Top Ten Rap/ Hip Hop Artists (10-6)

Everyone and their mother likes to make one of these lists, and act as if their decisions are fact. I understand that mine aren't, although my list has been viewed by many, many unofficial experts, and they have found very little disagreements between my Top Ten list and theirs. So without further ado, lets get this started.


10) 50 Cent: Don't deny it. At one point in your life, you have to have liked 50 Cent. His name comes up more than anyone else these days when talking about rap, he's the reason Lil' Wayne can't sleep at night. He's released classic singles, albums, arguably the best beats in Hip Hop, he captures the "gangsta" persona much better than anyone else today does. An apprentice of two major icons in rap: Dr. Dre, and Eminem.
"In my hood we was taught not to say who shot ya,
see the flash, hear the shot, you feel it burnin, I got ya"
- 50 Shot Ya, Guess Who's Back?


9) LL Cool J: You know who he is, your parents know who he is, their parents even know who he is. Cool J has been in the game for a little over two decades, a feat very, very few have accomplished, since the 1980s, he's been dropping classics like, "Mama Said Knock You Out." He's rapped with all of the big names in Hip Hop, been featured by all of them, and held his own during the turbulent years of the late ninety's.
"That's real, what's up with that I shot ya deal?
Light s***, n****z slip, now how the bullet feel?"
- I Shot Ya, Mr. Smith


8) Snoop Dogg: The true Father of Hip Hop, his laid back style that gives you the impression that he's constantly intoxicated, has been a big icon in Hip Hop since the early 1990s. A legend, his pimp- like swagger and entertaining lyrics caused his debut album Doggystyle to be arguably the most anticipated album of all time.
"I wouldn't be the n***a that I am
if I didn't pop n****z in their mouth, God DAMN!"
- Vato, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment


7) Ice Cube: One of the kings of Gangsta rap. He co- founded it actually, he was one of the members of NWA, the first people to bring gangsta rap into the mainstream world. He's not someone that you mess with, he's ended many a rappers' career for trying to mess with him. Ferocious, powerful sounding, and deep, his songs light the radio on fire, a definite top choice for anyone, casual or hardcore.
"I'm raw as a dirty needle, choke an eagle, just to feed all my people.
Lyrically, I'm so lethal, plant thoughts in your mind just to defeat you."
- Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It, Raw Footage


6) Nas: His unrefined, classic, pure east coast style of rapping has had people listening to his debut album, Illmatic , years and years after its release. One of the best lyricists in the game, a poet, discussing inner- city life with a gritty, New York swagger that very few can capture like he does. Took the title, "King of New York" after Biggie's departure.
"You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer,
that's like Malcolm X catching the Jungle Fever."
- Halftime, Illmatic