54 of The Greatest Rappers
by ComeHonor4HEAD | created - 03 Apr 2015 | updated - 18 Apr 2015 | PublicThis list consists of the 54 greatest rappers to ever touch the mic.
1. 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 ...
2. The Notorious B.I.G.
Soundtrack | Fast X
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. ...
3. Rakim
Soundtrack | Juice
Universally referenced as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time, Rakim first exploded onto the New York scene in 1986 with the iconic "Eric B. is President" single and album "Paid In Full." With its unprecedented lyricism and complex rhyme patterns, the release, alongside a carefully ...
4. Tupac Shakur
Actor | Juice
Born in New York City, Tupac grew up primarily in Harlem. In 1984, his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he became good friends with Jada Pinkett Smith. His family moved again in 1988 to Oakland, California. His first breakthrough in music came in 1991 as a member of the group Digital ...
5. Jay-Z
Soundtrack | The Harder They Fall
Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Carter was a school friend of The Notorious B.I.G.. He first started releasing records in the late 1980s. In 1990, he appeared on records by his close friend, Jas ("The Originators") and Original Flavor ("...
6. 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 ...
7. 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...
8. André 3000
Actor | Four Brothers
André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a part of southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi.
Benjamin has also acted in films and television series such ...
9. 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 ...
10. 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 ...
11. 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 ...
12. The GZA
Actor | Coffee and Cigarettes
Gary Earl Grice (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American rapper and songwriter. A founding member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both the first member in the group to receive a record deal and being the...
13. Common
Actor | John Wick: Chapter 2
First known as a rapper who became one of the more prominent voices in hip-hop's new millennium renaissance, Common later transitioned into acting. He was born in Chicago, and is the son of educator Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines and Lonnie Lynn, an ABA basketball player turned youth counselor.
On October 6,...
14. Yasiin Bey
Soundtrack | The Italian Job
Regarded as one of hip-hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. Taking a cue from the Afrocentric stylings of the Native Tongues crew, which included De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and Andres ...
15. 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 ...
16. 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 ...
17. 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).
18. Tariq Trotter
Soundtrack | Zoolander 2
As Co-Founder of The Roots, a critically acclaimed solo artist, actor, writer, activist, producer, and creator, Tariq Trotter-aka Black Thought-has quietly affirmed himself as one of the most prolific, prescient, and powerful voices in hip-hop.
Over the course of his career, he has won three GRAMMY®...
19. 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...
20. 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 ...
21. Ye
Soundtrack | The Great Gatsby
Kanye Omari West (born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer. His musical career has been marked by dramatic changes in styles, incorporating an eclectic range of influences including soul, baroque pop, electro, indie rock, ...
22. Big Boi
Soundtrack | Idlewild
Big Boi was born on February 1, 1975 in Savannah, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Idlewild (2006), ATL (2006) and xXx: State of the Union (2005). He was previously married to Sherlita Patton.
23. Lauryn Hill
Soundtrack | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Lauryn Hill, a native of South Orange, New Jersey, first came to attention with the multi-talented Fugees. Their first album, "Blunted On Reality", went virtually unnoticed by the public; their real breakthrough came with the sophomore album, "The Score", which featured "Killing Me Softly". That ...
24. 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 ...
25. Ghostface Killah
Soundtrack | Iron Man
Born and raised in the heart of Staten Island, New York, Ghostface Killah, born Dennis Coles, is a very well-known member of Wu-Tang Clan, the celebrated hip-hop group. Emerging from a childhood filled with poverty, he puts his all into his projects and everything he rhymes about basically stems ...
26. 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.
27. Talib Kweli
Soundtrack | Superbad
Talib Kweli was born on October 3, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Superbad (2007), Freedom Writers (2007) and Stick It (2006).
28. Busta Rhymes
Actor | Halloween: Resurrection
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, musician, record producer, record executive, and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. He is best ...
29. Raekwon
Soundtrack | The Man with the Iron Fists
Raekwon was born on January 12, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), Blade: Trinity (2004) and Nerve (2016).
30. Masta Ace
Soundtrack | Kids
Masta Ace is known for Kids (1995), Crooklyn (1994) and Music of the Heart (1999).
31. 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....
32. Royce Da 5'9''
Soundtrack | Fast Five
Ryan Montgomery, also known as Royce Da 59, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Voted as one of the most underrated MCs in the rap industry, Royce has three full-length albums credited to his name, despite being through more career upheavals than most artists experience over their whole ...
