Kanye West says in the September issue of XXL magazine that Justin Timberlake is his biggest inspiration and his biggest competition.
In fact, the rapper says that Memphis’ favorite former boy-bander is the only contemporary musician as influential as him. “He’s the only other person that gets an across-the-board response and respect level – black radio, white radio. 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.”
And they’ve both had garnered conservative criticism because of live TV appearances: Kanye said that President Bush hated black people during a Hurricane Katrina broadcast and Justin pulled off Janet Jackson’s top.
The story isn’t online, but you can pick up the XXL on newstands.