Greatest MC’s of All Time

I created a list for another discussion that I was having with someone about the top 20 MCs of all time, tell me what you think.

Would you make any changes?

1. Rakim (clearly and undisputed if you ever listened to hip hop a day in your life)
2. KRS ONE (Obliviously one of the defining figures in hip hop history who can crush just about anyone out today)
3. LL Cool J (Longevity, Lyrics, Battle Cat SUPREME!!! regardless of the commercialization of the industry he still maintains his reign as the G.O.A.T.)
4. Nas (Not too many new school emcees have produced more thought provoking pieces than Nas, he is no doubt the second coming of Rakim, his overall positive and productive themes only push him above Tupac)
5. Tupac Shakur (When it comes to creativity, lyrical style, delivery, etc, Pac was one of the greatest hip hop “ARTIST” of his time. This man single handedly created a movement in hip hop that has affected the style and delivery of artist to this day)

6. Biggie (Did more in two albums lyrically that most did in whole careers. Combined the party back to hip hop music and gave gangster a smooth twist.)
7. Cool G Rap ( 1st true gangsta rapper ever, nuff said)
8. Scarface (Lyrics, Style, Delivery, total package. Its so hard not to put him in the top five seeing how he put the south on the map with Ghetto Boys.)
9. Slick Rick (Greatest Story telling MC of all time, a record that still stands in my opinion)
10. Ice Cube (He earns this spot for writing most of the material that made NWA famous and also for his lyrical though provoking social commentary rap of the gangsta saturated early ninetys)
11. A Tribe Called Quest (Conscious, Lyrics, and most of all who can deny that Q-Tip has one of the most recognizable deliveries in the game. This group was and still is a power house.)
12. Wu-Tang (What group single handedly saved hip hop from a life of murderering cut off your head gangsta rap. This group brought another guard into existence on the east coast; they were the grimey, lyrical, on the front porch hip hop that the game forgets about all too often.)
13. EPMD (Nothing needs be said about Erick and Parish, if it does you need to start listening to country)
14. Run-DMC (Pioneers, made hip hop marketable and mainstream. Blessing and a Curse to the game but champions all the same, RUN was and is one of the greatest MCs of all time and as an individual he would be in the top ten lyricist no doubt)
15. Big Daddy Kane (Battle Cat, lyricist, etc. He was a dark skinned LL without the sharks fin.)
16. Common (Thought provoking, cool, lyrics, delivery. Single handedly showed that hip hop had a brain and creativity beyond the block. Genius of his era and I consider him the fulfillment of the dreams of the
Arrested Developments of the world.)
17. Whodini (Hip Hop wouldnt be the same without them. All of the above artist would not be the same
if they did not lay the foundation.)
18. Snoop Dogg (West Coast Biggie Smalls without the lyrical strength. However, there is no
denying that the boy can flow and control the maestro. Brought fun back to the bullet ridden gangstafied West Coast)
19. Public Enemy (No commentary necessary, not having them on the list would be like having Thanksgiving dinner with no turkey)
20. MC Lyte (Needs no introduction, showed men that women could come just a hard…)

Alternates that just missed the boat:

De la Soul (Innovative lyricist)

Master Ace (Explosive MC no matter how you twist it)

MC Ren (Next to Cube, the driving force of NWA)

Outkast (Pioneers of the south, they are the new age Parliament)

Cee-Low Green (Creative Giant)

Eight Ball (I would call him a southern combination of Slick Rick, Master Ace, and Kane. Much respect.)

Sugarhill Gang (For being pioneers)

Jay-Z (Made lots of money, good product)

Fat Joe (Please dont sleep on CRACK)

Eminem (EXPLOSIVE MC no matter how you twist it)

Salt-N-Peppa (Any female MC today knows that they paved the way)