West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Connection => Topic started by: mfaraj on August 09, 2026, 01:49:09 AM
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This is based on level of skills/bars, creativity, album sales/popularity, longevity
1.lil Wayne- Its wayne and doesnt need explaining 🐐
2.Emenim- lyrical genuis and the only rapper to sell a million first week more than once.
3.2Pac -Took hip hop to the next level
4.Kendrick-crazy catalog
5.Lupe Fiasco- Top 3 lyrcitist, he decided to dumb his music becasue he went over too many heads
Below are "5 honorable mentions"
6.Nas
7.kanye
8.Andre 3000
9.50 cent
10.Drake
In the streets they say youre likely to end up dead or in jail, being in the hip hop game doesnt make you exempt. One of the greatest to fall victim to this saying is Tory lanez
Easily the most versatile hip hop artist to ever exist. He has 3 different identities and is the only rapper to drop a full rap album from prison. I will challenge anyone to find me a more complete overall artist (versitile), hes the best rap artist to ever exist up there with Kanye
Rip Juice wrld, he was the future and would have been the new lil wayne the way kobe was the new jordan. At a young age he already worked with eminem and lil wayne having 4 tracks surpass 500M, 1 being 1.2B views in his early career. He also dropped a duo album with Future at only the age of 19! (wrld on drugs), He once had five songs, in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 at the same time. The only other person to do that was the Beatles in 1964, Wether is having the number 1 album while alive, to biggest posthumous debuts of the modern (after death), he continues to be heavily listened to and supported, and would have earned the permanent goat title knowing he would accomplish so much more had he lived longer. Especially considering all his achievements came at just the age of 21, four years younger than 2pac when he passed away
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good thread
ill start by saying mac dre and x-raided dropped full albums from behind bars well before tory
based on your criteria i got it at
1.2pac
2.eminem
3.biggie
4.nas
5.snoop
that's if u include sales/popularity
my personal top 5 would be
1.2pac
2.mac dre
3.tech n9ne
4.brotha lynch
5.biggie
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good thread
ill start by saying mac dre and x-raided dropped full albums from behind bars well before tory
based on your criteria i got it at
1.2pac
2.eminem
3.biggie
4.nas
5.snoop
that's if u include sales/popularity
my personal top 5 would be
1.2pac
2.mac dre
3.tech n9ne
4.brotha lynch
5.biggie
Based on your criteria—mine and Sccit are identical 8)
My Personal top 5 replaces Biggie with Xzibit (and how can a West Coast head like Sccit have Biggie over Xzibit in a top 5)
1. 2pac
2. Eminem
3. Nas
4. Snoop
5. Xzibit
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my list is almost the same as Sccit's just the order is changed
Pac
Eminem
Nas
Snoop
Biggie
my personal top 5 though as in favorites would be a lot different
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Pac
Nas
Snoop
DMX
50
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Based on your criteria—mine and Sccit are identical 8)
My Personal top 5 replaces Biggie with Xzibit (and how can a West Coast head like Sccit have Biggie over Xzibit in a top 5)
1. 2pac
2. Eminem
3. Nas
4. Snoop
5. Xzibit
i love xzibit and its true he's always been one of my favorites .. but biggies flow and storytelling was just next level .. and the fact that he's the goat of an entire coast (tho u can argue nas), it gives him that edge from a legacy perspective.
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I'm gonna skip the criteria list. I don't care about record sales dude. Skill is skill. Money can't buy that. There could be a whole other thread about what that means and whether people even know what is anymore lol. None of these are in any particular order except for 2pac.
Personal Top 5
2pac
Rakim
King T
Big Daddy Kane
Ice Cube
*Honorable Mentions: Black Thought, Big L, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Xzibit, NaS, Crooked I, LL Cool J, O.C., Biggie, Redman, Method Man, Saukrates, Bumpy Knuckles, Jadakiss, The Lady of Rage, Pete Rock, Schoolly D, Slick Rick, KRS One, Ice-T, Krumbsnatcha, Big Pun, Teflon, J. Dilla
Bonus: Personal Top 5 Groups
NWA
Gang Starr
Westside Connection
M.O.P.
