You can see the energy of Biz Markie in later rap greats like Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Busta Rhymes. Inspired by old school flamboyant performers Busy Bee Starski, Biz created a character through his music, beatboxing and stage presence that will live forever in hip hop culture. But what Biz did throughout his recording career, particularly during the 80s, was create some of the most original and innovation rap songs ever. He never had the best bars, didn’t wow you with his technical flow or spit unforgettable punchlines – hell, he didn’t even write all of his rhymes, Big Daddy Kane helped him in that department. He never said he was the best rapper alive. The late, great Biz Markie never claimed to be the greatest MC on the mic. Notable releases: Goin’ Off (1988), The Biz Never Sleeps (1989) There’s no way you can talk about the best rappers of the 80s and not mention Erick and Parrish Making Dollars. They were like the Long Island version of Run-D.M.C., just with a harder street edge and twice as funky. While it’s true that their rhymes weren’t particularly slick or technical – especially when you compared them to the likes of Rakim, Big Daddy Kane or KRS-One – their everyday workingman monotone delivery fit the production perfectly. Moving beyond the usual James Brown crates for their samples, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith dug into Zapp and Kool & the Gang vinyls, transforming their production into richer and funkier soundscapes than anything that was available at the time. When Long Island rap duo EPMD debuted with their 1988 album Strictly Business, it was a revelation to the hip hop world. Notable releases: Strictly Business (1988), Unfinished Business (1989) From Kool Moe, Kurtis Blow and MC Shan, to Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One, here are the top 20 best 80s rappers of all time. The ’80s proved to be a creative hotbed for the culture, with innovative artists emerging at a breakneck pace, introducing fresh production trends and dynamic rapping styles that would shape hip hop for decades to come. held court on the West, ushering in a new era of unapologetic realism that reflected the raw experiences of communities across the nation. that infused hip hop with a gritty, streetwise edge.Īs Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions reigned supreme on the East Coast, Ice-T and N.W.A. While old school rap pioneers like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five drew inspiration from R&B and disco, it was the arrival of the groundbreaking Run-D.M.C. Compiling a list of the greatest ’80s rappers is akin to assembling the cornerstone elements of hip hop music, an era that laid the groundwork for the culture’s future evolution.īorn from the pulsating energy of park jams and block parties in the ’70s, the burgeoning hip hop scene exploded into the mainstream during the ’80s, carving out its own distinct identity.

List of 80s 90s hip hop songs