Engineering The Ultimate Rap Superteam Every Decade - 1980s to Present
The best rapper alive or greatest of all time debate is nothing new. But what if the greatest and most prolific artists from hip-hop's golden age and the modern day rap game were drafted onto superteams? Here's the starting five—plus a sixth man—for the ultimate rap superteam every decade since the 1980s.
Illustration by Phresh.Royalty
The first recorded hip-hop tracks started releasing in 1979. While there have been plenty of star groups (Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Run-DMC, EPMD, et al.) throughout the years, it’s still very much every man or woman for themselves in the race for rap supremacy. Who’s in your top five? Who takes the crown as hip-hop’s best? Both remain highly contested debates among the genre’s most passionate fans. To add our own POV to the mix, we at Complex drop our Best Rapper Alive, Every Year Since 1979 list annually to crown a new reigning champion.
But what if we altered the question? What if we took a cue from one of the hottest trends in sports, namely the NBA, assembled the greatest rappers from each decade of hip-hop’s existence, and formed our own dream teams? No wait, superteams. Well, that’s exactly what we’ve done.
Each of these elite squads have been constructed and organized by decade, from the ’80s up until present day. Using the five positions of basketball as a blueprint, we drafted rappers from each generation to compose starting lineups based on who touted the best bars, flow, hitmaking ability, swag, and storytelling of the respective decade. And of course, we included a sixth man/woman because what great team doesn’t have a ringer coming off the bench?
Will Biggie and ’Pac don the same jersey? Will JAY and ’Ye reunite? Which decade puts forth the heaviest hitters? Peep our four rap superteams below to find out which GOATs made the cut.
1980s - THE KNIGHTS
While hip-hop was birthed in 1973 (thank you, Kool Herc), it really began developing into a cultural juggernaut in the 1980s. The decade’s mightiest MCs laid down lyrical blueprints that are still found in the DNA of today’s best rappers. The heavy use of name checking—a staple of hip-hop—is a testament to their lasting influence. The era is characterized, in large part, by chaos and unrest, but some of the genre’s most incredible art was put forth during this period. Although they were still figuring things out as they trailblazed this new path, many of the earliest rappers managed to create classics that laid the foundation for the culture we all know and love.
RAKIM (Captain)
Position: Starting Lyricist
Represents: Long Island, NY
There was a time before the R, and there was time after the R. Rakim Allah’s mastery of flow, intricate rhyme patterns, and God-body language made him one of hip-hop’s first true superheroes. After Eric B. & Rakim dropped their classic Paid In Full album in 1987, rappers were scrambling to switch their styles up or face extinction. The R’s lyrics managed to make you dance and think, a feat many MCs are still trying to accomplish to this day.
KRS-ONE
Position: Starting Flowmaster
Represents: The Bronx, NY
Pick a style, any style, and more than likely KRS-One excelled at it. The brash, Bronx rapper, along with the late DJ Scott La Rock, had the audacity to take on Queensbridge, via Marley Marl’s Juice Crew, and came out on top. In fact, two hit records—“South Bronx” and “The Bridge Is Over”—resulted from their beef, and both appeared on Boogie Down Productions’ Criminal Minded in 1987. BDP would become a cornerstone of Golden Age hip-hop and KRS-One’s booming voice, incorporation of Jamaican patois slang, and encyclopedic knowledge, no pun intended, made it all possible.
LL COOL J
Position: Starting Hitmaker
Represents: Queens, NY
Uncle L was hip-hop’s first dual threat, able to snatch the head off a sucker MC who dared to come at him, and make the ladies swoon with every subtle lick of his lips. L has a case for demanding a portion of Def Jam’s revenue since his 1985 Radio was the label’s first ever album release. But it would be “I Need Love” off 1987’s Bigger & Deffer that earned him mainstream radio play, which at the time was a rarity for a rapper. Even if he dropped a relative dud (see: Walking With A Panther), a potent remix like “Jingling Baby” put him right back on top. Yes, LL is now an acclaimed actor and TV host, but he was a hungry MC from Farmers Boulevard first, and will forever be in the GOAT discussion.
