Flow is an oft-debated topic in hip-hop and one that is as subjective as they come. The magnified eras in rap mean that heads from all different time periods have specific tastes and preferences that can vary wildly, from the simplistic rhyme schemes of the 80s to the Soundcloud chaos of the present day. It’s an eclectic part of the genre, depending on a rapper’s voice, their perception of rhythm, and adaptability to beats. That being said, the best rappers of all time all have had a transcendent ability to flow uncannily easily. But even if the GOATs were top-tier in this regard, it doesn’t mean their flows were as distinctive or as legendary as other “lesser” rappers. That means no Jay, no Em, no Kendrick. I might be a heretic, but their greatness doesn’t lie in this area to me, at least when compared to these other figures. Alas, with this list I invite mad salt because if there’s one thing people love beefing about, it’s hip-hop. If your fave ain’t on the list, don’t worry, I’m just words on a screen and they don’t matter.

(Also, I reserve the right to include both individuals and groups, as adding more than 1 rapper from groups would be a clusterfuck but some of these niggas I like too much.)

25. 50 Cent

The preeminent cool rapper from New York of the 2000s, at least after Jay decided to become more of a figurehead than an actual musician. “In Da Club”, “Candy Shop”, and “P.I.M.P” are just some of the many classic examples by which he produces head-nodding flows and a carefully crafted demeanor that warmly invites you into the G-Unit lifestyle. Curtis Jackson may be more known for beefing with Money Mayweather now, but the dude could definitely flow with the best of them.

24. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

As a Clevelander who moved here in 2006, it’s hard to gather the scope of how loved and lauded this group was. Despite being from a supposedly uncool city, they managed to go platinum 3 times and 4x platinum twice, and won an AMA and a Grammy. Bone Thugs relied on their melodic and gospel-tinged vocals to create gangsta rap unlike anything else from the mid-90s. No one singular flow and delivery dominated the group, instead, the five consistently introduced new and exciting ways to harmonize and inflect. Migos, Drake, and Lil Uzi Vert owe a lot to them, even if they don’t realize it.

23. Scarface

Another icon who carried a city on his back (along with UGK), the Houston legend infused menace to rap in a way that hadn’t been seen before. The Geto Boys were all great rappers, but it was Scarface that truly took the mantle as the chief strategist and figure of the group, and his rapping proved that. His aggression was tempered with the finest misogyny, violence, and all-out malice you could find, switching from self-aware to remorseless in a millisecond. Flows like the Geto Boys’ were the creme de la creme, but Scarface’s was in a class of its own.

22. Lauryn Hill

In some ways, I think the legend of Lauryn Hill has surpassed her. Not because she’s not a rap great (she is), but in that she’s gone MIA, the mythology grows in a way that’s partly undue. Even so, her work with the Fugees and the Miseducation land her a spot on this spot without question. A poet’s rapper, she fully encompassed the neo-soul movement’s influence on rap at the time and the groove in her flow is as unique an attribute as you can have in rap. Now if only she’d stop being an asshole to everyone around her.

21. Kanye West

Ah, Kanye. If only his heart was still in rhymin’. Nevertheless, dude can spit. He’s taken flack for his lack of lyricism in the past decade but make no mistake, he still delivers lines like it’s the South Side in 04'. Kanye’s strength has always been his enunciation and sheer entertainment value when it comes to rapping. He may not be the most lyrically dextrous but he’s got Twista for that right? We can only hope that Yeezy sees the light soon and drops an album that flows like yesteryear with his views of yesteryear too.

20. Big Daddy Kane

Probably the most braggadocious rapper of all time. He was a force of nature, daring you to match his game, and then laughing when you couldn’t. Couldn’t sustain his early success, and ironically he was bested by the industry, not any competitor. Most famously influenced Eminem’s rapping, albeit much more charismatic than Marshall Mathers. “Ain’t No Half-Steppin” and its accompanying video perfectly analogs him as the Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield of his era.

19. Freddie Gibbs

The greatest musician from Gary, Indiana not named Jackson. Freddie is one of a kind in an age where presentation and clout are paramount to success. He refined his craft steadily throughout the years and has aged like a fine wine, proving rap isn’t only a young man’s game. His industrious flow mirrors his hometown, yet it comes with an infusion of Southern comfort. A true original, who flows effortlessly and masterfully. Now when’s Bandana coming out?

18. De La Soul

Fun, fun, fun. Before De La, hip-hop was funny, but it was never quite fun. That all changed with 3 Feet High and Rising. The trio’s bouncy, happy-go-lucky was an invitation to their musical party while letting you know they’re more clever than you. Subsequent material showed they weren’t just pranksters, but introspective and world-weary, and their flows matured in tune with this development.

