When touring the UK with 50 Cent recently, Busta Rhymes went on his own press tour, talking on podcasts and radio shows and giving interviews to British journalists. So, he had to reveal the list of his most respected rappers.

Busta faced this question on the +44 Podcast. Tougher even, he was asked about the greatest rapper ever other than himself. Busta immediately refused to name only one but agreed to reveal his Top 3, which he stretched to five the next second.

Rakim. You might disagree with me, but Nas. I can’t say three. I can say five. I would say, Eminem. I’m starting to feel like some new guys are starting to go into that list to me. I’m almost there with J.Cole, he’s definitely one of the major new candidates. But I’m still torn between him and Kendrick.

He then discussed both rappers with hosts but ultimately decided to continue with the names from the older generation:

I still didn’t put either one of them in fourth place! I would definitely say Jay-Z. I’m Biggie biased. I’m Biggie biased because I think what he’s done between two albums… Everybody has obviously had the opportunity to work way longer than him, and they still can’t top what he’s done in two albums. I think that’s my list.

It’s not the first time Busta Rhymes called Em one of his favourites. He gave him the exact same title when praising the “Music to Be Murdered By” release and explaining NME the effect young Slim Shady had on him in the early days:

Em is one of my favourite MCs ever. We’ve done multiple records together, and even on his latest album, ‘Music to Be Murdered By’, the track ‘Yah Yah’ used my vocals from ‘Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check’. He’s one incredible motherfucker! Wyclef Jean was the first person to play ‘My Name Is’ to me – before it was even out. We were on tour together, and he had a six-song EP from Eminem. When we played ‘My Name Is’, I could not believe it. I went so crazy on his bus that I shattered his windshield with my head! I couldn’t believe the shit that Em was saying, and Dre’s production was unbelievable – at the time, nothing existed like it in the whole game.
Watch the video below: