Reacting to Billboard's Questionable list of the 50 "greatest" rappers of all time.

[@lethe.archive]

once heard someone call 50’s album ‘get rich and stop trying’ and i feel that’s a good summation of his career

[@williamd2989]

I'm pretty sure that was a Todd in the Shadows line from his 'Worst Hit Songs of 2011' video.

[@lethe.archive]

@@williamd2989 i wasnt sure if it was him or rap critic thanks!

[@foca7550]

🤣💀

[@shuwilson1460]

That’s funny. But the massacre is a great album. Maybe even better than get rich

[@monovatherealest]

​@@williamd2989😭 Todd is a menace sometimes

[@largeproblem]

Fiq stalling out in pure disbelief as he's met with the image of J. Cole staring right at him with a completely blank expression is pure gold

[@mavericked]

jermaine cole jumpscare

[@Ufobydeath]

No DOOM on the list is wild, considering some names that made it

[@Cdr2002]

THANK YOU, THATS WHAT IM SAYIN

[@nopudarte77]

yeah what the hell, no villain? please someone make it make sense

[@ItzGOOD95]

I'm saying dawg

[@lizziedanse8335]

Utterly Disrespectful

[@lateforthesky2716]

To be honest nowadays, I'm not even surprised that Doom didn't even come up is sad asf

[@Boogalyhu]

Comparing Lauryn’s greatness as a rapper and Dre’s greatness as a rapper is too much for me. She might not have the discography, but her impact on the art of rapping was huge.

[@sarahfortune7760]

I think she's a better rapper than Dr. Dre too

[@flame471]

Totally agree wild take! Lauren despite her short catalogue is one of if not THE BEST female rapper I’ve ever heard

[@mike04574]

dre is a better producer than rapper

[@Dell-ol6hb]

Lauryn sure but Dre is far far more influential beyond his rapping, his rapping career really to me isn’t enough for me to call him one of the greatest rappers of all time, even though he’s absolutely one of the most influential figures in hip hop ever.

[@shaeisgae8952]

​@@mike04574 ay Dre, stick to producing

[@OMARI461]

It’s like basketball debates. Before I get into this I hope we understand the separation between greatness and most talented

[@jgig1329]

25 years later and we’re still talking about is it Nas or is it Jay

[@dpowell468]

It's jay.. easy

[@zero-ui1ew]

​@@dpowell468 SMH. Lmao

[@SlothhhKinggg]

It's obviously Nas.

[@Nat_Turner10_8]

@@dpowell468 Nas birth way more rapper than jay and created intellectual rap. J Cole Wayne Jay Z black star the roots Kendrick 2 pac were all heavenly influence by Nas. There’s a ton more but I don’t got the time to write all the names.

[@bomberbcm]

I didn’t like the fact Andre made the list but Big Boy didn’t. People wanna act like Andre made all of Outcast music himself. The overall unclearness of how they separate individual artist and groups just confuses me and seems unfair

[@esconyc0101]

That's why it's bad when one member of a group outshines the other

[@christopherjohnson577]

@@esconyc0101 thing is big boy doesn't get outshined he just didn't have the sound most people got into

[@paquinraino8180]

I think it's due to their separate album, The love Below had more favorable critics, "Hey Ya" is the first time a rap really sing during a whole song and it worked very well and also he clearly inspire Frank Ocean's Blonde, ASAP Rocky's Testing and Tyler, the Creator's Igor (which are all acclaimed album). But outside of that I would have put Big Boy right behind Andre 3000

[@christopherjohnson577]

@@paquinraino8180 I agree whole heartedly

[@dillondewitt3952]

Big Boi* but yeah, you’re right. I put him on par with Andre if I’m being honest.

[@chrisladd1523]

No mf doom on the list is so fucking crazy

[@EayuProuxm]

FD showing Ja Rule love is the most controversial music take and that shows you he'll stand his ground on anything.

[@londobellace]

I took an ex to a Ja Rule concert in the past and real talk Ja Rule got jams. Jams on jams on jams. And I went to the concert just to hate on that garbage ass rapper. But he knew how to make songs. I still wouldn't put him over 50 tho.

[@Dog-999i]

It’s ok if you like his music (personally not a big fan) but don’t go to any festivals he promotes.

[@qdontae6]

How? Ppl don’t realize Ja was that dude how many rappers did songs with Jlo off too just Ja and Fab who is also underrated when it comes to catalog. If u really want controversy I’d say Ja catalog is better than at least 80% of rappers today

[@Peppy869]

@@londobellacethat’s why Ja was good lol. He made songs for the ladies so haters like us can bump it and kinda have to take them to his concert to please them lol. Sorryyy

[@zamboniclean]

This statement feels like gaslighting 101. It's fd's ability not to "stand his ground" that let's him speak the truth about 50 not being anywhere near a top 50 list. His takes are fluid, and he explains many times that not only will he go back and relisten to discography to reconsider his opinion but suggests everyone to do the same and revisit old songs that don't always stand the test of time. Great work F.D.

