The Best Rappers Ever!
by SteelKeez | created - 01 Aug 2011 | updated - 11 Jun 2021 | PublicMy list of the most influential Lyricists and MC's in the history of Hip Hop
1. KRS-One
Soundtrack | The Manchurian Candidate
Lawrence "Kris" Parker better known by his stage names KRS-One (an abbreviation of "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") and Teacha, is an American rapper, lyricist and occasional producer from New York. He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, which he...
2. Big Daddy Kane
Soundtrack | Colors
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" number 25 on its ...
3. Too $hort
Soundtrack | Black Panther
Todd Anthony Shaw better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on pimping and promiscuity, but also drug culture and street survival; ...
4. Slick Rick
Soundtrack | Face/Off
Born to Jamaican parents in London, on January 14, 1965, Slick Rick, born Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters, is the most successful British-American rapper in music history. Brilliant word play, the effort-less ability to bring life to the stories he rhymed about, dead on pop-culture references and ...
5. Ice Cube
Soundtrack | Friday
Ice Cube was born in South Central Los Angeles, to Doris (Benjamin), a custodian and hospital clerk, and Hosea Jackson, a UCLA groundskeeper. He first came to public notice as a singer and songwriter with the controversial and influential band N.W.A. His compositions with that group included many ...
6. Eric B. & Rakim
Soundtrack | Colors
Eric B. was born in 1965 in Elmhurst,New York and Rakim was born in 1968 in Wyandanch, New York.They first met at the radio station WBLS , and the two officially formed a partnership in 1985.The singles "I Ain't No Joke" and "I Know You Got Soul" sampled James Brown began to revolutionize the sound...
7. Scarface
Soundtrack | Narc
Scarface, a.k.a. Brad Jordan, was born and raised in Houston, Texas, in the South Park neighborhood. He is one of the rappers of the Geto Boys, and has recorded solo albums like Mr. Scarface is Back, The Diary, and The World is Yours. In real life, he was a high school dropout at 16, and suffered ...
8. E-40
Soundtrack | Blade: Trinity
E-40 was born on November 15, 1967 in Vallejo, California, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Blade: Trinity (2004), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) and The Big Hit (1998). He has been married to Tracey Stevens since June 22, 1991.
9. Nas
Soundtrack | Belly
Nas, born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973, is the son of Olu Dara, an unconventional jazz musician. At age nine he was a member of the Devastatin' Seven in the mid-1980s, the fruits of which can be heard on his 1994 debut, "Illmatic," which was released on Columbia/SME later that ...
10. Outkast
Soundtrack | Flight of the Phoenix
Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip hop duo formed in 1992 in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta-based rappers André "3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. Outkast is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop acts...
11. Redman
Soundtrack | How High
Reginald Noble better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is well known for his collaborations with his close friend Method Man, as one-half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman...
13. Eminem
Soundtrack | 8 Mile
Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Deborah R. (Nelson) and Marshall Bruce Mathers, Jr., who were in a band together, Daddy Warbucks. He is of English, as well as some German, Scottish, and Swiss-German, ancestry. Marshall spent his early childhood being shoved ...
14. Dr. Dre
Soundtrack | Training Day
Considered by many to be hip-hop's greatest producer, Dr. Dre (b. André Young, February 18, 1965) pioneered gangsta hip-hop and his own variation of the sound, dubbed G-Funk. His very early albums were violent but cautionary tales of the criminal mind, but Dre's records with NWA celebrated the ...
15. The Notorious B.I.G.
Soundtrack | Bad Boys
Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, was born on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Jamaican parents, Voletta Wallace, a pre-school teacher, and Selwyn George Latore, a welder and small-time politician. He was raised in the poor Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. ...
16. LL Cool J
Actor | Deep Blue Sea
L.L. Cool J was born James Todd Smith in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr.
Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. After they recovered from their ...
17. Q-Tip
Soundtrack | The Great Gatsby
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of hip hop production and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective ...
18. Snoop Dogg
Actor | Training Day
Snoop Dogg is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, media personality, entrepreneur, and actor.
His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre and featured on Dre's solo debut, "Deep Cover", and then on Dre's solo debut album, The Chronic. He has since sold over 23 ...
19. Run-D.M.C.
Soundtrack | Die Hard
Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and one of the most famous hip hop ...
20. Eazy-E
Soundtrack | Harsh Times
Eric Lynn Wright, better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and as a member of the group NWA Wright is affectionately called "The Godfather Of Gangsta Rap."
He was born in Compton, California. After dropping out of high school in the tenth grade, he supported ...
21. Wu-Tang Clan
Soundtrack | Nerve
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member. Wu-Tang ...
22. Heavy D
Actor | The Cider House Rules
Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 - November 8, 2011), known professionally as Heavy D, was a Jamaican-born American rapper, record producer, and actor. Myers was the leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, a group which included dancers/hype men G-Whiz (Glen Parrish), "Trouble" T. Roy (Troy Dixon), and ...
23. MC Lyte
Actress | Girls Trip
A philanthropist who has presented almost $900,000 in scholarships over the past seven years, an actress on Power, Queen of the South, SWAT, and more, MC LYTE is ONLY female solo hip hop artist to receive the BET I Am Hip Hop ICON Award. First female to perform hip hop in the White House and first ...
