MTV News |
- Jay-Z Is The Hottest MC In The Game!
- Lil Wayne Rocks The Hottest MCs In The Game At #2!
- Drake Soars Into The Hottest MCs In The Game At #3
- Kanye West Is The #4 Hottest MC In The Game!
- Willie The Kid Concentrates On Lyrics In <i>The Fly</i>
- Lauren Conrad Wishes 'The Hills' Success Without Her
- Lady Gaga, Madonna Catfight, <i>Almost</i> Kiss On 'Saturday Night Live'
- 50 Cent Unites NYC Hip-Hop At ThisIs50 Festival
| Jay-Z Is The Hottest MC In The Game! Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:02 AM PDT Hov's new music, business acumen and vast influence lift him above all others in 2009.
The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is now complete! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considered buzz, impact, commercial success -- sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers -- and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors -- and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and got a vote at the Round Table during the Brain Trust's debate -- contributed to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. All this week, we'll be rolling out reactions from artists, DJs, the MCs themselves -- and you! Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Flame Thrower: Jay-Z 2009 Rank: #1 Why He's Hot: He's had the most acclaimed career in rap history. But even with all that lore, all that respect, all that prestige and all that money, Jay-Z continues to add luster to his legacy with time-transcending music, multiple successful business ventures and his dominant influence over the game.
MTV News' Greatest MC of All Time is 2009's Hottest MC in the Game. Hov isn't just an elite MC that pushes the culture, the Brooklyn native is the standard-bearer, the leader, a source of inspiration and aspirations — Hov's the guy we all look to see how far hip-hop can go. And what a ride Shawn Carter has taken us on this year, from Presidential inaugural balls back his Brooklyn 'hood (where he was accompanied by Oprah Winfrey) ,and he even found time to take us to the world's most famous arena — Madison Square Garden — for a charity concert featuring historic gathering of musical guests. He also surpassed Elvis Presley to become the solo act with the most #1 albums in Billboard history with 11.
Being authentic with your raps and having credibility is as precious as legal tender in hip-hop. Jay is money in the bank. Lyrically he says what no other truth-speaking MC can; his experiences are that great and unique. No wonder his swagga is never at less than level 10. "Meanwhile, I had Oprah chillin' in the projects," he raps on "On to the Next One," from his highly touted latest LP, Blueprint 3."Had her out in Bed-Stuy, chillin' on the steps/ Drinkin' quarter waters, gotta be the best/ MJ [Michael Jackson] at Summer Jam, Obama on the text/ Y'all should be afraid of what I'm gon' do next." On "Already Home," he separates himself from the pack again. "I'm in the Hall [of fame] already, on the wall already/ I'm a work of art, I'm a Warhol already/ On another level, on another plane already/ H-O-V, I got my own lane already/ I done cooked up the rock already/ So why the f--- can't ya'll get hot already/ Put your name in the pot already, n---as compare me to Biggie and Pac already." Blueprint 3 is another Hov tour de force -- and it destroys the myth that there's an age limit on being a dope MC. At 39 years old, Jay is arguably still better than anybody on the mic today, rhyming with precision and grace. He throws buzzsaws right from the gate on the intro "What We Talking About," where he raps about what he deems to be nonsense, like dwelling on rap beef. "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"was this year's ultimate statement record, with General Jay once again rallying the troops in rap to be more forward-thinking, not follow trends and be more original. Producer No I.D.'s bassline and now-signature guitar licks were almost as brutal as the Jiggaman's honesty. And the rhymes were so hardcore yet provocative that the record, which came out in June, caused immediate controversy that is still being debated months later. "D.O.A." fostered conversation with the entire hip-hop community, and if you notice, the usage of Auto-Tune by singers and rappers has slowed down. B3 could have been another Blueprint part one, but Jay prides himself on evolving both sonically and lyrically. The album is a reflection of Jay's world right now: "Off That," with its Euro/ techno feel, vanquishes current trends and looks toward the future, while "Empire State of Mind" -- performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards -- is a Bentley cruise down memory lane, where he and Alicia Keys sing a love song to their hometown. The promo campaign surrounding Blueprint 3 has been unprecedented, even for Jay-Z. He's done interviews with just about every media outlet — from Funkmaster Flex to Oprah Winfrey (and really, who else could get Oprah to walk through the projects in Brooklyn with a bright smile?) from "Le Grand Journal" in France to "TVTotal" in Germany. In between, he's toured and made high-profile TV appearances on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and his historic 9/11 charity concert at Madison Square Garden, which featured Beyoncé, Diddy, Rihanna, Kanye West and others, and raised money for the families of police and firefighters killed in the 2001 terrorist attacks. It all worked. Jay's LP -- which was released three days early due to being leaked -- debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart, selling close to a half million copies in its first week, and held down the top spot in its second week, moving another 200,000 copies. Meanwhile both "Run This Town" and "Empire State of Mind" are both top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles. Jay-Z is also the epitome of an entertainment mogul. His Roc Nation company doesn't just put out records, it also has a music-publishing division and markets and manages artists such as up-and-coming rapper Wale. He owns or co-owns a successful