25 Greatest Hip-Hop Groups of All Time

What makes a great rap group? Is it chemistry? Personalities? The body of work? All the essential ingredients have to be in place, of course. It also helps if the sum of the group is greater than its individual parts.

The best rap groups come in various shades and sizes. The Wu-Tang Clan set the bar high for large crews. De La Soul proved that three really is the magic number. And groups like Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill showed that hip-hop has the power to bridge cultural gaps.

We've come to love crews like N.W.A. and Public Enemy because they changed the landscape of hip-hop with their activism. We cherish OutKast and The Roots because they somehow pinched our hard-wiring and resonated with our humanity.

These are the groups that live on in hip-hop lore. The very best of the best. These are the 25 greatest hip-hop groups of all time.

Eligibility: Groups of 3+ members with at least two albums were eligible.

Criteria: Points were awarded based on cultural impact, originality, quality, and consistency.

hip-hop

of 25

CunninLynguists

CunninLynguists may be the best hip-hop group you've never heard of. Their style consists of southern-fried beats and gripping narratives that linger after the song ends. As forward-thinking as they are, they never managed to enjoy the mainstream exposure they deserve. Still, their pedigree is undeniable.

Members: Kno, Deacon The Villain, Natti

Essential: A Piece of Strange | Purchase/Download

of 25

Little Brother

Influenced by Tribe Called Quest and De La, Little Brother took hip-hop by storm with their brand of brainy hip-hop. When BET deemed their "Lovin' It" video "too intelligent" for their audience, it further established LB as underground darlings. They went on to drop three great albums in three years, including 2007's GetBack.

Members: Phonte, Big Pooh, 9th Wonder

Essential: The Minstrel Show | Purchase/Download

of 25

Slum Village

Though Slum Village had more lineup changes than Destiny's Child, quality remained a constant for the most part. The Detroit crew enjoyed a boost from the addition of lyricist Elzhi and a non-stop supply of thumping beats from Jay Dee.

Members: Baatin, Jay Dee, T3, Elzhi

Essential: Fantastic Vol...II

of 25

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five — Anthony Barboza/Getty Images

Flash and the Furious 5 are creative inventors in every sense, having influenced generations of MCs, b-boys, DJs, and style icons. "The Message" and "White Lines (Don't Do It)" helped launch what we now know as conscious rap. To crown it all, they made history as the first hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The only chink in their armor was their fashion steez -- glam cowboy hats, studded belts, Kangols and dukey rope chains. Melle Mel should have fired their stylist.

Members: Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Kid Creole, Cowboy, Scorpio (aka Mr. Ness) and Raheim

Best Album: The Message | Purchase/Download

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Naughty By Nature

Here's one oft-overlooked aspect of Naughty By Nature -- Treach could rap circles around his peers. He laced each song with a crisp new flow and made it seem effortless. The group's string of catchy hits would eventually propel them to mainstream success. In 1996, Naughty By Nature won the first ever Best Rap Album Grammy for Poverty's Paradise.

Members: Treach, DJ Kay Gee, and Vin Rock

Best Album: Naughty By Nature |Purchase/Download

of 25

Brand Nubian

Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images

Afrocentricity, spirituality, sexuality, self-empowerment, you name it and Brand Nubian already rapped about it. No topic was off limits with these brothers, who occasionally dropped Five-percent knowledge.

Members: Lord Jamar, Sadat X, and Grand Puba

Best Album: One for All | Purchase/Download

of 25

Three 6 Mafia

Before the hits, before the historic Oscar and TV shows, Triple 6 Mafia (DJ Paul, Juicy J) helped place Memphis on the map with their unique brand of donnybrook hip-hop. They've had no trouble selling records and making a mark in the land of Elvis.

