Lil Wayne’s recent Top 5 Rappers of All-Time list sparked controversy rather than healthy debate, largely due to one noticeable omission. During an appearance on Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward’s podcast, Wayne first humorously listed five of his own nicknames before revealing his serious top five:
1. Jay-Z
2. Eminem
3. Missy Elliott
4. The Notorious B.I.G.
5. Drake
Fans were quick to point out the absence of Nicki Minaj, widely regarded as one of the greatest female rappers ever and an artist under Lil Wayne’s mentorship. The inclusion of Missy Elliott, another female artist, only highlighted the puzzling omission.
Social media buzzed with reactions, with some fans jokingly attributing the omission to substances like lean affecting Wayne’s judgment. Others argued for the inclusion of male artists like Tupac, Nas, and André 3000 instead. Names like DMX, Prodigy, Kanye West, and Snoop Dogg were also mentioned in the ongoing debate.
Forbes also stirred controversy with their own top 50 rappers of all time list earlier, where Tupac, J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay-Z made the top five, alongside newer acts like Bad Bunny and Juice Wrld, prompting further critique from the hip-hop community.
