Two days back we had an article about the origins of certain flows, and some of our ever reliable commenters took it to be some sort of ranking of the best flows, which was not the case. The entire point of the article was to point out that some flows are influenced by region, and some by other artists. It was in no way a ranking of the best flows, yet the internet kids kept yelling "HOW IZ WIZ NOT BE ON DA LISST?" and "YOUNG THUG HAZ BEST FLOWS OF ALL TYME". Yet, there was no list. Today we're here to remedy that.
We're looking to continue the discussion of flows, so we've decided to rank the best flows in the game CURRENTLY, not of all time, not of 2003 (to the kids who wanted to hear about Twista), but right now. We'll go with a top ten list, as well as some honorable mentions at the end. This list is based strictly off flow; sales and popularity were not considered when factoring in the top contenders. By flow we mean: the ability to ride any beat while creatively changing pace, cadence, delivery, and style.
DISCLAIMER: When you comment on this article, you must also list either your top 5 or 10 flows in the game. Can't make an argument against this list without us knowing who's on yours, right?
Honorable Mentions
11. Big Sean
12. Chance the Rapper
13. Lil Herb
14. Mac Miller
15. Migos
2 Chainz
The Hair Weave Killa may have found success at a late age in the game, but that hasn't prevented him from keeping things fresh and creative. 2 Chainz rounds off the list coming in at #10. We're not talking lyricism here, we're talking about Chainz's ability to string words together and keep your interest intact. If anything, Tity Boi's bountiful flow has kept him relevant while his lyrics failed to do so. ILL N**** ALERT!
Big KRIT
K.R.I.T. can't get enough respect. He had a full 16s more on A$AP Rocky's one "1Train", giving him the two best verse on the posse cut. He's not only one of the brightest young MCs in the game, but one of the better producers as well. But this is about flows, and he refuses to be left out of the discussion here as well. Flow for days, in all shapes and sizes.
Obviously the Bruiser's musical style won't appeal to everyone, but you can't deny he has one of the wildest flows of all time. He might actually have multiple personality disorder, as his ability to change voices and delivery mid verse is Nicki-esque. He is becoming more polished all the time, and he very well could be near the top of this list very soon.
Wiz Khalifa
Wiz has become wildly versatile over the course of his career, showing us that he could handle anything from baked out weed raps to heavier trap style music more recently. Whether he's waxing poetic about his favorite plant, or yelling about all "dem boyz", he has planted himself firmly with the conversation of 'who has the best flow', however, he's not quite as high up as he might have been when he was a new face to the game (with an equally new flow).
A$AP Rocky
Rock has been changing the game for a few years now, and even though sometimes he may rely on the chopped and screwed a little too much, we can't deny his flow is usually next level. He can speed it up, slow it down, and keep up with almost anybody in the game, all the while making it look super easy. Long Live A$AP's flow.
While it's safe to say not everyone can be a Nicki fan, there's no denying that with her return to her roots and a more natural look, she's killing it right now. She is also the definition of a crazy flow. Different voices, deliveries, pace, she can do it all, and really well at that. Nicki is, simply put, a far better rapper than most of these other dudes out here.
Schoolboy Q
Nobody is better than Q right now at spitting gritty street shit while also bringing a melodic element to his verses. He has managed to create music that sounds vastly different from anyone else while telling an oh so familiar story. Similar to his TDE label mate, Kendrick Lamar, he often changes up the cadence of his voice to experiment with flows.
This man is still on a different level. Jay was going to be on this list regardless, but his verse on the "Jungle" remix shot him way up the list. Nobody in the history of music has been able to constantly reinvent themselves quite like Hov. Jiggaman can hop on any type of beat, with any other artist, and straight body it. This is a list about the current times, so Jay's work on Magna Carta Holy Grail was the main component considered, as well as any verses he's done since, including the gems below.
Drake
Drizzy Drake does in fact use a lot of different flow patterns, and he's been heralded as the creator of a few as well. Given the fact that Drake dabbles in both rappity-rap shit and r'n'b shit, he is extremely effective at transitioning easily between the two styles on record, and adopting his flow to fit. It's undeniable that he can craft a verse around a beat with the best of them, and his flow will often have you attempting to mimmick it and/or keep it on repeat, because that's just how good it is.
Kendrick Lamar
This is a no brainer, really. K. Dot has quickly become one of the best lyricists in the new generation of MCs, and he's catapulted to that status with the help of his versatile and inventive flows. He can effortlessly switch styles throughout his verses, and switch cadence, sometimes so much so you are almost not sure if it's really Kendrick. Thus his fans have become fiends, and while he hasn't put out much in the way of music recently, he's still the top contender for this list. We're just waiting to see what kind of flow he brings out on his highly anticipated sophomore LP, but for now, good kid, m.A.A.d city can stay in rotation.