Billboard Names Its 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, With Eminem at No. 5

Billboard and Vibe have officially ranked the 50 greatest rappers of all time, celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a list recognizing the genre’s most influential and accomplished artists. The ranking takes into account several factors, including lyrical ability, flow, cultural impact, longevity, career achievements and overall influence on hip-hop.

JAY-Z takes the No. 1 spot, earning the title of the greatest rapper of all time, followed by Kendrick Lamar at No. 2 and Nas at No. 3. Tupac Shakur lands at No. 4, while Eminem rounds out the top five, placing ahead of The Notorious B.I.G., Lil Wayne, Drake, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West.

Here is Billboard and Vibe’s top 10 greatest rappers of all time:

1. JAY-Z
2. Kendrick Lamar
3. Nas
4. Tupac Shakur
5. Eminem
6. The Notorious B.I.G.
7. Lil Wayne
8. Drake
9. Snoop Dogg
10. Nicki Minaj

The rest of the top 50 features legendary names such as André 3000, Rakim, 50 Cent, Ice Cube, DMX, Ghostface Killah, Lauryn Hill, 2Pac’s fellow West Coast icons and many more. While rankings like these are always bound to spark debate among hip-hop fans, Billboard’s list offers a snapshot of the artists whose contributions have helped shape the genre over the past five decades.

You can check the full list on Billboard here.

Billboard Eminem