In an Industry Rampant with Talent, who claims the Title of Best Rapper In the Industry?

There is much dispute over who is the best rapper alive. What the answer is depends on who one asks. Many listeners prefer modern rap that “bumps” and others prefer the rappers who have more in common with 1990s and 1980s rap. No matter who you ask, there is undoubtedly a slew of talent in hip-hop today. But who is the best?

Honorable Mentions:

5. Drake: Drake is one of the most polarizing figures in the rap game today. People either hate him or love him. He has been called a creative genius by some for his blending of multiple genres, and called a culture vulture by others for stealing the styles and flows of other popular rappers. Even though his last two projects, Views and More Life, have received mixed reactions from critics and fans, Drake is still responsible for If You’re Reading this it’s too Late, Nothing was the Same, and Take Care, three of the better projects of the last 10 years. His talent is undeniable, but his last two projects lacked the quality that he started his career with.

4. Childish Gambino: The only reason Gambino isn’t on the top 5 list is because his best album, 2016’s “Awaken, My Love” wasn’t a rap album. Even though his two projects prior were both great — Because the Internet released four years ago and Camp released six years ago. However, Gambino has great skills as a producer, and Camp and Because the Internet feature a blend of self-created beats, great rhyme schemes and an infusion of Gambino’s skills as a comedian and are both examples of how good Gambino is.

3. Chance the Rapper: Chance is one of the most confusing rappers in the business today. It’s difficult to rate Chance because it seems that no one really knows how good he is and what kind of artist he is. Most know him from his gospel-rap style on 2016’s The Coloring Book Mixtape, for which he won the Grammy for Best Rap Album of the Year. But the style Chance displays on Coloring Book isn’t what he displayed on prior projects. Chance’s 2013 release, Acid Rap, featured an amalgamation of pop and funk. Acid Rap does have an occasional gospel sound, but it is not nearly as plentiful as it is on The Coloring Book Mixtape. Acid Rap was also the better project of the two, according to user scores on Metacritic.com.

2. Tyler, the Creator: Tyler is arguably the most popular and skilled artist from the Odd Future group. Like Drake, Tyler gets knocked down because, even though he made great projects at the start of his career, his last project was by far his worst. Tyler has great lyrics and his flow is almost flawless and instantly recognizable. There have been rumors about an album coming out May 2017. But until a new project makes up for the disappointing and poorly-mixed Cherry Bomb, he’s staying on the honorable mentions.

1. Earl Sweatshirt: Probably the most underrated rapper in hip-hop today, the former Odd Future rapper has been one of the best on the mic since he dropped his self-titled mixtape, Earl, back in 2010. The reason he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves is probably the dark and gritty tone of his music, as evident on his 2013 album Doris. Despite his dark sound, Earl is one of the best lyricists in rap and features a unique lyrical tone that engages the listener. If it weren’t for the huge amount of talent in the rap industry today, Earl would be in the top five, and he might soon be depending on how good his rumored 2017 project is.

Top five rappers today:

5. Vince Staples: Maybe the most socially aware rapper in the industry today, Staples is a polarizing figure in hip-hop both in his music and in the way he carries himself. Three projects to his name have all featured some of the most diverse production and some of the most thought-provoking lyrics in the industry. His 2016 EP, Prima Donna, was one of the most introspective projects of the year. His guest features are also some of the best. His recent features range from an appearance on ScHoolboy Q’s 2016 Blank Face LP to the “Ascension” single from Gorillaz’ Humanz album, and even dating back to Earl Sweatshirt’s aforementioned album, Doris. With an album upcoming and a his lead single from the album “Bagpak,” Staples has secured a spot as one of the best rappers alive.

4. ScHoolBoy Q: Speaking of ScHoolboy Q, Blank Face LP was a top-five rap album of 2016. It has an 83 cumulative user and critic score on Metacritic.com and it almost perfectly molds the content of 1990s gangsta rap with modern rap sound and production in a way few albums have done. ScHoolboy Q might also have the best features in the rap industry right now. His features on the Joey Bada$$ track “Rockabye Baby” and the Ab-Soul track “Beat the Case” were both well-received by critics and listeners.

3. Danny Brown: ScHoolboy Q had a top-five album of 2016, but Danny Brown had the best rap album of 2016. Atrocity Exhibition was a dark, gritty take on rap, examines Brown’s past issues with narcotics and is one of the most creative and sonically different albums of 2016, period. Though his 2013 project, Old, disappointed in comparison to his 2011 project, XXX, and his 2011 collaboration EP with the producer Black Milk, Black and Brown, Brown more than made up for it with Atrocity Exhibition. It stands as one of the most experimental and attention-grabbing projects in 2016. Brown’s talent is undeniable, and if he keeps the quality of his music where it currently is, there is no doubt that he will eventually receive wide recognition, as he should.

2. Kanye West: This one’s almost self-explanatory. Though Life of Pablo was one of the most disappointing projects of 2016 and the only album on West’s discography that should actually be considered bad, West’s pedigree alone deserves a spot on this list. He is one of the best rappers and producers in the business. West has 21 Grammys to his name and a plethora of albums that a good sum of rap fans would consider classics. Though Life of Pablo failed to live to typical Kanye expectations, his features on More Life in March 2017 and 2016’s Blank Face LP are evident that Life of Pablo was a fluke more than an actual sign of decline in West’s music-making ability. West is rumored to have an album set for this year that takes inspiration from techno and video game-centric sounds. This is a type of sound West has yet to dedicate a full project towards, and it will be interesting to see what West creates if the rumors are, in fact, true.

1. Kendrick Lamar: The single best rapper alive is Kendrick Lamar. Lamar is lacking a single negative mark on his whole discography, and has released three great consecutive albums, one of which earned 11 Grammy nominations. His 2017 release, DAMN., is the best rap album so far this year and was met with almost universal critical and fan acclaim. His last three albums have examined different aspects of Lamar’s life and have reinvented what his audience views as “Kendrick Lamar music.” His 2012 release, good kid, m.A.A.d city, told of Lamar’s early life living in the streets of Compton, California, in an aggressive tone. Meanwhile, To Pimp a Butterfly was a cultural and social masterpiece that took inspiration from smooth jazz and funk sounds. His most recent release, DAMN., shows Kendrick’s viewpoints and experiences regarding his success and features a plethora of sounds such as trap, pop and R&B. Lamar constantly reinvents himself, and it always results in great, quality music. Whether Lamar is an all-time great varies based on who one asks, but he is without a doubt the best rapper today.