Ja Rule Names His Rap Mount Rushmore: "We Never Put Ladies In There"

BYErika Marie22.2K Views
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He listed off familiar names for his first three choices before taking things back to the inception of Hip Hop for his last. Ja also took the time to praise Lil Kim's legacy.

Despite the jibes he receives online and the Fyre Fest controversies that haunt him, Ja Rule's legacy in Hip Hop is something to be celebrated. The New Yorker helped pioneer the melodic rapper wave and although his pop culture moments have caused Ja to be on the receiving end of teasing from fans, his classics are undeniable favorites.

Recently, Ja Rule sat down with The Breakfast Club and spoke about his career and business moves he's made in recent years, but like many other rappers, he was questioned about who he would place on his Mount Rushmore.


Ja recognized that naming four artists is isn't easy because there are generations and eras of Rap, but he quickly named three: Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, and The Notorious B.I.G. The fourth was more difficult to name, but Ja decided to take things back to an earlier era of Hip Hop.

"Either Big Daddy Kane, or Rakim, or [KRS One] because of what they did for the culture and what they meant to the culture," he said. "And what Rakim was to a Nas, you know what I’m saying? What KRS was to a whole generation of rappers... We never put the ladies in there... MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa."

"They're the reason other women picked up a microphone, period. How can you leave them off? You gotta [pick] one of them and put them on there.” Ja Rule would go on to boast about Lil Kim's impact, as well. Check out the interview below.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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