Foreign rap. Who is the best rapper of our time? The most popular American rappers

20 - Ghostface & Adrian Younge -12 Reasons To Die II-

Great live instrumentals, brilliant storytelling. You can’t find fault with Ghostface at all, but Young has long become predictable and generally the same. But if you haven’t listened to Ghost yet, this is a great reason to finally start.

19 - Action Bronson -Mr.Wonderful-

Most of the tracks are an excellent grotesque between serious rhyming and brilliant fooling around. But the album is weakened by drawn-out skits and lame rock.

18 - Logic -The Incredible True Story-

Logic is an excellent technician, and his album is an impeccable concept. But it’s time to somehow diversify his flow, otherwise all his work so far is one long song with 5000 lines. And the instrumentals are very pale, there’s almost nothing to highlight.

17 - Earl Sweatshirt -I Don"t Like Shit, I Don"t Go Outside-

A short poisonous blow to the head. A depressed dude, reading to creepy, uncomfortable and therefore wonderful music (with such a face, you need to listen to exactly that). And nothing but beats and rhymes, strictly to the point.

16 - Freddie Gibbs -Shadow Of A Doubt-

Bandits and drug dealers, learn how not to look like a sweet boy and not get stuck in the old school. Just a couple more hits, otherwise everything is too smooth.

15 - Lupe Fiasco -Tetsuo & Youth-

A very beautiful album, overloaded with meaning. I think it’s more pleasant to listen to him when you don’t know English. But still, Lupe is great.

14 - Czarface -Every Hero Needs A Villain-

When I need to scream to my favorite boom-bap, I blast this second installment of menacing rap from Inspectah Deck, 7L & Esoteric. It’s difficult to find fault with the lyrics and presentation (which is simply surprising in relation to Inspectah Deck), but one should pay attention to the freshness of the samples and emotional coloring. A third of the tracks “sag” due to excess naphthalene.

13 - Abstract Rude -Keep The Feel-

Let the auto-tuned parrots of our time learn from this guy how to make melodic soft music about life and love. We should be a little more persistent and not be afraid of cleaner, “crunchier” and bassier instrumentals.

12 - ASAP Rocky -A.L.L.A.-

And I like this kind of psychedelia. Rocky certainly knows what “rocks” means. It depends on you, but for me this album is simply full of bangers. Much more serious than the previous album about everything and nothing.

11 - Slum Village -YES!-

Great lyrics with slick, smart rhymes to the music of J Dilla (where do they get that all the time?). Soulful, warm music that truly makes you say “YES!” That's what I needed! If hip-hop had not undergone a malignant degeneration towards stupid auto-tune, it would all be like this now.

10 - Game -The Documentary 2 & 2.5-

Doubt be damned, Game is a great rapper. After such a royal portion of great beats from all the wonderful beatmakers, I just can't help but bow out to him.

09 - Scarface -Deeply Rooted-

To miss an album like this is a crime. Face hasn't done a solo album for 7 years, and this is a brilliant return to form. Signature Houston bass, gloomy but beautiful melodies. The artist himself is great in his field. Lyrics about the dark side of the soul and the ills of current society are an excellent path for an older artist. The singers are too sweet in some places, but the album is very thoroughbred.

08 - Apollo Brown -Grandeur-

Apollo has a unique style, he finds especially chamber, rainy samples and puts them on very calm, quiet drums. The set of guests in the album is wonderful. I am grateful to Brown for the atmosphere, for the closeness of his style, for the immersive effect.

07- Snoop Dogg & Pharrell -BUSH-

Uncle Snoop did not disappoint. In 2015, it was the number one album for chatting with girls. If at least half of the tracks had, in addition to vocals, a rap verse, it would be absolutely priceless. Because the quality of music on “Bush” is simply sky-high.

06 - Ghostface & BadBadNotGood -Sour Soul-

Live music of a high level of performance, not to mention the most pleasant melodies. MC, who seems to have been born for this mixture of hip-hop and light jazz. Stop sleeping, Ghostface is a real Artist. Nothing to complain about at all.

05 - Guilty Simpson -Detroit's Son-

This man has a thick rap baritone that can't be ignored. Excellent “street” image in the texts. But at the same time, he has amazing taste in arthouse rap underground music. You don't listen to Gilty because he's a gangsta? What the hell, his albums are on par with MF Doom, Madlib and J Dilla!

04 - Joey Bada$$ -B4DA$$-

Incredibly pleasant music, a dream for older fans of New York hip-hop. Great, hungry job at the mic. Perhaps if the beats were more varied in melody and emotion, and the MC rapped less about rap and more about life, the success would have been all-encompassing. But Joey still has plenty of time to improve his creativity.

03 - Vince Staples -Summertime "06-

An almost flawless album, predatory, arrogant, poisonous. Perhaps society would be more favorable to Vince (because he deserves it) if he gave less of the usual street stupidity in his lyrics and more of the hellish strain that he is capable of, and did not strive so zealously for purity of style in order to diversify musical component. Otherwise it turned out beautifully, but for the ignorant listener it was too similar.

