The most “underappreciated” rapper of all time, according to 50 Cent
When it comes to underappreciated MCs in hip-hop, the list is long. Many of the prominent rappers in the late 1970s and early 1980s never got the recognition that mainstream rappers get today. However, to name one artist as the most underappreciated of all time is quite tricky. Still, in an interview, 50 Cent managed to do so.
Some might say that Nas was an underappreciated rapper and didn’t have enough time in the limelight to prove himself after his first two projects. Others might argue that Rakim is the most underappreciated among young people today. Moreover, many would say that female musicians don’t show enough love to Lauryn Hill, but 50 Cent doesn’t think any of these figures are underappreciated.
While speaking about the state of contemporary hip-hop and the slight tension between the old and new generation, Fifty detailed how, in his opinion, today’s artists don’t show enough appreciation for Eminem, stating, “I think Eminem is more important to hip-hop than people actually credit him for!”
The Power creator then explained how, regardless of race, Eminem has done things for MCs today that they don’t even know, expressing, “Just black music in general… when it loses its colour, artists and people that have been so invested in it, come into it, put their passion in it, and they actually become that good at it? That opens up doors, windows, everything.”
Many hip-hop artists such as Tyler The Creator and Machine Gun Kelly have been disrespectful to Em in the past, yet, in 50 Cent’s eyes, Eminem has opened so many doors that it is impossible to disregard him. He believes that through Em’s work a whole new area of hip-hop has been opened up and allowed countless artist to now paddle in the mainstream with their work.
Although it is a powerful message from 50 Cent, the pair have been a dynamic duo since the early 2000s, when Em signed a then-young and hungry 50 Cent to Shady Records. Not only did the Detroit lyricist change Fifty’s life, but he also helped the Queens native deliver groundbreaking albums such as Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ and The Massacre.
However, when one considers the effect of Eminem on hip-hop more broadly, he opened the door for figures such as the late Mac Miller, Jack Harlow, and Aesop Rock to enter the culture smoothly and get, at the least, a listen—something many white rappers weren’t granted before his arrival.
Speaking about how the 8 Mile creator indirectly helped hip-hop evolve by doing exactly this, Fifty told Vibe, “It opens the door for a [Macklemore]. Those artists are really important to the growth of our actual culture. And if you see what hip-hop has done for me, it’s allowed me to travel the world and to meet people from different walks and ethnicities, and allow me to broaden my perspective on life, period. There’s nothing as beautiful as what can happen with hip-hop music and culture.”