Snoop Dogg doesn’t rank Eminem among the Greatest Of All Times in hip hop.
Since the early days of hip hop, the genre has been unique in its focus on competition and the drive to outdo everyone else with pure lyrical skill. While production and hitmaking is undeniably important, there is a special place in hip hop for those who can grab a mic and flawlessly deliver rhymes with depth, edginess, and masterful wordplay. When naming the greatest rappers of all time, a practice those in the culture tend to participate in often, the names that usually arise are those who have been most consistently lyrically proficient throughout their careers.
Eminem often finds himself on many of these lists, despite having an unlikely origin story and a more controversial approach towards songwriting than most. However, regardless of his many successes and high level of respect in the industry, it turns out Em doesn’t hold a spot of Snoop Dogg’s personal Top 10.
While speaking with The Breakfast Club via video chat, the legendary Snoop D.O. Double G recently explained why he doesn’t place Eminem on the pedestal he has probably become used to. “The game just feels like he’s a top ten lyricist but that’s just because he’s with Dr. Dre and Dr. Dre helped him find the best Eminem he could find,” Snoop argued. He went on to name just a few people he feels belong above Slim Shady on that list, saying, “There’s just some n***as in the 80s that he can’t f*ck with.”
Snoop Dogg, who is a legend in his own right, listed out some icons from the 80s era like Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Rakim, and KRS-One.
While many hip hop fans will surely get defensive of Eminem after hearing Snoop’s words, it’s important to remember that Snoop is an OG and a true hip hop head who knows what he’s talking about. The West Coast legend has seen hip hop grow and evolve throughout the years and has more first-hand experience with hip hop icons than most of us can claim. Eminem is clearly miles above many current artists who get a great deal of radio play, but hip hop is far more expansive and dense with talent than most of us care to realize.
