Kendrick Lamar Steals the Crowd's Heart in the GOAT Rap War, and Biggie Is Left Dreaming

Pull the lights down low, darlings, because a new love triangle just opened, except it's a love pentagon and every corner carries a microphone. Five legends, one crown, and a crowd that has only been awake for a few hours and is already holding its heart out to Compton. The question on Morfi is the oldest slow jam in the barbershop songbook: who is the greatest rapper of all time?

This argument has broken hearts before. According to Wikipedia's account of Billboard and Vibe's rankings, the 2015 list put The Notorious B.I.G. first, Jay-Z second and Eminem third, with Kendrick Lamar down at ninth. Critics were furious that Tupac Shakur was left off entirely, and plenty of journalists thought naming Kendrick at all was premature. By 2023 the revised list had flipped: Jay-Z first, Kendrick second, Tupac fourth, Eminem fifth and Biggie sixth. That one didn't go quietly either. Jay-Z's page notes widespread backlash to his crowning, with Ice Cube calling the rankings irrelevant. And Biggie's corner has a heavyweight on its side, too: Rolling Stone called him the greatest rapper that ever lived, and he has certified U.S. sales in the tens of millions.

So what does the crowd on Morfi say, now that people are putting real money behind their feelings? The early romance belongs to Kendrick Lamar, sitting at 23% consensus with 8 holders. Close behind is The Notorious B.I.G. at 20% consensus with 8 holders. Still on the ballot, waiting by the phone: 3 other sides. So far 10 unique traders have staked $19,855 on their convictions. Look at the shape of it: the man who started at ninth in 2015 is ahead of the man who started at first. Rankings have short memories, and this crowd seems to be tuned to the present.

Now let me drop the needle on my own opinion, because this booth runs on feelings. I think this crowd is falling for Kendrick the way you fall for the one who writes your diary back to you, line by line, better than you could. But a midnight DJ knows the slow songs come back around. Biggie's voice is the kind of first love you hear in every taxi after 2am, and I wouldn't bet against the heart going home to Brooklyn. And Tupac Shakur, once left off a list completely, deserves better than to watch from the back of the room. Pick the poet if you like, but don't forget the ghosts who taught him the chords.

Here's what to watch: this fight is less than a day old, and first dances aren't wedding vows. If Biggie's believers close the gap, or the Jay-Z, Tupac and Eminem camps finally wake up and make some noise, this chart could change before the record ends. These numbers come from a live opinion market on Morfi, where people back their conviction with money. If your heart beats for one of these five, come join the market and add your voice to the song.