HeyThereVelvet

1. Eminem

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<object width=560" height="345">Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972),

Eminem quickly gained popularity in 1999 with his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP and his third major album, The Eminem Show, all won Grammy Awards, making Eminem the first artist to win Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs. The Marshall Mathers LP is also considered one of Eminem's best and most successful albums. Eminem then went on hiatus after touring in 2005. He released his first album since 2004's Encore, titled Relapse, on May 15, 2009. In 2010, Eminem released his seventh studio album Recovery, which was an international success. Recovery was also named the best selling album worldwide of 2010 joining The Eminem Show, which was the best seller of 2002. Eminem won Grammy Awards for both Relapse and Recovery, giving him a total of 13 Grammys in his career. Eminem has named Masta Ace, Big Daddy Kane, Newcleus, the Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur,AZ, Nas, and Ice-T amongst others as his influences.

Eminem has opened other ventures since the beginning of his success. He founded his own record label, Shady Records with his managerPaul Rosenberg. He also has his own radio channel, Shade 45. Eminem began an acting career in 2002, when he starred in the hip hopdrama film 8 Mile. He is also set to star in the 2013 films Shady Talez and Have Gun, Will Travel. He has also made cameo appearances inThe Wash (2001), Funny People (2009) and television series Entourage.

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2. Jay-Z

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<object width=420" height="345">Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969),

Jay-Z co-owns the 40/40 Club, is part-owner of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and is also the creator of the clothing line Rocawear.^[6] He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, and the founder of Roc Nation.^[7] As an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200.^[8] Jay-Z also has had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, one as lead artist.

He married American R&B superstar Beyoncé Knowles on April 4, 2008.^[9] On December 11, 2009, Jay-Z was ranked as the 10th most successful artist of the 2000–2009 decade by Billboard Magazine and ranking as the 5th top solo male artist and as the 4th top rapper behind Eminem, Nelly, and 50 Cent.^[10]

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3. The Notorious B.I.G.

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<object width=560" height="345">Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997) was an American

Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. When Wallace released his debut album Ready to Die in 1994, he became a central figure in the East Coast hip-hop scene and increased New York's visibility at a time when West Coast artists were more common in the mainstream.^[2] The following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A. While recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop feud, dominating the scene at the time.

On March 9, 1997, Wallace was killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His double-disc set Life After Death, released 15 days later, hit #1 on the U.S. album charts and was certified Diamond in 2000 (one of the few hip hop albums to receive this certification).^[3] Wallace was noted for his "loose, easy flow",^[4] dark semi-autobiographical lyrics and storytelling abilities. Since his death, a further two albums have been released. MTV ranked him at #3 on their list of The Greatest MCs (Rappers) of All Time.^[5] He has certified sales of 17 million units in the United States.^[6]

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4. Nas

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<object width=420" height="345">Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones

Nas was part of hip-hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album. He is the son of jazz musician Olu Dara.

From 2001 to 2005, Nas was involved in a widely publicized feud with rapper Jay-Z; both rappers verbally attacked each other in their songs. The two formally ended their rivalry through duet performances at concerts sponsored by New York City-area hip-hop radio stations. In 2006, he signed to Def Jam, releasing his albums Hip Hop Is Dead in 2006 and an untitled album in 2008. In 2010 he released a collaboration album with Damian Marley and he plans to release a tenth solo studio album in 2011.

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5. Kanye West

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<object width=420" height="345">Kanye Omari West (

West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, his third album Graduation in 2007, his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak in 2008, and his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010. West released a collaborative album, Watch the Throne, with Jay-Z on August 8, 2011, which is the duo's first collaborative album. His five solo albums, all of which have gone platinum, have received numerous awards and critical acclaim.^[3] As of 2011, West has won a total of fourteen Grammy awards.^[4][5][6] All albums have been very commercially successful, with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy becoming his fourth consecutive No.1 album in the U.S. upon release.^[7] West has had 5 songs exceed 3 million in digital sales as of July 2011, with "Gold Digger" selling 3,086,000, "Stronger" selling 4,402,000, "Heartless" selling 3,742,000, "E.T." selling over 4,000,000 and "Love Lockdown" selling over 3,000,000^[8][9] placing him third in overall digital sales of the past decade .^[10][11] He has sold over 25 million digital songs in the United States placing him second for solo male artists on the list and sixth overall for best selling digital artists.^[12]

West also runs his own record label GOOD Music, home to artists such as John Legend, Common and Kid Cudi.^[13] West's mascot and trademark is "Dropout Bear," a teddy bear which has appeared on the covers of three of his five albums as well as various single covers and music videos.^[14] About.com ranked Kanye West No.8 on their "Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers" list.^[15] On May 16, 2008, Kanye West was crowned by MTV as the year's No.1 "Hottest MC in the Game."^[16] On December 17, 2010, Kanye West was voted as the MTV Man of the Year by MTV.^[17] Billboard ranked Kanye West No. 3 on their list of Top 10 Producers of the decade.^[18]

