Once a month during the first week of the month I will be posting the Hip Hop 40 which is a ranking of the Top 40 MCs in the game.
I'm DJ 1Mic. I've been a fan of hip hop since 1995, have studied every aspect of the culture and have been active member of the hip hop community as a dj, promoter and record collector since 2006. I've dealt personally with artists, labels, producers, behind the scenes types, etc. etc. I have a wide range of relationships in this business spanning from Trae The Truth and B.O.B to Skyzoo & Torae and everywhere in between. I have been featured on MTV's Mixtape Mondays and in Ozone Magazine. But my most credible piece on my resume, is my lack of hate. I got love for new artists same as the ones I grew up with.
THIS LIST IS NOT A RANKING OF MCs BASED ON THEIR CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHOS MY FAVORITE OR SOLELY THEIR LYRICAL ABILITY...
Criteria:
These all contribute to the rankings I have compiled.
1. Lyrical ability and consistency on recent records (recent = the last year)
2. Work ethic. I don't need a freestyle a week. But don't disappear for months at a time.
3. Name recognition/relevance, maybe it shouldn't matter, but in real life it does. If you make a 100 dope records but no one listened to them, what got accomplished? And why should an emcee be given a pass for that? If my white ass from Harrisburg, PA can push records why can't you?
Also.... Its possible to over expose yourself too, all your verses start sounding the same cause you did 15 side verses last week. Its happened to Wayne, its happened to Jeezy, its even happened to my own personal favorite emcee, Jadakiss.
4. Stage Presence and Experience. Not a huge factor here as far as determining whos on or off the list, but I would feel comfortable putting MC X above MC Y if hes been out touring doing his thing and MC Y hasn't been grinding the same in recent months. This factors in more to determining say #21 vs #22
5. Beat selection. This is IMPORTANT. You can spit 1,000 bars of fire, but if you're beat is basic or its beat that doesn't fit you, its a negative. Look at Jay-Z "Kingdom Come" some of them beats were hot, but just didn't sound right with Jay rocking them. So if it matters for Jay-Z, it matters for Troy Ave or Chinx Drugz too.
6. Movement. Buzz has to factor in these rankings, its the business we are in. Buzz and/or Record Sales and/or ITunes or DatPiff or whatever site numbers, YouTube views, Twitter followers, Facebook likes, Instagram followers, this shit all matters in 2014. It can't be the only factor, I will not let it be, but it is a factor and has to be considered.
7. How excited am I, when I see an email or a blog post with this artist's new record or guest appearance. This is important because it speaks to how all these factors combine to make myself a fan of a certain artist. If it makes me want to be a fan, then I can see how others would also want to be a fan.
8. Intangibles. Don't do dumb shit, I reserve the right to penalize emcees for being dumbasses. Its my rankings.
I fully expect a lifetime worth of criticism on who made the list and who didn't, who is ahead of who, I'm cool with that, because at least we are having the discussion again.
Hip-Hop 40
01. Jay-Z - He's comfortably #1, his bar game is as good as anyones and his relevancy is far beyond hip-hop. Still the biggest draw. Hate all you want, this shit is set is stone. He could easily mail it in, but he still pulls the best verse on records with other big time emcees.
02. Nas - He finally found his zone as hip-hop's father figure and legend still in the game. He raised these young emcees in a way I almost can't even explain in its full complexity. His last album was phenominal and the celebration of Illmatic, 20 years later has been quite a joy.
03. Jadakiss - The Lox got a nice buzz going and theres no denying the lyrical dominance of the hip hop Trinty. Jada still steals the show on any remix hes on, just check the "Yayo" remix.
04. Joell Ortiz - On The House Rules mixtape I felt as though he set himself apart from the others, and considering Crooked I, Joe Budden and Royce are all time greats IMO thats saying something... He's special. He's got unlimited potential going forward.
05. Crooked I - Want your beat bodied?
06. Eminem - Be nice if he left us with a 16 here or there...
07. Drake - Album is starting to fade away, but he's done some excellent work in between albums to stay in the conversation. He may not be the deepest emcee, but he is clever and I am ok with giving him credit for having a style that others have started to emulate. I know the old heads are uncomfortable with it because the list of best emcees is usually all tough guys but dude does his thing, I embrace it.
08. Rick Ross - Stepped up his bar game on the album to the next level, he's not Canibus, but dude was spittin on Mastermind. Best beat game in the biz, dude knows how to make big records.
09. Styles P - Album was great, Lox are poppin, things are good in Yonkers.
10. Sheek Louch - He has been on fire lately, he's been getting alot of best verse compliments lately. Constantly out touring with Ghostface too, gotta love seeing real hip hop get support.
