(AllHipHop News) First of all, there are at least 35 rappers eligible at any given time to be in someone’s top 10 rap list.
These lists are popular and fun, have been since the 90s, but are fruitless as preference is the key barometer to gauge ranking.
As an elder statesman in the culture, DMX should know this.
But he doesn’t. Instead, he has personalized one list, gave the internet rap beef fodder that it loves “oh so” much and injured the professional respect between him and Queens rapper, Lloyd Banks.
DMX basically disputes that Banks is a Top 20 emcees list caliber artist.
The Dog says, “Lloyd Banks?”
Fat Man Scoop seems to flip his wig. But the Ruff Ryder general stands firm, challenging the DJ to recite four of his classic bars.
When Scoop can’t he reduces the request to two.
Banks got word of the diss (and be clear it was a diss) and responded on social:
“I have no clue..god bless him
Dogman is my guy and all but Wth DMX talkin bout lol @Lloydbanks #top5
— Keepz Jewelz (@Keepzjewelz) May 25, 2020
I have no clue..god bless him https://t.co/qxi3yF0zUl
— Lloydbanks (@Lloydbanks) May 25, 2020
“So because I didn’t come to the studio to work when HE reached out.. I’m not that good?”
So because I didn’t come to the studio to work when HE reached out..I’m not that good? 😂
— Lloydbanks (@Lloydbanks) May 25, 2020
Fans then wanted to know why he didn’t link with X.
Banks explains, “I had a flight.”
😆😆 dog is tweakin, but how you gone turn down a legend though?
— Leonidas ⚔️ (@BigGeneralRyoka) May 26, 2020
Be clear though, he does not only dismiss Banks. He pulls guns out and blasts other legends too.
While on Live with Fatman Scoop, he asks “You got me wondering … when you say top do you mean lyrically or just what inspired you to do what you are doing?”
“If you say lyrically … half of what you said is dead.”
“Lyrically, how about we start with Grandmaster Caz how about that?”
“I want to be clear about this. I respect what the original rappers did … they paved the way … But when you talk about lyrically … look how rap started … ‘Hip-Hop hibbibi bit’ … what the f##k is a hibbit?”