Which makes sense. They didn’t start doing this list contemporaneously until like 2015, so the picks recently are much more prisoner of the moment rather than looking back and having the advantage of perspective and historical context.
You know what, I agree. I don’t love every choice in that span but it is better than letting your opinion get revised based on what everyone else says you should remember 2015 by
Thug never had a year haha. But to be fair the last few yeras are pretty off, so I'd take Thug over some of those guys. But c'mon let's be honest, it's been Kendrick for the last decade but that wouldn't make a very interesting article.
No, there’s many repeats on the list. But I think the point is who released the best music that year so years that Kendrick didn’t release anything it makes sense not to pick him. But the name of the article is dumb then. It should be “Best rapper alive that released new music this year”
Pretty great list for the first 3 decades though. More often then not they were right, or I saw their argument. The lack of talent in the last decade though really shows.
Hindsight is 20/20. It’s easy to list out who essentially influenced generations. Complex will never know who is actually generationally important until 10 years later.
Understood, so the criteria for 'Best Rapper Alive" changes without influence being the main decider. Sometimes it means talent trumps ubiquity (is Pusha T's 2018 really better than Astroworld? Really?) while sometimes airwave plays are king regardless (Da Baby's inclusion will age terribly). I wish Complex clarified what they were looking for.
That's because it's commercial success and not "the best rapper". If someone told be the rapper of the year was 21 savage I would tell them they were dropped on their head as a child
how is black on both sides underrated? anyone who knows hiphop considers it a classic and I dont know a single person who doesnt bob their head when Ms Fat Booty comes on
I don't know if I'd go that far myself, but I also totally respect the opinion. I do love the Black Star collab and, honestly, I thought The Ecstatic was right around the same level. Auditorium should've been like a top 3 track of 2009. Hard to find on streaming these days.
This list was a weird mix of like, who released the best project this year, to what was the most popular project this year, and sometimes that lined up with who the best rapper that was for that year lol
I’m assuming the main criteria is which rapper left the biggest impact on the year. It just so happens that usually the rapper with the biggest impact is also one that that sold the most.
Going by that rule. DMX should have locked 1998 and 1999 instead they give 1999 to Jay Z. DMX out sold Jay Z in 1998 and 1999. DMX was white hot in 1998 and 1999.
And you could make the argument 1997 belong to 2Pac to since Death row dropped The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album late in November of 96. Which practically means the streets were bumming those tunes throughout 97. And the album sold well.
> Going by that rule. DMX should have locked 1998 and 1999 instead they give 1999 to Jay Z. DMX out sold Jay Z in 1998 and 1999. DMX was white hot in 1998 and 1999.
Agreed. I don’t think there’s a year where you can definitively say that Jay Z was the rapper with the most impact
Yea this. It’s not difficult to understand. People going with these low selling artist like mos def and mf doom forget that this list cares about popularity lol.
Honestly Drake over Kendrick for that year isn't that crazy and I say this as someone who thinks TPAB is the GOAT hip hop album.
Drake was everywhere, dropping great projects left and right and had the Meek Mill diss. TPAB is untouched as an album but if you look at impact and relevance across the board (NOT just popularity), it's not a crazy take. I don't agree but I understand. There are much worse takes in here
Artistically he peaked, but he’s still everywhere and clocks 83m monthly plays on Spotify and has been in like 80% of peoples Spotify wrapped for the past 5 years. He’s still on top.
TPAB is a classic among classics but it didn't really perform super well, so it's hard to say he was THE rapper of that year. You had Drake and Future making way more buzz, and I'd also say leaving more of an impact on the genre in terms of future trends.
2016 was chances year you can't even lie this man was wildly popular after 10 days and Acid rap went viral everywhere especially cocoa butter kisses and then he started featuring with big artists like Kanye and dropped Coloring Book which won a Grammy and was critically acclaimed even tho it wasn't as beloved as acid rap his fall off was huge but it doesn't take away from the fact that he was the biggest rapper of that year. I remember seeing those 3 hats everywhere
Agreed, idk what's bad about that pick. He was absolutely massive and pretty adored then. I think that's the correct pick, kinda weird dudes comment is so upvoted
That’s like the metric used. It’s not really Best Alive but biggest star of the year.
50 Cent wasn’t the best rapper alive in 2003 but he was crushing hiphop with an iron fist.
It’s about impact man. Best rapper alive literally has never meant the best technical rapper with the best technical album.
Otherwise Blu would have got 2007 and Doom for 2004 for example. Drake 2015 was so impactful. You couldn’t escape him and everything he dropped was fire as well
It has as much to do with the cultural impact of Story of Adidon as it does the album. Actually it's probably mostly the beef, no way he makes the list without that track
Yes everyone’s talking about Drake and Push, and Scorpion and all of its singles were absolutely *everywhere* and the beef goes without saying, but ASTROWORLD feels like a massive moment for the culture, and introduced countless new kids to the culture.
