Some of my initial thoughts after reading through (well, skimming, really) MTV's annual list of who they believe to be the hottest emcees in the game (I won't publish the list on the site out of respect to the authors, but you can read the list yourself by clicking here):
- Meek Mill? Seriously? And ranked just below Jay-Z?
- Jay-Z is probably the same age as all of the rest of the artists on the list combined. And yet I'll still always buy his shit. That's what being a stan is all about.
- Three out of ten slots are reserved for members of the Maybach Music Group. That seems to be about twelve too many.
- Three out of ten slots are also reserved for members of Young Money. Conveniently enough, the options provided only run the gamut of Young Money artists who can actually be chosen out of a lineup. (Gudda Gudda whaaa?)
- Wiz Khalifa seems to be the odd man out. Wait, that sentence makes no sense: every fucking artist on the list is the odd man out. Can you imagine 1994 reading this list? 1994 would slit its own throat just to stop the pain. Possibly because Jay-Z is outranked by Nicki fucking Minaj. "Dead Presidents" Hova would have none of that shit.
- At first I was puzzled by Kanye West placing higher than Jay-Z on the list, but then I realized "that shit cray" is a much more contagious catchphrase than "ball so hard".
- Apparently Big Sean and Meek Mill have better, more loyal fans than the likes of J. Cole. And yet Cole is the guy with a number one album under his belt.
- Kind of shocked Mac Miller isn't on this list. Maybe MTV has a system of checks and balances after all.
- Why is Lil' Wayne still a thing?
- It sure would have been nice if Wale was on here because of his mixtape hustle and his debut album Attention Deficit, as opposed to seeing the guy who appears to have sold his soul to the devil for a steady fanbase. In this metaphor, the devil is Rick Ross's beard, and the 'Maybach' in Maybach Music Group is represented by a three-legged unicorn that votes Libertarian, lives for Jeff Dunham specials on Comedy Central, and shits minty-fresh toothpaste because this metaphor makes no sense.
- I have a feeling that Nicki's sophomore project, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, will bomb. This is not schadenfreude: I honestly don't think that she will be able to maintain her crossover appeal, since hip hop isn't as forgiving as the world of pop music when it comes to blatant weirdness. I'd refer to her as hip hop's Lady Gaga had Kanye not claimed that title already.
- Can't wait for Meek Mill to not drop an album in 2012.
- I have no comment about Officer Ricky claiming the top spot. This is MTV. When was the last time they were ever in touch with the pulse of hip hop?
-Max
Real hip hop heads know not to trust MTV, BET, VH-1 or any other station that only has numbers and letters in it. This list is the worst piece of shit I have read in years. Some of the people on it, I have never even heard a song from them. Since I don't listen to the radio, who the fuck is Meek Mills?
ReplyDeletei have a great idea for your next post - "Max's very fucking delayed reaction to Fear of a Black Planet"
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen. Although not quite for the reason you may think.
DeleteWhat is the reason? I don't rate public enemy either Max but I'd like to hear your thoughts on some of their stuff.
DeleteNicki Minaj is a complete myth. Yes, praise (a bit) is due for being a successful female in a genre that's, at times, misogynist. But her cack-handed stabs at credibility are see-through to all but the most vapid and dull-witted of onlookers.
ReplyDeleteAfter several bombardments of irrelevant drivel her verse on Kanye's 'Monster' apparently announced her as a serious commodity. Having more rap time than everyone else gave her more of an opportunity but almost certainly didn't corroborate this. You expect the last rapper on a song like that, given that time, to blow you away. But nay. Perhaps one crucial thing has been forgotten: Adopting a silly voice is not, and will never be, a rap technique. It puts Nicki at the same level at the many saliva-salvoing amateurs who believe beatboxing can be done by anyone, as rap (and its relatives by extension) can be done by all; it's merely talking, right?
Her quirkiness - and I use that word in the cold, calculated, character-free, sense - is also a non-starter. Her approach to hip-hop is that of a starry-eyed child, borrowing liberally from Lady Gaga, her Young Money contemporaries and, incredibly, taking the concept of a second persona when her first hasn't even been sorted out. I know she's a genius and everything, but seeing someone called Roman Polanski on the news and mishearing the second name doesn't strike me as brilliant. Rappers aren't known for their well-thought out alter egos, but it's not exactly Slim Shady, is it?
