Billboard & Vibe’s ranking of the top 50 greatest rappers of all time has undoubtedly stirred the pot among hip-hop veterans, such as Ice Cube. Since the beginning of the year, Billboard’s unveiled their rankings by the tens week by week. Rick Ross sits at #50 on the list, while Jay-Z stands at #1. Many objected to the list. Others, like Ja Rule, felt as though Billboard snubbed them. However, many also felt that it accurately captured the impact of hip-hop’s greatest artists.
In all fairness, Billboard and Vibe handled the difficult task well. Over the course of hip-hop’s 50-year history, we’ve seen many rappers come and go, others who’ve withstood the test of time (Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Eminem, etc.), and a select few who left an indelible mark within a short amount of time (i.e. Tupac & Biggie). Ultimately, narrowing down a list of 50 rappers isn’t easy. However, it prompted conversation among rappers and fans alike, who both agreed and disagreed with the rankings.
Ice Cube Isn’t Impressed
TMZ caught up with the former N.W.A. rapper to discuss Billboard and Vibe’s rankings. Despite standing among the top 20, Cube made it clear that he doesn’t care for Billboard’s opinion, largely because they don’t have any authority to speak on the culture. “I don’t fuck with Billboard or their editor,” he said with a grin on his face. However, his opinion ultimately boils down to Billboard’s position in hip-hop. “Billboard ain’t hip-hop so their opinion don’t matter,” he stated matter-of-factly.
The TMZ cameraman then went on to ask about Billboard’s ranking of Mount Westmore members. Snoop stands in the top 10, E-40 at #41, and Cube at #18. However, Too Short is noticeably missing from the list, which Cube believes further proved his comments on Billboard. “Yeah, it is,” he said when asked if Too Short was snubbed. “It’s an irrelevant list, you know what I mean? It’s like a**holes; everybody got one and they all stink. There it is.” Does Ice Cube have a point? Check out his comments above and let us know your thoughts on Billboard and Vibe’s ranking of the best rappers ever. Who do you think they missed?