(AllHipHop News) 50 Cent is drawing on two of the greatest lyricists in Hip Hop history as inspirations for his upcoming independent release Animal Ambition. The New York rhymer tells Vibe, that Rakim and Nas’ originality when it comes to lyricism serve as blueprints for his next work.
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“When I fell in love with Hip Hop it was more important that you had your own style than you being able to master a version of Rakim or a version of another artist’s style,” said 50. “Nobody does that better than [Rakim]. Even with new content that flow is still his flow.”
50 has publicly expressed he is a fan of Rakim for years. His verse on The Game’s “Hate It or Love It” included the line “My favorite rapper used to sing, ‘Check check out My Melody'” referring to Eric B. and Rakim’s “My Melody.”
While 50 and Nas have had their issues in the past, the G-Unit leader also names the fellow Queens emcee as an example of a rapper with his own style.
“Nas is [also] one of those guys…he has his own,” adds 50. “Even if some people make comparisons that was just Queensbridge, man. That period for me…Mobb Deep, Prodigy is in his own class in my mind.”
Animal Ambition will be 50 Cent’s first release since leaving Interscope Records and signing with Caroline Records.
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