50 Greatest Rap Groups of All Time: Nos. 50-1

Doubly heightened by this year’s celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, June/Black Music Month is racing ahead with a roar. And Billboard is doing the same today (June 28) as we post the final top 10 in our ranking of the 50 Greatest Rap Groups of All Time.

As with our inaugural golden anniversary salute, the 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the rap groups reveal is rolling out in 10 weekly increments. Having kicked off May 31 with rankings 50-41, we move forward this week with 10-1. 

In determining these rankings, the Billboard editorial team again took the following criteria into account, not in any specific order: body of work/achievements (charted singles/albums, gold/platinum certifications, other awards), cultural impact/influence (how the group’s work fostered the genre’s evolution), longevity (years at the mic), lyrics (storytelling skills) and flow (vocal prowess). Our definition of groups includes duos, proper groups and more nebulous collectives. Most notably, Inclusion on this list is based on the accomplishments of the group as a unit — not what the individuals may have separately accomplished. We tried to walk the line between what constitutes a group versus a collective or a crew, though at times that was not entirely clear.

It bears repeating that this undertaking wasn’t handled lightly. It took much deliberation and even deeper discussions to reason our way to what we believe is a well-thought-out, authentic list that reflects hip-hop’s foundational pioneers, evolutionary trailblazers and contemporary disruptors.The selected groups also encompass 50 years of cultural milestones for a genre initially dismissed as a passing fad — and now recognized as the industry’s market share leader.

So let’s see what industry and fan debates get fired up, as the final curtain raises on Nos. 10-1 of Billboard’s 50 Greatest Rap Groups of All Time.