Kanye West has stepped into the ongoing debate over hip-hop’s greatest of all time — and his choices are sure to get people talking.
In a newly surfaced extended cut of his 2025 interview with Justin Laboy, Ye shared his personal rap “Mount Rushmore,” listing the four artists he feels belong at the very top of the culture.
“Future, Drake, Thug, Kendrick. That’s my answer,” Ye said directly, calling out Future, Drake, Young Thug, and Kendrick Lamar.
But Ye wasn’t done just yet. When asked about the new wave of artists, he gave a separate nod to the next era.
“Oh new GOAT, Carti. Carti next generation. You know if you put it by generation,” Ye added, making it clear he sees Playboi Carti as the leader of rap’s current evolution.
Ye’s picks stand out, especially considering his rocky past with some of the artists he named. His connection with Drake has swung from public feuds to patched-up moments, while his creative bond with Young Thug and Future stretches across years of collaborations. Kendrick Lamar also shares history with Ye, teaming up with him on the 2016 track “No More Parties in LA” and previously serving as an opening act during the Yeezus Tour.
Playboi Carti and Ye have joined forces on major records like “Off the Grid” and “Carnival.” Still, reports suggest their relationship hit a rough patch in early 2025 after Ye’s contributions didn’t make the final cut of Carti’s album Music, fueling talk of tension between their teams.