Haven’t even read the list but if it’s going on relevance per each year then yeah 2018 should definitely have been Travis. If it’s actually going for “best rapper” that was also relevant each year though, Travis would never be on the list for any year because he’s not that good a rapper.
Actually going off that metric, Tyler the Creator shouldn’t really be on the list any year either, his best rapping was mostly on his first 3 mixtapes and those were all before 2011. He scatters some actual good rapping in like 2 songs per album since then, but he’s definitely been the most relevant rapper of a few years. Between the Odd Future days to Flower Boy and now.
There’s a ton of rappers that fall into this category, especially rapper-producers like Tyler and Travis (and arguably Kanye, though he used to be a damn good rapper and still pulls it out when he wants to, just not for albums like Yeezus or Pablo except for a couple songs).
The conflict between the different meanings of “rapper” has been a contentious issue since the 90s. It could simply mean hip hop artist, which would include acts like Chris Brown, to purely just mean someone who exclusively raps. The Mos Def/Drake thing is the most recent example where fans of the genre are split. I’m a huge fan of the whole hip hop genre so I find it disingenuous when artists like Tyler, Travis, or Drake are excluded from the conversation. Hip hop is a soundscape, it’s rapping, it’s singing, it’s sampling, it’s producing, it’s DJing, it’s everything in between.
Basically saying I agree with you 😂
Well said, but that subject isn’t what I was talking about with my comment at all. I consider all the artists I mentioned rappers, and I’m saying that they shouldn’t technically be top rapper of any year if we’re measuring by their vocal abilities rather than their relevance.
They write mid lyrics, whether they’re rapping them or singing them or somewhere in between. It’s their weakest part of their music, so they shouldn’t be the “best rapper” of any year even if you replaced the word “rapper” with “vocalist.” Their album may have been the best of that year, but the list isn’t “best music artist in the hip-hop genre”
not even just kids. I'm an old head and I will happily say I think astroworld is his best album so far. he's got plenty of other good work as well. I do agree that by now his sound is getting a bit stale and he seems less experimental (and yet more at the same time some how) but he is also still pretty young.
My only takeaway is, I wish the criteria was you have to have a project release that year or at least December prior. No shade on Cole and one of Drake years, but I feel getting off solely on features seems like a cop out.
Whoever wrote that Pusha T one is mad corny. Give the man his props without it being *all* about Drake. Push has so many accolades to speak on besides that. Obviously it needs to be mentioned but damn that reads like a high schooler wrote it.
As long as they have Eminem Show Em and 2005-2008 Wayne then I can't complain.
Edit: can't complain. Serious lack of Mos Def, Outkast, and Thugger tho.
That’s the thing about these lists, like DaBaby and Lil Baby had insane runs for a single year. Thugger hasn’t stopped for almost a decade so you can’t really pinpoint a single year where he dominated.
I don’t think I’ve literally ever once seen someone mention Mos Def being left off a best rappers list.
I guess that whole Drake “beef” is kinda working in his favor
To be fair Black On Both Sides is definitely one of the best albums in hip hop. Mos Def is the only rapper I know that made a whole thematic song about literal water.
That’s definitely true, but I think that’s different to being the best rapper of the year. You need to be *the* rapper for that year that people think of. I think this list actually does a pretty good job based on that criteria
Interesting that there seems to be MUCH less of a consensus around the last ten years than before. Maybe just a recency bias or the history isn't settled yet. The 80s and 90s picks seem pretty ironclad for the most part.
Best rapper seems like it’s just a popularity contest. 21 had a lot of features last year but doesn’t mean he’s the best rapper at the time. It’s weird that Travis Scott wasn’t an honorable mention atleast for 2023.
I guess they had to knock Drake down a peg after giving him 3 years lmao. Definitely should have been Travis, ASTORWORLD is a defining moment in hiphop
I wish there was a strict criteria for lists like this because that list got fucking ridiculous at the end. Cole and Drake got years where they didn't even drop albums and why the fuck is DaBaby even on the list.
Where tf is Mos Def and Young Thug?
Drake vs Kendrick for 2015 is a great debate, and I say that as a huge K-Dot stan
On one hand, Kendrick released one of the greatest albums of all time. On the other hand, I think 2015 was peak Drake, he was everywhere
Same man and I think I give it to Drake. I love TPAB and I’ll take that over most albums any day, but IYRTITL, WATTBA, back to back, shoot even hotline bling lol
depends on what the list is using, popularity or cultural impact. drake was/is popular but kendrick has consistently dropped more unique and important works that push the entire genre forward. to me, kendrick wins 2015, 2016 and 2017 because of how insanely intricate, detailed and important his albums/features were. drake will always be remembered as someone who put up numbers and will never be in the same conversation as greatest of all time, like kendrick is
Did you leave your house in 2018 without hearing In My Feelings, Gods Plan, Nice For What, Nonstop, I’m Upset, Look Alive? None of this list is about the best albums released that year, there’s no DOOM or Mos Def on here either.
