Top 10 Best Rappers

Drake & Kendrick Lamar Shouldn’t Be In Top 10 Rappers List, Says Charlamagne Tha God

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Billboard and VIBE recently came out with their top 50 rappers of all time list, for which the top 10 ranking released this week. However, many people expressed issues with the placements, as expected with any subjective list. One detractor is Charlamagne Tha God, who said Kendrick Lamar and Drake don’t belong at No. 2 and 8, respectively. Moreover, the Breakfast Club co-host discussed the list with his fellow on-air colleagues, and he said it’s “too early” in their careers to tell. Of course, both rappers continue to dominate and forge their paths, but maybe their accomplishments are already enough to rival the game’s best.

ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 09: Charlamagne tha God is seen during a campaign event and conversation with Stacey Abrams, 21 Savage, and Francys Johnson at The HBUC on September 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

“I feel like it’s too early for Drake and Kendrick to be saying stuff like that,” he remarked as DJ Envy went through the list. “Of all time? God damn! Penis is a form of transportation for y’all.” Still, both MCs clearly made some of the largest waves in hip-hop history. The 6 God, for example, recently became the first artist to amass over 75 billion streams on Spotify. Whereas the “God’s Plan” star leads the charts, K. Dot leads the culture. Following three Grammy wins last weekend, he’s now the third most decorated rapper in Grammy history. Moreover, Jay-Z and Kanye West currently share that honor at 24 phonograms each. For what it’s worth, Ye landed at No. 11 on Billboard‘s list, and Hov is Billboard‘s greatest rapper of all time.

In addition, the top ten also included Biggie, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Tupac and Lil Wayne. Other names near the top are André 3000, Rakim, LL Cool J, J. Cole, Scarface, 50 Cent, and Ice Cube. In fact, Cube was another member of hip-hop culture that criticized the rankings. “I don’t f**k with Billboard or their editor,” he told TMZ with a smile. “Billboard ain’t hip-hop so their opinion don’t matter. Yeah, it is,” he acknowledged on the travesty of Too $hort’s snub.

“It’s an irrelevant list, you know what I mean? It’s like assholes; everybody got one and they all stink. There it is.” Who else should’ve made (or been omitted from) Billboard and VIBE‘s top 10 rappers list? However you may feel, let us know how you’d make the tough call in the comments below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest on hip-hop debates and the genre’s greatest.

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Nicki Minaj, Eminem & More Included In Billboard’s Top 10 Rappers Of All Time

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Billboard and Vibe just published their list of the top ten rappers of all time, ending their list of the top 50 MCs in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. While many on social media voiced disappointment, that always happens in a list of any capacity. Everybody’s GOAT list looks a little different, and this list reflects a wide variety of criteria. For example, some rappers made the list for their lyricism, influence, catalog, or for their commercial success. Still, the consensus online seems to agree on it being a solid list, though many would change the order around. The ranking includes Biggie Smalls, Drake, Eminem, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: (L-R) Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar attend the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Moreover, Nicki Minaj placed at No. 10, Snoop Dogg at No. 9, and Drake at No. 8. Many might question Drizzy’s inclusion, given that he’s as much of a pop star as he is an MC. Still, he hasn’t left that love behind, as best evidenced by his most recent album Her Loss. However, these rappers share a few factors such as commercial viability, unique flows and styles, and most importantly, influence. Following them are Lil Wayne at No. 7, Biggie Smalls at No. 6, Eminem at No. 5, and Tupac at No. 4. Furthermore, Young Money dominated this list with three members, and Weezy in particular is the Southern representative here. Also, Nicki is the only female rapper included in this list.

However, what people really chose to focus in on was the list’s top placements. According to Billboard, Nas is the third-greatest rapper of all time. Such an honor is fitting for one of the most impressive careers in hip-hop that continues to redefine himself. Through his King’s Disease series and album Magic, all Hit-Boy collaborations, he added four more excellent albums to the conversation. As such, Nas might be the most enduring legend on this list when it comes to quality and consistency. Although the Queens rapper has quite the repertoire, Kendrick Lamar at No. 2 represents how the newer generation carries the torch. Between his top-tier lyricism, untouchable discography, and appeals to both pop and underground tastes, he seems like the definitive hip-hop career.

Meanwhile, the No. 1 spot went to Jay-Z. Many of these MCs best qualities seem wrapped up in Hov’s trajectory, and he has the added moniker of trailblazer. Whether we talk about commercial viability, business acumen, lyrical skill, excellent catalog, or business extracurriculars, Jay has it all. Still, many people felt that this list needs some rearranging. “Jays not #1 he top 5 but he ain’t #1,” one user wrote, with another adding “This list needs to be switched up! Love the list but the placement is incorrect.”

On the other hand, some users wanted to see other rappers make the list. “Any list that doesn’t have JCole in the top 10 is made by people who don’t know rap,” one user claimed. For what it’s worth, he landed at No. 15 on Billboard‘s list. Check out the full list for yourself down below and let us know what you think about it and your own top ten rappers in the comments. As always, come back to HNHH for the latest on hip-hop culture and history.

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