[@QuintessentialQs]

It's tough for me, because I have to remember these "greatest" of all time lists are going to stick to the mainstream. Because I'm always going through these things like "Where's DOOM? Where's Billy Woods? Where's Aesop Rock? Where's Jean Grey? Blu? Rapsody?" Because many of the BEST rappers of all time (at the skill of rapping) aren't the "Greatest" in terms of public influence and notable impact.

[@righteouslioncomedian1069]

I get irritated with "Greatest Of All Time" lists because the criterion of what constitutes "the goat" is always vague. And then when you dig in, there's so many different, sometimes conflicting criteria to consider. Plus, don't forget, this IS a *Billboard* list, they ain't doing no real cultural deep dive.

[@QuintessentialQs]

@righteouslioncomedian1069 Totally. Even well-defined criteria are are usually qualitative rather than quantitative, anyway. So arranging them in a ranked list carries a certain degree of arbitrariness no matter how objective it tries to be. But it's almost always a fun conversation starter, for sure!

[@righteouslioncomedian1069]

@@QuintessentialQs Lol. Yeah, sometimes I forgot that the arbitrariness is supposed to be fun. 😆

[@Ivyrigs]

Saying DOOM isn't mainstream is an insane take 💀

[@QuintessentialQs]

@@Ivyrigs He was literally never on a major record label. And he got little (if any) mainstream radio play. Just because he's well known and well respected doesn't make it mainstream.

[@realer2748]

I feel like we too often devalue what people like Lauryn, Andre, etc. have given us by focusing on what they haven’t

[@kernalbert4939]

I don't know what Billboard is basing the list on and I refuse to go check. People in the culture know that when it comes to the art and skill of rhyming, L-Boogie and 3000 are top tier

[@swayback7375]

S tier! This list is for casuals… folks that have a few hip hop presets in the car

[@ItWasBetterBefore]

@@kernalbert4939 I checked: "From there, the teams took into account the following criteria, not in any particular order: 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)."

[@hjblacdes61]

True but I don't think thats a bad thing. especially when theyre still with us unlike others who have only been able to give us a few before passing. "what have you done for us lately" is relevant

[@realer2748]

@@hjblacdes61 Thats a fair point. Lauryn and Andre have a special case imo because in all time discussions I feel like their work in the Fugees and Outkast get devalued because their lack of solo albums. Which isn’t fair to me because I love the other members but they were obviously the main attraction. Plus, artists like Kanye West have whole teams making tracks for him but since it’s just his name on the cover he gets all the credit for it in these kind of discussions (and I think Kanye is top 3 so i’m not just hating).

[@Van10670]

Not only was Big Daddy Kane the Jay-Z of his era he introduced the world to Jay-Z....

[@zflw64]

Tell me why they a year apart

[@Psycho5275]

​@@zflw64 Because Jay Z released his debut Albun almost a decade after Kane released his debut album

[@DJMhero]

“Black on Both Sides glued a backpack to me for 2 years” This is me when TPAB dropped when I was in HS/college lmfao

[@hjblacdes61]

Word The Blacker The Berry used to be my alarm tone. Literally used to wake up on that time lol

[@MirrorSurfer]

@@DJMhero black on both sides has been in my rotation for 25 years and will be in it for another 25 and then some.

[@Don_623]

A LOT of great infulential rappers were left of the list. DOOM, Raekwon, GZA, Big L, southern rappers in general, etc.

[@GrimReader]

No DOOM is diabolical

[@Sunmoonandstars123]

This was cathartic, thank you. I would have loved to see Nipsey on this list, he was personally huge for me in the 2010s. It helps to remind myself this is all subjective, no one is an expert on music/art/etc even when they want to see themselves as such.

[@nicholashayes5773]

Most of 50's legacy is just beefing with other rappers and the fact that he was shot a bunch of times. I think you are absolutely right about him.

[@tjmirez7556]

No he is not he’s deluded 50 cent has the greatest run in rap history nobody was bigger than 50 cent from 2003-2005 and his impact and influence is unmatched the hate is really forced

[@joaquinmcgee9901]

@@tjmirez7556Biggest run in rap history? Absolutely not. Off the top of my head Kanye and Kendrick come to mind immediately

[@Mech-cp8nr]

@@joaquinmcgee990150 had back to back diamond albums and put out 4 platinum albums from his label in between those two diamonds... You're trippin

[@autonomouspilgrimage6137]

@@Mech-cp8nrand let’s not forget he had a damn movie based on his life in that time as well

[@Mech-cp8nr]

@@autonomouspilgrimage6137 yes and the soundtrack to that movie also went platinum. Whoever is saying his run wasn't incredible is on fent

[@KandeeClouds]

Glad to see you having fun 😂 love your hip hop takes

[@LegendShark]

THANK YOU ON LUDACHRIS! I'm always telling / reminding people just how many hits luda has had over such a long period of time

[@LegendShark]

Well mostly my wife when she said she hadn't heard any ludachris songs while watching fast and furious and I'm like "yes you definitely have"

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

@@LegendShark It's Ludacris. There's no H.

