ahead of him....starting w/

1.Pac (how can it not be him, seriously)


1a.KRS ONE (the only area where he comes up short vs other great MCs is commercial success and we all know why that is)


3.LL Cool J (could honestly make a legit argument that he's the "GOAT")


4.Rakim (he's still thee most stylistically important MC)


5.Ice Cube (his early success makes him worthy of such a high ranking)

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6.Jayz (has had the most commercially successful career of any MC....and he's still going...may have to revisit this one day and change his position)


7.Big Daddy Kane (had it all as an MC/great lyricall skills/excellent performer/tight songs/highly influential on a lot of MCs who came after him)


8.Eminem (never loved ANY of his overrall albums but no one can deny he deserves to be mentioned amongst the all time great MCs)


9.Nas (his career has ebbed and flowed a bit...and yet maybe still the only one on my list who can boast of having *2* CLASSIC records...Illmatic/Stillmatic...at Nas' best he's an MC's MC)


9A.Lauryn Hill (that's right, I said it! she can hang w/ANY MC on this list in any measure....lyrics/flow/great songs/freestyling/performing)

11.Scarface (the voice, the deep lyrics...the precursor to Pac as far as MCs being introspective and revealing internal personal demons)