There is an argument to be made that Beyoncé is, in fact, a rapper — look no further than Megan Thee Stallion’s Grammy-winning “Savage” remix for evidence — but she did not make Billboard and Vibe‘s 2023 list of the 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, despite what a Jeopardy! contestant guessed on Tuesday’s (Feb. 13) episode.
On the episode, there was a full category based on our list, which we co-authored with our sister publication Vibe early last year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
To announce the category, Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings said, “And finally, the 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time — chosen not by me, but by Billboard and Vibe.”
The contestants only stumbled on the $200 clue, which read: “She invited us to ‘Come Into My House’ & also deal with the ‘Wrath of My Madness’; we bow down before this Queen.” Nicole incorrectly guessed Beyoncé — she of the Queen Bey nickname bestowed by her loyal Beyhive — but the answer was actually Queen Latifah, who landed at No. 44 on our list. “Different queen,” Jennings quipped after Kat got the right answer.
Below, find the final four remaining clues from the category along with their correct answers — and where those artists landed on our list.
$400 clue: “In 1986 it was ‘6 ‘N the Mornin’’ for him in the studio but in 2000 it was SVU for him on TV.
Who is Ice-T? The rapper-turned-actor is No. 45 on our list.
$600 clue: “Billboard said he is ‘often cited as hip-hop’s GOAT behind the boards…a lead rapper on…1988’s Straight Outta Compton.’”
Who is Dr. Dre? The N.W.A and solo rapper is No. 40 on our list.
$800 clue: “Some numbers: 3 years after taking 9 bullets, he had a Billboard 200 No. 1 debut with Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003.”
Who is 50 Cent? The Eminem signee is No. 17 on our list.
$1,000 clue: “‘Backed by rap’s archetypal hype man in Flavor Flav,’ this Public Enemy leader was a ‘Rebel Without a Pause’ in 1987.”
Who is Chuck D? The activist frontman is No. 34 on our list.
There weren’t any questions about rappers in our top 10 — including Jay-Z, who tops our list — but you can revisit the full countdown here to see where your favorite lands.
In the last month, Jeopardy! has featured a category based on Billboard‘s 500 Best Pop Songs list as well as a full Taylor Swift takeover of every category in a round.
Watch the Beyoncé moment below:
–Additional reporting by Josh Glicksman
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