[@nextabe1]

Ja Rule should be on the list just for his reaction to 9/11. We needed him so badly on that day and he delivered. RIP legend

[@lordbauer5983]

Where is Ja?!

[@chelp9442]

Rip?

[@osrichitt5269]

RIP?!? 😂😂😂😂

[@ShefortheJeeps]

😂😂😂😂

[@hiphop2u]

RIP

[@goonsquad9148]

Stillmatic youre misremembering. Its an absolute classic. The Intro, Ether, You're Da Man, Rewind, One Mic, What Goes Around, 2nd Childhood...the whole album is insane

[@chidiokoro934]

Gucci mane impression is one of the funniest things I've ever seen😂

[@KandeeClouds]

I nearly choked on my salad 💀

[@mfcolston]

I nearly swallowed a chicken bone laughing.

[@Jokeinc]

I shot juice out my nose 😂😂😂

[@unerevuese]

🤣🤣🤣...i cackled.

[@bluu_ice6554]

Spot on! Gucci is pure trash but he has fans somehow

[@LocalCryptidGhostdoll]

Also when missy said "Beep, beep, who got the keys to the Jeep? Vroom" I felt that shit spiritually

[@2mello]

Guru not being anywhere on here was pretty egregious

[@LSSTmusic]

2mello has good taste in youtubers, naturally

[@mrAPchem]

The problem with these lists is the criteria by which the rappers are rated. What is their placement on these lists based on? Flow? Lyrics? Commercial success? Longevity? Impact? Discography? Name recognition? For example, it's difficult to imagine any top 50 list of rappers in which both Gucci Mane and Eminem both belong wherever they may be placed. So, any list of rappers NEEDS to have sensible and clearly defined criteria that determines the placement of the people on it.

[@rightweaponry908]

Exactly!

[@TaydaMada510]

Correct. I think they don’t make it clear do folks can argue lol

[@MechAdv]

I feel like Eminem is always gonna belong at #5 based on any set of criteria. He’s too good of a lyricist and song writer to not be top 5 based on his best work, but not consistently serious, or even trying to do his best work, which is why so many people think he’s completely wack. Super divisive discography with the lowest lows and the highest highs for me. I appreciated FD just kinda saying “yeah that’s fine” with his placement.

[@nopudarte77]

FD I feel like we need your top albums / artists / etc lists... cuz it seems like you're always coming in with the taste

[@AuntyKsTarot]

being in my late forties and an Indigenous person into Indigenous rap & hip hop (which we wouldn't have without these older generation Black rappers) I really enjoyed your takes

[@AuntyKsTarot]

and Yasiin Bey with Tribe called Red was epic

[@AuntyKsTarot]

maybe I'm too old but yeah, 50 Cent should not be there

[@stigmaone5659]

Really? Also being in may late 40s I feel the opposite. Just one example: KRS is a stone cold legend and pioneer with so many classic albums, without him you don’t get half of the next generation of MC legends. To say he was too high on the list is INSANE.

[@gisellealexa1282]

The Cole take shattered me completely but Nas at #1 really helped 😭

[@JoseSanyet]

Nas at 1 healed that scar 🙌🏽

[@33up24]

I mean to be fair Cole doeshave some really corny shit that make you question why he even decided to release. But he is definitely a top 25

[@gisellealexa1282]

@@JoseSanyet I won’t say healed, more like cleaned it up and up a bandaid but that shit hurt 😭

[@gisellealexa1282]

@@33up24 as has every single artist (besides the plants) , I can’t imagine not having Cole in top 10 but to each their own 👐🏽

[@JayNit2]

​@@33up24 if we bein real ..almost every rapper has put out some.corny shit that they should have kept to them selves

[@thenewyorkhip-hopspot5485]

Even if u don’t give Lauryn longevity, she is far more musically talented (rapping and singing) then TI or Dr. Dre. and she perfected a sound that ppl to this day have taken bits and pieces of (melodic rap)

[@LaowPing]

Lupe wasn't on the list. Throw the whole shit away.

[@comebackkid44723]

Somehow I knew he wouldn’t be, and was upset waiting on it.

[@zayytesla]

In terms of impact he definitely had that but was in the shadow of guys like Kanye, drakes, your other fair share of backpack dudes who blew. Maybe top 100 tho

[@DLion72]

Facts. F&L and The Cool are 2 of the greatest rap albums ever.

[@jodyprestigiacomojr8901]

Lupe is cringe and corny

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

​@jodyprestigiacomojr8901 LL is completely cringe and corny yet HE still made it on the list. Hell, many of the rappers listed here are "cringe and corny" to some degree imo but they still got on. Being "cringe and corny" is entirely subjective and not a good indicator of who's more worthy to be on this list based on that alone.

