Which 80's Rapper Has Been Most Successful? ?

Question

So which vet has had the best career? I mean guys who started in the 80s or early early 90s at latest and are still doing it nowadays. The ones that come to mind off the top are guys like Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Rakim, KRS-One.

To me it comes down to LL and Cube since they still doing it on the commercial level - and I have to give the nod to Cube on this one just cause he's shown it doesn't matter what label he's on, indie or major, he still has fire. Since he left Def Jam I haven't seen LL show me he's still a force.

Scarface is also a strong contender, but he never did it as big as Cube when it comes to selling units.

Answer 1

LL Cool J

Answer 2

i have to give it to cube even tough ll has gone platinum in three decades he's always jumped over to the party music to do so whereas ice cube has stuck to the same plan he started with and is still successful i respect that

Answer 3

Ice Cube. Still putting out passable Albums, Lyrics aren't too Shabby, and he didn't sell out to R&B.

Answer 4

Beastie Boys don't get mentioned?

Answer 5

LL Cool J he's still around and has been doing it longer then Cube. Cube is close but Cube hasnt done much either music wise...too since he started concentrating on Movies.

Answer 6

I'm going with Will Smith. He has a 9x platinum album, two multi-platinum albums, and the rest of his albums are either platinum or gold. He used his rap career to lauch a television career, and then he became one of the biggest box office draws in the history of film. And if he dropped an album this year, he would most likely still outsell LL Cool J and Ice Cube.

Answer 7

I'd have 2 say Cube, LL, & Face.  Honorable mention Too Sheezy & Will & I cain't 4-get about E-40 & Jigga & his Hawaiian Sophie Days.  LOL

Answer 8

LL

Answer 9

LL Cool J.  He's the only solo rapper to go platinum in three separate decades.

Ice Cube has probably been more artistically relevant later into his career but I give LL the nod because he was much more successful earlier in his career.

Answer 10

I'd probably have to go with Cube. Although, I can see LL as a contender too.

Both have forged successful movie careers, both have continued to sell (LL possibly more so than Cube), but I think where Cube takes it is that he's still managed to retain respect within the industry. LL's respect now seems to be more for what he *used* to do.

Actually, although she's stepped away from making rap records a bit now, Queen Latifah has done very well for herself too.  

Answer 11

Too Short He started in the Early 80's and still makes of couple of hits every now and then