If there were a Mt. Rushmore for gangsta rap icons, one could definitely make a case for the inclusion of Scarface. His iconic voice and knack for consistently delivering soulful vitriol through a hardcore Houston, Texas, lens have made Scarface a virtual deity in the South, and his influence on hip-hop is celebrated just about everywhere else. Any lyricists who dabble in audacity, insanity, or reality owe him at least a nod of recognition—and only a precious few will be able to match his intelligent, street-level storytelling. Timeless classics like "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" from his Geto Boys days and solo anthems like "My Block" prove that his ghetto psychosis never strays from Southern-fried funk, making Scarface's hall-of-fame résumé all the more sonically potent. by Chris Sutton