213/Shady's Favourite Rappers

Tupac Shakur - I've always been a big fan of hip-hop and Tupac in particular. I think he has a great voice for rap and his flow is top- notch. Tupac has been voted the most influential rapper ever in the past and many still regard him as the greatest rapper in history. I think I agree with this statement. Tupac put so much meaning and deepness to his raps whereas a lot of rappers today just talk about women and bling which can grow tiresome. Tupac was a smart guy and I think it was a huge shame that he died so young. He is the greatest lyricist in hip hop history and no one is a better all-round rapper. 213's picks: Hit Em Up, Changes, Life Goes On

Snoop Doggy Dogg - What I like about Snoop is the fact his voice is much different to most rappers. It isn't a low growl, he's unique and has great flow. He appeals to real fans as well as the commercial market. 213's picks: Lay Low, Just Dippin', Ain't No Fun

Eminem - Eminem's agressivness and intensity is unmatched in mainstream hip-hop. He made major impact upon the debut of his first album due to the controversal lyrics. He was rapping to shock people but the beats behind it were genius and his rapping was fast flowing and of very high quality. Em's quick witted and although "Encore" was a disappointment, "The Eminem Show" is one of the best albums ever in my opinion. He's easily the third best rapper in my opinion. 213's picks: Sing for the Moment, Stan, Hailie's Song

Dr. Dre - Dre is the man, he was the guy who made all the best beats of the 90s and early 00s. Dre may not be the best rapper but his beats are awesome and there's no doubt people like Snoop and 50 wouldn't be as popular without him backing them up. 213's picks: The Next Episode, Still D.R.E., Nuthin' But A G Thang

Biggie Smalls - Biggie was massive in the 90s and it's such a shame he got caught up in the coastal rivalry which ultimately ended his life, RIP. Biggie had smooth flow and often built up rhymes on top of another numerous times which was very impressive. Destined to become bigger than anyone else in rap if he'd of lived past 97... 213's picks: Juicy, Mo Money Mo Problems, Hypnotize

Kanye West - Kanye has smooth flow and some awesome tracks. He's one of few current rappers who I listen to. I like the way Kanye doesn't glorify the hood like a lot of rappers and talks about things that matter in his tracks. Kanye may not be a legend of rap just yet but he definitly will be one day. 213's picks: Family Business, Good Life, All Falls Down

Nas - Widely regarded as one of the greatest due to his story telling in raps. Nas has incredibly fluid raps with a wide range of vocabulary used. He also has some very interesting beats. For serious rap fans, he is a must have, brilliant lyricist and barely any misses on the awesome Illmatic and Stillmatic albums. 213's picks: Got Urself A..., Destroy And Rebuild, Hero

Lupe Fiasco - Lupe's raps are very clear and meaningful which makes a great change from a lot of the stuff out there. He's got flow and a lot of great beats too. I'm surprised it took so long for him to go mainstream (with Superstar) because he's had so many top quality tracks on is previous album. The future of rap if he stays around longer than he claims. 213's picks: Hurt Me Soul, Hip Hip Saved My Life, Tilted

Jay Z - Jigga is the richest man in hip hop and his commercial raps aren't always for everyone but there's no doubting his style and delivery. When pushed he can produce some absolutely awesome tracks but also has a lot of filler too. Still worth checking some of his stuff out though, on his best day, he is the best rapper in the world today. He is a great storyteller, like Nas, and has some of the best beats around due to his connections with producers like Kanye West, Timbaland, Pharrell and Swizz Beats. He has at least three of my top ten rap songs ever. 213's picks: 99 Problems, December 4th, Brooklyn's Finest

DMX - You gotta love DMX, the rough growl is instantly recognizable and the way he layers rhymes with top flow is impressive considering many low voiced rappers go for slower stuff (Ja Rule). DMX is a funny rapper and has a couple good party tracks which keep the hardcore fans interested too. 213's picks: X Gon' Give It To Ya, Party Up Bring the Noize

Love all those rappers exept for Jay-Z. I don't know why but I never really enjoyed listening to most of his stuff. Al the others are great. Eminem is what got me into rap in the first place. I'm also diggin some more modern rappers like Lil Wayne, Chamillionaire, and Young Jeezy.

These are all great guys, catchy good stuff.