2013 MTV Top Ten Hottest Emcees List (2 CHainz #2, Kendrick #1)

[idoitforhiphop10]

This what the top 5 gonna look like:

1. Kendrick

2. Drake

3. 2 Chainz

4. Ross

5. Wayne

I bet that's what it's gonna be next.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

8. ASAP Rocky

From the Rick Owens leathers to the Balenciaga finery, there's no denying A$AP Rocky is a certified fashion killa (you can check his influence in other rapper's closets). But the Harlem upstart spits more than designer labels from that gold-plated mouth. He followed his lean-drenched mixtape, Live.Love.A$AP, with a chart-topping debut that shows off his versatility and a penchant for crossing state lines when it comes to flow.

And while that helped Rocky to earn the title of #8 Hottest MC in the Game, Pretty Flacko's buzz and his grasp on the intangibles also put him in contention for our list. RapFix Blog Editor Nadeksa Alexis laughed, "I don't even know if we're still using the word 'swag,' but that's all him, and everyone sees that."

As further proof, she pointed to a surprising cameo in last year's "National Anthem" clip. "He was in Lana Del Rey's video as JFK. What black dude is in a video playing JFK?," she asked rhetorically. "He has something outside of hip-hop that everyone can see, and everyone wants a little bit of it."

Rihanna definitely wanted a little bit of it, literally and figuratively. "[A$AP] opened the VMAs with Rihanna — and grabbed her butt!" MTV News Senior Hip-Hop Writer Rob Markman reminded the roundtable. "Fashion icon, on tour with Rih Rih, this dude gets it in the studio and then knows how to work the angles outside of the studio with all his fashion influences and stuff like that. I think Rocky has done a tremendous job of penetrating the culture from different angles."

Album: Long.Live.A$AP.

Selected Mixtapes: A$AP Mob's Lord$ Never Worry

Singles: "Goldie," "F---in' Problems" (featuring Drake, Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz)

Street Bangers: "1 Train" (featuring Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf and Danny Brown)

Key Guest Appearances: Schoolboy Q's "Hands on the Wheel," Rihanna's "Cockiness"

Meteoric Metrics: Debut album opened at #1 on the Billboard 200; second single, "F---in' Problems," topped out at #8 on the Hot 100 (giving Kendrick and 2 Chainz their first top-10 hits in the process)

Business Ventures: Recently filmed a spot for Adidas; unofficial face of your favorite European fashion house

Tours: Long Live A$AP Tour (with Schoolboy Q, Danny Brown and A$AP Mob); set to open for Rihanna on Diamonds Tour

Monumental Moment: After being tapped by Rihanna for her 2012 VMA-opening performance, the "Diamonds" singer asked him to join her on the road.

Forecast: With a globe-trotting run about to kick off and A$AP Mob homey Ferg already working his first street single, A$AP is primed to turn everything in his path purple.

Named for rap legend Rakim, the 24-year-old's face was plastered on seemingly every print rag in the last year, from rap mainstays like XXL to high-fashion French rags like Jalouse. And when he wasn't shooting videos in the streets of Paris, he was logging studio time with in-demand acts like Skrillex and Florence Welch. Still, these facts left some members of MTV's Hip-Hop Brain Trust uneasy.

"Everyone's talking about everything else but the rhymes and the bars: his fashion, and he did a song with Skrillex ... where's the heat, where's the bars?" asked a frustrated Renaud Jean-Baptiste, story producer for MTV2's "The Week in Jams." "This kid's biggest record? He has the weakest verse," he argued of "F---in' Problems," the #2 charting sophomore single off Rocky's Long.Live.A$AP.

MTV story producer Steven Roberts chimed in to "reluctantly agree with" Jean-Baptiste, saying, "If you do listen to that album, other people outshine him," citing "Problems" and "1 Train" as examples. This opposition ultimately set the stage for the previously eighth-ranked Big Sean to take the #7 spot, with Rocky holding strong at #8, ahead of Meek Mill (10) and Future (9).

-----------------------------------

7. Kanye West

has proven time and time again that as a soloist, he can single-handedly shift rap's sonic focus, but over the past year Yeezy made sure that there wasn't anybody messin' with his clique. So even during a period when he put out G.O.O.D. Music's Cruel Summer compilation, 'Ye was enough of a force to land him at #7 on the "Hottest MCs in the Game VIII," MTV's hip-hop power ranking.