And the rest are shit, too.
*applauds*
DeleteI can't imagine anyone who actually listens to hip-hop giving even a hundredth of a fuck about MTV's thoughts on our genre. Good post though.
ReplyDeleteThe only MTV's hottest MCs list I ever took into consideration was the one for 2009. They just make wack lists. And I don't know why, because you would expect the panel of judges they have to know their hip-hop. But what bothers me the most is that they don't even stick to their own criteria so their credibility flows out the window with that.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think about the actual panel of judges until right now. Isn't Sway on that panel? One would think that he would have a bit more influence, having hosted one of the best hip hop radio shows in our genre's history and all.
DeleteIt depends how they define "hottest". If they just mean "sells the most records" then the list is probably right - even if most of the people on it are awful.
ReplyDeleteI actually included that rationale in the original version of this post, but I deleted it because I figured all two of the readers would have assumed that from the jump.
DeleteI didn't even know who was on that list until I saw this in my feed.
ReplyDeleteMeek Mill???
Besides the above mentioned carrier, and his "Boss" as well, at least the rest of them can rap(though Nicki would rather act it seems).
I won't even mention the Network responsible for this. Being that they wouldn't even air black artist music videos upon inception.
who the fuck are half these rappers?
ReplyDeleteLol! "Why is Lil' Wayne still a thing?" Killed me, Max
ReplyDeleteYou act like Ross wasn't killing shit last year, by himself and MMG
ReplyDelete"Killing shit" = "selling records", not "killing shit" = "actually sounding good at this rap shit".
DeleteNice to see that I'm not alone in thinking of Jeff Dunham as a ponce.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Max's list of the 'hottest MCs in the game right now'.
ReplyDeleteA few rappers who in my humble opinion should have been on the list, although I actually prefer that they were not on the list, since it has never had any fucking credibility.
ReplyDelete1. A$AP Rocky
2.Danny Brown
3.BIG K.R.I.T.
4.Freddie Gibbs
5.Tyler the Creator
6.SpaceghostPurrp
7.Pusha T
Cant wait for A$AP and Danny Brown to release
debuts, and the Gibbs Madlib collab Thuggin has
got my mouth watering already. KRIT like a young
Pimp C, on the mic and behind the boards. Purrp
Is doing what the 3-6 Mafia havent been able to do for over
15 years.
While A$AP has a great ear for beats his lyricism is pretty bottom shelf and I think that disqualifies him from the list. Tyler, while having an impressive start to last year with Yonkers, could follow through with the album. As far as Pusha, same problem as Tyler execpt his hot songs were his verses on My beautiful dark twisted fantasy. Were you really that impressed with either Fear of God? To me nothing on them came close to what he spat on Hell hath or ever Casket.
DeleteDanny, Gibbs and KRIT I agree with and I would add Mr. eXquire to the list.
3-6 mafia had some tracks back in the day give credit where its due. Check out Project Pat's albums Ghetty Green and Mista Don't Play. Fucking classics. But other than that sweet list the only thing I'd change is Danny Brown on top and a bit higher ranking for Pusha T Fear of God was doper than most of the shit released last year
DeleteIt's all about making those hit's. Rapper's need to have those banging track's. Can't go wrong when you make hit's. Now that's REAL
ReplyDeleteI honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. Good work.
Deletelol @ Max
DeleteDom - Golf claps
ReplyDeleteMax - Why is Lil Wayne still a thing? HAHAHAHA!
It's getting more and more difficult to try to turn people onto good hiphop when the majority of my demographic in college actually thinks this list has some sort of credibility.
Hey Max, interested to hear your opinion on the newer gangrene (alchemist and Oh No) project, vodka and ayuhuasca.
I agree with you there max, j cole should be in there, mainly because he can actually rap really well, lost ones is one of the best lyrical performances of the year (not saying much)
ReplyDelete