clothing line (Rocawear), a basketball team (the New Jersey Nets), a nightclub (the 40/40 Club), a restaurant and much more. Add to that, he was the #1 Hip-Hop Cash King on Forbes magazine's annual list, having earned an estimated $35 million -- down a reported 57 percent from last year! Hov is the Hottest MC right now not just because of his talent -- he tells everyone the sky is the limit and proves it time and time again. Co-Signer: Mary J. Blige "My favorite MC right now: Jay-Z. Forever more it will be Jay-Z. Jay-Z's raised all these kids: the Drakes, the Lil Waynes. I love and respect them because they respect him for giving that gift. Jay-Z is definitely at the top of my list. That's why we love him, he keeps going and elevating and blessing the new generation. You can't lose like that." Ignitable Incitement: "All my music and emotions is based off real truth," Jay said recently. "I believe that's why I'm here and still competing for VMA nominations and Grammys every year. [Eleven] #1 albums in a row -- that's not something you can doctor. I can make the greatest marketing plan in the world ... but I can't make that happen unless that's some truth under there." Blistering Ballistics: "A hundred million to the good and I'm still talkin' yayo/ At a snail's pace I won this race that y'all trail/ Uh, uh, Blueprint's for sale/ Followin' my footprints, you can't fail/ Set sail, I used to duck shots but now I eat quail/ I'll probably never see jail/ Each tale contains more of the truth/ Of the statue allows me to go into detail/ Uh, close your eyes you can smell/ Hov's the audio equivalent of Braille/ That's why they feel me in the favelas in Brazil/ And Waterhouse, 'cause real recognize real." (from "Real As It Gets") Hot Streak: Album: The Blueprint 3 Selected Mixtapes: N/A Singles: "Run This Town" (featuring Kanye West and Rihanna), "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," "Empire State of Mind" (featuring Alicia Keys), "Swagga Like Us" (with T.I., featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne) Street Bangers: "Brooklyn Go Hard," "On to the Next One," "Off That" (featuring Drake), "Hate" (featuring Kanye West) Key Guest Appearances: Lil Wayne's "Mr. Carter," Young Jeezy's "My President" remix, Fabolous' "Money Goes, Honey Stay," DJ Khaled's "Go Hard" remix (also featuring T-Pain), Coldplay's "Lost+." Meteoric Metrics: 11: the number of Billboard #1 albums Jay-Z has had during his career -- more than Elvis Presley, second only to the Beatles Business Ventures: Roc Nation label/ management/ music publishing (including Young Chris, Wale and J. Cole), Rocawear clothing line, owner of 40/40 Club in New York, co-owner of Spotted Pig restaurant, partial owner of Carol's Daughter beauty line, partial of owner of New Jersey Nets, endorsement deal with Hewlett Packard. Tours: Summer dates with Ciara, Lupe Fiasco and Fabolous; 9/11 charity show at Madison Square Garden (with guests Diddy, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, John Mayer and others); six-week tour with N.E.R.D., Wale and J. Cole begins October 9 Monumental Moment: Performing at President Obama's Inaugural Ball, which once again proved hip-hop has no boundaries Forecast: While it seems hard to imagine what more Jay could accomplish in his career, he's already working on his next album, which he said will be his most experimental to date and is "not gonna be a #1 album" (we'll see about that). Meanwhile, we're looking for talent under Jay's wing -- such as Wale, J. Cole and Young Chris -- to blossom. What do you think of Jay-Z's placement on the Hottest MCs in the Game list? Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lil Wayne Rocks The Hottest MCs In The Game At #2! Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:02 AM PDT Huge sales, huge tours, huge label take Weezy to 'A Milli' and beyond!
The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is now complete! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considered buzz, impact, commercial success -- sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers -- and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors -- and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and got a vote at the Round Table during the Brain Trust's debate -- contributed to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. All this week, we'll be rolling out reactions from artists, DJs, the MCs themselves -- and you! Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Flame Thrower: Lil Wayne 2009 Rank: #2 Previous rankings: 2007 (#1); 2008 (#3) Why He's Hot:
Why He's Hot: 2007's Hottest MC in the Game, Lil Wayne, has been in the top three of the Hottest MCs list three years running on account of his consistently powerful skills on the mic and perennially enormous impact. Even without an album release in 2009, Weezy's rep and influence continued to grow, owing to his status as rap's most active and lucrative touring act, the rise of his Young Money crew of newcomers, and his armor-piercing punchlines on guest appearances. Just one example of his lyrical marksmanship can be found in Jadakiss' "Death Wish": "I'm from the mecca of the reckless/ With a record-breaking debt list/ The wreckers and neglectors think the election won't affect us," Wayne raps about his hometown of New Orleans. "I'm knockin' n---as down this year, I'm on my timber sh--/ Big lion growl at you n---as/ On that Simba sh--." Over the past year, the big lion tore up the road for nearly 80 dates on his "I Am Music" and "Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival" tours, which banked slightly over $42 million -- a record for a hip-hop act, according to Pollstar. Wayne's show was must-see as he exploded onstage with spectacles such as a live band whose members were suspended in the air, sexy dancers, his guitar (heh heh!) and his most important weapon, his charisma. With his swinging dreads, tattooed body and insurgent attitude, Weezy's stage command was practically a religious experience for fans as he infused rock, pop and all his hip-hop blockbusters into his live set.