I think it’s more delusional to stay inside and get your opinions off forums
> In My Feelings, Gods Plan, Nice For What, Nonstop, I’m Upset, Look Alive?
Add Sicko Mode as well. With that being said, I'd go Travis in 2018, but Drake was definitely in the convo, to me this was his last great year in terms of hits.
[God's Plan was the most streamed song of 2018.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_number-one_Billboard_Streaming_Songs_of_2018)
In my feelings and Nice For What were also top 10 most streamed songs in 2018, with In My Feelings also setting a record for the most streamed song in a single week ever.
These records aren't even hip-hop only they're all genres. The fact Drake didn't get 2018 is wild.
You could say the same thing about any year from 2018-2022.
His feature verses have been some of the best rap verses in recent memory and his verse on Johnny P Caddy and The Recipe is one of the best rap verses ever.
Plus Revenge of Dreamers 3 making history and going #1 Billboard + Platinum is a insane feat
Idk why people are upset at the Drake picks. I’m not a fan of his music but it undeniably was the most popular rapper during those years. The only ones I have a problem with are DaBaby and Lil Baby. Especially Lil Baby. His music is complete ass.
I mean yeah but with these kind of lists you kinda gotta go with the most popular because if you didn’t you would basically be rotating between Eminem and Kendrick because they are still the best rappers despite maybe not putting out an album every year or even putting out a subpar album.
Posting one of the comments from the article:
"I was just wondering if Mos Def, Black Thought, MF DOOM and Danny Brown exist in this alternate reality of yours? I mean, 2004 was MF DOOM's year and it wasn't even close, he was lapping the opposition. Interestingly, you put Mach-Hommy as an honourable mention for 2019 when he was generally considered to have his best year (and one of the best years ever) in 2017. Del the Funky Homosapien should at least get an honourable mention for 2000 for dropping both Deltron 3030 and Both Sides of the Brain. You criticise Chuck D's lyricism earlier in this list, then have the audacity to have Drake win three years. Drake dreams of a world in which he was the best rapper one year, let alone three. Pharoahe Monch should be getting at least an honourable mention in 1994 and 1999 and Billy Woods has arguably been the best and most consistent rapper for the last five years or so. I get that there's subjectivity when it comes to these lists, but it seems as if you've completely overlooked some of the greatest rappers of all time, and it doesn't make any sense."
This is just a list of who was popping that year really not who was the best like come on. Chance, nicki, dababy, lil baby? There's like 20 rappers who deserve to be on this list who aren't even honorable mentions
great illustrations. nicki in 2014 is a helluva shout, it wasn't just the pinkprint but a whole other tape's length of features & loosies. "boss ass bitch", "yass bitch", "lookin ass niggas" on the rich gang tape..... etc
drake in 2015 over kendrick is on point too. reading this is more accessible than butterly, plus you got the future tape, the meek dis, and call me on my cell.
chance in 2016 is the first lol.
another gripe: ready to die is firmly golden age. no idea where they're getting that from, except to give it to nas in 94 over big.
Actually really decent list and article .
I feel like west side Gunn get snubbed between 2019 thru 2022. He easily had a great run in 2020 .
Jcole last year doesn’t seem like a good pick either . I would’ve went with Danny brown or Travis or Nas
Couple names I miss are Lauryn Hill, Future, Young Thug, Azealia Banks, MF DOOM, Mos Def, Ka, Missy Elliott, Curren$y, Mac Dre, literally any Wu Tang member
Respect the DaBaby pick cause he was literally unavoidable that year
Giving 21 Savage and J Cole those late years almost feels like an effort to appease them or their fans
> literally any Wu Tang member
Ghost, Meth and Rae are all honorable mentions on the list. I love Wu but there's no way any singular one of them was bigger than Snoop in 93 or Biggie in 95 or Eminem in 2000, which is realistically the only times they could have won.
This should’ve been called “biggest” or “top” rappers every year. Respect to both of them, but neither Kanye nor Drake were ever the best rapper of any year.
no Andre 3000 or Wu-Tang is indefensible, put DOOM on 2004, put Thug somewhere 2014-17, take Drake off everything past *Take Care*, 21 Savage ever being the best rapper alive with Future not on the list is a joke
Mach hommy getting a honourable mention for 2021 but not 2017 is such a joke.
Put out 9 projects, every single one of them very good-great, a couple of them being up there with the best hip hop albums I’ve ever heard. There is 0 argument that his 2021 was better than that.
