After "The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time,""The Greatest MCs ofAll Time" and "The Greatest Hip-Hop Groups Of All Time," the MTV News hip-hop brain trust - hate 'em or love 'em - went back to the infamous round table and decided upon another list. Yes, the same type of list that our pick for the #1 MC of all time, Jay-Z, told you not to get mad at him about in Beyoncé's "Deja Vu"! This time is way different from the previous adventures: Rather than analyzing the "Greatest of All Time," we decided to break down what's going on today - as in not now, but right now! We looked at the work of the most prominent MCs of the past year or so and factored in the following: straight-up skills, success (both musical and entrepreneurial), impact on the game and - new to our decision-making - swagger: an MC's cool factor and how they carry themselves on and off recordings.
Just like every other time, prior to convening, all nine brain trustees came up with their own lists, choosing who they felt were the MCs keeping things steamy these days. Once all nine lists were in, we mathematically tallied a master list. Each rapper got 10 points for every time they were ranked #1, nine points for #2 and so forth. Once that was accomplished, we sat down at the table and fought it out. Some people who were originally on the master list were taken off and replaced with MCs from outside the mathematical top 10; others rose or fell within the top 10. It was crazy!
Well, here we go again. Starting with #10, you'll get an MC a day Monday through Friday this week - and then we'll roll out 1 through 5 when "Hottest MCs in the Game" airs on MTV2 on Sunday.
The Dipset capo may not have raw skills like some of the other MCs on this list, but what he lacks in a traditional category like lyrical ability, he more than compensates with his overall passion and swagger for the game. Jimmy has come a long way from being Cam'ron's hypeman back in the day. Single-handedly, he launched the whole rock-star-in-the-'hood movement: From his skull-and-bones look down to his chained wallet, Jones has more clones on the block than an old zombie flick.
But it ain't just Jones' True Religion jeans that helped him make the cut. Check last year's Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) and you'll find more than enough proof that Jimmy has fully come into his own as one of the top voices of the streets. From a vulnerable joint like "Emotionless" to the full-on rumble of "Reppin' Time," he's expanding his subject matter and developing more than ever as an artist.
But the main reason why he's hot shouldn't be much of a surprise, and it comes down to one word: "Baaaaallin'!" Jones' "We Fly High" ad-lib and the hoop-shot dance from the video became an unlikely pop-culture phenomenon. Just about anywhere you went - from Cali to Coney Island - you heard the song and saw someone doing the dance. Even the New York Giants adopted the move as a ritual after a big play, solidifying Jones' status as a true rap star.
Jimmy returned the love, putting together a Giants remix of the song, which became the first of a ton of remixes he's done in the past year. His phone blew up with calls from DJ Unk, Rich Boy and Game, making him one of the most-requested MCs. The calls kept coming as Jimmy went on tour with Jeezy in the spring, but soon setbacks and tragedy popped up when he went public with his feud with Cam'ron, and his close friend and Byrd Gang member Stack Bundles was murdered in June. With another close friend home from prison in Max B. and a Byrd Gang album on the way, hopefully things will improve for Jones.
Co-Signer: T.I.
"Jim got his swag together this year. He really popped himself off. He's [a hustler] like Jeezy - when people first started hearing about Jeezy, it wasn't for rapping. I think Jim gets the same ... that goes with street cred. Street cred and swagger. That's why I feel he should be high up on the list. I mean, he had a hit record: A no-brainer, an unadulterated hit record, not just something that some people liked and it got drilled into your head so much you got forced to like it. You gotta give credit when credit is due."
Blistering Ballistics
"The young and the restless live life reckless (Harlem!)/ House money on the necklace, the pigs want him arrested/ 'Cause I'm obsessed with the guns and the vests (I love them)/ 'Cause when you getting cake, the candles come with a death wish/ The rock star living (What else?), the hot cars and women (Lavish life)/ Let God forgive him, hope the cop cars don't get 'em (Squalie!)/ This is for them n---as that, at the club throwing stacks (Baalllin'!)/ It's 'Star Wars,' they threw two, I threw four back/ And I'm back, it's Mr. New York City/ My hat to the back, I stay flyer than a Frisbee" ("Reppin' Time")
Hot Streak
Album: Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) (2006)
Selected Mixtapes
Jim Jones Presents: M.O.B. (Members of Byrdgang), DJ Drama & Jim Jones: The Seven Day Theory
Singles
"We Fly High," "Emotionless"
Street Bangers
"We Fly High" remix (featuring Diddy, T.I., Juelz Santana, Birdman and Young Dro); "We Fly High" beef mix with Jay-Z verse (featuring Juelz Santana); "Reppin' Time"; "Weatherman" (featuring Lil Wayne and Stack Bundles)
Key Guest Appearances
DJ Unk's "Walk It Out" and "2 Step" remixes, Rich Boy's "Throw Some D's" remix, Shop Boyz's "Party Like a Rockstar" remix, Game's "It's Okay (One Blood)" remix, Lil' Flip's "I Get Money," Pitbull's "Sticky Icky"
Business Ventures
Launching Nostic Apparel clothing line, CEO of Byrdgang record label, co-CEO of Diplomats Records, co-CEO of Sizzurp liquor, director of A&R for Warner Music Group.
Tours
Young Jeezy's I Am the Street Dream tour (spring 2007)
#10-- Jim Jones
#9-- Common
#8-- 50 Cent
#7-- Jay-Z
#6-- Young Jeezy
#5-- Kanye West
#4-- Andre 3000
#3-- The Game
#2-- T.I.
#1-- Lil Wayne
http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2007/hottest/index15.jhtml
Honorable Mentions:
Nas
First off, we'll say that lyrically, Nas still has the strength and forethought of a king, the insight of a scholar and the respect of a veteran. He set off one of the most provocative debates in the past few years by declaring hip-hop dead. Whether you are like some, such as Young Jeezy and T.I. (just listen to T.I. vs T.I.P.), who strongly disagreed, or others like the Game who stood by him and his declaration, Esco got the hip-hop community talking and reflecting. Hip Hop Is Dead showed that age and a label change have not rusted him at all: His mic is deadly. What might have prevented Nas from making the top 10 in the minds of some brain trust members was that his overall presence has died down considerably in the past few months. Records that the fans were screaming for, like "Black Republican" and "Hustlers," were never pushed with a single or a video. After only two singles, the album's promotion basically ceased. Nas has been keeping busy recording his next opus, as well as selling out shows on a one-man tour of clubs and theater-size venues. He's on the Rock the Bells summer tour too.
Ludacris
What kept 'Cris from two-stepping onto the top 10 list is that he's too damn talented! He makes it look easy, and some of the brain trust members might've taken him for granted. He's been one of the most consistently dope artists since he debuted five albums ago - inventing flows, levying one-liners and, more importantly, building a deep catalog and selling albums. His most recent effort, 2006's Release Therapy, was no different. The album went platinum and had a #1 single with "Money Maker," and Ludacris won his first two Grammys for his efforts. But he has slowed down since performing the smash "Runaway Love" with Mary J. Blige at the Grammy Awards in February. The single and video for "Slap" were seemingly pulled back after getting spins, and other potentially big singles, like "Girls Gone Wild," were never released.
Fabolous
"Make Me Better" is definitely one of the biggest hip-hop records of the year - a few more of those and Fab could have been among the top 10. He's just starting to get his guest-appearance game up with cameos alongside people like Mario, and his "Baby Don't Go" is a sure shot once his current single dies out. Fab does have to lose his cool a little more often during his live performances though - he's too swagger-heavy sometimes.
Yung Joc
Joc is heating up! Guest spots on T-Pain's "Buy You a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" and Lloyd's "Get It Shawty" had his name buzzing last spring. A new single, "Play Your Cards," has just been released, and "Coffee Shop" is doing well - although it's no "It's Goin' Down." But look for Joc - who has slimmed down by at least 50 pounds - to start igniting more interest with his stint on the Screamfest tour, as well as singles from Hustlenomics. He has them hooks!
Chamillionaire
The melodic flow isn't original, but ohhhh, is it on point. Cham is one of the hardest workers in the game right now: His fanbase has grown from his Houston hometown to the world. "Ridin' " rode right out of 2006 and made its way onto an episode of "The Sopranos." How trill is that? Koopa is about to drop his next album, Ultimate Victory, in the next few months, and the video for the first single, "Hip-Hop Police," is a definite winner.
Pusha T
Absolutely no disrespect to his older brother and Clipse-mate Malice the Patty Cake Man, but we could only choose one artist per slot! Clipse are one of our favorite groups for sure, but we leaned in favorof the Pushaman. He's more visible, jumps on more guest spots and, let's face it, he keeps a mean 16 handy, like on "Jokes on You": "My brother my partner for real like Wayans ... Diamonds the size of Robin Harris' eyes/ I BeBe Kids my neck." The lethally raw Hell Hath No Fury still gets played in our MP3 players (though never getting a video for "Trill" was heartbreaking). Stop sleeping!
Rick Ross
Unfortunately for Ross, he simply got caught in between albums: It's been too long since he dropped Port of Miami but way too soon to factor in his upcoming Trilla. (Only one or two of the brain trust members have heard material from the new album.) Anyway, let's not digress. Rawwwwse is still sick with the wordplay - just listen to his recent appearances on Rick Ross' "Feds Takin' Pictures," and DJ Khaled's "We Takin' Over" and "Brown Paper Bag."
