Tupac Shakur

Pac is the heart and the fire of hip-hop—a raw, politicized poet who turned vulnerability into power on tracks like 'Dear Mama' and 'Changes.' His charisma and martyrdom made him a global icon, but his raw energy and emotional range outrun Biggie's on pure passion. Placing him at #2 is not a slight; it's admitting Biggie's technical gift was slightly sharper.