This thread is for the entire DDD collective to comprise their ideal lists and work towards a more representative list of the DDD personalities instead of a singular perspective.

I think this should work by everyone posting their own lists (a top 20 is good enough for now), and as long as you can back up your opinion, it will be considered. Once we have enough lists, I'll do a tally and figure out where each rapper falls based on the average of the combined lists. Any other suggestions, like a criteria, or a more efficient way to run this?

Greatest
Critera:
Popularity - Album sales, chart positions
Influence - How an artist changed hip hop musically
Impact - How an artist changed hip hop culturally
Critical Acclaim - How well an artist is received by critics/fans
Skill - Lyrics, beats

1. Run D.M.C.
2. 2pac
3. Public Enemy
4. N.W.A
5. Erik B. & Rakim
6. Notorious B.I.G.
7. Jay-Z
8. Nas
9. Wu Tang Clan
10. LL Cool J
11. Outkast
12. A Tribe Called Quest
13. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
14. The Beastie Boys
15. De La Soul
16. Eminem
17. Dr. Dre
18. Boogie Down Productions
19. Afrika Bambaataa
20. Snoop Dogg

Favorites
1. Outkast
2. Wu Tang Clan
3. A Tribe Called Quest
4. Nas
5. The Beastie Boys
6. De La Soul
7. Kanye West
8. Eminem
9. Public Enemy
10. MF DOOM
11. Aesop Rock
12. The Roots
13. Mos Def
14. P.O.S.
15. Erik B. & Rakim
16. Jay-Z
17. 2Pac
18. Cunninlynguists
19. Pharoah Monche
20. Talib Kweli

I think we just need a lot more traffic here. Someone argues for an artist to move up or down and by the time someone has responded the other person is already over it/forgotten. We need to start resolving arguments before we move onto new ones. We've got 2pac vs Beasties and Jay-Z vs Outkast vs De La vs Wu Tang vs Tribe.

The point is that they aren't being solved, and this is an easy way to do that. Here's my top 25:

1. Eric B. & Rakim
2. N.W.A
3. 2Pac
4. Run-D.M.C.
5. Notorious B.I.G.
6. Public Enemy
7. A Tribe Called Quest
8. Jay-Z
9. Nas
10. Wu-Tang Clan
11. Outkast
12. LL Cool J
13. The Beastie Boys
14. De La Soul
15. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
16. Snoop Dogg
17. Boogie Down Productions
18. Dr. Dre
19. Afrika Bambaataa
20. Eminem
21. Ice Cube
22. Slick Rick
23. The Roots
24. Kanye West
25. Geto Boys

My factors were influence, popularity, and acclaim. Should I just stick with the old list's criteria?

Probably, yes.

What I think we should do is decide the highest and lowest artists could go. So...

1-2
Run-DMC
Public Enemy
3-5
Grandmaster Flash
2pac
Beastie Boys
6-7
Eric B
NWA
8-12
Wu Tang
Tribe
De La
Outkast
Jay Z

etc.

I mean, I don't know if those tiers look right but it's just an example. And then when we get the tier done we can start getting placements because we can have the artists to compare it to. Yaknowahmeaan?

Yeah I guess, I just don't see his list as being the 'end all' for tiers. Personally, Rakim more than anyone was probably the first virtuoso MC and freestyler, and it radically changed hip-hop more than some band that fused it with rock. Public Enemy did that better later. And N.W.A. weren't the first gangster rappers (BDP, Schooly D), but they were the most revolutionary and the most insightful perhaps with also the best charisma easily. They're both greater imo, and I think everyone should have a chance to voice why they think who should be above who with a proper list. Then we can get that list together and work out the changes from there.

Honestly, I think this would be a lot more interesting if we made this a favorite hip hop artists list. My concern is that the higher ups will shut this thread down in a few days. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can see stereo williams or lew taking offense for some reason. I think itd be more interesting anyway if it was just a collective of our favorites. That's my two cents.

Then my list would look like this:

1. De La Soul
2. A Tribe Called Quest
3. Wu Tang Clan
4. MF DOOM
5. Public Enemy
6. Madlib
7. N.W.A
8. J Dilla/Slum Village
9. Nas
10. UGK
11. Gang Starr
12. Outkast
13. Project Pat
14. The Roots
15. Kanye West
16. Jay-Z
17. Eminem
18. Blackalicious
19. Eric B.& Rakim
20. Mobb Deep
21. Geto Boys
22. Boogie Down Productions
23. Notorious B.I.G.
24. Dr. Dre
25. 2Pac

greatest:

1. Run DMC
2. Eric B/Rakim
3. 2 Pac
4. N.W.A
5. B.I.G
6. Public Enemy
7. Nas
8. Tribe Called Quest
9. Jay-Z
10. LL Cool J
11. Wu-Tang(including solo)
12. Outkast
13. Dela Soul
14. Eminem
15. Grandmaster Flash/Furious Five
16. Beasties
17. Dr Dre
18. Snoop Dog
19. Afrika Bambaataa.
20. Boogie Down


favourites:

1. Eminem
2. 2Pac
3. Nas
4. Aesop Rock
5. Talib Kweli
6. Immortal Technique
7. Shadrac
8. GZA/RZA/Wu.
9... ehh... No much point from here... all alternative/underground.

Greatest
1. Run-D.M.C.
2. N.W.A.
3. Public Enemy
4. 2Pac
5. Jay Z
6. Eric B. & Rakim
7. Notorious B.I.G.
8. A Tribe Called Quest
9. LL Cool J
10. Nas
11. Wu-Tang Clan
12. Outkast
13. Eminem
14. Kanye West
15. The Beastie Boys
16. De La Soul
18. Boogie Down Productions
19. Afrika Bambaataa
20. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
21. Ice Cube
22. Snoop Dogg
23. Dr. Dre
24. The Roots
25. Missy Elliott

favorites
1. Eminem
2. Eric B. & Rakim
3. Outkast
4. Wu-Tang Clan
5. 2Pac
6. A Tribe Called Quest
7. Jay Z
8. Mos Def
9. De La Soul
10. Common
11. Talib Kweli
12. Nas
13. Lil Wayne
14. The Roots
15. Beastie Boys
16. Ludacris
17. Snoop Dogg
18. Notorious B.I.G.
19. Kanye West
20. DMX
21. The Fugees
22. Redman
23. Del the Funkee Homosapien
24. Royce da 5'9"
25. Big Daddy Kane

ah fuck totally forgot LL Cool J... will go edit. Thought of a couple other changes to make too.

Just gonna post my favorites:

1 Aesop Rock
2 P.O.S.
3 Pharoahe Monch
4 Sage Francis
5 Kanye West
6 Outkast
7 Cannibal Ox
8 Mos Def
9 Eyedea & Abilities
10 People Under the Stairs
11 Beastie Boys
12 Public Enemy
13 Kid Cudi
14 Eminem
15 Jay-Z
16 De La Soul
17 Deltron 3030
18 CunninLynguists
19 Missy Elliott
20 The Roots
21 Notorious BIG
22 Deep Puddle Dynamics
23 The Cool Kids
24 Madvillain
25 Wu-Tang Clan
26 Black Milk
27 Saul Williams
28 Jean Grae
29 Dälek
30 Nas

1.Run-Dmc
2.Public Enemy
3.Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five
4.Beastie Boys
5.2pac
6.Eric B and Rakim
7.N.W.A
8/9.Wu-Tang Clan
9/8.Jay Z
10/11.De La Soul
11/10.Outkast
12.A Tribe Called Quest
13.Notorious BIG
14.Nas
15.Eminem
17.LL Cool J
18.Boogie Down Productions
19.Dr.Dre
20.Afrikaa Bambaataa

Combined greatness list is now up, and still very changeable with more poster's input. I'll get the favorites list up later on today.

yeah, diggin' that list a helluvalot more. Good work bro.

I dont understand the ranking of Nwa as highly as it is. That just doesn't make sense, since they don't have much influence, a lot of impact, but no real direct influence, nor indirect influence on the industry and or groups.