the rap geniuses of 2015
A "Rap Genius" is someone who has excelled in creating, innovating, and dominating rap music. And since 2015 was one of the best hip-hop years in recent memory, this list is packed with unique talent. From Broadway's Lin-Manuel Miranda to Atlanta's Future and Tottenham's Skepta, the inaugural Rap Geniuses are a class above their peers. Here are 2015's Rap Geniuses, as voted for by Genius.com visitors.  — Michael Heal
10. Lin-Manuel MirandaIt's a rare thing to produce a bonafide crossover hit, but this year Lin-Manuel Miranda achieved it as the composer and star of the Broadway smash Hamilton. He used hip-hop to create a show about the life of America's most notorious founding father, and in doing so, gave a modern urgency to the brilliance, dexterity, and fire at work in the minds that built the American nation. The impact of his strange and wonderful marriage of American and musical theater and rap history has been unbelievable. A year straight of incandescent critical reviews and inescapable viral buzz has added up to millions of dollars in ticket and album sales, as well as top rankings on five separate Billboard charts. And with his work putting together an expansive high school field trip program for his show, giving a portion of his MacArthur Fellowship stipend to charity, and generally being the most approachable and entertaining person to ever grace Twitter, Miranda continues to show that he deserves all his successes, including his recognition as one of this year's Rap Geniuses.
— epaulettes
9. Lupe FiascoThe rise of Lupe Fiasco continued in 2015 with the release of his fifth solo album, Tetsuo & Youth and subsequent mixtape titled Pharaoh Height 2/30. The album cemented his comeback from the almost career ending Lasers and completed his contract with Atlantic Records. Aside from delivering great musical content, Lupe indulged in other art forms, most notably painting. The album artwork for Tetsuo & Youth was Lupe’s own abstract work titled “Uomo Mangiato Tigre” or “Man Eating Tiger.”
Never one to stay out of the headlines, Lupe had his moments in 2015. He schooled Complex Magazine on “real rap”, wrote an open letter about white supremacy on Instagram and followed it up a month later with one about ghostwriting. With his recent announcement to drop three albums next year and The Cool 2 in 2017, the folks here at Genius are itching for the New Year to roll in. — Michael Heal
8. Vince StaplesFinally receiving the recognition he deserved following his 2014 Hell Can Wait EP, Vince Staples became the most refreshing voice in 2015. As he said himself, he's "a selfish person that does music in order to make money and should in no manner be held as high as he is as a person.” This honesty and humility are exactly what made us fall in love with the blunt and outspoken 22-year-old.
Of course, rap is an autobiographic genre and separating music from personality is impossible, especially if both are of high quality. Summertime '06 is one of the best albums released in 2015, a favorite of critics and fans alike. No hits, no publicity stunts, just his heart and soul. That’s why we love Vince Staples. — Vuk Aleksić
7. SkeptaJoseph Adenuga is no stranger to success. The grime veteran has been in the public eye since he signed to pop label 3Beat in 2010, but he’s far from a sellout. The video for “That’s Not Me,"  his iconic 2014 single which has become a staple for British house parties, cost just £80 to make and still managed to accumulate over eight million views. His legendary 2006 clash with Birmingham MC Devilman was discovered by Drake, who was so impressed that he took to Instagram to share it with the masses. And thus, the OVO/BBK affiliation was born, a connection which proved to play a vital role in Skeppy’s American breakthrough.
2015 has been a hectic year for the Tottenham MC, who had intended to release his new album, Konnichiwa, but instead chose to continue perfecting it. However, this year, we’ve seen him reignite the Devilman beef with the hefty war dub “Nasty” (gracing Wiley’s classic “Morgue” instrumental); bring a posse of “20 goons” onstage during Kanye’s BRIT Awards performance; release the infectious single “Shutdown”; and even design his own “roadman jacket." You might be able to count Skepta’s 2015 discography on one hand, but mark our words, this has been a mammoth year for him, paving the foundations for an explosive 2016...
— Luke Ballance (UnBalanced)
6. A$AP Rocky
Rocky had a prolific year from the get-go. He started with a bang, dropping “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2)” at the turn of the New Year; however his positive energy quickly turned solemn when A$AP Yams was found dead on January 18th. Rocky used this energy to tuck himself away from the masses and create a studio album that would shock the world. Even with the loss of an old friend, Rocky managed to create a powerful new friendship with Joe Fox—the man who would go on inspire much of the trippy, psychedelic sound on At.Long.Last.A$AP. A.L.L.A aside, Flacko also scored his highest placing on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for his collaboration with Selena Gomez on “Good For You," peaking  at number 5.
