90s hip hop laid the groundwork for everything that came after it — but who really bent the decade?

In this episode of Grown Man Bars, Chad and Big Absoloot break down their real top six MCs of the 90s based on impact, not sales:

• Ice Cube – the West Coast political hammer and war reporter

• Rakim – the lyricist who rewired the entire rhyme book

• Scarface – the Southern storyteller who put the South on his back

• Nas – the street poet who turned albums into movies

• Snoop Dogg – the cool gangster who made G-funk global

• Method Man – the gateway to Wu-Tang and king of the pockets

They lay out clear criteria — blueprint impact, cultural power, regional expansion, style innovation, and longevity — and argue why these six MCs changed rap forever.

BA drops an Absoloot Trooth segment on EPMD and the slow-flow blueprint, while Chad explains why after Illmatic, everybody spent a decade chasing their own “’Matic.”

If you’re a Gen X (or Gen X-adjacent) hip hop head who still rewinds verses in your head, this one’s for you.

Drop your six in the comments or reviews:

If you need more than six… that ain’t a list. You in your feelings.

00:00 Introduction to 90s Hip Hop

02:31 Setting the Criteria for Top MCs

04:15 Ice Cube: The West Coast Pioneer

07:08 Rakim: The Lyricism Innovator

10:55 Scarface: The Southern Storyteller

14:45 Nas: The Street Poet

16:47 Nas: Bridging the Gap Between Street and College

17:47 Nas's Dual Success in the 90s

18:42 The Influence of Illmatic

20:24 Snoop Dogg: The Cool Gangster

25:48 Method Man: The Gateway to Wu-Tang

29:22 EPMD: The Smooth Hardcore Pioneers

32:43 Top Six MCs of the 90s

33:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts