MTV has released their annual list of the Hottest MCs In The Game, with Kendrick Lamar taking out the winner’s position for 2012.
On the strength of being deemed a “voice of his generation”, Lamar took out pole position in MTV’s list, which sees the formerly music-oriented channel select the top 10 rappers from the previous year. 2012 was a massive 12 months of breakthrough artistry – Meek Mill kicks off the list this year in 10th place, while A$AP Rocky has been dangerously underrated as not as hot as Drake. C’mon! At least they’ve recognised that Drake isn’t as ‘hot’ as he was in 2011, where he ranked #2, because this year, the second place was reserved for none other than…2 Chainz? And strangely enough, even though the list has been created each year since 2007, NAS has only been added for the first time.
Judging by who’s made the list, and where they have been placed, ‘hot’ must have an extra meaning that we are currently unaware of. Kanye West certainly disagrees with the definition, claiming the whole thing is more to do with MC politics anyway. I’m sure you’ve probably noticed that Kanye came in at #7. Well, he’s noticed too and isn’t too pleased about it. Yeeze told Hot 97 FM:
“#7 bothers me. To me, I feel like in order for them to put me as #7, they had to bring up things they didn’t like. They didn’t like the ‘Cruel Summer’ album, and I’m like, ‘That’s just [a] compilation.’”
He went on to discuss the finer politics of the poll:
“I don’t know, it’s definitely not based on a body of work. It possibly could just be like overall rap MC swag. What happens is, with these type of things… they don’t like ‘Givenchy’ Kanye, they don’t like Kanye in a kilt, they don’t like Kanye in a relationship.”
No doubt Kanye would only be in favour of any rank that is above #1, probably referred to as the number ‘Kanye’, and he’d forever be ranked number Kanye on any list ever.
Despite the complaints, Kendrick Lamar went into bat for his fellow shortlister Kanye, agreeing that Yeeze should have been higher placed, according to NME:
“Definitely. I mean, it’s Kanye. It’s Kanye. He’s been puttin’ in work for years.”
On that topic, no-one seems particularly pleased with their positioning. Drake wasn’t very pleased at #5, rapping on new track 5am In Toronto, “I made Forbes list / nigga fuck your list / everything’s looking gorgeous”.
Check the full list out below. Who would be in your top 10? Gambino? Tyler? Tell us! TELL US NOW!
MTV – Hottest MCs In The Game VIII
1. Kendrick Lamar
2. 2 Chainz
3. Rick Ross
4. NAS
5. Drake
6. Big Sean
7. Kanye West
8. A$AP Rocky
9. Future
10. Meek Mill
Watch: MTV – Rap Fix Vote on Hottest MCs In The Game
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