Lists are popular among both fans and critics. But in rap, rankings like this have a special significance: being an MC means proving you're the best, aside from engaging a crowd. Only in this music style do artists openly express their desire to outperform the competition. Here is a list of the most influential rappers from the previous few decades:
Eminem
EMINEM stands in 5th place in our list of the favorite rapper.
Eminem's current net worth is estimated to be $230 million in 2022. This makes him one of the wealthiest rappers in the world, alongside Dr. Dre, Sean Combs, Jay Z, and others.
Eminem, alias Marshall Mathers, popularly known as Slim Shady, is a Missouri-born American rapper. He is, without a doubt, the most well-known and authoritative white rapper in hip-hop history, challenging hip-hop music stereotypes.
Eminem is one of the few rappers who broke into the mainstream by delivering censor-friendly rhymes about rape, murder, and substance abuse in a tongue-twisting and thought-provoking manner. If it weren't so technically impressive, this could all be regarded as money and attention just for maintaining a successful career.
Jay-Z
Fourth place goes to JAY-Z.
Jay-Z's net worth will be approximately $1 billion by 2022, making him the wealthiest and most potent rapper and the first multimillionaire in rap music.
Initially, Jay-Z sold records from the back seat of the car. He didn't have a big contract or record deal and was anonymous, so he did everything to advertise his soundtrack.
He co-founded the music label "Roc-A-Fella" Records along with Damon Dash and Kareem Biggs, which resulted in a distribution agreement with Priority. As a result, Jay-Z was able to distribute his newest album, 'Reasonable Doubt,' in 1996.
With 14 number-one albums on the US Billboard 200, Jay-Z holds the world record for most number-one albums by any solo artist, with four Billboard Hot 100 number one hits.
Rakim
On number three, we have RAKIM.
Paid in Full, his 1987 debut with Eric B, was a giant leap in aspects of mic techniques, from its intricate internal rhyme patterns to his smooth delivery. He was street-conscious, and this is still seen in his songs like—"criminal," "intellectual," "everyman," "god," "all at the same time" — laid the groundwork for rappers ranging from Nas to Kendrick Lamar to follow today.
Kanye West
On number two stands KANYE WEST.
Kanye West's market value is expected to be around $3.2 billion in 2022.
Kanye Omari West is an Atlanta, Georgia-born American lyricist, singer, rap artist, designer, and music producer. In the early 2000s, West rose to prominence as a music producer for Roc-A-Fella Records. West's career has only increased since then, and he is now regarded as one of the most prominent artists in this hip-hop industry.
His big break came when he was hired as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he worked with singers such as Cam'Ron, Common, and Ludacris.
West started his professional career as a successful producer, but his true ambition was to become a rapper.
In 2004, he made his rapping debut with the release of his debut album, 'The College Dropout,' which sold 441,000 hardcopies in its first week.
Kendrick Lamar
The most celebrated rapper of this decade is undoubtedly KENDRICK LAMAR.
Kendrick Lamar's net wealth is $75 million yet as of 2022.
Kendrick Lamar is a highly lauded American hip-hop artist who has rapidly climbed the music industry ranks to become one of the world's most famous artists. He has worked with many other prominent players in the industry and has received several accolades for his talent.
Kendrick released his debut mixtape, 'Youngest Head Nigga in Charge,' in 2004 when he was only 16 years old, and it landed him an agreement with "Top Dawg Entertainment."
But it wasn't until 2011 that he began to gain popularity among the general public and other well-known artists. The Game, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg even nicknamed him "The New King of the West Coast."
This list may differ depending on the preferences of different people. However, these artists stand out from the rest of the hip-hop community due to their vision, drive, and innovation.
