Melle Mel has no doubt that Kendrick Lamar and Eminem are talented, but he does question their influence on Hip Hop culture.

In a new interview with The Art of Dialogue, the OG rapper has claimed that while artists like Kendrick and Em have proven themselves as capable rappers, they have yet to impact the game significantly.

The conversation came about while Melle Mel was discussing Billboard and VIBE‘s recent list of the Top 50 Rappers of All Time. Mel said that while the former TDE rapper, who ranked No.2 on the list, might have made some good songs, they “don’t translate into the street part of Hip Hop.”

“I don’t know what records he made like that,” he said. “I might know one or two of them, but I don’t think you even hear Kendrick in the club like that.”

The iconic rapper jokingly admitted that while he’s a bit of dinosaur in the game, calling himself “90-years-old,” that Kendrick Lamar’s music doesn’t resonate, and it certainly “doesn’t translate into the No.2 rapper of all time.”

Melle Mel, who landed at No.48 on the list, noted that while his legendary group, Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five, helped plant the seeds of what conscious rap is today, he believes younger, conscious rappers like Kendrick Lamar don’t have the same impact.

“Nobody wants to rap like Kendrick Lamar. Nobody wants to rap like Eminem,” he continued. “A lot of people wanted to rap, like ‘Pac and Biggie.”

hiphopdx.com/news/melle-mel-kendrick-lamar-eminem

No one can rap like them cause no one is able to rap like them without being ridiculed and accused of biting.
No one wants to rap like The Furious Five cause it's outdated.

61 year old man sayin you don’t hear Kendrick in the club. I’ve seen it all

Real nigga

He old af but he right f*** them both
Lloyd banks is the real goat #COTI2 #AOTY

this man is saying why aren’t they played in the clubs?

this is his only solo lp

You named it muscles, foh

Damn why nobody told me he looked that good

Old Nigga not lying for the most part

they wanna rap like summrs

They saying Rio better than both. I’m just the messenger.

Smelly Smell should stfu

Damn nigga went in

Melle Mel just discovered what talent is

I mean I get it, if we talking OAT then Kendrick being #2 is kinda wild

But if he talking the spot should heavily be based on influence then Rakim, Big, Pac, Keef, Wayne, Ye, Future would be the top rappers

The only club his old ass is referring to

You can be influenced by someone and not sound like them

It's harder to rap like Kendrick, and it's easier to make money in rap not rapping like those two, so why would people

And I feel you could argue if someone is that talented they'd rather make their own sound than copy them two

This but I’ll chalk it up to his age but there’s plenty of artists that have bit and were influenced by both to some degree.

Literally untrue

Nobody can rap like Kendrick hes just too nice with it

Don't want to hear anything from him after this

This dude is a straight Kendrick clone

This the type of s*** Kendrick inspires

If it wasn’t for Thug and Keef music would be hell right now