Source's Top 50 Lyricists

[tadpole25]

Source is just a magazine. But not an end-all be-all authority. I agree with much of the list, but disagree with a good bit of it.

50.50 Cent
49.Lupe Fiasco
48.Royce Da 5'9
47.Styles P
46.Rick Ross
45.Lil Kim
44.Canibus
43.DMX
42.Ludacris
41.Fabolous
40.T.I.
39.Prodigy
38.Posdnous(De La Soul)
37.Busta Rhymes
36.Lil Wayne
35.Bun B
34.Black Thought
33.Method Man
32.GZA
31.Kanye West
30.Guru
29.Snoop Dogg
28.Talib Kweli
27.Pharoahe Monch
26.Big L
25.Queen Latifah
24.Jadakiss
23.Mos Def
22.Common
21.Redman
20.Q-Tip
19.Big Pun
18.Kool G. Rap
17.The D.O.C.
16.Scarface
15.Slick Rick
14.Ice Cube
13.Andre 3000
12.Chuck D
11.LL Cool J
10.Melle Mel
9.Lauryn Hill
8.Big Daddy Kane
7.Krs-One
6.Eminem
5.2Pac
4.Jay-Z
3.Biggie
2.Nas
1.Rakim

My opinion

Should be higher
44.Canibus (sorry, Stans)
43.DMX
42.Ludacris
41.Fabolous
40.T.I.
37.Busta Rhymes
33.Method Man
32.GZA
19.Big Pun

Should be lower
46. Rick Ross
31.Kanye West
17.The D.O.C.
15.Slick Rick
10.Melle Mel
9.Lauryn Hill (as a musician shes in the top 10 easy but not as a rapper)
8.Big Daddy Kane

[King Lance]

yeah but it's an old list

[tadpole25]

yes

[PAINKILLƎR]

Lupe is a better lyricist than most of those guys and he 49?

2pac is one of my favorite of all time but him being number 5? nope

Ross is on the list...

[classthe_king]

Were they even trying? It seems like they just took 50 big named rappers and threw them in any random order. Rakim is the best lyricist ever? Lol okay.

[Robbie G]

Not sure how 50 Cent could possibly be mentioned with top lyricists.

[Just Silver]

Not sure how 50 Cent could possibly be mentioned with top lyricists.

better than rick ross imo

[tadpole25]

honestly, i'd say 2/3 of the list is good.

nobody will make a list that free of criticism.

[Solace]

Not sure how 50 Cent could possibly be mentioned with top lyricists.

better than rick ross imo

That doesn't mean he's a top lyricist

[Blu]

I love Jay but in no way does he deserve to be #4. Em should have been in the top 3, and Rakim is such a generic choice.

[Emadyville]

in general this list is a joke.

[momentsgolden]

Lil Kim > Lupe

Pac> Eminem (as a lyricist)

Lauren Hill> Andre 3000

nuff said.

[RoleModel'Est96]

Pac> Eminem (as a lyricist)

Hmm, not even trying to seem like a Stan here, but I don't quite agree.
Explain?
Plus, Big Pun should be higher, imo

[Shady-Yo]

Em should be #1, Common should be higher, 2Pac & Biggie should be lower.

[momentsgolden]

Pac> Eminem (as a lyricist)

Hmm, not even trying to seem like a Stan here, but I don't quite agree.
Explain?
Plus, Big Pun should be higher, imo

My post was to show how unreasonable the list is. How can someone who had someone else write their lyrics (Lil Kim) be better than the guy behind F&L. How can All Eyez on Me be considered more "lyrical" than The Eminem Show? How can Lauren hill who sang more than she rapped be better than Andre the GOAT? It just cant be.