As boundless as his raps and live performances were, so was Wayne's media omnipresence. The New Orleans native's appeal proved universal as he snagged the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for his still-unreleased new Rebirth LP, analyzed sports for ESPN and wooed CBS News' Katie Couric and the ladies of "The View." Weezy's other big move in 2009 was ushering in others. Wayne may not look like the traditional buttoned-up CEO, but his business acumen proved potent as he helped introduce music's rookie of the year, Drake. Drizzy's So Far Gone mixtape (released in February) became so popular that virtually every major label tried to sign him. It was Wayne and his Young Money label that won out, and for good reason: Weezy's star-powered co-sign has served as a major catalyst for Drake-mania, with the newcomer already being tapped by fans and media to be a rap phenom before he's dropped a full album. While other members of Young Money, such as female standout Nicki Minaj, have shown tremendous personality and presence on the mic, the Drake/ Wayne tag team on freestyles and singles such as "Ignant Sh--" "Every Girl," "Successful" and the all-star team-up of "Forever" (also featuring Kanye West and Eminem) has been lyrically exhilarating, carpeted with ferocious quotables. The prolific duo has planted the flag for Young Money's takeover. Wayne's trusted stamp of quality has even given his career-long recording home, Cash Money Records (of which Young Money is an offshoot), an added rejuvenation. Veteran the Birdman has featured his stepson Weezy on two concrete hits: "Always Strapped" and the current "Money To Blow." Meanwhile, newcomers Jay Sean and Kevin Rudolf have been able to ride the Wayne bandwagon to the top of the charts with the Weezy-guested hits "Down" and "Let It Rock," respectively. Wayne's ballyhooed guest spots didn't slow or stay contained to his musical family. He terrorized rough hip-hop tracks for the likes of Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Jadakiss and Fabolous -- not to mention his spot in T.I.'s all-star track "Swagga Like Us," also featuring Kanye West and Jay-Z -- while even Madonna placed a call to Wayne to add some New Orleans spice to her greatest-hits LP. Wayne is still music's number-one go-to guy because his versatile flow, coarse voice and swagger blend with a surprisingly diverse range of musical styles -- and when it comes to wordplay, Wayne's abstract thinking remains on another planet, keeping his innovative bars above his peer group. (Who else in rap would compare the seats of a car to a human posterior, as he did on Ross' "Maybach Music 2"?) Although Weezy F. is currently spreading the love to others, we can't forget that his most major singular accomplishment from last year added to his heat inn '09. Tha Carter III was the biggest-selling album of 2008 and obviously was a huge reason why so many fans came to Wayne concerts in 2009. The album also took home a Grammy for Best Rap Album in February. While the long-promised Rebirth LP remains on ice, Weezy's high volume of high-quality work with the entire music industry keeps him on top -- album cycles just don't apply to the Fireman anymore. The Kobe Bryant of rap is not just a marquee artist; Wayne's a leader. You see people like Gucci Mane following his dogged work ethic, living in the studio and churning out song after song. Street MCs such as Young Jeezy have incorporated live bands in their stage repertoire after seeing how seamlessly it worked for Wayne -- and maybe the biggest nod to Weezy is that record company execs are paying close attention to Young Money's moves in a hope to emulate their success. Co-Signer: Diddy "I nod my head to Wayne, I tip my hat to him. I told him at the BET Awards. I said, 'You doing the new generation of Bad Boy. You're doing what we did back in '94, that's really creating a movement. I tip my hat to him, but now I gotta watch him because he's competition. But he's doing his thing. He's gone from artist to label mogul, so you have to give him his respect." Ignitable Incitement: "These people all have the drive that I have, and that's 'never stop working,' " Wayne told MTV News about his Young Money artists. "We never get tired. Soon as I meet somebody that never gets tired: 'Let's do it, and when you ready, let's go!' Let's go, [then] you Young Money. These people right here are that." Blistering Ballistics: "Pardon the swag, but b---h, its Car-tay/ Long bread, I don't eat shortcake/ How come I can't miss a woman like I can't miss court dates?/ Cheese, but she's not in this portrait/ Life's fine, but I do not portray/ And I'mma f--- the world, but this is just foreplay/ Tired of hearing bullsh--, bring on the cow sh--/ Haven't met a smell that's stinkier than our sh--." Hot Streak: Selected Mixtape: Dedication 3 Singles: "Lollipop," "A Milli," "Mrs. Officer" (featuring Bobby Valentino), "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain), "Prom Queen," "Every Girl" (with Young Money crew), "Bedrock" (with Young Money crew), "Comfortable" (featuring Babyface) Street Bangers: "Mr. Carter," "You Ain't Got Nuthin' " (featuring Fabolous and Juelz Santana), "Let the Beat Build," "Phone Home" Key Guest Appearances: Drake's "Successful" (also featuring Trey Songz), "Uptown" (also featuring Bun B) and "Forever" (also featuring Eminem and Kanye West), Kanye West's "See You in My Nightmares," Birdman's "Money To Blow" (also featuring Drake), Birdman's "Always Strapped," Fabolous' "Salute," Jadakiss' "Death Wish," Keri Hilson's "Turnin' Me On," Rick Ross' "Maybach Music 2" (also featuring Kanye West and T-Pain), T-Pain's "Can't Believe It," Madonna's "Revolver," Chris Brown's "I Can Transform Ya," Mack 10's "So Sharp," T.I. and Jay-Z's "Swagga Like Us" (also featuring Kanye West) Meteoric Metrics (as of October 2): Business Ventures: Young Money Entertainment label (featuring Drake, Nicki Minaj, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Mack Maine, Tyga, T-Streets, Lil' Twist and Lil' Chuckie) Tours: I Am Music Tour (2008 and 2009), Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival (2009) Monumental Moment: Showing that the "Best Rapper Alive" may soon be the best label CEO alive by helping to launch Drake's career and establishing the Young Money camp. Forecast: Too easy! Wayne's poised to close out this year with a humungous bang. He has a mixtape soon and the Young Money and Rebirth albums both slated to drop in December. In 2010, he'll once again be a major contender for the #1 position on this list. What do you think of Lil Wayne's placement on the Hottest MCs in the Game list? Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to Your.MTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drake Soars Into The Hottest MCs In The Game At #3 Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:02 AM PDT So Far Gone brings young MC unprecedented support from hip-hop community.