Members: DJ Paul, Juicy J, and Lord Infamous

Best Album: Most Known Unknown | Purchase/Download

of 25

Cypress Hill

With the legendary DJ Muggs manning the board and B-Real offering street wisdom on the mic, Cypress Hill set the industry ablaze with three consecutive platinum albums. Granted, they were never able to match the intensity of their self-titled debut, arguably a street classic, but their impact is undeniable. The West Coast trio was inducted into the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors in 2008. (Brownie Points: Cypress Hill appeared in the "Homerpalooza" episode of The Simpsons)

Members: B-Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog, and Eric Bobo

Best Album: Cypress Hill | Purchase/Download

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The LOX

Mobb Deep and Capone-N-Noreaga were at the peak of their popularity in the late '90s, so The LOX could've easily been lost in the shuffle. Instead, the trio quickly pulled away from their New York peers with their edgy beats and intelligent rhymes. Jada's raspy voice added flavor to his rewind-worthy punchlines; Styles brought the straitjacket flow; while Sheek completed the cipher with a gritty delivery.

Members: Styles P, Jadakiss, and Sheek Louch
Essential: Money, Power & Respect | Purchase/Download

of 25

Goodie Mob

When Goodie Mob coined the term "dirty south," southern hip-hop was still taking a backseat to New York and L.A. However, Goodie Mob and OutKast carried the weight and helped place southern rap back on the map. "What Y'all fools know about the Dirty South?"

Members: Cee-Lo, Big Gipp, Khujo, and T-Mo
Essential: Soul Food | Purchase/Download

of 25

Hieroglyphics

When Del rhymed, "Life ain't all about busting caps or f--cking b--ches" on "At the Helm," he pretty much professed the group's mantra. Hiero was the first West Coast group to make a lasting impression without thuggin' on wax.

Members: Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, A+, Opio, Tajai, Phesto, and Domino
Essential: 3rd Eye Vision | Purchase/Download

of 25

Black Moon

We can't imagine many hip-hop heads without Black Moon's 1993 gemstone Enta Dah Stage in their collection. With Da Beatminerz and DJ Evil Dee supplying hardbody beats and Buckshot dropping dimes in his trademark raspy voice, Black Moon kept East Coast hip-hop on lock for years.

Members: Buckshot, DJ Evil Dee, 5ft Accelerator

Best Album: Enta Dah Stage | Purchase/Download

of 25

Salt N Pepa

Salt 'N Pepa's contribution to hip-hop extends beyond their status as rap's most significant female group. They took the entire rap game by storm and grabbed the attention of both men and women with their titillating ditties.

Members: Salt, Pepa, Spinderella
Essential: Hot, Cool & Vicious | Purchase/Download

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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Show of hands if you ever caught yourself mimicking Bone Thugs' melodic flow as a teenager. Yeah, me too. When these Midwest boys were Creepin on ah Come Up in the '90s, the game was rife with talented artists of all kinds from all regions. So, they created a sound that was both original and inimitable. Bone Thugs' blend of octane-fueled lyrics with harmonized vocals made them a household name.

Members: Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Flesh-n-Bone

Essential: E 1999 Eternal |

of 25

2 Live Crew

It's unfortunate that the hoopla over 2 Live Crew's sexually charged (sometimes misogynistic) songs eclipsed the group's musical accomplishment. The obscenity case over their 1989 LP, As Nasty as They Wanna Be, took them all the way to the Supreme Court. They weren't lyrical wizards, but their thunderous booty bops helped popularize the Miami bass sound. If this show is any indication, they're still as nasty as they wanna be.

Members: Luke, Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, Amazing V., Brother Marquis, Verb
Essential: As Nasty As They Wanna Be | Purchase/Download

of 25

Geto Boys

Along with UGK and SUC, Geto Boys will always be revered as southern rap pioneers. Scarface delivered compelling stories about street life in Texas, while Willie D's impeccable mic presence and Bushwick Bill's maniacal rhymes kept things interesting. By all standards, the Geto boys paved the way for future southern hip-hop acts.

