The Top Hip Hop Music Artists of All Time
A countdown of the greatest rappers and hip hop artists of all time, including Eminem, Jay-Z, Tupac, and more.
Introduction
Hip hop music, also known as rap music, is a genre of music that originated in the United States in the 1970s. Hip hop is a style of music that consists of a rhythmic rhyming lyrics that are chanted or rapped over a backing track of Instrumentals. The lyrical content of hip hop often focuses on social issues such as poverty, crime, and violence. Hip hop music has become one of the most popular genres of music in the world, with artists such as Eminem, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg selling millions of records.
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur is one of the most influential hip hop artists of all time. His music has been credited for changing the landscape of the genre, and his lyrics have been praised for their poetic beauty and social commentary. Tupac’s life was cut tragically short when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in 1996, but his legacy continues to live on through his music.
The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G. is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His debut album, Ready to Die, is considered a classic, and his second album, Life After Death, is one of the best-selling hip hop albums of all time. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Biggie began selling drugs at an early age before turning to rap. He was signed to Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs’ record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993 and released his debut album the following year. Biggie’s lyrics were often dark and violent, but they were also clever and funny, and he quickly became one of the most popular rappers in the world. He was shot and killed in 1997 at the age of 24.
Eminem
Eminem is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Born in Missouri in 1972, Eminem has released ten studio albums since 1996. He has had numerous hits, including “Lose Yourself,” “Not Afraid,” “Love the Way You Lie,” and “Stan.” Eminem is also a member of the rap group D12. In addition to his solo work, he has collaborated with many other artists, including Dr. Dre, Skylar Grey, and Rihanna.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. Dre was previously co-owner of Death Row Records. He has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game, Kendrick Lamar, and Anderson .Paak.
Dre began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin’ Cru in 1985. In 1986, he met fellow rapper Ice Cube and collaborated with him on songs for Ruthless Records. When gangsta rap became the focus of West Coast hip hop, Dre began producing tracks for N.W.A., where he gained prominence as co-producer of their seminal album Straight Outta Compton (1988). As a solo artist, he has released three studio albums: The Chronic (1992), 2001 (1999), and Compton (2015).
Jay-Z
Jay-Z is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is one of the most successful musicians of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. He has won 22 Grammy Awards and is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Nas
Nas is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer, actor and entrepreneur. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums and has sold over 25 million records worldwide. He is also an occasional actor, having appeared in the films Belly, Ticker and Southpaw.
Outkast
Formed in 1991 in East Point, Georgia, Outkast was originally made up of rappers André “André 3000” Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton. The duo’s debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, was released in 1994 and featured the singles “Player’s Ball” and “Git Up, Git Out.” The album went platinum, propelling the group to fame. Outkast’s subsequent albums Aquemini (1998), Stankonia (2000), Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) and Idlewild (2006) were all huge commercial successes, earning a total of six Grammy Awards. Big Boi and André 3000 remain active as solo artists; their most recent album releases are Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) and Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (2012), respectively.
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer, rapper, record producer, and actress. She is best known for being a member of the Fugees and for her critically acclaimed solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
50 Cent
50 Cent is an American rapper, actor, businessman, and investor. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of the borough of Queens, Jackson began selling drugs at an early age during the 1980s. He later began pursuing a musical career and in 2000 he produced Power of the Dollar for Columbia Records, but days before the planned release he was shot nine times in front of his grandmother’s property. After Jackson released the compilation album Guess Who’s Back? in 2002, he was discovered by Eminem and signed to Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.
