Yo! MTV Raps 20th Anniversary | Classic Yo! Artists

Public Enemy Comprised of MC/leader Chuck D, DJ Terminator X, hypeman extraordinaire Flavor Flav, "Minister of Information" Prof. Griff and the S1W security team/performers, Public Enemy was part-rap group and part-political organization. Pro-black, outspoken and, as a result, controversial, P.E. was unlike anything hip-hop had seen when they made their debut in the late '80s.

N.W.A. One of the first groups to label themselves "street reporters" N.W.A. served up a hardcore dose of reality rap from the streets of South Central, Los Angeles and Compton, California. Their R-rated (and sometimes X) lyrics and gangsta image earned Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella a huge following as well the ire of mainstream media, police, and anti-rap pundits nationwide.

Dr. Dre One of hip-ho'’s greatest producers, Andre "Dr. Dre" Young got his start as a DJ in L.A.’s nascent '80s hip-hop scene. Dre was a founding member of N.W.A. and was one of the chief architects of "gangsta rap". He made his solo debut with his classic album, The Chronic in 1992, introducing the world to G-Funk and Snoop Dogg. Through his own Aftermath Records, Dr. Dre is also responsible for catapulting Eminem and 50 Cent to superstardom.

Ice Cube Oshea "Ice Cube" Jackson was only a teen when he made his debut as the chief lyricist in N.W.A. After parting ways with the group over a financial dispute, Ice Cube began a successful and controversial career as a solo artist. Cube balanced the overtly gangsta sensibilities of his old crew with the ideological leanings of Public Enemy, becoming a West coast icon in the process.

Tupac Tupac Shakur embodied hip-hop’s contradictions: He was a socially conscious saint preaching positivity ('Keep Ya Head Up', 'Dear Mama') and a sinner spitting sex and violence ('How Do U Want It', 'Hit ‘Em Up') at the same time. Since his untimely death in 1996, 2Pac has been canonized by rap fans who miss this martyr of the everyday struggle.

Run-D.M.C. Considered the greatest rap group of all time, Run-D.M.C. were three friends from Hollis, Queens that helped hip-hop become a superpower in popular culture. Joseph “Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and their DJ Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell (R.I.P.) ushered in a new era of attitude and style to music, bringing hip-hop from the block to your TV screen and the arena.

Salt-N-Pepa These dynamic performers combined sex appeal with clever rhymes and energetic performances. Cheryl “Salt” Wray, Sandra “Pepa” Denton and DJ Deidra “Spinderella” Roper made us dance with songs like 'Push It' and educated with songs like 'Let’s Talk About Sex', carving out a niche for female performers like Missy Elliot.

Big Daddy Kane Brooklyn’s own super-lyricist and ladies man got his start penning rhymes for his friend, Biz Markie. When Antonio “Big Daddy Kane” Hady made his debut in the late '80s, he raised the bar in terms of charisma, intricate lyricism, flow, and content. Acknowledged as one of the greats, Kane was influential to BK emcees Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G.

A Tribe Called Quest Straddling the line between intellectual and street, A Tribe Called Quest was the prototypical "average joe" rap group. Comprised of Kamal "Q-Tip" Fareed, Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad infused their musings on the everyday lives of three Black men with jazz samples and social consciousness.

KRS-1 Known for his amazing showmanship, philosophical mind and his refusal to back down from any MC challenge, Lawrence "KRS-One" Parker revolutionized the rap game when he made his debut in the late '80s. As member of Boogie Down Productions alongside Dj Scott LaRock, KRS presented intellectualism and social awareness with a decidedly street edge to the hip-hop audience.

Nas From his 1994 debut, Nas stood tall for years as one of NYC's leading rap voices, outspokenly expressing a righteous, self-empowered swagger that endeared him to critics and hip-hop purists.

The Geto Boys Though the controversial subject matter of gangsta rap wasn't much of a barrier to popular success during the '90s, the Geto Boys' recordings proved almost too extreme for widespread exposure.

LL Cool J Hip-hop is notorious for short-lived careers, but LL Cool J is the inevitable exception that proves the rule.

Queen Latifah While not the first female rapper, Queen Latifah was the bona fide female star. With more charisma than her predecessors, her strong, intelligent, no-nonsense persona, she was also hip-hop's first feminist.

Notorious B.I.G. In just a few short years, the Notorious B.I.G. went from a Brooklyn street hustler to the savior of East Coast hip-hop to a tragic victim of the culture of violence he depicted so realistically on his records.

De La Soul In 1989, De La Soul's debut album was hailed as the future. With its colorful, neo-psychedelic collage of samples and styles, clever rhymes and goofy humor, the Long Island trio sounded like nothing else in hip- hop.

Eric B & Rakim They never had a mainstream hit of their own, but during rap's so-called golden age in the late '80s, Eric B. & Rakim were almost universally recognized as the premier DJ/MC team in all of hip-hop.

2 Live Crew No rap group (save, perhaps, N.W.A) has stirred more controversy or provoked more heated debate than the 2 Live Crew.

Cypress Hill The first Latino hip-hop superstars became notorious for their endorsement of marijuana, which isn't a trivial tidbit. Not only did Cypress Hill campaign for legalization, but their slow, rolling bass- and-drum loops pioneered a new, stoned funk.

Leaders of the New School Combining Afrocentric message tracks with novelty jams, this four man NY group issued two influential albums before splitting up as the ascent of one member, Busta Rhymes, eclipsed the rest of the crew.

Wu-Tang Clan Emerging in the early 1990s, Staten Island's Wu-Tang Clan proved to be one of rap's most revolutionary groups. Their collective dynamic approach turned the standard concept of a hip-hop crew inside out.