4. Jay-Z AKA: Hova, Jigga Region: East Coast Resume: Reasonable Doubt (1995) Jay-Z certainly has an impressive resume. Hes one of the best-selling musicians of all time, having sold more than 50 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide while receiving 21 Grammy Awards for his music. MTV ranked him the Greatest MC of all time in 2006 and Rolling Stone magazine ranked three of his albums Reasonable Doubt (1996), The Blueprint (2001), and The Black Album (2003)among The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Jay-Z is also the first rapper to be inducted in the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, an accolade that speaks to his excellence and longevity in the rap game. As we mentioned earlier though, album sales and awards are only part of the formula that gives a rapper a spot in our top 15.
5. Tupac AKA: Makavelli, 2Pac Region: West Coast Resume: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (Makavelli) (1996) We have entered the sacred and highly contested top 5 of all time and while many of you are likely salty about Eminem being left out, lets remember that this is a subjective process; everyone will have a different list. That being said, a top 5 list that doesn't include Tupac is blasphemy. Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known as 2Pac, was born in Harlem, New York but is one of the most influential West Coast rappers of all time. Tupacs greatness transcended the genre, with Rolling Stone ranking him 86th on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In April 2017, Shakur was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
6. Eminem AKA: Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers Region: Midwest Resume: The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) One of the few rappers on this list with the ability to hold his own in a battle rap with the worlds best (including KRS-One), Marshall Mathers a.k.a. Eminem falls just outside our top 5 rappers of all time. This Detroit, Michigan native first gained the attention of hip-hop fans with his sadistic and violent alter ego Slim Shady. The character allowed him to express his anger, with lyrics about drugs, rape, and murder, and the themes would resonate with the youth in the late 1990s. Eminems major label debut, The Slim Shady LP, was released in 1997 would receive positive reviews from critics earning a Grammy for Best Rap Album and quadruple-platinum status in album sales.