Conway the Machine picks his top five rappers
The top five rappers is a question that persistently floats around hip-hop, as both fans and artists are frequently asked to name who would make the cut for theirs. In a recent interview, Conway the Machine revealed who his top five rappers are; however, he did specifically state that the list was made up of those who he believes have the “nicest pen.”
The Maleman asked the rapper the question when he appeared on The Drop 104.7. While visiting Denver, CO, Conway the Machine took a moment to think about who he should include in his list of the top five.
After laughing upon hearing the prompt, he said, “I’m still gonna give you a top five, but I just wanna say that’s kind of unfair. We’ll never be able to get that right because I can name 20 dudes that’s top five worthy.”
Conway plays around with names, batting them left and right, and picks those he thinks would make the list. “Hands down, they top five. But, for me, I’ma say the nicest pen, the nicest dudes. No order at all…”
He begins by citing one-half of Outkast, a rapper famed for his unique flows and wicked pen game that brought the South out of the shadows. “[André] 3000,” he said before continuing, “I’ma say Hov [Jay-Z], I really, really wanna say [2]Pac, but hold on, let me keep thinking.”
Surprisingly, 2Pac didn’t end up making the cut. He and his East Side counterpart Biggie are usually included in top five lists, but neither make the cut here. Instead, Conway decides to head elsewhere. “I wanna have Rae and Ghost as one, Raekwon and Ghostface [Killah], it’s a tie…”
Finally, Conway settles on his final two additions to the list, “I’m probably gonna go Tunechi [Lil Wayne] and 50 [Cent].”
While Conway was happy to pay homage to some of the rappers who he believes have an exceptional pen game, he is upfront in stating that he doesn’t think anybody is better than him. In a teaser for his recently released album, Slant Face Killah, he staked his claim as the best rapper alive. The album was an exciting release and the teaser featured an unlikely pop star.
“I really did it this time!!!! I fucking did it!! I’m iller than all these ni**as! I can’t wait for y’all to hear this new shit!! SFK FRIDAY,” he wrote in a social media caption alongside a clip of him in Paris with a surprise cameo from Dua Lipa. The album is out now, so anybody can listen and decide whether he is the best rapper out there.
Listen to Conway the Machine’s newest music below.