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Best Rapper Alive

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In this category, we focus on the best rappers alive, providing our own carefully curated list of the greatest MCs in hip hop history. We cover everyone from the old school originators like Rakim and KRS-One to the new wave innovators like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole.

Rakim Ernie

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1987

5. Big Daddy Kane Notable releases: “Raw” Key guest appearances: N/A Big Daddy Kane didn’t drop a project in 1987 but off the strength of his verses on “Raw” alone, it was enough to catapult him into the…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2016

Honourable mentions Common Notable releases: Q-Tip Notable releases: Drake Notable releases: Danny Brown Notable releases: Kevin Gates Notable releases: Kanye West Notable releases: 5. Kendrick Lamar Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. J. Cole Notable releases: Key guest…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2000

Honourable mentions: Jadakiss Beanie Sigel Prodigy Styles P 5. Big Boi Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Jay-Z Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Andre 3000 Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. Ghostface Killah Notable releases: Key guest…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2002

Honourable mentions: Xzibit El-P Styles P Pusha T Missy Elliott Talib Kweli  5. Jay-Z Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. 50 Cent Notable releases: Guess Who’s Back?, 50 Cent Is the Future (with G-Unit), No Mercy, No Fear…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2004

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2004 Honourable mentions: Masta Ace Nas Snoop Dogg 50 Cent Black Thought On the X track of the The Roots X album, The Tipping Point, Black Thought starts rapping, then you…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1988

Honourable mentions: Biz Markie MC Lyte Kool G Rap Kool Keith 5. Ice Cube Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Chuck D Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Rakim Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. Big Daddy Kane…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2005

5. 50 Cent Notable releases:  Key guest appearances:  4. Lil Wayne Notable releases:  Key guest appearances:  3. The Game Notable releases:  Key guest appearances:  2. Common Notable releases:  Key guest appearances:  1. Young Jeezy Notable releases:  Key guest…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2006

Honourable mentions: Nas Young Jeezy Busta Rhymes Black Thought The Game 5. Lupe Fiasco Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Pusha T Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Ghostface Killah Notable releases: Fishscale, More Fish Key guest appearances: …

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1991

Honourable mentions: DJ Quik Guru Ice-T Nas Yes, that’s right, Nas is on the honourable mentions for best rappers alive in 1991 off of one verse. Phife Dawg 2Pac Dres B-Real 5. Busta Rhymes Notable releases: Key guest…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1993

Honourable mentions: GZA Inspectah Deck Raekwon Buckshot While revisionist history has Wu-Tang getting a lot of the credit for revitalising the East Coast, the truth is groups like Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun and Onyx played a huge role Big…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1997

Honourable mentions: Common Scarface Inspectah Deck Missy Elliott Rakim Over five years since his last album with Eric B., and over a decade since he changed the rapping landscape with the one-two punch of Eric B President and…
Dmx Jaw Wired Shut Def Jam Audition

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1998

The Best Rappers Alive of 1998 Honourable mentions: Method Man Redman Busta Rhymes Mos Def N.O.R.E. 5. Inspectah Deck Notable releases: N/A Key guest appearances: Big Pun – “Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)”, Killah Priest – “Cross My Heart”, Gang…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1999

Honourable mentions: Prodigy Method Man Redman Pharoahe Monch Black Thought 5. Mos Def Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Nas Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. DMX Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. Eminem Notable releases: Key guest…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2001

Honourable mentions: Masta Ace T.I. Beanie Sigel Fabolous Cormega 5. Ludacris Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Jadakiss Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Nas Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. Eminem Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  1.…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 2003

Honourable mentions: Fabolous T.I. Cam’ron Canibus The name Canibus might prompt jokes amongst rap fans these days, but there was a time when his name inspired faith in lyrical rappity rap. For his fifth studio album, Canibus recorded…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1990

Honourable mentions: Q-Tip Kool G Rap 5. Lord Finesse Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Rakim Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Chuck D Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. LL Cool J Notable releases: Key guest appearances: …

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1989

Honourable mentions: KRS-One Biz Markie Freddie Foxxx 5. Chuck D Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Ice-T Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Kool G Rap Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. The D.O.C. Notable releases: Key guest…

Top Five: The Best Rappers Alive of 1992

Honourable mentions: CL Smooth Rakim DJ Quik Lord Finesse 5. KRS-One Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  4. Kool G Rap Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  3. Ice Cube Notable releases: Key guest appearances:  2. Snoop Dogg Notable releases:…