T.I. is a rapper that isn’t shy of voicing his opinions on matters, whether solicited or unsolicited, and he’s also one who isn’t shy of controversy as well. Being a musician himself, the rapper decided to join the throngs of many blogs, media outlets, and other rappers as well, that make “lists” of top rappers.
The Atlanta rapper gracefully left himself out of the top 10, instead, placing himself in the #11 spot. Housed at the number one position for Tip is deceased rapper Tupac Shakur, while rappers Jay-Z, Kanye West, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and DMX help to fill out his chosen top 10.
In attempts to fuel a conversation amongst his social media followers, the rapper both discussed it on his ExpediTIously podcast and also published the list onto his Instagram page. “THIS IS THE FINAL LIST #ExpediTIously created,” the “Why You Wanna” rapper insisted in the caption. “IF Y’ALL AINT HEAR THE WHOLE EPISODE YOU SPEAKING LOUD, OUT OF TURN AND WRONG AS A M*********A. Now while IDGAF WHAT NUMBER I AM… (Music doesn’t validate ME or MY EXISTENCE,u can Put me at 51 if u like…MY LIFE AINT GON CHANGE!!!)Y’all can feel free to go back and forth with acts of futility about OPINIONS all you like. I’ll be doing something different & progressive,” he said.
Snoop Dogg, who landed at the number 4 position for T.I., thanked the rapper for the placement. “Nuff respect. @troubleman31 thanks for putting the old dogg in the mix,” he said. Another rapper, 2 Chainz, also had something to say about the list. “Hahahah I got bodies all in that list,” he said, as he was noticeably absent.
Tip’s list stirred up a conversation with those who either agreed or opposed the list or his choice of ranking certain artists over the other. In an interview with The Breakfast Club, he spoke to the hosts about the logic behind his choices. Explaining that it is not all about skill set, he considers their respective impacts as well as if they actually write their own lyrics. Those who admittedly don’t write their raps are placed further down the list for him. “I thought Kanye should come down. Because, I don’t think, if you don’t write your own lyrics, I don’t think you should be high on the list,” he said.
On his choice to place Tupac on the #1 said, the rapper began to explain Tupac’s influence on Hip-Hop. “Listen, you know, ‘Pac is like the Hip-Hop Michael Jackson, you know that right,” he stated. “You can go anywhere, any part of the globe, and say Tupac, and they gon sing a Tupac song. They gon sing ‘How Do U Want It’, ‘Hit ‘Em Up’. They gon sing ‘California Love’, they gon sing something.”
He then went on to reveal that some rappers reached out to him personally in regards to the list. Killer Mike, who holds the number 50 spot for Tip, called the rapper and told him that fans wanted him to be offended on his placement. His response was instead more of a rhetorical question: “What does it mean to be last place in first class?”
Jay-Z was also another who spoke to the Atlanta rapper inadvertently on his number 2 spot. He recalled an unrelated phone conversation between the two where he questioned the rapper’s choice. “Hov called. We was talking about something else. Something completely non related, and then he says ‘Oh, and by the way, you really believe that?’, I said yeah,” he says. Although he believes Tupac’s impact was higher than the “Story Of OJ” rapper, he believes that Jay-Z is the “the greatest rapper alive”.