27. Chuck D
At the height of the rap group game, Public Enemy stood out as a heavy-hitter. Along with Flavor Flav, Chuck D (Carlton Ridenhour) turned Public Enemy into one of the most successful rap group entities of all-time. Chuck D was masterful with his flow, and even better when it came to his lyrical construction. Few — if any — were better than him when it came to crafting together clever puns and thought-provoking material. Above all else, Public Enemy never failed to drop absolute bangers (such as “Harder Than You Think” and “Fight The Power”).
Image Source: Washington Times
26. Kendrick Lamar
Over the last five years, Kendrick Lamar has represented the only rapper with a real homage to the past. He just sounds like the type of performer who’d be cutting his/her teeth during the early ’90s. Lamar’s lyrics are socially sensitive, sometimes political, and all the while full of meaning. Duly, he’s also arguably the biggest rapper to come out of LA since Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. Without question, Kendrick Lamar is a rising star within the industry.
Image Source: Grammy’s