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Cardi B, pictured, is ineligible for the list due to not being named Carter.
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There sure are a lot of Carters in hip hop, aren't there? They span across many different subgenres throughout multiple decades, and that only includes the few I can think of off the top of my head. With so many legendary Carters in my favorite genre, I think it's high time I rank my top 5 favorite Carters in the hip hop game.
#5 Lee Carter. Viper
Viper is a Houston legend who revolutionized underground rap with tons of floaty cloud rap albums that are surprisingly entertaining. From his classics The Hiram Clarke Hustler, to Ready And... Willing, to the legendary You'll Cowards Don't Even Smoke Crack, Viper has definitely carved a name for himself within the underground hip hop scene. Unfortunately he locked a woman in his garage for several years and committed many other cases of aggravated kidnapping, over 50 counts of fraud, and a death, all on his property. Viper has earned his spot at the bottom of the list.
#4 Jordan Carter. Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti's 2 most recent albums, Die Lit and Whole Lotta Red, are prime cases for why "mumble rap" is still a good genre, with Whole Lotta Red in particular leading the charge to popularize a whole new sound known as "rage music." Unfortunately Jordan Carter is a wife beater and a constant liar. He has a history of abusing his girlfriend, neglecting his son, and lying about album release dates for over 4 years now. I was there for Narcissist on 13 September 2021, a mere 3 weeks into my college career. I graduate in less than 3 months, and the album still is not out. And being abusive is pretty bad too.
#3 Sean Carter. Jay-Z
Some are wary of how Jay managed to become a billionaire, and his nickname Jay Hova seems blasphemous to the more religiously inclined. His meteoric rise in the late 90s, as well as his star power giving rise to artists like Rihanna, Kanye West, Jay Electronica, Beanie Sigel, etc shows that Jay-Z's mark on pop culture is not one soon to be forgotten. I am not the biggest Jay-Z fan of all time, but he most certainly has his classics. From the cool mafia stylings of his debut Reasonable Doubt, to the iconic hits of The Blueprint. From the clever wordplay of "A Week Ago" to the braggadocious grandeur of "Empire State of Mind." From the rich, full Timbaland production on Magna Carta... Holy Grail to the down-to-earth simplicity of No I.D.'s tight beats on 4:44. Jay-Z has both the depth and the breadth to prove he truly has something for everyone. However, we can't forget that he allegedly stabbed a guy for bootlegging back in 1999. Nas speculates that Jay lied about what happened that night to look hard, but either look is not good on Jay.
#2 Dwayne Carter. Lil Wayne
What can be said about Lil Wayne that hasn't been said already? Easily the longest standing name in the public eye for the dirty south, with dozens of classic albums, singles, and guest features. Tha Carter II put southern rap on the map for me, as did Tha Carter III. Even in styles I am admittedly unfamiliar with, these two albums in particular never bore or disappoint me. Lil Wayne's wider influence is undeniable over the last 15 years of hip hop, boosting artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Jay Sean, Omarion, Lloyd, and Tyga, among others. His clever setup-punchline style is mirrored by the later works of his contemporaries Eminem and Kanye West, a style they likely won't soon depart from. Wayne's influence on the mixtape game is unrivalled, shining a huge light on a unique way to share bars. Finally, his prison sentence in 2010 influenced Kanye West's amazing verse on T.I.'s "Welcome To The World," which is a highlight of the Dark Fantasy era. And I think the only thing Wayne has been arrested for since then is possession of unlicensed weapons, which was pardoned by President Trump in 2020. Lil Wayne has rightfully earned the #2 spot on this list.
Honorable Mention. Dr. Rich Carter.
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Apologies for the poor photo. There are not many of him!
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Before we proceed to #1, I'd like to give a shoutout to Dr. Rich Carter. He didn't make the list proper because hip hop is not really in his wheelhouse. He's a former theology professor at Concordia St. Paul. If I were to guess, he heard Rapper's Delight back in 1980, and said, "I don't get it." He probably moved on with his life like nothing happened. Some would say that a second rap song has yet to enter his ears. Needless to say, he doesn't quite belong on this list. But Dr. Rich Carter is so nice that I just had to include him.
#1 Jimmy Carter.
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Rest in peace.
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Jimmy Carter is NOT the most gangster President we ever had. Remember, President Trump was convicted of thirty-four felonies. Jimmy Carter comes pretty close. Coming from the dirty south, he was raised on a farm just 140 miles south of the A. He worked hard to free the hostages in Iran. With the Republicans two-teaming him with not only an election rich in smear campaigns, but also some dirty work with the Iranians to hold the hostages until Reagan's inauguration, it's no wonder Carter lost. He decided to sacrifice the presidency to save the hostages. After he left office, he built houses all over the place. He made it out of poverty and made it past 25 four times before he died of old age just weeks ago. What a real OG.
