Even Raekwon gets more love than Ghostface a lot of the time, even if Ghostface helped make Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… as amazing as it was, and Supreme Clientele is among the best rap albums of the early 2000s. Unfortunately, unlike RZA and ODB, Ghostface isn’t as appreciated outside of the group as he really should be (neither is Method Man). Of all the members of Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah is almost definitely the best lyricist and storyteller. Sure, his legacy will always be connected to Nas, but eight albums and two decades into his career, it’s time to recognize the legendary wordsmith for his talents on the mic. Remember when Nas dropped Illmatic and it didn’t include any major guests or features except for that one other dude on “Life’s a Bitch”? That dude is one of New York’s best lyricists of all time (as is Nas), but he often gets overlooked when mentioning the Empire State’s rap legends. He’s generally the least beloved member of the main trio of N.W.A, and until Straight Outta Compton was released earlier this summer, much of the under-30 crowd knew him as much for his terrible kids' movies as his phenomenal rhymes. Frankly, he’s one of the most important lyricists in music history - not just hip-hop, but all of music. The only reason Ice Cube isn’t higher on this list is because he’s generally regarded as a pretty dang good lyricist. While most of the legendary lyricists were busy rapping about fighting their enemies and murdering police, KRS-One was preaching to stop the violence.

Since the '80s, he’s been a New York rap legend, but when people list the greatest MCs of all time, he’s rarely on the list. Historically speaking, KRS-One might be the most overlooked rapper in history. Personally, we like When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, but you really can’t go wrong with any Atmosphere record. Atmosphere is one of the most important rap duos to never really break into the mainstream, and Slug’s lyrics are a major part of that. Lyrically or otherwise, Slug is one of the most underrated rappers of the past couple of decades. Here are 10 rappers who really should be known for their lyrics, but just aren’t as loved as they should be. No matter what they’re known for, the written word has always been a major part of hip-hop, and sometimes it goes underappreciated for certain people. Some rappers are known for being great lyricists, while some are known for their delivery, their stage presence, or their beats.

Most lyrical rappers