On August 11th, 1973, partygoers filed into the rec room at 1520 Sedwick Avenue in the Bronx for a Back to School Jam hosted by a young musician named DJ Kool Herc. This party is commonly referred to as the birth of hip-hop, a movement that spawned its own culture, and a musical genre that would see a fast and furious rise in the years to come.
Hip-hop has gone through a number of changes, from old-school hip-hop and the rise of gangsta rap, the East vs. West Coast feud, through the present day where it remains a dominant genre in American music.
Over the last half-century, we have been lucky to witness a number of incredibly talented DJs, rappers, and songwriters come out of the genre. As Victrola celebrates the 50th birthday of hip-hop, we’ve compiled a list of some of the greatest rappers and hip-hop groups of all time.
In no particular order.
Run-DMC
As hip-hop was starting to find its footing in the early 1980s, members of Run-DMC were the genre's first superstars. Hailing from Hollis, Queens, the trio of Jam Master Jay, Rev Run, and DMC helped to take hip-hop from a fringe genre of New York to mainstream America. Their debut album can be viewed as a sort of transition from funky old-school hip to a more defined form of music. The group's streetwear fashion sense also helped to develop hip-hop culture. They branched into rap-rock with their second release,King of Rock, but their third album,Raising Hellis what catapulted hip-hop forward.
Raising Hellbecame the first hip hop record to be nominated for a Grammy Award, with hits like "It's Tricky" and their collaboration with Aerosmith on a cover of "Walk This Way." The release ofRaising Hellis considered the start of hip-hop's first golden age and served to influence nearly everything that came after.
Featured Album: King of Rock
Eric B. & Rakim
When they debuted in the late '80s, it didn't take long for Eric B. & Rakim to become known as hip hop's best DJ and rapper duo. Eric B. employed a relatively minimalist setup, but was still considered the most influential DJ around, his use of sampling and percussive beats was unmatched at the time, borrowing from funk and soul songs to give the group their signature sound.
Rakim essentially reinvented the role of the MC. His lyrics and rhyme schemes were far more complex than those that came before, pioneering a sort of flow that was basically unheard of. Previous rappers employed a more rhythmic, simpler flow, more akin to early funk, but Rakim was more conversational and free-flowing. The group's debut album,Paid in Full, is considered a hip-hop landmark and one of the best the genre has to offer.
Featured Album: Paid In Full
Boogie Down Productions & KRS-One
Boogie Down productions emerged in the late '80s withCriminal Minded, a textbook gangsta rap record that helped set the tone for the genre. Predating N.W.A. and Public Enemy, the album has been sampled liberally, defined by its hardcore, violent lyrics.
The group's DJ, Scott La Rock, was tragically murdered in 1987, leading to a massive change in MC KRS-One's style. Their follow-up record,By All Means Necessary, is one of hip hop's first socially conscious albums. Adopting the persona of "The Teacher," KRS-One denounces violence, police brutality, and the war on drugs. KRS-One went on to a successful solo career, most notably withReturn of the Boom Bap.
Featured Album: By All Means Necessary
N.W.A. & Dr. Dre
Though hip-hop originated in the Bronx, a new subgenre was developing in Los Angeles. N.W.A. was one of the first groups to come out of the gangsta rap subgenre, taking a more aggressive, politically conscious tone than anything that had been around to that point. Their lyrics featured subjects like racism, police brutality experienced by Black Americans, and inner-city gang life. Their debut record,Straight Outta Comptonis largely credited with beginning the East vs. West Coast feud that would come to dominate the '90s.
After the group disbanded, its members began dropping solo albums, with Dr. Dre'sThe Chronicstanding on its own as the best.The Chronicincorporated elements of funk and soul, as well as helping to launch the careers of other major rappers.
Featured Album: Straight Outta Compton
Wu-Tang Clan
With the rise of gangsta rap and the balance of power in hip hop shifting to the West Coast, Wu-Tang Clan invited us toEnter the Wu-Tang. The New York based group exploded onto the scene in the early '90s with the aforementioned album. Wu-Tang Clan approached hip hop differently; group leader RZA preferred smaller-scale production, once estimating that only around 20% of their music was sampled.
Their music included elements of gangsta rap, complete with socially conscious lyrics about life on the streets of Shaolin (Staten Island), but mixed it with the group's trademark brand of humor. Wu-Tang's latest release came in 2014, a double-album titledOnce Upon a Time in Shaolinthat is unavailable on any streaming service with only one physical copy produced.
