In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop, Billboard and Vibe have revealed the top 50 greatest rappers of all time. The editorial staff determined the rankings based on the following criteria: body of work/achievements, including charted singles/albums, gold/platinum certifications, cultural impact/influence, longevity, lyrics (storytelling skills), and flow.
Jay Z grabbed the number one spot, while Kendrick Lamar came in at number two and Nas snagged the number 3 spot. Tupac and Eminem round out the top five.
Check out Billboard’s Top 10 Greatest Rappers of All Time:
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