Best Rappers' Favorite Rappers

[Tash8]

Jay-Z
"In no particular order: Scarface, Beanie Sigel, Eminem, Nas, Big, Pac — of course. Ice Cube, wow! That's seven, I'm working. ... [I’m] somewhere in there!" (He laughs.)

Nas
Of course, I put Rakim. Another dude that gives me the chills is Biggie — the way he spoke it out there. Pac gave me chills. Before the controversy, his music was chilling people — songs like Soulja's Story' [from 1991's 2Pacalypse Now], before people really knew about him. ... Kool G Rap, crazy. [Big Daddy] Kane. Cool J. I was digging Melle Mel, Eminem of course — Eminem is crazy. Jay, of course. Jadakiss, [Brand Nubian's] Grand Puba."


Rakim
"We looking at people I respect. Jay. Nas — the first time I heard him was the 'Halftime' joint. It was just refreshing to hear not only rappers who was out, but up-and-coming rappers was being more conscious and lyrical and still raw and from the 'hood. I always respected Nas. He was always a lyricist, and I always respect a true lyricist. Me and Nas got a rapport, we go back. He used to come up to Power Play Studios [located not far from Nas' home base in the Queensbridge neighborhood of New York City] when I was working on my early albums. Watching him grow, and having respect for him and getting respect from him, is a beautiful thing. ... Eminem. My man Kool Moe Dee. Melle Mel. KRS-One. Kool G Rap. Then, I can't front, back in the day, I was feeling people like [Brand Nubian's] Sadat X. I feel different people for different things, and Sadat came with his own style. I don't care if he only had 16 bars, he would say his 16 bars like, 'You gonna feel this.' There's a lot of people I love — Biggie. I'll leave it at that."


Big Daddy Kane
"My man Bumpy Knuckles, for one. Rakim, Kool G Rap, Nas, Eminem, Jay-Z, Biggie. I thought Biggie had a different way of putting words together. He was different."

Eminem
"It goes, Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outcast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me."

Ice Cube
"People I like? I can take it back all the way back to Melle Mel. To [Rev] Run [of DMC], to Rakim. Ice-T — he was always dope in my book. Scarface, Kool G Rap. All these people, when I heard them rhyme, made me feel like I had to get on my game. I love DMX, Jay-Z is off the hook. Snoop, Pac, Biggie. My favorite of all time is Chuck D, and I can't forget about KRS-One. Those are MCs who have made me switch a gear some time or another in my career."

[Emadyville]

Good read, thanks for the post.

[Tash8]

You should use Em's grammy speech as well as the Till I Collapse line.

And people should stop hating on Jay. No on cares if he bites or un-retired, everyone loves him.

what grammy speech?

and jayz is a sick rapper, everyone hates him because he is really respected in the game...

[Makaveli525]

Eminem
"It goes, Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outcast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me."

I never understood that... is the list in order? Cuz if it was... why would Redman be above everyone?

[Tash8]

At the 2003 Grammys, he listed a bunch of rappers that made him who he was. I googled and found it.

Yo, man. Instead of me coming out here and thankin the people I usually thank or whatever-cuz all the people who had somethin to do with-with my album know who they are, I made me a lil list of MCs that I wanted to...name off that inspired me to-to bring me where I am today. U know? Cuz honestly I wouldn't be here without them. So the list goes like this, and it's not in this order, but the list is this: Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Kool G Rap, Masta Ace, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Dr. Dre, all of NWA, KRS One, Treach from Naughty By Nature, NaS, 2pac, Biggie, Jay-Z. Thank you cuz I learned from all of you. Thank you.

cool, got youtube link?

and @Makavelie, because it's his favorite rapper?

[Throwback24]

Cool ish.

[Evanz19]

Eminem
"It goes, Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outcast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me."

I never understood that... is the list in order? Cuz if it was... why would Redman be above everyone?

He probly just to make that line have good structure and rhyme coz if you look at his speech he said loads more than that.

[DrRapid]

Cool thread, thx.