

Fat JoeĮssential listening: Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) (2001)Ĭarrying the explosive energy of Terror Squad through to the 2000s, Fat Joe struck that perfect balance between glamorous pop appeal and the hardcore sound of New York. Never the sharpest lyricist, Juelz didn’t need to be, with enough fierce flows and memorable hooks to make any track a highlight - he made sure to cement himself as one of the best 2000s rappers. Whether he’s competing with Cam’ron and Jim Jones for the best verse on Diplomatic Immunity or boasting about his rapping ability on From Me to U, the Harlem rapper always brought the same vicious energy and swaggering presence, rapping with a deliberate, patient flow for every bar to hit hard. Juelz SantanaĮssential listening: What the Game’s Been Missing! (2005)ĭissing his rivals, threatening his enemies, and spitting the occasional raunchy bar, Santana’s pen game followed the standard New York formula, but it’s his delivery where the MC thrived. While Eve’s rap career may have petered out by the end of the decade, her work in the 2000s cemented the Philly MC as one of the best female rappers ever. 2002’s Eve-Olution was yet another high point for the MC’s career, sharpening her pop rap style and proving her talents as a natural hook-maker. Hits like “Who’s That Girl?” and “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” still sound fresh today, where Eve mixed a little R&B elegance to her ferocious style, crafting danceable hits but never losing her hard-hitting edge as a Ruff Ryder.
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She earned that title as early as 2001 with Scorpion, another set of hardcore highlights where the MC’s tight rhyme schemes and vicious delivery were on full show. EveĪfter her multi-platinum debut in 1999, it was obvious that Eve would be a chart-topping titan of the new decade. A natural performer with a knack for catchy hooks, play any track from Juve the Great and it will be looping in your head for days. That kind of charisma was perfect for bombastic projects like Juve the Great and Reality Check, where the MC narrated his chequered past in the drug trade, dedicating a few raunchy bangers like “Rodeo” to shake up the clubs. Embracing the rugged sound of the Dirty South, Juvenile was a monster on the mic whose husky, swaggering delivery made every verse ooze with confidence. Juvenile never reached the same legend status as his Hot Boys co-star Lil Wayne, but he still had his shining moments through the 2000s. JuvenileĮssential listening: Juve the Great (2003) and Ludacris, here are the top 50 best 2000s rappers. From underground stalwarts like MF DOOM and El-P to Billboard superstars, Eminem and Jay-Z, and Southern rap giants like T.I. As the East Coast and West Coast began to lose their steam, the South began their takeover slowly at first, but by the end of the decade, it was a known fact that they were running the game and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Out of this situation emerged some of the greatest rappers to ever touch a mic. More importantly, Andre 3000’s chilling prophecy at the 1995 Source Awards would ring true just a decade later.
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While the first half witnessed some of the biggest rap superstars the industry had ever seen, the second half was dominated by the internet and the challenges on how to evolve accordingly or get left in the ’90s. commercial divide, which began in the late ’90s, began to widen even further. The new decade started with the kings like DMX, Eminem and Jay-Z all staking their claim to the crown.

The 2000s was a tumultuous time for the rap game. But it’s like this, the South got somethin’ to say. “It’s like we got a demo tape and don’t nobody wanna hear it. “But it’s like this though: I’m tired of folks - them closed-minded folks,” the OutKast MC began. Frustrated by the moment, as well as their personal struggles to break into the music industry, the 20-year old Andre 3000 took to the mic and expressed what he felt. Dre, Method Man, Warren G, and Eazy-E, there was one Atlanta rap duo who managed to win New Artist of the Year, beating out Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Ill Al Skratch and Smif-N-Wessun.Īs OutKast made their way up the stage to claim their award, they were confronted with boos and jeers from the (mainly) elitist New York audience. On August 3, 1995, the Source Awards held their annual event at the Paramount Theater in New York to celebrate the very best in hip hop culture. While the focus at the time were mainly on East Coast and West Coast rappers like Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Dr.
