XV hosts a Vizzy Zone mixtape listening session, discusses his relationship with Warner Bros. Records, his upcoming The Kid With The Green Backpack album and connecting with fans.
PREVIOUSLY: VIDEO: XV ft. Mike Posner – Mirror’s Edge
“Something about Em this time around, you don’t feel like he’s following some type of formula,” MTV Jams’ Tuma Basa said. “He didn’t come out with that corny Slim Shady record. This time, he came like, ‘I came to play.’ And the records have this motivational anthemic type [of feel] we haven’t seen in him. He’s stepping into a new space.” – MTV
PREVIOUSLY: #2: Jay-Z | #3: Kanye West | #3: Kanye West | #4: Drake | #5: Rick Rosss | #10: Ludacris | #9: B.o.B | #8: Waka Flocka | #7: Lil Wayne | #6: Nicki Minaj
“Jay has legacy, which you can’t ignore if you’re just talking about the last 12 months,” MTV News senior writer Jayson Rodriguez said during the Hottest MCs round table. “What Jay does better than anybody is he leverages his past legacy to do things now.” – MTV
PREVIOUSLY: #3: Kanye West | #3: Kanye West | #4: Drake | #5: Rick Rosss | #10: Ludacris | #9: B.o.B | #8: Waka Flocka | #7: Lil Wayne | #6: Nicki Minaj
Kanye’s having a great 4th quarter, but was that enough to make him the 3rd hottest MC in the game?
“One of the things we’ve consistently said about him on this list with regard to his impact is his ability to push the culture forward in different ways,” Lee said. “That ‘Power’ video, there’s not a lot of artists that can do that, a 90-second moving painting where he doesn’t even perform.” – MTV.
PREVIOUSLY: #4: Drake | #5: Rick Rosss | #10: Ludacris | #9: B.o.B | #8: Waka Flocka | #7: Lil Wayne | #6: Nicki Minaj
From Sprite commercials to Kodak billboards and a platinum selling album, is Drake the 4th hottest MC in the game?
“He’s been on the radio all year,” RapFix editor Hillary Crosley said during the Hottest MCs roundtable. “Like, I can’t get away from him. It’s impossible.”
“Different artists, they may have a hot regional presence or be hot on the East Coast or Down South around Atlanta or whatever,” added MTV News supervising producer Sean Lee, “but this dude — everywhere, man.” – MTV
PREVIOUSLY: #5: Rick Rosss | #10: Ludacris | #9: B.o.B | #8: Waka Flocka | #7: Lil Wayne | #6: Nicki Minaj
Many are arguing that Rick Ross may have at the best year. What do you think?
“Teflon Don, that’s the album of the year right now, I don’t care what it sold,” MTV News’ Shaheem Reid said during the Hottest MCs roundtable. “From ‘I’m Not a Star’ down to ['All the Money in the World'], ‘Tears of Joy,’ it just really grips your soul when you hear him having the foresight to bring Cee-Lo back. Cee-Lo was singing his heart out. I feel like I’m in church.”
“A lot of artists make trendier records, and those trends come and go,” MTV News supervising producer Sean Lee said. “But as far as records and art that’s gonna stand the test of time, that’s what Ross is doing.”
“B.M.F.” was big at urban radio, hitting #6 on the Billboard Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was almost impossible to not hear it bumping from a car stereo everywhere you turned.
“It has legs like a track star,” MTV News senior writer Jayson Rodriguez said. “All summer, it’s been rocking. Whether in the ‘hood, you hear it banging, [or] opening the BET Hip-Hop Awards. “So it got the ‘hood with that record, but [also] big-production performances.”
“It’s a hard record,” MTV Jams’ Tuma Basa said. “There’s no formulaic syrupy hook on it. It’s not some big-branded producer putting his name all over the beginning of the song.”
Indeed, the production on “B.M.F.” was so heralded that the beatmaker behind it, Lex Luger, became the flavor du jour, even getting recruited by Kanye West (“See Me Now”). – MTV.
PREVIOUSLY: #10: Ludacris | #9: B.o.B | #8: Waka Flocka | #7: Lil Wayne | #6: Nicki Minaj
During Ye and Sway’s post “Runaway” pow wow, the two discussed a flurry of topics ranging from his G.O.O.D. Friday offerings, his and Hov’s Watch The Throne project to giving Selita Ebanks major acting props for her role in Runaway. But in the clip above, Ye breaks down the synergy within the G.O.O.D. Music chamber and makes it known that he wants no problems with Cyhi’s lyrical ability. But of course, if Ye wasn’t directing movies and shit….it would be another story lol.
SPOTTED: MTV
PREVIOUSLY: VIDEO: Kanye’s Q&A Interview With Sway For “Runaway”
I’m sure those Powerhouse attendees knew they were going to see Freeway at some point during that concert on Friday night. And when Freezer did show up, he showed out. Too bad Beans can’t get his act together, it would’ve been nice to see him onstage as well.
SPOTTED: rr
Light up, you know what time it is. Not sure where this is going to end up…but it’s definitely something we can ride to lol. Nice to hear from Juicy J too.
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DOWNLOAD: Wiz Khalifia ft. Juicy J – In My Car (Tha Puff Bus)
RESPECT: OS
PREVIOUSLY: VIDEO: Diddy Hops On Stage With Wiz Khalifia
After the premiere of his short-film Runaway, the man of the hour sat down with Sway for MTV‘s Q&A session where the rapper answered questions from fans tweeted with the hashtag #askkanye. West talks about his favorite scene from Runaway in the clip above. More from the interview after the jump.
