Rakim has taken no issue with OutKast being placed six notches above Eric B. & Rakim at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Greatest Rap Groups of All Time list.
The list was released on Wednesday (June 28), causing heated debates within the Hip Hop community about the rankings. TMZ caught up with The God MC while he was out in New York on Friday (June 30), and got his reaction to both being ranked at No. 7 and being behind André 3000 and Big Boi.
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“Nah mean, I’m always gonna say I shoulda been higher but it’s a blessing to be recognized and it’s a good time to be recognized as well,” Rakim said. “It’s not really my place to say who else deserves or not, but OutKast pushed the envelope, a group that a lot of people got love for. So, you know we have to give the flowers to who earns them.”
You can check out the clip below:
Filling in the six notches between Eric B. & Rakim and OutKast are Public Enemy at No. 6, Run-D.M.C. at No. 5, A Tribe Called Quest at No. 4, N.W.A at No. 3 and Wu-Tang Clan at No. 2.
The publication said the criteria for its rankings included: body of work/achievements (charted singles/albums, gold/platinum certifications, other awards), cultural impact/influence (how the group’s work fostered the genre’s evolution), longevity (years at the mic), lyrics (storytelling skills) and flow (vocal prowess).
“Our definition of groups includes duos, proper groups and more nebulous collectives. Most notably, inclusion on this list is based on the accomplishments of the group as a unit — not what the individuals may have separately accomplished. We tried to walk the line between what constitutes a group versus a collective or a crew, though at times that was not entirely clear,” the publication explained.
Earlier this month, Eric B. and Rakim reunited in New Jersey for a history-making performance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.
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On June 13, the illustrious Hip Hop duo became the first rap act to perform at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ during the North to Shore Music Festival. Eric B. said that performing at Stone Pony had been a long time coming.
“Performing at the Stone Pony is definitely a dream come true,” Eric B said in a press release. “I have been TRULY BLESSED during my career to have played at almost every premiere arena and venue around the world. So, to be able to be the first Hip Hop group to play at the Stone Pony, which has been the home to countless iconic acts…especially as we celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop, is unprecedented.”
