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MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game

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MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game is a list compiled of ten hip hop artists deemed to be the "hottest" of that given year by MTV since 2007. Although MTV has stressed that the list is not meant to represent the greatest rappers of all time but the most interesting and culturally relevant artists of that year, the list is met with much controversy and debate each year. MTV named one rapper the "Hottest Breakthrough MC" of 2011 and that honor went to Machine Gun Kelly. Kanye West currently holds the record for most appearances on the list, being the only rapper to appear on the list every year since its inception.

After a four-year hiatus that began in 2012, MTV announced that they are bringing the list back with a television special that aired on December 11, 2016 on MTV2.

Background

The Hottest MC in the Game List was formed in 2007 and every year a group of Hip-Hop journalists known as "The Brain Trust" debated on who its favorite rapper of that year was. The Brain Trust has been composed of:

  • Sway Calloway (on-air correspondent, MTV News)
  • Tuma Basa (manager, MTV Music Programming)
  • Bridget Bland (producer/writer, MTV Radio Network)
  • Buttahman (director, music and talent, "MTV Jams")
  • Rahman Dukes (senior producer, MTVNews.com)
  • Andrea Duncan-Mao (senior music editor, MTV.com Editorial)
  • Sean Lee (supervising producer, MTV News)
  • Joseph Patel (producer, MTV News)
  • Shaheem Reid (hip-hop editor, MTV News)
  • Jayson Rodriguez (hip-hop writer, MTV News)
  • Hillary Crosley (RapFix)
  • Steven Roberts (MTV News)
  • Sheila Grullon (MTV Jams)
  • Yomi Desalu (mtvU)
  • Ahmed Abdulle (mtvU)
  • Mike Masic (mtvU)
  • Moe Ahmed (mtvU)
  • Rebecca Thomas (writer, MTV News)
  • Renaud Jean-Baptiste Jr. (junior copywriter, MTV News)
  • Nadeska Alexis (blog editor, RapFix)
  • Rob Markman (senior Hip-Hop writer, MTV News)

The Brain Trust judges rappers on the grounds of their artistic execution (lyrical ability, flow), commercial success (charting hits, radio spins, album sales), cultural impact (business acumen, ushering in other big artists), digital metrics (Facebook page likes, Twitter followers, new songs on mixtapes), buzz and other intangibles. In order to be eligible to be included in the list an artist must have actively released music that year.

Hottest MC in the Game recipients

Legend

  1. °: New entry
  2. ↑: Up / Re-entry
  3. ↓: Down
  4. -: Same

2007

  1. ° Lil Wayne
  2. ° T.I.
  3. ° The Game
  4. ° André 3000
  5. ° Kanye West
  6. ° Young Jeezy
  7. ° Jay Z
  8. ° 50 Cent
  9. ° Common
  10. ° Jim Jones

2008

  1. ↑ Kanye West
  2. ↑ Jay Z
  3. ↓ Lil Wayne
  4. ° Rick Ross
  5. ° Snoop Dogg
  6. ↑ 50 Cent
  7. ° Lupe Fiasco
  8. ↓ Young Jeezy
  9. ↓ André 3000
  10. ↓ T.I.

2009

  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

2010

  1. ° Eminem
  2. ↓ Jay Z
  3. ↑ Kanye West
  4. ↓ Drake
  5. - Rick Ross
  6. ° Nicki Minaj
  7. ↓ Lil Wayne
  8. ° Waka Flocka Flame
  9. ° B.o.B
  10. ° Ludacris

2011

  1. ↑ Rick Ross
  2. ↑ Drake
  3. - Kanye West
  4. ↑ Nicki Minaj
  5. ↑ Lil Wayne
  6. ↓ Jay Z
  7. ° Meek Mill
  8. ° Big Sean
  9. ° Wiz Khalifa
  10. ° Wale

2012

  1. ° Kendrick Lamar
  2. ° 2 Chainz
  3. ↓ Rick Ross
  4. ° Nas
  5. ↓ Drake
  6. ↑ Big Sean
  7. ↓ Kanye West
  8. ° ASAP Rocky
  9. ° Future
  10. ↓ Meek Mill

2016

  1. ↑ Kanye West
  2. ↑ Drake
  3. ° Chance the Rapper
  4. ° Travis Scott
  5. ° Young Thug
  6. ↑ Future
  7. ° YG
  8. ↓ Kendrick Lamar
  9. ° Lil Uzi Vert
  10. ° 21 Savage

