The Most Influential Rapper and Sad Acoustic Ballads
The Most Influential Rapper and Sad Acoustic Ballads
A friend and I tried to use data to find the most influential rapper of all-time. Tupac was number 19. Drake was number 5. Who do you think was number 1?
Last Friday, I was featured in a short segment on NPR. The crux of the appearance was to discuss a viral article I wrote about the death of the key change. I still can't get over how many people read and shared this article. I want to again thank this small community for continuing to support my musical endeavors. Nevertheless ...
Let's Get Into a Fight!
Last week, a friend and I were arguing about the most influential rapper of all-time. We didn't care about record sales. We just wanted the rapper that influenced the most rappers. He said it was Nas. I said it was Dr. Dre. Knowing how stubborn we both are, we wanted to see if there was a way to resolve our argument. We settled on an interesting approach.
Often on a rapper's Wikipedia page there will be mention of other artists that they were influenced by. For example, on the page of upstart rapper Redveil, Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler, The Creator, J. Cole and $uicideboy$ are listed as influences. In order to settle our argument, we decided to grab Wikipedia's list of rappers and see which rapper had the most rapper's pages linking back to theirs.
There is no perfect way to settle this debate. But even if you disagree with these results, I'd be shocked if you didn't find them intriguing. They reach across decades and styles. They also highlight some artists that have had a big influence on their peers but didn't sell tons of records. Without further ado, here are the rappers and the number of rappers that linked back to them.
20. Ludacris (99 Links) - I've never been a fan of Ludacris, but at the very least his style is inimitable.
19. Tupac Shakur (104 Links) - This one will ruffle some feathers. Though Pac is frequently listed as one of the greatest to ever pick up a microphone, it's possible that his direct influence is waning. In fact, over the last few years, young rappers have drawn ire for lambasting the late Shakur.
18. 2 Chainz (105 Links) - With the inclusion of Gucci Mane, Future, T.I., and 2 Chainz on this list, it's clear that this methodology respects Atlanta hip-hop. It's hard to overstate how influential that scene is right now.
17. Gucci Mane (110 Links) - See 2 Chainz
16. Wiz Khalifa (115 Links) - This is the only rapper on this list that I considered a huge miss. After a promising start to his career, Wiz's music hasn't progressed much. I think this methodology looked on him favorably because he's made many guest appearances. But maybe if so many other rappers are tapping him then I'm missing something.
15. T.I. (121 Links) - See 2 Chainz. I think T.I. is the worst of all the Atlanta rappers on this list.
14. Future (123 Links) - See 2 Chainz
13. Kendrick Lamar (124 Links) - While Lamar hopefully has a long career ahead of him, it's hard to overstate how talented he is. His music melds hip-hop, jazz, funk, soul, and gospel in a way that is very palatable.
12. Nicki Minaj (131 Links) - Minaj has rapped over some lazy samples in the last few years, but that doesn't deny that there are few MCs with her technicality and wit.
11. Busta Rhymes (147 Links) - I've always thought Busta was criminally underrated, so I was happy with his ranking. Though best known for the speed of his raps, I like his music because that speed rarely comes at the expense of his songs.
10. Rick Ross (150 Links) - I consider Rick Ross a humorous personality, but I've never been a fan of his music. Maybe I'm missing something.
9. Dr. Dre (153 Links) - While I'm disappointed he isn't higher, it's funny that so many artists whose careers Dre had a hand in (e.g. Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem) are on this list. That might speak more to his skills as a producer and A&R than as a rapper. That said, his influence is undeniable.
8. 50 Cent (174 Links) - It's hard for me to sum up how intoxicating I find the best of 50 Cent's music. His flows are laid back in a way that you could relax to them even if he's rapping about horrendous violence.
7. Snoop Dogg (191 Links) - There might not be anyone on this list with more terrible music. In the last decade, Snoop's released an insurmountable pile of crap. But that doesn't negate the fact that his best work has been widely impactful. You can hear Snoop's flow creeping into the various SoundCloud rappers that have gained popularity over the last few years.
6. Nas (207 Links) - My friend won our argument. Sigh.
5. Drake (223 Links) - Given Drake's pop stardom, I know some will scoff at calling him a top 5 influential rapper. That said, along with his pop chops, he is a skilled rapper and has helped push hip-hop in a more melodic direction.
4. Eminem (228 Links) - Marshall Mathers rivals Snoop Dogg for terrible late-career output, but his best work is almost untouchable. Few rappers can even be compared in their ability to weave a vivid story through dense, multi-syllabic rhymes.
3. Jay-Z (240 Links) - There are few rappers I enjoy listening to more than Jay-Z. In fact, it doesn't really matter what he's rapping about. I just love the texture of his voice and the cadence of his rhymes.
2. Kanye West (244 Links) - It's hard to say much about West right now given his unabashed antisemitism.
1. Lil Wayne (251 Links) - You know someone is good at something when they make it look easy. And Lil Wayne does just that. His rhymes are often dense and packed with wordplay (e.g. "Safe sex is great sex / Better wear a latex / Cuz you don't want that late text / that 'I think I’m late' text”) and his music bridges the gap between multiple genres. Given the number of songs he's featured on, it's not shocking that he topped this list.
A New One
"Anti-Hero" by Josiah & the Bonnevilles
2022 - Folk
This song was originally done by Taylor Swift for her 2022 album Midnights. I like Swift, but I wasn't that into her massively popular version. Josiah & the Bonnevilles' folksy cover made me realize that it actually wasn't the song I disliked. It was the production. Given some acoustic flair, you get to see that Swift is a deft songwriter.
An Old One
"Dark Moon" by Bonnie Guitar
1957 - Country Ballad
In an age where women were blocked from many jobs, Bonnie Guitar was a groundbreaker. Not only did she have success as a performer, but she founded a record label that launched the careers or The Fleetwoods and The Ventures.
Despite her stage name highlighting her skills on the six-string, it's hard not be shaken by Miss Guitar's vocals on this track. Her vibrato makes it seem like she's being possessed by the dark moon that she's singing for.
There's no place like home,
Chris Dalla Riva
Want to hear the music that I make? Check out my new EP.
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