EPMD
*Honorable Mentions: The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Mobb Deep, Tha Dogg Pound, D.I.T.C., Tha Alkaholiks, Tha Eastsidaz, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Above The Law, Onyx, Group Home, Naughty By Nature
Bonus: Personal Top 4 Producers *Couldn't think of a fifth that could compete with these guys
Dr. Dre
DJ Quik
DJ Premier
Pete Rock
*Honorable Mentions: Soopafly, DJ Crazy Toones, No ID, J.Dilla
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I'm gonna skip the criteria list. I don't care about record sales dude. Skill is skill. Money can't buy that. There could be a whole other thread about what that means and whether people even know what is anymore lol. None of these are in any particular order except for 2pac.
Personal Top 5
2pac
Rakim
King T
Big Daddy Kane
Ice Cube
*Honorable Mentions: Black Thought, Big L, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Xzibit, NaS, Crooked I, LL Cool J, O.C., Biggie, Redman, Method Man, Saukrates, Bumpy Knuckles, Jadakiss, The Lady of Rage, Pete Rock, Schoolly D, Slick Rick, KRS One, Ice-T, Krumbsnatcha, Big Pun, Teflon
Bonus: Personal Top 5 Groups
NWA
Gang Starr
Westside Connection
M.O.P.
EPMD
*Honorable Mentions: The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Mobb Deep, Tha Dogg Pound, D.I.T.C., Tha Alkaholiks, Tha Eastsidaz, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Above The Law, Onyx
Bonus: Personal Top 5 Producers
Dr. Dre
DJ Quik
DJ Premier
Pete Rock
*Honorable Mentions: Soopafly, DJ Crazy Toones, No ID
very respectable lists
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Snoop
2pac
Eminem
Kurupt
Rakim
Biggie
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very respectable lists
Good lookin ✌️
Forgot to include J Dilla under Honorables for producers and rappers. Also forgot Group Home for group Honorables. I knew I was gonna forget people but I'll edit the list.
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Just for kicks and in no particular order:
Personal Top 5 Most Unique Rappers
CPO Boss Hogg
Suga Free
Busta Rhymes
E-40
Sticky Fingaz
*Honorable Mentions: André 3000, Short Khop, AMG, Biz Markie, DMX, Lil Fame, Brotha Lynch Hung
Personal Top 5 Gangsta Rappers:
Eazy-E
Snoop Dogg
Big Wy
Tray Deee
W.C.
*Honorable Mentions: Goldie Loc. Dogg (from Tha Relativez), Squeak Ru, Jayo Felony, Mack 10, Nuttz, CJ Mac, Tha Chill, G-Luv, Young Maylay
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Skill will always outweigh record sales but the sales on a large scale confirm that the artist is liked on a large scale
You dont have to like a rapper to have him in your top 5, this is almost no longer opinion based, you cant keep lil wayne out of that top 5, just as much as you can not keep 2pac out, At one point your track didnt get played if wayne wasnt featured on it, one of the biggest peaks in hip hop ever
Theres also a difference of rappers that are enjoyable to listen to and rappers who are talented. Easy to listen to makes up for lack of talent when the flow and sound is nice but there are plenty of great lyricsit yall will not list simply because you dont enjoy playing their music, but it doesnt mean they are not great
The best of the best can do both, make the average person want to listen while also appeleaing to the hip hip heads. thats how you get on that list
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Skill will always outweigh record sales but the sales on a large scale confirm that the artist is liked on a large scale
You dont have to like a rapper to have him in your top 5, this is almost no longer opinion based, you cant keep lil wayne out of that top 5, just as much as you can not keep 2pac out, At one point your track didnt get played if wayne wasnt featured on it, one of the biggest peaks in hip hop ever
Theres also a difference of rappers that are enjoyable to listen to and rappers who are talented. Easy to listen to makes up for lack of talent when the flow and sound is nice but there are plenty of great lyricsit yall will not list simply because you dont enjoy playing their music, but it doesnt mean they are not great
The best of the best can do both, make the average person want to listen while also appeleaing to the hip hip heads. thats how you get on that list
I don't think Wayne is top 5 though, if you put him in there then you would definitely have to put Jayz above him
and I like Wayne better than Jay
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Esoteric (unique rhyme and flow)
2pac (content, persona, delivery)
Eminem (wordplay, content, complex rhyme shemes)
Method Man (umique voice, delivery, cadance and flow)
Dr. Dre (voice, actimg, delivery, cadance)
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Skill will always outweigh record sales but the sales on a large scale confirm that the artist is liked on a large scale
You dont have to like a rapper to have him in your top 5, this is almost no longer opinion based, you cant keep lil wayne out of that top 5, just as much as you can not keep 2pac out, At one point your track didnt get played if wayne wasnt featured on it, one of the biggest peaks in hip hop ever
Theres also a difference of rappers that are enjoyable to listen to and rappers who are talented. Easy to listen to makes up for lack of talent when the flow and sound is nice but there are plenty of great lyricsit yall will not list simply because you dont enjoy playing their music, but it doesnt mean they are not great
The best of the best can do both, make the average person want to listen while also appeleaing to the hip hip heads. thats how you get on that list
wayne had an excellent prime in terms of bein the face of hip hop commercially .. all while bein a skilled emcee
but you're overrating him like u do lebron
i can't knock u puttin him in the top 5 based on your criteria tho
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Esoteric (unique rhyme and flow)
2pac (content, persona, delivery)
Eminem (wordplay, content, complex rhyme shemes)
Method Man (umique voice, delivery, cadance and flow)
Dr. Dre (voice, actimg, delivery, cadance)
is this a personal top 5?