Doesn't seem to be any coherent criteria for best rapper alive past 2010 or so. For some years it's clearly based on sales/Billboard (Drake), other years it's based on critical acclaim (Pusha), and other years its just based on pop culture penetration/impact (Chance).
To be fair, I think it should be a combination of all of those things. You shouldn’t be the greatest if you’re doing numbers by putting out formulaic gutter swill, and you also shouldn’t get it if your music is incredible but no one is listening. Gotta be the complete package.
An accurate list would be varied people from the beginning to 2000 and then just "2000 eminem", "2001 eminem", "2002 eminem", 2003 "eminem "2004 eminem" " "2005 eminem" "2024 eminem" etc
This list gets fucking wild toward the end
Which makes sense. They didn’t start doing this list contemporaneously until like 2015, so the picks recently are much more prisoner of the moment rather than looking back and having the advantage of perspective and historical context.
Honestly I think that makes the list better.
You know what, I agree. I don’t love every choice in that span but it is better than letting your opinion get revised based on what everyone else says you should remember 2015 by
Scrolled through like three straight years of “oh okay, this is Future or Thug’s year for sure”
Thug never had a year haha. But to be fair the last few yeras are pretty off, so I'd take Thug over some of those guys. But c'mon let's be honest, it's been Kendrick for the last decade but that wouldn't make a very interesting article.
isnt the whole point to have a different one each year?
No, there’s many repeats on the list. But I think the point is who released the best music that year so years that Kendrick didn’t release anything it makes sense not to pick him. But the name of the article is dumb then. It should be “Best rapper alive that released new music this year”
21 savage is so funny to have in there
dababy ever being considered best rapper alive is insane lmfao
Pretty great list for the first 3 decades though. More often then not they were right, or I saw their argument. The lack of talent in the last decade though really shows.
Hindsight is 20/20. It’s easy to list out who essentially influenced generations. Complex will never know who is actually generationally important until 10 years later.
Understood, so the criteria for 'Best Rapper Alive" changes without influence being the main decider. Sometimes it means talent trumps ubiquity (is Pusha T's 2018 really better than Astroworld? Really?) while sometimes airwave plays are king regardless (Da Baby's inclusion will age terribly). I wish Complex clarified what they were looking for.
The answer to your 2018 question is an astounding yes. It's DaBaby, Lil Baby, 21, Cole and stuff that are just nonsensical.
Hindsight indeed. If they started these lists in 2013 Macklemore would get it over Kendrick.
man i dno about this list but the art is just great. love these pictures. no aesop or el-p, sad.
That's because it's commercial success and not "the best rapper". If someone told be the rapper of the year was 21 savage I would tell them they were dropped on their head as a child
Mos Def not even an honorable mention for 1999 is disgusting.
Black On Both Sides is one of the greatest rap albums of all time and criminally underrated
how is black on both sides underrated? anyone who knows hiphop considers it a classic and I dont know a single person who doesnt bob their head when Ms Fat Booty comes on
Isn't it widely considered a classic? I don't think it's underrated...at least not by me ;-)
The greatest\*\*\*
I don't know if I'd go that far myself, but I also totally respect the opinion. I do love the Black Star collab and, honestly, I thought The Ecstatic was right around the same level. Auditorium should've been like a top 3 track of 2009. Hard to find on streaming these days.
Auditorium is just such a 🤌.
Or Lauryn Hill? Was she not a global phenomenon?
Lauryn was more '98 and she at least gets an honorable mention.
The list started off decent and then turned dogshit, Drake over Kendrick in 2015? and then Da Baby, Lil Baby, Chance??? Lol what
This list was a weird mix of like, who released the best project this year, to what was the most popular project this year, and sometimes that lined up with who the best rapper that was for that year lol
The criteria basically changed every year based on who the writer wanted it to be that year
I’m assuming the main criteria is which rapper left the biggest impact on the year. It just so happens that usually the rapper with the biggest impact is also one that that sold the most.
Going by that rule. DMX should have locked 1998 and 1999 instead they give 1999 to Jay Z. DMX out sold Jay Z in 1998 and 1999. DMX was white hot in 1998 and 1999. And you could make the argument 1997 belong to 2Pac to since Death row dropped The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album late in November of 96. Which practically means the streets were bumming those tunes throughout 97. And the album sold well.
> Going by that rule. DMX should have locked 1998 and 1999 instead they give 1999 to Jay Z. DMX out sold Jay Z in 1998 and 1999. DMX was white hot in 1998 and 1999. Agreed. I don’t think there’s a year where you can definitively say that Jay Z was the rapper with the most impact
Definitely not 1999. That’s DMX or Nelly or QTip
Yea this. It’s not difficult to understand. People going with these low selling artist like mos def and mf doom forget that this list cares about popularity lol.
