Top 10 Best Freestyle Rappers
Freestyling is one of the purest forms of hip-hop. It's where skill, creativity, and confidence come together in the moment, with no written lyrics to fall back on. Some rappers are masters of the craft, effortlessly spitting intricate bars off the top of their heads, turning beats into playgrounds for their lyrical ability. Whether it's battle rap, cyphers, or spontaneous flows on radio shows, the best freestyle rappers have a way of making it look easy.This list is all about those artists who have proven time and time again that they can rap on the spot with style, substance, and impressive wordplay. Some built their legacies through legendary battle performances, while others showcased their talent through viral radio freestyles or impromptu sessions in the studio. Many of them have changed the game with their ability to think quickly, weave together complex rhymes, and command attention without missing a beat.
Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is an American rapper, actor and music producer born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Eminem has sold over 300 million records making him the bestselling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of D12 and (with Royce... read more Slim built his entire empire on the foundation of freestyle rap, which is why he can rap about anything, anywhere, to any music. When you honestly ask yourself if his freestyle flow and creativity are better than his recorded songs, it's kind of hard to even find anyone close.
If Biggie had lived, it would be a hard choice, as I witnessed a great many of his freestyle raps that you had to be there to hear.
He's an amazing freestyler because he uses a lot of play on words, and he has incredible endurance to go on and on forever. It's incredible how he thinks of the best lyrics on the spot. He has all the requirements of a great freestyler.
Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), best known by his stage name Big L, was an American hip hop recording artist, born and raised in Harlem, New York City, New York. Coleman embarked on his career in rapping, with the hip hop trio, Three the Hard Way. His first notable appearance came... read more First, I will say from this I see most of you guys don't know old rappers and just go with what you know. The late, great underground emcee was one of the best freestyle rappers out there. He was overlooked by some, but you can't deny his ability to freestyle off the top of his head.
I'm not the only one who thought this, but he was better at freestyling than writing songs and hits. It's the truth, and you guys know it.
1. Big L
2. Snoop Dogg
3. Eminem
4. Canibus
5. Jin from Freestyle Friday
Big L spits faster, harder, and better lyrics than Eminem and anybody else when it comes to the freestyle game. If you listen to his freestyle with Jay Z, you will understand what I mean. Jay Z is a nasty freestyle artist, but Big L goes so fast and is so good that he makes him look slow and bad in comparison. Lamont Coleman number one.
Christopher George Latore Wallace, born May 21, 1972, better known by his stage name The Notorious B.I.G (sometimes Biggie Smalls or just simply Biggie), is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered in a drive by shooting in Los Angeles, California at the age of only... read more Where's Brooklyn at? He is the best freestyler ever. How can Eminem be the first?
Biggie is a lyrical genius. The lyrics to his freestyle have deep meaning too. Rapping freestyle right from childhood has made him the finest freestyler. He would kill Eminem in freestyle, if not in his songs.
I love Eminem, and I feel that he should be good against Biggie, but I feel that Biggie is the greatest freestyler of all time. Em has some really good freestyles, but when I hear Biggie, he is the most talented rapper of all time.
Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be a leading figure in the emo-rap and SoundCloud rap genres which garnered mainstream... read more Out of all these top 10, Juice WRLD is my favorite. He helped heal the world with all types of depression, anxiety, and many others. He sang with his heart pouring out and always delivered beautiful performances with any beat given to him, as stated in the description.
He wanted someone to follow in his footsteps and perhaps surpass his own achievements, as he mentioned in his latest album "Fighting Demons" on the songs "Juice WRLD speaks" or "Juice WRLD speaks 2". His music still guides me through sadness, heartbreak, and many other challenges. Millions of people continue to find solace in his music. If only he were here.
Marcus Jamal Hopson, better known by his stage name Hopsin, is an American rapper, record producer, director and actor from Los Angeles, California. Hopsin was born on July 18, 1985. His first album was called Emurge but he's best known for his album titled Raw.
DeShaun Dupree Holton better known by his stage name Proof, was an American rapper and actor from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups 5 Elementz, Funky Cowboys, Promatic and most notably, D12. He was a close childhood friend of rapper Eminem, who lived on the same block,... read more How is Proof not at least top 5, let alone top 10? Have any of you heard his freestyle with Eminem on Westwood? That 4th verse is mind-blowing: "I know the truth so now I'm baring all, I made R Kelly confess he stole his first style from Aaron Hall, a wack MC with a gun, I'm not one, when you see Kurt Cobain tell him bring back my shotgun." Amazing, just amazing.
Eminem says it all. He's better than Em when it comes to freestyling. Now, there is another individual who I would've put on number one. His name is Harry Mack. He truly freestyles.