Members: Scarface, Bushwick Bill, Willie D

Essential: We Can't Be Stopped | 404

of 25

Fugees

The Fugees were a super talented bunch -- in fact, too talented for their own good. Though they would later have one of the most heartbreaking breakups after just two albums, they left an indelible impression on the music world. Their 1996 masterpiece, The Score, garnered so much buzz that it eventually eclipsed their first, though less remarkable CD, Blunted on Reality.

Members: Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, Pras
Essential: The Score | Purchase/Download

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Beastie Boys

Who knew that three white kids would eventually become one of hip-hop's most influential acts ever? The Beastie Boys were amongst the legion of trailblazers who left an indelible impression on a generation of rappers to follow. The Beastie Boys came out with a bang — dropping 1987's massive-selling Licensed to Ill. The group also reinvented its sound with the sample-heavy Paul's Boutique.

Members: Ad-Rock, Mike D, MCA

Essential: Licensed to Ill | Purchase/Download

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The Roots

Hip-hop's first legitimate band defies genres as well as comparisons. The Roots often rely heavily on live instrumentals and little on samples to create original, timeless hip-hop music. Besides, if you're in the market for the ultimate live show experience, your money's always safe with these Philly boys.

Members: Questlove, Black Thought, Kamal Gray, Captain Kirk, Frankie Knuckles, Tuba Gooding Jr.

Essential: Things Fall Apart | Purchase/Download

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De La Soul

While others were busy name-checking their gun collection, De La Soul positioned itself as the antithesis of everything gangsta rap represented. They were playful, intelligent, funny. Lyrically, they displayed maturity and vulnerability. Musically, they designed the manifesto that would alter the landscape of hip-hop forever.

Members: Posdnuos, Trugoy, Maseo
Essential: 3 Feet High and Rising | Purchase/Download

of 25

Public Enemy

Members: Posdnuos, Trugoy, Maseo
Essential: 3 Feet High and Rising

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A Tribe Called Quest

Tribe was the most successful of their Native Tongues brethren, thanks, in part, to their consistency. By the time Tribe's third disc arrived, that brand of melodic, Crisco-slick classics that gave yield to "Electric Relaxation" and "Award Tour" had become synonymous with ATCQ.

Members: Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg
Essential: Midnight Marauders | Purchase/Download

of 25

Run-DMC

Run-DMC's place as the most influential rap group and undeniably one of the greatest hip-hop acts of all-time is unquestionable. The trio shattered barriers for future generations with a bold and wildly innovative style of hip-hop that captivated fans from Queens to Macedonia. Run-DMC exemplified the perfect combination of honesty, attitude, and creativity.

Members: Run, DMC, Jam Master Jay

Essential: Raising Hell | Purchase/Download

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N.W.A.

NWA — Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

Any rapper who's made a buck by voicing social concerns without fear of castigation owes a royalty check to the world's most dangerous group. N.W.A. literally had to fight for their right to express themselves. Not even threats from the FBI could keep them from publicly indicting the powers that be or calling out racist cops. These Compton boys were vicious, unapologetic, and vividly outspoken. All good things, they say, must come to an end. Though N.W.A. finally broke up after 1991's Efil4zaggin, their legacy lived on. Dre, Cube, and Eazy would go on to launch successful solo careers respectively.

Members: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Yella, Arabian Prince
Essential: Straight Outta Compton | Purchase/Download

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Wu-Tang Clan

The most powerful weapon in any group's arsenal is neither beats nor rhymes--not even one of those big head nodders that RZA used to make every 2 years. No, no weapon in hip-hop history can rival the chaotic cohesion of the Wu-Tang Clan. The Clan had so many characters, each with his own eccentricities. They were fearless in their approach. There's a good reason no group has been able to successfully recreate their sound. The crew spawned gazillions of loosely associated acts. Their classic albums spawned classic albums.

Members: RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, ODB

Essential: Enter the 36 Chambers | Purchase/Download

Honorable Mentions

Jurassic 5, Pharcyde, Onyx, The Beatnuts, Freestyle Fellowship