17. Slick Rick

One of rap’s greatest comedians, and the best British rapper (sorry grime). Slick Rick was a masterful storyspinner, with songs that go hard because of his infectious and unique style. He changed up his voice with ease and honed in on details to truly envelope the listener into his atmosphere. The man optimized usage of cadence when most MCs were figuring out how to incorporate differing rhyme schemes into their work. Slick Rick exists if the Queen had a rapper instead of a jester.

16. Young Thug

If rap purists had their way, nothing would change, and we’d all still be rhyming like the Sugarhill Gang. Fortunately for us, Young Thug is a musical revolutionary guerrilla. Thugger raps possessed, flowing with the power of voodoo and long-lost African seances by way of Zone 3. Young Thug is like if you took “Umbrella” and made it into an entire rap persona, only way more dope than you’d ever imagine. He can be hurried, relaxed, aggressive, chill, and everything more under the sun. Thug is a rap chameleon, and god bless him for that.

15. Chuck D

The booming voice of the black resistance by way of Long Island, Chuck D carried an entire genre into the explicitly political sphere with his forceful presence and Afrocentrism. He’s almost like a radio personality, providing the calls to power and rallying the public through his expose of American oppression and the dominant hegemony. Despite the militant image, his flow was deft and seemed more influenced by James Brown than any contemporary or past rappers. Public Enemy the group could be higher given Flav’s eccentric bombast, but he didn’t rap enough to warrant a mention.

14. A$AP Rocky

To be honest, I’m not THAT big a fan of Rocky. He’s a charismatic personality and has good tracks, sure. But he doesn’t really have the same discographical power as some of the others on this list. What he does have, however, is an unmatched flow for the modern age. Rocky is buttery smooth, distinctive, and carries gusto in its primadonna cockiness. Even if you don’t think the man is truly that good of a rapper, you can’t deny his flow is exquisite.

13. Project Pat

A cult hero’s cult hero. Pat is the embodiment of Memphis hood culture, combining the inherent danger of the city’s dilapidated urbanity with the club mentality that keeps shit popping in the face of inherent bleakness. His trademark flow over tinny hi-hats can mold to any beat and there’s a certain comfort in knowing how sleekly he’s going rap. A regional legend in an area where there’s many of them, Project Pat represents the proximal influence of hip-hop that will never go away, even in a hyper-connected age.

12. Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott is a supernova of charisma, and her flow just exacerbates that fact. It’s a natural high to her, with “Work It” and “Get Ur Freak On” just a few examples as to how she uncannily creates a funky energy that’s unmatched by any other rapper. Unlike similar MCs with comparable magnetism, Missy is infectious and un-intimidating in her presence, which granted her a large mainstream audience and an unprecedented stature for a female rapper at the time. I don’t know how someone as successful as Missy can be underrated, but she definitely is.

11. Pusha-T

Ever since Malice left Clipse for salvation, Terrence Lavarr Thornton has not stopped his quest to be the best rapper on the planet. From ghetto to ghetto to G.O.O.D. Music, he is an utterly workmanlike rapper whose no-nonsense approach to describing drug pushing is equally concerning as it is captivating. Dealing is who he is, it runs through his veins and comes as naturally as breathing. He doesn’t care if you fuck with him, but if you know, you know.

10. Ghostface Killah

Ghostface is arguably the most New York person alive. He growls and bites while rapping, sneers at lesser beings, and makes you beg for mercy, styling in a pair of Timbs at the same time. He stands out from the rest of the Wu-Tang for his unimpeachable flow, and even though you can argue about who’s the best rapper of the Clan, no one can front on Ghostface’s sublime accent supplemented by the old Italians and Jews who emigrated to New Amsterdam. The Iron Man of rap, he’s been decimating challengers for 25 years, and he could probably go 25 more.

9. Three 6 Mafia

If Project Pat is the hometown hero who never captured the national spotlight, then Three 6 is the improbable breakthrough that somehow brought the triplet flow and crunk to the Oscars and beyond. DJ Paul, Juicy J, Gangsta Boo, Koopsta Knicca, Crunchy Black, Lord Infamous, and probably 15 other people you could name all redefined Southern hip-hop and turned it into a place that Gothic themes and fantasies could roam without challenge. From punchy yet playful jabs to ominous and downright demonic odes to the seventh ring of hell, each member’s flow provides a unique, iconic experience of Memphis rap.

8. 2pac

I’ll weather the wrath of a thousand YouTube commenters to place Pac at a solid 8. And to be fair, I don’t think that his flow was his greatest strength. But, this is still Tupac Shakur, so props have to be given. Regardless of whether you feel Tupac was the second coming of Jesus or really overrated because of his untimely death, the Comptonite had breathtaking flows and cadences. He stood out on Death Row because of how refined and melodious his rhyming could be and there’s an authenticity in him that still shines through in 2019. Even if Pac is the recipient of some of the worst rap discourse possible, there’s no denying he is one of the kings of flow.