Annual Hottest MC chart

This table may be confusing or unclear to readers. Please help clarify the table. There might be a discussion about this on the talk page. (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Position Top MC Year inducted Appearances Peak ranking
1 Kanye West 2007 7 1
2 Lil Wayne 2007 5 1
3 Jay Z 2007 5 1
4 Rick Ross 2008 5 1
5 Kendrick Lamar 2012 2 1
6 Eminem 2010 1 1
7 Drake 2009 5 2
8 T.I. 2007 2 2
9 2 Chainz 2012 1 2
10 Game 2007 1 3
11 Chance the Rapper 2016 1 3
12 André 3000 2007 2 4
12 Nicki Minaj 2010 2 4
12 Nas 2012 1 4
12 Travis Scott 2016 1 4
16 Snoop Dogg 2008 1 5
16 Young Thug 2016 1 5
18 Young Jeezy 2007 3 6
18 50 Cent 2007 3 6
18 Big Sean 2011 2 6
18 Future 2012 2 6
18 Gucci Mane 2009 1 6
23 Meek Mill 2011 2 7
23 Lupe Fiasco 2008 1 7
23 YG 2016 1 7
26 Fabolous 2009 1 8
26 Waka Flocka Flame 2010 1 8
26 ASAP Rocky 2012 1 8
29 Common 2007 1 9
29 B.o.B 2010 1 9
29 Wiz Khalifa 2011 1 9
29 Lil Uzi Vert 2016 1 9
33 Jim Jones 2007 1 10
33 Raekwon 2009 1 10
33 Ludacris 2010 1 10
33 Wale 2011 1 10

Notes

  • Kanye West is the only rapper to be on the list every year since its inception. Coincidentally, he is also the only person to be named "Hottest MC" twice (for both 2008 and 2016)
  • Nicki Minaj is the only female rapper to be included in the list.
  • Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar are the only rappers to be named the "Hottest MC" the first time they were included on the list.

References

  1. ^ MTV News: Hottest MCs In The Game Archived 2010-09-25 at the Wayback Machine. Mtv.com (2006-03-09). Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  2. Machine Gun Kelly Is 2011’s Hottest Breakthrough MC On ‘RapFix Live’. Rapfix.mtv.com (2011-12-14). Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  3. "MTV2 Is Bringing Back Hottest MCs In The Game". MTV. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016.
  4. MTV News: Hottest MCs In The Game Archived 2010-10-27 at the Wayback Machine. Mtv.com (2006-03-09). Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  5. ^ MTV's Hottest MCs In The Game 2010 Begins October 18 – Music, Celebrity, Artist News. MTV (2010-10-10). Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  6. ^ MTV Specials – Hottest – Mc Archived 2010-09-23 at the Wayback Machine. Mtv.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  7. Hottest MCs in the Game 2008 | The List Archived 2010-02-13 at the Wayback Machine. MTV. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  8. "MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game (Full List)". 2dopeboyz. 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
  9. And The Hottest MC In The Game Is ... | News Video. MTV. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  10. MTV Specials – Hottest – Mc. Mtv.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.
  11. "Kendrick Lamar Brings Crown To Compton As 'Hottest MC In The Game'". MTV.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  12. "2 Chainz Powers Onto 'Hottest MCs' List At #2 - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  13. "Rick Ross Masterminds A #3 Spot On 'Hottest MCs' List - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  14. "Nas Finally Breaks Through To 'Hottest MCs' At #4 - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  15. "Drake Nabs #5 On 'Hottest MCs' List | News Video". MTV. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  16. ^ "Big Sean Tops Kanye West For #6 On The 'Hottest MCs' List | News Video". MTV. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  17. "A$AP Rocky And Big Sean Battle For #8 And #7 On 'Hottest MCs' List | News Video". MTV. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  18. "Future Debuts At #9 On The 'Hottest MCs' List | News Video". MTV. 2013-03-03. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  19. "Meek Mill Kicks Off The 'Hottest MCs' Countdown At #10 | News Video". MTV. 2013-03-03. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  20. "Kanye West, Drake & Chance the Rapper Top MTV's 2016 Hottest MCS List". HNHH. 17 December 2016.
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