The most famous rappers in the history of hip-hop. ​Oksimiron vs Timati: who is the king of Russian hip-hop? One of a kind

The world-famous publication Billboard, which regularly publishes ratings of the richest and most successful people, has compiled a list of the best rappers in the world in the entire history of hip-hop.

The top “rappers in the world,” according to the publication, look like this:

The list of "rappers of the world" would be completely impossible without this guy. Christopher George Luthor Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie or Biggie Smalls, was born in Brooklyn, New York. His first album, Ready to Die, was included in the list of the most iconic: it was with it that the dominance of hip-hop culture in New York began, and the city itself eventually began to be called the mecca and birthplace of hip-hop.

The artist was the leader of the East Coast, who was opposed to the West Coast in the person of its leader Tupac Shakur. In 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. was killed with a firearm in a street shooting. 16 days after his death, the world saw the artist’s second album, Life After Death, which subsequently received a diamond certificate, indicating that the circulation sold more than 10 million copies.

Jay Z

Shawn Corey Carter is one of the most successful representatives of the “rappers in the world” rating. His 13 records topped the same Billboard ratings. If it weren't for the even more stunning success of The Beatles, Jay Z would have broken the absolute record for the number of albums that have achieved leading positions on the chart.

The artist began his career in the distant 1990s, at that time he performed with The Notorious B.I.G. It is noteworthy that Jay Z's style of performance is based on pure impromptu. He appeared in memorable duets with Mariah Carey and his current wife Beyoncé. At the moment, in addition to music, the artist is involved in business - he is a co-owner of several clubs and produces his own clothing line.

Marshall Bruce Mathers is an artist without whom any top rapper would be impossible. This is one of the most popular and best-selling artists in the world, including Rolling Stone magazine giving him an honorable 83rd place in the list of the 100 greatest artists in the world. The same publication awarded Eminem the title of King of Hip-Hop, and for good reason: the artist has sold more than 100 million copies of his releases worldwide.

In addition to music, Eminem is also involved in other active activities. He has his own radio station, owns a music label, acts in films and became the first rapper in the world to win an Oscar for the best track for a film (“Eighth Mile” - approx. edit.).

Rakim

William Michael Griffin Jr. in his work reflects the ideology that he was passionate about from an early age. He belonged to the Nation of Islam, whose main activity was racist attitudes towards white people and the state as a whole. The lyrics of Rakim’s songs in one way or another refer to the themes of the Islamic religion, and Allah, according to the artist himself, saved him from rash actions - fights and theft.

In his work, Rakim moves away from the improvisational technique that was popular in the 1980s. His signature style, numerous rhymes and their innovative use made him one of the first performers whose compositions sounded smooth and slow. While his colleagues on stage were full of energy, the voice of this artist, one of the top rappers, sounded jazzy, almost hypnotic. Rakim has released 7 albums (4 of which with Eric B). His album Paid in Full was included in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums.

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones is considered the most successful and outstanding artist in the hip-hop genre, the world community even awarded his album Illmatic the title of the greatest in history. The artist's releases have sold more than 25 million copies around the world. Nas owes the start of his successful career to Columbia Records, by signing a contract with which he had the opportunity to participate in the soundtrack to Oliver Stone's film Zebrahead. The artist’s talent was noticed and highly appreciated by the public, after which the star’s successful ascent began and his presence in the rankings of the best rappers in the world.

It is noteworthy that Nas for a long time had a conflict with another world-famous star, Jay Z, who claimed that Nasir’s work was fake. However, in 2005, the celebrities called a truce, and Nas signed a multimillion-dollar contract with Def Jam Records, managed by the same Jay Z.

Andre Lawrence Benjamin actively manifests himself in various creative roles: he performs as part of the popular rapper group OutKast, which he founded in 1991, plays in films, is a music producer and designer of his own line of clothing - Benjamin Bixby.

Music critics spoke warmly about the band’s work, but it was the Ms. track that brought the guys real popularity and the love of millions of people. Jackson from the album Stankonia.

The only woman who has the honor of being represented in this ranking of the best rappers.

