Top Ten Best Hip Hop Lyricists
Have you ever listened to "Cleaning out my closet" then listened to "Headlights". It's still hits hard to this day, if an artists music to this day can invoke emotions and ideas that are relatable then it means they are the best lyricist. Eminem has recently came out from the dark and showed his views on mumble rapper and 'ghost writers' in his kamikaze album and his Collab with logic in homicide. He mentions in his songs that he's inspired the 'Hopsins', the 'Logics', and the 'Coles', which is true. Even Hopsin agrees and was excited to be mentioned in an Eminem song stating "that he's going to tell his mama! " He's taken his career and made something out of it, he's inspirational and one of the most mentioned artists in his field. He's often quoted to be a modern day Shakespeare, which is one of the most highest compliments given to lyricists.
Really nas over Eminem? Naw dude Eminem is the all time best lyricist I've ever heard. Because his lyrics don't get boring, he uses very clever word play and have you seen this dudes vocabulary? This dude has rhymes for days and honestly I like new Eminem better then old Eminem. He's like fine wine bro he keeps getting better with age and nas is a lyrical beast but Eminem is the king
Eminem doesn't have the best lyricism in the game. His deliverance is what makes him the best rapper of all time. However, New York rapper own the lyricism game. For example, The Notorious B.I.G? "You're reign on the top was short like leprechauns" (Kick In The Door). Nas can literally recite a story backwards. That takes serious skill.
Eminem is obviously d best! No doubt about it. Listen to his sick lyrical flows, his deep angst and pains in some of his songs, his funny side in some other songs and his inspiring side in songs like Lose Yourself and you will realize the truth. EM rules forever!
Anyone who picks Eminem over Nas has neither never heard a Nas song or is just madly obsessed with Eminem (No disrespect to Eminem) but when it comes to Lyricism, I mean pure lyrical prowess. No one (only maybe underground rappers) can come near Nas. Nas is a lyrical god. Eminem's lyrics will sound basic in your ears if you listen to Illmatic.
Nas's lyrics not only show originality, clever word play, and skill, but what makes Nas the greatest lyricist is his consistency. In every single Nas album, and in every single song, Nasir Jones uses an intricate rhyme scheme and complicated multi-syllable rhymes to paint a picture and spread his message.
While I respect Eminem he is not a better lyricist then nas nas is known for his lyricism don't get me wrong I love Eminem but nas wins for lyricism illmatic is a masterpiece. " my first album had no famous guest appearances the outcome I'm crowned the best lyricist"- Nas Eminem deserves 3rd only behind nas and tupac
Nas is the most clever emcee I have ever heard. His raps are like poetry and I get lost in his music. His lyrics are genius and I would highly recommended illmatic if you haven't heard it yet.
Lyricism at it's finest. 2pac might not have wordplay, but he has a good amount of extended metaphors, some entedres, similes, stroytelling, internal rhyming, assonance, etc. his subject matter is the best. He raps about societal problems, just listen to Me Against The World, Changes, Keep Ya Head Up, Me And My Girlfriend.
Worst lyricist of all time yeah right the best lyricist of all time by far you either illiterate or deaf or just to stupid to understand what the hell he saying jack ass!
He's one of the best lyricist not because of his cool rhymes & all that cool stuff but he is very influential with his lyrics.Plus, he's the greatest rapper of all time
hez the realest hiz lyricz get 2 you nd it connectz nd a lot of people can relate 2 hiz rapz nd plus hez got the best lyricz
He was one of the best, he had one of the greatest flows/delivery in history. He had some dope lyrics.
Best ever no question
Though many my not agree with what his lyrics say, it's undeniable that no lyricist can even compare to what he's created in songs like "Dance with the Devil" and "Caught in a Hustle" they're just pure genius, with lines like:
"It's funny how on the block, n****** will kill you for cash. But never raise the gun and cry out 'Freedom at Last! '" and
"I would like to raise my children to grow to be soldiers, but then a general would decide when their lives would be over."
He is really good story teller just listen to dancing with the devil and prove me wrong
I don't see how lil wayne is on this list.
