Kyle Larson has been NASCAR’s leading man in recent years displaying consistency in the top tier of the sport. Even before he joined Hendrick Motorsports after being let go from Chip Ganassi Racing under controversial circumstances, Larson was consistently finishing the season in the top 10, sparking widespread fan interest.
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In a 2018 interview with Jeff Gluck, Larson was asked a question that piqued the curiosity of many fans at the time: Who does he think is the best rapper alive? Larson responded, “I like all types of music. I like rap music. I don’t have a favorite artist out of any genre. But I would say for me, I like listening to Drake.”
He added, “I don’t know if he’s the best rapper alive, but currently I like him a lot. I can rap every word to Afroman’s “Crazy Rap,” but then again, I don’t think he’s the best rapper alive. So I’ll go with Drake for now.” When Gluck suggested he could have picked Lil Wayne, Larson replied, “I hate Lil Wayne,” reasoning, “His voice is so annoying.”
Larson openly admitted his distaste for Wayne’s music during the interview. Candidly noting that he generally enjoys rap, but if Lil Wayne’s tracks start playing, he is quick to switch it off, he established, “I don’t like him at all.”
Yet, Larson hinted that his musical preferences might evolve, as did his views of another popular artist, Taylor Swift. Discussing Swift, Larson mentioned that he drifted away from Swift’s music when she shifted away from country. He also stated that he was never on the Swift bandwagon like so many teenagers were.
Despite this, he found himself at one of her concerts last year, driven not by his fandom but because his daughter is a fervent admirer of the 35-year-old singer, indicating his willingness to explore different musical landscapes, even those he previously set aside.
Which rap artists do other drivers like?
In 2018, when Kyle Busch faced the same question of who the best rapper alive was, he tackled it with honesty. Drawing an analogy, he quipped, “This is like asking who the best President ever was. You get in a lot of trouble with fans these days and whose opinion matters most, which none of them do.”
Eventually, he revealed his personal preference, “My favorite of all time, which I’ve always listened to, has been Eminem. I enjoy listening to Eminem and kind of hearing what his take is. Obviously, he’s kind of graphic sometimes and a little bit dirty or whatever. But I know a little about Tupac. He’s obviously really good.”
On the other hand, Mark Martin, a stalwart of NASCAR and now a Hall of Famer, has openly expressed his admiration for Gucci Mane. Martin’s revelations even led to a unique collaboration, resulting in him getting featured on one of Mane’s tracks last year.