02 - Dr.Dre -Compton: A Soundtrack-

It's simple. The man showed who is boss in the house. He was not afraid to rely on very young people, so as not to give away pensioner repetitions. He completely changed his reading style, becoming predatory and hasty, which simply knocked the audience out of their seats. And in every track you can see how he enjoyed himself during the recording process. To enjoy what you love when you have absolutely everything - isn’t this the highest gift?

01 - Kendrick Lamar -To Pimp A Butterfly-

This is not an article, but just a comment, so I have to be categorical and tell you: if you are not pumped by TRAV, you simply don’t understand a damn thing about music. It would have been much easier for Kendrick to continue the Swimming Pools theme and conquer the charts, but instead he was in the mood to create a retrospective of all black music, with all the jazz and soul that preceded hip-hop before it turned into a parrot in tight pants. There was a mood - he took and wrote down a whole chronicle about black character and black fate. Moreover, all this jazz and soul is properly pumped up so that you can hear in what year it was recorded. Every melody heals and makes me happy, half of the beats are torn to shreds every time. How Much A Dollar Cost and These Walls are simply the songs of the year. Momma and Mortal Man represent the very essence and heart of hip-hop, every bell is perfect. And about the fact that you have to be a Negro to understand this - well, why on earth if everything is the same for us and for Negroes? We also have a history that we have screwed up, a morality that we have never grown up to, we also follow ourselves, spoil everything around us and kill ourselves. Replace the bunch of blacks on the cover with a bunch of truck drivers or other hard-working men from whom everything is taken away every year, and their White House with our White House - and you’ll get a Russian “Butterfly”.

And where?...

Sean Price: As much as I love the man, Songs In The Key Of Price is a mixtape. Nothing but chopped samples and lines and lines and lines in stacks. 10 years ago, Sean knew how to release songs, varied and pumped up. And this year, just tracks were released - a sample, a beat and verses. Standard set, without chrome and turbocharging.
...Warren G: No one was counting on Warren, but this set of summer tunes for convertibles is just a gift, and with excellent vocals from the long-gone Nate Dogg: a wonderful counterbalance to the Auto-Tune jelly that makes you sick. The release is short and simply didn’t fit into my list.

Jay Rock: In my mind I understand that it’s a great thing, but my soul somehow doesn’t lay down and ask to be turned on again. Maybe I haven’t gotten to it properly yet.
...Skyzoo: He's a nerd, and you can hear it in the music. In addition, after the wonderful song Beautiful Decay, the quality of his work went down, but it should be the other way around.
...Pusha T, Big Sean, Fashawn: Should be in the middle of my list, but they will pay dividends without my support.

Statik Selektah: Too predictable, you can’t do that. There are so many guests, but the music is all one song for 10 years.

…Malik B & Mr.Green: The album just screams that it wants to go back to the 90s. An excellent square music, but this is no longer competitive.

MoSS: An excellent beatmaking album, but the artist forgot that the music should rock.

JMT: I don't like this Vinnie!

Talib Kweli: Yes, he has no albums this year, what are you talking about!

Big Pooh & Nottz: I'm trying, but it sounds pale and the samples are worn out.

Gerald Walker: Great melodic singles, but the album has a lot of filler. And he swears a lot for such light music.

Travis Scott, Ty Dolla, Fetty Wap, etc.: “I don’t eat that, I’m not a goat” (from the film "House for Kuzka").

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 achieved 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.

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 Most Wanted, his first solo album, was an immediate hit, setting the bar he never fell below.

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.

Music born on the streets often talks about painful issues. No matter what language rap is performed in, the lyrics are based on issues of social inequality, survival and finding one's place in the world. When talking about the world rap scene, they often mean only English-language mp3 content, which is not always true. French rap has recently become a powerful “player”. Bright and fresh, this style immediately attracted fans of the movement. The influx of rhythms along with the immigrant population of France, the flexible language and centuries-old poetic traditions have led to the fact that it has become fashionable to listen to French-language rap online. The distribution of content has made it possible to popularize the style, and now this direction is represented by many interesting authors.

History and development of style

French rap artists appeared in the mid-80s. The marginal rap movement was a real social danger and had difficulty winning the right to development. Pioneers of the scene, and Assassin developed the foundations of a very individual style. The breakthrough came with the appearance of the first rap TV show, H.I.P. H.O.P., after which people all over the world wanted to listen and download music in French.

In the early 90s, rap appeared with a free style and lyrics full of social protest. The music became very popular, a new collection of tracks was released almost every day in Paris, underground parties took place, a specific style of clothing and street graffiti appeared. Now this is a whole industry, many famous rappers have signed a contract with Delabel, a major French rap recording company.

Download free Assassin music,

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".

Follow us on Instagram: