From 2Pac and Biggie to Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, some of Hip Hop’s most influential, innovative and creative artists belong to the zodiac sign Gemini.
In honor of Gemini season, which falls between May 21 and June 20, I decided to celebrate some of the sign’s most talented rappers.
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Being a Gemini myself, I began looking over Elliott Wilson’s 100 Greatest Diss Songs list and couldn’t help but notice that Geminis hold many of the top spots.
In fact, between 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Ice Cube‘s “No Vaseline,” Lauryn Hill‘s “Ex-Factor” and Jadakiss‘ “Checkmate” and “Freestyle (Fuck Beanie Sigel),” Geminis account for almost a third of the top 20.
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As coincidental as this might seem, it’s hard to deny that that Geminis are some of the most vicious opponents when it comes to rap battles. Perhaps this is because of classic Geminis traits like quick-wittedness, adaptability and an expressive nature.
Geminis are also deep thinkers and are passionate about their craft. Looking at the list of rappers below, you can hear similarities in their remarkable storytelling, charismatic grit in their tone and delivery, and gift for writing rhymes that take multiple listens to fully appreciate.
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Given that Geminis are famed for their “two-personality” duality, it’s also no surprise that these MCs possess multiple flows, styles and even personas.
So, is there something to the Gemini sign that makes such great rappers? Check out a list of the best rappers who belong to the zodiac sign below.
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2Pac
Born: June 16, 1971
“I’m a classic case of a Gemini,” 2Pac said in a 1996 interview with Entertainment Tonight. “It means that I can be calm, quiet and very into my work and totally focused and totally disciplined and boring! Or I can be fun, fun, fun but dangerous, dangerous, dangerous — not only to other people, but to myself.”
‘Pac’s description of the Gemini personality was on full display throughout his catalog as he showed his passionate and loving side on songs like “Dear Mama” and “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” and his dangerous side on “Hit ‘Em Up” and “Bomb First,” among others.
It also takes a creative mind to have most listeners mistakenly believe he was rapping about an actual girl on his song “Me and My Girlfriend.”
Kendrick Lamar
Born: June 17, 1987
“Kanye changed his life, but me, I’m still an old school Gemini,” the good kid in the m.A.A.d city rapped on Baby Keem‘s “Family Ties,” using his zodiac DNA to warn enemies (something they probably should have heeded — just ask Drake).
Kendrick, too, has shown a duality in his personality through his music. He encouraged us to love ourselves on “i” and more recently showed us how lethal he can be if the Boogeyman is poked with his blitzkrieg of Drizzy diss songs.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Born: May 21, 1972
The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, the Black Frank White — whatever you called him, Christopher Wallace showed many sides of his Gemini personality in his decorated yet tragically short discography.
As a loveable Big Poppa, he freaked all the honeys and left them begging for one more chance. But he could just as easily turn notorious and ask enemies, “Who shot ya?” When it comes to telling stories on wax, there were (and still are) few better than Hip Hop’s Alfred Hitchcock.
Ice Cube
Born: June 15, 1969
The softer side of O’Shea Jackson took us on a joyride for the entire day in 1993. It was a good day, as rap fans young and old still sing more than 30 years later. If that magical day fell two years earlier, however, it would have been a rough ride with no vaseline.
Proving the other side of his Gemini personality is the wrong one to fuck with, Cube all but issued N.W.A and Jerry Heller’s death certificates on his legendary diss song.
Kanye West
Born: June 8, 1977
Aside from being one of, if not the, most creative and influential Hip Hop artist of the last two decades, Kanye West arguably made one of the best odes to the duality of Geminis with “I Love Kanye.”
The purely a capella track found Ye capturing almost every side of his magnetic personality in 45 seconds — from the endearing yet ambitious Kanye that fans fell in love with on The College Dropout to the “always rude Kanye” that defined his Yeezus era. The only thing missing was some chopped-up soul in the background.
