NEW YORK: Muhammad Ali was not a rapper, but to many of the genre’s best lyricists, he was influential in paving the way for hip-hop stars to succeed and had a lasting impact on the art form.
Ali was hip-hop: He was boastful, he trash-talked, he was a strong poet and he could freestyle. He also was not afraid to tackle race relations head-on.
And rappers love saying his name, referencing his iconic career or reciting “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” in their songs, including the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” the Fugees’ “Ready or Not,” EPMD’s “You’re a Customer” and Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”
“His bravery and selflessness was inspirational. The most impressive human I have ever come across. He is literally my hero,” Jay Z said.
“Muhammad Ali has been a constant source of inspiration and a heroic figure throughout my life. He’s always been there, as a symbol for fighting against the odds, the system and the hatred. It’s hard to believe he’s actually not with us anymore, but he will never be gone,” Eminem said.
“When his fights would come on, my family would sit around ... what I would call a floor model television ... and it was kind of like the minute he started winding it up and he started dancing around the room, he could make the whole room stand up,” Pharrell said in an interview.
Ali was hip-hop: He was boastful, he trash-talked, he was a strong poet and he could freestyle. He also was not afraid to tackle race relations head-on.
And rappers love saying his name, referencing his iconic career or reciting “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” in their songs, including the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” the Fugees’ “Ready or Not,” EPMD’s “You’re a Customer” and Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”
“His bravery and selflessness was inspirational. The most impressive human I have ever come across. He is literally my hero,” Jay Z said.
“Muhammad Ali has been a constant source of inspiration and a heroic figure throughout my life. He’s always been there, as a symbol for fighting against the odds, the system and the hatred. It’s hard to believe he’s actually not with us anymore, but he will never be gone,” Eminem said.
“When his fights would come on, my family would sit around ... what I would call a floor model television ... and it was kind of like the minute he started winding it up and he started dancing around the room, he could make the whole room stand up,” Pharrell said in an interview.
