VIBE Magazine's 2009 Best Rapper Ever Competition

VIBE Magazine's 2009 Best Rapper Ever Competition announces the rappers advancing to Sweet 16 in bid for coveted title

June 10, 2009, New York City -- Who will hold the illustrious title of being The Best Rapper Ever? VIBE magazine and VIBE.com are one step closer to announcing the winner of their 2009 The Best Rapper Ever competition with the revelation of the Sweet 16. More than 600,000 votes have been cast and the VIBE mail bins are overflowing with responses, setting the record straight on old rivalries and creating new ones.

All of the No.1 seeds continue to hold their own, with Eminem, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Rakim all advancing to the next round. Three No. 2 seeds, Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, and Jay-Z, have advanced, while LL Cool J was taken down by DMX with a 12 percent margin. Nas's 89 percent took down Q-Tip's 11 percent with a strong swipe.

To vote on the current round of the competition, visit http://www.vibe.com/bestrapperever/

VIBE'S BEST RAPPER EVER SWEET 16: 2Pac, Andre 3000,Big Daddy Kane, Big Punisher, DMX, Eminem, Ghostface Killah, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, KRS-One, Lil Wayne, Nas, Rakim, Scarface, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G.

OK, DON'T COMPLAIN IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE

I didn't vote but I'm complaining anyway because my top five are: Black Thought of the Roots, Lauryn Hill, Common, Guru from Gangstarr, and Vanilla Ice!!! (well actually it's Rakim, so of those left in the competition you know where my vote's going.)