After Billboard released their "10 Greatest Rappers of All Time" list, many came out in protest over the exclusion of their favorite artists. The list left out heavy hitters like Tupac Shakur and Kanye West, prompting many to make their own lists of the top ten greatest rappers. The LOX co-founder Jadakiss, however, claims he influenced this fad through his recently released Top 5 Dead or Alive, and expresses gratitude for being placed on prominent rappers' iterations of the list, including Eminem and Pusha T.
"I think they made that list cause my campaign was so strong," Jadakiss said, according to HipHopDX. "So, shout out to them. I think I influenced that list. And they just wanted to get-I would have been able to sue 'em if they would have made it five, so they a little smart over there in their legal department. They made it 10, but I never get in an uproar over them lists. Some artists do and they go on social media ranting. They feel some kind of way, but I never really-I don't know who's making the lists. I don't know what their criteria is...Besides that, whoever is on that list, I'm on their list."
Jadakiss made it clear that such lists were not a viable method of ranking rappers' abilities. The rapper also said that although his most recent album Top 5 Dead or Alive came out only two weeks ago, fans could expect more music from the Yonkers artist by May of 2016. Jadakiss said that in today's age of "digital takeover," one must remain prolific to be relevant.
The former LOX lyricist told Power 105.1, "I'll never have one of them gaps, you know, them four, five year gaps between albums. I'm actually going to come back in six, seven months. I'm trying to come back on my birthday, May 27, 2016, with another album. It's all about more product, more content, more music. They created that with this whole digital takeover, so I guess I gotta cater to the people. But right now, it's Top Five. You need this in your life."
