Billboard and VIBE have ranked JAY-Z the best rapper of all time, and as is customary with Hip Hop rankings, this has generated quite a commotion.
The 50th anniversary of Hip Hop is being celebrated this year, and the newspapers started releasing their list of the Top 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time last month.
Billboard and VIBE released their top 10 picks on Wednesday after highlighting artists like Kanye West, André 3000, Lauryn Hill, Ice Cube, Rakim, LL COOL J, and Black Thought from No. 50 to No. 11. (February 8).
Eminem, 2Pac, Nas, and Kendrick Lamar were ranked Nos. 10 to 6, while Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Lil Wayne, and The Notorious B.I.G. were placed Nos. 10 to 6.
The top spot on the list, however, went to an MC who has frequently been praised as the greatest rapper of all time: JAY-Z.
Hov’s financial success, critical acclaim, cultural effect, and business greatness were cited by Billboard as supporting evidence, coupled with his “regal-scented rhymes that speak to the struggle.”
Jigga’s “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” are what make him the G.O.A.T., according to the publication, in addition to his 24 Grammy Awards, 14 No. 1 albums, and 140 million record sales.
The list generated a lot of discussion on social media and was, predictably, warmly received by JAY-Z’s army of devoted fans.