Lauryn Noel Hill performs in the neo-soul genre and her work is a stunning success. This was confirmed by the fact that by the age of 25, the girl had won the prestigious Grammy Award 8 times.

The artist began her career as a member of the popular group The Fugees, which subsequently broke up, and the members began solo projects. Lauryn's debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill brought the performer positive reviews critics. In their opinion, the artist’s style of performance softened the boundaries between such musical genres as soul, reggae and hip-hop.

It was thanks to this album that Lauryn Hill was nominated for 10 categories for the first time in the history of the Grammy Awards and won in five of them.

Denis Coles is known as a member of the popular group Wu-Tang Clan. The stunning success of the group gave the green light to all its members, who began to release solo projects with varying degrees of popularity.

Ironman was the name of the first solo album of the artist Ghostface Killah. The album received critical acclaim and was followed by equally successful releases by Supreme Clientele and Fishscale. In 2006, the performer was awarded the title of best MC of all time by MTV and was included in the top rappers of the prestigious Billboard publication.

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is a successful hip-hop artist whose collaborations with such famous artists as Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne were highly appreciated by both the public and critics. The latter, by the way, call him the new King of the West Coast, which fully justifies his presence in the list of “rappers of the world.”

The most successful record was the third album, entitled To Pimp a Butterfly. The release was such a success that it was in first place in the list of the best albums of 2015 by such world publications as The New York Times and Rolling Stone. In addition, the artist managed to receive 7 Grammy statuettes throughout his career.

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. is considered one of the best-selling hip-hop artists. The artist began to get involved in music from early childhood and already at the age of 9 became a member of the Cash Money label. Later, Lil Wayne, in collaboration with other artists, created his own label, Young Money.

The artist’s first album, Tha Block Is Hot, received platinum status, and the next two (Lights Out and 500 Degreez) went gold. The artist's sixth album, Tha Carter III, strengthened his position in the music arena and brought even greater success in the form of 1 million copies sold in the first week of sales. The same album won best at the 51st Grammy Awards.

This is how the creators of the Billboard rating see the top rappers of all time. Interestingly, the list was criticized by hip-hop fans. For example, they were outraged by the fact that there was no place in it for the most iconic representative of the genre - Tupac Shakur.

Before becoming one of the most famous musicians, a multiple Grammy Award winner and an Oscar winner, Eminem had to go through many trials and even a suicide attempt. AiF.ru remembers the story of the king of hip-hop.

"Get Out or Stay"

The rapper grew up without a father, who left his wife of 17 years shortly after the birth of their son. And in memory of the unlucky parent, the future star has only his name Marshall Bruce Mathers III, which he eventually transformed into the pseudonym M&M, and later into the famous nickname Eminem.

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The rapper's childhood was spent on the road, which is why the modest guy didn't even have friends. And one day, in search of a good job, his mother settled in the African-American neighborhood of Detroit, where, besides them, there were only a couple of white-skinned residents. It is not surprising that the reserved boy immediately became the main target for local hooligans; they mocked his skin color, small stature, protruding ears... Soon Eminem was beaten so badly that doctors tried to bring him out of his coma for more than a week.

Eminem's usual memories of childhood go like this: “Three black guys drove past me in a car. They showed me the finger, I gave them a response, and that’s it. But they stopped the car... One came up and hit me in the face so that I fell. Then he pulled out a gun. I literally jumped out of my sneakers. I thought they needed sneakers." “I was in fourth grade and he was in sixth grade. One day he came to the toilet while I was there. He hit me in the back so hard that I fell and wet myself.” “They beat me in the bathroom, in the corridors, locked me in closets...”

After another incident, the boy’s mother decided to stay away from criminal areas and moved to Kansas City, where her brother Ronnie lived, who became Eminem’s authority and best friend. He once brought the boy Ice T’s “Reckless” record, after which the future star had a goal: to become a rapper.

