Best hip-hop artist of the last decade

[Rocket Edge]

Title really explains it all. Who do you think was the best hip-hop artist of the last decade and why?

[Pheesh]

My favourite is Lupe Fiasco, but I don't listen to much hip-hop. Why? I like the inclusion of strings in his music, I think his lyrics are fairly well written, he has songs that are both serious and fun, and they're catchy.

[charliepanayi]

Kanye West - why? Because he's done great album after great album, at a far greater rate than anyone else. Outkast are a close second, though they've done little of note since 2003, this year's Big Boi album is excellent and Stankonia-Speakerboxx/The Love Below alone are enough for any decade.

[Jessweeee♪]

I don't listen to much, but my favorites are RJD2 and Nujabes.

[Chris]

Not my type of music, but Queen Latifah has consistently been putting out one great album after another, and she is widely considered to be the "first" female hip-hop superstar. In the past decade, she's evovled into a great jazz songtress, which speaks to her ability to adapt and change, unlike so many others who are trapped in horrible clichés.

[Mirage]

Not all that big on hip hop,but I guess it would be something along the lines of RJD2, Alias and Eminem.

I don't really care all that much about lyrics, but when I do, I think they need to be amusing. I'm not very interested in lyrics that are all serious and without any hint of humor, so that's probably why I can enjoy Eminem.

[Jibril]

rapper: doseone (look for him slaughtering eminem in a freestyle battle on youtube. protip: eminem kicked writtens in all his battles)

producer: this is harder... maybe el-p, maybe jel (doseone's counterpart in themselves), maybe kanye... maybe buck 65. maybe mf doom. i dunno. jel is definitely one of the best live producers on the planet, he tears it up on his mpc. YouTube - Jel Drum and Sample Practice 11.18.07

[Madame Adequate]

Sage Francis.

[Depression Moon]

Not all that big on hip hop,but I guess it would be something along the lines of RJD2, Alias and Eminem.

I don't really care all that much about lyrics, but when I do, I think they need to be amusing. I'm not very interested in lyrics that are all serious and without any hint of humor, so that's probably why I can enjoy Eminem.

But Eminem does plenty of serious songs like Stan.

Me? I was assuming we could only pick new artists, if not true then it remains Nas for me.

[kotora]

Nas
Fort Minor/Mike Shinoda
Dragon Ash
Eminem

and of course Fiddy

[Shiny]

Mos Def
Jay Z
Nas
The Roots
Lupe Fiasco
Talib Kweli
Drake

[Mirage]

But Eminem does plenty of serious songs like Stan.

Me? I was assuming we could only pick new artists, if not true then it remains Nas for me.

I think Stan is quite humorous.

[Rantz]

Kid Cudi and Immortal Technique are probably the best new discoveries for me this decade.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

Wiz Khalifa. He sampled Schala's Theme from Chrono Trigger in this song:

YouTube - Wiz Khalifa - Never Been

To be honest, I don't care much about this artist or hip-hop in general. I was just looking for a reason to post this, because the sample alone is so epic.

[escobert]

Mr Nasir Jones of course.
Every CD he makes is amazing and he's always growing and changing. His story telling ablilties are far beyond almost any rapper out there. Also he alwsy has nasty beats to go with his wonderfully written naratives.
In second place I'd have to say is Anthony Cruz aka AZ. Most don't know of him or know much of him but when he's on damn he's on. I've been listening to him for yeas and his flow and style are amazing. He likie Nas can tell a story very beautifully.