The Top 10 MCs in ’09

THIS WEEK IN HIP HOP
All week MTV has slowly been releasing their list of 2009’s top 10 “Hottest MC’s In The Game.” The first question that comes to my mind is: “How well can an organization dedicated to the advancement of pop music and trends rank hip-hop artists?” In the world of MTV, popularity comes first, and if an artist has a popular song, who gives a fuck if he/she is a talented MC?

Another questionable aspect of this list is that it’s only the beginning of October. Last time I checked there are three more months left until 2010! Lebron wasn’t crowned MVP with twenty games left, so why decide on the most important MC’s now?

In all honesty the list isn’t horrible, but it isn’t definitive either. For example, including Raekwon is a great move by MTV. The Chef doesn’t have a hit video or single, but he got the internet buzzing like a teenager after 40 oz of Mickey’s [Editor’s Note: Think Ballantine’s for all you East Coasters], got live audiences across the country banging their heads and throwing up W’s, and has succeeded in releasing one of the most anticipated hip-hop albums in the past five to ten years. On the other hand, to include artists like Drake, who spend more time singing than rapping, is shameful in my opinion. Yeah, hooks and singing are essential to hip-hop’s success, but you would have never heard someone argue that Nate Dogg was one of the best MC’s in the game during his heyday.

With all this in mind I thought that it would only be appropriate to give my own, very opinionated top 10. After reading it, drop a comment and let us know who made your list:

1. Jay-Z: Regardless of how you feel about The Blueprint 3, it’s undeniable that Jay-Z has had the most impressive year in hip-hop. The album became Jay’s eleventh #1 record, the third hip-hop album this year to surpass one million sales, and has sat atop the charts since it was released three weeks ago. The singles have been incredibly popular as well, with “Run This Town” spending the eight weeks since it’s release in the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100, and receiving around 15 million views on YouTube between its various video incarnations. “Death of Autotune” clocked 6 million YouTube views itself, and single-handedly murdered, or at least crippled, one of hip-hop’s most vomit-inducing trends. His benefit concert also sold out Madison Square Garden in less than 15 minutes. Top it off with a 20-minute interview with the queen of hip-hop hate on Oprah and a big article in her magazine, and there really isn’t much else you could ask of Not-So-Young Hov.

2. Eminem: At the beginning of 2009, Aftermath Records announced their plan for regaining control of the music industry by releasing a string of albums from Eminem (The Relapse), 50 Cent (Before I Self Destruct), and Dr. Dre (the fabled Detox). After taking a five-year hiatus since his last solo disc, Encore, Eminem was the only artist out of the trio to actually get his album to the people. On The Relapse, Eminem got Dr. Dre back behind the boards and the mic, but more importantly proved he is as creative, angry, and culturally relevant as ever. The album spent two weeks at the number one spot of the Billboard 200, eight weeks within the top 10, and became the second hip-hop album this year to sell over one million copies. His YouTube popularity has been off the charts as well, with 31 million combined views for “We Made You,” 17 million views for “Beautiful,” and 13 Million views for “Crack A Bottle.” Yet the man is not done with the last single digit year in the millennium: he has announced that he will be releasing The Relapse 2 before the end of ’09.

3. Slaughterhouse: When Royce Da 5’9, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, and Joe Budden announced that they would be forming a supergroup, hip-hop fans didn’t know how to react. There are always rumors of some incredible collaboration that never actually takes place, but if these guys actually could make it happen, the world better take notice! Then the tracks started leaking, and out of pure excitement, hip-hop heads started to leak in their pants. Audiences began to declare that this was the most talented group in rap. Although the sales for their self-titled debut album were underwhelming, the disc itself was inarguably one of the year’s best. They then walked out of the studio, and tore down The Paid Dues Festival and the Rock The Bells Tour alongside the biggest names in rap today. While each of the four artists have been expected to be the next big solo act for years, Slaughterhouse flipped the script, and brought the group mentality back into hip-hop.

4. Raekwon: In 1995 Raekwon stopped the hip-hop world dead in its tracks with his classic album Only Built For Cuban Linx. Since then, it has seemed like everything else that Rae did was mediocre and disappointing. Yet, just when you thought you were going to give up on the artist, there would be some new announcement or reference to Only Built For Cuban Linx 2. But it never seemed like it was actually going to be finished, or released. Now, after all these years Rae was able to finally get the project done, and the results have been impressive. A combination of well-timed song leaks, the announcement of production by RZA, Dr. Dre, and Dilla , and two mixtapes in ’09 helped Raekwon build a strong constituency of supporters. Since the album dropped, it has stayed in all the relevant Billboard album charts, and has been the talk of the Internet universe. Rae succeeded in doing what most can’t: releasing an album that has been rumored about and anticipated for years, and not letting the fans down with the final product.

