Additional reporting by Jake Uitti
Videos by American Songwriter
Fifty years ago today (Aug. 11, 1973), DJ Kool Herc hosted a block party in the South Bronx, New York, dubbed the “Back To School Jam,” where record-scratching DJs showed off their skills and guided joyful dancing in the city streets. Little did they know at the time, though, that this would eventually be recognized as the birth date of hip-hop, leading to an American musical revolution.
To commemorate this, some of hip-hop’s most precious and impactful voices will congregate at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx today to celebrate, as Nas’ company Mass Appeal is hosting the Hip-Hop 50 Live Festival. Headlined by performances from Run-DMC, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, DJ Kool Herc, Ice Cube, and more, the event will serve as a remembrance and celebration of the outstanding imprint hip-hop has left on not just these artists, but New York, the fanbases, and the world as a whole.
Joining along in the fun, we at American Songwriter felt it necessary to round up the 50 rappers who we think are most impressive and essential for the genre in the last five decades, in no particular order. Check out our list below.
Queen Latifah
Birth name: Dana Owens
From: Newark, New Jersey
Song to listen to: “U.N.I.T.Y.”
Album to listen to: All Hail the Queen (1989)
Quick summary: A star in the recording booth and on the small and silver screens, Queen Latifah is an ambassador, royalty in the genre of hip-hop.
Common
Birth name: Lonnie Lynn
From: Chicago, Illinois
Song to listen to: “The Light”
Album to listen to: Be (2005)
Quick summary: Common came up in the underground scene, known for his wordplay and his thoughtful lyrics. He’s since become a movie star, an all-timer in the genre and an American Songwriter cover star.
LL Cool J
Birth name: James Smith
From: Islip, New York
Song to listen to: “Mama Said Knock You Out”
Album to listen to: Radio (1985)
Quick summary: An early pioneer in the genre, LL’s work with Def Jam helped turn hip-hop and rap music from the underground into the mainstream.
Snoop Dogg
Birth name: Calvin Broadus Jr.
From: Long Beach, California
Song to listen to: “Drop It Like It’s Hot”
Album to listen to: Doggystyle (1993)
Quick summary: Smooth, always in control, Snoop Dogg was discovered by Dr. Dre and was subsequently featured heavily on Dre’s debut solo LP, The Chronic. Since then, Snoop has been a mainstay in American popular culture.
Rakim
Birth name: William Griffin Jr.
From: Wyandanch, New York
Song to listen to: “Don’t Sweat the Technique”
Album to listen to: Paid in Full (1987)
Quick summary: Rakim revolutionized rapping with his DJ partner, Erik B. Together they elevated the lyricist from party hype person to poet. He’s an all-timer.
Jay-Z
Birth name: Shawn Carter
From: Brooklyn, New York
Song to listen to: “Empire State of Mind”
Album to listen to: The Black Album (2003)
Quick summary: Few match Jay-Z’s lyricism and fewer still match his business savvy and impact. He is the American Dream personified.
Nas
Birth name: Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones
From: Queens, New York
Song to listen to: “N.Y. State of Mind”
Album to listen to: Illmatic (1994)
Quick summary: Nas’ debut record might still be the greatest rap album of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas oozes authenticity. He’s a godfather of the genre.
Eminem
Birth name: Marshall Mathers
From: Detroit, Michigan
Song to listen to: “Rap God”
Album to listen to: The Eminem Show (2002)
Quick summary: A pop phenomenon crossed with an all-time great, Eminem is the last lyricist you’d want to cross, a machine gun of controversial rhymes at your expense.
Missy Elliott
Birth name: Melissa Arnette Elliott
From: Portsmouth, Virginia
Song to listen to: “Work It”
Album to listen to: Miss E… So Addictive (2001)
Quick summary: Missy is one of the most versatile rhymers ever. She knew how to capture fans through her inventive videos, songs and work, often with equally-inventive producer Timbaland.
