Meccapolis ranks “Kings Of New York” from 1985 to 2024

[ISO]

50 in 04-5 was the last king of New York. Hasn’t mattered since

You could make an argument for Pop smoke since he was the king of the drill movement but that’s about it

The only kings was Run and LL as the first rap superstars

Then Biggie declared the throne

Then it was 50

No one else has been truly I also feel like that’s a crown you hold not something that switches year to year

That convo had been died until 69 went on his shyt talking campaigns nd Westside Gunn started claiming it too iirc. In recent memory Pop Smoke in 2020 and A boogie at his peak (2016-2019) have the strongest cases for

It’s gonna be hilarious to see mfs like Roc Marciano winning king of New York

 

[ISO]

I really want to see the recent years' pics. Like last 10 years.

2014: Fabolous
2015: Fabolous
2016: A boogie
2017: Jay Z
2018: A boogie
2019: A boogie
2020: Pop Smoke
2021: Kay Flock
2022: Fivio Foreign
2023: Sleepy Hallow
2024: Cash Cobain

 

[Ziggiy]

They weren’t on MJ’s level in terms of popularity at their peaks. Which is the fine and a fact.

Do you think Nas was hotter in 96 than Jay was in 98? You think IWW was bigger than Volume 2 which was the number one album in the country 5 weeks in a row?

It’s not Just 1998, Jay has several years where he’s bigger than Nas ever was in 96.

IWW was number 1 four straight weeks in a row, becoming the FIRST solo New York Rapper to do so. Nas was on FIRE in 96 and he went against a still alive (and dead) 2pac, The Fugees, Outkast, and Ghostface.

And like I said earlier the next time Jay and Nas released albums during the same year, I Am’s first week outsold Vol 3’s. He matched DMX by putting out TWO platinum albums in the same year.

Nas was definitely a megastar from 96-2002. Its not debatable.

 

[Street Knowledge]

Bro, you really confusing this megastar thing. Its like 4 rappers that basically consensus top 4 in everyones list over the last 15 to 20 years. Jay and Nas are in that 4.. Is Jay slightly bigger, yes... but they in the same stratosphere. Again.. only 2 rappers have charted in the top 10 16 times. Its those two. Yall pro Jay guys be on some superhero shyt for no reason. Its not like Jay is Eminem level or something.

At all Jay peaks he was outsold by somebody in the industry.. whether it was Nelly, DMX, Ja Rule or Em..

They’re not in the same stratosphere.

Jay Z at his peak was way bigger than Nas and has several years bigger than Nas peak.

 

[Street Knowledge]

IWW was number 1 four straight weeks in a row, becoming the FIRST solo New York Rapper to do so. Nas was on FIRE in 96 and he went against a still alive (and dead) 2pac, The Fugees, Outkast, and Ghostface.

And like I said earlier the next time Jay and Nas released albums during the same year, I Am’s first week outsold Vol 3’s. He matched DMX by putting out TWO platinum albums in the same year.

Nas was definitely a megastar from 96-2002. It’s not debatable.

What year was Nas hotter than Jay in 98?

What year was Nas hotter than Jay in 03?

He didn’t match DMX because Dmx albums sold more than any of those nas albums lol.

 

[Figaro]

Biggie, Jay, Nas, DMX & 50 are truly the only KONY…they literally did King shyt & was beefing with top competitors in the game in height of thier popularity.

All of the rest of the placements are just going to come down to who was bigger & selling more records at the time.

Not necessarily KONY material to me but I guess it’s the only way to be done.

List is really going to be hard to pull off but I’m intrigued.

They do really need to mention their criteria for this list though.

 

[L. Deezy]

They’re not in the same stratosphere.

Jay Z at his peak was way bigger than Nas and has several years bigger than Nas peak.

Man..dont @ me no more with this nonsense

You did all that about Nas but completely ignored Jay was gettin outsold by other people like Ja

By your logic Jay wasnt in Ja league. Stop being retarded so early in the morn

Eat a banana and some cream of wheat first breh

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

If we remove the whole "KONY" aspect to it and just classify it as the city's hottest & most impactful


It should go

Rocky
Boogie
Troy
Cardi
Pop
Fivi
6ix
Ice


Now we goin thru the Cash Cobain era

Troy???????

 

[Money Be Green]

 

[Metal Face]

no Rakim

 

[Street Knowledge]

Man..dont @ me no more with this nonsense

You did all that about Nas but completely ignored Jay was gettin outsold by other people like Ja

By your logic Jay wasnt in Ja league. Stop being retarded so early in the morn

Eat a banana and some cream of wheat first breh

So your basically conceding that Nas in 1996 or any year was not as big as Jay in 1998

 

[Street Knowledge]

I predict Nas will win 1994 of having the most critically acclaimed project but that’s not gonna matter in 2001 for some reason

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

50 in 04-5 was the last king of New York. Hasn’t mattered since

You could make an argument for Pop smoke since he was the king of the drill movement but that’s about it

Agreed. KONY & biggest in rap used to coincide. If you were to have said Biggie in 95 a case could’ve been made he was also king of rap.

 

[Kliq_Souf]

Mary J?
We including RnB now

 

[Don Jesus]

And before anyone says it, Redman is from New Jersey