Source: Prince Williams / Getty
It’s not really a list if it doesn’t get people in their feelings. Case in point, Ja Rule took to Twitter to drag Billboard after noting he didn’t make the cut in its 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list.
Regardless of Ja’s beef, the list was already causing a stir due to some suspect choices. For example, in what universe does Andre 3000 come in at 12 only to be followed by Rakim at 13 and Big Daddy Kane at 20? Sure it’s Billboard, and VIBE, so the context includes charts and sales, but that means 3 Stacks has a solid beef since him and OutKast moved big units and were chart darlings.
Anyway, as for Ja Rule not cracking the top 50 isn’t exactly a top priority in rap debates, but the Queens rapper nevertheless took issue.
“There ain’t 50 rappers dead, alive or waiting to be born better than me… #ICONN #Vibes,” wrote Ja on Twitter on Thursday (Feb. 9). “@billboard congrats to everyone on the list well deserved but check my resume… #ICONN #Vibes.”
Now Ja does have a gang of major hits, but Hip-Hop itself is 50 years old and that’s a lot of great MC’s, regardless of sales and chart placement. Just saying.
Rule eventually added, “This the last thing I’m gonna say about the list… I’m pissed cause this was not an oversight it’s statistically IMPOSSIBLE to comprise this list without me so my question to @billboard who records these stats is what went into the decision to leave me off??? Just curious…”
Conspiracy theories aside, Billboard‘s list was revealed via countdown, with Jay-Z ultimately coming in at no. 1. Twitter has been debating the validity of the list ever since it full dropped. Check out some of the more passionate reactions in the gallery.