Also having the best albums and being the best rapper are not the same. 50 cent has one of the best albums of all time but isn't anywhere near the best rapper. Eminem has had terrible albums in the last 10 or so years but he is still a better rapper than basically everyone else out there.
The production, lyrics, storytelling, there are no fillers. We could talk about how it caused the rise of hardcore east coast hip hop and stuff but we won't get into that.
Marshall mathers is a better album than illmatic id say infinite is to but its not as smooth. But you know this is my opinion just like you have yours.
I prefer infinite but Eminem was just biting Nas' style and it hasn't had the same influence as illmatic. MMLP is a contender for illmatic in terms of quality but also lacks the influence to take the top spot.
If illmatic was released nowadays it wouldn't be considered as good, but back then it was revolutionary
Everyone bites Nas style. "They say that Em sounds like Nas, and Hop sounds like Em, and I sound like Hop so where does it end? Stop comparing me, comparing what you can't comprehend"
J.Cole is pretty great. Tupac was legit, loved his stuff. Still do really. Snoop Dogg is good IMO, he's not necessarily a great rapper but definitely a good Hype man.