90s hip hop laid the groundwork for everything that came after it — but who really bent the decade?
In this episode of Grown Man Bars, Chad and Big Absoloot break down their real top six MCs of the 90s based on impact, not sales:
Ice Cube – the West Coast political hammer and war reporter
Rakim – the lyricist who rewired the entire rhyme book
Scarface – the Southern storyteller who put the South on his back
Nas – the street poet who turned albums into movies
Snoop Dogg – the cool gangster who made G-funk global
Method Man – the gateway to Wu-Tang and king of the pockets
They lay out clear criteria — blueprint impact, cultural power, regional expansion, style innovation, and longevity — and argue why these six MCs changed rap forever.
BA drops an Absoloot Trooth segment on EPMD and the slow-flow blueprint, while Chad explains why after Illmatic, everybody spent a decade chasing their own “’Matic.”
If you’re a Gen X (or Gen X-adjacent) hip hop head who still rewinds verses in your head, this one’s for you.
Drop your six in the comments or reviews:
If you need more than six… that ain’t a list. You in your feelings.
00:00 Introduction to 90s Hip Hop
02:31 Setting the Criteria for Top MCs
04:15 Ice Cube: The West Coast Pioneer
07:08 Rakim: The Lyricism Innovator
10:55 Scarface: The Southern Storyteller
14:45 Nas: The Street Poet
16:47 Nas: Bridging the Gap Between Street and College
17:47 Nas's Dual Success in the 90s
18:42 The Influence of Illmatic
20:24 Snoop Dogg: The Cool Gangster
25:48 Method Man: The Gateway to Wu-Tang
29:22 EPMD: The Smooth Hardcore Pioneers
32:43 Top Six MCs of the 90s
33:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts