but I see what you mean about LL. He remained MAD relevant throughout the 90s even though he wasn't rhyming all the time, then took it back in the early 00's with a couple pretty great songs that made noise. So there's an argument to be made I suppose, but...

I dunno ain't nobody seeing Jay really IMO. I'm with the crowd that says he's never been THE hottest at any one particular moment but he's been top 3 for the better part of the last 18 years so, the consistency is unmatched.

And I agree with whoever said Nas shouldn't have made this list. I like Nas way more than Jay and just about anybody when it comes to artistry and MCing but, if we're talking relevancy and mainstream success over a career Nas just isn't there. He's made noise but he's mostly had his (albeit very strong) cult following with a few stragglers jumping on and off throughout his career. But like you said, his core fanbase is VERY strong and with good reason.