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
1: Jay's position on Forbes magazine's Rap Cash Kings List (with $35 million)
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.
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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):
$42 million: the combined earnings of Wayne's "I Am Music" and "Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival" tours
1 million-plus: First-week sales of Tha Carter III
MySpace Friends: 1,618,594 Facebook Fans: 2,168,793
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!