if so really dope list 8)
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I love seeing some underrated/forgotten, yet skilled and unique rappers being mentioned in here!
But my OCD also kicks in - can we please move this thread to the right section? ;D
In the streets they say youre likely to end up dead or in jail, being in the hip hop game doesnt make you exempt. One of the greatest to fall victim to this saying is Tory lanez
Easily the most versatile hip hop artist to ever exist. He has 3 different identities and is the only rapper to drop a full rap album from prison. I will challenge anyone to find me a more complete overall artist (versitile), hes the best rap artist to ever exist up there with Kanye
Rip Juice wrld, he was the future and would have been the new lil wayne the way kobe was the new jordan. At a young age he already worked with eminem and lil wayne having 4 tracks surpass 500M, 1 being 1.2B views in his early career. He also dropped a duo album with Future at only the age of 19! (wrld on drugs), He once had five songs, in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 at the same time. The only other person to do that was the Beatles in 1964, Wether is having the number 1 album while alive, to biggest posthumous debuts of the modern (after death), he continues to be heavily listened to and supported, and would have earned the permanent goat title knowing he would accomplish so much more had he lived longer. Especially considering all his achievements came at just the age of 21, four years younger than 2pac when he passed away
I suppose u a 2000's baby?
What's Tory Lanez 3rd "identity? He raps, he sings... Which makes him only fit 1/2 into the top 5 rapper category imo.
He ain't the first rapper to drop a full album from prison btw, there's been plenty of others done it before him (Drakeo The Ruler, X-Raided, C-Murder, Shyne)
I also think Juice WRLD doesn't fit the whole debate either: Yes he had some big hits and was an okay rapper, but I don't think his lyrics or impact was bigger than XXXtentacion's, Mac Miller's or even Lil Peep's for example. Those "sales" don't mean nearily as much anymore in this streaming era. All these achievements u mentioned don't make anyone a top 5 rapper anymore imo. Playboi Carti (31 singles in the top 100 Billboard simultaneously), Lil Uzi Vert (26 songs) and Travis Scott (25 songs) have reached similar heights in terms of charts and sales, I still wouldn't put them in my top 5 (although I could see why some ppl would put Travis Scott in there). XXX got billions of views as well as other newer artists like YoungBoy NBA, Roddy Ricch or trash artists like 6ix9ine or Lil Pump.
Based on level of skills/bars, creativity, album sales/popularity, longevity, my top 5 would be:
1. Eminem
2. Lil Wayne
3. 2Pac
4. Kendrick Lamar
5. Nas
The rest (top 10 / honorable mentions):
6. Jay-Z
7. Drake
8. Three 6 Mafia (Juicy J & DJ Paul)
9. Snoop Dogg
10. Tie between 50 Cent and 2 Chainz
My personal top 5:
1. Nas
2. Jay-Z
3. 2Pac
4. Biggie
5. Scarface
Honorable mentions: Black Thought, Kendrick Lamar, DMX, Joey Bada$$, Big Pun, Jeezy, Cormega, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Ab-Soul, Freddie Gibbs, Spice 1, Elzhi
Personal top 5 rap groups:
1. Mobb Deep
2. OutKast (really the whole Dungeon Family)
3. Wu-Tang Clan
4. DPG
5. The LOX
Honorable mentions: ATCQ, D.I.T.C., Three 6 Mafia, Cypress Hill, Tha Eastsidaz, Westside Connection, Gang Starr, Onyx, Clipse, BTNH, G-Unit, Dipset, Flatbush Zombies
And to add a new category; my personal top 5 producer-rappers:
