When you refer to Common Sense can he also be known as Common? I think he's got some talent but to crown him as the best is saying a lot. He does have substance and a nice voice, along with a positive feel, but from what I've heard it was nothing extraordinary. Well to each his own I guess, really haven't heard enough of his stuff to truly get into a discussion.

Great choice with Chuck D

Nas? Illmatic is a true classic yes, but top 5? Thats kinda pushing it, I really don't think his overall collection is THAT impressive.

I like your choice with the Mobb album and Illmatic. Everyone seems to have good things to say about Deltron3030 but I tend to like Del when he's not alone, seems to stand out more and sometimes I find myself getting tired of his style if I'm listening to track after track of just him; great rapper though. I like the choice with Tribe Called Quest, good rappers and thats a strong album.

All your honorable mentions are nice too, nice list.

Common is great as far as I'm concerned, but 1st place is pushing it I agree. He's really sick with his metaphors though, and always has something to say. You ever heard any of his albums, especially Ressurection? If you did and still don't consider him top 5, then it's just a difference in opinion really.

I don't think that's giving Nas enough credit.. It was Written, God's son, while they were no Illmatic, he's had a lot of good material. Not to mention one of the best diss tracks ever.

Honestly nobody's spot on my list is concrete, I just made a short list of who I considered to be the best rappers out there, picked 5 from the list, arranged them in what I thought was the appropriate order, and put the ones who didn't make the top 5 in my "honorable mentions." And a lot of guys on my honorable mentions list get way more credit than the guys on my top 5 list, due to their legendary status. But I wasn't trying to make a list of legends, I was trying to make a list of the guys who really lyrically stand out in my mind, while doing it with a good flow. The only one that doesn't really belong there in my eyes is Kool Keith, but I love the bastard.

Deltron3030 is such a good album to me. The production takes the spotlight right away, but del has some nice lyrics too. You really have to be a fan of him though, a lot of people don't like his style.

It's not that I dislike Del's style, it's so out there and different (creative would sum it up) that I can't help but like it. With tracks like Positive Contact where the production shines I can't help but say 3030 is a good album, but there are plenty of good albums out there and we're talking best of the best of those. I think Del is a top 10 artist in my eyes because he's very consitent with the work he does, all his side projects have something good in them and I think a lot of that is owed to his talent; it's ashame he doesn't get more credit.

Your right about Nas, but another thing about Nas is that he's been on a downward slope. I guess it's bound to happen to any artist, Eminem another example?, but he's come out with such mindless crap lately it's as if he's in it to feed a lifestyle (I can't blame him for that but thats commercial crap artists at it's finest). What diss track are you talking about? Ether? I like Nas and Queensbridge is decent too, but I think giving him the top album is plenty of credit for his overall catalog of music.

Oh yeah, no Canibus on the honorable mentions?

Well you'll notice the honorable mentions are mainly guys who are undeniable legends. I put them on that list so I had room to be creative with my actual list and not just go with the classic "tupac biggie big l" routine. While they are all great rappers, they aren't the only rappers, and I'm sure they've been mentioned plenty of times already in this thread. Canibus is a good battle rapper, but as far as albums go he's pretty lacking. Hell there are plenty of battle rappers I like, but for a rapper to truly have timeless work, he needs to know how to write. To me Canibus would be out of place on a list with biggie rakim and big l.

Nas may be on a downward spiral for Nas, but compared to most mainstream rappers he's still above average, and that's including his recent work. He really isn't all as bad these days as people make him out to be, they just say that because they were expecting another Illmatic and never got their wish.

ice t - o.g. original gangster
ice cube - the predator
dr. dre - chronic
eazy-e - eazy-duz-it
2pac - all eyez on me
public enemy - it takes a nation of millions to hold us back
mc ren - da villain in black
dmx - and then there was x
above the law - livin' like hustlers

common WAS tight as hell, although as of late, still above average, but still not as good as his old stuff...i think i'm the only one who knows what H.E.R. hes really talking about around me, and it might help if some people saw the video, but he is SICK.

Talib Kweli
Jurassic 5
Blackalicious
Snoop Doggggg
Jay Z
PUBLIC ENEMY

My Favourite Rappers would have to be:
1.) Beastie Boys
2.) Ice-T
3.) Big Boi
4.) M.C Hammer

As far as album go:
1.) Liscened To ill
2.) O.G - Original Ganster
3.) To the 5 boroughs
4.) Speakerboxxx
5.) Hello Nasty

*BUMP*

This section needs all the productive threads it can get.

Lots of great resources tucked away in here. Search away.