50 Best New York Rappers of All Time, Ranked
From pioneers like Rakim to legends like Jay-Z to newer icons like Pop Smoke and Cardi B, these are the 50 best New York rappers of all time.
In the ever-evolving landscape of hip-hop, no place has played a more pivotal role in the genre’s legacy than New York.
Thousands of rappers have emerged from hip-hop’s birthplace throughout the course of its 50-year history. And in some ways, you can tell the story of rap’s ascendance through New York City—how it went from primarily dance music played in public parks and gym halls, to a more radio and Walkman-centered art form where literary devices and language became the defining factor of a great rap song.
Or how the city itself changed: a working-class metropolis where crime and drugs shaped the culture—the city that produced Jay-Z and The Notorious B.I.G.—slowly giving way to something more fractured, with cosmopolitan transplant energy (think the shape-shifting style and sounds of ASAP Rocky) existing alongside, hyperlocal insularity (think of Pop Smoke and Brooklyn drill.)
Throughout hip-hop’s half-century history, not only has every borough made its mark, but each has done so in a distinct and recognizable way. What would hip-hop be without the lo-fi, kung fu-inflected sounds of Wu-Tang and Staten Island? Or the downtrodden, cold, but jazzy production of Queensbridge from Mobb Deep and Nas? Brooklyn gave us the Caribbean jux energy of Smif-N-Wessun and Black Moon. And Manhattan delivered the style, swagger, and business acumen of Harlem’s Dipset. And the Bronx—hip-hop’s actual birthplace—gave us the outer borough pride, presented by everyone from KRS-One to Big Pun.
That’s not even counting the eccentric mix of suburban and urban you get with Long Island rap (De La Soul), the griminess of Yonkers (DMX), or the smooth player energy of Mount Vernon (Heavy D).The best way to tell the story of New York’s rise—and really, hip-hop’s rise—is through a list. In homage to New York’s impact on hip-hop—and the latest episode of Re-Rank, where Max B and French Montana responded to this list—we’ve ranked the greatest rappers from all five boroughs (and the surrounding areas).
This is a challenging assignment. How do you compare founding fathers who built the genre from nothing with rappers working with decades of history behind them? Or the rappers who nurtured a devoted underground following versus the ones chasing global success? Or mixtape street legends versus party starters just looking to have fun? Or how about rappers who were pioneers but never transcended to the mainstream (see: Kool Keith) versus those who found massive commercial success right out of the gate but couldn’t sustain it? (Like Ice Spice—never mind.)
Like rap itself, things are always changing: sensibilities, styles, influences, and points of view. Which is why we treat our lists the same way: as living, breathing documents that are constantly evolving (and can now be re-ranked by you). This is an updated version of a list we published in 2023 and there’s a good chance it will be updated again.
Lyrical ability, songwriting, influence, and cultural impact—in New York and beyond—were the key factors in determining who made the cut. A few names on this list may not have originated from New York, but their formative years were spent in the city, and their music channels its essence. So, yeah, they count.
Here are the 50 best New York rappers of all time.
Complex Original
Birthplace: Casablanca, Morocco
Biggest Hit: “Unforgettable” (feat. Swae Lee)
Essential Deep Cut: “Sanctuary”
Before French Montana was making global hits with the likes of Doja Cat and Swae Lee, he was dropping gritty lo-fi gangsta music about slinging cocaine released exclusively via hood DVDs. The second half of his career is what made him rich, but the first part is why he belongs on this list. French was never an exceptional rapper, but he made up for it with charisma; a real entrepreneurial minded spirit; this really great drunken flow that shines on soulful, street rap; an elite ear for production; and an A&R-like level of taste for scooping underrated talent. He started riding with Max B after the Harlem rapper had his fallout with Jim Jones and helped put NY staples like Chinx—who got his start with Stack Bundles—and Harry Fraud on the map. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
