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AllHipHop.com: Well, humility is a trait that is often hard to come by! [laughing]
KRS-One: True! [laughing] But it is good to be in a community where all the artists think they’re the best. That’s a good thing. It’s a brutal thing, because there can only really be one. So there is a process of elimination, no doubt. But hip hop is vast enough where if you ain’t talkin’ that s**t, then ain’t nobody coming at you like that. But if you want to step into the arena, and how you step into the arena is by saying “I’m the best over all of you.” “Oh, well now let’s put that to the test. Let’s see if that’s really what it is.” And I’m that dude. I’m that dude right there who walks around with no other purpose than to put that claim to the test. Sometimes it’s not even my words. It’s just my presence.
When I walk in a building, or walk into a party — I be at these industry parties when I get a chance. And I see how people move. I see how the room moves around, like, “Oh, s**t, KRS is here.” And I’m like, “Yeah, KRS is here, what? You thought it was going to be fake all night?” You know how many cats say that and can’t look me in the eye. And on the flip side. I’ll tell you a real story about Wayne. Real Wayne. I like his style. I think Wayne is bussin’ off at you as an MC. I haven’t seen his show, so I’m reluctant to call him an MC.
AllHipHop.com: Why is that?
KRS-One: I mean, I’ve seen his show, and he was just getting money. I haven’t really seen him in his element, like going in, hungry and off-stage, to call him an MC-MC. But I like his metaphors. I like how he puts his words together, for the style in which he’s coming with. Now he claims the best, too.
AllHipHop.com: Oh, yes, Wayne definitely thinks he is the best rapper alive or dead! [laughing]
KRS-One: I remember the BET Hip Hop Awards, when I was there to get my Lifetime Achievement Award. Right in the wings, Wayne was like, “Yo. The Teacha.” And I’m like, “Yo, don’t even start.” So I give him a pound, and I say, “Let me tell you something. You are the number one MC today.” He said, “Yo, don’t f**k with me, Kris. Don’t say that s**t, man. Don’t f**k with me.” Coming from you? Don’t f**k with me.” Everybody was staring around – like a hundred people. And he’s like, “Don’t f**k with me, man.” I told him: “Stay focused. Don’t get distracted. Don’t get with that bulls**t. You are the number one MC. Stay focused. Take hip hop with you.” Everybody clapped. The s**t was ridiculous. He broke down into tears. It was ridiculous.
Somebody got it on film, somewhere. Cameras were all over the place. I was just telling him, “You the number one. You the number one.” But the point is: he took that s**t seriously. And I said it seriously and he took it like, “Wow. KRS-One validated my whole s**t right now. Oh, s**t.” And he was waiting for that. He was looking for that. He could always pop that yang, he could always say, “Yeah, I’m the best, and I’m selling . . .” But there’s a part in his soul that wants Africa Bambaataa to come by and shake his hand. There’s a part of his soul that wants to be accepted by Chuck D or have a KRS come over. All them dudes from 50 on down — everybody — and I’m saying it because I’m living it — this ain’t gossip. I’m living these things. These dudes are coming to me with real questions about their lives: this, that and the other. I probably need a reality show. I need to stop bulls**tting and go get a reality show so that people can really see.
KRS-One: True! [laughing] But it is good to be in a community where all the artists think they’re the best. That’s a good thing. It’s a brutal thing, because there can only really be one. So there is a process of elimination, no doubt. But hip hop is vast enough where if you ain’t talkin’ that s**t, then ain’t nobody coming at you like that. But if you want to step into the arena, and how you step into the arena is by saying “I’m the best over all of you.” “Oh, well now let’s put that to the test. Let’s see if that’s really what it is.” And I’m that dude. I’m that dude right there who walks around with no other purpose than to put that claim to the test. Sometimes it’s not even my words. It’s just my presence.
When I walk in a building, or walk into a party — I be at these industry parties when I get a chance. And I see how people move. I see how the room moves around, like, “Oh, s**t, KRS is here.” And I’m like, “Yeah, KRS is here, what? You thought it was going to be fake all night?” You know how many cats say that and can’t look me in the eye. And on the flip side. I’ll tell you a real story about Wayne. Real Wayne. I like his style. I think Wayne is bussin’ off at you as an MC. I haven’t seen his show, so I’m reluctant to call him an MC.
AllHipHop.com: Why is that?
KRS-One: I mean, I’ve seen his show, and he was just getting money. I haven’t really seen him in his element, like going in, hungry and off-stage, to call him an MC-MC. But I like his metaphors. I like how he puts his words together, for the style in which he’s coming with. Now he claims the best, too.
AllHipHop.com: Oh, yes, Wayne definitely thinks he is the best rapper alive or dead! [laughing]
KRS-One: I remember the BET Hip Hop Awards, when I was there to get my Lifetime Achievement Award. Right in the wings, Wayne was like, “Yo. The Teacha.” And I’m like, “Yo, don’t even start.” So I give him a pound, and I say, “Let me tell you something. You are the number one MC today.” He said, “Yo, don’t f**k with me, Kris. Don’t say that s**t, man. Don’t f**k with me.” Coming from you? Don’t f**k with me.” Everybody was staring around – like a hundred people. And he’s like, “Don’t f**k with me, man.” I told him: “Stay focused. Don’t get distracted. Don’t get with that bulls**t. You are the number one MC. Stay focused. Take hip hop with you.” Everybody clapped. The s**t was ridiculous. He broke down into tears. It was ridiculous.
Somebody got it on film, somewhere. Cameras were all over the place. I was just telling him, “You the number one. You the number one.” But the point is: he took that s**t seriously. And I said it seriously and he took it like, “Wow. KRS-One validated my whole s**t right now. Oh, s**t.” And he was waiting for that. He was looking for that. He could always pop that yang, he could always say, “Yeah, I’m the best, and I’m selling . . .” But there’s a part in his soul that wants Africa Bambaataa to come by and shake his hand. There’s a part of his soul that wants to be accepted by Chuck D or have a KRS come over. All them dudes from 50 on down — everybody — and I’m saying it because I’m living it — this ain’t gossip. I’m living these things. These dudes are coming to me with real questions about their lives: this, that and the other. I probably need a reality show. I need to stop bulls**tting and go get a reality show so that people can really see.
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