Kanye West: ‘Justin Timberlake Is My Biggest Rival’

Kanye West has said that his biggest rival in the music industry is Justin Timberlake.

The rapper – who is currently number one in the UK singles charts with, ‘Stronger’ – admitted that he and Timberlake are the only artists who can cross genre boundaries.

"My biggest inspiration and biggest competition is Justin Timberlake,” West told XXL magazine. “He’s the only other person that gets an across-the-board response and respect level black radio, white radio."

West added: “If Justin hadn't come out and killed the game, I can't say that my album, singles and videos would be on the same level that they're on.

"We push each other. I look at me and Justin like Prince and Michael Jackson in their day."

West is due to release his new album, ‘Graduation,’ on the same day that fellow rapper 50 Cent releases his new LP, ‘Curtis,’ in America.

Comparing the pairs lyrics, West explained: "I feel like my lyrics are, if not THE, then equal to, the realest lyrics out. I connected with so many people without talkin' about guns and drugs. ... It's harder to go to work 365 days than shoot a person in one day.

"There’s nothing about wearing a pink Polo that would make anyone believe that I would hold a gun.”

We're currently discussing the merits of Kanye West in our blog, here.