The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is now complete! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considered buzz, impact, commercial success -- sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers -- and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors -- and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and got a vote at the Round Table during the Brain Trust's debate -- contributed to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. All this week, we'll be rolling out reactions from artists, DJs, the MCs themselves -- and you! Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Flame Thrower: Drake Previous rankings: 2007 (not ranked); 2008 (not ranked) Why He's Hot: Drake proclaims himself to be "the one, twice over/ The new 11." He's definitely one of kind. We haven't seen a single mixtape as universally triumphant as his So Far Gone. We've seen guys turn the street-music hustle into instant 'hood-icon status and get record deals before, like Young Jeezy (who actually got two deals, one with the group Boyz N Da Hood as well as a solo deal), the Diplomats and of course 50 Cent and G-Unit.
This kid Drake, however, is a different type of beast. Technology allowed his tape to spread wider and faster than CDs, and So Far Gone's word-of-mouth buzz made it a must-have download. He toured the country on the strength of the mixtape while songs from SFG flew from underground to radio rotation. His collaboration with Trey Songz, "Successful," hit the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, while "Best I Ever Had" has the heaviest rotation on urban radio this year, according to Mediabase. Then, after circulating for seven months for free, So Far Gone was revamped and re-released through a major label -- and sold nearly 70,000 units in its first week of release last month.
Drake had dropped mixtapes before So Far Gone -- he even stood beside Lil Wayne in the booth for a few tracks on Weezy's Dedication 3 mixtape. But it wasn't until So Far Gone that people really took notice. Drake wasn't a big blip on the map before -- heck, he didn't even make the cut on XXL magazine's coveted Freshman 10 list last year. To be fair, we didn't hear how vastly the 22-year-old's skills had improved until So Far Gone. His swag was up. The boy-next-door image was gone. Drake was cocky -- not obnoxiously so, but I-belong-rapping-alongside-the-best cocky. The So Far Gone stories were new, invigorating, brash and spoken with biting honesty. He rhymed with clarity, focus and a certain drollness, but with solid punchlines to go along with that wit. Then Drake added a whole new dimension to his skills by singing. The guy will never be mistaken for Stevie Wonder, but he has an obvious feel and talent for melody. Right from the start of So Far Gone, "Houstatlantavegas" is enthralling with its harmonious story telling. The mixtape came out in February and hasn't stopped spreading since. His talent was so apparent and appealing that Drake had major labels offering millions (during a recession) for his services, but Drizzy did what he felt by staying with his home team of Lil Wayne's Young Money label. Wayne and Drake are like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen right now, double-teaming songs such as "Every Girl," "Bedrock," "Money to Blow" and "My Darlin' Baby." As a soloist, Drake's verses are becoming must-haves for artists from the underground such as Nipsey Hussle to the highest of hip-hop's elite, such as Jay-Z and Diddy (Drake already recorded vocals for Puff's 2010 release, Last Train to Paris), not to mention Kanye West, Wayne and Eminem joining him on his own track, "Forever." Everyone in between -- including Songz, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige and Fabolous -- has also made the call for guest rhymes from the Toronto native. Over the summer, Drake suffered a few missteps. There was backlash from some fans because his Kanye West-directed "Best I Ever Had" video, had nothing to do with the song's theme. Then his performance with Weezy at the BET Awards was a miss -- apart from the profanity in "Every Girl," Drake was injured and could barely move on the stage. Speaking of which, his biggest misstep was a literal one: He tore his ACL and could not complete his hotly anticipated stint on the "Young Money Presents: The America's Most Wanted Music Festival." Still, Drake's steam isn't dying down anytime soon, the songs keep coming and get received with open arms. Co-Signer: Lil Wayne "That kid is honestly almost to the respect [level] of talking about one of the greatest," Lil Wayne said. "Like how we talk about Big, he's almost that and he ain't dropped. He don't have an album. Then he's singing -- that takes away from the respect of an artist. So