[@cinnimani]

only 8 mins in but im SO glad you said ludacris is top 20. everytime i go on 2010ish music binges i re-remember how many hits and features he had! so many verses i still remember. i love him sm

[@El_Bukis]

Music being ranked like a competition is always messy, but I personally think if you're going to rank MCs, the best way to do it is by being specific about what you're ranking them on. An example would be to me, MC Ren is far and away the better lyricist between him and Cube. It's not a competition. But Cube is the better storyteller, and that makes his verses/songs/albums stick with you more. That's part of what made them such a great duo in NWA.

[@denrico777]

Cube got better delivery too and that does count for a lot more than people give it credit for imo.

[@zzzzzz69]

I feel like a Greatest Rappers list should prioritize artists who are great at rapping among other things, so spitters like RA The Rugged Man and Tech N9ne should definitely get some shine here, I know there are other intangible variables like legacy, repertoire, style, relevance, musicality, influence, etc. but lyrical miracle skillset is still the name of the game to me when you talk about "rap" (not just "hip hop", "artistry", "songwriting", "content", "culture", and "impact", but RAP = rhyming and flowing)

[@synthiandrakon]

It feels like people have gotten terminology mixed, like people will talk about a rappers lyricism and what they actually mean is wordplay. Being able to rhyme shit or make an interesting pun doesn't make you a lyricist. in order to be a good lyricist youve actually got to be saying something. thats what makes the spiritual miricale people so funny, they're obsessed with the idea of people being better lyricists but basially none of them are saying anything at all, they're the opposite of lyrical, somehow far less eloquent and coherent than the "mumble rappers" they contrast themselves with

[@FoxMulder-gq4kt]

Lyricism in Hip-Hop IS Wordplay. This is why we herald “battle style” rappers, the cypher and “freestyling” as part of the art. The mastery of simlie, metaphor, satire, hyperbole, and many other literary devices are what makes a rapper lyrical hence the choke hold Biggie had had on the game forever. Very few stand up to him “lyrically” and this almost always is in relation to technique. Same thing from Rakim to now guys like Lil Wayne. Hip-hop in terms of a genre is MOSTLY spoken in the 2nd person unlike most other genres and is very limited in dimension. Rappers are always talking about some phantom “you” (2nd person) and typically that “you” is other rappers or other “gangsters” in the street. If we limited lyricism to being able to be eloquent on a wide range of topics there would be almost no genre whatsoever. Think of some of the greatest rappers and now eliminate the 2nd person/wordplay based content, there’s almost nothing left for MOST rappers after that. So no wordplay is absolutely core to lyricism in the hip-hop genre and it’s the observation of this in its meager attempts most times these days, is the only reason why some of these new artists even get any recognition whatsoever.

[@dreadeddeadman6511]

YES YES. A POINT TO BE CONSIDERED, HONESTLY

[@nateds7326]

Just like in real life, using big words don't make you smart

[@denrico777]

Lyricism is word play AND content AND prose AND a bunch of other factors. They all contribute to the quality of the LYRICS.

[@evanclemons8658]

17:58 why does that picture of black thought remind me of jordan Peele 😂😂

[@MirrorSurfer]

1 more time because f*ck the algorithm... No MF Doom, lupe, Immortal Technique = not a valid list. Blasphemy points for having both KRS-ONE and Black Thought so low.

[@kurosaki08]

Immortal technique music aged like ass. There is a reason he was my fave when I was 14

[@duhduhduhdiesel1436]

Immortal was a homophobe and conspiracy theorist. Decent bars but largely the content was wack and cornt

[@lza5735]

Immortal tech 😂😂😂😂😂. Opinion disregarded

[@33up24]

This list is a roller coaster. On one hand it does have some good shit on it, as well as putting some rappers that aren't exactly popular specially now, but on the other hand it both have artist that only are there because of popularity/commercial success and missed soooooo many legends. No DOOM, no Lupe, that's fucking insane.

[@coolcamera6265]

glad this is back up🙏🏾

[@Tacom4ster]

How did it get taking down, there was a lack of copyright material

[@signifiedbsides1129]

KZbin doesn't make ANY sense sometimes

[@jacoblevenson7934]

@@signifiedbsides1129 you make great content. Sorry you are at the mercy of an inhuman idiot bit of code.

[@swayback7375]

@@signifiedbsides1129nah, they too busy making dollars to worry about marking sense… when they demo you vids they still play ads and just keep the money

[@romant142]

Saying Dr. Dre doesn’t deserve it Or T.I. but think Kanye is a top 3 rapper Kanye sucks my dude sorry I like college dropout and his beat are dope but as a rapper he ain’t all that and Has many people writing for him same way as Dre has.

[@almighty_pusha]

totally right about 50. Been waiting for someone to say it

[@tofuteh2348]

It would be interesting to see a video about eminem's role in and contribution to hiphop, and how different it was for a white rapper to come up back then vs now. I feel like so much nuance is lost in that conversation because of the stereotype that his white fans/imitators (and to an extent, himself) created It was wild to see so many cringey chuds saying eminem sold out to the woke crowd when he went against trump, because you'd think that songs like 'White America' completely went over these mega stans heads. They never cared about his content, they just wanted him to be their self-insert into black culture

[@MechAdv]

Yeah he is what many of the white rappers today aren’t, a product of growing up white in a culturally black school, with all black friends, and immersed in hip hop culture. Why would you expect him to not hold those beliefs.

