by Cardi B, the multi-platinum selling hip-hop superstar, recently revealed her personal picks for the top 9 greatest rappers of all time. Her list sparked lively debate among music fans, as she highlighted hip-hop trailblazers who have shaped the genre over decades. As a diehard Bardi Gang member and hip-hop head, I completely stand by Cardi’s thoughtful selections. Here’s why her top 9 encapsulates hip-hop’s rich history and the artists who helped mold rap into the global force it is today.
At the top of Cardi’s list sits Tupac Shakur, and rightfully so. Tupac embodied the passion, complexity, and spirit of hip-hop. He was a prolific artist, churning out music that resonated with audiences from coast to coast. Tupac gave a voice to the struggles of inner city life, police brutality, poverty, and racism. He had a poetic flair and charisma that enthralled listeners. Tupac became a cultural icon because his music spoke truth to power. He didn’t shy away from controversy or adversarial themes. Songs like “Changes,” “Dear Mama,” and “Keep Ya Head Up” became anthems because of their social consciousness and insightful lyrics. Tupac’s ability to be both a gangsta rapper and a thoughtful artist is part of what made him legendary. By highlighting Tupac, Cardi pays homage to rap’s socially resonant roots. There’s no question he deserves to sit atop the hip-hop throne.
In the number two spot, Cardi B named The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls. This feels like the perfect place for one of rap’s most lyrical and stylistic masters. Biggie’s laid back flow and wordplay skills changed the game. Hit songs like “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” and “Hypnotize” all exemplify his technical prowess and flair for storytelling. The vivid scenes and narratives Biggie crafted in his rhymes were second to none. He painted intimate portraits of growing up in Brooklyn that took listeners to the corners and back alleys he inhabited. Biggie’s vocal style and rhythmic quality was singular – no one could mimic his gruff delivery that still felt melodic. His tracks were often odes to the lavish lifestyle afforded him as rap’s first major superstar. But even when boasting big, The Notorious B.I.G. kept his bars complex and his rhyme schemes unmatched. Cardi is giving propers to a true G.O.A.T. with Biggie as runner up.
As one of rap’s most successful moguls, there’s no disputing Jay-Z’s rank at number three. He’s hip-hop’s ultimate hustler and entrepreneur, building an empire that includes acclaimed albums along with champagne brands, record labels, clothing lines, sports management groups, and more. Starting as a drug dealer in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, Jay rose through the rap ranks with raw lyricism and an unflashy approach. His reasoned tone gave his rhymes gravitas that allowed him to spit high level game on everything from relationships to capitalism to politics. Hits like “Empire State of Mind” and “Still D.R.E.” cemented his status as NY’s hip-hop ambassador. Meanwhile “99 Problems” and “Public Service Announcement” showcased his nimble wordplay. Jay-Z’s longevity speaks to how he evolves with the times while staying true to his roots. Cardi recognizes Jigga’s staying power along with his stylistic and entrepreneurial innovations.
At four, Cardi B chooses the legendary Nas – and no true hip-hop fan can dispute that placement. With meticulous flow and dense, complex bars, Nas exemplified the technical potential of rap. Songs like “NY State of Mind” revealed Nas to be an elite lyricist, weaving internal rhymes and extended metaphors into richly detailed narratives. He built vivid cinematic worlds populated by the hustlers, gangsters and dreamers of the Queensbridge housing projects. Illmatic, Nas’s debut, is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever. His ability to condense years of experience into barbed couplets is untouchable still today. Nas’s rhymes also took on big ideas, contemplating the struggles of black liberation, grappling with faith, and imagining a better future for the community. Cardi recognizes real lyricism with Nas in the top five.
