Trick Daddy Crowns a King of New York Rap, and It’s Not Jay-Z, 50 Cent, or Biggie

If you’ve paid attention to hip-hop culture and news over the last several years, then you probably noticed that Miami rapper Trick Daddy has a tendency to grab headlines every now and then. Back in the summer of 2021, he sent the internet and social media into chaos after he boldly stated that Beyoncé “can’t sing.” 

More recently, at the top of April 2026, the “Take It to Da House” artist was part of quite the hiccup when he was signed to perform at a conference for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, but during his performance, the sorority's leaders cut his act short due to the content of the show. Apparently, they weren’t aware that his song lyrics aren't for the faint of heart or for those with a sensitivity to profanity. 

And here we are, not even a month from the sorority mishap, and the Miami native is making another controversial statement. He just proclaimed who he believes is the King of New York Rap, and it’s probably not who you’re thinking. 

Trick Daddy Says the “King of New York is LL Cool J”

When people talk about the King of New York Rap, heck, the King of Rap, Jay-Z is usually mentioned as that guy, and for good reason. His legacy speaks for itself. But even fans of the genre who aren’t sold on Jay-Z as the king of NYC place the crown on Biggie Smalls, 50 Cent, or Nas.

Trick Daddy sat down for a recent interview, and he was asked about the legacy of New York rap. Specifically, the interviewer brought up a prior quote from the southern artist in which he claimed that Jay-Z “wasn't the greatest rapper to come out of New York.” Trick Daddy elaborated on the previous statement and said: 

“I believe that DMX was different. I respect everything Jay’s done for hip hop, but I believe that DMX was a different kind of beast… I think the King of New York is LL Cool J. He’s been doing this sh*t since I was in fourth, fifth grade. This was a n***a that licked his lips and then told you he needed love, then he turned around and told you mama said to knock your a** out, then he told you you was jiggling baby. Then he started acting. He got his own TV show, played in many movies.” 

Trick Daddy then added, “LL got the 80s, the 90s, and the 2000s.” So to his credit, LL Cool J does have longevity and has shown he’s multi-talented. Additionally, not for nothing, Trick Daddy did place Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and Biggie Smalls among his top 5 rappers from New York in the same interview. Take a look at the clip below. Is Trick Daddy actually right on this one?

Related: Juliano Valdi Sounds Like a Young Jackson in ‘Michael’, But Is Valdi Really Singing?