Already at the age of 13, Eminem began composing rap, and soon began to take part in battles. But here, too, trouble awaited him: black MCs were sure that “whites” had no place in rap. As soon as Eminem took the microphone, they shouted at him: “Hey, you white bastard, get out and play your rock and roll!” But it was difficult to deny the talent of the young MC; gradually he began to win competitions and gained respect even among his dark-skinned peers.

“Finally I found something. You know, sometimes one guy has more girlfriends, another guy has better clothes, but none of them can do what I do. Do you know what I mean? That guy can't write like me. And then I thought: maybe now Marshall will be respected? — the singer recalled about this time.

Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Fire, water and copper pipes

Apart from his success in rap, the young man had nothing to boast about. By this time, he had already been expelled from the ninth grade, and he spent most of his time in eateries, working as a waiter. Soon, Eminem was faced with a new challenge: his beloved uncle Ronnie shot himself with a shotgun. Eminem was so shocked by what happened that he stopped rapping: inspiration was returned to him by his beloved, who gave birth in 1995 daughter Haley Jade Scott.

After this happy event, Eminem released his first album, Infinite. A couple of years later, the second record, Slim Shady, was released, which was so impressive super producer Dr. Dre that he immediately signed a contract with the white rapper. This was a turning point: the media started talking about a blond guy with bright blue eyes who read obscene text about violence and racial incorrectness. The topic of skin color still bothered the artist: “I, a white man, work in music that was invented by black people. I understand this culture and I am not going to steal anything from it. However, no one can choose where to be born or what skin color to have. Whether you're a kid from a wealthy neighborhood or a kid from the ghetto, you have no control over these circumstances. The only thing you can decide is to either get out of this situation or stay in it.”

With his daring creativity, Eminem produced the effect of a bomb exploding. However, following his fame, new troubles came to him in his personal life: his beloved wife decided to divorce, and his mother, to whom Eminem dedicated many unpleasant lines, sued her son, claiming that he caused her emotional distress and damaged her reputation.

The next test for the rapper was drugs and alcohol, which almost led him to suicide: “I just didn’t put myself in anything then. And the moment came when I wanted to give up. I was going through the darkest period of my life."

But this time Eminem found the strength to fight. As always, he returned to the scene and remains one of the most successful and influential rappers in the history of this young genre. At the same time, the star herself does not take her popularity seriously: “Fame is not what I’m looking for. I want to be respected. But, you know, fame is something that comes with respect. And I agree to it, because, you see, you can’t feed my daughter with respect. So let there be glory."

Rap is a relatively young musical direction, but it is firmly rooted in modern culture, giving birth to dozens of heroes, and is not going to disappear anywhere. It is quite difficult to choose several of the best singers and teams of the hip-hop scene, but we still dare to present the ten best rappers, which include our contemporaries and representatives of the old school who stood at the origins of rap.

Ice Cube is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, who began as a member of the group N.W.A., becoming the author of most of its songs, and then continued his career as a solo artist. AmeriKKKa's first solo album Most Wanted became an immediate hit, setting his bar below which he never fell.

Of course, the top ten rappers couldn't do without Snoop Dogg. The musician was helped to rise to the top of the hip-hop scene by his good friend Dr. Dre. He stands out from other rappers with his rather calm lyrical style of performing songs.

A representative of the old school rap, he became a symbol of the 80s hip-hop scene, and his song Mama Said Knock You Out became a true classic. LL Cool J turned out to be not only a talented rapper, but also a good actor, TV presenter and businessman who owns his own clothing brand and co-owns several record labels.

7. Kurtis Blow (Curtis Blow)

Curtis Blow became a pioneer who made rap music popular and proved that you can make money from it. It was he who became the godfather of the old school turnip. If you don't agree, let's listen to The Breaks.

6. Rakim (Rakim)

Rakim is a representative of the old school, who suddenly became famous after recording the mega hit Paid in Full, which immediately entered the top ten most popular songs on radio stations. It was his clear articulation and complex lyrics, which he perfected over weeks, that had a strong influence on the modern generation of rappers.

