These artists have greatly influenced and defined hip-hop culture and are still heavily impacting current rap artists. Rap music would not be as revered as it is today without the contributions of these ten musical geniuses.
Rakim
American rapper Rakim is the other half of the first DJ/MC duo, Erik B. & Rakim. The hip-hop community recognizes him as one of the greatest skilled and influential rappers ever.
We know most lists pick and choose from the group, but N.W.A. deserves recognition as a whole. N.W.A. stands for N***az Wit Attitudes, and they are not playing.
Lyrically, he expresses his life in the same brutal fashion as Eminem. However, his music is relatable and continues to reach wider audiences with every hot feature and top ten.
In 2016, Time named him one of the most influential people in the world on their top 100 list. Kendrick has had several incredible features with artists, including ScHoolboy Q, Nipsey Hussle, and Kanye West.
Unlike the hardcore gangsta rap popularized at the time, Outkast brought an entirely new sound to the hip-hop movement, combining psychedelia, funk, techno, and jazz.