7. Lil Wayne

Weezy is just a technical marvel, there’s no other way around it. His longevity is made even more impressive by how he’s done it — from going teen idol with Hot Boys, to bodying rappers on their own songs, to building an empire with YMCMB. His utter contempt for any sort of tradition or regulation in rapping exposes itself constantly in hits like “A Milli”, “6 Foot 7 Foot”, and “Tha Mobb”. Wayne is quite possibly the greatest solo Southern rapper ever and a microcosm of how hustle can propel a regular Joe into a superstar.

6. MF DOOM

Call him mushmouthed, verbose, corny, whatever. DOOM is a savant when it comes to flow, and he never stands tongue-tied or out of options in providing a great rhythm. He perfected the backpack style and proved substance could meld with style without any friction, with Madvillainy in particular being a primer on the different types of ways DOOM could operate. Daniel Dumile keeps a low profile because his rapping is all he needs to stay relevant. It’s dizzying, indisputable, and above all, timeless.

5. Nas

The prodigal son of hip-hop. Nasty Nas has one absolute classic and several other middling-to-good records, but Illmatic is so fucking excellent it doesn’t even matter. It’s a stunning piece of pathos, tribulations, and consistent quality that never lets up. Nas’ rapping always gets the chance to be the star, and whether riding the L train or facilitating a killing, he’s always immaculately in control of his breath, his tonality, and how he relates to the audience. If Nas never again rapped a single word, he’d deserve this spot.

4. The Notorious B.I.G.

Supplanting Tupac as the id to his superego, Biggie is unmatched in rap due to his presence, caliber of skill, and ability to bend beats to his will. His voice flows like molasses, but it works incredibly with the Bad Boy sound, and he always kept it mad clean compared to his more ratchet contemporaries. Make no mistake though, the dude who said “When I die, fuck it, I wanna go to hell” was really about that life. He combined the street mentality with the lavish ethos that Diddy brought, standing at the rap pantheon of personality, unbothered by mere mortals.

3. Rakim

“Thinkin’ of a master plan”. It’s an inconspicuous intro, delivered without bravado or verve. But it starts one of the greatest rap songs of all time, and the changing of the guard when it came to rapping as an art. Before Rakim, flow and tone and rhyme schemes and all that other good stuff weren’t really even thought of as essential to a rapper’s talent. Rakim, however, blew the fucking doors off with his style. Citing Coltrane as an inspiration, his raps were versatile, measured, carried weight and class. He had a poise about him that is, to this day, totally modern. You have to give Eric B. props for being an excellent DJ and sidekick, but without Rakim, the technical innovations of the 90s wouldn’t have been possible. There is no world where he is not one of the best MCs of all time, and his flow is a major part of that fact.

2. Outkast

It is almost unfair to not separate Outkast, given that both Andre and Big Boi are absurdly good rappers, but they are so intertwined as a group, it is only right to treat them as one entity. ATLiens described the two so well because they really were not of this earth. Music that good had to come from another galaxy, and given that 3K is the natural descendant of Prince musically, it’s pretty plausible. But when Andre ever got too spacey, Antwuan Patton was there to tether him to Earth, and provide a je ne sais quoi unlike any “street” vs “conscious” dichotomy at the time. Their signature flows (Big Boi’s double-time, Andre’s sing-song cadence) could have served an entire career, but they never got lazy. If you dissected one of their albums and gave the spare creativity and prowess to every other rapper on the planet, it would provide the most legendary musical boom in history. Outkast were one-of-a-kind, except there were two of them.

Snoop Dogg

I’ve spent a lot of time extolling the breadth of groups’ and artists’ entire careers on this list, rather than just their particular flows. Flow can often be superseded by the music and the circumstances that created that music, and it’s only natural to highlight what factors can magnify someone’s flow. Snoop Dogg, however, is unique in that I don’t think he’s far superior to someone like Pac or Ye rapping, but that his flow is bar none, the best in rap history. Smooth doesn’t even begin to describe it. Snoop was truly in a class of his own when it came down to sounding good as shit on the mic. The man even be flowing in real life, just talking. He was just born to flow. He’s the only man in the universe that makes infixes like “fo’shizzle” and “Dr. Drizzay” sound totally ordinary. Snoop may be a household name alongside his sidekick Martha Stewart now, but just remember the guy has the filthiest flow of all time, without question.

(Apologies to Cam’ron, Mos Def, Juvenile, Kurupt, Beastie Boys, The Pharcyde, Pharoahe Monch, MC Ride, Gangsta Pat, E-40, Lil Kim, Nicki Minaj, Eazy-E, The Game, Gucci Mane, Curren$y, the rest of Wu-Tang, Das Racist, DMX, Big L, Big Pun, YG, Too Short, Kool Keith, Danny Brown, Prodigy, Busta Rhymes, and many more I didn’t add because it would have been 50,000 more words)