In 2012, Yeezy hit the stage to embark on the European leg of his Watch the Throne Tour with partner Jay-Z. He also showed off his in-studio expertise with tracks like G.O.O.D's double-platinum, #1 rap hit "Mercy," the venomous "Cold" and the top-five hit "Clique," proving he could deliver on our criteria for sales.

But West was also unstoppable when it came to impact. He extended his hand to upstart Chicago rookie rapper Chief Keef when he remixed his breakout single "I Don't Like." He did the same for 2 Chainz, appearing on the Atlanta rapper's "Birthday Song" and somehow managed to find time to jump on a remix of Rihanna's "Diamonds," "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" references included.

Not everyone on our roundtable agreed about 'Ye's ranking, though. After each member of MTV's Hip-Hop Brain Trust submitted their own individual lists and the votes were tallied, West had originally landed at #6. But after they sat down for a loud and boisterous debate, Yeezy was bumped down to #7 in favor of his protégé Big Sean.

Album: Cruel Summer, with G.O.O.D. Music

Selected Mixtapes: N/A

Singles: "Mercy" (featuring G.O.O.D. Music), "Clique" (featuring Jay-Z and Big Sean)

Street Bangers: "Cold" (featuring DJ Khaled), "New God Flow" (featuring Pusha T and Ghostface Killa)

Key Guest Appearances: 2 Chainz's "Birthday Song," Rihanna's "Diamonds" remix, Fat Joe's "Pride N Joy"

Meteoric Metrics: Kanye took his G.O.O.D. Music clique to the next level by releasing the label's first-ever compilation as well as an accompanying film at the Cannes Film Festival. He also won three Grammys for his joint album, Watch the Throne.

Business Ventures: West created album covers for 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne through his design company DONDA. He also further cemented his fashion line and released the super-exclusive Air Yeezy 2s with Nike.

Tours: Yeezy trekked through Europe with Jay-Z and is currently on the road in Europe, making headlines as usual for some epic, freestyle rants.

Monumental Moment: Not only a rapper, West's also a pop-culture juggernaut. And he made the papers when he announced that he and girlfriend Kim K. are expecting their first child.

Forecast: 'Ye was a rap force to be reckoned with in a year that didn't even see him drop a solo LP. With his sixth album expected to drop later this year, anticipation is already mounting.



Much of the argument centered around which of the G.O.O.D. Music spitters shined brightest on the label's all-star album. "Cruel Summer was a G.O.O.D. Music compilation, but guess what? Kanye was on eight out of 12 songs. Kanye owned that album," barked MTV News Senior Hip-Hop Writer Rob Markman.

Others, like RapFix Blog Editor Nadeska Alexis, disagreed. "Cruel Summer was good, but [Kanye] was not the star of that album," she volleyed back. "He's been making great headlines for RapFix, great numbers, but none of them had to do with the music necessarily, besides those big singles. [And] I don't think he was the star of those singles."

Still, while the Kanye versus Big Sean argument was definitely debatable, Yeezy's buzz and impact were not. In addition to three Grammy wins, Kanye's place in pop culture was undeniable, as when he made headlines by announcing in concert that he and girlfriend Kim Karadashian are expecting their first child. With that and rumors that he's back in the studio, West's 2013 is already shaping up to be pretty remarkable.

"As much as Sean was definitely one of the stars of the Cruel Summer album ... I still feel like you've gotta give Kanye credit for being the person who put that together, who has the vision," closed MTV News Managing Editor Rebecca Thomas.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

---------------------

6. Big Sean

In one of the most heated and divisive debates at this year's roundtable, Big Sean leapfrogged over both A$AP Rocky and Kanye West to take the title of #6 "Hottest MC in the Game."

When the members of MTV's Hip-Hop Brain Trust sat down to discuss the year's rankings, the Detroit rapper initially had the #8 spot. But no one could've predicted how much he would progress on the list. Indeed, the same could be said for Sean's influence and impact on hip-hop over the past year.

Already known for his catchy ad-libs, Big Sean really established himself as a cultural fixture in 2012, beginning with his verse and hook on G.O.O.D. Music's Grammy-nominated single "Mercy," which made the word "swerve" a fixation in the process. A few months later, he surprised fans when he appeared alongside — and held his own — the Throne on "Clique."