The Roots
Birth names: Ahmir Thompson (Questlove) and Tariq Trotter (Black Thought)
From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Song to listen to: “You Got Me”
Album to listen to: Things Fall Apart (1999)
Quick summary: The Legendary Roots Crew is the preeminent band in hip-hop, led by drummer Questlove and thesaurus-like rapper Black Thought. They are its conscience, too.
Black Star
Birth name: Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def)
From: Brooklyn, New York
Song to listen to: “Re:Definition”
Album to listen to: Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998)
Quick summary: Black Star is the quintessential ’90s backpack rap group. This duo of close friends rose up through intelligent lyrics and philosophical modes of expression.
KRS-One
Birth name: Lawrence Parker
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know”
Album to listen to: Criminal Minded (1987)
Quick summary: Born in Brooklyn, KRS is of New York, but especially The Bronx, where he came of age and became one of the early Founding Fathers of hip-hop.
Kendrick Lamar
Birth name: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
From: Compton, California
Song to listen to: “Alright”
Album to listen to: To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
Quick summary: Kendrick Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist who transcends genre and even music. His albums are seminal tomes, not simply popular albums.
Lil Wayne
Birth name: Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.
From: New Orleans, Louisiana
Song to listen to: “A Milli”
Album to listen to: Tha Carter III (2008)
Quick summary: For the latter half of the 2000s, Lil Wayne was a walking propane torch. The hottest—and best—rapper of the moment thanks to mind-bending rhymes.
Beastie Boys
Birth name: Adam “MCA” Yauch, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Michael “Mike D” Diamond
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “So What’cha Want”
Album to listen to: Check Your Head (1992)
Quick summary: A bombastic trio of rappers who trade bars like hot potatoes, these three were early trailblazers for the genre and remain important ambassadors.
Atmosphere
Birth name: Sean Daley (Slug), Anthony Davis (Ant)
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Song to listen to: “God’s Bathroom Floor”
Album to listen to: God Loves Ugly (2002)
Quick summary: A Midwest staple in the hip-hop game, this duo has been making records now for decades. Slug is also a founder of Rhymesayers, the label that releases the duo’s thoughtful, even at times-emo raps.
Kurtis Blow
Birth name: Kurtis Walker
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “The Breaks”
Album to listen to: Kurtis Blow (1980)
Quick summary: A Founding Father of rap music, Kurtis Blow is the first commercially successful emcee. He’s also the first emcee to sign to a major label and the first to earn a gold record.
Tupac
Birth name: Tupac Shakur
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Dear Mama”
Album to listen to: Me Against the World (1995)
Quick summary: Tupac is perhaps the most impactful rapper of all time. Caught up in the East Coast-West Coast rap wars, Tupac died way too young. Yet his uppercut rhymes still live on.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Birth name: Christopher Wallace
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Juicy”
Album to listen to: Ready to Die
Quick summary: Another rapper who died too youg, Biggie might be the word-for-word best rhymer in the history of the genre. Compelling and imaginative, he lost his life, at the center of the East Coast-West Coast rap wars.
N.W.A.
Birth name: Andre Young (Dr. Dre), Antoine Carraby (DJ Yella), Eric Wright (Eazy-E), O’Shea Jackson (Ice Cube), Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (MC Ren)
From: Compton, California
Song to listen to: “Straight Outta Compton”
Album to listen to: Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Quick summary: N.W.A. is a group of young artists who told the truth about their surroundings and became legends. This quintet helped create and promulgate the idea of “gangsta rap” because, well, they were living it in real time.
OutKast
Birth name: André Benjamin (André 3000), Antwan Patton (Big Boi)
From: Atlanta, Georgia
Song to listen to: “Ms. Jackson”
Album to listen to: Aquemini (1998)
Quick summary: Two of the rappers who put Southern stylings on the map, Outkast was as much a trailblazing group as an entertaining one. André is one of the most creative in the game and Big Boi is a pitbull who helped define the role.
TLC
Birth name: Tionne Watkins (T-Boz), Lisa Lopes (Left Eye) and Rozonda Thomas (Chilli)
From: Atlanta, Georgia
Song to listen to: “Waterfalls”
Album to listen to: CrazySexyCool (1994)
Quick summary: Talent abounds with this trio of rappers. TLC was known for hits like “Waterfalls” in 1994 and “No Scrubs” in 1999. There was nothing these women couldn’t do.