33. Anthony 'Treach' Criss
Actor | Feast
Anthony 'Treach' Criss was born on December 2, 1970 in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Feast (2005), Juice (1992) and Today You Die (2005). He was previously married to Pepa.
34. 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 ...
35. The Prodigy
Soundtrack | The Matrix
The Prodigy is an English electronic dance music group from Braintree, Essex, formed in 1990. The Prodigy first emerged in the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and have since achieved popularity and worldwide recognition. They earned titles like "the premiere dance act for the alternative ...
36. Lupe Fiasco
Soundtrack | Taken
Lupe Fiasco was born on February 16, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Taken (2008), Suicide Squad (2016) and Prom Night (2008).
37. Biz Markie
Actor | Men in Black II
Biz Markie was an African-American rapper, disk jockey and actor. He was known for his hit 1989 song "Just a Friend". He played a beatboxing alien in Men in Black II (2002) alongside Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. He was originally going to voice The Grizz in Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (2013) but...
38. Pharoahe Monch
Soundtrack | Training Day
Pharoahe Monch was born on October 31, 1972 in Queens, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Training Day (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000) and Fantastic Four (2005).
39. Method Man
Actor | How High
Award-winning actor, producer, musician, and entrepreneur Cliff "Method Man" Smith, has been forging an extraordinary and unparalleled path across all mediums since he first entered the scene 30 years ago.
Smith currently stars as 'Attorney Davis MacLean' opposite Mary J. Blige in the worldwide hit ...
40. Ol' Dirty Bastard
Soundtrack | Bulworth
Ol' Dirty Bastard was born on November 15, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Bulworth (1998), Nerve (2016) and Don't Look Up (2021). He was married to Icelene Jones. He died on November 13, 2004 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
41. Cam'ron
Actor | Killa Season
Rapper Cam'ron was born and raised in Harlem, attending Manhattan Center High School, where one of his basketball teammates was Mason "Mase" Betha, who also became a successful rapper. Though his playing earned him scholarship offers from top colleges, Cam'ron was unable to take advantage of them ...
42. 50 Cent
Soundtrack | Get Rich or Die Tryin'
50 Cent (Curtis James Jackson) is an American rapper, actor, producer, and entrepreneur.
He began a musical career and in 2000 he produced Power of the Dollar for Columbia Records, but days before the planned release he was shot and the album was never released. In 2002, after Jackson released the ...
43. Canibus
Soundtrack | Bulworth
Germaine Williams a.k.a. Canibus (aka Can-I-Bus) was born in 1974 in Jamaica to Basil and Elaine Williams. Growing up, Canibus found interest in beat boxing and break dancing. After his parents divorced, Canibus and his mother immigrated to the U.S. before his teen years and moved around frequently...
44. Beanie Sigel
Soundtrack | State Property
Beanie Sigel was born on March 6, 1974 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for State Property (2002), Boiler Room (2000) and Hustle (2022).
45. 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).
46. 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 ...
47. DMX
Soundtrack | Exit Wounds
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), known by his stage name DMX ("Dark Man X"), was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998, to both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling 251,000 copies...
48. Tip 'T.I.' Harris
Actor | Ant-Man
T.I. was born Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. on September 25, 1980, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Violeta Morgan and Clifford "Buddy" Harris, Sr. He is also known as T.I.P. and "Rubberband Man". T.I. is from the streets of Westside Bankhead Zone 1 in Atlanta. His original stage name, T.I.P., it stems from ...
49. Guru
Soundtrack | Training Day
Guru was born on July 17, 1961 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Training Day (2001), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) and Addams Family Values (1993). He died on April 19, 2010 in Suffern, New York, USA.
50. Posdnuos
Soundtrack | National Lampoon's Van Wilder
Posdnuos was born on August 17, 1969 in Bronx, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), Spies in Disguise (2019) and Boiler Room (2000).
50. Tech N9ne
Soundtrack | Alpha Dog
Aaron Dontez Yates was born November 8th, 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri. At a young age Aaron would use raps to learn to spell his name and practice math. In 1988, Aaron adopted the name Tech N9ne. In 1996 he signed to Qwest Records and in 1999 he was released from the label. Two albums were ...
52. Immortal Technique
Soundtrack | The Brave One
Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics, from a radical left-wing perspective.
Immortal Technique seeks to retain control over his production, and has...
54. 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 ...
54. Lil' Wayne
Soundtrack | Suicide Squad
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He is commonly regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
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