for him to do it and maintain that respect and maintain that popularity, I think that's enough said. But I heard him a long time ago. When I heard him, I said, 'He needs to be in my clique to make me stronger. Let's go!' " Ignitable Incitement: "I feel like I just spent a lot of years so in tune with music that I really love," Drake told MTV News. "Whether it be R&B, whether it be jazz, whether it be rap, whatever. I think So Far Gone was me finding myself as a person and then finding a way to balance all these things that I love and figuring out truly what it is that I'm good at. I think once you find a rhythm or a formula as an artist, it starts to connect with people. You know, people are like, 'OK, he's doing his thing.' That's important to do your thing. You can't be doing what so-and-so is doing or doing something that doesn't fit you. ... The best part about finding that rhythm was just being honest. Honesty, you know, rapping about my life and things that occur on a daily basis. So when I draw inspiration, I really can draw from my life, not go make something up or hear someone else's story. I can just live and then write. And so that really makes my musical process very easy and gratifying. It's been dope." Blistering Ballistics: "Private flights back home/ No stop over, still spitting that sh-- that they shot Pac over/ The sh-- my mother look shocked over/ Yeah, but with a canvas I'm a group of seven/ A migraine, take two Excedrin/ I'm the one, twice over, I'm the new 11/ And if I die I'mma do it repping ... Coolest kid out baby, word to Chuck Inglish/ Count my own money, see the paper cut fingers/ My song is your girlfriend's waking-up ringer/ Heh, or alarm, or whatever/ She be here at six in the morn if I let her ... Make pasta, rent a movie, called hoes over/ Rest in peace to Heath Ledger, but I'm no joker." (from "Ignant Sh--" freestyle) Hot Streak Albums: So Far Gone EP Selected Mixtape: So Far Gone Singles : "Best I Ever Had," "Forever" (featuring Kanye West, Eminem and Lil Wayne), "Successful" (with Trey Songz), "Every Girl" (with Young Money crew) Street Bangers: "Unstoppable" (featuring Santigold and Lil Wayne), "Uptown" (with Bun B and Lil Wayne), "Say What's Real," "Girl You Know" (with Young Money) Key Guest Appearances: Fabolous' "Throw It in the Bag" remix, Mary J. Blige's "The One," Jamie Foxx's "Digital Girl" remix (with Kanye West), Young Jeezy's "I'm Goin' In" (also featuring Kanye West), Jay-Z's "Off That" Meteoric Metrics (as of October 2): MySpace Friends: 451,226 Business Ventures: N/A Tours: So Far Gone tour, partial stint on the "Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Tour" Monumental Moment: Release of So Far Gone Forecast: Drake has consistently proven himself. He could very well be in the #1 spot on the Billboard albums chart next year with his official debut, Thank Me Later, featuring production from Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. Meanwhile, look out for more high-profile cameos ... What do you think of Lil Wayne's placement on the Hottest MCs in the Game list? Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to Your.MTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kanye West Is The #4 Hottest MC In The Game! Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:02 AM PDT 'Ye's 808s & Heartbreak surprised some fans, but its raw emotion is as hip-hop as any mixtape.
The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is now complete! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considered buzz, impact, commercial success -- sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers -- and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors -- and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and got a vote at the Round Table during the Brain Trust's debate -- contributed to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. All this week, we'll be rolling out reactions from artists, DJs, the MCs themselves -- and you! Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to YourMTV.com -- the best videos could be on TV! Flame Thrower: Kanye West 2009 Rank: #4 Previous rankings: 2007 (#4); 2008 (#1) Why He's Hot:
Kanye West is a force larger than hip-hop. He's turned himself into a global megastar, producing and collaborating with the biggest names in the game, influencing art and fashion, discovering and growing new talent, and consistently pushing musical boundaries with his own albums such as 808s & Heartbreak. Of course, 'Ye's occasionally brash behavior -- particularly his interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at last month's Video Music Awards -- sometimes distracts from the genius in his music, but he's always been able to endure because of just how much he elevates hip-hop and pop culture.
Just a few months after being named the #1 Hottest MC in the Game by the MTV News Brain Trust last year, Kanye West pulled a 180 on everyone when he debuted his single "Love Lockdown" at the 2008 VMAs. Kanye singing took a lot of people by surprise, but it was tough to front on the vivacious thump of the beat and the zeal in his performances. With 808s, Yeezy triumphed through heartache and personal tragedy, pouring the emotion into his songs. His breakup with fiancée Alexis Phifer is reflected in "Love Lockdown, " and the sudden death of his mother, Dr. Donda West, in "Coldest Winter." The raw emotion was enthralling on the album's live bonus track (nicknamed "Pinocchio's Story"), where he poured his emotions out. 808s debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart and went platinum in five weeks. The collection might have been too Auto-Tune heavy for some, but there were still plenty of rhymes. And more to the point, 'Ye kept it realer than real on 808s & Heartbreak as he expressed his raw emotion throughout the set -- and that's as hip-hop as any mixtape. That emotion influenced a changing tide in hip-hop that saw the rise of more acts who tended to look inward for their lyrics -- as opposed to more showy, braggodocious rhymes -- and breakthrough Hottest MC Drake cites the Chicago rapper as a main inspiration. 'Ye groomed upstart Kid Cudi, signing him to his G.O.O.D. Music label, and shelled out beats for the project. It's more than beats, rhymes and life when it comes to Yeezy, though. His music inspired a performance-art piece, while his videos continue to set standards conceptually and visually, from the animated brilliance of "Heartless" to the eerie feel of "Paranoid." He expanded his portfolio to include fashion, with the release of two signature sneakers, one through Nike called Air Yeezys. The kicks had people lining up all over the globe, and almost immediately sold out initial shipments. They also became a must have for fans as well as celebrities such as Jay-Z, T.I., Bun B, Drake, Common and Lil Wayne. The others were a high-end luxury brand Louis Vuitton. West also showed that now matter how high he gets as a performer, he's still the illest in the studio when it comes to production. He produced six tracks on Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 and carried on the duo's hot collaboration streak to praise from critics and fans alike, and he also produced tracks for Lil Wayne, T.I. and Cudi. He's also made many high-profile guest appearances over the past few months. You hear how he's swinging for the fence lyrically alongside silver sluggers like Eminem, Lil Wayne and Drake. He stole the show alongside Jay-Z on "Run This Town," and the dangerous duo the Clipse on "Kinda Like a Big Deal." Ye's string of guest appearances have been diverse though: He also laced records for golden-voiced singers such as Keri Hilson, Beyoncé and Jamie Foxx. West also managed to keep victories for his home team with well-received cameos on records by his G.O.O.D. Music family, including Kid Cudi, Common and Consequence -- not to mention the event record of the last year, "Swagga Like Us," the posse cut with T.I., Jay-Z and Weezy. He had the hottest verse on the song as well. When you look at Kanye's position on the Hottest MCs list, he has all the traits that you want for the criteria -- but the most important thing is that he's deadly in the booth. Co-Signer: Drake "Kanye West, much like myself -- I feel like he really knows emotion. Emotion is something you feel. It's very hard to depict or verbalize emotion. Artists, when a painting can make you feel something, it's a phenomenal piece of art. When a song can make you feel something, that's a phenomenal creation. Kanye's verses really resonate with me." Ignitable Incitement: "I was hooping the other day and was like, 'Why do all rappers come at me? 'Cause we were playing 21,'" Kanye said, comparing rap to 'hood hoops. "And I was like, 'Oh, rappers come at me 'cause I got 19.' When you got 19 and you playing 21, everybody rushes for you and you gotta come with extra types of lay-ups and stuff. Basically, I'm playing the game with 19." Blistering Ballistics: "Welcome to the wonderful world of gold-plated Earl/ 'Cause everything I throw up, blow up/ Talking to the girl, she said, 'Know what? Grow up, you nasty'/ I don't understand why they trippin', if you ask me/ Flow is just the nicest, I admit the propane I just spit [will] probably/ Just raise the gas prices/ Everybody in the club/ Try and get as fresh as me/ 'What you on dog?/ Trying to stay recession free?'/ And spit refreshingly, when I rock the stadi-eem" (from "Ego" remix) Hot Streak: Album: 808s & Heartbreaks Selected Mixtapes: N/A Singles: "Love Lockdown," "Heartless," "Amazing" (featuring Young Jeezy), "Paranoid" (featuring Mr. Hudson), "Robocop" Street Bangers: N/A Key Guest Appearances: Jay-Z's "Run This Town" (also featuring Rihanna), Young Jeezy's "Put On," Clipse's "Kinda Like a Big Deal," Keri Hilson's "Knock You Down" (also featuring Ne-Yo), Rick Ross' "Maybach Music 2" (also featuring T-Pain and Lil Wayne), T.I.'s "Swagga Like Us" (also featuring Lil Wayne and Jay-Z), Jay-Z's "Haters," Beyoncé's "Ego" remix, Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" (also featuring Common), Drake's "Forever" (also featuring Eminem and Lil Wayne), John Legend's "It's Over," Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" remix Meteoric Metrics: Cost of Louis Vuitton Dons: $695.00 (low end) Cost of Air Yeezys: $215.00 Business Ventures: G.O.O.D. Music label (featuring Kid Cudi, Common, Consequence, and Really Doe), Nike sneakers line ("Air Yeezys"), Louis Vuitton sneaker line ("Louis Vuitton Dons") Tours: Festival dates last summer, including Chicago, France and Switzerland. Monumental Moment: 808s & Heartbreak and a flawless string of guest appearances reinforced West's status as one of the most tremendously lyrically gifted mic Gods today. Forecast: Kanye West has been catching heat recently for comments some thought were rude, and we've seen that from him before (a few times). Granted, 'Ye has probably felt the biggest backlash of his career in the wake of the VMAs, but he's always been able to transform that adversity into art and win back fans. West is as resilient as he is talented, and we fully expect for his next LP to be the premier album of his life. Yeezy is a strong contender to be the first-ever repeat Hottest MC in 2010. What do you think of Lil Wayne's placement on the Hottest MCs in the Game list? 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| Willie The Kid Concentrates On Lyrics In <i>The Fly</i> Posted: 05 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT DJ Head Dibiase gives us a taste of the newest Gangsta Grillz in Mixtape Daily.
