Complex: 50 Best New York Rappers of All-Time

[Woodrow]

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

They ain’t got half of the catalog Cormega got

Cormega been on of the most consistent emcees in the game


And one for the few that’s actually evolved over time too

nah. if you said top 50 i get it. mega has an argument, although he'd still have an uphill fight on a list like this, because they're not just grading skills/ability.

i repeat: aint no way in hell mega is top 10 in nyc. i wouldn't put him above anyone in that top 10, including nicki. impact was a part of the criteria for the list, and every person in that top 10 shook shyt outside the city in a way that makes them legends.

 

[I love Latina women]

nah. if you said top 50 i get it. mega has an argument, although he'd still have an uphill fight on a list like this, because they're not just grading skills/ability.

i repeat: aint no way in hell mega is top 10 in nyc. i wouldn't put him above anyone in that top 10, including nicki. impact was a part of the criteria for the list, and every person in that top 10 shook shyt outside the city in a way that makes them legends.

Agree to disagree

 

[Knucklehead]

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

Reasonable minds may disagree but BIG is widely viewed on the Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain tier of artists whose discography is limited but shone brighter than any of their contemporaries. They are all mythologized by early deaths at their peak as well. Their music stands the rest of time and is as big now as it ever was.
As time goes by people are not gonna wade through 15-20 Nas albums they’ll go through the 2-3 best albums and biggest songs and a lot of people will have BIG ahead. The margin will only grow.

 

[spliz]

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...

Biggie was NOT a better lyricist than Nas even HE HIMSELF didn’t believe that. I can’t even believe this is a back n forth argument? Nas’ last Gold album was in 2012. So how is that sitting in the corner making music. Nas’ just got a Grammy in 2021. That’s sitting in the corner making music? Nas’ last top 10 debut was in 2022. That’s sitting in the corner making music? Hip hop is 50 that’s had a huge festival, commercials, documentaries. Grammy performances, and the list goes on. That was all curated by NAS and his team. That’s sitting in the corner? WTF is Jay doing then? The nikka ain’t even dropped a project since 2017. And he dropped 2 collab projects that flopped. One with Bey and one with Jay Elec which sold less than both Kings Disease 1 and 2.

 

[spliz]

Reasonable minds may disagree but BIG is widely viewed on the Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain tier of artists whose discography is limited but shone brighter than any of their contemporaries. They are all mythologized by early deaths at their peak as well. Their music stands the rest of time and is as big now as it ever was.
As time goes by people are not gonna wade through 15-20 Nas albums they’ll go through the 2-3 best albums and biggest songs and a lot of people will have BIG ahead. The margin will only grow.

Not in real life. This shyt is goofy af. And completely unfair. Nas’ best 2 albums >>> Biggie’s best 2 albums.

 

[spliz]

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.

There’s no logic. Not if we are being objective. If someone PREFERS Biggie that’s a different story.

 

[Easy-E]

It's none of my business, I'm not a New Yorker but how is AZ not in the top 50?

"Complex; 50 Best New York Rappers written by some 30 year old white boy that consumes Rap from blogs."

 

[EastByrd]

Was genuinely expecting to see Juelz on the list

 

[murksiderock]

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

We not in any major disagreement on Nas' career. This push he's gotten in the last half-decade is parallel to the post-retirement, then post-death push, Kobe got, and it stems from insecurity that formed a groundswell in opposition to Jay-Z (Bron for Kobe)...

We knew and acknowledged what Nas was for years, and what he's meant to The Culture. But the very fact most heads even put Jay over him sent some muhfukkas over the edge and you got this "Nas is underrated/isnt respected" type shyt that has brought us where we are now...

In his prime he was putting out mid music (Nastradamus was bad and I AM was only slightly better). He recovered with Stillmatic then like you said hit a wall for awhile (though I do think the N Word album was gimmicky, I actually think it's a pretty good drop. It's not amongst his worst)...

So yeah obviously he and his legion of Stans curated this media groundswell that has elevated him beyond where he actually should be. He isn't underrated, he isn't disrespected, nor is he the greatest rapper ever...

But compared to BIG, I gotta value the fact Nas has more work on the board. We talking 2 albums and a 3-year window with Big. Thats just not enough work to give you an eternal slot when you have Nas' overall body of work...

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?

Don't do this, dog...

Biggie was NOT a better lyricist than Nas even HE HIMSELF didn’t believe that. I can’t even believe this is a back n forth argument? Nas’ last Gold album was in 2012. So how is that sitting in the corner making music. Nas’ just got a Grammy in 2021. That’s sitting in the corner making music? Nas’ last top 10 debut was in 2022. That’s sitting in the corner making music? Hip hop is 50 that’s had a huge festival, commercials, documentaries. Grammy performances, and the list goes on. That was all curated by NAS and his team. That’s sitting in the corner? WTF is Jay doing then? The nikka ain’t even dropped a project since 2017. And he dropped 2 collab projects that flopped. One with Bey and one with Jay Elec which sold less than both Kings Disease 1 and 2.

