With June/Black Music Month just around the corner — doubly heightened by this year’s celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary — Billboard is back again with, yes, another GOAT list. This time, we’re counting down 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 will roll out in 10 weekly increments beginning today (May 24) with those ranked 50-41. Then over the next four weeks, 10 more groups will be unveiled with the final top 10 being announced on June 21.
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 as the curtain raises on Nos. 50-41 of Billboard’s 50 Greatest Rap Groups of All Time, let the industry and fan debates rage once again.