Fat Joe has weighed in on one of hip-hop’s most debated questions, revealing his personal Mount Rushmore of rappers while also showing deep respect for the culture’s pioneers.
When asked to name the four greatest rappers of all time, the Bronx veteran did not hesitate.
“It’s Biggie, Tupac, Jay Z and Nas. That would be my Mount Rushmore and if I could add a fifth, it would be Snoop Dogg. That’s everything covered,” Joe said speaking with Hard Rock.
While his list reflects icons from the 1990s era, Fat Joe was quick to emphasize that the foundation of hip-hop was built long before his own rise. Recalling a recent conversation, he explained how he pushed back on praise for his generation.
“On the plane coming down [to Miami], the flight attendant was telling me she likes our era, [like] me and Biggie and I was trying to explain to her that the era before me [were] better than our era, the [likes of] LL Cool J, Heavy D, Salt n Peppa because they started it,” he said.
Joe credited those early trailblazers for making modern rap careers possible.
“We would never have had a career if it wasn’t for them that’s why I say they are the ones and the real golden age [for rappers].”