Photo Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

A true New York King and hip-hop pioneer, Jadakiss stopped through Nick Cannon Mornings and talked about the evolution of hip-hop and the secret to longevity in his career.

So the big question IS, what’s the secret to the sauce? Nick mentions that on several of the “top” lists that have been going around, top rappers in the game, top East Coast, top New York rappers, etc. etc; Jadakiss’s name is on them.

“Them rap lists is like religious conversations. A rap top anything list is like a religious argument, and that could go on forever. To be mentioned though, cuz you know, I’m around, my colleagues, I’m around dudes that, some of them never get mentioned,” he explains.

Jada continues, “To be mentioned in any of those conversations, that’s a blessing alone. Like something like you just gotta bump your head on the floor and thank the highest power, that you’re even mentioned. But me I just try to stay in the loop. Embrace the new stuff, you know what I mean? Give advice to them. They always hit me, they always come to me for a verse, for a stamp, as far as on the New York demographics after they’ve covered the west coast and the midwest. When they’re doing their New York run, a lot of them will come through d-block and work with us, and work with me, just to solidify the New York-ness.”

The rapper also, shares his memory and discussed the importance of getting the stamp of approval from the late Biggie Smalls, Jay –Z, and Diddy, early on in his career. The two then get into the history of the East Coast vs West Coast rap beef and how and why it came about. Jada says the genre of hip-hop is a ferris wheel, where you have to capitalize when it’s your time.

Watch Jadakiss and Nick’s entire close conversation below: