This used to be a thing. The King of New York. These days, though, it doesn't hold the same weight. There was a time when the top artists from NYC fought for the title. Biggie crowned himself the ruler when he adopted the Frank White moniker from Christopher Walken's iconic King of New York character. The Jay and Nas beef was not only over the summit of rap's mountain it was also laying claim to the Big Apple's throne. During the 50 Cent/Jada beef, 50 laid claim to the throne and named a diss record "I Run New York." So why isn't there a clear-cut King of New York these days? Or even a battle for the title? Is it because other regions have eclipsed New York? Do we blame the Internet? The World Wide Web has made it easier for this generation to be influenced by outside factors. Music from different regions are at your fingertips. Torrents and download links to DJ Screw and Ice T catalogues are easy to come by if you turn the right stones. That's not a proper excuse, though.

What does it take to run New York? A combination of commercial success, club bangers, street anthems, lyrical ability, and the hearts and minds of the people of the city. Take a look at Los Angeles. The current king is Kendrick Lamar. Not only has he managed to notch every aforementioned achievement, those who came before him did their duty as OGs and literally passed him the torch. A moment that brought Kendrick to tears. Nas took Bishop Nehru under his wing, but the Rockland County MC, although talented, is still wet behind the ears. And Jigga? He's not passing the torch to anybody. Someone will have to take it from his cold, aging hands. Who's willing to try?

Brooklyn's Troy Ave made an attempt by trying to bring "the feeling" back, but hasn't yet delivered on that promise. He does get credit for starting the conversation, though. Manolo Rose, repping BK as well, is on the rise, but his ear for beats and energy are way ahead of his lyrical ability. That's not to say that he can't get better. Spanish Harlem's Bodega Bamz is doing it for the Latinos, but like Manolo, his energy and ear for beats outweigh his lyrical skills. Joey Badass has a strong following but some feel like his "retro" sound is too derivative. Your Old Droog from Brooklyn had people thinking he was Nas when "Nutty Bars" made its rounds on the 'net. He's nice but still on the come up. Brooklyn's Junglepussy is holding it down for the ladies, and is on her way but she's not quite there yet. She has that "shorty from the block" sound NYC's been missing.

Action Bronson out of Queens is a work horse who puts out quality music on a consistent basis, and is legit nice, a bit repetitive at times, but nice nonetheless. He also has great business sense and a personality that keeps him visible outside of rap. However, his music lacks the commercial viability of the Jay Z's and Nas' of the game. French Montana and Chinx Drugz have been holding the Bronx down for the longest. They know how to make club bangers, and French is a charismatic figure the streets love.

The same could be said of Brooklyn's Ka and Hempstead's Roc Marciano. Both are the official ambassadors of NYC's underworld, handling the gritty side of things with vivid storytelling. Yet, they don't get the fanfare nor the recognition they deserve. Crews like Ratking (Manhattan) and World's Fair (Queens) have that vintage New York sound but they're young and still figuring out their direction. Also, none of the aforementioned guys, save for maybe French Montana, have been able to conjure a real hit record, something that must be taken into account when talking about who runs NYC.

As for the elder statesmen? They've been keeping that feeling going but are no longer in their prime. We still see flashes. Fabolous' S.O.U.L. Tape series, The Young OG Project, and recent string of freestyles have been holding the city down. The L.O.X. still have the streets on their back with the latest Styles P and Jadakiss freestyles. And Cam'ron and the rest of Dipset pop up here and there but can't seem to keep a rhythm going. All of the aforementioned OG rappers put their time in and have their place in NYC rap history. But none can properly lay claim to running the city of New York anymore.

So what does it take to run New York? A combination of commercial success, club bangers, street anthems, lyrical ability, and the hearts and minds of the people.

That leaves two artists: Harlem's A$AP Rocky and Queens' Nicki Minaj. Rocky is positioning himself as a tastemaker in the fashion world and is one of a handful of rappers that can get a Vogue cover. His debut album Long.Live.ASAP. went gold and his follow-up is highly anticipated, but when people bring up New York rap, he's an afterthought. Why is that? His sound may have Southern leanings but his flare is New York all the way. A$AP Mob didn't fall into the trap of trying to make NYC rap from back in the days, they built and expanded upon the New York sound and created their own. The genre is getting older, it must evolve.

Nicki Minaj is the most perplexing of the artists mentioned. It's been a long while since a female rapper was considered the best in NYC. She is a global superstar who can get busy on the mic, but her sound doesn't fit the mold. New York rap has always had a street element to it. Few were able to blend the block with the charts. And while Nicki is a major player on the charts, her sound, more often than not, leans way closer to pop. That's not an indictment of her because she's selling out arenas across the globe and is clocking bank. Ain't that what hustlers do?

So who's running the Rotten Apple these days? If we're going by success and cultural impact, Rocky and Nicki are the king and queen. If we're talking "New York sound" we can argue Action, Ka, Joey, or Marciano. If we're talking hits, we can go with either French, Rocky, or Nicki. But, whether we'd like to admit it or not, Jigga's the king until he gives it up or a young buck sets off a coup to sack the throne.

As for that New York sound? It's alive and well. Everybody mentioned brings something to the table. We need to stop complaining about bringing the feeling back and enjoy what's happening. NYC is a melting pot and the current sound is reflecting that. It's possible to enjoy all of these different sounds at once. It really takes nothing to go from Ratking to Chinx and French in one listening session. The days of New York's reign with Wu-tang, Mobb Deep, Nasty Nas, Ruff Ryderz, Bad Boy, and Roc-A-Fella are over. It's to time to get over it and let the music evolve. These up-and-comers really don't care about being king and queen. Fab and Jada demolishing old school beats will have to do for now.

Angel Diaz is a staff writer for Complex Media. Follow @ADiaz456.