February 09, (THEWILL) – In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary this year, Billboard, an American music and entertainment magazine, has unveiled the greatest rappers to ever grace the mic.
Over the past month, the magazine has been rolling out its list of the Top 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time before finally revealing the final top 10.
Shawn Corey Carter, also known as Jay-Z, emerged top of the list. The rapper was chosen for his consistency, which spans three decades. He is also the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame.
Stating reasons for making him the number one on the list, Billboard wrote, “Jay-Z has 14 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums (the most amongst solo acts), and over 140 million records sold.
“He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records, collected 24 Grammys, ran hip-hop’s legendary Def Jam Records as President, guided Rihanna and Ye to billionaire status, founded a behemoth entertainment/sports agency in Roc Nation and best-selling spirits brands D’usse and Armand de Brignace”.
The editorial staff determined the rankings based on the following criteria: body of work/achievements (charted singles/albums, gold/platinum certifications), cultural impact/influence (how the artist’s work fostered the genre’s evolution), longevity (years at the mic), lyrics (storytelling skills), and flow (vocal prowess).
According to Billboard, Nicki Minaj emerged as the only woman on the top ten list because, “She has undeniably blazed the trail for the next generation of female MCs, while at the same time, building a legacy whose impact is hardly limited to the hip-hop world.”
“At 36, Drake is the youngest rapper on the list at No. 8. As one of the most gifted and accomplished artists to ever touch down in music, he remains a certified hitmaker whose Midas touch has earned him nearly 300 entries on the Billboard Hot 100,”, as stated by Billboard.
The top ten rappers include:
1. JAY-Z
2. Kendrick Lamar
3. Nas
4. Tupac Shakur
5. Eminem
6. The Notorious B.I.G.
7. Lil Wayne
8. Drake
9. Snoop Dogg
10. Nicki Minaj