Thank God now he's way higher than Lil Wayne, not to sound like a cocky snob but before I came along this list had Lil Wayne above actual lyricists which was laughable.
Nice to see him finally get some recognition. Amazing metaphors and similes.
So according to this list lil gayne is more lyrical than K-Rino? Lol
Mashed Eminem up into little pieces when they had beef and can ruin his career if they have beef again
He told you he was and is
Having lil lame above Black Thought makes this list a joke.
Edit: Thankfully, this list is much better now compared to the disaster it was when I first found it.
Lupe is BY FAR, the best lyricist, higher then the level of Nas, Biggie, MF DOOM in my opinion. Just listen to tracks like Words I Never Said, Mural, Prisoner 1 and 2, Show Goes On, Kick Push, No Scratches, etc. His storytelling is really good. He has good subejct matter and also has good double entendres, wordplay, alliteration, assonance, homonyms, storytelling, etc. which are all components of lyricism. there will never be a rapper near as good as lupe in storytelling.
Just listen to tracks like failure and dumb it down or even the newer go to sleep because you will need to listen again because it has so much meaning to it making Lupe the best lyricist
Many people don't realize it but lupe's lyrics are literally poetry... Tetsuo and youth is the best album I've heard in a while. Just look up any of his songs on genius and you'll see what I'm talking about
Lupe is way better than some rappers who make lots of noise like Kendrick lamar! His lyrics are deep and intellectual
All I can say to his lyrics: they are the bomb. You do not often see someone rhyming through a whole song and keeping up his flow like Big L.
The king of punchlines should be in the top 5
Greatest rapper in the world
"known for his complex delivery, internal and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes, " My God!
He's the best, listen to "look what you've done"
You could spend hours researching the lines in one song. His rhymes are complex and have many pop culture references. He's quite simply one of the best lyricists in the game.
Check this guy, he is amazing, the best lyricist of all time, not the best rapper, but liricist yes.
Check Zero Dark Thirty, None Shall Pass, Daylight, in my opinion his best songs. Probably the most underrated rapper
The Greatest Lyricist that ever touched a mic. No one comes close to his lyrical content. He can be credited with changing the whole rap game as it is known today!
"The GOD MC, The Microphone Fiend, The 18th Letter, Clearly the BEST. "
The God MC.. Definitely should be no. One.. He is the best lyricist of all time in any genre.
No one can do it better than the 18th letter!
Biggie reigned supreme as the master of lyricism. While most other rappers depend on the way they deliver their songs, Biggie used the words he just thought of off the top of his head. Should definitely be #1
Big Poppa is King of Hip-Hop!
King of hip hop
Good and unique lyricist and funny stage name
Arguably one of the greatest lyrical rappers of all time. GZA also has one of the greatest hip hop albums ever "Liquid Swords"
"Way better than that ugly punk 50 who can't rhyme like the GENIUS. "
You must be an idiot to put Lil Wayne over Gza
Easily top 3, much better then Eminem.
"BLACK SMITH IS THE MOVEMENT! "
He doesn't swear a lot. Intelligent rhymes just like nas and very underrated
His lyrics are deep...
LOOK UP DEFINITION OF HIP HOP HE'LL TELL YOU.
His work on MADVILLAINNY is insane. He raps his butt off track after track. Rhinestone Cowboy, Figaro, Accordion, All Caps, Fancy Clown, Strange Ways, and Great Day are all excellent examples of his lyrical capabilities. The ONLY three contenders that can even compete are Rakim, Nas, and Eminem.
The most underrated lyricist ever. How he is not in top 10 is beyond me. Just listen to "Figaro".
He's very underground, best lyricist you'll listen to
By far #1
He writes great lyrics, during the college dropout era he didn't even write he actually memorised it in his head. Something only Biggie, Jay Z, Kanye and a few others do. He's a genius
So underrated. Once you get past his ridiculous/hilarious punchlines, there's so much more depth to his lyrics
More like overrated. You can't be the best lyricist if you use ghostwriters.
Amazing lyricist