[@nevermorebouquet3681]

@MechAdv1022 Also just being broke as shit in an age where white was largely synonymous with mediocre success.

[@thebigcapitalism9826]

Overhead Media did a video about that

[@iGotBulletproof-Insomnia]

​@@thebigcapitalism9826would you be able to provide a link? I tried a quick search and wasn't able to locate one.

[@thebigcapitalism9826]

@@iGotBulletproof-Insomnia oh shit my bad I meant OverTHROW Media Anyway here’s the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3SUiZmJhdaVb9E

[@Itsalwayscloudyincleveland]

Yoooooo. "J Cole is the Russell Westbrook of rap" is the most accurate statement I've ever heard!

[@iamuhura]

This B side is full of takes and I'm 100% here for it 🍿

[@mattd.wilson7111]

How are you gonna include two Wu-Tang members and neither of them are Raekwon or GZA?

[@gonzaortellado1743]

Ironman is better than Raekwon any day

[@BrandyAHyatt]

You’re right about Luda, they don’t take my man seriously. Gucci gotta stay, he do need to be lower.

[@BravoShow]

The thing to me with Luda was his delivery. He never really had bars like that, but his delivery is 1 of the best. If u really listen to his rhymes tho, he almost always is rhyming 1 syllable words. Maybe 2 here and there. Just my opinion.

[@VZAAGE]

Dr. Dre certainly belongs on this list and if anything, he's a bit low. I can't speak for the whole HH scene but he owned the airwaves during two different summers here in Cali. When Rap City and Yo MTV Raps was around, the videos for Nuthin' But A G Thang, Let Me Ride, and Dre Day were in constant rotation. That's unprecedented for a West Coast rapper especially at that time. Not to mention his role in the super group NWA. Even if his rhymes are written by others... his delivery is super impactful.

[@theamazingSHIBAZZ]

Agreed, I get he's a producer first but considering he has three albums under his name where he's rapping (2 of which are regarded as some of the best and most influential of the genre, I don't see why he wouldn't be

[@abookishmess]

Naw he's not really a rapper dude did two albums and mostly filled with features which is fine he's a better producer.

[@VZAAGE]

@@abookishmess he's absolutely a better producer than he is a rapper. The dude still has more classic songs that he rapped on than a good number of people on this list, though.

[@jordanr.1655]

Putting Dr. Dre on this list is crazy😂 I’m glad I wasn’t the only one.

[@taxavation]

Imagine if dj Khaled was on here

[@Antwannnn]

@@taxavation comparing dre to khaled is crazier 🤣

[@erinesee]

​@taxavation8582 that would be a world I don't want to live in.

[@Braillionaire]

I "Liked" as soon as you gave your take on Luda. THANK YOU! So undervalued in 2024.

[@Braillionaire]

Hol' up though bro... How you talked about Luda, you could also talk about TI. (and I don't like T.I. as much) but I've recently gone back and LISTENED to TI's discog. It's crazy bro lol Top Back Bring Em Out Go Get It Swagger Like Us Rubber Band Man What Up What's Happening And so on and so forth. Plus, his influence on Mixtapes which is a HUGE portion of the culture of hip-hop. That's one of our main avenues for discovering and blowing up artists. It was so big that it shifted the mainstream industry and TI was a part of it's popularization and instillation with Drama. He had just as many hits (if not more to be honest) than Luda did, and if you honestly sit down and listen, he was SPITTIN the whole time!

[@jordanlee4855]

Dead ass lupe had more classic albums than some of the folks on this list. And popularized the nerd backpack type of rapper at his time so much Kanye had to copy him.

[@Beeyo176]

Im late to the FD party, and have been binging for days now, and this is the first video of his that has me wanting to scream at my phone for most of it.

[@UncleKeith567]

Totes enjoyed this. I think more women should have had their day, when looking at the L's. Foxy Brown, Roxanne Shante, Jean F-ing Grae, 'where she at?' Mone in the middle, Salt, Peppa, Cardi B, Megan the Stallion.

[@lordandmasterpatrick]

💯

[@iamuhura]

Monie Love's "It's a Shame" still hits

[@afrosamourai400]

None of them is top 50..only missy, remi, lauryn, heather b, queen latifah, nicki belong in this list...

