Hip hop has an interesting relationship with its veterans. The genre acknowledges legends like Afrika Bambaata, Q-Tip and Nas, but once they get older you start to see only a selected few have the unanimous support of fans. With sounds and trends quickly changing in rap, hip hop greats who age tend to not be in the spotlight they once were in. To make up for it, many stay active as nostalgia acts while others retire from the game completely.

Rakim and Big Daddy Kane are prime examples of the two routes rappers at this age take as they get older. Grantland recently profiled the two in an excellent piece, where they break down their history in the game and how they’ve become the iconic rappers they’re known for today. We also get details about their headline-making record deals: At one point, Ra was signed to Aftermath and BDK was rumored to be on Jay Z’s Roc A Fella Records. In short, Kane knows a comeback might never happen for him again, but Rakim is very optimistic. The God MC believes his moment is coming.

Head over to Grantland for the full story.

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