Mixtape Daily. We always told you were fly. Today we're bringing you the latest joint from Willie the Kid where Will literally gets sky high to bring you that flavor ... but onto the next now. The full list of Hottest MCs has been revealed. We're ready for all of your comments, so tell us what you think, who we missed and who should have been higher or lower. Now the conversation really begins. It's all love though. And please, send in your top-10 lists! This Week's Main Pick Holding It Down For: The ATL
Mixtape: Gangsta Grillz: The Fly Real Spit: Willie the Kid took it back home to cook this one up. The A-Town transplant ventured back to Gun Rule a.k.a. Grand Rapids, Michigan, to connect with Head Debiase for The Fly. The two grew up together and wanted to revisit that essence they had when they came up, focusing on the lyrical side of things. "He's been the same fly dude since back then," Debiase said of Willie. "We came up together, but I look up to him a lot 'cause he's a real wise dude, just like his brother. With The Fly we just wanted to put out some good quality street music. That's what we gonna go and that's what we gonna keep doing. A lot of people know Willie from DJ Drama, but this whole tape is based on lyricism ... he's not just about party stuff and the club. That's cool, but he's about hip-hop." Joints to Check For » "Flyin' Over Ya Hood." "I was there when he did that one and I got goose bumps listening to it," Debiase said. "He was writing and I hadn't heard any of the music at that point until I heard that one. I got the chills. Because he's letting you know — we can do lyrics, I'm displaying what I have. 'I could have been a doctor but instead choose to do this.' He's just letting you know. He almost getting his message across like it's a speech." » "Aviation." "When I first heard that one it wasn't really surprising to me, because I've been around him," Debiase explained. "The whole concept of the tape is like another level above what's going on right now, the rapping going on right now. His style is unique and he's a different type of person. The song has a Roots beat ["Act Too (Love of My Life)"] and it doesn't have a lot of bass, so you can hear the lyrics. It was really about that — so the people can hear what he's saying, 'cause a lot of people are about the beats or into stories. There's different chambers of hip-hop, but Willie is definitely into lyrics." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lauren Conrad Wishes 'The Hills' Success Without Her Posted: 05 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT But LC says she won't tune in: 'It's hard to watch it and be entertained when you were involved.'
Lauren Conrad has no hard feelings toward "The Hills." In fact, she wishes the reality show oodles of success even though she's no longer on it. And she doesn't even seem to mind that her ex-bestie-turned-nemesis, Kristin Cavallari, is trying to fill the void left by her departure.
Conrad, who is currently executive-producing a film based on her novel, "L.A. Candy," told MTV News that if not for the show, she wouldn't be able to work on her current projects, which also include a recently launched clothing line for Kohl's. But that doesn't mean she'll be tuning in week after week to watch the drama unfold. "I didn't watch it, no," she said of Tuesday's episode. "I mean, I love Lo [Bosworth], but ... to be honest, I hope it does really well because MTV did so much for me." She went on to say that "The Hills" is just too close to her for her to sit down and watch it objectively. "I always want [MTV and 'The Hills'] to do well, but personally it's hard to watch it and be entertained when you were involved with it for so long," she explained. "Because you're kind of ... all in your head [about what's happening]." Conrad claims she hasn't heard much about the show's latest episode, but it sounds like she has some idea of what Cavallari is up to these days: "I think people are liking it. They got some drama." New episodes of "The Hills" air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Related Photos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lady Gaga, Madonna Catfight, <i>Almost</i> Kiss On 'Saturday Night Live' Posted: 04 Oct 2009 09:27 AM PDT Gaga performs two songs and appears in two skits on show.