24. Ice-T
Actor | New Jack City
The legendary gangsta hip-hop emcee Ice-T was born Tracy Marrow on February 16, 1958, in Newark, New Jersey. He moved to Los Angeles, California, to live with his paternal aunt after the death of his father while he was in the sixth grade; his mother had died earlier when he was in the third grade....
25. Chuck D
Soundtrack | Star Trek Beyond
Both as a solo artist and as the leader of the ground-breaking hip-hop group Public Enemy (which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013), Chuck D helped pave the way for political, social and culturally conscious hip-hop. Public Enemy's albums remain among the most critically ...
26. Melle Mel
Soundtrack | Grosse Pointe Blank
Melvin Glover better known by his stage name Grandmaster Melle Mel (or simply Melle Mel) is an American hip hop recording artist who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Glover began performing in the late 1970s. He may have been the first rapper to call ...
27. UGK
Soundtrack | Shaft
UGK is known for Shaft (2000), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996).
28. Doug E. Fresh
Soundtrack | Face/Off
New York-raised Doug E. Fresh, born Douglas Davis, got his initial notoriety for being the original human beat-box, inventing a method to imitate a drum machine using breath control through the teeth, lips, and gums. He had a string of hit singles with his then-partner Slick Rick in the early and ...
29. Mack 10
Soundtrack | Anaconda
Mack 10 was born on August 9, 1971 in Inglewood, California, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Anaconda (1997), Exit Wounds (2001) and Romeo Must Die (2000). He was previously married to Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins.
30. Big Pun
Soundtrack | That Awkward Moment
Big Pun was born on November 9, 1971 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for That Awkward Moment (2014), Vacation (2015) and Life of the Party (2018). He was married to Liza Rios. He died on February 7, 2000 in White Plains, New York, USA.
31. A Tribe Called Quest
Soundtrack | The Wackness
A Tribe Called Quest is known for The Wackness (2008), Tag (2018) and Dope (2015).
32. Kwamé
Soundtrack | Fantastic Four
Kwame, a talented artist, songwriter and producer, first emerged on the music scene at large in 1989 at the age of 16 with one of Hip Hop's classic albums, "The Boy Genius" and along with timeless songs such as the Rhythm and Ownlee Eue, selling over 2 million records as a artist. Kwame also a ...
33. MC Eiht
Actor | Menace II Society
MC Eiht was born on May 22, 1967 in Compton, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Menace II Society (1993), Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).
34. Kool G Rap
Soundtrack | Colors
Kool G Rap was born on July 20, 1964 in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Colors (1988), Giancana Story: The Kool G Rap Chronicles and Music of the Heart (1999).
35. Kurtis Blow
Soundtrack | It's Kind of a Funny Story
Kurtis Blow was born on August 9, 1959 in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010), Krush Groove (1985) and Notorious (2009). He has been married to Shirley Stewart since September 2, 1984. They have three children.
36. De La Soul
Soundtrack | Spider-Man: No Way Home
De La Soul is known for Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Spies in Disguise (2019) and The Man (2005).
37. MC Ren
Soundtrack | New Jack City
MC Ren was born on June 14, 1969 in Compton, California, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for New Jack City (1991), 21 Jump Street (2012) and Us (2019).
38. Public Enemy
Soundtrack | Do the Right Thing
Public Enemy is known for Do the Right Thing (1989), Star Trek Beyond (2016) and End of Watch (2012).
39. The Fat Boys
Soundtrack | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
The Fat Boys are an American hip hop trio from Brooklyn, New York City, who emerged in the early 1980s. The group was briefly known originally as the Disco 3. The group's 1984 self-titled debut, The Fat Boys, is considered by many to be an early hip hop classic, with artists like Boogie Down ...
40. 2 Live Crew
Soundtrack | New Jack City
2 Live Crew is known for New Jack City (1991), This Means War (2012) and Bring It On (2000).
41. Beastie Boys
Soundtrack | Real Steel
Beastie Boys is known for Real Steel (2011), Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Beyond (2016).
42. Will Smith
Producer | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Smith has been nominated for five Golden ...
43. Kurtis Blow
Soundtrack | It's Kind of a Funny Story
Kurtis Blow was born on August 9, 1959 in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010), Krush Groove (1985) and Notorious (2009). He has been married to Shirley Stewart since September 2, 1984. They have three children.
44. Kool Moe Dee
Soundtrack | Wild Wild West
Kool Moe Dee was born on August 8, 1962. He is an actor and composer, known for Wild Wild West (1999), A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989) and Scrooged (1988).
45. Kid 'N Play
Soundtrack | Point Blank
Kid 'N Play is known for Point Blank (2019), House Party (1990) and Class Act (1992).
46. Salt-N-Pepa
Soundtrack | Deadpool
Salt-N-Pepa is known for Deadpool (2016), End of Watch (2012) and Captain Marvel (2019).
47. Cypress Hill
Soundtrack | Guns Akimbo
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. They are a hip-hop group that has sold multi-platinum and platinum albums, having sold over 20 million albums worldwide. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast and 1990s hip hop. The group has been ...
48. A Tribe Called Quest
Soundtrack | The Wackness
A Tribe Called Quest is known for The Wackness (2008), Tag (2018) and Dope (2015).
49. Bresha Webb
Actress | Run the World
Bresha Webb was born on May 6, 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Run the World (2021), A Fall from Grace (2020) and Meet the Blacks (2016). She has been married to Nick Jones Jr. since February 4, 2023.
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