It's more than beats, rhymes and life when it comes to Yeezy, though. Music label, and shelled out beats for the project. 'Ye groomed upstart Kid Cudi, signing him to his G.O.O.D. That emotion influenced a changing tide in hip-hop that saw the rise of more acts who tended to look inward for their lyrics - as opposed to more showy, braggodocious rhymes - and breakthrough Hottest MC Drake cites the Chicago rapper as a main inspiration. The collection might have been too Auto-Tune heavy for some, but there were still plenty of rhymes.Īnd more to the point, 'Ye kept it realer than real on 808s & Heartbreak as he expressed his raw emotion throughout the set - and that's as hip-hop as any mixtape. 808s debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart and went platinum in five weeks. Donda West, in 'Coldest Winter.' The raw emotion was enthralling on the album's live bonus track (nicknamed 'Pinocchio's Story'), where he poured his emotions out. His breakup with fiancée Alexis Phifer is reflected in 'Love Lockdown, ' and the sudden death of his mother, Dr. With 808s, Yeezy triumphed through heartache and personal tragedy, pouring the emotion into his songs. Kanye singing took a lot of people by surprise, but it was tough to front on the vivacious thump of the beat and the zeal in his performances. Just a few months after being named the #1 Hottest MC in the Game by the MTV News Brain Trust last year, Kanye West pulled a 180 on everyone when he debuted his single 'Love Lockdown' at the 2008 VMAs. All this week, we'll be rolling out reactions from artists, DJs, the MCs themselves - and you! Upload your comments, reactions, arguments and/or your own list to - the best videos could be on TV!Ĭheck out our 2009 'Hottest MCs In The Game.' The Brain Trust also considered buzz, impact, commercial success - sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers - and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors - and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and got a vote at the Round Table during the Brain Trust's debate - contributed to deciding who is the Hottest MC in the Game. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is now complete! As in 2007Īnd 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an MC's achievements right now, rather than an entire career.

Keri hilson knock you down genius