Kurupt says Rakim & Eminem are equally greatest MCs

A long-standing soldier of the west coast rap movement, Kurupt has recently attended the ceremony of Dr. Dre getting a star on Hollywood Walk Of Fame. TMZ Hip-Hop got a few seconds to chop it up with the legendary rapper outside Dre’s WOF ceremony. When he was asked where Dr. Dre ranks in greatest producers of all time Kurupt picked Dre as rap’s greatest producer, while also giving Eminem his props as one of the greats, beside hip-hop icon, Rakim.

“Dr. Dre is number one greatest producers of all time in hip-hop. Eminem is one of the greatest emcees. Where would I rank him? I don’t. There are too many greats. He’s up there with Rakim. No one ranks higher. No one ranks higher than R (Rakim) but Em (Eminem) is with the R. You know why? Cause they are equal.” said Kurupt.

Em likely wouldn’t argue about Kurupt’s statement. He calls Rakim one of the G.O.A.T.s as well, and credits the “Paid in Full” creator with being the first MC he heard using complex rhyme patterns which ultimately pushing Slim Shady to take things to another level.

Kurupt is also one of the main influences of Eminem. Em even listed him on “Till I Collapse” from The Eminem Show album when he spat the verse about the greatest rappers: “I got a list, here’s the order of my list that it’s in / It goes: Reggie, Jay-Z, 2Pac and Biggie / André from OutKast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas, and then me / But in this industry I’m the cause of a lot of envy./ So when I’m not put on this list, the s–t does not offend me.”

In a new interview with James Corden, Dr. Dre crowned Eminem as the best MC to ever touch the microphone. “I think he is the best emcee ever. Point blank, period. Of course there gonna be arguments about that because he’s white guy, you know. I don’t think anyone that is rapping can touch Eminem on microphone.” said Dre.

[VIA]