Ryan Reynolds may have been the host of "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, but it was Lady Gaga's show, as she performed two songs and appeared in two skits. The most memorable comic segment featured a surprise appearance from Madonna, whose influence on Gaga has been much commented upon (and which Madge said she's "very flattered" by in a recent interview with MTV News.) In the middle of a mock-"MTV 4" show called "Deep House Dish," Kenan Thompson announced, "Performing together for the very first time, Lady Gaga and Madonna!" The two came out in skimpy black leather outfits and matching high black boots, and danced briefly to a tepid electro song before mocking each other: "What's wrong Madonna, can't get into the groove?" to which Madonna replied, "Looks like your wig needs a fix!" A jokey hair-pulling match ensued that ended with Gaga and Madonna pretending to strangle each other. Thompson then forced the pair to sit on the couch and placed himself between them (with the two occasionally reaching across him to slap each other). "Guess what Madonna, I'm totally hotter than you!" Gaga mocked. "Guess what, I'm totally taller than you! What kind of name is Lady Gaga, it sounds like baby food!" "Behave, beetches!" Thompson yelled, then said he wanted them to kiss and make up. The two leaned in to kiss for a tantalizing moment — before Thompson leaned in and they kissed him instead, with Madonna getting surprisingly intimate, straddling his leg as the segment ended. One commercial break later, Gaga hit the stage to perform "Paparazzi" in a rendition less dramatic than its Video Music Awards incarnation but still elaborate: She was clad in a bright-red outfit and feathery headdress that was vaguely shaped like Mickey Mouse ears; she was accompanied by three dancers, a live band and (apparently) backing tracks. The song's demanding synchronized choreography — or the catfight with Madonna just before — caused Gaga to lose her breath mid-song and she never quite got it back. (She did, however, manage to say the song's "Snap, snap to that sh-- on the radio" line loud and clear.) Later in the show, she came back for a performance of "LoveGame" that was much less physically taxing: She stood still at the microphone, wearing a wild gyroscope-ish contraption of several large concentric metal rings that moved while she sang. About halfway through the song — perhaps in reaction to her breathless singing on "Paparazzi" — she abruptly stopped, moved over to a nearby piano and sat down (which took several seconds, considering she was still wearing the contraption) and performed a freeform solo medley of several songs that showed off her often-overlooked vocal chops, including the new track "Bad Romance," "Pokerface" and snippets of several others, many of which had lyrics about New York. Gaga made a final skit appearance in her famous plastic-bubble getup, during which she was soon joined by Andy Samberg wearing the same outfit. They joked about it (as if they'd accidentally worn a normal outfit) before attempting to kiss, but of course the bubbles prevented their mouths from reaching each other. Minutes later, the pair appeared in the traditional credit-roll wave, and bounced off of each other attempting to kiss yet again. Related Photos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 50 Cent Unites NYC Hip-Hop At ThisIs50 Festival Posted: 04 Oct 2009 08:01 AM PDT D-Block, Diplomats join Kid Cudi, Wale and more at G-Unit's festival.
NEW YORK — For fans of New York hip-hop, it was an amazing sight: 50 Cent surrounded by not just the G-Unit, but D-Block, the Diplomats, Red Café, Cory Gunz, Maino and newcomer Trav. What a moment! On Saturday night, Fif held his first ThisIs50 Music Festival on Governors Island (a longtime military base in New York Harbor that is gradually being transformed into a public park), where some of his favorite artists converged on one stage.
"I wanted to make a festival that didn't necessarily have to have an artist [who has a] single in rotation at the time," 50 explained to MTV News at the show. "That doesn't directly reflect good hip-hop. It reflects marketing dollars spent by the major corporations, the companies. Tonight we have everybody that means something to us musically in one spot. When I bring Cory Gunz, Trav, Maino ..." Just then D-Block rolled up. "Check this out, this is impressive: Now we got Jadakiss out here. This is real! Tell me anywhere else you can go where you can see everybody. It represents different portions of hip-hop. You got the Lox, the new young gunners Cory Gunz, Trav, Maino. Jimmy [Jones] and Juelz [Santana] coming. They say New York City, we don't actually get along, that's not true. We could work together and get more money than we can get apart, and they gonna see us do it in the future." Fif's bill also included openers Wale and Kid Cudi, who brought all the hits from their young careers such as "Chillin' " and "Day N' Nite," respectively. Then you had Papoose, Slaughterhouse, the aforementioned Cory Gunz and Trav, then the more established crews — Diplomats, D-Block and G-Unit — closing out. "We mixed it up," Fif said of the set. "We made a set that got all of us rocking. They get to see it properly, so they get to see all of us rocking at different points in the actual sets, not just who got positioned. You know how sometimes you go to the tour and some people's music is louder than others? They fix it. As long as [the audience] leaves saying that everybody that came out to the festival had a good time, it's mission accomplished." The Dips came out with a flurry of their NYC bred hits such as "Gangsta Music" and "Hey Ma." The Unit was next. 50, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo came out to "Crack a Bottle" and Fif threw his leather jacket (probably worth a few thousand dollars) out in the crowd. "Ryder Music" came next, followed by a small piece of "I Get Money." Shortly after Fif rapped his classic line "have a baby by me baby, be a millionaire," the music transitioned to Fif's new single, "Baby by Me." Shortly into that song, Fif instructed DJ Whoo Kid to stop the music. He wasn't getting the reaction he wanted. "Who did you come to see?" he asked. "I know. We in New York City and they don't wanna hear the lovey dovey sh--. You want me to take y'all back? "What Up Gangsta" came next. After "OK, You're Right," Fif turned the stage over to D-Block for a short set. The Yonkers collective rocked the crowd with hardcore tunes such as "Walk Witt Me," "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" and "Who's Real." The Unit came back out with "Ayo Technology" and a sprinkling of other hits before giving Maino some shine with his big hit "Hi Hater" and "All the Above." Red Café and Wyclef Jean also made guest appearances — Clef jumped in the crowd during his performance. "50 Cent represents the struggle of the black man," Jean proclaimed before going into "Sweetest Girl." 50 Banks and Yayo returned for a fuller, complete version of "I Get Money" and closed, bringing out '90s-era R&B group Intro for their "Funny How Time Flies" — it's one of Fif's favorite records. The ThisIs50 Festival may not be a one-off — Fif said he's thinking about taking the show on the road. Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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