![]() Widely influential and incredibly celebrated both critically and commercially, Outkast have achieved a great degree of success, in no small part due to the considerable linguistic capacity of both members (although it Andre 3000 who elevates his flow to the elite status of the members on this list). Together his compatriot Big Boi, Andre 3000 has been supplying the world with slick Southern rhymes since Outkast released their debut album, Southernplayalisticmuzik, in 1994. Were this a question of who our favorite MC in the history of hip hop was, we’d have a hard time putting anyone above Andre 3000, the more famous half of acclaimed hip hop duo Outkast. Check out this underrated rapper immediately for some of the best lyricism you’ll see in the genre. We’re of the mind that Mos Def has a stronger solo creative output, so we’ve slotted him here at number five. Born Yasiin Bey, Mos Def paces his Black Star compatriot in Kweli on this list, although it was a damn tough call as to who to place higher (how can you choose between two people this cool? It’s an impossible task). Talib Kweli’s former running mate (the two were the creative forces behind the much celebrated Black Star project), Mos Def has been a force in hip hop since the release of his first album, Black on Both Sides, in 1999, and along the way he’s managed to cultivate a dedicated fan base on the strength of his slick rhymes and infinitely cool flow. Of course, that brings us to…Ĭasual fans of hip hop may be surprised to see this Brooklyn born rapper so high on this list, but it’s a well kept secret of hip hop aficionados that Mos Def can throw down with the best of them. While we had a tough time figuring out which half of Black Star should place higher on this list, ultimately we decided it was best to place the two side by side, so as to conflate our affinity for the celebrated hip hop project. Kweli, who has achieved mainstream success both with Black Star and as a solo artist, remains one of the most complex and gifted lyricists in the world of hip hop, utilizing a distinctive vocal style and some of the smoothest flow you’ll ever see to craft absorbing rhymes that often speak to issues plaguing the world (Kweli is a vocal activist for a wide variety of causes, most all of which influence his artistry in some way or another). ![]() One of the lesser known stars on this list, Talib Kweli has worked with some of the most recognizable names in hip hop after rising to prominence as one half of the Brooklyn born duo Black Star in the mid 1990s. One of the most celebrated hip hop albums of its time (and one that’s destined to be included as the greatest the genre has ever seen), The Black Album sees Jay Z operating at his highest possible plane, and we’ll be damned if it isn’t some of the finest song writing we’ve seen come out of New York City. However, it’s 2003’s The Black Album which stands as Jay Z’s finest work. His first album, Reasonable Doubt, is consistently cited as one of the strongest hip hop debuts of all time, giving audiences a glimpse as the lyrical density and ultra-cool flow of an infinitely talented rapper. Regardless of how we feel about some of these recent albums, there’s no denying that Jay Z has released some of the greatest rap albums of all time (which contain some of the greatest hip hop lyrics of all time, as well). ![]() We couldn’t bring ourselves to keep H.O.V.A off this list, despite the somewhat lackluster creative endeavours he’s put forth as of late (we weren’t fans of Magna Carta Holy Grail, and if we’re being entirely honest we weren’t fans of Kingdom Come either).
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