Rakim the true God MC
LL Cool J (w Run DMC showed the Hip-Hip can be commercially profitable)
The rest of your list is cool
You right about Rakim, at the least deserves an honourable mention. He did so much for lyrics, flow, style even in terms of his delivery. LL was certainly a superstar and broke new ground in that realm so is a reasonable choice, and of choice Run DMC broke a lot of ground with records like Walk This Way etc and became huge.
With my lists I was also thinking of some firsts or very early on's with some of the choices. Cause in this type of question I think pioneers matter cause they laid a lot of groundwork for others. Either culturally or as MC's.
You could argue Melle Mel was the first GOAT, was the dude people looked at as THE best MC and superior MC. He also did incredible timeless groundbreaking amazing things. He Is a first ballet Hall Of Famer.
Bambaataa for what he did culturally particularly. He is arguably the original Hip Hop teacher who led the blueprint for people like KRS-One.
Grandmaster Flash for the innovations in DJ'in. He pioneered a lot of shyt there.
KRS-One for helping up the ante in regards to consciousness in his rhymes, along with Public Enemy etc. Also for his contributions to the culture with the Stop The Violence/Self Destruction Movement, Self Construction, Human Education Against Lies, Temple Of Hip Hop, The Gospel Of Hip Hop, being and instrumental part of The Hip Hop Declaration Of Peace. KRS is probably my number 1 pick overall. When you consider all the contributions he's done and does, he's given his life to Hip Hop for real.
