MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game


MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game is a list compiled of ten Hip hop artists deemed to be the "hottest" of that given year by MTV since 2007. Although MTV has stressed that the list is not meant to represent the greatest rappers of all time but the most interesting and culturally relevant artists of that year, the list is met with much controversy and debate each year. MTV named one rapper the "Hottest Breakthrough MC" of 2011 and that honor went to Machine Gun Kelly. Kanye West currently holds the record for most appearances on the list, being the only rapper to appear on the list every year since its inception.
After a four-year hiatus that began in 2012, MTV announced that they are bringing the list back with a television special that aired on December 11, 2016 on MTV2.

Background

The Hottest MC in the Game List was formed in 2007 and every year a group of Hip-Hop journalists known as "The Brain Trust" debate on who is their favorite rapper of that year. The Brain Trust has been composed of:
The Brain Trust judges rappers on the grounds of their artistic execution, commercial success, cultural impact, buzz and other intangibles. In order to be eligible to be included in on the list an artist must have actively released music that year.

Hottest MC in the Game recipients

Legend
  1. °: New entry
  2. ↑: Up / Re-entry
  3. ↓: Down
  4. -: Same

    2007

  5. ° Lil Wayne
  6. ° T.I.
  7. ° The Game
  8. ° André 3000
  9. ° Kanye West
  10. ° Young Jeezy
  11. ° Jay Z
  12. ° 50 Cent
  13. ° Common
  14. ° Jim Jones

    2008 The List . MTV. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.

  15. ↑ Kanye West
  16. ↑ Jay Z
  17. ↓ Lil Wayne
  18. ° Rick Ross
  19. ° Snoop Dogg
  20. ↑ 50 Cent
  21. ° Lupe Fiasco
  22. ↓ Young Jeezy
  23. ↓ André 3000
  24. ↓ T.I.

    2009 News Video. MTV. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.

  25. ↑ Jay Z
  26. ↑ Lil Wayne
  27. ° Drake
  28. ↓ Kanye West
  29. ↓ Rick Ross
  30. ° Gucci Mane
  31. ↑ Young Jeezy
  32. ° Fabolous
  33. ↓ 50 Cent
  34. ° Raekwon

    2010http://www.mtv.com/specials/hottest/mc/index.jhtml MTV [Specials – Hottest – Mc]. Mtv.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-14.

  35. ° Eminem
  36. ↓ Jay Z
  37. ↑ Kanye West
  38. ↓ Drake
  39. - Rick Ross
  40. ° Nicki Minaj
  41. ↓ Lil Wayne
  42. ° Waka Flocka Flame
  43. ° B.o.B
  44. ° Ludacris

    2011

  45. ↑ Rick Ross
  46. ↑ Drake
  47. - Kanye West
  48. ↑ Nicki Minaj
  49. ↑ Lil Wayne
  50. ↓ Jay Z
  51. ° Meek Mill
  52. ° Big Sean
  53. ° Wiz Khalifa
  54. ° Wale

    2012

  55. ° Kendrick Lamar
  56. ° 2 Chainz
  57. ↓ Rick Ross
  58. ° Nas
  59. ↓ Drake
  60. ↑ Big Sean
  61. ↓ Kanye West
  62. ° ASAP Rocky
  63. ° Future
  64. ↓ Meek Mill

    2016http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kanye-west-drake-and-chance-the-rapper-top-mtvs-2016-hottest-mcs-list-news.26432.html

  65. ↑ Kanye West
  66. ↑ Drake
  67. ° Chance the Rapper
  68. ° Travis Scott
  69. ° Young Thug
  70. ↑ Future
  71. ° YG
  72. ↓ Kendrick Lamar
  73. ° Lil Uzi Vert
  74. ° 21 Savage

    Annual Hottest MC chart

PositionTop MCYear inductedAppearancesPeak ranking
1Kanye West200771
2Lil Wayne200751
3Jay Z200751
4Rick Ross200853
5Kendrick Lamar201221
6Eminem201011
7Drake200952
8T.I.200722
92 Chainz201212
10Game200713
11Chance the Rapper201613
12André 3000200724
12Nicki Minaj201024
12Nas201214
12Travis Scott201614
16Snoop Dogg200815
16Young Thug201615
18Young Jeezy200736
1850 Cent200736
18Big Sean201126
18Future201226
18Gucci Mane200916
23Meek Mill201127
23Lupe Fiasco200817
23YG201617
26Fabolous200918
26Waka Flocka Flame201018
26ASAP Rocky201218
29Common200719
29B.o.B201019
29Wiz Khalifa201119
29Lil Uzi Vert201619
33Jim Jones2007110
33Raekwon2009110
33Ludacris2010110
33Wale2011110
3321 Savage2016110