William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah (or simply Rakim), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time... read more
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter, better known as Black Thought, is an American artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots, as well as an occasional actor. Look up freestyle in the dictionary, and you will find this man. He can think of multiple rhymes in one sentence just like that. The only reason he isn't at the top is because most people here just bob their heads.
A full range of skills, Thought can do it on T.V., in the studio, on stage, and on the street. That Flex freestyle should put him in the top 10 by itself.
He literally spit a 10-minute bar that was smart and had crazy flow throughout. He absolutely has to be in the top 3.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Raised in Compton, California, Lamar embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name K-Dot, releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with indie record label Top Dawg... read more I'd keep moving Kendrick up in this. He does this gnarly flashcard freestyle, and it sounds like he wrote it because it's got punchlines, metaphors, jokes, and it's just fire, like all his freestyles.
Come on, man, he deserves to be in the top 10...!
This man's words have their own mind.
Antonio Hardy, better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper and actor who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap collective the Juice Crew.The Newcomers
Christopher Lee Rios, better known by his stage name Big Pun, was an American rapper. Emerging from the underground hip hop scene in The Bronx borough of New York City, in the early 1990s, he was the first Latino rapper to have an album certified platinum as a solo act... read more Damn, this man got those wordplays, fast rhymes, and flows. Nothing can be taken from this man.
André Lauren Benjamin, known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia, and is most known as one half of the hip-hop duo OutKast. Despite never actually releasing an official solo studio album, 3000 has built up a strong following online among hip hop listeners and often... read more
Barry Adrian Reese (born July 7, 1982), better known by his stage name Cassidy, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He first garnered attention for his freestyles and participation in battle rap competitions in the late 1990s. By the end of the decade, he had formed the Philadelphia-based... read more Who else out there has multiple 10 and 11 minute freestyles? Look on YouTube for Coke on the Scale, Where is Cass at, then compare that to his modern 0 to 100 and Control remixes. Been on point for a long time.
One of the best freestylers to do it. All you have to do is watch the freeway battle. I love Lupe, but he can't freestyle. And Canibus pulled out a pad in a battle.
If you really know about freestyles, how is he not in the top 5? Most people here are voting for artists for the wrong reasons.
Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known as 2Pac, was an American rapper and actor born on June 16, 1971 in East Harlem, New York. Tupac sold over 75 million records worldwide and has been referred to in multiple major publications such as Rolling Stone as one of the greatest music artists of all time. 2Pac was... read more In freestyle rap, he is for sure better than number four down. Plus, he is the biggest selling rapper of all time, releasing most of his hits between '95 to '97. Get it?
Listen to him talk in interviews, throw in a beat, and you'll see what I'm talking about. It sounds like he's freestyling.
#1 doesn't matter if we're talking about freestyling or rapping! I will vouch for this man till the day I die. Best one I've seen on this chart!
Contrary to popular belief, Tupac had mad freestyle skills. When he was young, he rolled with a notebook and pad everywhere, ready to spit at any minute.
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., better known by his stage name Common, is an American hip hop recording artist, actor, film producer and poet from Chicago, Illinois.
Eyedea's range in freestyle, and the fact that it was truly never written, is what's most amazing about his freestyling.
He was an accomplished battle rapper, winning Blaze, Scribble Jam, Rock the Bells. He did lose twice: one toss-up epic battle vs. Brother Ali (an amazing freestyler/artist and good friend of his) and one of his very first battles, which was pretty bad, where he lost to Slug (from Atmosphere, also a good friend of his).
His actual freestyles are much more magnificent than his battle raps. He can go off the dome fast, slow, with so many styles, so many original interesting thoughts, and great at respecting people on the mic and not cutting people off, even though he blows their asses out of the water. R.I.P. to the G.O.A.T.
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and was the president of Death Row Records. Dr. Dre... read more Yo, Dr. Dre should be the first. This website is close; he was the one who had the best producing company ever. Eminem was on his label, Aftermath. It used to be all about this and all about that, so voting for him. Thank you, goodbye.
King Los has one of the best 5 Fingers of Death freestyles ever, and his Bootleg Kev freestyle challenge was amazing as well. I like a number of artists, such as Eminem, Tech N9ne, and Slaughterhouse, better than him, but when Los freestyles off the top of his head, he is number 1 without a doubt.
His vocabulary is insane, his intellect and wordplay amazing, and his rhythm and flow unreal. He also has a very unique pattern rap that he calls reverse pattern rap, which gives him a different edge.
King Los is back at 36, but people who have literally never actually freestyled (Pac, Dr. Dre, Kanye) off the top are top 10 just because you all recognize the name. Stop conforming to what people tell you are the best rappers and listen for yourself. Use your own brains.