BIG DADDY KANE
Position: Starting Swagger
Represents: Brooklyn, NY
Big Daddy Kane did it for Brooklyn before that was the trendy thing to do. The King Asiatic Nobody’s Equal was an absolute bruiser with the bars, but he delivered them with an elegance and grace that endeared him to men and women alike. Whether rocking the hi-top “Cameo” fade or silky suits, Kane brought a style and panache to the game that distinguished him from other ’80s rappers. He was first and foremost a versatile MC that could get buttery smooth on “Ain’t No Half Steppin’,” witty with Juice Crew homie Biz Markie on “Just Rhymin’ With Biz,” or body everyone on “The Symphony” (no disrespect to the rest of the Juice Crew All-Stars). The debate used to be, “Rakim or Kane?” and that's saying something.
SLICK RICK
Position: Starting Storyteller
Represents: The Bronx, NY by way of London, England
Slick Rick is the best rap storyteller of all time. Period. No debate necessary. MC Ricky D was already riding high off the strength of his star turning appearances on Doug E. Fresh’s “The Show” and “La Di Da Di.” The R-rated tale was rather tame compared to the words Rick uttered a few years later on his 1988 debut album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. Although never a proper single, “Mona Lisa” was an absolute banger, and the tales he weaved together on cuts like “The Moment I Feared” and “Children’s Story” were English-class worthy. Meanwhile, “Hey Young World” revealed a sobering take on teaching the truth to the young black youth.
KOOL MOE DEE
Position: 6th Man
Represents: New York, NY
History hasn’t been as kind to Kool Moe Dee as it should, and that’s a shame. In the ’80s the man with the signature dark shades was an A1 rapper. More than any other member on this superteam, Moe Dee goes back to the halcyon days of hip-hop as a member of The Treacherous Three. Along with a worthy solo career, the Harlem native went toe to toe with a brash upstart named LL Cool J and proved to be a willing and able combatant. Do yourself a favor: Listen to 1987’s How Ya Like Me Now and get familiar.
1990s - THE KINGS
In the 1990s, hip-hop gained its footing as the preeminent music for urban and suburban teens. Taking cues from their ’80s predecessors, ’90s rappers went bigger and harder, stacking wads of cash and showing off their riches—like expensive whips and jewelry—in music videos and magazine spreads. While the bling-bling era was undeniable, there was always a strong undercurrent of MCs striving to place lyricism above excess. The prime time players of the ’90s go down as some of the most iconic of all time. They helped set the stage for hip-hop becoming the prevailing (and most beloved) genre of music in pop culture.
THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. (Captain)
Position: Starting Flowmaster
Represents: Brooklyn, New York
Despite having only two albums under his belt before his death, Biggie is still easily regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Big Poppa went two for two with Ready To Die and Life After Death, seamlessly juggling party tracks, introspective numbers, and lyrical onslaughts with equal aplomb. His words were infectious, but it was Big’s ever-changing flow that ultimately set his position among the greats. Case in point, on his Bone Thugs-N-Harmony collab “Notorious Thugs,” the Brooklyn MC hijacked the Cleveland crew’s sing-songy style and made it his own. Whether it was his own hits or guest verses for his peers, B.I.G. had a voice and unbelievable flow that inspired a generation.
NAS
Position: Starting Lyricist
Represents: Queensbridge, NY
If you’re under 21 and greats like Large Professor, Q-Tip, DJ Premier, and Pete Rock are all down to produce tracks on your debut album, you’ve pretty much locked yourself in as the No. 1 draft pick of a future decade superteam list. After setting the bar at an astronomical height with his guest verse on Main Source’s “Live At The BBQ,” Nas lived up to the hype with his inaugural LP, 1994’s Illmatic. The shy but cocky Queensbridge MC delivered an album full of hip-hop quotables that still get sampled and inspire Genius deep dives to this day.
2PAC
Position: Starting Hitmaker
Represents: Los Angeles, California by way of Harlem, New York
There may never be a more prolific artist, despite having such a relatively short time on earth, than Tupac Amaru Shakur. His rise was like a hip-hop fairy tale, from Digital Underground roadie to star rapper, renowned actor, and mural mainstay. Over the course of his 25 years of life, ’Pac amassed a catalog of timeless hits that ranged from anthemic (“California Love”) and introspective (“Brenda’s Got a Baby”), to inspirational (“Keep Ya Head Up”) and vicious (“Hit ’Em Up”). Further proof of his insane ability to craft hip-hop classics is the fact that even 20 years after his death, 2Pac is still scoring new hits with lost tracks from his archives.
