The Best Rapper Alive, Every Year Since 1979

Kendrick Lamar spent most of 2012 crafting his masterful debut album, good kid, m.a.a.d. city, before dropping it towards the end of the year. The release of good kid cemented Kendrick’s status as the Best Rapper Alive, and earned comparisons to other legends who jump-started their careers with unforgettable major-label debuts. It wasn’t just a great album, it was a great conceptual album with a storyline throughout—a Herculean hip-hop feat.

Kendrick took the title for 2013, click here to read the full article and check out which rappers were named best from 1979 till today.