Top 10 Rappers (5-1)

5) Eminem

Em has skills beyond most people's comprehension. He is so fucking versatile. He has done every type of thing you can do. "Without Me" a fun pop song. "Sing For The Moment" a song pouring his emotions out. "Mosh" discussing the Bush administration. And who can forget "Lose Yourself," arguably the best hip hop song of all time...The list literally goes on forever. This dude is unbelievable, he's never not true to himself, whether he's being funny or talking about his drug addiction. Although I personally don't love his music since Relapse, you can't deny the fact that he is still winning Grammy's and everyone still loves his music. He knows exactly how to stay relevant, and his pop hits aren't just about smoking weed, or fucking girls, or making a new dance. Em is a somewhat poppy rapper, but he actually says shit. He has become a legend, and its not often you see a legend in hiphop stay relevant in music, not just hiphop. Maybe its cus hes white. Nahh. He's nice.

4) Andre 3000

So here's an interesting one... Andre is one of the more intelligent and clever artists in hip hop history. The artsy half of Outkast has been delivering ridiculous verses since '94. The way he delivers each line is different, he has an incomparable flow to anyone else. It is so unique, he is so cunning speech that every placement of every word matters. Which makes all his raps extremely rythmic and soothing, which is very rare. Hardly ever do we see a talent like Andre, but sadly it seems like there is a Chappelle effect on Dre right now and he isn't coming out of his cave. Every now and then we hear an incredible verse scattered here and there. (Like on the Sleazy Remix) But the entire hip hop world is waiting on that solo album to drop, so we can all go wild again. Cuz I know he hasn't lost his skills. His verse on Royal Flush (which was released a couple of years ago) is one of my favorite verses of all time. If Nas isn't the best lyricist of all time... Andre is.

3) Nas

Nas is considered one of the best (if not the best) lyricist of all time. He has one of the most celebrated albums in hip hop history: Illmatic, which put Queens Bridge on the map. After getting top production on his debut album from DJ Premier, Q-Tip, Large Professor and Pete Rock, he presented verses filled with clever rhymes, unbelievable wordplay, and most importantly... to tell stories. Nasir and Slick Rick (in my opinion) are the two greatest hip hop story tellers of all time. Listening to Nas's music you really feel like he is reaching out to you, personally, and telling you something, teaching you something. Since Illmatic he has released an array of hits and some bangers that went under the radar. Nas truly deserved to be "crowned the best lyricist."

2) 2Pac

Although his life was tragically cut short, Pac had one of the most recognizable voices I've ever heard in music. His voice and his words were so poetic and so positive. Although he started out as a minor act with Digital Underground (yeah the guys who did "The Humpty Dance") he went a long way by incorporating beautiful messages through his past experiences and creating "Thug Life," promoting hard work for the African American youth. It was a movement that embodied "rags to riches" essentially. His versatility was truly astounding: while promoting this movement, he also maintained a bad boy image that upheld the rebellious nature of hip-hop that all of its fans had grown so accustomed to. And not to mention his wordplay... Pac was truly one of the more talented musicians of all time and it is tragic to see someone so talented have their life cut short. R.I.P Pac

1) Jay-Z

No explanation necessary. True hip hop. Too many classics to count. His recognizable flow and voice that you could recognize from a mile away has graced so many incredible songs that there is no other option for #1. It seems that every album is considered a classic. His celebrity has grown to a point almost unfathomable considering where hip hop started, in basement parties with Cool Herc. 15+ years and still the best rapper in the game hand down. Unstoppable.