50 Cent
Birth name: Curtis Jackson
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “In Da Club”
Album to listen to: Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003)
Quick summary: The rap child of Eminem and Dr. Dre, 50 Cent burst onto the scene with an action-hero physique and a knack for spraying verbal assaults. He boasted melody and savvy as he talked the talk and walked the walk.
Nicki Minaj
Birth name: Onika Tanya Maraj
From: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Song to listen to: “Super Bass”
Album to listen to: The Pinkprint (2014)
Quick summary: Equipped with a quick and sharp tongue, Nicki Minaj brought a Barbie look to the screen while solidifying herself as one of the best rappers of the 21st century. Seemingly always caught up in some drama, Minaj remains an all-time great with the pen.
Cardi B
Birth name: Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Bodak Yellow”
Album to listen to: Invasion of Privacy (2018)
Quick summary: The complete package. With all-time lines like I don’t dance / I make money moves and the ability to connect with fans of any kind, Cardi B is as much a business as she is a musician. Nevertheless, she’s worthy of the Top 50 based on her laser-focused delivery alone, even before you got to groundbreaking songs like “WAP” and “Up.”
Big Daddy Kane
Birth name: Antonio Hardy
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Ain’t No Half Steppin”
Album to listen to: It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
Quick summary: Launching his career as a member of the Juice Crew, with Kool G Rap, Biz Markie, Masta Ace, and more, Big Daddy Kane quickly became a name to look out for. He conquers his asthma with slick-tongued, fast-paced raps.
Kanye West
Birth name: Kanye Omari West
From: Chicago, Illinois
Song to listen to: “Through the Wire”
Album to listen to: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Quick summary: A man whose reputation precedes him, Kanye West’s impact on the genre can never be understated. Reinventing himself with each new release, West’s forward-thinking production oftentimes set the zeitgeist for the hip-hop era he resided in, whether it be the chipmunk soul samples on The College Dropout (2004) or the raw, futuristic sound on Yeezus (2013).
Lauryn Hill
Birth name: Lauryn Noelle Hill
From: East Orange, New Jersey
Song to listen to: “Doo-Wop (That Thing)”
Album to listen to: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
Quick summary: All it took was one album to cement her legacy. On top of her work with Pras Michel and Wyclef Jean of The Fugees, Lauryn Hill’s debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, mixing hip-hop, R&B, soul, and more, made for one of the most impressive projects of the 1990s. To this day, songs from the LP are still sampled by some of the hottest artists in rap.
LL Cool J
Birth name: James Todd Smith
From: Bay Shore, Islip, New York
Song to listen to: “Going Back to Cali”
Album to listen to: Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
Quick summary: One of the first hip-hop acts to break through into the mainstream, LL Cool J was an early embodiment of what it took to be a hip-hop star. Mixing impressive rap classics with R&B-leaning cuts, the emcee-turned-actor has always been a dominant force in any medium of entertainment he pursues.
Wu-Tang Clan
Birth name: Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (RZA), Gary Eldridge Grice (GZA), Russell Tyrone Jones (Ol’ Dirty Bastard), Jason Richard Hunter (Inspectah Deck), Dennis David Coles (Ghostface Killah), Clifford Smith Jr. (Method Man), Corey Woods (Raekwon), Lamont Jody Hawkins (U-God), Jamel Irief (Masta Killa), Darryl Hill (Cappadonna)
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)”
Album to listen to: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)
Quick summary: A multi-man operation, Wu-Tang Clan served as the manifestation of the brashness and fierceness of the New York hip-hop essence that existed in the two decades before their formation. Each member an all-time rapper in their own right, Wu-Tang proved that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Busta Rhymes
Birth name: Trevor George Smith Jr.
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “I Know What You Want”
Album to listen to: The Big Bang (2006)
Quick summary: A raspy-voiced savant, Busta Rhymes could give it to you any way you wanted it. Having promiscuity, aggression, record-setting quickness, and jaw-dropping wordplay, the now 51-year-old continuously proved why he was so apt to justify his rap name.