SNOOP DOGGY DOGG
Position: Starting Swagger
Represents: Long Beach, California
Snoop Doggy Dogg was a sleeper who creeped on the scene in the early ’90s, courtesy of his collaboration with Dr. Dre on the title track off the Deep Cover soundtrack. Few rap rookies have had runs out of the gate that can measure up to Snoop’s, with his major standout performances on The Chronic and his debut album, Doggystyle. More than just a capable rapper, Snoop was a booming personality who shook up the game with his own unique lingo and personal style. From his trademark Shirley Temple curls and blowout afro, to his golden chalices and suits, Tha Doggfather always displayed his Cali cool while on the way to a Hall of Fame career.
REDMAN
Position: Starting Storyteller
Represents: Newark, New Jersey
Close your eyes for a second. Imagine Slick Rick with an underground rapper’s dedication to rewind-inducing punchlines and the same penchant for alter-egos (sometimes unleashing them on the same track). That lyrical hybrid would sound like Redman. The EPMD protégé embarked on a solo career—Whut? Thee Album (1992), Dare Iz a Darkside (1994), Muddy Waters (1996), Doc's Da Name 2000 (1998)—rivaling anyone’s in the rap game. While Muddy Waters is the crown jewel of the Brick City spitter’s catalog, the connective tissue that binds the projects together is his hilarious “Soopaman Luva” series that encapsulates Red’s ability to paint vivid tales about chickenheads, capers, and partying.
ICE CUBE
Position: 6th Man
Represents: South Central Los Angeles, California
Becoming an accomplished actor is a testament to his many talents, but don’t get it twisted: The man born O’Shea Jackson is an MC. After acrimoniously leaving his spot on N.W.A, where he wrote some of the seminal group’s most classic verses, Ice Cube opted to ride solo. Turns out, N.W.A.’s loss was the world’s gain as he dropped a set of classics that banged us in the head year after year—AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990), Death Certificate (1991), The Predator (1992), and Lethal Injection (1993). While the South Central rapper is actually more focused on basketball these days (as a founder of the BIG3 league), “It Was a Good Day” remains the consummate cruising song—and perhaps fittingly, references basketball multiple times.
2000s - THE BISHOPS
In the 1990s, hip-hop hit adolescence, awkwardly finding its way and often unaware of just how influential it had become. But by the 2000s, rap superstars were becoming bonafied pop icons. A cost of this newfound acknowledgement, and scrutiny, was that too often, antics that didn’t involve the music overshadowed an artist’s actual talents, good and bad. That said, two previous decades of experience gave way to MCs who were savvy at working the media to their advantage and assuring their dope tunes were heard by millions.
JAY-Z (Captain)
Position: Starting Lyricist
Represents: Brooklyn, New York
We know; JAY-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, dropped in 1996. But as the case is with some of his best lines, most of the world didn’t really catch on until years later. Even JAY’s less enamored albums of the 2000s would be the highest of watermark for mortal MCs. Case in point: Hov’s career was running relatively smoothly (“Who’s the best MCs, Biggie, JAY-Z, and Nas?” and all that), and then he went ahead and linked with Kanye West and Just Blaze, to drop The Blueprint in 2001. Two years later, Jigga finessed another classic with The Black Album, featuring lyric-packed songs like “Public Service Announcement (Interlude),” “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” and “99 Problems.” Those two projects, combined with his four other albums and standout guest spots—like on Scarface’s “Guess Who’s Back” and Freeway’s “What We Do”—are what ultimately made the 2000s JAY-Z’s decade.
T.I.
