From 2Pac and Biggie to Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, a few of Hip Hop’s most influential, progressive and inventive artists belong to the zodiac signal Gemini.
In honor of Gemini season, which falls between Could 21 and June 20, I made a decision to have fun a few of the signal’s most proficient rappers.
Being a Gemini myself, I started wanting over Elliott Wilson’s 100 Best Diss Songs listing and couldn’t assist however discover that Geminis maintain lots of the high spots.
Actually, between 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Ice Dice‘s “No Vaseline,” Lauryn Hill‘s “Ex-Issue” and Jadakiss‘ “Checkmate” and “Freestyle (Fuck Beanie Sigel),” Geminis account for nearly a 3rd of the highest 20.
As coincidental as this might sound, it’s onerous to disclaim that that Geminis are a few of the most vicious opponents in terms of rap battles. Maybe that is due to basic Geminis traits like quick-wittedness, adaptability and an expressive nature.
Geminis are additionally deep thinkers and are enthusiastic about their craft. Trying on the listing of rappers beneath, you may hear similarities of their outstanding storytelling, charismatic grit of their tone and supply, and reward for writing rhymes that take a number of listens to totally recognize.
On condition that Geminis are famed for his or her “two-personality” duality, it’s additionally no shock that these MCs possess a number of flows, kinds and even personas.
So, is there one thing to the Gemini signal that makes such nice rappers? Try an inventory of the perfect rappers who belong to the zodiac signal beneath.
Honorable mentions: TakeOff, Kodak Black, DMC, Krayzie Bone, CeeLo Inexperienced, Heavy D, MC Ren, B-Actual, Waka Flocka Flame, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
2Pac
Born: June 16, 1971
“I’m a basic case of a Gemini,” 2Pac mentioned in a 1996 interview with Leisure Tonight. “It signifies that I will be calm, quiet and really into my work and completely targeted and completely disciplined and boring! Or I will be enjoyable, enjoyable, enjoyable however harmful, harmful, harmful — not solely to different individuals, however to myself.”
‘Pac’s description of the Gemini persona was on full show all through his catalog as he confirmed his passionate and loving facet on songs like “Expensive Mama” and “Brenda’s Received a Child,” and his harmful facet on “Hit ‘Em Up” and “Bomb First,” amongst others.
It additionally takes a inventive thoughts to have most listeners mistakenly consider he was rapping about an precise woman on his music “Me and My Girlfriend.”
Kendrick Lamar
Born: June 17, 1987
“Kanye modified his life, however me, I’m nonetheless an old-fashioned Gemini,” the nice child within the m.A.A.d metropolis rapped on Child Keem‘s “Household Ties,” utilizing his zodiac DNA to warn enemies (one thing they in all probability ought to have heeded — simply ask Drake).
Kendrick, too, has proven a duality in his persona by his music. He inspired us to like ourselves on “i” and extra just lately confirmed us how deadly he will be if the Boogeyman is poked together with his blitzkrieg of Drizzy diss songs.
The Infamous B.I.G.
Born: Could 21, 1972
The Infamous B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, the Black Frank White — no matter you known as him, Christopher Wallace confirmed many sides of his Gemini persona in his adorned but tragically brief discography.
As a loveable Huge Poppa, he freaked all of the honeys and left them begging for yet another probability. However he might simply as simply flip infamous and ask enemies, “Who shot ya?” In relation to telling tales on wax, there have been (and nonetheless are) few higher than Hip Hop’s Alfred Hitchcock.
Ice Dice
Born: June 15, 1969
The softer facet of O’Shea Jackson took us on a joyride for the complete day in 1993. It was a great day, as rap followers younger and outdated nonetheless sing greater than 30 years later. If that magical day fell two years earlier, nonetheless, it could have been a tough trip with no vaseline.
Proving the opposite facet of his Gemini persona is the flawed one to fuck with, Dice all however issued N.W.A and Jerry Heller’s demise certificates on his legendary diss music.
Kanye West
Born: June 8, 1977
Apart from being one among, if not the, most inventive and influential Hip Hop artist of the final 20 years, Kanye West arguably made among the finest odes to the duality of Geminis with “I Love Kanye.”
The purely a capella monitor discovered Ye capturing virtually each facet of his magnetic persona in 45 seconds — from the endearing but formidable Kanye that followers fell in love with on The Faculty Dropout to the “all the time impolite Kanye” that outlined his Yeezus period. The one factor lacking was some chopped-up soul within the background.
Yeezy even declared himself the “final Gemini” on “Saint Pablo,” celebrating the truth that he “wasn’t imagined to make it previous 25.” That line was, in fact, a callback to his basic Faculty Dropout lower “We Don’t Care,” however might it have additionally been a delicate reference to fellow Geminis 2Pac and Biggie — neither of whom sadly made it previous their twenty fifth birthday?
André 3000
Born: Could 27, 1975
André 3000 has all the time embraced his astrological make-up — look no additional than OutKast‘s 1998 masterpiece Aquemini, named after his and Huge Boi‘s respective star indicators. (Huge Boi, whose birthday falls on February 1, is an Aquarius).
From the dazzling lyrical shows to the fearlessly eccentric outfits, there’s no denying that 3 Stacks is one among Hip Hop’s most particular and singular skills. I imply, identify one other rapper who apologized not solely to his child mama, however his child mama’s mama.
After 20 years away from the highlight, he then tells us he “Actually Wished To Make A ‘Rap’ Album However This Is Actually The Approach The Wind Blew Me This Time” and returned with a flute in hand, defying everybody’s expectations.
Lauryn Hill
Born: Could 26, 1975
Look no additional than “Doo Wop (That Factor)” to witness the brilliance of Ms. Lauryn Hill. To double down because the rapper and singer on the identical monitor, the Fugees star was clearly exhibiting us that she has twin sides.
Oh, and between Lauryn Hill and André 3000, two of the one three rappers to have ever received the coveted Album of the 12 months prize on the Grammys simply so occur to be Geminis. (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill received in 1999, adopted by OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Under in 2003.)
Jadakiss
Born: Could 27, 1975
The gravel-voiced grit in Kiss’ trademark tone suggests to the untrained ear an MC who’s more durable than leather-based (which isn’t unfaithful). However even die-hard followers had been caught off guard when the LOX lyricist confirmed off his easy singing voice on “Hold It 100.”
It’s maybe no coincidence that music additionally discovered Jada referencing his zodiac traits: “Gemini, do what I would like after I’m within the temper too/ Quickly as they assume you want one thing, that’s after they lose you.”
Remy Ma
Born: Could 30, 1980
Don’t rule out the woman Geminis. The immodest lyricist got here vicious when bullying the Harajuku Barbie on her Nicki Minaj diss music “Shether,” proving she will hit ’em up simply in addition to any of her male counterparts.
Huge L
Born: Could 30, 1974
Maybe it was Huge L‘s zodiac instinct to namedrop fellow Gemini The Infamous B.I.G. on “The Lethal Mixture,” which ended up that includes fellow Gemini 2Pac, courtesy of Ron G who stitched the collaboration collectively after each rappers’ deaths. (Biggie, coincidentally, additionally appeared on the remix.)
The Gemini connection runs deeper in L’s catalog as one among his defining songs, “MVP,” sampled “Keep With Me” by DeBarge, whose lead singer El DeBarge simply so occurs to have fun his birthday in early June. (One other Gemini coincidence: “Keep With Me” was additionally sampled on Biggie’s “One Extra Likelihood (Remix)”).
Was Huge L subliminally saying Geminis are the perfect?