"He's been able to rap against Kanye and Jay-Z and actually stand out on those records, so he was able to stay on our minds," said Sheila Grullon. MTV's Music Programming Manager also initially conceding that Sean was in a good position at #8.

Album: G.O.O.D. Music's Cruel Summer compilation LP

Selected Mixtapes: Detroit

Singles: "Mercy" (G.O.O.D. Music featuring Kanye West, 2 Chainz and Pusha T), "Mula," "Guap"

Street Bangers: N/A

Key Guest Appearances: "Clique" (with Kanye West and Jay-Z)

Meteoric Metrics: Numbers don't lie: Sean boasts more than 3.8 million Twitter followers, 1.8 million-plus DatPiff downloads for his Detroit tape and a closely followed vlog series that racks up hundreds of thousands of views every time he uploads.

Business Ventures: The 24-year-old inked a deal with Adidas and has appeared in several of their 2012 ads.

Tours: N/A

Monumental Moment: Appearing alongside Kanye West and Jay-Z on 'Clique' and scoring his first-ever Grammy nods.

Forecast: Big Sean's sophomore album, Hall of Fame: Memoirs of a Detroit Player, arrives in 2013, and it's expected to be a winner. After spinning it for No I.D. and Kanye West, he told MTV News they were both "blown away."



MTV News Managing Editor Rebecca Thomas wasn't convinced, though, that #8 was sufficient: "So much of what makes 'Mercy' great is Big Sean. For somebody to not have an album out and have the impact that Sean has had, he may need to be up even higher."

From there, the debate raged on as MTV News' Senior Hip-Hop Writer, Rob Markman, argued that it was Kanye West who should ultimately be credited with the Cruel Summer singles. Markman went on to add that A$AP Rocky should not be bumped since he dropped a #1 album, while Sean had no officially released body of work.

Counterarguments pointed to Big Sean's star-studded Detroit mixtape, with some members of the Brain Trust saying it was so well-crafted that it could well been a studio release. RapFix Blog Editor Nadeska Alexis added that Sean's crossover appeal was undeniable in the past year, noting that he performed with pop star Justin Bieber on multiple daytime and primetime stages, including the "Today" show.

Renaud Jean-Baptiste, story producer for MTV 2's "The Week in Jams," agreed that the 24-year-old's progress was impressive even to a former naysayer. "He's grown, he's gotten better; he's gotten more mature and I see kids actually modeling themselves after him," he said, pointing to Sean's style influence, before going on to point to another crucial criterion to be a Hottest MC. "His impact is being felt."

 

[blackamerica]

Meek? Nah that album was too weak. Pusha should've been on the list. lol @ French.

HOTTEST nigga. HOTTEST. Not best or most skilled but who's making the most noise. Every year we go through this with this list and niggas still complain about it talking bout' " Where Kweli at?"

You forget the other half, EMCEE. Future Vandross? Gtfoh. They should rename the list to "Hottest Radio Rappers" because calling these niggaz emcee's is destroying the integrity of the culture

 

[ShencotheMC]

Meek? Nah that album was too weak. Pusha should've been on the list. lol @ French.

HOTTEST nigga. HOTTEST. Not best or most skilled but who's making the most noise. Every year we go through this with this list and niggas still complain about it talking bout' " Where Kweli at?"

You forget the other half, EMCEE. Future Vandross? Gtfoh. They should rename the list to "Hottest Radio Rappers" because calling these niggaz emcee's is destroying the integrity of the culture

A rapper is an emcee bruh. Hip-hop heads and elitists just try to separate the two because they want to feel superior or intellectual. Lol@ cats saying Jay is a rapper while Nas is an emcee. Why? Because different subject matter? GTFOH

 

[StillFaggyAF]

i actually think Future should be higher now

 

[international]

niggaz really mad at French, Im happy that he's made it, Max b to me is the greatest rapper to never put out an album, and if it wasn't for Max, french wouldn't have developed and I wouldn't have been fuckin wit him like that...Still tho from them days, to now its good to see French seein some success...If Max was out, and had a different situation with the label, he would have been runnin this shyt!

 

[BackInWhite]

they said "hot" tho

i don't get why niggas is in here bitchin about it bein a popularity contest when "hot" literally means "popular"

if it were the "mtv top ten best lyricists list" and they were like "2 chainz and his potent, sometimes funny, but all of the times genius lyrics will forever place him on this list near the top" then i could understand the bitching

 

[nujerz84]

they said "hot" tho

i don't get why niggas is in here bitchin about it bein a popularity contest when "hot" literally means "popular"

if it were the "mtv top ten best lyricists list" and they were like "2 chainz and his potent, sometimes funny, but all of the times genius lyrics will forever place him on this list near the top" then i could understand the bitching

Its the MC's or EMcee part that people take issue with..if it was Top Ten Hottest Rappers it would be much bitching.

 

[BackInWhite]

mc means "move the crowd" not "recite words from a rhyming dictionary"

 

[PK_TK_187]

Niggas like Nas are really rappers and niggaslike 2 Chainz and Futurre are MCs.

They move the crowd but rappers flex lyrical muscle

 

[TheBossman]

2 CHAINZ BETTER BE 1#...

YALL KEEP SAYING KENDRICK BUT 2 CHAINS STAY ON THE RADIO AND ON FEATURES..

so whats kendrick been on?

Never listened to a Future song on purpose in my life. I know hes trash though.

I never listened to a drake song on purpose in my life..

bruh....

You know IC niggas hate anything remotely popular.

where do you niggas get this shit from? So Kendrick, J.Cole, Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West, T.I., Outkast, Game, Rick Ross aren't popular? All those people have a lot of fans on the IC. Just because niggas don't like your favorite local trap rapper the IC hates anything popular? FOH

As far as future goes he should be on the list. The problem is like marine said they jump around with their criteria. They kill certain niggas for not selling enough yet future didn't sell but it's okay because he's on everything. He should be on there but it's like have a consistent standard

2 CHAINS DONE BEEN ON WAYYY MORE FEATURES THAN HIM

FOR EVERY FEATURE THAT KENDRICK HAS BEEN ON, HE AINT EVEN HAVE THE BEST VERSE ON NONE OF THEM

don't listen to kendrick post....

 

[TheBossman]

Wait is Kanye really that low

word?, so what was cruel summer? a mixtape???!?

if anything cyhi should be on this because he was the hottest rapper on that album (IMO)

 

[scrapper1]

Funny how MTV gives 0 fucks about hip-hop until they are ready to put out this list..then they want everyone to anticipate it like crazy. They bring in Sway with his big ass skully full of dreads to add a level of authenticity to it..and count it down for 2 weeks..smh

 

[MeekMonizzLLLLLLe14]

Funny how MTV gives 0 fucks about hip-hop until they are ready to put out this list..then they want everyone to anticipate it like crazy. They bring in Sway with his big ass skully full of dreads to add a level of authenticity to it..and count it down for 2 weeks..smh

lol cosign but thats how viacom do that shit...even with BET they do the same shit have the BET awards and one series that gets high ratings "the game" and milk the shit out of that and the rest is shit nobody wants to watch and or 3 black star cinemas where a 2 hour movie lasts 4 hours after commercial's

 

[TheBossman]

Funny how MTV gives 0 fucks about hip-hop until they are ready to put out this list..then they want everyone to anticipate it like crazy. They bring in Sway with his big ass skully full of dreads to add a level of authenticity to it..and count it down for 2 weeks..smh

lol cosign but thats how viacom do that shit...even with BET they do the same shit have the BET awards and one series that gets high ratings "the game" and milk the shit out of that and the rest is shit nobody wants to watch and or 3 black star cinemas where a 2 hour movie lasts 4 hours after commercial's

cosign.

i don't watch bet, only thing i watch all year is the bet hip hop awards. the cyphers are the the best part and even with that they leak the freestyles a week early.

 

[DarthRozay]

Funny how MTV gives 0 fucks about hip-hop until they are ready to put out this list..then they want everyone to anticipate it like crazy. They bring in Sway with his big ass skully full of dreads to add a level of authenticity to it..and count it down for 2 weeks..smh

I think he cut the dreads, but I agree with the rest of what you're saying.

 

[Like Water]

Niggas like Nas are really rappers and niggaslike 2 Chainz and Futurre are MCs.

They move the crowd but rappers flex lyrical muscle

Nigga...

Shut up.

 

[King Lee]

I get more disgusted by this list every year

 

[Peezy_Jenkins]

mc/rappers, same damn thing, niggas will stop at nothing to discredit something