Blaze Magazine – The 50 Greatest MCs Ever!
Blaze Magazine (February 1999)
The late Blaze Magazine’s 50 Greatest MC’s list. Their Top 5, Dead or Alive, pre-millenium:
- Rakim
- KRS-1
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Big Daddy Kane
- LL Cool J
No Eminem (it was 1999) and my personal fav, no Ghostface (pre-Supreme Clientele).
I distinctly remember feeling a ways when this issue dropped that neither Guru (RIP) nor Black Thought made the cut. And Pharaohe Monche should never be last on any MC list. The rest of the field after the vid (courtesy of Moblito’s, because I damn sure was not about to type all those names out.).
6.Kool G Rap
7.Tupac
8.Slick Rick
9.Jay Z
10.Ice Cube
11.Grandmaster Caz
12.Chuck D
13.Run
14.Melle Mel
15.Nas
16.Too Short
17.Kurtis Blow
18.Posdnous
19.Kool Moe Dee
20.Redman
21.Lauryn Hill
22.Scarface
23.DMC
24.Busy Bee
25.Q-Tip
26.Common
27.Raekwon
28.Gza
29.The DOC
30.Kool Keith
31.Ice T
32.Treach
33.Dre (OutKast)
34.Doug E. Fresh
35.Grand Puba
36.Method Man
37.Snoop Dogg
38.Fresh Prince
39.Cee-Lo
40.Eazy E
41.MC Lyte
42.Busta Rhymes
43.E-40
44.Biz Markie
45.Ras Kass
46.Schooly D
47.Queen Latifah
48.Lord Finesse
49.MC Ren
50.Pharoahe Monch
Slang Rap Democracy 
I remember buying this issue and even posting it here http://thimk.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/goat-redux/. They also reviewed the greatest producers as well. But these lists could easily change every few years or so. And it could largely be based on popularity at that moment in time(i.e., Lauryn Hill was #21 at the time).
Comment by Vincent | July 16, 2010
i remember this as well. i still have the blaze magazine with swizz and manny fresh on the cover.
i thought their ratings system was dope too.
Comment by ipoppedoff | July 16, 2010
You forgot Jeru Da Damaja!!!!
Comment by angel lugo | July 20, 2010
Rakim
KRS-1
The Notorious B.I.G.
Big Daddy Kane
LL Cool J
No Eminem (it was 1999) and my personal fav, no Ghostface (pre-Supreme Clientele).
I distinctly remember feeling a ways when this issue dropped that neither Guru (RIP) nor Black Thought made the cut. And Pharaohe Monche should never be last on any MC list. The rest of the field after the vid (courtesy of Moblito’s, because I damn sure was not about to type all those names out.).
6.Kool G Rap
7.Tupac
8.Slick Rick
9.Jay Z
10.Ice Cube
11.Grandmaster Caz
12.Chuck D
13.Run
14.Melle Mel
15.Nas
16.Too Short
17.Kurtis Blow
18.Posdnous
19.Kool Moe Dee
20.Redman
21.Lauryn Hill
22.Jeru Da Damaja!!!! i will put Jeru way before Scarface.
23.DMC
24.Busy Bee
25.Q-Tip
26.Common
27.Raekwon
28.Gza
29.The DOC
30.Kool Keith
31.Ice T
32.Treach
33.Dre (OutKast)
34.Doug E. Fresh
35.Grand Puba
36.Method Man
37.Snoop Dogg
38.Fresh Prince
39.Cee-Lo
40.Eazy E
41.MC Lyte
42.Busta Rhymes
43.E-40
44.Biz Markie
45.Ras Kass
46.Schooly D
47.Queen Latifah
48.Lord Finesse
49.MC Ren
50.Pharoahe Monch
How can anybody forget Jeru Da Damaja?? from back in the days on Tony Touch, and when it was suppose to be Jeru, Biggie & DJ Premier in Bad Boy.
But Puffy diz Jeru & Premier by signing Biggie only.
Comment by angel lugo | July 21, 2010
i remember having this mag and being surprised that they even had Andre 3000 on the list. but after all, this was at the height of Aquemini when it seemed like the rest of the world finally realized that Outkast…could rap. They put Big Boi on the honorable mention page.
Comment by Maurice Garland | August 3, 2010
Fuck tupac is tha greatest
Comment by Roscoe | November 21, 2010
WTF? Cee-lo?!?! where’s black thought? Pharoahe is that low? no DMX? no offense. top half i agree with, maybe switch kane and krs – but the bottom half needs work. Fresh Prince? GTFOutta here. Where’s Missy? She’s gotta be on that list.
Comment by lydian martinez | February 25, 2011
No Mos Def? LOL. Woops. That’s a head-slapper.
Comment by Brian | October 2, 2012
1. Canibus 2. Biggie Smalls 3. ODB 4. RZA 5. Cappadonna 6. NAS To talk of lyricists without mentioning Wu Tang members is insane, they are acknowledged even by other rappers as the best lyricists of all time.My list is for strict lyricism. If you want overall qualities, it would be different, my new favorites are Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler the Creator. The rappers that are the most musical, with the best flow who fit seamlessly into the music when they rap, ., Jay Z is very musical, Biggie and Q Tip, best flows…best albums Cypress Hill would have to be in there for their first two, and NWA . absolute best shit talker Too Short. Best chroniclers of street life 1. Biggie 2. Ice T I mean it depends on what qualities you’re looking for, most avant garde Wu Tang and Odd Future, Killah Priest..best mix tape2012-13, Yo Gotti…best mix tape recently Chance the Rapper best beats, Drumma Drama, Jordan River Banks and kanye West best 2013 official album The Psychic World of Walter reed by Killah priest Best Chicago Rap Group The J Davis trio cant forget Prodigy, Bushwick Bill, Scarface…
Comment by Chris | February 12, 2014
Greatest group of all time who made Art, not just rap..nobody comes close to Wu Tang, ever. They are head and shoulders above the rest
Comment by Chris | February 12, 2014
Greatest sung hook of all time Thuggish Ruggish Bone, Bone Thugs in Harmony. Greatest takeover of a track and subsequent verse Cappadonna on Winter Warz…and I hate too repeat myself but no one talked more shit than Too Short
Comment by Chris | February 12, 2014
who dropped science? Public Enemy, X Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers
Comment by Chris | February 12, 2014
and dont forget Geto Boys …best french rap group NTM
Comment by Chris | February 12, 2014
best duo, method man and redman
Comment by Chris | February 12, 2014
1. TuPac 2. Eminem 3. Rakim 4. Ice Cube 5. Red Man 2pac is the GOAT period, Em if he wasn’t white there would be no question, Rakim for you youngsters do your research he was the one, without Cube there would be NO NWA he wrote 75% of their lyrics not to metion all the dope he put down after he left, and Red Man is a genius.
Comment by KillaMagic | July 24, 2015
Nas at 15? Haha gtfo y’all some marks
Comment by jungleQB | October 28, 2015
I remember this issue. It was the first rap magazine I ever bought. It was the base of my hip hop knowledge. It’s great to see the list agIn and how much it has changed.
Comment by truthonarrival | November 20, 2015
Bone Thugs N Harmony and especialy Krayzie Bone should be in the top 5. BONE THUGS N HARMONY are the most underated artists of all time. I completely disagree with the poll. Plys Big pun and Twista And Lord Infamous and maybe even Z-Ro should be there
Comment by Jay Townsend | August 22, 2016
Is there any way I can get this shipped to my house at 32 Shiloh springs Jackson Tennessee.
Comment by Stephen Chatman | September 24, 2018