Complex: 50 Best New York Rappers of All-Time

[CrimsonTider]

I'm one of these crazy people who actually thinks rappers should be able to rap so let's start there. Rapping ability/skill holds the most weight. Then we can get into the catalogs, longevity, and impact. Sales and commercial status aren't something that should be highly regarded when discussing art and culture. If it needs to be a part of the discussion so be it but it should never trump the artistic side. That's where these lists fall apart. How does Diddy who writes checks not rhymes make a list of best rappers? A man who doesn't rap is one of the best rappers.

Anyone rating Nicki that high is putting commercialism before culture. She's not as skilled as several rappers rated below her. Her catalog isn't as strong as several rappers below her. Prodigy has The Infamous and other classic or near classic works but is below Nicki. Shook Ones is one of the hardest songs ever and an NY staple. He's a better rapper but is below her. How? Being a female and pop culture icon does not warrant her placement. It's strictly political and pandering.

STFU

 

[Nomad1]

Of course the publications would put Jay #1.
His discography is bloated and only dropped two good albums since 03

 

[murksiderock]

Everybody can only go off what they saw. When Big was alive who was considered bigger in NYC? Nobody

LL was the first nikka to be the face of rap for multiple years…Hit after Hit. When BIG came around who was considered the man in the city? You know the answer

Nas is an amazing rapper that damn near fell into obscurity for over a decade

BIG, like Jigga, was a hitmaker. Nas wasn’t a thing musically from like 04-??? During his heyday you heard this nikkax music and his features…sort of like you do now with Kendrick

Nas disappeared from the mainstream…as a mainstream artist. I’m not giving nikkax credit for just rapping in a corner and not mattering anymore

We all have opinions but NYC is BIG’s town. When Kiss dropped The Who Shot Ya instrumental you heard what The Garden did friend…

I'm not in major disagreement with you about Nas' resume in general, it's why I find the arguments that he should be over Hov disingenuous at best, outright lying at worst...

As it compares to Big, i just think it has to matter that Nas was here and hot before Big, sustained his relevancy while Big was here and on fire, and was hot AFTER Big. Like how and for what reason do we undermine that? It's not like Big's star completely snuffed Nas out...

The quality of Nas' best work holds up with Big's as well. Big was a bonafide hit maker, but Nas is as versatile and creative a lyricist as Big ever was. So even if you give Big the edge in lyricism there us no major gap...

So ultimately for me the guy with more work on the board gets the lead when the quality of the work was otherwise level...

About LL, come on, homie. You know by the time Big hit big LL was already transitioning towards acting (In The House). LL was still dropping classic records while Big was popping (Loungin, Doing It, etc) and this was with his attention pivoting into acting. You can't shyt on LL like Big came and took his star, like you said James was the original rap SUPERSTAR. His combo of songwriting, lyricism, hits, sex appeal, crossover appeal, is the blueprint every rapper including Big could bite from moving forward...

LL was hot for a strong 7 or 8 years before Big was even heard of, don't do this, fam. His longevity as an elite rap star can't be shytted on...

Ultimately I'd be cool with Big over LL because unlike with Nas, LL's lyricism really ain't fukking with Big's, and I do think Big's peak work is stronger than LL's by a notch. But it's only a notch and LL being the OG GOAT, having classic work, being That Guy YEARS before Big's star was born, it's a coin flip...

Hold the phone…
BIG died in 97
The last song Nas put out people remember like that came out in like 03…
We’re in 2023

But you nikkax talking about body of work???

 

[FunkDoc1112]

I hate Nicki as a person and she makes a lot of garbage but she's unquestionably the best female rapper from NY in terms of resume + skill (Rah Digga and Remy Ma are probably better MCs but don't have records). Kim made better music in her heyday but Nicki is a way better rapper

 

[FunkDoc1112]

Also people that have a problem with Biggie being ranked above Nas gotta get real

I wouldn't do it but can easily see the logic behind why anybody else would.

 

[Pop123]

It’s not ridiculous.
BIGs songs are enormously more iconic than Nas songs.
Go to any hip-hop show, sporting event anywhere they play music and you’re way more likely to hear a BIG song.
Go to fights see how many people come out to BIG songs.
Nas has 5 albums in the past 2 years and BIG Greatest Hits outstreams all 5 combined by a wide margin every week.

Were they playing those records there before he passed? That’s neither here nor there tho…he has two albums sir, he was only alive to see 1 album released. Putting him over Nas, who has been here 30 years and 16(?) albums deep…not to mention the skill set…is like literally comedy, . I get why they do it, obviously…but it’s not reality based whatsoever. They should put Big over Jayz too then..but they won’t/can’t/better not do that if they want to keep their jobs

 

[Cladyclad]

Were they playing those records there before he passed? That’s neither here nor there tho…he has two albums sir, he was only alive to see 1 album released. Putting him over Nas, who has been here 30 years and 16(?) albums deep…not to mention the skill set…is like literally comedy,

I’m pretty sure Biggie could have put out mid albums that didn’t resonate with the culture for 20 years straight too. No disrespect

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

I'm not in major disagreement with you about Nas' resume in general, it's why I find the arguments that he should be over Hov disingenuous at best, outright lying at worst...