Music wasn’t the only thing on Rocky’s mind in 2015. He appeared in the indie comedy-drama Dope, linked up with Tyler, the Creator for the most unlikely tour of 2015, and worked with luxury label GUESS on a capsule collection. Rocky put his name in the books this year at long last. We can’t wait for 2016. — Slickk
5. Travis ScottWith the release of Good Music’s Cruel Summer in 2012, Travis Scott was branded as Kanye West’s next protégé. 2015 saw him live up to the hype. The Houston native released his long awaited solo debut Rodeo and while the album received mixed reviews from critics, the fans loved it. La Flame became a household name for his now platinum single “Antidote” and earned a reputation for putting on one of the best live performances in the game. He toured with everyone from Young Thug to The Weeknd, and announced that in 2016, he’s going on tour with rumored girlfriend Rihanna. With the hottest girl in the game by his side and one of the greatest artists of all time co-signing his every move, it seems 2015 was just the beginning for Travis Scott. Looks like 2016’s about to be lit. — Michael Heal
4. Young Thug2014 was the year in which Young Thug went from blogs’ best-kept secret to full-fledged rap star. The year following could’ve easily seen him double down on the commercial successes of “Lifestyle” and “Danny Glover, but 2015 was blessed by his choice to be committed to the inimitable style that fueled his meteoric rise. Taking after his mentor Gucci Mane, Thug released three stellar full-lengths: Barter 6, Slime Season, and Slime Season 2, with reports of a collaborative mixtape with Migos and Slime Season 3 dropping before the end of the year. Add that to countless features and a fruitful relationship with director Be El Be, who has aided in creating visuals as surreal as the lyrics they’re set to. But the music itself wasn’t the only star: interviews during his European tour showed the evolution of an artist who initially gave excessively short responses, to one who’s ready to embrace the spotlight. With his proper debut studio album Hi-Tunes slated to release early in 2016, rap’s reigning singularity has the chance to capitalize on the momentum a great year brought him. — Brian Duricy
3. DrakeDrake did it all this year. He broke records, careers, charts and even the internet. The self-proclaimed 6 God released two projects with a combined 1.5 million units sold, charted a whopping 36 times, and became Spotify’s most streamed artist of the year. All this while securing $20 million dollars and a radio show from Apple, headlining Coachella and dropping his own pair of Jordan sneakers.
As if that wasn’t enough, Drizzy swapped singing for bars, banishing Meek Mill to the dungeon of memes and social media mockery after the Philadelphia-based rapper claimed that Drake used ghost-writers. To add insult to injury, Mr. Do Right And Kill Everything’s diss track “Back To Back” became a hit single and is now nominated for a Grammy.
With Views From The 6 rumored to drop in early 2016, Drake’s quest for world domination is set to continue into the New Year. — MvdS
2. FutureAlready etched into the scriptures of hip hop history, Future’s 2015 was like no other. The ATLien released three huge mixtapes: Beast Mode, 56 Nights, and What A Time To Be Alive, plus one incredible, defiant statement of an album titled DS2. With his group of dedicated, dangerously talented producers working alongside him, Future defined the sound of a genre with cuts like: “March Madness," “Thought It Was a Drought," “I Serve The Base," and “Blow A Bag.” We’re not surprised he charges $145,000 per 45 minute set. While many of Future’s detractors attribute his success to a lean induced trend, Future has captured the hearts and minds of more than dirty sprite sippers this year. As an artist with much broader sensibilities and cross-over appeal, Future Hendrix is more than “trap music” and has left the rest of the industry desperately trying to play catch up. — Ben Carter
1. Kendrick LamarKendrick Lamar is 2015's "Rap Genius." While some rappers coerced a similar feeling, and even added great intellectual flair to their conscious message, Kendrick's voice was unfiltered and raw. Artists like Drake relied on pop-sensibility to muscle their way into the conversation, but Kendrick let his heart and soul become the conversation itself. This is what separates him from the rest. His relative silence outside of the music proved that the power he could muster with mere musical presence was stronger than any campaign. There was no major press run, no memes, no beefs stoked purely for camera clicks and tongue wagging. 2015 belonged to Kendrick Lamar, and all he had to do was release an album. — Ben Carter
Check out the 20 Best Rap Albums of 2015 here.