TOP 5 DEAD OR ALIVE: Nelly

Nelly is one of the most popular rappers ever and his business acumen is one of his traits that is grossly overlooked. But when it comes to taking all that he is and pinning down his influences, he finds it difficult. Nevertheless, AllHipHop managed to get his Top 5 Dead or Alive..or Top 7…something like that.

AllHipHop.com: AllHipHop’s Top 5 Dead or Alive is one feature on that we had to get from Nelly. What are your Top 5?

Nelly: That’s a question that people get burned on a lot.

AllHipHop.com: Awww, come on…

Nelly: Don’t get it twisted, I think it’s still open for debate. But to name five?

AllHipHop.com: Yes, your favorite five.

Nelly: I’m tell you why it’s hard…where I come from [St. Louis], we’re surrounded by everybody. It’s easier for someone on the East Coast to give his Top 5. It’s easy for someone on the West Coast to give his Top 5. But with us being in the middle like that, we’re influenced by all over. It’s not like we want to alienate one side or the next.

But don’t get it twisted, obviously we’re going to start with Tupac and Biggie. I’ma throw LL [Cool J] in there – how can you not? How can not throw in the G.O.A.T.? I think he gets overlooked so much from that standpoint. Further on down the line, I’d like to get into like Scarface. I’m a huge Rap-A-Lot fan. I think Ice Cube. I think he gets overlooked. But then again, I could come back and I could say Rakim. You know what I’m saying? I’ma definitely say KRS…as much as you do that, he’s the teacher.

That’s why I say it kinda gets blinded. ‘Cause if you move on now, I mean you’re gonna say Jay-Z. Whether you want to recognize or not, you’ve gotta say Lil Wayne, because it’s a never-ending cycle. That’s why I say I get f*cked up on that question. I mean, I love E-40!

THE SIDEBARNelly took the time to tell us his favorite groups of all time.

We were discussing this back home…what’s the best rap group of all time? Someone said, ‘Nelly, I think the St. Lunatics are one the best.’ I went in like ‘I like Run DMC, obviously.’ But someone from the West Coast was like ‘I like NWA.’ And I was like, ‘I see you saying that’ being where he was from. And then we went to Outkast and Goodie Mob, but it all depends on where you’re from and what you’ve grown up on.