This is not one person, but a group that stood at the origins of hip-hop and determined the modern look of rap, which boldly combined different styles. They were the first to risk releasing an album of songs, which immediately became a hit. It was they who helped Aerosmith return to the stage by recording the song Walk This Way with them in 1986. The real old school, which has returned back to the stage, once again gathers entire halls, turning them on.

4. Eminem

The only white rapper in the top ten in the world. Dr. helped him get onto the big stage. Dre, and then everything was done by his talent, lyrics on topics that are painful for society and Eminem’s unique style of performing the text.

3. The Notorious B.I. G.

Notorious B.I. G. also known as Biggie, was the East Coast turnip king. An early death prevented him from becoming number one in the rap world, but he is still one of the legends of the hip-hop world. During the mourning, several hundred radio stations across America honored his memory with 30 seconds of silence.

2. Jay-Z

The new East Coast turnip king, rising from the bottom to a half-billion-dollar fortune. His manner and style of performance is unique, for which he is loved by millions of people around the world.

I think you've already guessed who is considered the number one rapper in the world, the king of the west coast, 2Pac. He was killed young at 25, rumored to have been ordered by Notorious B.I. G. is the king of East Coast rap, but still entered the top 100 artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million albums during his lifetime alone.

Today, no one will argue that hip-hop (or rap) has firmly broken into the world of show business and is by no means the last position in it. If previously performers in this style were mainly associated with inappropriate antics, scandals, shootings and drugs, today rap means big money.

Rap as a lifestyle

Rap culture a few decades ago was on the fringes of the world stage. It was a kind of underground movement, something new and progressive, understandable to only a few. Despite its novelty, rap over time has become a musical phenomenon, dominating among young, strong, ambitious guys, and today even girls.

To be told that you are the best rapper in the world, you need to work hard. This title must be earned. This musical movement does not require gloss and recognition from music critics; the viewer and listener determine how sharp and relevant your style is. And it is impossible to deceive or bribe this most unbiased judge.

History of rap culture

Surprisingly, one of the most popular subcultures of our time arose quite recently - in the late 60s of the last century. The place of origin is called the Bronx district in New York. It is generally accepted that rap, or rap (both spellings are correct), has become a kind of offshoot of hip-hop. The latter, in turn, originated in Jamaica and was popular among the African-American population of the island.

In the USA, only representatives of the middle class had the opportunity to attend discos. They were generally not available to black Americans. Then, in contrast to them, discos began to appear in poor areas of New York, and the music played on the dance floor was determined by the DJ, not the visitors. Using primitive equipment, the “musicians” played and arranged a certain melody, and tried to incite the crowd with a rhyming syllable. At that time, there were many newly-minted musicians who could claim the title of “The best rapper in the world.” Here are a few bright names of pioneering rappers: DJ Cool Herc, Gradmaster Flash, The Sugarhill Gang.

Legendary rappers

In 1979, radio stations played the song “Rapper’s Delight,” which is considered to be the official first-born of this style. From that moment on, record companies and famous producers turned their attention to rappers and their beats.

We present to your attention a list of legends of the rap movement:

1. Despite the fact that his career was cut short at the age of 25, he still holds the title of “America's Best Rapper” - 2 Pak. During his lifetime, Tupac Amaru Shakur sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, some of which were certified platinum several times. The performer moved in criminal circles and was prosecuted several times for rape and hooliganism. He was killed in 1996 under unclear circumstances.
2. Another rap legend is Biggie, also known as the King of the East Coast and The Notorious B.I.G. In March 1997 he was killed by unknown assailants. The police did not find the culprit. And today there is a version that his murder is revenge for the death of Tupac, for which Notorious was considered guilty.
3. Another megastar of American rap culture is Rakim. He is distinguished by the introduction of the author's style and the use of complex rhyming structures in his works.
4. Queen Latifah is the first girl to rap commercially.

American hip-hop culture today has finally emerged from the shadow of show business. Performers in this style are favorites of the public and some of the richest musicians according to Forbes magazine.

