When you start seeing folks like Mike Jones, Chingy and Ying Yang Twins on a Best of anything-list, it really shows how much rap has plummeted into utter mediocrity. According to this issue of The Source, the greatest artists between 1988 and 2005:

1988
-P.E - BDP - Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince -Big Daddy Kane - Rakim
-Salt N Pepa -Slick Rick -Too Short/Eazy-E -EPMD -Run DMC

1989
-N.W.A -De La Soul -LL Cool J -2 Live Crew -Tone Loc
-Big Daddy Kane -The D.O.C. -EpMD -Queen Latifah -Biz Markie

1990
-P.E -Ice Cube -MC Hammer -LL Cool J -Brand Nubian
-Digital Underground -BDP -A Tribe Called Quest -Rakim -X-Clan

1991
-Ice Cube -N.W.A. -A Tribe Called Quest -Geto Boyz -De La Soul
-Naughty By Nature -Cypress Hill -Black Sheep -DJ Quik -P.E.

1992
-Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg -Das EFX -Redman -Kris Kross -Ice Cube
-Arrested Development -Sir Mix-a-lot -Pete Rock & CL Smooth -The Pharcyde -DJ Quik

1993
-Snoop Dogg -Wu-Tang Clan -2Pac -A Tribe Called Quest -Naughty By Nature
-Digable Planets -Cypress Hill -Ice Cube -MC Eight -Onyx

1994
-Nas -Biggie -OutKast -Warren G -Method Man
-Da Brat -Bone Thugs -Scarface -Common -Jeru The Damaja

1995
-Bone thugs -Wu-Tang -Snoop/ Dog Pound -Biggie -2Pac
-Mobb Deep -Goodie Mob -Naughty By Nature -The Pharcyde -Dj Quik

1996
-2Pac -Fugees -Outkast -Westside Connection -Jay-Z
-Lil Kim -LL Cool J -Nas -Busta Rhymes -Foxy Brown

1997
-Biggie -P. Diddy/Mase -Wu-Tang -Wyclef -Will Smith
-Busta Rhymes -Master P -Bone Thugs -Missy -Rakim

1998
-Lauryn Hill -Jay-Z -Master P/ No Limit -DMX -Outkast
-Juvenile -Big Pun -N.O.R.E. -Canibus -Gang Starr

1999
-Cash Money/Ruff Ryders/DMX -Eminem -Jay-Z -Redman & Methodman -Snoop Dogg
-Mobb Deep -No Limit -Nas -The Roots -Mos Def

2000
-Eminem -Dr. Dre -Nelly -Jay-Z -Outkast
-Dmx -Ja Rule -Mystikal -Ludacris -Lil Bow Wow

2001
-Jay-Z -Ja Rule -Nas -P. Diddy -Ludacris
-Xzibit -Trick Daddy -Missy -Petey Pablo -Fabolous

2002
-Eminem -Nelly -Missy -Nas -Cam'Ron
-Jay-z -Nappy Roots -Clipse -Big Tymers -50 Cent

2003
-50 Cent -Outkast -Jay-Z -Lil John & The Eastside Boyz -Ludacris
-Snoop Dogg -Chingy -David Banner -T.I. -Lil Kim

2004
-Lil John -Kanye West -G-Unit -Snoop Dogg -Twista
-Ludacris -T.I. -Terror Squad -Jadakiss -Juvenile

2005
-Kanye West -50 Cent -The Game -Mike Jones -Young Jezzy
-Ying Yang Twins -Paul Wall -Bun B -Three Six Mafia -Lil Kim