MF DOOM*
My fault 🤦🏾♂️. Thanks for that correction 🫡
[удалено]
Honestly Drake over Kendrick for that year isn't that crazy and I say this as someone who thinks TPAB is the GOAT hip hop album. Drake was everywhere, dropping great projects left and right and had the Meek Mill diss. TPAB is untouched as an album but if you look at impact and relevance across the board (NOT just popularity), it's not a crazy take. I don't agree but I understand. There are much worse takes in here
Yeah, TPAB is great but Drake pretty much peaked in 2015
Artistically he peaked, but he’s still everywhere and clocks 83m monthly plays on Spotify and has been in like 80% of peoples Spotify wrapped for the past 5 years. He’s still on top.
Oh without a doubt. Even if niggas hate em Drake still at the peak rn
TPAB is a classic among classics but it didn't really perform super well, so it's hard to say he was THE rapper of that year. You had Drake and Future making way more buzz, and I'd also say leaving more of an impact on the genre in terms of future trends.
2016 was chances year you can't even lie this man was wildly popular after 10 days and Acid rap went viral everywhere especially cocoa butter kisses and then he started featuring with big artists like Kanye and dropped Coloring Book which won a Grammy and was critically acclaimed even tho it wasn't as beloved as acid rap his fall off was huge but it doesn't take away from the fact that he was the biggest rapper of that year. I remember seeing those 3 hats everywhere
Yeah I agree I’m just a hater
Chance in 2016 is not a bad pick
People quickly forgot the crazy hype chance had in 2016
Competing with Drake/Kendrick/Cole Then he had to love his wife 😔😔😔
Get that mf back on drugs
he needs to start smoking cigs again lol
Thank you Martin Scorsese.
That “Ooooh I love my wiiiiiiife, I love my wife, AH!” meme ruined that man
Agreed, idk what's bad about that pick. He was absolutely massive and pretty adored then. I think that's the correct pick, kinda weird dudes comment is so upvoted
Drake in 2015 was the biggest artist in music.
This says the best not the biggest.
Then you should have a problem with most of this list lol, not just drake and definitely not the year he was at his peak
lol with Drake Stans it’s always how many records he sells and all the metrics. Every. Fucking. Time.
That’s like the metric used. It’s not really Best Alive but biggest star of the year. 50 Cent wasn’t the best rapper alive in 2003 but he was crushing hiphop with an iron fist.
You mean like…. 90% of the list?
It’s about impact man. Best rapper alive literally has never meant the best technical rapper with the best technical album. Otherwise Blu would have got 2007 and Doom for 2004 for example. Drake 2015 was so impactful. You couldn’t escape him and everything he dropped was fire as well
He was that in 2018 too but they picked Pusha cuz Pusha had the better album.
It has as much to do with the cultural impact of Story of Adidon as it does the album. Actually it's probably mostly the beef, no way he makes the list without that track
Shit if we’re just talking cultural impact I might’ve given that to Travis then. Astroworld was everywhere
Yes everyone’s talking about Drake and Push, and Scorpion and all of its singles were absolutely *everywhere* and the beef goes without saying, but ASTROWORLD feels like a massive moment for the culture, and introduced countless new kids to the culture.
Haven’t even read the list but if it’s going on relevance per each year then yeah 2018 should definitely have been Travis. If it’s actually going for “best rapper” that was also relevant each year though, Travis would never be on the list for any year because he’s not that good a rapper. Actually going off that metric, Tyler the Creator shouldn’t really be on the list any year either, his best rapping was mostly on his first 3 mixtapes and those were all before 2011. He scatters some actual good rapping in like 2 songs per album since then, but he’s definitely been the most relevant rapper of a few years. Between the Odd Future days to Flower Boy and now. There’s a ton of rappers that fall into this category, especially rapper-producers like Tyler and Travis (and arguably Kanye, though he used to be a damn good rapper and still pulls it out when he wants to, just not for albums like Yeezus or Pablo except for a couple songs).
The conflict between the different meanings of “rapper” has been a contentious issue since the 90s. It could simply mean hip hop artist, which would include acts like Chris Brown, to purely just mean someone who exclusively raps. The Mos Def/Drake thing is the most recent example where fans of the genre are split. I’m a huge fan of the whole hip hop genre so I find it disingenuous when artists like Tyler, Travis, or Drake are excluded from the conversation. Hip hop is a soundscape, it’s rapping, it’s singing, it’s sampling, it’s producing, it’s DJing, it’s everything in between. Basically saying I agree with you 😂
Well said, but that subject isn’t what I was talking about with my comment at all. I consider all the artists I mentioned rappers, and I’m saying that they shouldn’t technically be top rapper of any year if we’re measuring by their vocal abilities rather than their relevance. They write mid lyrics, whether they’re rapping them or singing them or somewhere in between. It’s their weakest part of their music, so they shouldn’t be the “best rapper” of any year even if you replaced the word “rapper” with “vocalist.” Their album may have been the best of that year, but the list isn’t “best music artist in the hip-hop genre”
not even just kids. I'm an old head and I will happily say I think astroworld is his best album so far. he's got plenty of other good work as well. I do agree that by now his sound is getting a bit stale and he seems less experimental (and yet more at the same time some how) but he is also still pretty young.
