Written by Administrator | 27 July 2012

The SA Hip Hop news has been dominated by the controversy around Hype Magazine’s Top 50 MCs list released in their latest issue. The social networks and radio hip hop shows got buzzing as the Hip Hop community is debating around the topic as some emcees feel offended and left out.

Let me start by saying that this post is written out of love for SA Hip Hop not for hate towards Hype Magazine.

I'm personally not a Hype Magazine reader; I opted out a long time ago for various reasons, the main one being the heavy presence of American rappers in the magazine, who clearly don't need any help whatsover, especially not from a magazine that claims to be SA's No1 Hip Hop magazine and even worse on covers from time to time when we already have magazines such as XXL, Source and Vibe on our shop shelves. I strongly believe that there are lot of talented mcs in the Western Cape,Eastern Cape or Kzn, who need more exposure than artists like Drake,Lil Wayne or Kanye West, to name only a few. A strong focus on SA Hip Hop and its diversity can only do us good.

Anyway let’s get to the point now, releasing a Top 50 SA MCs can be quite challenging, taking into account the complexity and diversity of SA Hip Hop, as we all have different tastes and backgrounds. From boom bap to underground to commercial hip hop we all have our preferences, taste and sense of what real Hip Hop should sound like.

When I went through the list quickly, it came as no surprise that commercial success and brand endorsement were probably the key deciding points for some of the listed MCs, I didn't get a sense that lyricism, consciousness and originality were part of it. There were a few names I expected to make it to the final list, the likes of Ben Sharpa, Young Nations and Mingus, but no chance, leaving me wondering if the list was really constructed carefuly.

Anyway, one shouldn't take it as a diss or disrespect because a real emcee knows where he stands and what he stands for, to my die hard hip hop fans we know what's good we do not need to be told that too.
To wrap it up here is the Hype's top 50; feel free to add your comment below

Hype magazine's Top 50 MCs

1. Tumi 2. Proverb 3. Pro 4. HHP 5. Zubz 6. Khuli Chana 7. AKA 8. POC 9. Audio Visual 10. Godessa 11. Driemanskap 12. Amu 13. Tukz 14. Da Les 15. Flabba 16. Hymphatic Thabz 17. Maggz 18. Golden Shovel 19. Teargas 20. T.O.P 21. Reason 22. JR 23. Ltido 24. N’veigh 25. Zakwe 26. Slikour 27. Mr Selwyn 28. Kanyi 29. Mr Devious 30. Last Days Fam 31. Zuluboy 32. Pdoto 33. Abdus 34. Ill Skillz 35. Morale 36. Molemi 37. iFani 38. Kid X 39. Gin-I-Grimes 40. Mista Maliq 41. Smashis 42. Spoek Mathambo 43. Jack Parrow 44. Blaklez 45. MrC 46. Ras 47. Isaac Mutant 48. Adamus 49. J Bux 50. Black Moss