Yeezy even declared himself the “ultimate Gemini” on “Saint Pablo,” celebrating the fact that he “wasn’t supposed to make it past 25.” That line was, of course, a callback to his classic College Dropout cut “We Don’t Care,” but could it have also been a subtle reference to fellow Geminis 2Pac and Biggie — neither of whom sadly made it past their 25th birthday?
André 3000
Born: May 27, 1975
André 3000 has always embraced his astrological make-up — look no further than OutKast‘s 1998 masterpiece Aquemini, named after his and Big Boi‘s respective star signs. (Big Boi, whose birthday falls on February 1, is an Aquarius).
From the dazzling lyrical displays to the fearlessly eccentric outfits, there’s no denying that 3 Stacks is one of Hip Hop’s most special and singular talents. I mean, name another rapper who apologized not only to his baby mama, but his baby mama’s mama.
After two decades away from the spotlight, he then tells us he “Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time” and returned with a flute in hand, defying everyone’s expectations.
Lauryn Hill
Born: May 26, 1975
Look no further than “Doo Wop (That Thing)” to witness the brilliance of Ms. Lauryn Hill. To double down as the rapper and singer on the same track, the Fugees star was clearly showing us that she has dual sides.
Oh, and between Lauryn Hill and André 3000, two of the only three rappers to have ever won the coveted Album of the Year prize at the Grammys just so happen to be Geminis. (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won in 1999, followed by OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003.)
Jadakiss
Born: May 27, 1975
The gravel-voiced grit in Kiss’ trademark tone suggests to the untrained ear an MC who’s tougher than leather (which is not untrue). But even die-hard fans were caught off guard when the LOX lyricist showed off his smooth singing voice on “Keep It 100.”
It’s perhaps no coincidence that song also found Jada referencing his zodiac traits: “Gemini, do what I want when I’m in the mood too/ Soon as they think you need something, that’s when they lose you.”
Remy Ma
Born: May 30, 1980
Don’t rule out the lady Geminis. The conceited lyricist came vicious when bullying the Harajuku Barbie on her Nicki Minaj diss song “Shether,” proving she can hit ’em up just as well as any of her male counterparts.
Big L
Born: May 30, 1974
Perhaps it was Big L‘s zodiac intuition to namedrop fellow Gemini The Notorious B.I.G. on “The Deadly Combination,” which ended up featuring fellow Gemini 2Pac, courtesy of Ron G who stitched the collaboration together after both rappers’ deaths. (Biggie, coincidentally, also appeared on the remix.)
The Gemini connection runs deeper in L’s catalog as one of his defining songs, “MVP,” sampled “Stay With Me” by DeBarge, whose lead singer El DeBarge just so happens to celebrate his birthday in early June. (Another Gemini coincidence: “Stay With Me” was also sampled on Biggie’s “One More Chance (Remix)”).
Was Big L subliminally saying Geminis are the best?
Honorable Mentions
- Takeoff – June 18, 1994 🕊️
- Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes – May 27, 1971🕊️
- Krayzie Bone (Bones Thugs & Harmony) – June 17, 1973
- Heavy D – May 24, 1967 🕊️
- DMC (Run DMC) – May 31, 1964
- CeeLo Green – May 30, 1975
- Waka Flaka Flame – May 31, 1986
- Kodak Black – June 11, 1997
- B-Real – June 2, 1970
- MC Ren (NWA) – June 16, 1969
- Daz Dillinger – May 25, 1973
It saddens me to say, we’ve lost a few of these legendary Gemini artists, but can you imagine if we got to see a Gemini only album? These artists all making music together would be untouchable. All on one project. It would be nothing short of magical. So magical, I even combined a 10 minute snippet of some of their music together into a TikTok for you.
Although Prince (June 7th 🕊️) wasn’t a rapper, how can we not mention him in this list? He was a musical genius that also happened to be a Gemini. Other non-rapper talents include Maxwell (May 23rd), Gladys Knight (May 28th) and even two Jackson’s, La Toya and Rebbie, who happen to have the same birthday (May 29th)!
Can any other zodiac sign match this lineup or even compete in a battle rap?
In Arsenio Hall’s voice “these are things that make you say ‘hmmm.'” He’s an Aquarius by the way.
