I’m not a big rap fan, but my college roommate listened to it a lot. Public Enemy is good, but I also like NWA’s album “Straight Outta Compton” and the songs “Straight Outta Compton” and “Fuck Tha Police”
All the old 1988ish NWA/Eazy E is really good.
“Annie Mae” by Warren G and Nate Dogg is a really good song.
“Life Goes On” and several other Tupac songs are really really good (i told a story about life goes on in another thread…)
“Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangster” by the Geto Boys is good.
thats just to name a few…
But seriously, i cant believe no one has mentioned KRS-ONE, he’s probably the best MC there ever was…
Naughty By Nature!
Wildest Bill, I like your picks!
haha. the number of public enemy responses is not surprising.
i have been listening to know that by mos def more than i probably should as of late.
Yeah, thanks a lot, Kilgore, so have I! 
Kick ass Blunt.
Absolutely. Kool Keith is one of the best. Spectre is also up there.
RZA definetly best producer.
anyone who can do this
Frying Gorilla’s with Tortilla Chips,
My pant’s rip
Clam Dip
as well as combining the themes of ringworm, abe lincoln, don cornelius, and vinny testaverde is trully a great rapper
Best rap single ever hands down is the “The Show” backed with “Lodi Dodi” by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick.
Everyone and their brother sampled this one… And it still stands up from 1985. Hell, I’m listening to the MP3 of the tracks now…
Yer pal,
Satan
*TIME ELAPSED SINCE I QUIT SMOKING:
Seven months, one day, 13 minutes and 20 seconds.
8600 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,075.25.
Extra time with Drain Bead: 4 weeks, 1 day, 20 hours, 40 minutes.
David B used me as a cite!*
PE and Ice T are probably two of the most important rap entities ever, but the interesting thing is that they (Chuck D and Ice T) were both writers more than freestylers.
Right now the Roots, Outkast, and Black Star are probably the best things that you can find out there.
I suggest that you check out an album by one of these three groups. Or preferably see them live. Especially the Roots.
The Sugar Hill Gang
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
The Fat Boys
Run D MC
LL Cool J
Am I showing my age?
My favorite rap track: DMX’s “Party Up.” I’m currently working on an acoustic version of this in a similar vein to Dynamite Hack’s cover of Eazy E’s “Boys N The Hood.”
Fave rap album: NWA “Straight Outta Compton,” Nothing can touch this, IMO. It’s just awesome.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
It’s so funny that when the never-cursing Wil Smith started to use his real name and doing movies, his rap songs and albums hit #1. He could be considered the Frank Sinatra of rap (being sucessful in movies, TV as well as in the recording industry), although he is in a little movie slump lately.
Busta Rhymes, KRS-One, PE gets my votes.
Definatley the Geto Boys even tho they broke up a long time ago. Still the best old school rap group.
Best group: Run-DMC
Best Album: Paid in Full - Eric B. and Rakim
Best single: The Message - Grandmaster Flash
“Rapper’s Delight” - The Sugar Hill Gang (The full 14 minute version, not the crappy old lady version)
I can’t believe nobody mentioned it…
Hmm…
Best Rap song ever? Maybe Eric B & Rakim’s Microphone Fiend.
Best Album Ever? Tough one, but… Hmm, I’ll go with Nas’s Illmatic. (The apparent favorite here, “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back”, is a good album, but personally I prefer Public Enemy’s “Yo! Bum Rush The Show” over it, and Illmatic closely edges out that.)
Best Group Ever? NWA before Ice Cube left, I guess (they was still good without him, but not as good). For something more current, I’d say it’s a toss up between Outkast, The Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, and The Alkaholiks.
Not sure I can list a best rap song. I luv hip hop/rap! However, I can say with all certainty that KRS-ONE is the best artist out there. He always brings the knowledge with a phat beat to boot!
As far as my ‘flava of the moment’, I’m gonna have to go with The Lox. They have creative lyrics with a dope flow!
Juanita
dr dre and the ruff ryders get my vote. i love eve, one of the great women rappers out there.
Another song that was rather commercial but I never tire of is “Ain’t Nothin’ But a G Thang” by Dre and Snoop.
One of the most before-its-time, amazing albums ever is the Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique.” The fact that this album was never popular, and can be purchased in the bargain bin at many record stores, never ceases to amaze me.
It’s weird, those are the two rap songs I like. I do agree!! 
And even though I think rap is a lower form of music, those are cool songs. Cypress Hill is somewhat absolved because they guest starred on the Simpsons.
Limp Bizkit isn’t so bad (that is, Nookie or Faith or…thats it, I guess) if you’re dancing at a party, not as in you actually go out of your way to buy one of their CDs. Please don’t tell anyone I said this.