Which rapper in the 90s was most dominant in the scene and elsewhere?  I am going to say Tupac Shakur.  He was in a lot of movies and his rap albums sold well.  Deathrow was huge during that time and his one hit song with Dr Dre, California Love, was everywhere.  His fued with Biggie gave him more attention, as well his first shootings and his death.  Most people believed he never died because he was putting up a lot of rap albums(sometimes 2-CD albums) after his death.  Dave Chappelle in one of his skits made fun of a Tupac song, which went "I wrote this back in 93".

To me, it's Tupac.

Maestro Fresh-Wes.  I loved his rap.

Unfortunately, Will SMith (AKA Fresh Prince) and his party-rap was bigger than your Tupac. 

A Tribe Called Quest were my favorites.  However, I believe that Jay-Z was probably the most influential from that era.

You might be on to something about Will Smith.  He was popular earlier in the 90s and even in the late 80s, but then his movie career and TV career(especially Fresh Prince of Bell Air) jump shot him to success.  Plus, the song Miami was huge. 

I remember one music award show(could be MTV) where Will Smith called out the "gangsta rappers" saying he doesn't need cursing or talking about killing cops to make rap music.

snoop dizzle

Tupac, Biggie, Dr. Dre, Snoop

My favorite from the 90's is Snoop Doggy Dogg.

  Dr. Dre with his celebrated debut solo album The Chronic.  Without a doubt...

Biz Markie and Maestro Fresh Wes.