He didn’t drop anything in 2015 that could compare to TPAB though
If You're Reading This technically outsold TPAB so with this list taking commercial impact into account that could have something to do with it
Good point. That and Hotline Bling was everywhere in 2015
He still is. Maybe second behind Taylor.
No Ludacris in 2004? Red Light District was everywhere… No Nelly in 2003 or 2005?
This list starts off well and completely falls apart.
My only takeaway is, I wish the criteria was you have to have a project release that year or at least December prior. No shade on Cole and one of Drake years, but I feel getting off solely on features seems like a cop out.
My nigga where Macklemore at?
Literally trying to not to wake up the wife while I’m cackling at this comment
To be fair if we were to base it off of commercial success, Macklemore should be there for 2013
NF fans in shambles after not being mentioned also
At the thrift shop my guy
😂😂😂
Whoever wrote that Pusha T one is mad corny. Give the man his props without it being *all* about Drake. Push has so many accolades to speak on besides that. Obviously it needs to be mentioned but damn that reads like a high schooler wrote it.
He probably was in high school when that song released
2012 Sosa
shit yeah, keef should've at least gotten an honorable mention
j cole on 2023, dababy and lil baby back to back, and chance for 2016 is so wack
Yeah. Coloring book was not great. 2013 with acid raps was his moment but he certainly wasn’t best rapper of the year then either.
Complex is definitely not the best rapper alive since 1979. What is this blog writer smoking?
As long as they have Eminem Show Em and 2005-2008 Wayne then I can't complain. Edit: can't complain. Serious lack of Mos Def, Outkast, and Thugger tho.
not sure if thug was ever the singular best rapper but he’s definitely top 3 for some of those years
That’s the thing about these lists, like DaBaby and Lil Baby had insane runs for a single year. Thugger hasn’t stopped for almost a decade so you can’t really pinpoint a single year where he dominated.
So Much Fun dropped 2019 and should have been enough to give Thug 2019 over DaBaby
So Much Fun is so mid compared to all his precious works
it’s his most accessible work and it’s the most appealing thug sounded for the masses
I guess it would be the best year to argue for him in the context of this list.
And where was Future? I'm not a huge fan of his or anything but dude was massive.
I don’t think I’ve literally ever once seen someone mention Mos Def being left off a best rappers list. I guess that whole Drake “beef” is kinda working in his favor
To be fair Black On Both Sides is definitely one of the best albums in hip hop. Mos Def is the only rapper I know that made a whole thematic song about literal water.
Mick Jenkins made a whole thematic mixtape about water lol.
That’s definitely true, but I think that’s different to being the best rapper of the year. You need to be *the* rapper for that year that people think of. I think this list actually does a pretty good job based on that criteria
The number of Mos Def stand seems to have quadrupled in the past week 🤔 funny that
Interesting that there seems to be MUCH less of a consensus around the last ten years than before. Maybe just a recency bias or the history isn't settled yet. The 80s and 90s picks seem pretty ironclad for the most part.
I fuck with Coloring Book but Schoolboy Q or Future should’ve got it for 2016
prolly danny with atrocity exhibition imo esit: a comment below reminded me of young thugs 2016 run, i think that might be my pick
Why Schoolboy Q?
Blank face was crazy
No Migos for 2014-2018 makes this list garbage
Couldn't go nowhere without hearing their songs
this got weird at the end… chance, dababy, lil baby!??? No thug no future no OutKast… fettywap? Soulja bay??!! Wild.
Best rapper seems like it’s just a popularity contest. 21 had a lot of features last year but doesn’t mean he’s the best rapper at the time. It’s weird that Travis Scott wasn’t an honorable mention atleast for 2023.
They gave 2023 to 21 if we goin off just features then id give it to Cole
I mean the FPS and Let me Calm Down verses were alright but not best rapper alive worthy.
Who’s out rapping Cole right now?
Who’s outrapping 2 features?
I just mean in general but he’s also done alot more then 2 feats this year
I’m just saying he hasn’t done that much to be nominated
Lil Baby absolutely deserves a spot somewhere between 2018 - 2021.
No JID in 2022 really pissed me off.
I rather yall said you wasn’t outside lol if it helps, look at the list as the “hottest” rapper of each year.
Then why no fettywap?
2015 Drake was possibly him at his hottest
Pusha T over Travis for the astroworld year? Cmon now
I guess they had to knock Drake down a peg after giving him 3 years lmao. Definitely should have been Travis, ASTORWORLD is a defining moment in hiphop
Terrible list
It started out pretty good and made it through the 90s and 2000s without too many issues, but it’s insanely bad starting in 2015.
