Been discussing this with some old mates lately and its one that we can’t put down, thought I’d open it up to the STW floor. Here’s my current ten favourite MCs of all time, although not necessarily in order as I just can’t decide which order to put them in. In fact my top ten constantly changes.

Rakim
Big Daddy Kane
Kool G Rap
KRS One
Chuck D
Talib Kweli
Vast Aire
MF Doom
Nas (Pre-massively over-inflated ego)
Ice Cube

What ya got?!

In order

Gza
Big Daddy kane
Doom
Jeru
Lord finesse Edit possibly method man. Tough one

Not 10 i realise!

Kendrick lamar is best of the recent bunch

10 NOT IN ORDER:

Young MC
Eminem
Rakim
Common
MC Solaar
Guru
Chuck D
Erick Sermon
Jay-Z
Talib Kweli

DoseOne
Daveed Diggs
Doom
Danny Brown
Aesop Rock
Slug
Busdriver
Jeremiah Jae
Mike Ladd
Mos Def

Top 3 are probably in order

Kinda hard to name a top ten as they’re all so different but these chaps show up in my playlists a lot.

Immortal Technique
Lowkey
Vinnie Paz
Ill Bill
Skinnyman
Guru

Yeah Guru would’ve been there if it was a top 12 or so 🙂

Yeah I’ve got loads I would have liked to include in my top ten – Guru, Erick Sermon, Masta Ace, Aesop Rock, Pharoah Monche, Mos Def. I wouldn’t even have Slug in my top 20 though, much as I love Atmosphere.

I’m pretty old skool in style. In no particular order.

Gift Of Gab
Guru
B Dolan
Brother Ali
Phil Most Chill
Del The Funkee Homosapien
Boots Riley
Aesop Rock
Chali 2na – just for that bass tone
Talib Kweli

Not in any order

Rakim
Dr Octagon/Kool Keith
KRS 1
Charli 2na
Chuck D
Guru
QnC (i know it’s 2)
Sadat X
Pete Rock
Big Daddy Kane

I don’t know any HipHop MC’s so my top ten would be:
Erm…..
Aaah….
Weeeel…..
Hmmmm, now then….
Errr…..
Is…?
Oh, really? Can’t count her then….
Perhaps…..?
Oh…
Doh…

I hasten to add this is my problem, I’m more of a folk person really

10? There are so many…

KRS-One
Big Daddy Kane
Africa Bambaataa
Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Slick Rick
Jay-Z
Mos Def
Chuck D
Ice Cube

Chali 2na – just for that bass tone

And Q-tip for the other end of the scale

Guru
Jeru the damaja
Krs one
Del…

Omg, I’m stuck in the 90’s!

Omg, I’m stuck in the 90’s!

You’re not the only one 😆

I hasten to add this is my problem, I’m more of a folk person really

Yep love folk music too. Actually i like most things with a story in the lyrics, which I think applies to a lot of hip hop and a lot of folk music.

the more I thought about who I really liked the more my mind went blank.
in no particular order:

Doom / Quasimoto / Madlib
Charli 2na
Braintax
Phat Lip (Pharcyde)
Guru
RZA
Buck 65
Saul Williams
Rodney P
Reggie Watts

Reggie Watts-good call. Man’s an eccentric comedy genius.

Brian Harvey

Outside its raining but inside is wet…

Genius

The Wee Papa Girl Rappers
Salt from Salt N Pepa
Pepa from Salt N Pepa
Macklemore
John Barnes
Nicki Minaj
Vanilla Ice
MC Hammer
Pitbull
Soulja Boy

Just 10? Here goes.

Doom (in any of his guises)
Buck 65
Kool Keith
Chuck D
Aesop Rock
KRS-One
Q-Tip
Mos Def
Diamond D
Lyrics Born

Sole in goals.

Seriously though

Doom
MF Grimm
Guru
GZA
RZA
Andre 3000
B-Real
Chuck D
Talib Kweli
Nas
Royce da 5’9″

Must check out some of BoardinBob’s list. FIRST LIST! 😆

Early 90’s were gold for hiphop, no shouts for Erick and Parrish? No Jonwayne?

If he’d stopped after 2 albums Eminem would be on the list but pretty much everything after that was just awful

I can appreciate what a good lyricist Eminem is but I’ve just never been able to bring myself to like his music for some reason.

LOVE boardinbobs first list 😀

If we’re mentioning pants rappers – Puff Daddy – he is terrible when he has a stab at MCing

Rakim is No1 for me straight up the boss.
Q-Tip
Guru
Missy Elliot
Beastie Boys (okay not one person, but the way they rhyme as a unit is ace)
Chuck D
Gift Of Gab
Roots Manuva
Eminem
Jay-Z

Lil Wayne
Drake
Two chainz
Rick Ross
Afro man

*Runs and hides*

If we’re allowed to have groups of MC’s can I nominate

Poor Righteous Teachers
Ugly Ducking
Jurassic 5
Language Arts Crew
Cunning Linguists
Beastie Boys

Yeah lets have groups too..

Das EFX
Fu-schnickens

I never ‘got’ Guru. Did see him in Coventry a long time ago.

My top ten…

Rakim
Kool Keith
Percee P (your favourite rappers favourite rapper)
Mc Shan
Schoolly D
Roxanne Shante
Blade (cuz he’s my mate and I love him)
Chuck D
Phill most Chill
Double K

Bands shouldn’t be allowed!

Sage Francis if nobody has mentioned him

If we’re having groups then:

Run DMC
De La Soul

Individually none of them would make my list but as a unit they’re in.

Also I’ll swap out Erick Sermon for EPMD if we’re doing groups too.

Well, if we’re doing groups/collectives…

Wu Tang
Hieroglyphics
Native Tongues

MC Tunes
MC Hammer
MC Moonter

Sean Price
Conway The Machine
Biggie Smalls
Jay Z
Chester P Hackenbush
RA the Rugged Man
Junior Disprol
CASisDead
GZA
Immortal Technique

Kool G Rap is too good to appear on any list. The GOAT

Groups then is

Wu tang
DITC
Company Flow
Special guests… D and D allstars

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YlA-3ibDgUs[/video]

Derek B, the Crown Prince of poetry.

Redhead Kingpin

Rakim
Big Daddy Kane
Kool G Rap
Mos Def
Chuck D
GZA
Ice Cube
Kool G rap
Nas
Jigga

Nobody gets close to BDK or Ra. Nobody.
Big shouts to chali tuna, that style…..Q tip, BIG, RUN, black thought.
In terms of delivery, always loved the power of dre, the rasp of MCA, the tilt of snoop, the dexterity of Busta.
Shame it all died.