Bryant McKinnie played left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens during the team’s run to the Super Bowl XLVII title. As McKinnie was protecting quarterback Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco during his historic postseason run, the New Jersey native was also developing his B Major Music Group, whose roster includes R&B acts TyRell and BRI, as well as rapper Young Lace.
McKinnie grew up listening to such artists as KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest and Wu-Tang Clan, among others. In an exclusive interview with HipHopDX, the Pro Bowl offensive lineman names his favorite rappers of all time.
“Number one, Biggie,” says McKinnie, who is 6’8’’ and weighs approximately 350 pounds. “Lyrically, I loved his style, first of all ’cause he was a big dude. He was a dope emcee, great at storytelling. When you hear his lyrics, you are able to visualize exactly what was going on. He had [the song] ‘I Got A Story To Tell’ and he rapped the whole situation which was very creative. I feel like now a lot of these artists use a whole bunch of metaphors and things that rhyme, but they ain’t really talkin’ about nothin’.”
McKinnie keeps it in Brooklyn and names another lyrical heavyweight as his second-favorite rapper. “Jay Z is number two,” says McKinnie, whose Ravens play its NFL preseason game today (August 8) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “He had great lyrics and also changed into a Hip Hop mogul. He showed it was more than just Rap. He has such a great influence. He showed that Hip Hop was actually a voice, that Hip Hop has a voice. He started helping people get on Ace of Spades. He is also talented lyrically, as well. He’s classy. When you watch his videos like [Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie”], he’s in a shirt, tie, suit thing. He makes things look classier. I also liked the video ‘Excuse Me Miss’ [because he’s wearing] suits and ties and stuff like that.”
For his third-favorite rapper, McKinnie chose an artist whose versatility impresses him. “Drake because he was able to show you can rap and sing and sound good and be creative,” McKinnie says. “I feel like for 25 and under, he is that younger generation, where Jay Z and Biggie were people who are in their 30s…He’s more recent.”
As McKinnie works on building B Major Music Group, he says he wants the imprint to have staying power. “If Biggie was around, he would have had longevity,” he says. “That’s something I look at for my label. I want something to be around for a long time like Def Jam. You still know what that is and what it was about. I want this to have impact on the Hip Hop industry. There are certain labels that made a big impact and I want mine to be one of them.”
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Face is just as good storyteller as Biggie & Jay.
probably didn’t like Face’s stories.
Those were such generic answers, only real heads love Face. He’s the most underrated rapper ever, he never makes people’s top ten unless they’re really into the genre/culture… He’s the true rapper’s rapper
AZ.
IDK if there is better storytellers than Biggie and Hov!
Nas is a way better story teller then Jay
another irrelevent niggas opinion makes the news expected from this site run by a bunch of brainless monkeys.
Okay I apologize in advance. I got no other route for exposure right now so i’m
trolling you fine people here at hiphopdx. Just take 4 minutes to listen to my remix
of “Im A Coke Boy” SPOILER: its not about cocaine, lame right? For real though,
give me a shot.
PS. keep scrolling if you don’t like lyrical music…
keep scrolling if you like Future…
https://soundcloud.com/theanchor/coulda-been
flyqtheanchor@gmail.com for anybody interested in collabs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo2EswS8o08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckER5Ijn0-c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYA18okbqqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExH5VU5iq9Q
Drake’s movement is phenomenal.
FUCK DRAKE
biggie wasnt in his 30s…
and drake aint 25 or under
i think he was referring to the age of the fan base
This guy should just play ball, keep his mouth shut and remain undercover.
stupid list. you know it’s all over when someone lists drake nexts to two of the greatest to ever do it. what no kendrick? no eminem? how bout nas? nah, this fuckin guy settles on faggoty drake. haha great choice.
and to tupac!?!?!?! im glad hes not a nyg
no Freddie Gibbs…. wtf is this guy thinking
word
Lost all credibility when he said Drake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC1YuWwgKP4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPBKtyE0X9U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH-cIzI4iQA
im sure this would be a good time for the NFL to randomly drug test this guy!!!!
first of all biggy didnt even get close to 30 dumbass
2nd how do you have drake before TUPAC!!!!!! are you serious.
Because taste in music is SUBJECTIVE.
yeah for gay people i guess. drakes nice as fuck but to put him over a LEGEND is craziness- and to put him over eminem and nas and others as of now is wild
1. Lil Wayne
2. Drake
3. Rick Ross
swag
top 3 niggas that fucked my tonsils:
1. Lil Wayne
2. Drake
3. Rick Ross
you forgot about Birdman, thought he was your no.1?
He calls you his “boi” and his “swag-fag”
Drake should have been number one. But that’s still a respectable list.
haha magine.. good one bro
EPIC
Very unique list. A real hip hop connoisseur.
you ask any random dude on the street chances are his list looks similar to this. you real know how to pick them, dx
Nigga bitch, Drake is not the one who made singing rap sound good together that was Bone Thugs