In the number five spot sits the OG Queen Bee, Lil Kim. This pick shows Cardi is all about honoring the women who paved the way in a male-dominated industry. Lil Kim busted through the glass ceiling, shattering industry assumptions about what constituted lady-like behavior. She was one of the first female rappers to celebrate her sexuality with provocative lyrics and fashion that inspired a generation. Along with Kim’s trend-setting style, she deserves props for her raunchy but intricate rhyme skills. She went bar for bar with the biggest rappers of the day – like fellow Junior M.A.F.I.A member Biggie Smalls. Songs like “No Time” and “Crush On You” showed Kim could keep up with hip-hop’s fast lyrical pace. Fearless and feminist, Lil Kim’s music pushed boundaries and opened doors. Her inclusion is a historic must.
In the six spot, Cardi grants props to Lauryn Hill – yet another pillar in the rap/r&b crossover space. Hill rose to prominence with the Fugees before releasing her solo masterpiece The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. On both projects, Hill wowed fans with her buttery smooth vocals, socially conscious lyrics, and experimental musical fusions. She blended hip-hop with reggae, doo-wop, and soul for a sound that entranced the masses. Songs like “Everything Is Everything” and “Ex-Factor” revealed Hill’s emotional depth and grace as an artist. And she could still deliver bars that awed hip-hop heads, like on the Fugees’ smash “Ready or Not.” Ms. Hill was a once-in-a-generation talent capable of rapping, singing, writing, and producing at an elite level. Cardi pays tribute to her artistic excellence and barrier breaking crossover success.
In spot number 7, Cardi B celebrates the creativity of the incomparable Missy Elliott. Missy blazed trails for hip-hop weirdos and avant garde aesthetics. She showed the world you could look and sound like no one else and still go platinum. She perfected the art of the cameo on classics like “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” and “Sock It To Me.” Missy’s vision was audacious – her style was space age while her music fused hip-hop with electronic, r&b, and dance music well before it was cool. She treated every video like a psychedelic art project, amplifying the trippy surrealism of hits like “Get Ur Freak On” and “Work It.” Missy expanded the definitions of hip-hop beauty by embracing her curves and showing up authentically as her quirky self. Cardi knows Missy is unmatched when it comes to futuristic flavor.
At eight, Cardi B cements Nicki Minaj as a game changing femcee. Much like Lil Kim and Missy before her, Nicki expanded the possibilities for women in hip-hop. She showed rap could accommodate bubblegum pop hooks, rapid fire verse deliveries, accents and alter egos. Mixtapes like Beam Me Up Scotty and Pink Friday proved Nicki could go bar for bar with the hardest spitters in the game. But she took rap femininity to new extremes with provocative fashions that empowered women to own their sexuality. Anthems like “Superbass” and “Starships” showed Nicki’s versatility as both a street-wise lyricist and pop culture savant. Her towering influence is undeniable and Cardi pays respect to the Queen of Rap’s royal achievements.
Last but certainly not least, Cardi reserves the number nine spot for herself – a seat at the table she’s earned through chart busting hits, skilled rapping, and complete cultural dominance. Coming up as a former stripper from the Bronx, the odds were stacked against Cardi. But she flipped the script with one banger after another. “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It,” and “Bartier Cardi” all combined her Dominican-Trinidadian flavor with trap beats for a irresistible new sound. On “Money” and “Press” she proved she could keep pace with contemporary hip-hop flows while maintaining her own identity rooted in feminism and her Bardi Gang fandom. Her debut Invasion of Privacy became one of rap’s most acclaimed albums, taking home the Grammy for Best Rap Album and cementing Cardi’s star power. She’s right to become the first rapper to put herself in the top 9 – her meteoric impact proves she’s a legend in the making redefining rap for a new generation.
There you have it – the thorough and thoughtful rationale behind Cardi B’s picks for rap’s greatest of all time. The artists she chose have defined hip-hop’s sound and direction decade after decade. They’ve pushed boundaries, innovated stylistically, dominated charts, and inspired millions. Cardi’s selections highlight rappers who speak to the full breadth of the human experience – from partying to politics and everything in between. Her list deserves co-signs from music lovers across generations. Let the debates continue, but for me and the rest of the Bardi Gang, Cardi’s list will always be definitive – okurrr!
