Quick question. Who are the 5 greatest rappers of all time? If you say Lil Dicky, you're immediately banned from everything. That's just the law. Thankfully, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda knows much better than that. When asked to name his top 5 during a recent discussion at the Rockefeller Foundation, dude delivered a very commendable ranking that may or may not make Jay Z (briefly) bummed.
"Man, that's a good one," Miranda said. "I will give you a top 5." The future star of Mary Poppins Returns star then named off who he considered to be the 5 greatest rappers ever: The Notorious B.I.G., Big Pun, Eminem, Jay Z, and André 3000. Hell yeah. Amazing list. 10/10, would recommend.
Sensing a chance to make his top 5 list even amazing-er, Lin-Manuel then made an unexepcted but admirable amendment by switching out Jay for the inimitable Lauryn Hill.
Dude clearly knows his shit. When the current Complex cover star met Kanye West earlier this year, he told the Life of Pablo innovator that his Hamilton blockbuster was heavily influenced by 'Ye's story.
"At intermission I came downstairs and said, 'This whole show is about you,'" Miranda revealed on the Another Round with Heben and Tracy podcast in March. "It's all about you, and Washington's Jay Z," Miranda told West. "And you started writing for Jay Z before you struck out on your own. Like it's all about you."
Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton departure date is set for July 9, which is indeed a bummer. However, as Miranda revealed to the Washington Post's Peter Marks last month, his replacement Javier Munoz is more than capable of taking the reins. In a near-perfect world, Miranda would utilize his newfound free time by immediately hitting up Jay and 'Ye for a Broadway-bound collab.
