At #8 is...Young Jeezy

'Hottest MCs In The Game': The List Rolls On With Young Jeezy At #8

The Snowman makes the cut with a heap of guest appearances and the promise of a new album.

By Shaheem Reid

In summer 2007, the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust sat down and had another controversial roundtable debate. Unlike previous discussions, the trustees devised a list of not the greatest ever, but the Hottest MCs in the Game right then. The rankings were based on lyrics, flow, impact on the game, success and swagger.

The roundtable recently reconvened and came up with a brand-new list of Hottest MCs. Our experts used the same criteria, but only judged on the past year of hip-hop. Check back to see the whole list right after the show on Friday night! "The Hottest MCs in the Game" airs on MTV Friday at 10 p.m. ET.

Flame Thrower: Young Jeezy

Why He's Hot
He can dominate the show on a posse cut with some of his most mic-savvy peers, then successfully facilitate requests from mainstream mainstays like Mariah Carey and Usher, who call him to sanctify their #1 albums and songs with his seamless street swagger. Young Jeezy is at his pinnacle. Don't misconstrue the ranking: He's #8 with a bullet. We fully expect the Atlanta hustler to rank higher next time. After the release of USDA's LP Cold Summer in mid-2007, Mr. 17.5 shut down publicly to work on his top-secret third album and "count all that money."

Even with a break, the 'hood's loyalty toward him has remained, and when he re-emerged on records like Shawty Lo's "Dey Know" remix and Rick Ross' "Luxury Tax," it was evident he was setting himself up for a run at the crown. His placements of late — the actual songs he's chosen to get on — have been flawless, ranging from chart hits to club anthems. The Snowman's rhyme-dispensing on these records has also been stellar. He's improving as a lyricist, and he has so much swag that you can tell he's inspired a whole brood of new southern MCs to bite his style.

Apathetic to his clones, Jeezy is ready to go all the way over the top with it on his next album. Three years since the release of his classic Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, he feels that the experience he has under his belt has made him a better artist. Not a hustler who raps, but an artist. Young is dedicated to his craft, as his new collaboration with Kanye West, "Put On," proves. Don't pack your heavy coat away yet. The Snowman will keep the summer on frio.

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