1. The title of “America's Best Rapper” is today proudly worn by the husband of the dark-skinned beauty Beyoncé, JayZ. Millions in fees, crowds of fans and worldwide fame are the reality of this from the slums. Thanks to his talent and real business acumen, Mr. Jay Z has amassed a fortune of half a billion dollars.
2. Second place in the ranking went to the blond lover of banter and witty words, Eminem.
3. Dr. Dre is a favorite of the American public and one of the luminaries of rap culture. He stood at the origins. Helped many rap artists to become popular.
4. 50 Cent has released a lot of amazing songs. All of his albums have received multi-platinum status.
5. Snoop Dogg is a world famous rapper, producer and actor.
6. Earl Simmons, aka DMX. He spent most of his life in prison, but thanks to his talent he managed to become one of the best rappers on the planet.
7. Kanie West is a rapper-philanthropist, producer, fashion designer and husband of Kim Kardashian.
8. Ice Cube is the most talented and one of the first performers in
9. PDiddy (Sean Combs) is the most influential figure in hip-hop according to Forbes magazine.

When naming the best rappers in America, it is worth mentioning such outstanding performers as Lil Wayne, Timbaland, Icon. Rap culture in the United States today has moved into a more peaceful direction; rappers from this region are less and less associated with gangsterism, violence and drugs.

The best rappers in Russia

In the USSR, the rap movement started a little later. In the late 80s, on the country's capital dance floors, DJs tried to mix already known compositions. In 1984, Sergei Minaev released a humorous composition in which the text was recited.

Over time, hip-hop culture in Russia began to gain faster momentum. The pioneers can be called Sergei Minaev, Bogdan Titomir, the group “Malchishnik”, Mister Small, Lika.

In the mid-90s, rap culture reached the masses thanks to such performers as Basta, Mikhey, and Casta.

Today, hip-hop culture has isolated itself into a separate echelon of show business and has become more widespread. And all thanks to the performer Timati. He and his production center have released several videos with famous US rappers, and today they are promoting young talented performers of this style.

According to listener polls, the title of “Best Rapper” in our country was given to performer Vasily Vakulenko, aka Basta.

3. Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known by his stage name Eminem and his alter ego Slim Shady, is a rapper, music producer, composer and actor. In addition to his solo career, Marshall is also a member of the group D12 and the hip-hop duo Bad Meets Evil.

Eminem is one of the best-selling music artists in the world, as well as the best-selling artist of the 2000s. He has been named one of the greatest musicians of all time by many magazines, including Rolling Stone, which ranked Eminem number 83 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists. The same magazine proclaimed him the King of Hip-Hop.

2. Jay Z

Shawn Corey Carter, better known as Jay-Z, is an American rapper with a net worth of over $500 million as of 2012. 13 of his albums have reached the top of the Billboard 200. This is a record for any solo artist and the second most in history after The Beatles, who had 19 albums that reached number one in the United States. Multiple Grammy Award winner.

Back in 1999, Jay-Z rapped in a song in Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker" video, which topped the Billboard Hot 100. In 2003, Jay-Z returned to the top of the US pop charts with the track "Crazy in Love", recorded with him friend and now wife of Beyoncé. He is the founder and co-owner of Roc-A-Fella Records, as well as the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, co-owner of the 40/40 Club, creator of the Rocawear clothing line and co-owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.

1. Notorious B.I.G.

Christopher George Lator Wallace (May 21, 1972, Brooklyn, New York - March 9, 1997, Los Angeles, California) was an American rapper who performed under the aliases Biggie Smalls, Frank White and, most famously, The Notorious B.I.G. He was the leader of East Coast hip-hop.

On September 13, 1994, Biggie's debut album, Ready To Die, was released and was a stunning success. The first single, "One More Chance", went platinum within weeks, and by the end of the year the album was certified triple platinum. At last count, the album sold four million copies.

The rapper's second album, Life After Death, released in 1997, won several awards, including Billboard's R'n'B Album of the Year and two ASCAP Awards. The album was released posthumously, a few weeks after Biggie's tragic death. Life After Death debuted at number one in its first weeks of release, breaking all records, and remained on the charts for many months with singles such as "Mo Money, Mo Problems" and "Sky's The Limit".

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