5. Jadakiss: Jada has always been one of the hardest rappers in the game, but unlike most MC’s who claim to be able to snipe out your whole hood black out drunk with a blindfold on, the Kiss has flow and expert wordplay as well. That’s why fans have always been stumped by the fact that he has struggled to provide a consistent solo album. That changed this year with The Last Kiss. While the production was a little softer and more synthed out than most of his fans would have liked, Jada finally remained focused and spit acid from beginning to end. The hard work paid off and his album found itself on the Billboard Top 200 for 19 weeks, and the R&B and Hip-Hop Top 100 for 24 weeks, while debuting at #1. Before the year’s over, he also plans on releasing the highly anticipated 3rd album with The LOX.

6. MF Doom: Doom has one of the most loyal and diverse followings in all of hip-hop. While his refusal to write choruses or record songs longer than 3 minutes turns off many mainstream fans, and his references to cartoons and comic books turns off the more street oriented crowd, many point their finger at these same characteristics and claim that they are part of the man’s unequaled genius. After taking a four-year break from recording since his collaboration album with Gnarls Barkley producer, Dangermouse, the Masked Villain came back in ’09 with Born Like This. The album featured heavy hitting production from the likes of Jake One, and Doom’s one of a kind, stream of consciousness, and irreverent rap style. The result gave the album substantial time – for an independent record – on the Billboard charts, and led to a six-page article about MF Doom in The New Yorker. How’s that for legitimizing the art form?

7. Tech N9ne: Tech N9ne has been one of those artists that has been around forever and only recently has started to get the recognition that he deserves. While his appearance and his music’s subject matter can be unsettling to some, every time he touches the mic, it’s clear that rhyming is what he was born to do. In 2008, he released his double disc Killer, which eventually went on to become the best selling independent hip-hop album of the year, and continued to build a hell of a reputation for his live show. This year, Techa Nina rode ‘08’s success and recorded Sickology 101, an album meant to give MC’s in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, an opportunity to be heard. It spent six weeks in the Billboard 200 and fifteen in the R&B and Hip-Hop Top 100, thus solidifying his role as one of the most successful independent artists in the country. He capped it off by showcasing his one of a kind live performance at Rock The Bells and Paid Dues, giving the likes of Nas and Big Boi a run for their money.

8. The Jacka: Ever since “getting Hyphy” was deemed a movement, San Francisco Bay Area rap became real watered down and generic, and as a result, disappeared off the face of the planet. In ’09 that started to change with The Jacka. Although he’s been a recognizable name in the Bay for years, it took a long time for him to be associated with the most important artists in area. Yet by heavy networking, increased focus in each release, and a strong dosage of realism and honesty every time his pen hits the paper, The Jacka has recently become the most in-demand artist from the Yay. This year’s Tear Gas made The Jacka the first Bay Area artist in recent times, not named E-40 or Too $hort, to receive national recognition. It made a solid dent on the Billboard charts, and debuted as the #4 most sold Rap album. With great reviews from XXL and blogs from across the nation, The Jacka, for the first time, has seen his name and his music spread far beyond Northern California.

9. Nipsey Hussle: Sometimes you have to give an artist credit for their ascension on the scene, even if they have yet to become a household name. In 2008, practically no one beyond his own family had heard of Nipsey Hussle. Yet in 2009, the Long Beach native came out of nowhere to become one of the most talked-about up-and-comers in all of rap. He released tracks featuring The Game, Snoop Dogg, and Lloyd Banks, has been written up by MTV.com and practically every other hip-hop website in existence, has been a judge for 106 and Park’s Freestyle Fridays, and has been cosigned by everyone ranging from DJ Kay Slay to Ving Rhames. In ’09 he has far outshined other Southern California hopefuls Bishop Lamont, Glasses Malone, and Jay Rock. Expect to hear a lot more of his name in the near future.

10. Busta Rhymes: This year Busta came back on the scene with Back on My B.S., his first album since no longer being signed to Aftermath. Despite a lackluster first single in the heavily Autotuned “Arab Money,” Busta was still able to create a substantial buzz by getting nice write ups from the Source and most other music publications. Yet even with The Neptunes, Ron Browz, and DJ Scratch, this was one of the first Busta albums to suffer from lackluster production. Still, the album managed to stay on the charts for a couple of months, and more importantly, Busta wrecked shop at Rock The Bells.

by Matt Moretti