While many hip-hop fans fixate on the generally more well-known artists from either the East or West Coast or the Dirty South, the Midwest has produced a considerable number of strong emcees. Here, in no particular order, are the best from the Midwest.
Eminem
One of the nicest emcees to ever rock a mic, and one of the most skilled, Eminem, hailing from Detroit, Michigan is also one of the best rappers to come out of the Midwest. Known for his liberal use of surrealism and satire, he is a deft lyricist with a multisyllabic flow highly influenced by East Coast pioneers Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Nas, and Redman.
Twista
His solo album was an underground classic, but years of record label politics prevented him from blowing up. Keeping his name hot with a slew of guest appearances on everybody’s record from Jay-Z to Diddy to Ludacris, the quick-tongued rapper finally achieved commercial success with 2004’s Kamikaze. His extremely fast rapping style often leads fans to overlook that he is an extremely talented lyricist as well.
Royce da 5’9″
On his first mainstream introduction, he held his own on a track with Eminem. Since then, he’s proved to be a dangerous lyricist, not to be trifled with. His use of punchlines, metaphor and simile are arguably the equal of Eminem’s, but to date, he has not had a solid mainstream vehicle to display his abilities. Nevertheless, his independent records, his Bar Exam mixtapes, and his work with supergroup Slaughterhouse confirm that Royce is one of the best from the Midwest.
Kanye West
Giving lie to the conventional wisdom that producers can’t rap, Kanye West does both tremendously well. A decidedly progressive artist, Kanye’s instrumentals and lyrics always show signs of growth and experimentation. He’s held his own on tracks with his “Big Brother” Jay-Z as well as other top shelf lyricists such as Nas, Mos Def, common, and Rakim.
Common
Chicago has produced some top hip-hop talent since the nineties: Twista, Kanye West, DTP affiliate Shawnna, and Lupe Fiasco, among them. One of the pioneers who set the stage for these acts is Common, whose hard-hitting, socially conscious lyrics and raft of classic material catapults him towards the top of the list of top emcees from the Midwest.
Krayzie Bone
One fifth of the Cleveland based quintet Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Krayzie has long been known to fans as one of the more lyrically adept members. His solo material has shown he can hold his own alongside the likes of Tupac, Big Pun, and Snoop Dogg, and his signature sing-song flow, along with his groundbreaking work with Bone Thugs make him one of the top emcees from the Midwest.
Tech N9ne
Kansas City’s best kept secret, Tech N9ne has released ten solo albums to date in the past ten years, as well as a slew of compilations and guest appearances. As an independent artist, he’s also sold a million records, no mean feat. But beyond these impressive achievements, he’s a top-notch lyricist whose signature tongue-twisting, surreal rhymes have appeared on records with everyone from southern legend Scarface to Eminem’s “band” D12.
Nelly
Hailing from St. Louis, Nelly has had a major impact on the rap game, ushering in the era of melodious hooks married to pop beats. His astronomical sales at the beginning of the decade ushered in A&Rs; into the St. Louis rap scene, setting the stage for success by J-Kwon, Jibbs, and Chingy.
Da Brat
While relatively low-key musically since 2003, Da Brat was one of the emcees who set the stage for Chcago’s thriving hip-hop scene. A member of Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def family, Da Brat’s mastery of standard double-time, and the Midwest’s signature triple time, flow graced records featuring The Notorious B.I.G., the L.O.X., and Ludacris among others.
Slug (of Atmosphere)
The frontman of the independent hip-hop duo from Atmosphere, Slug is an adept freestyler and lyricist. First releasing an album in 1997, Slug has continued to record, grow, and evolve, as an introspective and personal lyricist. Atmosphere’s independent status and Minneapolis roots haven’t given Slug the most mainstream visibility, but he’s definitely one of the most charismatic and gifted songwriters in the game.
Other Top Ten Rap Artists Lists