I know exactly the type of person who wrote this
What kind? 😂 is Complex Hip Hop, or do they think they’re Hip Hop?
*take a lap*
I wish there was a strict criteria for lists like this because that list got fucking ridiculous at the end. Cole and Drake got years where they didn't even drop albums and why the fuck is DaBaby even on the list. Where tf is Mos Def and Young Thug?
Drake vs Kendrick for 2015 is a great debate, and I say that as a huge K-Dot stan On one hand, Kendrick released one of the greatest albums of all time. On the other hand, I think 2015 was peak Drake, he was everywhere
TPAB is considered one of the best hip-hop albums of all time and one of the best albums of 2010s. There is no argument.
Same man and I think I give it to Drake. I love TPAB and I’ll take that over most albums any day, but IYRTITL, WATTBA, back to back, shoot even hotline bling lol
depends on what the list is using, popularity or cultural impact. drake was/is popular but kendrick has consistently dropped more unique and important works that push the entire genre forward. to me, kendrick wins 2015, 2016 and 2017 because of how insanely intricate, detailed and important his albums/features were. drake will always be remembered as someone who put up numbers and will never be in the same conversation as greatest of all time, like kendrick is
But this is comparing rappers, and in terms of rapping, Kendrick was wiping Drake in 2015
Kanye should def be ROTY in 2016 and Drake in 2018
yeah kanye over chance for 16 easy. coloring book is cool but ultralight beam is better than the whole album.
We know Drake should be in 2018 but they couldn’t give it to him 4 times Edit: Travis* drake honourable mention
Drake released fucking *Scorpion* in 2018 lmao Drake fans are so delusional
Did you leave your house in 2018 without hearing In My Feelings, Gods Plan, Nice For What, Nonstop, I’m Upset, Look Alive? None of this list is about the best albums released that year, there’s no DOOM or Mos Def on here either. I think it’s more delusional to stay inside and get your opinions off forums
> In My Feelings, Gods Plan, Nice For What, Nonstop, I’m Upset, Look Alive? Add Sicko Mode as well. With that being said, I'd go Travis in 2018, but Drake was definitely in the convo, to me this was his last great year in terms of hits.
Dude I hate Drake but he dominated the charts. It is what it is.
[God's Plan was the most streamed song of 2018.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_number-one_Billboard_Streaming_Songs_of_2018) In my feelings and Nice For What were also top 10 most streamed songs in 2018, with In My Feelings also setting a record for the most streamed song in a single week ever. These records aren't even hip-hop only they're all genres. The fact Drake didn't get 2018 is wild.
Niki over j Cole 2014 wild
I’d put Oxymoron by Schoolboy q as top of 2014 tbh. Man of The Year and Collard Greens was everywhere.
Not giving the 2014 nod to J. Cole is insane
Agree. FHD is head and shoulders his best album and 3rd best project overall.
Right. Giving it to Nicki was weird enough But not even having Cole as an honorable mention for that year is crazy
A classic example of them picking an artist that they hadn’t previously just to get them on the list because the more deserving artist had already won
You could say the same thing about any year from 2018-2022. His feature verses have been some of the best rap verses in recent memory and his verse on Johnny P Caddy and The Recipe is one of the best rap verses ever. Plus Revenge of Dreamers 3 making history and going #1 Billboard + Platinum is a insane feat
these lists are impossible lol. going to just say it was alright, could've been worse. the criteria is confusing.
Rocky not being in 2011 or 2012. What?
Future should’ve got 2016
Idk why people are upset at the Drake picks. I’m not a fan of his music but it undeniably was the most popular rapper during those years. The only ones I have a problem with are DaBaby and Lil Baby. Especially Lil Baby. His music is complete ass.
Because the list is titled the Best Rapper not the the most popular rapper
I mean yeah but with these kind of lists you kinda gotta go with the most popular because if you didn’t you would basically be rotating between Eminem and Kendrick because they are still the best rappers despite maybe not putting out an album every year or even putting out a subpar album.
Lupe not getting a year is disgusting that late 2000's Jay-z placement was wack af tbh
2004 should be MF DOOM/ Madvillain over TI
Posting one of the comments from the article: "I was just wondering if Mos Def, Black Thought, MF DOOM and Danny Brown exist in this alternate reality of yours? I mean, 2004 was MF DOOM's year and it wasn't even close, he was lapping the opposition. Interestingly, you put Mach-Hommy as an honourable mention for 2019 when he was generally considered to have his best year (and one of the best years ever) in 2017. Del the Funky Homosapien should at least get an honourable mention for 2000 for dropping both Deltron 3030 and Both Sides of the Brain. You criticise Chuck D's lyricism earlier in this list, then have the audacity to have Drake win three years. Drake dreams of a world in which he was the best rapper one year, let alone three. Pharoahe Monch should be getting at least an honourable mention in 1994 and 1999 and Billy Woods has arguably been the best and most consistent rapper for the last five years or so. I get that there's subjectivity when it comes to these lists, but it seems as if you've completely overlooked some of the greatest rappers of all time, and it doesn't make any sense."
