It’s no secret that Nicki Minaj’s success has spawned a generation of female rappers. Billie Eilish has crowned her pick for the greatest female rapper of all time, and her choice will come as no surprise. In a recent video with Complex, released Thursday (March 27), the "Bad Guy" singer and her best friend, influencer Quen Blackwell, discussed their GOAT selections across various categories. When the conversation turned to female rap, Eilish answered without hesitation: "Nicki Minaj is like, obviously ... Nicki is GOAT, for sure."
Beyond hip-hop, Eilish shared the songs that define her personal soundtrack. Lately, she’s been immersed in early Lady Gaga hits, listing "Poker Face," "G.U.Y.," and "Alejandro" as her current obsessions. For a go-to album when she needs a good cry, she singled out Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell, pointing to "Fourth of July" as particularly gut-wrenching. "It’s so upsetting," she admitted. "Deeply, deeply upsetting. And so beautiful and just so dark."
Billie Eilish & Nicki Minaj
When it came to her GOAT vocalists, the California native had a few standout names. "Off the top of my head, Ella Fitzgerald is, like, my favorite singer," she revealed. "Or f–king Tori Kelly. I’ve actually been a Tori Kelly fan since I think I was 11." She also gave a nod to Beyoncé, calling her voice "perfect" and "unbelievable." "I’ve never heard her sing a flat note ever," she added.
Eilish is currently on a brief hiatus from her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour, which launched in North America last fall. After wrapping a series of Australian dates earlier this year, she will resume her global trek on April 23 in Sweden, kicking off a European leg that runs through July. Her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, dropped in May 2024, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The project delivered Hot 100 top 10 hits, including "Lunch" and "Birds of a Feather," further solidifying Eilish’s status as one of pop’s most influential voices.
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