Cody Rhodes isn’t buying a hip-hop ranking that puts Eminem at number four — and he’s got an even bigger problem with 50 Cent being left out of the top 15 entirely. The WWE Superstar made it clear that he thinks the list got it wrong, even if he’s not exactly claiming to be a rap expert.
During an appearance on the Double Coverage podcast with Zach Hirsch, Rhodes was discussing his love for wrestling from 1990 to 1994 when Hirsch brought up Eminem’s Relapse album. Hirsch explained that he loves the album despite people calling it one of Eminem’s worst, which sent Rhodes into a completely different conversation about a Billboard hip-hop ranking he’d seen. Rhodes couldn’t understand how Eminem ended up fourth instead of first or second. He also took issue with 50 Cent being nowhere on the list.
“I have no business saying this thing to what I’m about to say. So, I do need everyone need them to know I have no business. I saw the 15 hottest hip hop artist Billboard and he was like no it was a it wasn’t um financial. It was a like a opinion and he was number four and then 50 wasn’t on there. I don’t know. So, I don’t know. I have no right but who was number one was really, you know, I think Tupac was at three and I thought that seems right but I I found it very odd that the M man wasn’t wasn’t two or one or and then 50 not being on there.”
Rhodes didn’t have an issue with Tupac being ranked third, but Eminem sitting at number four clearly didn’t make sense to him. And when it came to 50 Cent not cracking the top 15, Cody wasn’t letting that slide either. He also has firsthand experience working with 50 Cent, since the two starred together in Street Fighter. Rhodes plays Guile while 50 Cent portrays Balrog, and Cody had nothing but praise for the rapper’s performance.
“50 was in this movie by the way. Full-blown Balrog. He really did it. Oh my gosh, he’s so good and Sneaks is Sneaks a song in there as well. Yeah, again, I don’t know anything about that world but I I thought the list was a little…”
Hirsch then reminded Rhodes just how massive 50 Cent was during his prime, bringing up his million-selling first week and the grip he had on the music industry. Rhodes agreed and pointed out that 50 Cent hasn’t exactly slowed down, especially when it comes to staying in shape.
“You want to know what’s crazy about 50 is he was so jacked in that period of time where we I remember watching as a kid like what is this? This guy’s doing sit-ups like upside down. Like what is this? He got more jacked for Street Fighter. Like he’s I don’t know how old 50 Cent is right now but he got more jacked. That guy is about clanging and banging and lifting and stuff. He’s made for action movies. So, yeah, Balrog was a I don’t know if you saw the movie but he does he does an amazing job.”
Cody’s respect for 50 Cent goes beyond his music and acting career. During the same interview, Rhodes revealed that the rapper completely one-upped him during filming. Cody had arranged an expensive yacht party for the Street Fighter cast, only for 50 Cent to turn around and rent out an entire Australian amusement park for everyone and their families.
As Ringside News previously covered, Rhodes admitted that nobody even attempted to top 50 Cent’s move after that. But Cody wasn’t finished with the hip-hop rankings. He eventually returned to the subject and admitted that his sister knows far more about rap music than he does. Still, he wasn’t backing down from his opinion that 50 Cent deserved a spot.
“Yeah, I don’t know why this is I brought this up, but if you see this Billboard top 15, for me it’s like seems odd, you know, I don’t know. And I do I know nothing other than what my sister, who is a massive just hip-hop and rap and R&B and Atlanta girl, is she that’s her world. It’s not my world. So I only know what she taught me. That’s it. But she agreed with this. This list, I think if you showed her this list she’d go, ‘Hmm.’ Now I’m getting far too opinionated on this. Far too. I’m I’m shutting it down. I don’t love this list, though. 50 should be on this list, okay?”
Rhodes might be more comfortable discussing WWE championships than rap albums, but he wasn’t afraid to challenge a hip-hop ranking he didn’t agree with. In his eyes, Eminem belongs closer to the very top, and leaving 50 Cent out of the conversation entirely is ridiculous. Whether hip-hop listeners agree with the American Nightmare is another story, but Cody certainly wasn’t keeping his opinion to himself.
Do you think Cody Rhodes has a point about Eminem and 50 Cent being disrespected in hip-hop rankings, or is he giving them too much credit? Where would you rank both rappers among the all-time greats? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
