The ongoing conversation about Hip-Hop’s greatest emcees took an analytical turn when lyricist Mickey Factz appeared on Torae’s podcast to discuss Andre 3000’s place among the all-time greats. While acknowledging André 3000’s legendary status, Mickey Factz introduced a compelling argument: The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie), who tragically passed away 28 years ago, has recorded more rap verses than André 3000—despite both artists launching their careers in 1994.
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The Data-Driven Debate
Following his podcast appearance, Mickey Factz took to X (formerly Twitter) to present his findings and further the discussion. Seeking an official count, he teamed up with Mike D of According 2 Hip-Hop to conduct a meticulous verse-by-verse breakdown of each emcee’s discography.
To maintain consistency and accuracy, they established clear guidelines for what qualifies as a full verse:
- Verses consisting of 12 to 16 bars (or more) were counted as full rap verses.
- Any verse shorter than 12 bars was classified as half a verse.
With this methodology, Mickey Factz and Mike D analyzed both artists’ contributions, tallying up their total rap verses throughout their careers.
Breaking Down Biggie’s Verse Count
Mickey Factz went through Biggie’s catalog, counting the verses on his two studio albums, along with features and miscellaneous tracks:
- Ready to Die (1994) – 44.5 verses
- Life After Death (1997) – 47.5 verses
- Features & Miscellaneous – 43.5 verses
- Grand Total: 135.5 verses
Despite having a tragically short career, Biggie’s recorded output showcases a significant volume of lyrical contributions.
Andre 3000’s Verse Count
Meanwhile, Mike D meticulously examined Andre 3000’s verses across Outkast’s discography and his numerous guest appearances:
- Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994) – 14 verses
- ATLiens (1996) – 16 verses
- Aquemini (1998) – 12 verses
- Stankonia (2000) – 11.5 verses
- The Love Below (2003) – 3 verses
- Idlewild (2006) – 3 verses
- Total from Outkast albums: 59.5 verses
Mike D further counted Andre 3000’s solo features, Outkast collaborations, and soundtrack contributions:
- Total from features & soundtrack songs: 57.5 verses
- Grand Total: 117 verses
The Final Tally: Biggie vs. Andre 3000
When the numbers were finalized, the results showed a clear difference:
- Biggie: 135.5 rap verses
- Andre 3000: 117 rap verses
While numbers alone don’t define an artist’s greatness, Mickey Factz’s analysis raises an interesting point in the ongoing debate about Andre 3000’s ranking among Hip-Hop’s elite lyricists. His discography, while widely revered, contains fewer total rap verses than Biggie’s, despite spanning a much longer career.
This discussion is sure to spark further debate among Hip-Hop fans, but thanks to Mickey Factz and Mike D, the numbers are now documented for those who want to evaluate the conversation from a purely quantitative standpoint. By the way we have an update with Andre 3000’s verse total now being at 119 rap verses.
The numbers are in and it and have been updated. Biggie officially does have more career Rap Verses than Andrè 3000 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/5cmFUs3ZUi
— According 2 Hip Hop (@A2HHTheGame) March 13, 2025
