I would absolutely love to see the caliber of "MCs" you would place above him, if he really has no placement on your list. I can't imagine what that list could possibly look like.

You said the energy was gone...ummm, if you can't hear the energy he's spitting with in TWENTY ELEVEN on "Nasty" then you just aren't listening. He never lost shit.

Questionable beat choices? Sure. Subpar albums? Sure.

But on an all time MCs list, if you're not listing him SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE, you just aren't listening. At all.