Featured Album: Enter Wu-Tang
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest emerged in the early '90s with one of the best three album runs in music history. Their debut,People's InstinctiveTravels and the Paths of Rhythm, helped to establish them as the preeminent group in alternative hip-hop. As storytellers and lyricists, the group is second to none, but their musical stylings are what truly set them apart.
Their second record,The Low End Theory, saw them incorporate a distinctly jazzier style, continued onMidnight Marauders. This fusion of jazz and hip hop saw them run with a more minimalist sound compared to many of their contemporaries, combined with lyrics about Black empowerment that included positive affirmations.
Featured Album: Peoples Instinctive Travels
2Pac
In the mid 1990s, Tupac Shakur WAS West Coast hip-hop. He was deeply political, having been raised by parents who were members of the Black Panther Party, which was reflected in his music. He rapped about the problems affecting young Black men like himself and developed a reputation as a deeply introspective, personal lyricist.
Having achieved major success, he releasedAll Eyez on Mein 1996. A radical departure from his previous work,All Eyez on Mewas a gangsta rap album, the first double album in the genre, and was far less political than his other work. He rapped about how the thug life brought him prosperity and admiration with a tone of bravado. Sadly, Tupac was gunned down in a drive-by shooting just months after its release.
Featured Album: 2pacalypse Now
The Notorious B.I.G.
2Pac's East Coast counterpart, the Notorious B.I.G. AKA Biggie Smalls, had a larger-than-life presence. He was just 22 years old when he debuted withReady to Die, an almost shocking fact when you consider how his voice boomed. His lyrical flow was developed well beyond his years, and he approached his music with an easily identifiable brand of dark humor.
Unfortunately, that's not where is similarities with 2Pac end. Biggie was also killed in a drive-by shooting, withReady to Die standing as the only album released during his lifetime.Life After Death, his second album, was released just two weeks after his murder and remains one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time.
Featured Album: Ready To Die
Nas
Along with Wu-Tang Clan, Nas presided over the rebirth of East Coast hip hop. It was with Nas and his debut,Illmatic, that rap truly began to feel like poetry. His lyrics were raw and unfiltered, with an immaculate flowand unconventional rhyme structures.
He blended hard-bop jazz into his sound, maintaining its subtlety while balancing it so that informed his music without dominating. His lyrics were both blunt and metaphorical, doing away with hip-hop's growing materialism and providing an in-depth look at what it was like in the projects.Illmaticis widely considered the best hip-hop record of the 1990s, and was only the beginning of an incredible career for Nas.
Featured Album: Illmatic
Lauryn Hill
By the time she releasedThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Hill had come a long way from being booed at the Apollo Theater's amateur night at age 12. Hill formed Fugees in the early '90s with Wyclef Jean and Pras, a group that seamlessly blended hip-hop with jazz and soul, a departure from the hardcore hip-hop sound that had taken hold in the era.
With Fugees' success, Hill dropped a solo album in 1998 entitledThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The album was a massive hit, becoming the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.Miseducationwas an unconventional hip-hop album, including aspects of reggae, R&B, and neo-soul. For whatever reason, Hill elected not to release another solo album, apparently satisfied withMiseducation's incredible success.
Featured Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
OutKast
While the East vs. West Coast feud was in full swing, OutKast was down in Atlanta making a name for Southern Rap. They arrived on the scene in 1994, dropping Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik,immediately making their eccentricities and eclectic taste known. They incorporated heavy use of funk and jazz into their music, most notably onAquemini, before a more mainstream release withStankonia, which included their first major hits.
Where many hip-hop duos highlight their cohesion, OutKast celebrates differences.André 3000 was more like George Clinton than a conventional rapper, whereas Big Boi brought more traditional hip-hop vibes. The differences are evident onSpeakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album that was essentially two solo albums, with Big Boi'sSpeakerboxxxdelivering traditional Southern rap, andAndré'sThe Love Belowserving more as a jazz/funk fusion record.
Featured Album: Speakerboxxx: Love Below
Jay-Z
Jay-Z emerged in the mid-'90s New York hip-hop renaissance, dropping his debut,Reasonable Doubtin 1996. New York was always at the heart of Jay's music, with lyrics about the hustler life and growing up in Brooklyn. Jay initially intended to retire in the early 2000s, but his farewell,The Black Albumwas so successful that he decided to continue his career.
