in just one week and went on to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album. Continuing the trend with his sixth album, Tha Carter III, in 2008, he sold over one million copies in the U.S. Though already popular among hip-hop fans, he gained greater airplay with his fourth and fifth studio albums, Tha Carter, released in 2004, and Tha Carter II, released in 2005.

Before debuting his solo album in 1999, he released a group album with Hot Boys with its popular single, 'Bling Bling.' He started his career at a young age, signing with Cash Money Records at the age of 12, and also rising to fame in the mid-90s. Lil Wayne is one of the leading rap artists to put a Southern-style type of rap on the map. With such accolades under his belt, his self-proclamation as being 'the best rapper alive' could very well be the truth. Plus, his music has led him to be named one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by both Rolling Stone and Billboard.

With 23 Grammy Awards to his name, it is the most by any rapper, and he holds the record for the most solo artist number-one albums on the Billboard 200. He has since released 12 more albums, all receiving critical and commercial acclaim and success, naming him one of the best rappers of all time. He quickly rose to fame in the mid-1990s when he released his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt, from his own record label Roc-A-Fella Records. Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, hails from NYC, a fact he raps about consistently over the course of his nearly three-decade career. Here's to hip-hop heavyweights and the fans who got them here. From the OG's like Dr Dre, Tupac, Notorious BIG, and LL Cool J, to some of the newer artists like Drake and J Cole, the greatest rapper title is up for debate. Whether you think West Coast rappers are superior or East Coast emcees reign as your number one choice, the battle continues to rage on. The greatest debate in hip-hop may be determining who the greatest rapper of all time is.

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