My Take: Hottest MCs in the Game

Earlier this month MTV released it's list of the "Hottest MCs in the Game" and as per usual I'm a little bit disappointed. The list of course isn't made with my personal tastes in mind, because let me assure it would look quite a bit different, but I can usually understand why they put the rappers where they do. It is all about mainstream rappers and what they put out and do each year. Without further ado, the list:

1. Jay-Z
2. Lil Wayne
3. Drake
4. Kanye West
5. Rick Ross
6. Gucci Mane
7. Young Jeezy
8. Fabolous
9. 50 Cent
10. Raekwon

So what don't I like? Gucci Mane and Fabolous don't deserve a spots on this list.

Gucci Mane got lucky this year, he was featured on a couple songs that recieved a lot of radio play(Mariah Carey's "Obsessed" and Trey Songz's "LOL :-)") and he put out one single that just recently started getting play ("Wasted"). But I've yet to hear him spit a single verse that impressed me. As far as I'm concered he is just a less talented Soulja Boy, and lets be honest Soulja Boy doesnt have much when it comes to musical talent.

Fabolous isn't the worst, in fact I really enjoy his latest single "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere" but there is something about him that just annoys the crap out of me. All he did this year was annoy radio listeners with "Throw it in the Bag" and release a concept album based on the 1993 crime drama Carlito's Way. I don't think a average rapper having a decent year merits the honor of being called 2009's 8th hottest MC.

Who should be on instead? Well first and foremost Emienem. Seem incredibly obvious to me. Within the last year the man has returned from hiatus, released the highly succesful Relapse, was called out on Mariah Carey's Obsessed and precided to destroy her on a single called "The Warning, KILLED on Drake's "Forever" and had a cameo in Judd Apatow's Funny People. If that's not enough to to get you on to the top ten list than I don't think anyone should on the list.

I'd also put Kid Cudi on the list. I don't really care too much for his music but he's had a good year. New album came out. His first single "Day 'N' Nite" has been constantly playing on radio stations for the better part of the year and his brilliant "Make Her Say" feat. Common and Kanye West has just started making its rounds. All that plus two magazine covers, his own custom Bape T-Shirt and solid rhyming skills.

Other than I'm pretty happy. I would probably move a couple around but for the most part the list is fairly accurate.

Any opinions?

Source: MTV

I do it for hip-hop

I love hip-hop. I think that the poetry that raps write and perform is incredible. I love all kinds of hip-hop too. I like politically minded alternative rap like Mos Def and MF Doom, and I like radio rappers like Soulja Boy and Lil John. There is something I can really respect though about rappers who use their unique skillsets to change people lives and influce people in positive ways. Music has the ability to really affect people and I feel like a lot of musicians don't take advantage of that ability. Especially in hip hop. There are some though. The Roots for example take full advantage of the gift they have in making music. They rap about the struggles that people face and the terrible situations that people have to face everyday. Like the song "Return to Innocanse Lost."

"She'd already lost...three. Uterus-bruised, shredded, and weak from being daily beat. And Friday nights were the worse and...daddy never came with flowers, instead he spent hours at some corner spot with some bar pop named Cookie"

Songs like this are so different than what we are bombarded with on the radio. The radio is plagued with artists like Lil Wayne and Ludacris. Whose music sounds good...but lyrically is garbage. It's a shame too. The content in these songs gives hip-hop such a terrible name. It demeans women, and promotes violence and greed. Writing about it makes me feel like Bill O'Reilly...which is something I never want to feel like. But it's real. And it sucks. I like Ludacris. A lot. But man...he is the worse! He came out with an album called "Chicken and Beer." Look at that album cover. Here's some lyrics from the album's single "Stand Up."

"Watch out for the medallion my diamonds are wreckless, feels like a midget is hanging from my neckless. I pulled up wit a million trucks looking, smelling, feeling like a million bucks-ahh! Pass the bottles, the heat is on, we in the huddle all smoking that Cheech and Chong! What's wrong?! The club and moon is full and I'm lookin for a THICK young lady to pull one sure shot way to get em outta them pants."

It sucks. But I still enjoy it. Which sucks even more.