Kanye West recently named himself, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, 2Pac, 50 Cent, Eminem, LL Cool J, Run DMC, Nas, and Rakim as the greatest rappers of all time, labeling them the “12 rap kings.” This list has sparked considerable controversy, with many fans questioning Kanye for leaving out the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and other key figures in hip-hop history.
The tension surrounding his list isn’t new. Last year, Kanye criticized J. Cole for apologizing to Kendrick Lamar over a diss track that Cole had released in response to Lamar’s comments about him and Drake. Kanye argued that J. Cole made a mistake by apologizing to Kendrick Lamar.
More recently, Kanye revealed that, while he acknowledges Kendrick Lamar’s talent, he simply doesn’t enjoy his music. Despite this, he still concedes that Lamar is “very good.” The controversial list was shared by Kanye on his X handle, where he proclaimed, “There are 12 rap kings.”