11. Nicki Minaj - I feel uncomfortable putting her ahead of Cormega on any list, but I have to give her the credit she deserves. She can rhyme her ass off if she wants too, and her last few records, she has done just that. Shes a superstar who still spits, picks good beats, and has potential to get even bigger and better. Still... feels a little dirty, Mega is that dude.
12. Cormega - He doesn't release as much material as he once did, but to underground heads and to gangsta rap fans, new mega is always something you look forward too. When I see new Cormega in my inbox I get as excited as I do for anyone else. I know its gonna be hot. Hes as close to automatic as it gets in hip-hop.
13. Royce Da 5'9 - This dude just kills everything, even his side verses are lethal.
14. Meek Mill - This dude is a fucking star. If you ain't know, now you know.
15. Raekwon - New album is gonna be filthy. Glad him and RZA are back on the same page. Record with Akon has traction.
16. The Game - Last album was lackluster but hes stayed out there with guest appearances and mixtape tracks since, went hard on durk on the 'chi-raq' beat and that got him ahead of kendrick right now.
17. Kendrick Lamar - Where the fuck did he go? This dude was inside the top 10 six months ago. He spits propane on everything, but hes been MIA. Paging Dr. Kendrick, paging Dr. Kendrick...
18. Joe Budden - Slaughterhouse!! All 4 In The Top 20? Hell Yeah, Joe got some of the best lyrics and dude definately keeps a side verse or two in rotation.
19. Fabolous - SOUL Tape was dope, but hes been pretty quiet since.
20. Fat Joe - Happy to see Don Cartagena back on that NY sound. He somehow ended up an underated emcee and hip hop legend.
21. Lil Wayne - I tell ya what... "D'usse" and "Believe Me" are hot, he was on a pretty lengthy cold streak but those records are hot.
22. Vado - This dude got me checking for him as quickly as any emcee I can remember, dudes got control on the mic like a 90s emcee and hes got a great team behind him. Harlem dudes got that extra NY swagger you can't describe but you feel it.
23. Maino - "All About You" record bout to blow up and hes gonna move up. Solid on the lyrics if he picks smart beats and doesn't over do it on the guests, his next album should be nice.
24. T.I. - His new record with Young Thug is okay. Sounds like a YT record not a T.I. record and I get that was probably the point, but he's T.I. he doesn't need his hand held.
25. Scarface - I just smile, cause I think a year or two ago we accepted that Facemob had moved on. Hip-Hop is just better when Scarface is involved.
26. Torae - Giving him the slight edge over his Barrel Brother, Skyzoo, because of his extra visibility on Sirius XM Hip Hop Nation Sundays 10-3.
27. Skyzoo - Dead even with Torae as far as lyrics, buzz, beat selection, etc. Both guys are good on stage too, no need to rap over the main track.
28. Wale - I feel like hes looking for a purpose with his rhymes, reminds me of the 'Streets Disciple' era Nas, hes spitting but he doesn't have a lane and it makes it difficult for fans to follow him. Hes in a good position, label wise and hes a great wordsmith, I hope he finds that space of his own, once he does, he could be one of the all time greats.
29. Wiz Khalifa - Just dropped that 28 grams mixtape and had some buzz off remixing Q's man of the year
30. Action Bronson - Hes got buzz, but his supply of music has slowed down, likely because hes working on a debut LP which I believe will be exceptional.
31. Schoolboy Q - Album was pretty good. Reminds me of the Liks/Alkaholiks era sound on some records. Definately has a nice following.
32. Troy Ave - Hes got some nice records out and some buzz attached to his name. I got my eyes on the young homie.
33. Young Jeezy - Me, Ok is his best record in awhile, interested to see how he follows up.
34. Termanology - Mas Goya was that shit! One of my favorites on a personal level. Great emcee.
35. Jakk Frost - Working on an album with DJ Premier, a record with Malik B and doing a ton of shows right now got the Philly MC on the radar
36. Reks - All Eyes On Reks was a great mixtape, wish he did more in between projects
37. Young Chris - Record with Meek is poppin, bar game is in its prime right now. Hes on the rise right now.
38. Ransom - Album with Statik Selektah keeps Ran on the map as we wait for new music.
39. 50 Cent - He could be top 15-20 with a couple good records. Been waiting since like 2006 tho... Dude could be Top 20 right now if he got better ears around him.
40. Uncle Murda - Hes starting to get some buzz around his brand of gangsta rap. #Brooklyn
Currensy, AZ, other Wu Tang members, Stalley, Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, Redman, Andre 3000 and many others all are good enough to be top 40 just haven't put out enough music within recent memory to merit recognition. Chris Rivers on the rise too.
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