Quinn Patrick
We tend to think of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx as hip hop meccas. But Queens and Long Island have also turned out plenty of maestros who have made rad raps to blast back. Here's a short list of of the best hip hop artists to come from Queens and Long Island.
Busta Rhymes - an all-time great and producer of a slew of hits - may rep Brooklyn, but he grew up in Uniondale.
Much of Public Enemy, including Flava Flav and Professor Griff, hail from Roosevelt, which happens to be this writer's favorite place to play basketball in the world. While Public Enemy remains one of the most influential rap groups of all time, Chuck D is the group's true mastermind - it's shocking they haven't built a statue of him there yet.
Aesop Rock isn't your standard Long Island hip hop great for a number of reasons. The dude's from Northport (puttin' on the ritz) and had a serious indie heyday before hitting it big enough to headline music festivals. Known for his complex flow, Aesop Rock is New York hip hop's number one white Catholic guy.
These guys are true Long Island hip hop royalty. File them under G.O.A.T. Long Island file under sub-folder 'Funky' and under sub-sub folder 'Angry.' Eric B. and Rakim, respectively, are from Queens and Wyandanch, and threw down some serious social consciousness in their mid 90's raps before their breakup.
Method Man represents Staten Island, yes, but originally the Wu Tang Clan member comes from Long Island's Uniondale. Hip hop fans should be familiar with Method's legendary resume. TV fans may remember him guest starring on CSI, Burn Notice, and his disastrous Fox series, 'Method and Red.'
