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Billboard has ranked Nicki Minaj and Jay Z as the rapping GOATs.
The outlet released its 'Top 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time' in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, and it caused quite a stir.
The princess of South Jamaica Queens came in at number 10, officially making her the only female in the top ten list and therefore the greatest female rapper of all time.
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Billboard noted that a mix of her genre-blending body of work, impressive theatrics and genius lyricism place her among the greats.
The outlet wrote: “She’s undeniably blazed the trail for the next generation of female MCs, while at the same time, building a legacy whose impact is hardly limited to the hip-hop world: Nicki is one of only a dozen artists to have more than 100 Billboard Hot 100 entries, and earned the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 2022 for her provocative music videos.”
However, it left many divided as one person wrote: “And some of y’all are still lying to themselves saying she fell off.”
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While another shared: “They’re so unserious bc we all know that Lil Simz and Lauryn Hill are miles better, and that’s only naming a few.”
But when it came to the number-one rapper, the publication put none other than HOV at the very top.
I mean, the man is the brainchild of some of the most acclaimed albums - The Blueprint, Reasonable Doubt and 4:44 - just to name a few, so no surprises here.
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However, the publication noted that Jay had also cemented himself as an incredibly savvy businessman and, paired with his level of genius, he has carved out a legendary career second to none.
They added: “Maybe there are other rappers who could claim to match Jay at his peak. But there are simply none who can match his entire career — his longevity, the breadth of his accomplishments, and what he’s meant to hip-hop from a musical, cultural and financial standpoint for the last three decades.”
And just like Minaj, the ongoing debate about the greatest rapper of all time was instantly fired up shortly after he was crowned.
One person said: “Na, he top 10 but not greatest.”
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Another commented: “This isn’t news at all. This is a well-known fact.”
While another shared: “We don’t need Billboard to tell us this …. Culture been knew !!!!!”
I mean, in the words of the musician himself: “Excellence is being able to perform at a high level over and over again.”
All hail the King of New York.
Topics: News, Celebrity, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Music