"Diehard fans, music nerds and critics love lists. But in rap, greatest-of-all-time rankings like this take on a special level of import: aside from moving a crowd (shouts to Rakim), MC means proving you’re the best. In no other genre do artists so blatantly express their desire to outdo competition. That made Billboard's list a more high-stakes undertaking than usual. Many of our favorites -- Big Daddy Kane, Drake, KRS-One -- didn’t make it, and each of those omissions hurts deep down. We also have to note: we’re ranking rappers, not rap artists. That’s why Dr. Dre and Kanye West, for example, two legendary producer-artists who don’t match the mic skills of those listed here, were left out."
http://www.billboard.com/photos/6723...2&kwp_1=222700
10. Lil Wayne
09. Kendrick Lamar
08. Ghostface Killah
07. Lauryn Hill
06. Andre 3k
05. Nasir Jones
04. Rakim
03. Eminem
02. Jay Z
01. Biggie