[@Cdr2002]

I quite enjoy Sammus

[@jeremiahalexander250]

​@@afrosamourai400 I'd argue I'll Na Na puts Foxy in the top 50 alone, same goes for Roxanne's revenge

[@joshwhite5730]

I think a lot of people think that Kanye should not be in top ten is because he’s not the greatest rapper and does not write all his stuff, some people probably view him like Dr Dre amazing musician but not necessarily the greatest rapper of all time

[@zstrikerlol]

This is where the difference between rapper and rap artist starts to show

[@empatheticrambo4890]

Glad to see this re-uploaded, I had it in watch later and missed it

[@edwardpolenzani1039]

I think 50 deserves to be on there. I’ve been noticing this trend of hip hop history revisionists trying to label 50 as a one hit wonder with GRODT and that’s just not true. When you look at the whole scope of that G-Unit era…the mixtapes that got him a name before Get Rich (the mixtapes that caught Eminem’s ear, mind you), the fact that he essentially revolutionized the mixtape game, the success of Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and Game’s solo projects (not to say he did all the work but you can’t deny his influence was there), and all the absolute heat that came out of that G-Unit camp for like 5 years consistently, man.

[@emsutherland-milbourn5905]

would love to see your top 50 (great vid btw)

[@chidiokoro934]

Well already know his top 3

[@bvndit404]

when fiq said, "Ja Rule belongs on this list before 50 Cent" I stood up, paced in a circle and screamed "someone said it"

[@MRLONG758]

J. Cole being the Russell Westbrook of hip hop is hilariously accurate

[@lukhanyisobrukwe5980]

Can someone please explain this to me😭😭😭😭😭😭. I'm a J Cole fan and an OKC fan - but I'm not a Westbrook fan although I respect his grind. Is it the 'Platinum with no features' vs Triple-Double Season?🤔

[@qkelya]

@@lukhanyisobrukwe5980 like he fell off from being mvp, to Westbrick Slander :(

[@timdrake5887]

How???? J Cole still releases bangers especially with his features, russ falling off. Horrible comparison

[@Torbinsky]

Westbrook is still maybe MAYBE a top 50 player. J Cole , no lmao

[@SEAKTruth]

Untitled was ahead of its time. Probably Nas’s most political body of work which is maybe why it wasn’t that popular.

[@strigoi_guhlqueen8355]

Your Gucci Mane Impression killed me.

[@DLion72]

T.I. 100% deserves to be on the list. Trap Muzik was incredible, so was Urban Legend and KING. Arguably 3 classics there and he redefined the trap sound with DJ Toomp.

[@blazingamingent4817]

What was funny to me is that when he started naming his albums " ahh that's good that's good" he literally said that about all of them and TI didn't really drop after paper trail. The the last was back in 18 19. And he definitely has more than a couple of songs 😅

[@harjutapa]

From the perspective of someone who is only a casual listener of rap: all the people you called out as being too high on the list (or on the list at all when they shouldn't be) are people I've heard of. Many of the people you said should be higher on the list are people I've either never heard of, or barely so. Those I have heard of, I liked their music. So clearly this list is more about widespread appeal and market value than it is about talent. Which kind of make sense, given what Billboard is. But I've put all those artists you mentioned favorably on my list of artists to check out.

[@anotherguy3082]

Thats what the problem with lists like these is. How do you quantify success? Drake barely even writes his own stuff, but is a more influential and successful rapper than about 80% of this list. 50 cent was very 1 note, but that one note made him one of the biggest rappers of the 2000's. You can be a massively talented artist, but if you are only known by purists, how can you be argued as the "greater" rapper?

[@emanooo813]

This video alone is pulling me back into rap.

[@youneedwings]

i wish you were on dehh’s video when they talked about this. would’ve been some furniture moving.

[@seanrshivers]

F.D: "I need one more ground breaking classic to put Kendrick into number one" Kendrick: "Hold my beer."

[@yaelcohen3043]

"What's egregious is this *sounds of pain*" BAHAHAHAHAHA

[@cesarmadero05]

33:27 💀

[@Cdr2002]

4:06 I was tryna cop those newborn footie pajamas in 02 youre makin me feel so young

[@Tacom4ster]

I'm disappointed B Real of Cypress Hill is not on this list

[@thatguy464]

Don't forget prodigy from M.O.B deep

[@foca7550]

@@thatguy464 Disrespectful

[@stollidinero]

You’re right af man 50 was a one album artist Not a dude I known had a second 50 LP in the crates

[@jacoblevenson7934]

I just love this video for music rec.

[@benny9680]

I agree with most of the takes on this except for saying notorious BIG’s albums don’t hold up well (if we’re talking ready to die and life after death), especially considering the fact that without Big there wouldn’t be a Jay Z.

[@Ekleaz]

It's crazy to say his albums don't hold up.

[@nelly17ful]

I wanted to see DJ Quik, Bone Thugs, Eazy-E and DOOM on the list 😫 (SORRY GUYS I FIXED IT LOL)

[@deaconlasagna8570]

damn no bone thugs? wtf

[@paradoxicalsg3522]

MF not being on the list is a crime

[@jensendsflowers]

NO MF DOOM????? UNSERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOP 10... TOP 5!!!!

[@Jinsoku440]

Bro this whole list disqualified af xD; QUIK, Bone, and DOOM missing? Trash

[@TheSkaOreo]

Everyone wanted MF Doom

[@onemillionmiltonians]

You're right about the albums, but 50's approach to mixtapes changed everything. "Guess Who's Back" and "50 cent is the Future" are classics.

