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Lil Wayne Rocks The Hottest MCs In The Game At #2!

Huge sales, huge tours, huge label take Weezy to 'A Milli' and beyond!

2009 Rank: #2

Previous rankings: 2007 (#1); 2008 (#3)

Why He’s Hot:

Why He’s Hot: 2007′s Hottest MC in the Game, Lil Wayne, has been in the top three of the Hottest MCs list three years running on account of his consistently powerful skills on the mic and perennially enormous impact.

Even without an album release in 2009, Weezy‘s rep and influence continued to grow, owing to his status as rap’s most active and lucrative touring act, the rise of his Young Money crew of newcomers, and his armor-piercing punchlines on guest appearances.

Just one example of his lyrical marksmanship can be found in Jadakiss’ “Death Wish”: “I’m from the mecca of the reckless/ With a record-breaking debt list/ The wreckers and neglectors think the election won’t affect us,” Wayne raps about his hometown of New Orleans. “I’m knockin’ n—as down this year, I’m on my timber sh–/ Big lion growl at you n—as/ On that Simba sh–.”

Over the past year, the big lion tore up the road for nearly 80 dates on his “I Am Music” and “Young Money Presents: America’s Most Wanted Music Festival” tours, which banked slightly over $42 million — a record for a hip-hop act, according to Pollstar. Wayne’s show was must-see as he exploded onstage with spectacles such as a live band whose members were suspended in the air, sexy dancers, his guitar (heh heh!) and his most important weapon, his charisma. With his swinging dreads, tattooed body and insurgent attitude, Weezy’s stage command was practically a religious experience for fans as he infused rock, pop and all his hip-hop blockbusters into his live set.

As boundless as his raps and live performances were, so was Wayne’s media omnipresence. The New Orleans native’s appeal proved universal as he snagged the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for his still-unreleased new Rebirth LP, analyzed sports for ESPN and wooed CBS News’ Katie Couric and the ladies of “The View.”

Weezy‘s other big move in 2009 was ushering in others. Wayne may not look like the traditional buttoned-up CEO, but his business acumen proved potent as he helped introduce music’s rookie of the year, Drake. Drizzy’s So Far Gone mixtape (released in February) became so popular that virtually every major label tried to sign him. It was Wayne and his Young Money label that won out, and for good reason: Weezy‘s star-powered co-sign has served as a major catalyst for Drake-mania, with the newcomer already being tapped by fans and media to be a rap phenom before he’s dropped a full album.

While other members of Young Money, such as female standout Nicki Minaj, have shown tremendous personality and presence on the mic, the Drake/ Wayne tag team on freestyles and singles such as “Ignant Shit” “Every Girl,” “Successful” and the all-star team-up of “Forever” (also featuring Kanye West and Eminem) has been lyrically exhilarating, carpeted with ferocious quotables. The prolific duo has planted the flag for Young Money‘s takeover.

Wayne‘s trusted stamp of quality has even given his career-long recording home, Cash Money Records (of which Young Money is an offshoot), an added rejuvenation. Veteran the Birdman has featured his stepson Weezy on two concrete hits: “Always Strapped” and the current “Money To Blow.” Meanwhile, newcomers Jay Sean and Kevin Rudolf have been able to ride the Wayne bandwagon to the top of the charts with the Weezy-guested hits “Down” and “Let It Rock,” respectively.

Wayne’s ballyhooed guest spots didn’t slow or stay contained to his musical family. He terrorized rough hip-hop tracks for the likes of Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Jadakiss and Fabolous — not to mention his spot in T.I.’s all-star track “Swagga Like Us,” also featuring Kanye West and Jay-Z — while even Madonna placed a call to Wayne to add some New Orleans spice to her greatest-hits LP.

Wayne is still music’s number-one go-to guy because his versatile flow, coarse voice and swagger blend with a surprisingly diverse range of musical styles — and when it comes to wordplay, Wayne’s abstract thinking remains on another planet, keeping his innovative bars above his peer group. (Who else in rap would compare the seats of a car to a human posterior, as he did on Ross’ “Maybach Music 2“?)

Although Weezy F. is currently spreading the love to others, we can’t forget that his most major singular accomplishment from last year added to his heat inn ’09. Tha Carter III was the biggest-selling album of 2008 and obviously was a huge reason why so many fans came to Wayne concerts in 2009. The album also took home a Grammy for Best Rap Album in February.

While the long-promised Rebirth LP remains on ice, Weezy’s high volume of high-quality work with the entire music industry keeps him on top — album cycles just don’t apply to the Fireman anymore. The Kobe Bryant of rap is not just a marquee artist; Wayne’s a leader. You see people like Gucci Mane following his dogged work ethic, living in the studio and churning out song after song. Street MCs such as Young Jeezy have incorporated live bands in their stage repertoire after seeing how seamlessly it worked for Wayne — and maybe the biggest nod to Weezy is that record company execs are paying close attention to Young Money’s moves in a hope to emulate their success.

Damn. Props to Weezy for this accomplishment, hopefully next year he will take home number 1!