Is 50 #1 because he bitched so much about MTV’s top 10 MC’s list? Or is it because he bitched so much he made finally made a hot song?
From MTV:
1. “I Get Money” by 50 Cent
The best beat of the year, unbridled stunting, endless riches and unplanned parenting to boot: “Have a baby by me, baby, be a millionaire/ I’ll write the check before the baby comes, who the f— cares.”
2. “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West
Easily the most relatable song of the year. Everybody needs to get their money right. Even A-Rod wants wanted more dough in 2007, and he was getting over $25 million a year. Kanye’s hardest street anthem to date and, line by line, one of his most lyrical songs ever.
3. “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” by UGK (featuring Outkast)
Andre 3000’s verse alone is worth the price of admission, although Pimp C probably rides the track the best (R.I.P. Sweet Jones!). Both legendary hip-hop pairs proved that skills and passion don’t necessarily deteriorate over the years.
4. “Make Me Better” by Fabolous (featuring Ne-Yo)
It’s fly to love your girl. Scratch that, it’s fly to love your girl and not be ashamed to tell her and the world she has you open. At least, that’s what Fab and Ne-Yo made everyone believe with their monster duet.
5. “It’s Me Bitches” remix by Swizz Beatz (featuring Lil Wayne, Jadakiss and R. Kelly)
Arguably the best rapper (Wayne), producer (Swizz) and singer (Kelly) in 2007 are featured on this track. No way to lose on this one. Of all the millions of Lil Wayne verses this year, this had to be the most fun to listen to. Weezy rapped in different languages, vernaculars and switched flows in less than 30 seconds.
6. “We Takin’ Over” by DJ Khaled (featuring T.I., Rick Ross, Akon, Lil Wayne, Baby and Fat Joe)
With a murderers’-row lineup like this, who dared dispute Khaled’s claim that “We da besss!”? Each MC tried to outdo the other, but everyone kept the competition friendly. Also, with this song, Khaled kicked off a plethora of songs featuring a combination of all-star guests.
7. “Duffle Bag Boy” by Playaz Circle (featuring Lil Wayne)
So compelling, it almost felt biblical. Tity Boi and Dolla Boy’s ode to corner couriers had the most legs on our list, terrorizing the underground for months until it recently erupted everywhere. Birdman Jr.’s hook captivated every club.
8. “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is …)” by Jay-Z
He’s in the howww, howww, howwwse! You know have a hit on your hands when you have black kids from the ‘hood yelling, “La chaim!” Hov’s celebratory second single from American Gangster was delivered with excitingly complicated wordplay and the Jigga’s trademark royal swagger. That type of talk is reserved only for the bosses.
9. “My Drink N’ My 2 Step” by Cassidy
Besides a dance partner, what else do you really need in a club besides what Cassidy called out in this song title? The Philadelphia MC snuck in a serious story about his downfall and comeback while drinking Patrón and enlisting Swizz Beatz for a simplistic but enlivening chorus.
10. “Wipe Me Down” by Lil Boosie, Webbie and Foxx
“Shoulders, chest, pants, shoes.” Who knew you could get so clean being dirty? Down-bottom bravado and bracing bass help the Trill Fam fortify their spots as popular Southern young guns.
Bonus! Top Hip-Hop Catchphrases
1. “(Insert superhero’s name here) that ho/ You’lll!”
After Soulja Boy blew up with his “Crank That” lyric “Superman that ho,” he spawned a nation of biters who made songs with choruses that replaced the Man of Steel with his day-saving peers such as Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine and the always-slept-on Aquaman.
2. “We da besssss!”
DJ Khaled once again proved that DJs don’t have to stay in the background, wearing headphones while scratching records. He turned himself into a bona-fied hip-hop brand name this year. “We” is probably the most apropos thing he could have said, because he brought together so many artists for his singles “We Takin’ Over,” “Brown Paper Bag” and the remix to “I’m So Hood.” He probably got offers to book talent for the Grammy Awards.
3. “Showwwtime”
Why? Well after the MTV News team shot a special segment called “A Day in the Life of Swizz Beatz,” just about half the people in our news room started saying it. Plus, Swizz had so many hits this year, you really couldn’t escape his slogan.
4. “Throw some D’s on that bitch”
All praises go to Rich Boy for not only giving us a fresh song with a hot hook, but for giving us a instant LOL punch line whenever we talked about something that needed to be fixed or pimped out. Sometimes it didn’t even have anything to do with a car. You got a bad perm from the hairdresser? “Throw some D’s on that bitch.” They put mustard on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise? “Throw some D’s on That B—h.” Equally nonsensical and humorous.
5. “Party like a rock star.”
Kanye West, Lil Wayne, the Diplomats — a bunch of hip-hop acts were bringing that rock mentality and swagger to rap this year. And it didn’t hurt that the Shop Boyz hit record “Party Like a Rockstar” exploded, either.
6. “Currr-tisss”
Oh, the hilarity started by Cam’ron. He began dissing 50 Cent by starting an antagonizing name-calling campaign on the Internet. 50, ever the business-minded messiah, figured that there’s no harm in people calling him by the name his momma gave him and turned it into the platinum-plus Curtis.
7. “This is why I’m hot.”
Unfortunately MIMS’ flame fizzled when his “This Is Why I’m Hot” single died down, but boy was he running with it when the record was at its peak. You could see the saying on T-shirts, blogs and coming out of the mouths of your favorite celebrities. Well, maybe you couldn’t really see the words coming out of their mouths, but you catch our drift.
