Billboard and Vibe teamed up celebrating 50 years of hip hop with a top 50 G.O.A.T. list that did not include Ja Rule.
On Wednesday (February 8), Billboard and Vibe released the final 10 artists completing their collaborative “top 50 greatest hip hop artists of all time” list. A list that was topped off with Jay-Z at number one and Rick Ross at number 50.
As the publications had already released the top 40 out of 50 prior to Wednesday, Ja Rule was noticeably not on the list. Or at least yet for that matter. There were 10 slots remaining to complete the top 50 list, with the possibility of Ja Rule claiming a spot.
Unfortunately for Ja Rule, he was not announced as a top 10 artist, ensuring the Queena native did not make the top 50 list curated by Billboard and Vibe. According to Billboard and Vibe, rappers were held to the following criteria:
- Body of work/achievements (charted singles/albums, gold/platinum certifications)
- Cultural impact/influence (how the artist’s work fostered the genre’s evolution)
- Longevity (years at the mic)
- Lyrics (storytelling skills)
- Flow (vocal prowess)
It appears, Ja Rule felt short in one of these criterias. Voicing his displeasure, Ja Rule took to Twitter as he urged the editorial giants to “check” his resume. “There ain’t 50 rappers dead, alive or waiting to be born better than me… #ICONN #Vibes @billboard congrats to everyone on the list well deserved but check my resume… #ICONN #Vibes,” Rule tweeted on February 9.
Many fans were upset at Billboard and Vibe for leaving out Ja Rule, agreeing that the rapper’s resume should’ve been good enough to land him on the top 50.
Rules’ resume includes two number one albums on the Billboard 200 with ‘Rule 3:36’ and ‘Pain Is Love.’ His next three albums, ‘The Last Redemption,’ ‘Blood in My Eye’ and ‘R.U.L.E.’ also made the Billboard 200, claiming the top 10. His early 2000s run also included a number hit single featuring Ashanti with ‘Always on Time.’
Concluding the list were Nicki Minaj (10), Snoop Dogg (9), Drake (8), Lil Wayne (7), Biggie (6), Eminem (5) and Tupac Shakur at number four. Nas topped the list at number three, falling behind to Kendrick Lamar at number two and Jay-Z as the number one rapper of all time. View full list here.
