The Best Rapper Alive, Every Year Since 1979 (Complex)

[28 Gramz]

Popular does not mean best...Jeezy, Drake, Wayne, Kanye, and T.i. do not belong anywhere near a best rapper alive list...No joe Buddens but if you put any of them in a booth with a real SKILLED rapper and let them go bar for bar they wouldn't hold their weight.
For example lets take Joe Buddens Remember the titans track with fab, banks and royce, if we popped fab off that song and replaced him with kanye do you think he could really spit some shyt where people would say "DAMN Ye killed that shyt"? I don't.

I agree about Kanye but TI and Wayne were HIGHLY skilled lyrically in their primes. Put Wayne from 02-07 or TI 04-08 on a track with anybody and they hold their own. Anybody that's heard The Carter 1,SQAD,Dedication,Urban Legend,Down With THe King etc...can't disagree.

 

[BrothaZay]

 

[spliz]

How is Jay Z 2001 when he got hit upside the hump wit that napalm bomb

01 shoulda been Nas again...and 02 shoulda been between Nas and Cam...

 

[newarkhiphop]

the golden years

1992: Redman
1993: Snoop Doggy Dogg
1994: Nas
1995: The Notorious B.I.G.
1996: 2Pac
1997: The Notorious B.I.G.
1998: DMX
1999: Jay-Z

the downfall years ( not caused by these rappers though)

2004: T.I.
2005: Young Jeezy
2006: Lil Wayne

 

[tybo]

for all you dumb niqqas saying "decent list", you do realize the list says "BEST RAPPER ALIVE, EVERY YEAR SINCE 1979", don't you?

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Y'all bugging being offended at no Rae, esp the poster who put him as 2009

 

[Rakim Allah]

My List

1979: Melle Mel
1980: Kool Moe Dee
1981: Grandmaster Caz
1982: Melle Mel
1983: Melle Mel
1984: T La Rock
1985: MC Ricky D
1986: LL Cool J
1987: Rakim
1988: Rakim
1989: Big Daddy Kane
1990: Rakim
1991: Ice Cube
1992: Rakim
1993: KRS One
1994: Nas
1995: Aceyalone
1996: Ras Kass
1997: Rakim
1998: Andre 3000
1999: Eminem
2000: Ghostface
2001: Scarface
2002: Nas
2003: Jay Z
2004: Paris
2005: Common
2006: Ghostface
2007: Pharoahe Monch
2008: Nas
2009: Sean Price
2010: Nas
2011: Wise Intelligent
2012: Casual
2013: Kendrick lamar

 

[boskey]

Nas had 2001

Nope. Stillmatic came out in December. Nas ran 2002

 

[DoomzdayzV]

Supreme Clientele only went 1x plat but really it was a huge ass album in 2000. That's the album that elevated Starks to god-like status. Il never forget Freddie Foxxx on the industry takeover joint "im bout to save hiphop like Ghost saved the Wu". Ghost made the cover of The Source twice that year.

oh and Im givin 93-94 to Buckshot.....dude set the standard for the east coasts new school with his style. More rappers bit off Buck than most will realize, that includes Nas.

 

[Cole Cash]

My List

1979: Melle Mel
1980: Kool Moe Dee
1981: Grandmaster Caz
1982: Melle Mel
1983: Melle Mel
1984: T La Rock
1985: MC Ricky D
1986: LL Cool J
1987: Rakim
1988: Rakim
1989: Big Daddy Kane
1990: Rakim
1991: Ice Cube
1992: Rakim
1993: KRS One
1994: Nas
1995: Aceyalone
1996: Ras Kass
1997: Rakim
1998: Andre 3000
1999: Eminem
2000: Ghostface
2001: Scarface
2002: Nas
2003: Jay Z
2004: Paris
2005: Common
2006: Ghostface
2007: Pharoahe Monch
2008: Nas
2009: Sean Price
2010: Nas
2011: Wise Intelligent
2012: Casual
2013: Kendrick lamar

 

[Cole Cash]

Supreme Clientele only went 1x plat but really it was a huge ass album in 2000. That's the album that elevated Starks to god-like status. Il never forget Freddie Foxxx on the industry takeover joint "im bout to save hiphop like Ghost saved the Wu". Ghost made the cover of The Source twice that year.

oh and Im givin 93-94 to Buckshot.....dude set the standard for the east coasts new school with his style. More rappers bit off Buck than most will realize, that includes Nas.

supreme clientle influenced rap as a whole, ask kanye and just blaze. that album was major.

 

[Rakim Allah]

You can make a case for LL and Run in 85 but Slick Rick just best to me that yr.

Acey was just spittin at a higher and more creative clip in 95. I believe Acey has the best 90s discography(solo/groups/comp).

It was close in 11 with Monch and Wise but Wise came with a little more impact on the mic.

And Casual ran shyt in 12 with 2 albums and a mixtape. It was Hiero's year and Casual was leading the way.

Who would you replace them with in those years?

 

[Never Broke Again]

My List

1979: Melle Mel
1980: Kool Moe Dee
1981: Grandmaster Caz
1982: Melle Mel
1983: Melle Mel
1984: T La Rock
1985: MC Ricky D
1986: LL Cool J
1987: Rakim
1988: Rakim
1989: Big Daddy Kane
1990: Rakim
1991: Ice Cube
1992: Rakim
1993: KRS One
1994: Nas
1995: Aceyalone
1996: Ras Kass
1997: Rakim
1998: Andre 3000
1999: Eminem
2000: Ghostface
2001: Scarface
2002: Nas
2003: Jay Z
2004: Paris
2005: Common
2006: Ghostface
2007: Pharoahe Monch
2008: Nas
2009: Sean Price
2010: Nas
2011: Wise Intelligent
2012: Casual
2013: Kendrick lamar

 

[Cole Cash]

You can make a case for LL and Run in 85 but Slick Rick just best to me that yr.

Acey was just spittin at a higher and more creative clip in 95. I believe Acey has the best 90s discography(solo/groups/comp).

It was close in 11 with Monch and Wise but Wise came with a little more impact on the mic.

And Casual ran shyt in 12 with 2 albums and a mixtape. It was Hiero's year and Casual was leading the way.

Who would you replace them with in those years?

i have no problem with what you listed, but im dead because thats bold, but lists are lists and they are personal, im just suprised to see some of those guys. but the old slick rick reference,

 

[Rakim Allah]

Sorry no Drake on my list...he's pretty much Freedom/Prince B/MC Brains status