As it compares to Big, i just think it has to matter that Nas was here and hot before Big, sustained his relevancy while Big was here and on fire, and was hot AFTER Big. Like how and for what reason do we undermine that? It's not like Big's star completely snuffed Nas out...

The quality of Nas' best work holds up with Big's as well. Big was a bonafide hit maker, but Nas is as versatile and creative a lyricist as Big ever was. So even if you give Big the edge in lyricism there us no major gap...

So ultimately for me the guy with more work on the board gets the lead when the quality of the work was otherwise level...

About LL, come on, homie. You know by the time Big hit big LL was already transitioning towards acting (In The House). LL was still dropping classic records while Big was popping (Loungin, Doing It, etc) and this was with his attention pivoting into acting. You can't shyt on LL like Big came and took his star, like you said James was the original rap SUPERSTAR. His combo of songwriting, lyricism, hits, sex appeal, crossover appeal, is the blueprint every rapper including Big could bite from moving forward...

LL was hot for a strong 7 or 8 years before Big was even heard of, don't do this, fam. His longevity as an elite rap star can't be shytted on...

Ultimately I'd be cool with Big over LL because unlike with Nas, LL's lyricism really ain't fukking with Big's, and I do think Big's peak work is stronger than LL's by a notch. But it's only a notch and LL being the OG GOAT, having classic work, being That Guy YEARS before Big's star was born, it's a coin flip...

Ain’t nobody shyttin on LL. I still listen to Loungin like I was wearing wallabees still. LL was the first heavyweight champion of rap…

But we all know nikkax aren’t sitting around listening to LL’s albums my boy. He was a hit maker with not much depth.

I’m confused tho…how hot could Nas be when in the moment everyone latched on to “One Hot Album Every 10 Years” shyt during the beef?

The irony of it all was Nas fought for his career to bring legitimacy back to his name only to be in worse shape when the beef died down. At least who was putting out songs people fukked pre 01. Nobody was trying to hear those jazz lessons he was doing with his father lol

Possibly the greatest lyricist ever resorting to cheap tricks like Hip Hop Is Dead & calling his album The N Word having lost his grip once other regions started popping

 

[Pop123]

I’m pretty sure Biggie could have put out mid albums that didn’t resonate with the culture for 20 years straight too. No disrespect

It’s always disrespect with you kid, lol, I respect it tho, 🫡

“I’m pretty sure he could have” is a hypothetical good sir, ain’t no weight there, idk what to tell you. He could have completely fell off, . Nas won a Grammy in his 27th year…performed on the Grammy’s in his 28th. I mean, those are just facts…supersedes your personal opinions/vendetta and your hypotheticals… respectfully

I love Jayz too man, some days I think he’s the best ever…but yeah, he got spanked up and you can’t shake it off, pause. “Let it go Jake, you gotta let it go” - Nas dying in Tom Sizemore’s arms

 

[Woodrow]

Cormega should be in the top 10.

his discography stands among the greatest.

nas. prodigy. havoc. tragedy. capone.

mega gotta fight to be considered top 3 in his own projects unless you disqualify prodigy. not a diss. just meant to illustrate how ridiculous "cormega should be in the top 10" sounds. aint no way in hell.

 

[Stick Up Kid]

Jay Z being # 1 when he has the weakest discography from all the potential goats is funny.

 

[I love Latina women]

nas. prodigy. havoc. tragedy. capone.

mega gotta fight to be considered top 3 in his own projects unless you disqualify prodigy. not a diss. just meant to illustrate how ridiculous "cormega should be in the top 10" sounds. aint no way in hell.

You think that sounds ridiculous but look at some of the names that actually made the list

They ain’t got half of the discography Cormega got

Cormega been one of the most consistent emcees in the game


And he’s one for the few that’s actually evolved as an artist over time too

 

[Mike Wins]

Still waiting for an explanation how Hov better than BIG. When BIG made better songs and better albums. Bigger and better hits. Jay spent half his career following the LAD blueprint and never made an an album that good. So other than staying alive longer, where he got BIG beat?

 

[Cladyclad]

Still waiting for an explanation how Hov better than BIG. When BIG made better songs and better albums. Bigger and better hits. Jay spent half his career following the LAD blueprint and never made an an album that good. So other than staying alive longer, where he got BIG beat?

Big heard reasonable doubt and went from a corner boy to a boss

 

[Mike Wins]

Big heard reasonable doubt and went from a corner boy to a boss

Hovenger fan fiction is something else