Credit: Spotify

DJ Akademiks is never one to filter his words. The hip-hop personality is constantly receiving backlash for his comments, but one opinion he firmly stands his ground on is that Kanye West is the most legendary rapper of all time.

During an interview with VladTV in 2022, Akademiks had plenty of reasons to back up his stance. He believes that as an overall artist, Kanye comes out on top ahead of the likes of 2Pac, Jay-Z and Drake. “Kanye, all-time, will go down as more legendary than Drake,” he said. “Kanye, if not one, is number two. Best hip-hop artist of all time. Kanye [blows Jay-Z] out the water.”

He added, “I’m not talking about rapping. Of course, Kanye can’t rap like Drake and Jay-Z. As an artist, the best hip-hop artist of all time. Kanye, if not one, is number two. I’m almost gonna just say Kanye is that person even though I love ‘Pac.”

DJ Akademiks clarified that he’s not saying Kanye West is the best at rapping. Rather, it’s the impact he’s had on the music industry as a whole that makes him take the crown.

“For anyone listening, I’m not talking about rapping,” he said. “Kanye West, when it comes to changing the sound of music, dictating exactly where it was gonna go, his impact outside of music, bringing music to different place. Jay-Z’s a great rapper, he’s a great businessman and he’s a great hip-hop artist too, but if we’re talking about the best, personal flaws aside.”

He went on to claim Kanye West has six classic albums in his catalogue and that he’s responsible for Drake’s career. “You name me someone who possibly has damn near six classic albums,” he said. “Six classic albums that have all not just been really good, every time he dropped one of them, music pivoted or people around him pivoted. We don’t even get Drake without Kanye.”

DJ Akademiks proved his lack of bias by stating that Drake is personally his favourite rapper, but what Kanye West has achieved puts him at the top. “If we’re talking the best rapper list, Em, Jay is gonna be up there, Drake’s on the list. When I go back and listen to Certified Lover Boy versus Donda – Drake’s my favourite rapper, facts.”

He continued, “But when we think about the art, even presentation. My guy performed his fucking album, he rolled it out in moving pieces at stadiums while people were just watching and listening to unreleased songs.”

Kanye West actually called out DJ Akademiks in 2022, claiming he was being controlled by “Jewish media.” He also named notable radio personalities Charlamagne Tha God and Peter Rosenberg in his tirade.

“If you look at the first thing it says – ‘N.O.R.E. does an interview with Rosenberg.’ What’s the exact thing I was saying? I said the Jewish media controls so many things,” he said in a video. “Jewish media, black media, trauma culture, trauma economy – the stuff that Charlamagne Tha God works for.”

Ye continued, “The stuff that Rosenberg works for. The guys that Akademiks—You gotta understand. All these people that y’all are listening to out here, I’m gonna tell y’all, they’re getting their checks cut.”