The Windy City was buzzing with excitement as Common stopped by 1075 WGCI on Monday to reveal his Mount Rushmore of Chicago rappers.
Kicking off the conversation with a bang, Common didn’t hold back on praising his hometown heroes. “Well, Kanye is going on there, for sure,” he declared. “I’ma put Lupe Fiasco on there. Twista is bad, but lemme see. It’s tough.”
After some friendly banter, he continued, “I’ma put Durk up there because Durk is doing what he do. And then, man, I think, I’m excluding myself because I would be up there, but I might have to go with Chance [The Rapper] at that point.” The list sparked some pushback for not including Chief Keef, a pivotal figure in Chicago’s drill movement.
However, Common didn’t forget to honor Chief Keef, acknowledging his influence while also highlighting that Durk helped bring the drill sound into the mainstream. He also gave shout-outs to other notable Chicago rappers like G Herbo and Lil Reese.
In a broader context, Cam’ron recently expressed his admiration for Chicago rappers during an episode of ‘It Is What It Is.’ He praised their lyrical prowess, noting, “I lived in Chicago, and they may have the best lyricists. Them and Louisiana. We really take [it] for granted.”
Meanwhile, Common and Pete Rock just released their first joint album, ‘The Auditorium Vol. 1,’ which is already available on various streaming services. The 15-track album features contributions from artists like De La Soul’s Posdnuos, Bilal, and Common’s girlfriend, Jennifer Hudson.
Common’s Mount Rushmore list has certainly stirred up conversation, shining a spotlight on Chicago’s rich rap legacy. Whether you agree with his picks or not, there’s no denying the immense talent coming out of the Windy City.