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6. 2-Pac

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<object width=420" height="345">Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), known by his stage names 2Pac (or simply Pac) and Makaveli, was an American

In addition to his career as a rap artist, he was also an actor.^[3] The themes of most of Tupac's songs are the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, other social problems, and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast – West Coast hip hop rivalry. Shakur began his career as a roadie and backup dancer for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground.^[4][5][6]

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in the Las Vegas metropolitan area of Nevada. He was taken to the University Medical Center, where he died 6 days later of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.^[7]

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7. Ghostface Killah

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<object width=420" height="345">Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970),

Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed^[4][5] for his loud, fast-paced flow,^[3] and his emotional stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs.^[3][6] In 2006, MTV included him on their honorable mention list of The Greatest MCs of All Time,^[7] while the editors of About.com placed him on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), praising him as "one of the most imaginative storytellers of our time."^[8] Ghostface's storytelling abilities have widely been praised, with Q magazine calling him "rap's finest storyteller."^[

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8. Dr. Dre

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<object width=420" height="345">Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer,

Dr. Dre began his career in music as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru and he later found fame with the influential gangsta rapgroup N.W.A with Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Mc Ren, and DJ Yella which popularized the use of explicit lyrics in rap to detail the violence of street life. Dr.Dre and his group were the first to bring the word "Nigger" into rap and many rappers still use this term frequently. His 1992 solo debut, The Chronic, released under Death Row Records, led him to become one of the best-selling American performing artists of 1993 and to win a Grammy Award for the single "Let Me Ride". In 1996, he left Death Row to establish his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. Under that label, he produced a compilation album titled Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath in 1996, and released a solo album titled 2001 in 1999, for which he won the Grammy producer's award the next year.

During the 2000s, he focused his career on production for other artists, while occasionally contributing vocals to other artists' songs. Dr. Dre signed Eminem and 50 Cent to his record label in 1996 and 2003 respectively while contributing production on their albums. Rolling Stonenamed Dr. Dre among the highest-paid performers of 2001 and 2004. Dr. Dre has also had acting roles in movies such as Set It Off, and the 2001 films The Wash and Training Day.

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• The Chronic (1992), Death Row
• 2001 (1999), Aftermath
• Detox (2011), Aftermath

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9. Lupe Fiasco

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<object width=560" height="345">Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco (pronounced

Raised in Chicago, Fiasco developed an interest in hip-hop after initially disliking the genre for its use of vulgarity. He adopted the name Lupe Fiasco and began recording songs in his father's basement, and joined a group called Da Pak. The group disbanded shortly after its inception, and Fiasco soon met rapper Jay-Z who helped him sign a record deal with Atlantic Records. In 2006, Fiasco released his debut album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor on the label, to commercial and critical acclaim. He then released his second album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, in December 2007. The single "Superstar" became a hit, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[2] His latest album, Lasers, was released on March 8, 2011 after several release date delays.

In addition to music, Fiasco has pursued other business ventures, including fashion. He runs two clothing lines, "Righteous Kung-Fu" and "Trilly & Truly"; he has also designed sneakers for Reebok. He has also been involved with charitable activities throughout his career, including the Summit on the Summit expedition, and in 2010 he recorded a benefit single for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

• Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (2006)
• Lupe Fiasco's The Cool (2007)
• Lasers (2011)
• Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album (2011)^[72][73

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10. Andre 3000

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<object width=420" height="345">André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975),

In addition to music and acting, Benjamin has also been an active entrepreneur. In the spring of 2008, he launched a clothing line called Benjamin Bixby. He has also been an advocate for animal rights.^[2] He is also known for his work on the Cartoon Network animated seriesClass of 3000.

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11. GZA

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<object width=420" height="345">Gary Grice (born August 22, 1966 in

12. Tech n9ne

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<object width=560" height="345">Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971),

His stage name originated from the TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun, given to him by rapper Black Walt due to his fast rhyming style.^[4] Yates later applied a deeper meaning to the name, claiming that it stands for the complete technique of rhyme, with 'tech' meaning technique and 'nine' representing the number of completion.^[4][5]

• 1999: The Calm Before the Storm
• 2000: The Worst
• 2001: Anghellic
• 2002: Absolute Power
• 2003: Celcius
• 2006: Everready (The Religion)
• 2007: Misery Loves Kompany (Tech N9ne Collabos)
• 2008: Killer
• 2009: Sickology 101 (Tech N9ne Collabos)
• 2009: K.O.D.
• 2010: The Gates Mixed Plate (Tech N9ne Collabos)
• 2011: All 6's and 7's
• TBA: Strangeland (Tech N9ne Collabos)^{[38][39][40][41}

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13. Lil Wayne/Eazy E

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Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (born September 27, 1982), better-known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Young Turk. Hot Boys debuted with Get It How U Live!that year. Lil Wayne gained most of his success with the group's major selling album Guerrilla Warfare, released in 1999. Also in 1999, Lil Wayne released his Platinum debut album Tha Block Is Hot, selling over one million copies in the U.S.

