Back in September 2013, I decided to weigh in on the ongoing debate of who is the best rapper alive right now with my picks for the 10 best modern rappers. Recently, I looked back at the list and let's just say that it needed to be updated. A lot has changed in the hip-hop world in the past two and a half years and it's about time that I made a list that reflected those changes.
Before I get into my updated list of the 10 best modern rappers, I need to lay down the stipulations and ground rules for the list:
-All of these artists are currently alive, making music and are 35 years old or younger.
-All of these artists have had a record deal and/or professionally recorded music (basically anything that wasn't self-released) for 10 years or less.
-If the previous items on this list didn't make it clear, people like Nas, Kanye West, Killer Mike, El-P, Eminem, Jay- Z, every living member of the Wu-Tang Clan and any other iconic veteran rapper that's still alive and putting out music aren't eligible for this list. I apologize for the repetition, but I guarantee If I didn't explicitly write this out, some jabroni would comment on this post or tweet at me complaining about the absence of one or more of these artists from the list.
With all of the introductory garbage out of the way, I proudly present to you my updated picks for the 10 best rappers in the game right now.
10.J.Cole:
Genre: Conscious Hip-Hop/Pop Rap
Best Release: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014)
Best Song: "G.O.M.D" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHU6ZRQJ50Q
This was a pick that I mulled over for a really long time. I had ScHoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky, Joey Bada$$ and Freddie Gibbs penciled into the 10 spot at various points of the list compilation process. However, I ultimately had to give J. Cole the nod due to his more impressive overall body of work. The inconsistency and sometimes disingenuous attitude he's demonstrated from his inception continues to frustrate me, but his exceptional storytelling ability and dedication to continuously improving his songwriting was still more than enough for him to land a spot on this list.
9.Meechy Darko (Flatbush Zombies):
Genre: Experimental Hip-Hop/Cloud Rap
Best Release: 3001: A Laced Odyssey (2016)
Best Verse: "R.I.P.C.D."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDIbHBefyrM
The success of drug-fueled experimental hip-hop group Flatbush Zombies lies almost squarely on the shoulders of Meechy Darko. Darko's twisted humor and psychotic flow makes him an incredibly entertaining and attention-grabbing presence every single time he gets on the mic.
8.Chance the Rapper:
Genre: Abstract Hip-Hop/Pop Rap/R&B
Best Release: Acid Rap (2013)
Best Song: "NaNa" (feat. Action Bronson) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLWv91Tljhw
Chance hasn't put out a straight-up solo hip-hop release since his excellent 2013 mixtape Acid Rap, but his show-stopping guest verses on Kanye West's "Ultralight Beam" and Action Bronson's "Baby Blue" proves he hasn't lost any of the quirk and razor-sharp wit that made him an instant hip-hop nerd sensation following Acid Rap's release. His long-awaited follow-up to Acid Rap is allegedly being released sometime this month and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if that caused his red-hot stock to rise even further.
7.Mac Miller:
Genre:Abstract Hip-Hop/Cloud Rap
Best Release: GO:OD AM(2015)
Best Song: "Brand Name" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjgEtCuqGM0
If you had told me when Blue Slide Park was released in 2010 that Mac Miller would become one of the best rappers in the game five years later, I would've assumed you had just broken out of an insane asylum. Ever since Miller transitioned from making god awful, fratboy-friendly pop rap to atmospheric abstract/cloud rap, he's released some of the most forward-thinking and introspective hip-hop to come out in a long-ass time. If Miller continues to put out material that's as impressive as 2014's Faces and last year's GO:OD AM, he'll be in the top five or higher in no time at all.
6.Quavo (Migos):
Genre: Trap Rap
Best Release: No Label II (2014)
Best Verse: "Add It Up" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nwAGo7XVZ0
For my money, no rapper is more unfairly slept on because of the content of their music than Quavo, the unofficial leader of Atlanta-based trap rap trio Migos. While the legions of Migos haters out there would beg to differ, Quavo is a sneaky clever lyricist with immense technical proficiency and a level of charisma so high that it makes Jay-Z look droll by comparison.
5.Big K.R.I.T.:
Genre: Southern/Conscious Hip-Hop
Best Release: K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (2010)
Best Song: "Mt. Olympus" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s-w-zSbTu8
At a time where it seems like every rapper from the Georgia/Florida/Alabama/Mississippi area is pumping out trap rap, Big K.R.I.T. remains the torchbearer for traditional southern hip-hop. His last project It's Better This Way was pretty underwhelming, but the strength of the rest of his discography paired with his highly unheralded lyricism and mic skills is enough to keep him firmly in the upper echelon of modern rappers.
4.Action Bronson:
Genre: Abstract/Experimental Hip-Hop
Best Release: Blue Chips 2 (2013)
Best Song: "Silverado" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JWr5fLQTFQ
His bizarre style has earned him a fair share of pointed criticism over the past several years, but I strongly believe that the world needs more rappers like Action Bronson. His lyrics are hilarious, he doesn't take himself remotely seriously, his production choices are consistently diverse and excellent and above all, he has a completely original sound that simply can't be copied.
3.Vince Staples:
Genre: Hardcore/Conscious Hip-Hop
Best Release: Summertime '06 (2015)
Best Song: "Blue Suede" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv8j6pvyvcQ
I've been praising the hell out of Vince Staples since his breakout guest verse on Earl Sweatshirt's Hive back in the summer of 2013 and he's only managed to get significantly better since then. It's remarkable that a 22-year old kid with just three mixtapes, an EP and an studio album under his belt is creating music that's so dense, intelligent and powerful. Given his youth and tremendous talent, Staples has the potential to become the best rapper on the planet within the next five years or so if he remains on his current path.
2.Danny Brown:
Genre: Hardcore/Abstract/Conscious Hip-Hop/Trap Rap
Best Release: Old (2013)
Best Song: "XXX" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYG0t2oIfC4
The current heir to Detroit's hip-hop throne has been relatively quiet since he released his second LP old in October 2013, but that doesn't mean Brown still isn't one of the brightest talents in the modern hip-hap landscape. Brown has a versatility, uniqueness and larger-than-life personality that no rapper on the planet right now can come anywhere close to matching.
1.Kendrick Lamar:
Genre: Conscious Hip-Hop
Best Release: good kid m.A.A.d city (2012)
Best Song: "Wesley's Theory" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0QtdISwioc
Shocker right? It may seem like a safe, boring choice in the eyes of many due to the overwhelming amount of praise that's been heaped upon since good kid m.A.A.d city was released in October 2012, I just happen to feel like Lamar has a stranglehold on the hip-hop community right now. The artistic vision, ambition and lyrical depth Lamar displays in his music not only places him at the top of the current hip-hop hierarchy, but firmly places him in the greatest rapper of all-time conversation.
Honorable Mentions:
ScHoolboy Q
Freddie Gibbs
Joey Bada$$
A$AP Rocky
Takeoff (Migos)
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