[@TheReDragonTT]

Right? I'm saying!!! I know this brother only listened to radio 50 😅

[@ArmLegLegArmHead47]

Not Top 30 worthy still

[@theblueprint2001]

The Massacre too 😂

[@tekanatoken]

Well, It is Bilboard's list, and they don't care about mixtapes. So, whether his mixtapes were classic or not, it doesn't change anything in their eyes.

[@angelshadowofficial9218]

If you listen to fif’s early work before he took one n the face, he actually could flow flow

[@TheUAProdigy]

That Andre slander though. He is top five at least just based off of the content and method by which he strings together words.

[@soliloquylove2115]

Agreed. The nerve.

[@nochannelmusician769]

How is he overrated because of his features AND he has the greatest discography of all time? Especially when his features are great?

[@bilalrashad6636]

Andre is not overrated because we barely hear about him, if anything he's underrated

[@geekylove3603]

I don't think Dre has penned a single 3 verse song in his career.

[@d0ne14]

Talking about music not holding up and then saying Eminem over Big is okay is craaaaaazy.

[@Cdr2002]

Honestly yeaaah Eminem’s recent stuff is like two bangers per every eight albums

[@MechAdv]

Infinite - good SSLP - Classic MMLP - Classic Eminem Show - Classic Encore - ass Relapse - almost ass (Deja Vu, Stay wide awake, and beautiful are great tracks) Recovery - Ass (I like Cinderella man tho) MMLP2 - Good w/ a couple great tracks Revival- Ass (Chloraseptic solid tho) Kamikaze - Okay (Not Alike and the Ringer bangers) MTBMB- Great MTBMB 2- Good Death of Slim - Good w/ great tracks like Fuel and Tobey Eminem holds up dude.

[@jensendsflowers]

Kurtis Blow made one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time!! CHRISTMAS WRAPPIN!!!

[@Q-u-e-u-e]

I’m not that big into hip hop yet as of now because I listen to many many different genres but from what I’ve heard from Kendrick so far I really liked untitled unmastered, not even for being super catchy or for the lyrics (I’m not a big lyrics guy idk) but just because you can really feel the artistry he puts into every aspect of the album and I value artistry over anything despite it being a hard metric to actually quantify and analyze music by. Just my two cents great fun video!

[@Julian-uk6mj]

You can tell kendrick pours 100% of his heart and soul into every project he makes

[@therealbiggiemcez7396]

Why was this deleted? I love FD’s hip hop content

[@signifiedbsides1129]

demonitized for some random reason

[@ryuman757]

​@@signifiedbsides1129 I thought I was having Deja Vu cause I didn't get to watch the video yet. But I KNEW I saw the upload 🤧🤧🤣

[@vikkidc3859]

It was Drake 🤣🤣🤣

[@happygucci5094]

@@vikkidc3859lmfao

[@swayback7375]

You basically gotta watch fd drops as soon as you get a notification, otherwise there’s a good chance it’s taken down. No hate fd, get that money bro, it’s pitiful how they cut you like that but no surprise

[@JamsandTea]

When 50 came up and the music cut out I nearly spit my drink out lmao

[@divine5oul]

Drake being on this list at all, especially in the top 20, makes the entire list completely invalid.

[@MirrorSurfer]

Fucking seconded.

[@upfulsoul826]

Remember when Drake did a freestyle with a mobile phone lol?

[@thetruest7497]

Nah 6 God is deserving. If he dies he's a legend.

[@vikkidc3859]

Agreed

[@franklingoodwin]

He's a singer that raps a bit, same for Lauryn Hill. Neither should be on the list

[@paulcote8960]

These lists are always hard because some of the greats were taken away in their prime (Pac, Big L, Biggie, Pun). I have to assume that's why L isn't on the list.

[@EphemeralTao]

Gen-Xer here, and love Run-DMC. Don't really listen to much hip-hop made after the mid-90s. Dre is a great writer, not necessarily a great rapper. Also, Chuck D should be higher, fite me. Shoulda been more founders on the list. Maybe not Kurtis Blow; but Grandmaster Flash, come on, and possibly Caz. Fukkin' Rakim needs to be top 10, fully agreed.

[@lukejones7164]

Ready 2 Die is a Top 10 Hip Hop Album and Life After Death is the best Rap Double Album, Biggie is definitely Top 5 he ain't overrated 😆

[@fiizz01]

Love that you favourite Untitled Unmastered! It's an uncommon take which I unabashedly agree with

[@questsiege5]

Gucci did too much for trap and the mixtape era that i think influences the "mumble rap" era far too ignore. Yes, his flow was monotonous but his hooks were infectious, his bars were serviceable and his release schedule was unprecedented until like Lil B and Rx Nephew

[@harenmelan]

You ever heard of Ice T's audiobook he read for? It's hillarious because... you can tell he's very confused about everything since it's a very specific D&D book series and has names and stuff that are WEIRD so... but I respect how he tried.

[@memorian8472]

I'd love to see FD's version of this list with his own requirements. Please do something like that.

