Know the World Best Rappers of All Time is a music editorial and ranking of the finest rappers in history, published by the American magazines Billboard and Vibe in February 2023. The ranking was made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-hop music’s inception and was compiled by the magazines’ respective editorial boards.
To determine the rankings, the boards made a list of criteria based on a rapper’s artistry, achievements, and cultural influence. It received criticism due to its exclusion of rappers who are not based in North America, as well as the omission of dancehall and reggaeton artistes.
Billboard and Vibe presented the first crop of rappers on January 11, 2023, and ten more rappers were announced over three weeks. The top rankings were unveiled on February 8, 2023, which pronounced Jay-Z the greatest rapper of all time, and Nicki Minaj the greatest female rapper of all time.
It sparked multiple debates within the Hip-hop community, many of whom criticized the publications and artists featured in the premier positions.
Background
Billboard first created a list of the 10 best rappers of all time in November 2015, with the top position held by The Notorious B.I.G. The publication revised its rankings in 2023, through a partnership with Vibe, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-hop.
The updated list, published in stages between January 11 and February 8, 2023, expanded its reach to include the best 50 rappers of all time, instead of 10. The rankings were based on the votes of ten journalists who were a part of Billboard and Vibe’s editorial boards and were led by Datwon Thomas, the editor-in-chief of Vibe.
To “keep [the] pool of nominees a little more focused,” the journalists chose to exclude dancehall and reggaeton artistes and only center on rappers based in North America, regardless of merit.
The editorial boards then ranked the qualifying rappers based on the following criteria:
1. Body of work/achievements (the amount of charted music, certifications, and honors a rapper has received)
2. Cultural impact/influence (the significant contributions a rapper has made to nurture hip hop’s evolution)
3. Longevity (the length of a rapper’s career)
4. Lyricism (the songwriting abilities a rapper possesses)
5. Flow (how a rapper implements rhythm and rhyme schemes in their delivery)
Acknowledging that lists tend to “draw their share of criticism and praise from industry pundits and the public alike,” the rankings were seriously discussed and deliberated amongst the editorial boards to rationalize a “well-thought-out, authentic, list that reflects hip hop’s foundational pioneers, evolutionary trailblazers, and contemporary mainstays.”
10 Best Rappers of All Time
1. Jay-Z December 4, 1969 – present
2. Kendrick Lamar June 17, 1987 – present
3. Nas September 14, 1973 – present
4. Tupac Shakur June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996
5. Eminem October 17, 1972 – present
6. The Notorious B.I.G. May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997
7. Lil Wayne September 27, 1982 – present
8. Drake October 24, 1986 – present
9. Snoop Dogg October 20, 1971 – present
10. Nicki Minaj December 8, 1982 – present
Jay-Z was pronounced the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard and Vibe, while Nicki Minaj was declared the best female rapper of all time.