Busta Rhymes on his favourite MC of all time
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Busta Rhymes on his favourite MC of all time

One of the finest rappers of his generation, when Busta Rhymes broke into the rap game, he did so with a flurry of excitement and rapid-fire delivery that was only bettered by a sub-machine gun. He has since become one of the most legendary voices in the game, providing a unique sensibility on any track he’s featured on. However, run through the best rappers of the moment, and we bet you’ll only find a few that call Busta a true pioneer.

Of course, that doesn’t change a thing. Busta will be long remembered as a legend in the game but those who know. Equally, Busta thinks there are some other big hitters in the game that have not received the flowers they deserve, including one more unlikely rapper that Busta thinks is one of the greatest of all time.

Picking out your own “top 5 greatest rappers dead or alive”, as is so neatly put to us by countless friends and hip hop heads, can be quite a difficult task. First of all, there’s a good chance you’re picking these artists based on their records and not their live output, and with that, you’re relying on their marketing teams and publicists. The truth is, some of the greatest spitters of all time haven’t come close to achieving the fame and fortune of artists such as Drake.

Back in 2018, Busta got the chance to shine more of a light on an artist who might be considered a little lef tin the shadows. Roc Marciano may be a pivotal name in hip hop, especially on the streets of New York, but there are still thousands of claimed hip hop fans who have never heard of the star. Which, according to Busta, is a real shame.

A few years ago, he joined Marciano for a performance of ‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See’, a bumping classic from 1997, during which he proclaimed: “When I say Roc Marci is my top 5 MC ever, there’s a whole lot of science behind that. The God Roc Marciano is a godsend.”

Originally a member of Busta’s own Flipmode Squad, Marciano eventually left the group to join The U.N. which saw him link with Mike Raw, Dino Brave and Laku. Busta was full of praise for Roc Marciano: “The precision, his ability to be an incredible architect with words. The man is a craftsman with the pen,” he said.

“Roc Marci exemplifies a timeless greatness, and there’s a lot of great niggas that’s afraid to rhyme with him,” he said. “There’s a lot of great n***as that’s afraid to rhyme with him.”