Hip Hop may just be one of the most competitive music genres there is, but you’d be surprised how many rap legends actually got their start in the same school hallways. Before they were trading bars on collaborations — or, in some cases, sending shots at each other on diss tracks — a number of artists shared classrooms, lunch tables, and high school cafeterias.

New York, being the cultural hotbed it is, famously brought together JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and Busta Rhymes, for instance. Others are a little less surprising, like André 3000 and Big Boi crossing paths well before forming OutKast, or several members of A Tribe Called Quest walking the same halls. So, with that in mind, REVOLT rounded up this list of rappers who you probably didn’t realize went to school together.

1. JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and Busta Rhymes

Brooklyn, stand up! JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and Busta Rhymes all attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School around the same time. “Me and Busta Rhymes actually had a rap battle in the lunchroom,” Hov recalled on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Though he didn’t reveal the winner explicitly, his response (“I love Busta Rhymes, but…”) said more than enough.

2. André 3000 and Big Boi

It shouldn’t come as a shock that OutKast’s André 3000 and Big Boi knew each other before forming one of the most iconic duos in rap history. In fact, the two attended Tri-Cities High School together. “They were just very creative,” Big Boi’s drama teacher, Viola Turner, said to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But that was the atmosphere here. We nurtured and encouraged and supported these kids.”

3. Cam'ron and Mase

Long before co-hosting “It Is What It Is,” Cam’ron and Mase were basketball teammates at Manhattan Center High School. Evidently, there isn’t much the two can’t do, whether it’s sports, rapping, or now, entertaining people by talking about how much they love both.

4. Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg

Another less surprising mention here, especially since they were cousins, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg both attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Fun fact: Actress Cameron Diaz was also a student there around the same time.

5. Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown

Adding more New York legends to the list, Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown are both alumni of Brooklyn College Academy. It’s kind of wild that two of the best female rappers of all time started from the same place. But Brooklyn does have a history of creating legends, and there are several on this list!

6. Playboi Carti and Gunna

They collaborated on tracks like “YSL,” “Same Yung N**ga,” and — believe it or not — Gunna and Playboi Carti both attended North Springs High School at the same time. Though they weren’t exactly best friends, Gunna told Mass Appeal their connection grew through none other than music. “We [didn’t] really hang [out], but we just knew each other. He was cool, I was cool,” he explained. “So, later on, as I started f**king with the music [and] rising, I guess he just probably stumbled across my page.”

7. Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller

If you’ve ever wondered where Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang originates from, it might have something to do with his alma mater. The “Roll Up” rapper attended Philadelphia’s Taylor Allderdice High School, which, fun fact, was also where Mac Miller went.

8. Chamillionaire and Paul Wall

Jersey Village High School once counted two Houston rap legends among its student body: Paul Wall and Chamillionaire. The duo were good friends growing up, and although the “Ridin’” hitmaker is about a year older, they went on to form The Sleepwalkers, dropped the iconic “N Luv Wit My Money,” and basically made Jersey Village one of H-town’s most legendary high schools based on their collaborations alone.

9. Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad

The members of A Tribe Called Quest have generally known each other since their teenage days, which isn’t exactly shocking. Although Phife attended Springfield Gardens in Queens, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad actually crossed paths at Murry Bergtraum High School. "That's how they met," the “Flawlesss” artist told NPR. "Me and Q-Tip were best friends from like 2 to 15 [years old],” he also shared.

10. G Herbo and King Von

As big as Chicago is, the number of schools its homegrown rappers come out of might be smaller than you’d think. G Herbo and King Von, who collaborated on songs like “Facetime” and “On Yo A**,” both went to Hyde Park Academy High School at the same time. But Von was a year older, so they were in different grades.

11. Havoc and Prodigy

Before forming Mobb Deep, Havoc and Prodigy both attended Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design, which, interestingly enough, also counted Hip Hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy among its alumni. “My father was an artist, and I always liked to draw. So naturally, choosing a high school, you know, Art and Design was one of the best places for me to hone in on my artistic skills,” Havoc told Sacha Jenkins during the “Red Bull Music Academy World Tour.” The rest, according to him, “was history after that.”