Redman
Birth name: Reginald Noble
From: Newark, New Jersey
Song to listen to: “Tonight’s Da Night”
Album to listen to: Muddy Waters (1996)
Quick summary: Coming into the rap game as a DJ, Redman’s eventual freestyle attempts led to an incredibly fruitful rap career, full of proficient hits like “Tonight’s Da Night” and career-defining collaborations with Tupac, Method Man, EPMD, Christina Aguilera, and more.
T.I.
Birth name: Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.
From: Atlanta, Georgia
Song to listen to: “Whatever You Like”
Album to listen to: Paper Trail (2008)
Quick summary: The widely-regarded originator of the trap music sound that has dominated Atlanta and hip-hop as a whole for the last decade-plus, T.I.’s dominant run in the 2000s saw him combine his street grit with an ability to top charts.
Public Enemy
Birth name: Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (Chuck D) and William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (Flavor Flav)
From: Long Island, New York
Song to listen to: “Harder Than You Think”
Album to listen to: Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
Quick summary: Consistency was key for Public Enemy. Continuously drilling the message of fighting inequality and uplifting their fellow Black community, Public Enemy became a true voice for the voiceless. They also had the ability to conjure hits like “Fight the Power” and “Harder Than You Think.”
MC Lyte
Birth name: Lana Michele Moorer
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Ruffneck”
Album to listen to: Bad As I Wanna B (1996)
Quick summary: In 1988, MC Lyte became the first solo female emcee to release a full-length album, immediately cementing her as a foundational figure in hip-hop. But, what made her especially essential to have on this list was not just what was on paper, but her tremendous confidence and expertise on the microphone, modeling her elite raps after pioneers of the genre like Melle Mel and Kurtis Blow.
DMX
Birth name: Earl Simmons
From: Mount Vernon, New York
Song to listen to: “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”
Album to listen to: It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998)
Quick summary: The epitome of untethered ferocity and ruthlessness, the late DMX was truly one of one, finding a way to connect with audiences while staying his humble, yet fervent self.
Lil’ Kim
Birth name: Kimberly Denise Jones
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Magic Stick”
Album to listen to: La Bella Mafia (2003)
Quick summary: Discovered by Notorious B.I.G., another obvious inclusion on this list, Lil’ Kim meshed the lyrical capability of a 1990s rapper with the aura of a 2000s pop star, setting the blueprint for later female stars like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B.
J. Cole
Birth name: Jermaine Cole
From: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Song to listen to: “No Role Modelz”
Album to listen to: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014)
Quick summary: J. Cole did not reinvent the wheel. Birthed by the admiration of New York icons like Jay-Z and Nas, Cole found a way to enhance, commercialize, and build upon the boom-bappy conscious rap that came before him, producing for himself and establishing a reputation for succeeding on his own.
Drake
Birth name: Aubrey Drake Graham
From: Toronto, Canada
Song to listen to: “Headlines”
Album to listen to: Nothing Was the Same (2013)
Quick summary: Drake might as well be listed as a synonym under the definition of fame. Able to bounce from sultry to seething, tender to tenacious like the flip of a switch, Drake is an amalgamation of your favorite lyricists, your favorite R&B crooners, and your favorite chart-topping pop idols.
A Tribe Called Quest
Birth name: Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (Q-Tip), Malik Izaak Taylor (Phife Dawg), Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Can I Kick It?”
Album to listen to: The Low End Theory (1991)
Quick summary: The marriage of jazz and hip-hop that A Tribe Called Quest fully realized was a major turning point in hip-hop in the 1990s, allowing fans a breath of fresh air from the previously dominant gangsta rap.
MF DOOM
Birth name: Dumile Daniel Thompson
From: London, England
Song to listen to: “Doomsday”
Album to listen to: Madvillainy (2004)
Quick summary: With an emphasis on whimsical, fascinating wordplay, the late MF DOOM relished being an enigma, likening himself to a comic book villain often. Bringing the underground to the forefront, DOOM’s impact is as powerful as it is difficult to pin down, and that’s just the way he wanted it.
Travis Scott
Birth name: Jacques Bermon Webster II
From: Houston, Texas
Song to listen to: “Stargazing”
Album to listen to: Rodeo (2015)
Quick summary: More of a world-builder than simply a rapper, Travis Scott uses his albums as havens of exploration, detonating eye-opening collaborations with the genre’s at-the-moment best over instrumentals full of experimentation and beat switches.
Big Pun
Birth name: Christopher Lee Rios
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Still Not a Player”
Album to listen to: Capital Punishment (1998)
Quick summary: Discovered by fellow Bronx native Fat Joe, the Big Punisher’s sole album released while alive, his debut Capital Punishment, became the first hip-hop record by a solo Latino artist to earn a platinum certification. Pun, with thorough and co-sign-earning rapping, became an idol for the Puerto Rican hip-hop community in an instant.
Big L
Birth name: Lamont Coleman
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “Put It On”
Album to listen to: Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous (1995)
Quick summary: A native of Harlem, Big L captivated audiences early on with unbelievable freestyles, rising through the underground to prominence in the mid-1990s, though eventually being slain in the same neighborhood in 1999.
Ice-T
Birth name: Tracy Lauren Marrow
From: Newark, New Jersey
Song to listen to: “Colors”
Album to listen to: Power (1988)
Quick summary: Ice-T’s charisma and forcefulness turned a technically-sound, assertive emcee into a household name. He is known not only for his raps, but also for his roles as an actor, a business mogul, a heavy metal artist, and much more.
E-40
Birth name: Earl Stevens
From: East Bay, California
Song to listen to: “U and Dat”
Album to listen to: My Ghetto Report Card (2006)
Quick summary: The number one advocate for the West Coast/Bay Area hip-hop community, E-40’s ability to transition from the grittier 1990s hip-hop sound to the bling rap era of the 2000s made him an undeniable icon, all powered by his flamboyant and bold flow.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Birth name: Joseph Robert Saddler (Grandmaster Flash), Robert Keith Wiggins (Keef Cowboy), Melvin Glover (Melle Mel), Nathaniel Glover (Kidd Creole), Guy Todd Williams (Rahiem), Eddie Morris (Scorpio)
From: New York, New York
Song to listen to: “The Message”
Album to listen to: The Message (1982)
Quick summary: One of the first, major figures in hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash and his gang, led by vocalist Melle Mel, gave hip-hop an identity and legs to stand on in its early years, thanks to popularizing rapping over breakbeat DJing with turntables.
Tyler, The Creator
Birth name: Tyler Gregory Okonma
From: Hawthorne, California
Song to listen to: “She”
Album to listen to: Flower Boy (2017)
Quick summary: Over his decade-long career, Tyler, The Creator’s ability to transform from a raunchy, provocative, cult-fanbase leading edgy emcee to a beautifully artistic, genre-meshing, voice-manipulating singer-rapper not only earned him shelves of hardware but also a unanimous respect from peers of all corners of the rap community.
Ludacris
Birth name: Christopher Brian Bridges
From: Atlanta, Georgia
Song to listen to: “Move B*tch”
Album to listen to: Word of Mouf (2001)
Quick summary: Known for his feature appearances just as much as his solo catalog, Ludacris was a defining voice of the 2000s, with his patented “southern hospitality” manifesting into a volatile delivery on every recording he hopped on.
Migos
Birth name: Quavious Keyate Marshall (Quavo), Kiari Kendrell Cephus (Offset), Kirsnick Khari Ball (Takeoff)
From: Atlanta, Georgia
Song to listen to: “Bad and Boujee”
Album to listen to: Culture (2017)
Quick summary: When T.I., Gucci Mane, and Jeezy gave Atlanta and hip-hop trap music in the 2000s, artists like Migos went on to enhance it. With their punchy cadence, spontaneous vocabulary, and bass-boosted instrumentals, Migos led a revolution for all of the music in the mid-2010s. “All the different genres were making the same sounds we were making,” Offset recently said.
Photo by Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