Fat Joe
Appearances on "We Takin' Over," "Brown Paper Bag" and the unofficial remix to Musiq Soulchild's "B.U.D.D.Y." have helped maintain Joe's hip-hop VIP card over the past few months, but he hasn't erupted with his own smash since his "Make It Rain" and its remix clapped fans at the top of the year. But hey, even "Crillzmania" can take a chill pill every once in a while.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop is eternally hot, one of the biggest legends that's still doing hard work these days. "That's That Sh--" and Akon's "I Wanna F---You," on which Snoop was featured, crushed the game months ago, and as soon as R. Kelly stops messing with the "Same Girl" as T-Pain and Usher, the Pied Piper might as well release the Doggfather-featured "Double Up" as a single. It's a smash. But that's Snoop's MO, isn't it? A Dogg hit record is always right around the corner.
Bun B
Bun is always going to be a sentimental favorite among the brain trust members. He's a legend, a pillar of pride and respect, and half of UGK, the 10th Greatest Hip-Hop Group of All Time. Still, you know you can't front - he wrecked the show on UGK's "Int'l Players Anthem," and his assortment of guest appearances on the underground circuit over the past year has shown he can still stomp out a beat.
Rich Boy
"Good Things" is instant summer-heat rock, and "Throw Some D's" was definitely one of the biggest records of 2007. The Alabama native officially put his state on the hip-hop map while vying for rookie of the year. He's still coming into his own as an artist, but you know that as long as he has one of the hottest producers in the game right now - Polow Da Don - championing him and hitting him off with tracks, we haven't heard the last of him.
Swizz Beatz
Swizzy! The legendary producer - who earned the nickname "The Monster" by scoring Godzilla-size hits for everyone from Eve to Busta Rhymes to Jay-Z to Beyoncé - has stepped up to the mic. OK, before you accuse us of blasphemy for labeling Swizz an MC, we're not - even he doesn't consider himself to be an MC. But you can't deny that he entertains like an MC, and with a solo LP on the way, we didn't want to let him slide. This year alone, he's had three of the biggest records in the clubs with "It's Me B---hes," its remix and "Money in the Bank." We all knew his tracks were going to be superb - you can't sleep on his ability to pen hit records. He's also been one of the MCs most requested for guest hooks.
Ghostface Killah
Ironman stood tall with two albums in 2006. He's still struggling with sales unfortunately, but as far as the ingenuity and swagger he brings to the mic go, the Wu-Tang Clansman makes his core audience proud. He's currently on tour with the Wu as part of Rock the Bells.
Juelz Santana
Everywhere is Santana's town. Juelz is the most charismatic member of the Diplomats and, despite the tension in his crew between Cam'ron and Jim Jones, he's been able to stay clear of all beefs while continuing his grind. His swagger has made him iconic with the kids, the ladies love him and even the older fellas are starting to come around. Ayyyyye!
Cassidy
Cass has been heralded as one of the most ferocious new-school MCs, but his rise has been hindered by jail, label friction and a serious car accident. But eventually the elite rise to the top, and Cassidy is heating up crazy right now with a myriad of free**** andthe club banger "Drink N My 2 Step."
Future Shock Four
The future of hip-hop is looking real good. We have a diverse array of potential superstars who are trying to carve out their own special path in the rap world. We feel that someday these guys and lady will make it to the top - it's just a matter of when. They feel that "when" is now and are out to prove it!
1. Papoose - Finally, he's got one! Pap's fans all across the world - yes, he's playing shows in foreign lands quite frequently - are glad that after a few years, he finally has an official single out, and it looks like his debut, The Nacirema Dream, is coming soon. Lyrically, he's as agile as the Flying Graysons on the tightrope. Conceptually, he's so abstract, the fans will have to press "rewind" a few times before they get it all.
2. Plies - "Shawty" is a hit record, but this Florida rapper can do so much more than that. Just research his mixtapes and you'll see that although his name is still growing, his credentials in the streets are A-status. He has a huge presence.
3. Saigon - He's better known by the masses for his appearance on HBO's "Entourage" than for his rhyme skills, but that's OK. Soon everyone will learn. His new single, "Come on Baby," is a no-brainer banger, and by the time the remix with Jay-Z comes out in a few months, he'll already be huge. Sai's main focus is not making you dance, but setting an example for youth and dropping jewels. He's one of the most insightful MCs to come up in a long time.
4. Lil Mama - You could read "superstar" all over her adorable face as soon as it popped up in her video for "Lip Gloss." Not a bad first song - she won hearts, got a lot of accolades in the press and is about to release one of the most anticipated LPs from any newcomer. Mama has an ace up her sleeve too: Besides the commanding personality, swift dance skills and ear catching hooks, she can sing. Look out!
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