[@NicosRap]

Gza deserves a spot in my opinion too!

[@Intercitypolitics]

That 50 take is spot on

[@WhatAMagician]

My problem with these lists is how they weigh things like 'cultural impact' vs 'rap skill' vs 'rap content'. It just seems inconsistent. Also Kendrick Lamar is the best rapper of all time, do not @me.

[@nathanswanson4731]

I’m bumping Ready to Die on the regular brother. Biggie’s lyrics may not be the deepest but his word play is up there with the greats. He does get a little too much praise sometimes but he’s gotta crack the top five at least.

[@vestangomberume7316]

I was watching an old video from this channel from probably 5+ months back and someone asked FD to make a video on the wu tang clan I hope he does it 😭❤️

[@afrosamourai400]

We all hope he will..

[@chesterfield9682]

I love listening to you talk about hip hop and rap, I would definitely watch if you did a list re-order and added whoever you think is missing.

[@bpnation37]

The TI disrespect is CRAAAAAAZZZYYYY. A couple of dope tracks??? First four albums are all extremely fire. You buggin

[@qhunt317]

Just want to say yo bro keep it going man love the videos honestly I truly just love the whole ethos you got going on in here man

[@communist_kirby]

I agree with your 50 take but I feel the same way about Jay-Z. he's got a better body of work than 50 for sure but without his money and empire, Jay-Z wouldn't be the icon he is. he's closer to #10 for me

[@chi4611]

This is straight up wrong, Jay has one of the best discographies

[@ItachiUchiha-sh6of]

Imo Jay isnt better than Pac, Nas, Kendrick, or Kanye. He'll id put Em and Biggie over Jay z.

[@higglyjuff]

On a personal level, I agree about Jay Z. He is probably the biggest rapper that never really clicked with me that much. I do like Reasonable Doubt but I struggle to enjoy much else. On the other hand, I have no problem putting him top 3 in an all time list because it's not just about me and what I like.

[@kilgore_trout_37]

LUDA! Love you FD

[@JayK242]

Tripping with that Method take.

[@tfkelly259]

Your takes are wild

[@spliffsforbreakfast]

Missy not being on the list makes it automatically invalid. But saying LAUURRRYYYNNN HIILLLL doesn’t belong on the list is *BLASPHEMY* 😭 edit: ok she’s on the list nvm 😅

[@Msboochie2]

Saying Kim does and Lauryn doesn't? Rappers, Lauryn wrote the rhymes we love by her, we can't say that for Kim. Crazy. As purely a rapper Missy is not very good, and should not be on the list. If it were hip hop artists, sure.

[@Draystah]

get rich or die trying wasn't just good, it was a classic album. where's Ja's classic? the massacre is really good too. dont forget 50 was busy holding up g-unit and the game. a lot of bangers of his went to their albums. 50 at his height was a lyrical genius.

[@MalikIsmailAliRaymond]

Guwop being on the list seems necessary given his huge influence on modern day emcees. I would actually put him above T.I. only because his music has had staying power longer than any of his southern contemporaries, save for maybe Lil Wayne. This is in spite of feeling that his contemporary emcees like Wayne and T.I. are better skilled for what would generally be considered "technique." Wayne's influence was most prominent in the late 00s-early 10s when Young Money reigned supreme, but that's it. Other than Wayne, Guwop had the staying power with all of the mixtapes back in that era too. It's akin to the reason why Future is on the list too regarding influence on modern rap. I totally agree that the "lyrical spiritual spherical miracle" style of rap as being the only one worthy of being considered "technique" is way overlooked, (and frankly functions in a way that can be anti-Black at times, but that is an entirely different conversation). One's voice is an instrument, and an emcee's delivery, along with the diction and cadence of their raps, is a skill that cannot be overlooked. It can be overplayed to have a thesaurus vocabulary and people harp on that as "technical rap." It's part of the reason why you're spot on about Luda needing to be respected more because of his delivery, and why even other southern acts like Pimp C should not be overlooked, because emcees like Biggie Smalls are highly regarded because of their delivery, cadence, and how their diction shapes their words to be musical just by mere utterance, and Biggie is not the only one who is skilled at that (though he might be the greatest at it). Heck, it's why Snoop is as high as he is too, come to think of it. I actually think that this list is pretty okay given the circumstances of it being a VIBE/Billboard Collab, and the idea of mainstream appeal being a huge factor for consideration, along with influence on the genre over the decades. I suppose there are things that people could quibble about (Dr. Dre's inclusion altogether, not including more Wu members, not including Big Boi, Cole being *way too* high, more "technically gifted" rappers like Lupe, etc.). I know folks were clamoring for MF Doom and Slick Rick being on here, but they excluded non North American rappers for some reason. I expected the list to be a lot more egregious, but given that it is Billboard/VIBE, it seems like the type of list that they would come out with. Still center mainstream desires while having VIBE give the nods to specific rap legends over the decade.

[@EffortlessEffervescence]

Wayne is the father of Mumble Rap - double cup drug induced dread locks