Best Artists of the Decade (2010 - 2019)
The decade is over and at this point, there is only one more list that needs to be done. While the general public has been wondering who would stand a top the decade in the Hip-Hop world, it's important to know that everyone is a winner, except the losers. Therefore, get your popcorn ready and be witnesses to the carnage that is the comment sections around every social media platform as the Best Hip-Hop Artists of the Decade are announced.
As per usual with these lists, people in the discussion for the greatest rapper of all-time are automatically excluded. Adding people like Jay Z and Eminem aren't fair: while they have their bad spots in the decade (ex: Magna Carta Holy Grail and Revival), to compare their success with that of a typical Hip-Hop artists isn't fair anymore. Billionaires don't play with millionaires and legends don't hang with tomorrow's after thoughts, you know?
5. Big Sean
If there's anyone who could take the title of the biggest and best workhorse of the decade, it's Big Sean. He was consistently on the Billboard with quality tracks and bumping singles. His best project, Dark Sky Paradise, released in 2014, was one of the hottest projects. Working together with a plethora of artists, from Metro Boomin (Double or Nothing) to Jhené Aiko (Twenty88), Sean has maintained quality and quantity for a decade plus. Not to mention, he put out the true break-up anthem to end them all, "I Don't F*** With You".
4. Chance the Rapper
No major label and no real push: Chance the Rapper is the quintessential artist of the decade. From Soundcloud to one of Spotify's biggest artists, the world has seen the Chicago-native grow. 10 Day saw a high school kid with angst, Acid Rap was man figuring himself out in the world, Coloring Book was a man connecting with God and finally, The Big Day as he finally gets a happy ending. 'No Problem' for him: he won three Grammys already and he's only 25.
3. Nicki Minaj
One of the most impactful female artists of the decade, spanning any and every genre, Nicki Minaj has left her stamp on the world. She's become the gatekeeper for every female rapper in the game: if you can't best her for a singular second, your time in the limelight will last just as long. That type of influence comes from success, from teh Pink Friday series to the Pinkprint and Queen and the multiple record-breaking singles that they spawned, from 'Super Base' to 'Ganja Burn'.
2. J. Cole
The only person that can get a platinum plaque without a melody on his album , J.Cole is a revolutionary. Releasing impactful and soulful albums such as 2014 Forest Hills Drive and 4 Your Eyez Only during this decade, Cole has created an entire subculture in Hip-Hop. Cole has become the sold of Hip-Hop: socially conscious, incredibly literate and powerfully spoken, he has made his presence known in the streets through his mixtapes and activism. So as you scream "first things first, rest in peace Uncle Phil" in the 2020's, remember that J. Cole brought you the bangers and the tracks that made the decade think.
1. Tie: Drake & Kendrick Lamar
For every yin, there is a yang. For light, there is dark. For every Drake fan, there's a Kendrick Fan. The battle between the two major artists has been a small one. Deciding between the two is an almost impossible task. Pullitzer prize winning Kendrick Lamar has released seminole albums such as Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, To Pimp A Butterfly and DAMN. Drizzy Drake can counter with Take Care, If You're Reading This It's Too Late and Scorpion. Both have released singles, like "i" and "God's Plan" respectively and received critiical and commercial acclaim. It's a tie for now, as both are slated to go into the list of greatest rappers of all-time.