Eminem pumped out more great tracks but neither came close to reaching biggies artistic peak. And FWIW, i'm a 40 year old dude who grew up with all of this shit, so i'm not just saying this.