Eventually, Jay founded a sprawling business empire, launching clothing lines, becoming the president of Def Jam Records, and achieving status as hip hop's first billionaire. That hasn't stopped him from making music, droppingEverything is Lovein 2018 with his wife,Beyoncé.
Featured Album: The Black Album
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott dropped her debut,Supa Dupa Flyin '97, as the genre was gradually becoming friendlier to women rappers.Supa Dupa Flyhas an '80s throwback vibe, with aspects of dance music and R&B and cutting back on sampling. Her success continued into the 2000s, withUnder Constructionserving as one of her best, with hits like "Work It" and "Bring the Pain."
Missy was known for featuring elements of electronica and soul in her music, as well as her eclectic fashion sense. She frequently performed in costumes, and has a reputation for wearing baggy streetwear before Billie Eilish was even born. Missy was also known for her songwriting ability, her lyrics remaining positive and upbeat throughout her career.
Featured Album: Under Construction
Eminem
If there's one thing Eminem can do, and do well, it's shock and awe. There's a lot more to the man's ability, though, and Em's reputation as one of the most skilled rappers of all time is well-earned. Eminem came up in Detroit's battle rap scene, leading to his being signed by Interscope Records and droppingThe Slim Shady LPin 1999. As Slim Shady, he developed a penchant for over-the-top violent lyrics, leading to criticism and condemnation.
With the release ofThe Eminem Showin 2003, he addressed those criticisms with an often humorous tone that led to more mainstream acceptance. Eminem became known for his satirical lyrics, but also for his speed, most notably on 2013's "Rap God."
Featured Album: Slim Shady LP
MF Doom
Like many rappers,Daniel Dumile got his start freestyling at open mic nights. Unlike pretty much any other rapper, he did it wearing a metal mask. He dubbed himself MF Doom and began developing a supervillain persona that stayed with him throughout his career. Doom's lyrics were often humorous and occasionally nonsensical, but his stream-of-consciousness flow is what made Doom Doom.
Musically, Doom made heavy use of jazz in his beats and employed a minimalist, analog setup.Despite critical success with nearly every release, Doom remained a cult figure in hip-hop, never achieving mainstream commercial success, but several of his albums, most notablyMadvillainy,are considered some of the best hip-hop records of his era. Doom passed away in 2020 at just 49 years of age, but his legacy is beyond reproach.
Featured Album: Operation: Doomsday
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj took over hip hop in the 2010s, and she did it clad in pink. Her debut record,Pink Fridaydominated the charts upon its release with hits like "Super Bass" and "Fly."Pink Fridayand her subsequent releases shared a common theme; fun. Nicki's music is unabashedly fun, incorporating dancehall and pop elements that set her apart from her peers.
Queen, her last album to date, is a more traditional hip hop record, as we await the release ofPink Friday 2. Nicki has a flare for the dramatic, often performing in character as Roman Zolanski or Harajuku Barbie depending on the needs of the song.
Featured Album: Pink Friday
Kendrick Lamar
The great thing about art is the subjectivity. Everyone's tastes differ, and artists all bring something unique to the table. Still, I don't think you'd hear many people object to anointing Kendrick Lamar as the best rapper working today. His big break came with his sophom*ore album,Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, a '90s throwback record that felt like a resurgence of Los Angeles gangsta rap.
He departed from that sound with 2015'sTo Pimp a Butterfly, which, simply put, is one of the greatest musical accomplishments of all time.TPABis a jazz-hip hop record with politically conscious messaging, addressing subject matter like racial discrimination and police brutality. Kendrickwent from successful to superstar, and hasn't slowed down, dropping two more fantastic records inDamnandMr. Morale & the Big Steppers.
Featured Album: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
J. Cole
A talented multi-instrumentalist, J. Cole began releasing mixtapes in the late aughts, leading to his debut record,Cole World: The Sideline Storyin 2011. He followed that up withBorn Sinnerin 2013, quickly earning a reputation as one of hip hop's up-and-coming voices. His lyrics were deeply personal, telling the story of his upbringing and how it shaped him.
The release of2014 Forest Hills Drivesaw a marked change in his style, his lyrics becoming more socially and politically conscious, while actively avoiding the bravado that many of his contemporaries sought to portray. He followed that up with4 Your Eyez Only, a jazz-fusion record that dives even deeper into politics, with themes of racial discrimination and depression, but carries a hopeful tone as well.
Featured Album: 4 Your Eyez Only
