TMZ Hip Hop got a few seconds to chop it up with Tha Dogg Pound chief outside Dre's WOF ceremony.

Kurupt and Dre have been tight since their chart-topping Death Row days, and he was outside showing support as Daz Dillinger stayed AWOL.

Dre recently told James Corden he thinks Em is the best rapper ever ... he watched him blossom into the hip hop megastar under his watch, and says he's earned the honor.

Kurupt's a diehard hip hop aficionado himself, and quickly picked Dre as rap's greatest producer, while also giving Em his props as one of the greats -- but firmly tells us Rakim is on the top of any list worth arguing over!!!

Em likely wouldn't argue either ... he calls Rakim one of the G.O.A.T.s as well, and credits the "Paid in Full" creator with being the first MC he heard using complex rhyme patterns ... ultimately pushing Slim Shady to take things to another level.