I don't know bruh, BIG and Nas in the same upper echelon of lyricism to me...

Also you quoted the wrong poster, I didn't say Nas just was sitting in a corner. But this run of the last half-decade or so, it's not organic. He's making good music but this doesn't elevate nor sink him, nothing he's done the last 3-4 years changes Nas' historic position...

He's definitely a beneficiary of having friends and Stans in high places so I'm not really moved on him getting a Grammy and performing there. Do we really need to talk about the artists and classic work that never got Grammy acknowledgement?

And again I'm not even coming at Nas like that, I'm a fan. I have him over Big...

 

[kingofnyc]

Jay and Nas overall body of work is greater than Big's 3-year run, yes. What's confusing about this?

Negative...

Nah man, Nas and Cool J have compelling cases over Big. I have Nas over Big. LL I'm a coin flip but that man's work is so underrated, nikkas giving Big the automatic over LL is wack...

!!! × !!

Nah Nas has some timeless music. He not over Jay but I think he's pretty comfortably the second greatest rapper ever...

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...

I don’t have an issue with your opinion , my issue with you is you keep posting things that aren’t true or they just don’t make any sense


1. body of work = again it’s pretty ridiculous …. if you rank Nas and Jay-Z‘s albums from best to worst - damn near all of them are going to come in their heyday that 90s / early 00’s era , which Biggie was pretty much apart of

2. Biggie 3 year run = technically is not true. Yes, he debuted in 94 and died in 97 but is music live damn several years after his death so you can’t really say 3 a run when his sales , music , videos , relevance remained years thereafter

3. comparing LL = I don’t even understand why would you even go that route they came up in pretty much different eras ; LL was group with the prior generation & for the record he never ever ever made top 3 in any type of discussion … It was always Rakim or KRS or Kane

4. Nas was hot before Biggie = shyt like this being said doesn’t even make any damn sense , because they both came up at the same damn time they both debuted in 94 several months apart and prior to 94 Nas had his solo joint ‘halftime‘ and had a collaboration ‘live at the barbecue‘ with Search. … while …. Biggie had a solo joint ‘party and bullshyt’ and 2 collaborations one with Mary ‘real love remix‘ and the other ‘Miss Dolly‘ with Super Cat featuring Mary ——— no disrespect but the fact of you or anybody trying to say this is throwing shyt to the wall hoping something will stick

 

[Boonapalist]

nikkas mad Big’s number 2 when he shouldn’t even be above LL.

 

[BmoreGorilla]

Top 10 is actually on point even tho I’d have Nas at 2 and Big at 5. Rest of the list they just said fukk it

 

[kingofnyc]

nikka I’m damn near 40. Lol

breh - i gots absolutely positively nothing against you, but you’re exposing yourself because your timeframe is just not adding up
once again … how could you claim to be a DJ back in the mid 90s and you’re not even 40 now
the mid 90s was 30 years ago

 

[Cladyclad]

breh - i gots absolutely positively nothing against you, but you’re exposing yourself because your timeframe is just not adding up
once again … how could you claim to be a DJ back in the mid 90s and you’re not even 40 now
the mid 90s was 30 years ago

I was 13 in 96. I’m 40

spliz was a 9 year old DJ

 

[ILLMMORTAL]

Full list:
1) Jay-Z
2) Biggie
3) Nas
4) Rakim
5) LL Cool J
6) 50 Cent
7) Nicki Minaj
8) DMX
9) Busta Rhymes
10) KRS-One
11) Prodigy
12) Lil Kim
13) Ghostface
14) MF Doom
15) Big Pun
16) Jadakiss
17) Cam'ron
18) Mos Def
19) Big Daddy Kane
20) Slick Rick
21) Method Man
22) Chuck D
23) Run
24) Q-Tip
25) Cardi B
26) Raekwon
27) Pop Smoke
28) Mase
29) Big L
30) Kool G Rap
31) Fat Joe
32) Fabolous
33) GZA
34) Foxy Brown
35) ODB
36) Kool Keith
37) Ja Rule
38) MC Lyte
39) Nore
40) Kool Moe Dee
41) ASAP Rocky
42) Sean Price
43) Melle Mel
44) Grand Puba
45) Jim Jones
46) Styles P
47) Biz Markie
48) Diddy
49) Pharoahe Monch
50) Ice Spice

This some sucker duck azz Cac shyt! You got Camron slobber mouth rapping azz over G Rap,Kane,Meth,Slick,Chuck and Run? I could just say Meth and the shyt is done! Camron over G Rap? FOH you Morons.