Position: Starting Flowmaster
Represents: Atlanta, Georgia
Is there any surprise the Atlanta rapper with the most convivial of vocabularies, and the silkiest of southern voices, makes this team? T.I. found himself back on the outside looking in when his major label debut, I’m Serious, came and went with little fanfare in 2001, despite garnering critical acclaim. Tip and DJ Toomp regrouped and went back to the trap, serving up Trap Muzik two years later, and the “King of the South” has been maintaining royalty status ever since. Impeccable flows on cuts like “24s” and “Rubber Band Man,” as well as a scene-stealing verse on Bone Crusher’s “Never Scared,” put his acute lyrical versatility on display. If you’re still unconvinced, every album T.I. dropped in the 2000s went at least platinum. That’s a king-making stat.
LIL WAYNE
Position: Starting Hitmaker
Represents: New Orleans, Louisiana
Mixtape Weezy is the greatest Weezy. Lil Wayne got his start way back in the mid-90s as a member of Cash Money’s the Hot Boys, and his proper solo debut, Tha Block Is Hot, dropped in 1999. However, in the 2000s, Tunechi started slinging so many hits—whether as the main act or featured artist—that people who once scoffed at his claims of being the best rapper alive turned into believers. If you have to pinpoint a start of the Wayne resurgence, it’s 2004’s Tha Carter album whose most famous track was the Mannie Fresh-produced “Go DJ.” But it was the Dedication 2 mixtape with DJ Drama that really put the game on notice, and then Tha Carter III solidified Wayne’s standing as a hip-hop legend. New Orleans, and the rap world at large, had its international star rapper.
KANYE WEST
Position: Starting Swagger
Represents: Chicago, Illinois
Kanye West made himself a force in hip-hop off of pure talent and sure will. While the props first came in via his soul-drenched production on JAY-Z’s The Blueprint, Yeezy always had his eye on rap stardom because you just can’t show off your flyness by staying strictly behind the scenes. With the highly-cherished The College Dropout in 2004, West established himself as the sharp-dressed and highly volatile rap star of the future. His run of near-flawless albums, including Late Registration, Graduation, and 808s & Heartbreak, was capped off with the classic My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Sure, that gem technically dropped in 2010, but it cemented Kanye as the epitome of hip-hop essentials and swag in the 2000s.
50 CENT
Position: Starting Storyteller
Represents: Queens, NY
50 Cent accurately and effectively recounts the best of stories in rhymes, which can be a problem if they paint his subjects in a negative light. Since gaslighting rappers with his breakthrough single “How To Rob” in 1999, Fiddy has made a healthy living as the deliverer of hood tales, both good and bad. While industry politics slowed him down at first, he used the mixtape game to get his name ringing bells on the streets. It wasn’t long before Eminem and Dr. Dre got word, signed him, and it was a wrap. Get Rich or Die Tryin' dropped in 2003, surely to the chagrin of Ja Rule, and set the stage for one of the game’s most polarizing figures. The charismatic 50 always had a story to tell, but the one fans worldwide fell in love with was his own rise from rap refugee to street king immortal.
EMINEM
Position: 6th Man
Represents: Detroit, Michigan
Eminem can rap with anyone. And we mean anyone. Just go back and listen to JAY-Z’s “Renegade.” While Slim Shady did come to his initial prominence in the late ’90s, he did plenty of damage in the 2000s, releasing multi-platinum masterpieces like The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), The Eminem Show (2002), Encore (2004), and Relapse (2009). And we’d be remiss not mention 8 Mile or all of the songs with Dr. Dre that may have started with intentions for that mythical Detox album that Em ended up bodying.
2010s - THE ROOKS
In the 2010s, rappers are flourishing on their own, and record labels are scrambling to keep their piece of the pie. While 360 deals have become the norm in the music industry, social media allows rappers to build their own gargantuan followings, and secure sizeable cash in the process, with or without a traditional “record label.” The music streaming hustle has transformed the business, making “selling CDs out the trunk” sound dated and a marker for your age. However, despite what seems like a plethora of one-hit wonders, quality music always prevails. With two years left on the clock, the 2010 team already features rap stars who could easily give the prior decades a run for their money.