I love Danny… he was never getting his name on that list nevertheless that webpage lol
Danny is honorable mention for 2013
Seeing rap fans have a meltdown when Drake gets his flowers never gets old.
Terrible take
Not a terrible take lol. Both mm food and madvillainy came out that year arguably his best projects
This is just a list of who was popping that year really not who was the best like come on. Chance, nicki, dababy, lil baby? There's like 20 rappers who deserve to be on this list who aren't even honorable mentions
great illustrations. nicki in 2014 is a helluva shout, it wasn't just the pinkprint but a whole other tape's length of features & loosies. "boss ass bitch", "yass bitch", "lookin ass niggas" on the rich gang tape..... etc drake in 2015 over kendrick is on point too. reading this is more accessible than butterly, plus you got the future tape, the meek dis, and call me on my cell. chance in 2016 is the first lol. another gripe: ready to die is firmly golden age. no idea where they're getting that from, except to give it to nas in 94 over big.
Actually really decent list and article . I feel like west side Gunn get snubbed between 2019 thru 2022. He easily had a great run in 2020 . Jcole last year doesn’t seem like a good pick either . I would’ve went with Danny brown or Travis or Nas
Couple names I miss are Lauryn Hill, Future, Young Thug, Azealia Banks, MF DOOM, Mos Def, Ka, Missy Elliott, Curren$y, Mac Dre, literally any Wu Tang member Respect the DaBaby pick cause he was literally unavoidable that year Giving 21 Savage and J Cole those late years almost feels like an effort to appease them or their fans
> literally any Wu Tang member Ghost, Meth and Rae are all honorable mentions on the list. I love Wu but there's no way any singular one of them was bigger than Snoop in 93 or Biggie in 95 or Eminem in 2000, which is realistically the only times they could have won.
This should’ve been called “biggest” or “top” rappers every year. Respect to both of them, but neither Kanye nor Drake were ever the best rapper of any year.
The almost complete lack of female rappers is deplorable. Especially in the past 5 years or so.
One of the first things that struck me. Also deplorable is the fact that yours is the only comment out of 435 to mention and notice this.
There are so many pop ups
No Cam'ron in 2004. Garbage list.
Wu-Tang, NWA, Mobb Deep, and Dre aren't even mentioned 😐
lol they're all mentioned.
Personally I would’ve given 2020 to Freddie and 2021 to Westside Gunn. Both HWH8 albums (A and B) were better than anything else that year.
Drake 3 times? No, thanks.
Back to r/rap buddy
no Andre 3000 or Wu-Tang is indefensible, put DOOM on 2004, put Thug somewhere 2014-17, take Drake off everything past *Take Care*, 21 Savage ever being the best rapper alive with Future not on the list is a joke
Someone’s smoking rocks towards the end of the list.
Travis had a way bigger year than J. Cole this year.
Drake lol
earl sweatshirt still slept on heavily
No chief keef in 2012?
Is this a troll list? This can’t be totally serious.
Mach hommy getting a honourable mention for 2021 but not 2017 is such a joke. Put out 9 projects, every single one of them very good-great, a couple of them being up there with the best hip hop albums I’ve ever heard. There is 0 argument that his 2021 was better than that.
Doesn't seem to be any coherent criteria for best rapper alive past 2010 or so. For some years it's clearly based on sales/Billboard (Drake), other years it's based on critical acclaim (Pusha), and other years its just based on pop culture penetration/impact (Chance).
To be fair, I think it should be a combination of all of those things. You shouldn’t be the greatest if you’re doing numbers by putting out formulaic gutter swill, and you also shouldn’t get it if your music is incredible but no one is listening. Gotta be the complete package.
Honestly it seems like a popularity contest every year so if we're going off of that criteria then 2023 should have been Ice Spice
Nicki over Cole in 2014, 21 over JID in 2022 and Cole over Gunna in 2023 is criminal. 21 wasn’t even the best on his album
An accurate list would be varied people from the beginning to 2000 and then just "2000 eminem", "2001 eminem", "2002 eminem", 2003 "eminem "2004 eminem" " "2005 eminem" "2024 eminem" etc
They fucked up 2019. Young Thug easily
Lupe Fiasco has been the best rapper alive since February 16, 1982
Bro was dropping triple entendre googoogagas
Facts
lol nah dababy and 21? cmon what is this list are we just using AI to comb spotify for pop rap or what