Melle Mel considered it blasphemous to rank Nicki Minaj above Rakim when listing the best rappers of all time.
The Hip-Hop pioneer continued to criticize Billboard’s rankings of the greatest rappers in an interview with the Art of Dialogue. After raising issues with Eminem’s spot on the list, Melle Mel frowned on the outlet placing Nicki Minaj at No. 10 with Rakim at No. 13.
“You know that’s some b#######,” Melle Mel stated. “Come on now … And I actually like Nicki Minaj, but you know that’s some b#######.”
The Furious Five member spoke highly of Rakim’s legacy as a rap innovator. Melle Mel gave Nicki Minaj credit but found it ridiculous to put her above Rakim.
“I’m coming from how the game changed and how the culture changed,” he explained. “I’m not coming from who I like rapping because I don’t like the way nobody rap … I don’t got nobody in my head like that except the Most High.”
He continued, “Nick Minaj being [above Rakim], that’s blasphemy. And I don’t got nothing wrong with Nicki. I actually like Nicki Minaj. She can write. Decent looking chick. But even if she was better than Rakim, you don’t put her over no g###### Rakim. What kind of s### is that?”
Listen to Melle Mel discuss the rankings below.