Who’s the best rapper to ever bless a mic? This is one of those topics that seems to never be fully resolved. It always ends with everybody in the discussion agreeing to disagree. I have this argument with my friends all the time, like most hip-hop fans probably do. But MTV took this undying debate to a new level by compiling a list of the top ten rappers of all time. And it goes a little something like this:

10. LL Cool J

9. Eminem

8. Ice Cube

7. Big Daddy Kane

6. KRS-One

5. Nas

4. Rakim

3. The Notorious B.I.G.

2. 2Pac

1. Jay-Z

If you want to read the entire MTV article, you can find it at http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/

Now when I saw this, I was feeling their list for the most part, I personally feel like they fucked up the order in the Top 5 and a few of these guys don’t belong in the top 10 at all. So, I took some time and came up with my own list. But it’s kinda hard to narrow down all the talent in the industry to a mere 10 names. So, I decided to start with my honorable mentions, which include:

Ice Cube, Eric Sermon, KRS-One, Nelly, T.I., Ludacris, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Li’l Kim, Scarface, Method Man, MC Lyte, E-40 and Ghostface

Now, I know a lot of you are looking at some of those names and wondering what have I been smoking. But, in my eyes, each of these artists either helped to put their perspective hometowns on the map, showed that lyrical skills weren’t limited to a certain group of people or lasted through the “Golden Age” of Hip-Hop. That’s really saying something! But now it’s time to reveal my Top 10.

10. Queen Latifah – Everybody has to admit that she was holding it down for the ladies. The only reason she’s this low on my list is because I feel like she left the game while there was still plenty of work for her to do.

9. Big Daddy Kane – He’s a living legend. He showed us that it was cool to look good and know you look good. He also proved that’s it’s possible to have fun no matter what. If you ever got to see him perform, you know what I mean.

8. Common – Common is one of those “rewind that!” or “what did he say?” rappers. You really have to LISTEN to his music to catch what he’s saying. Common’s flow is so serious that he could make an entire album of acapella songs, and it would probaly be one of the hottest albums to come out. He also showed everybody that you don’t have to be from one of the coasts to make it the game. And he showed us that it’s okay to have your style, that people are all uniquely different and that we should embrace that.

7. LL Cool J – Uncle L is another one of those living legends. He’s just as hot today as when he burst on the scene in 1985. 1985! That’s 20+ years in the music business! This man has fans that weren’t even alive when he dropped his first album. That’s completely unheard of when it comes to today’s artists, but he has withstood the test of time and survived through the different trends and fads that came along.

6. Eminem – When he first came out, I swore that affirmative action had hit the music industry. But over time, he won me as a fan and made most people see beyond the white skin and blond hair. He’s lyrically gifted and he doesn’t have a problem saying whatever is on his mind. You gotta love that. Plus, I think he opened the door for a lot of young white kids who are fans of the music and dream of making music. Which is something that didn’t exist previously. We all remember the white rapper that came before him, right?

5. Nas – One of the great ones. Nas is one of those artists that you’ll be telling your kids and grandkids about. I think he makes that much of an impact. Who else could set the world on fire by threatening to make an album named “Nigga”? What other artist could pull it off without effectively ending their career? Nobdy but Mr. Jones, that’s why he is who he is. And he also helped the next man keep the game going after we lost 2 of the greatest that we’ll ever see.

4. Jay-Z – Numbers don’t lie. Almost every year since 1996, this dude dropped an album that you would swear were audio crack. Once people got a taste, they had to run out and get it. He’s more than just a great artist. He’s a shrewd businessman and a style icon. Hov wrote the book on getting your grown man swag on. “I don’t wear jerseys, I’m 30-plus. Give me a crisp pair of jeans and a button up.”

3. Rakim – How many rappers can you think of that could insult you without ever saying a curse word? There’s only one. He’s another one of those living legends. And he’s probably your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper.

2. The Notorious B.I.G. – Biggie accomplished in 2 albums what most artists can’t do over a lifetime. He made himself a legend by making sure that his music always related to the person listening. There isn’t a hip-hop fan alive who can’t recite at least one verse by Big. He was just that dynamic. This was kind of a hard one for me. I’m a big fan of this man’s and it was kind of diffucult to not just give him the #1 spot simply for that reason. He and the guy in the #1 spot share some of the same skills on the mic, but his body of work isn’t big enough to place him above…

1. 2Pac Shakur – Anybody who started life like Pac did must’ve been destined for greatness! Born in prison and the son of at least one Black Panther. He was the ultimate versatile MC, he could battle rap with anybody or hit the studio and drop a classic. He could rock the party with one song and the very next one could hush everybody and make them think. He’s another one who just about everybody is a fan of in some small way, and we all indentified with him on some level. This man’s talent was evident from the start, just read his book of poetry. Here we are, 10+ years after his untimely death, and he’s still dropping records!

Hopefully, while you’ve been reading this, you came up with your own list. Share it! I’d loved to know what you think. Tell me where you disagree with me and why. Peace and love.