Rankings and lists of any nature in the field of hip-hop always cause some form of uproar. The latest example in this long and nonetheless honorable tradition is Complex's list of the top 50 Atlanta rappers of all time. You can check out the full list with the "Via" link below, but here are some highlights... Or lowlights, for some. Sean Paul at 40, JID at 27, Lil Yachty at 24, Takeoff at 19, Playboi Carti at 12, Gucci Mane at 4, and André 3000 at the very top spot. Of course, this led to a bunch of outraged social media reactions. These indluce backlash to the high placement of Latto, the underrating of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and other considerations.
Also, this reflection on Atlanta's hip-hop legacy comes at a very interesting time for the city's place in the culture. Just a couple of months ago, Kendrick Lamar accused the biggest rapper in the world right now of colonizing ATL's sound for his own gain. While the conversation around Drake's proximity to MCs from the A has been going on for a long time, it's never been more present or direct. Regardless of where you fall on that debate, one thing is clear: the city is up.
Complex Picks Its Top 50 Atlanta Rappers Of All Time
In addition, Tyler, The Creator recently called out white rappers for appropriating and ridiculing the classic Atlanta sounds of high-ranking artists on this Complex list. "This white kid, regular Caucasian man," he said during his recently published Maverick Carter interview. "And he's, like, mocking Future and Gucci Mane... Like, rap music. People are like, 'This s**t hard.' It's not even like satire... I hold rap music so close to my heart. This s**t changed my life and everyone's life around me." Check out more reactions to this top 50 list below.
Fan Reactions
Meanwhile, Latto is currently leading Atlanta's wave thanks to her new album Sugar Honey Iced Tea. We'll see who the next artist to rep the city with a huge release is, and what other names emerge to continue that community's traditions and musical legacy. As this Complex list ironically proves, there are far more than just 50 notable rappers from ATL. And there will be many more that take the sound and the culture to new innovations, changes, and worthwhile contributions to the city. Let us know what you think of the list and what your own picks look like down in the comments below.