And when people ask for your top 5, give them YOURS, not the typical "Biggie, Eminem, Tupac, etc". If you think that, so be it, but King Los is the best freestyler since Biggie, and I would even say he could out-freestyle Biggie time-wise.
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor. He also performs as the frontman of rock band Japanese Cartoon... read more Lupe Fiasco is one of the best at freestyle rapping in the world. Almost all of his songs have a meaning. That's why he's the fifth best in the world. No jokes about that. If you want proof, battle him yourself!
Not in the top ten because not enough people have heard his freestyles. My top three are Eminem, Lupe, and King Los, in no particular order. They are all sick off the top.
His flow is unreal, but more impressive is that his freestyles have meaning and it's not just different versions of 'I'm great and...kill people.'
Eric Kaiser (born 9 September 1970), better known by his stage name K-Rino, is an American rapper and record producer from Houston, Texas. He is a pioneer of the Southern hip hop scene, and has been rapping since 1983. K-Rino's first release was the single "rocking It" with his group Real Chill in 1986,... read moreEven though he had a short rapping career of three years, most of his songs were based off freestyles. Snupe had been freestyling since he was six, and it is very rare to find freestyle artists like Lil Snupe in the 2010s era with lots of potential.
In a song, he admitted he is the freestyle king because there was no one to freestyle like the wacky rappers we have today.
All he did was freestyle. He was able to freestyle at 6 years old! Every song of his was fire. If he wasn't shot, he would be the best in the game right now. He was back then and still would be.
There was so much left for him to prove. He's even admitted in his songs that he's the best, the freestyle king. Nobody can top him, not even Eminem.
Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr., (born October 20, 1971) known professionally as Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and television personality from Long Beach, California. Snoop Dogg is a real freestyler. He has written nothing. He just comes in and freestyles off the top of his head. You can hear his song 'The Shiznit'. It is all freestyle. And his flow in his freestyles is outstanding. He has a good vocabulary, that's why his rhyming is awesome. You can check out his freestyle videos on YouTube. There are tons of them.
While I didn't vote for him, I would put him in the top ten. I think in some of his songs, he does make up some of the lyrics as he goes along.
Snoop Dogg is one of the best freestyle rappers. He should be in the top 5-10. Just watch his rap battles on Wild 'N Out, and you will see what I mean.
Jermaine Lamarr Cole, better known by his stage name J. Cole, is an American hip hop recording artist and record producer. J. Cole is a young artist who is known for sounding like Drake. Like Drake, he will leave you in tears.
Cole's new freestyle sets him apart from the rest.
Frankly speaking, J. Cole is the king. Truly nothing to say, he's just a genius and does freestyles effortlessly.
Christopher Brian "Chris" Bridges, better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor. He is a freestyle genius, damn it!
He has to be on here. He deserves it, his funny rap style, and fast rhymes alongside his voice.
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was discovered by Brian "Baby" "Birdman" Williams at a very young age, and was signed to Cash Money Records, where he would be one quarter of the rap group Hot Boys. In the years to follow, he would go on to find his own... read more Not only the best freestyler, but the best rapper overall that the world has ever seen.
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known by his stage name Nas, is an American rapper and entrepreneur born on September 14, 1973 in New York City. His album, Illmatic, is considered to be one of the best rap albums of all time. He is also considered to be one of the best rappers of all time. Before I get a bunch of replies saying that "Eminem is better" or "Biggie would smoosh Nas in a rap battle", I agree with both. However, just hear my case. Without a doubt, the greatest freestyle of all time, and possibly the greatest rap of all time, is Nas' song "N.Y. State Of Mind". A lot of the new generation hasn't heard it yet since Nas didn't reach the same iconic level that Eminem, Tupac, or Biggie did. The intense rhyme schemes prove that he can write a masterpiece within seconds in his mind.
His DJ even gave an interview where he just played the beat and Nas freestyled over it in one take. Everyone in the studio, including Nas himself, was astounded at the quality of the freestyle. Now, the "hard" freestyles just contain simple, cliché rhyme schemes and have no actual meaning, while "N.Y. State Of Mind" describes the ghetto life and its struggles in Brooklyn.
Obviously, Nas hasn't recorded any other freestyles that are as iconic or well-known, but that one session really changed rap and set the base for the greatest rap album ever, "Illmatic". He should be number one, followed by Biggie at number two, and Eminem at number three. Why Biggie above Eminem? He freestyled all of his classic album, "Ready to Die", and it was still widely regarded as one of the best and deepest rap albums of all time.
Ryan Daniel Montgomery, better known by his stage name Royce da 5'9", is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. His lyrics are crazy good. I think he is one of the best out there.
Listen to the Westwood freestyle with Eminem - it's sick!