Kanye West has called Justin Timberlake his ‘biggest inspiration.’

“My biggest inspiration and biggest competition is Justin Timberlake,” the 29-year-old rapper tells XXL Magazine October 2007, on newsstands Sept. 11. “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,” he says. “We push each other. I look at me and Justin like Prince and Michael Jackson in their day.”