Although his next two albums Lights Out (2000) and 500 Degreez (2002) were not as successful (only reaching Gold status), Lil Wayne reached higher popularity in 2004 with Tha Carter, which included the single "Go D.J." Wayne also appeared on the Destiny's Child top ten single "Soldier" that year. In 2005, the sequel to Tha Carter, Tha Carter II, was released. In 2006 and 2007, Lil Wayne released several mixtapes and appeared on several popular rap and R&B singles.

His most successful album, Tha Carter III, was released in 2008 and sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. its first week of release. It included the number-one single "Lollipop" and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Lil Wayne released his debut rock album,Rebirth, in 2010 to primarily negative reception from critics. The album eventually went gold. In March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month prison sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. While in prison he released another album entitled I Am Not a Human Being in September 2010, featuring Young Money artists such as Drake,Nicki Minaj and Lil Twist. His upcoming ninth studio album, and first since being released from prison, Tha Carter IV, is due to be released on August 29, 2011.^[2]

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Eric Lynn Wright^[1][2][3] (September 7, 1963 – March 26, 1995), better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California. After dropping out of high school in the tenth grade, he supported himself primarily by selling drugs before investing in Ruthless Records and becoming a rapper. When Ruthless artists Dr. Dre and Ice Cube wrote "Boyz-n-the-Hood", Dre, Cube, and Eazy formed N.W.A. After DJ Yella, MC Ren, andArabian Prince joined the group, N.W.A released N.W.A. and the Posse. In 1988, they released their most controversial album, Straight Outta Compton. The group released two more albums and then disbanded after Eazy released Dr. Dre from his contract.

Eazy's main influences included 1970s funk groups, contemporary rappers, and comedians. When reviewing Eazy's albums, many critics noted his unique overall style, with Steve Huey of the All Music Guide summing up: "While his technical skills as a rapper were never the greatest, his distinctive delivery (invariably described as a high-pitched whine), over-the-top lyrics, and undeniable charisma made him a star."^[4] On February 24, 1995, Eazy was admitted into Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with what he believed to be asthma, but was instead diagnosed with AIDS. On March 16 he acknowledged his condition publicly, and died due to complications ten days later.

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14. Black Thought

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<object width=420" height="345">Tariq Trotter (born on October 3, 1971), better known as Black Thought, is an

15. Saul Williams

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<object width=560" height="345">Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American poet, writer, actor and musician known for his blend of

16. Busta Rhymes

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<object width=560" height="345">Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes (born May 20, 1972),

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• The Coming (1996)
• When Disaster Strikes (1997)
• E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front (1998)
• Anarchy (2000)
• Genesis (2001)
• It Ain't Safe No More (2002)
• The Big Bang (2006)
• Back on My B.S. (2009)

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17. Q-Tip

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Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born April 10, 1970), better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an

• 1999: Amplified
• 2008: The Renaissance
• 2009: Kamaal/The Abstract
• 2012: The Last Zulu

18. Kid Cudi

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<object width=560" height="345">Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi

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<object width=560" height="345"><dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; "><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em; ">Studio albums</dt></dl>

• Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009)
• Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010)
• Man on the Moon III (Fall 2012)^[36]

  <dl style=margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; "><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em; ">Mixtapes</dt></dl>

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[*]A Kid Named Cudi (2008)[*]A Man Named Scott (2011)^[31][*]

19. Snoop Dogg/Raekwon

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<object width=420" height="345">Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American

Snoop's debut album Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records debuting at No.1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle quickly became certified quadruple platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice". In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case, starring himself. In early 1996, Snoop Dogg was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Philip Woldemariam. His second album, late 1996's Tha Doggfather, also debuted at No.1 on both charts with Snoop's Upside Ya Head as the lead single. The album sold only half as well, being certified double platinum in 1997.

Tha Doggfather was his last release for Death Row before he signed with No Limit Records, where he recorded his next three albums. Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told in 1998, No Limit Top Dogg in 1999 (making it his last album of the 90s), and Tha Last Meal in 2000, which was his last No Limit Records album. Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002, where he released his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss. Then he signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece,Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, Ego Trippin', and Malice 'n Wonderland. His most recent release, which was on Priority, was Doggumentary in March 2011.

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Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970),^[1][2] better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with other hip hop artists.

Raekwon is often cited as one of the pioneers of the Mafioso rap sub-genre.^[3] In 2007, The editors of About.com placed him on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007).^[4]

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20. Mos Def/Royce Da 5'9/Scroobius Pip/Ol' Dirty Bastard

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<object width="420" height="345">Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) is an American

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<object width=420" height="345"><object width="420" height="345">dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip are a hip-hop duo, combining electronic beats with sung, spoken, and rapped lyrics. The pair are Daniel Stephens (aka dan le sac; production, programming, keyboards, guitars and backing vocals), and David Peter Meads (1981-) (aka Scroobius Pip; vocals/rapper). The name "Scroobius Pip" is an intentional misspelling of the

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<object width="420" height="345"><object width="420" height="345">Ryan Daniel Montgomery (born July 5, 1977), better known by his

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<object width="420" height="345"><object width="420" height="345">Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004)