DRAKE (Captain)
Position: Starting Hitmaker
Represents: Toronto, Canada
The former Degrassi star was gaining acclaim as a rapper as far back as 2006 thanks to his mixtapes, but 2009’s So Far Gone was the true precursor to his musical impact. Backed by Lil Wayne and his Young Money empire, Drake dropped Thank Me Later in June 2010 and he was off to the stratosphere. Since then, Drizzy has banged out hit after hit and found a permanent perch on the charts. Even a dubplate version of DRAM’s “Cha Cha” turned into Drake’s own smash called “Hotline Bling.” The 6 God’s latest effort, Scorpion, is his eight No. 1 Billboard album. All this while refusing to be a straight rapper but a legit crooner, as well. Regardless of if you love him or resent him, there’s no denying that Drake knows how to make a hit.
KENDRICK LAMAR
Position: Starting Lyricist
Represents: Compton, California
The fact that you can say “Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper” when referring to Kendrick Lamar sums it all up. Hardcore hip-hop heads were already familiar with the Compton MC with crazy bars even before he dropped his independently released debut Section.80 in 2011. But his pedigree was elevated to the national stage once Dr. Dre linked K. Dot’s TDE label home with the Interscope Records machine. From there, Kendrick continued to develop as a rapper, using off kilter flows, aggressive cadences, and exacting bars all over his classic major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city. Then Kung-Fu Kenny put a gang of his superteam teammates on notice when he dropped the Internet-breaking “Control” verse. And oh yeah, he decided to drop DAMN., which earned him a Pulitzer Prize. King Kendrick is not hyperbole.
RICK ROSS
Position: Starting Flowmaster
Represents: Miami, Florida
Rick Ross was fighting for a spot in the big leagues, until he dropped “Hustlin’” in 2006. The song quickly became an anthem for anyone out there grinding. The sandy-voiced MC at the helm of the track proved it was no fluke, creating a consistently dope catalog of material throughout the rest of the decade and into the next. Teflon Don dropped in 2010, creating a wave with cuts like “B.M.F. (Blowing Money Fast)” and “MC Hammer” that the Bawse is still riding. His latest project, 2017’s Rather Me Than You, reveals Rick Ross hasn’t lost his touch for picking beats that amplify his voice. He’s got a pretty iconic tagline, too.
NICKI MINAJ
Position: Starting Swagger
Represents: Queens, New York
Nicki Minaj may be the sole woman in this league of rap superteams, but she’s not a token selection. Whether she wants to admit or not, the Young Money rapper collects the best traits of some of her iconic female MC predecessors, including Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, and Missy Elliott. Minaj came up in the MySpace era before getting the attention of Lil Wayne, after briefly politicking with Gucci Mane, and signing with YMCMB. Her debut, Pink Friday, dropped in 2010, and she’s easily been one of the biggest rappers out—female or otherwise. Her style both on the mic and in her closet has set trends across the board, and attracted the attention of brands like KMart, Beats, and Pepsi, among others, all seeking to make use of her influence. Those Barbies are a dedicated bunch, after all.
J. COLE
Position: Starting Storyteller
Represents: Fayetteville, North Carolina by way of Frankfurt, Germany
J. Cole has made a living putting his life story into song. Seriously, ever since his late ’90s mixtapes, the North Carolina spitter has been bearing it all on wax. JAY-Z took notice, inking him to Roc Nation in 2009. But Cole wasn’t content on riding the coattails of a co-sign and has steered his career by making tunes that stand on their own merits, which is why you have to search forever to find “features.” Cuts like “Nobody’s Perfect,” “No Role Modelz,” and “Crooked Smile” reveal a rapper unafraid to look in the mirror, and it has endeared him to his legion of fans. Along the way, Cole has been sure to big up his Fayetteville, NC roots and prove to be one of the wokest rappers out. J. Cole is the rap game’s modern day poet laureate, indeed.
GUCCI MANE
Position: 6th Man
Represents: Atlanta, Georgia
The Guwop glo-up continues to be an inspiration. Pushing through the legal issues that mired his career early on, Gucci Mane has been outputting music at a furious clip. But it’s La Flare’s tastemaking that also places him on this list. As one of the gatekeepers of hip-hop in Atlanta, he put on Young Thug and elicits the ultimate respect from peers like Migos, Rich Homie Quan, and Future, whom he has influenced. Gucci might be one of the most unlikeliest of stars, but always put respect on his name.