The Source: Top 50 Lyricists

[keone]

50.50 Cent
49.Lupe Fiasco
48.Royce Da 5'9
47.Styles P
46.Rick Ross
45.Lil Kim
44.Canibus
43.DMX
42.Ludacris
41.Fabolous
40.T.I.
39.Prodigy
38.Posdnous(De La Soul)
37.Busta Rhymes
36.Lil Wayne
35.Bun B
34.Black Thought
33.Method Man
32.GZA
31.Kanye West
30.Guru
29.Snoop Dogg
28.Talib Kweli
27.Pharoahe Monch
26.Big L
25.Queen Latifah
24.Jadakiss
23.Mos Def
22.Common
21.Redman
20.Q-Tip
19.Big Pun
18.Kool G. Rap
17.The D.O.C.
16.Scarface
15.Slick Rick
14.Ice Cube
13.Andre 3000
12.Chuck D
11.LL Cool J
10.Melle Mel
9.Lauryn Hill
8.Big Daddy Kane
7.Krs-One
6.Eminem
5.2Pac
4.Jay-Z
3.Biggie
2.Nas
1.Rakim

 

[Onpoint]

No reason I stopped buying it!

 

[WhenTheGoingGetsTtuff]

I'm glad Lauryn is top 10. Not feeling Andre3thou over Big Boi. Not feelin Redman lower than 11. Nah, fuck this list.

 

[mcguyver]

I would put big daddy Kane as number 2, KRS one as number 3. Eminem should be around 11.

 

[kefta]

EM >>>>>> Krs-One, Scarface, Kool G. Rap, Big Pun, Redman, Pharoahe Monch, GZA, Black Thought, Guru, Talib Kweli, etc ... Whoever compiled this list must have been high

 

[fwillia]

No Ghost, or Rae.

 

[T-bone]

Where's MC Lyte?

 

[EchoCrash]

No reason I stopped buying it!

A WWE drug boss, criminal character is ahead of Royce.
Yeah. Nothing to see here.

Yessir

 

[Rembrandt]

lol Lauryn hill top 10? nah son that can't be life. and lil kim is on the list. and no ghostface, cam'ron, or raekwon. did this dude say big boi better than andre? you a source editor? lol

 

[LurkMode]

Lil Kim though?

 

[playahaitian]

Lil Kim though?

I think the actual LIST is good but the order was TOTALLY wrong and actually unnecessary.

And no Ghost or Rae makes this list complete bullshit...

when you either create or redefine n entire genre of rap...

who NEED to be on that list

Elhzi and the ENTIRE Hieroglyphics should get an honorable mention...

And Rick Ross police pension couldn't BUY a punchline from Royce...

Shit him and Eminem should be pretty much tied wherever you rank 'em...

And a couple of these rappers are for a fact not writing all their own rhymes...

 

[Dirtylakerie]

No Ghost, or Rae.

same thing i was thinking

 

[MYSTIC]

Where's MC Lyte?

she didn't write her own lyrics

 

[Amajorfucup]

How is Jadakiss even on this list (especially when theres no Beans, Rae, Ghost, Lyte...)???? This guy continues to be the most overrated mofo in hip hop history.

 

[EchoCrash]

I think the actual LIST is good but the order was TOTALLY wrong and actually unnecessary.

And no Ghost or Rae makes this list complete bullshit...

when you either create or redefine n entire genre of rap...

who NEED to be on that list

Elhzi and the ENTIRE Hieroglyphics should get an honorable mention...

And Rick Ross police pension couldn't BUY a punchline from Royce...

Shit him and Eminem should be pretty much tied wherever you rank 'em...

And a couple of these rappers are for a fact not writing all their own rhymes...

Thank you good sir.
*exits stage left like Randy Watson*

Yessir

 

[havelcok]

No budden?

 

[M3MD]

I'm glad Lauryn is top 10. Not feeling Andre3thou over Big Boi. Not feelin Redman lower than 11. Nah, fuck this list.

You must of never really listened to OutKast then....

 

[fwillia]

How is Jadakiss even on this list (especially when theres no Beans, Rae, Ghost, Lyte...)???? This guy continues to be the most overrated mofo in hip hop history.

Those ADD-havin' 16's and that monotone flow .

 

[Darrkman]

Question for the entire thread. Where would you rank Chuck D in this list? I've always felt he was a better lyricist than he gets credit for but I also know that I have a real soft spot for Public Enemy and may not be rational.

 

[Swizz Heat]

13. Andre 3000

Yeah, I'm gonna have to say bullshit list, way to high for Andre. Someone has a crush on dude to put him that high. So Andre is above Common. No Ghostface!?!

 

[Mr. Met]

Fuck this list.

 

[fwillia]

Yeah, I'm gonna have to say bullshit list, way to high for Andre. Someone has a crush on dude to put him that high. So Andre is above Common. No Ghostface!?!

He's #2 on my personal list of favorite rappers/lyricists, but admittedly I don't listen to or enjoy rap that was released before 93/94.

 

[bdquest9]

The Source has no credibility when it comes to Hip Hop, now. To have KRS 1 at #7, Black Thought# 34, Canibus #44???? Lyrical content

 

[jwilliam85]

Why is Lauren Hill even mentioned if thier not gonna mention her ghost writers.

 

[WhenTheGoingGetsTtuff]

I've listened to outkasts entire collection their whole career. And in my view 3thou is not better than Big Boi.

 

[Jerome Peterson]

At LEAST they got Rakim Allah right.

As soon as I saw him at #1, I just said /Thread.

 

[Charlemagne]

I think the actual LIST is good but the order was TOTALLY wrong and actually very necessary to get us on BGOL and everybody else in the hiphop interwebs talking about it.

corrected.

 

[Chase Bannon]

How is Jay-Z in the top 10? He isn't better than Andre 3k or Em. He probably shouldn't be in the top 20. I give him credit for longevity, but he doesn't have stimulating lyrics. All he did was repeat that he is the greatest, and we know psychologically (just like Republicans do) if you say it enough in the position for everyone to hear, the people will believe you.

 

[playahaitian]

I've listened to outkasts entire collection their whole career. And in my view 3thou is not better than Big Boi.

That dude is one of the most underrated rappers,ever.

 

[emquise19]

no Tech n9ne? niggas sleeping

 

[the1nonlyr]

No Ghost, No Rae, Lupe behind Luda and at least 40 other terrible things about this list. This list might be better titled "49 other randomly placed MCs on a list and Rakim."

 

[IT IS WHAT IT IS]

 

[cnc]

No Phonte; Lil Kim, Fabolous and Bun B on the list = EPIC GODDAMN FAIL OF A LIST.

 

[cnc]

Why is Lauren Hill even mentioned if thier not gonna mention her ghost writers.

Ive always thought her entire career was overrated as hell

 

[TooTrilla]

Scarface 16?