1. DJ Quik
2. Dr. Dre
3. Kanye West
4. Pete Rock
5. Big K.R.I.T.
Honorable mentions: J Dilla, Erick Sermon, Warren G, J Cole, Black Milk, Tyler The Creator, Pimp C, Soopafly
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But my OCD also kicks in - can we please move this thread to the right section? ;D
what's the right section u think?
as a rule of thumb, any general topic that includes west coast rappers goes in the main section
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what's the right section u think?
as a rule of thumb, any general topic that includes west coast rappers goes in the main section
Hm, okay. Does that go for let's say a soundtrack that features a song with West Coast rappers on it too then? Because yeah sure, there will be a west rapper or two mentioned in a thread about the top 5 rappers of all time, but it's really about rappers from everywhere, not specifically the west 🤷♂️ so I think that would make it a "Outbound Connection" discussion. Just my thoughts
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ON THIS CRITERIA..
all these have excellent skillz, bars,sales, creativity,popularity and longevity
The quality listed in parentheses is their strongest one.
1 - 2Pac (all, skillz, bars, sales, creativity, EXTREME popularity even 30 years after death, longevity)
2 - Ice Cube (skillz,bars and sales)
3 - Drake (popularity)
4 - Kanye West (creativity) tied with Will.I.Am
5 - Lil Wayne (longevity..since 15 years rapping)
My Personal Fav Rappers Ever
1 Tupac Shakur
2 Ice Cube
3 DJ Quik
4 Suga Free
5 Rappin 4-Tay
Honorable Mention
Snoop,Mack 10,Kurupt,WC,Kam,Treach (Naughty By Nature),LL Cool J,Big L,Erick Sermon, Will Smith and The Game
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ON THIS CRITERIA..
all these have excellent skillz, bars,sales, creativity,popularity and longevity
The quality listed in parentheses is their strongest one.
1 - 2Pac (all, skillz, bars, sales, creativity, EXTREME popularity even 30 years after death, longevity)
2 - Ice Cube (skillz,bars and sales)
3 - Drake (popularity)
4 - Kanye West (creativity) tied with Will.I.Am
5 - Lil Wayne (longevity..since 15 years rapping)
My Personal Fav Rappers Ever
1 Tupac Shakur
2 Ice Cube
3 DJ Quik
4 Suga Free
5 Rappin 4-Tay
Honorable Mention
Snoop,Mack 10,Kurupt,WC,Kam,Treach (Naughty By Nature),LL Cool J,Big L,Erick Sermon, Will Smith and The Game
My dream is a Kanye West and will.i.am collab album, making straight-up hip-hop, produced by both of them.
These guys are from another planet.
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Hm, okay. Does that go for let's say a soundtrack that features a song with West Coast rappers on it too then? Because yeah sure, there will be a west rapper or two mentioned in a thread about the top 5 rappers of all time, but it's really about rappers from everywhere, not specifically the west 🤷♂️ so I think that would make it a "Outbound Connection" discussion. Just my thoughts
outbound is basically shit that has nothing to do with the west
if a soundtrack has a west coast hit ala above the rim with regulate then sure, u can def post it here
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I don't think Wayne is top 5 though, if you put him in there then you would definitely have to put Jayz above him
and I like Wayne better than Jay
I don't have a problem with Warren being in anyone's top 5 — except the fact he is more like a producer and didn't write a lot of his lyrics.
But there's a strong argument for him being top 5 on the strength of his first 4 solo albums. Not many artists had:
G Funk Era - Undisputed Classic
Take a Look.. - Near Classic
Want it All - Near Classic
Return... - Solid
But how come nobody got any love for Xzibit?? Really he couldn't crack anyone's top 5 but mine?
Speed of Life - near Classic
40 Dayz - near Classic
Restless - Classic
Man vs Machine - Solid
Napalm — one of the great comeback albums ever by an aging rapper