Jay-Z Questions Eminem's Absence From MTV's "Hottest In The Game" List

Written by Cyrus Langhorne

Jay-Z has shared his reaction to MTV's "Hottest MC's In The Game" listing him at number one and questioned why Grammy-winning rapper Eminem lost out to artists including Rick Ross, Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy.

According to Hov, Em should have been considered within the Top 10 especially due to his platinum-selling Relapse album.

"MTV, Thanx for this nod of appreciation," he wrote in a statement. "Although I don't strive to be 'hot' for any particular year, I thank you for the acknowledgment. My whole goal is to be recognized as the best ever. I created the term 'best rapper alive' as a sign of respect to my fallen comrades (Biggie and Tupac). I believe I've allowed a significant grace period, and I believe I would not be respecting myself if being the absolute best was not my goal, and that's why I continue to push myself until exhaustion ... salute. Sidebar: Kanye moment if I may ... Eminem?!?! I think you do the credibility of this list a disservice if you don't thoroughly explain his omission. As of this second he has the highest selling rap album of the year and a scene stealing verse on the best 'posse' cut of the year . (*Hands mic back to Taylor Swift ... and nobody was harmed, I apologize in advance.)" (Rap Radar)

MTV has issued a response to the public's reaction toward Em's absence from the list.

Eminem's ranking was one of the most discussed topics at the Roundtable. His hotly anticipated return to hip-hop after a long absence drove first week sales of over 600,000 - the highest first-week of the year so far. He granted a handful of select interviews here and abroad, and was part of a massive moment with Sacha Baron Cohen at the MTV Movie Awards. But then Em retreated to the lab, where he spent the summer crafting Relapse 2. From June to September, Em all-but took himself out of the public eye, while other MCs generated week-to-week heat with mixtapes, guest appearances, performances and Web activity. (M Live)

Rappers like Maino initially questioned how certain rappers could make the cut who have not released music as of late.

"Some of these people ain't had a record in years," Maino said while reviewing the list. "Is it based off record sales? Is it based off presence in the game? You got n*ggas on here that can't even rap. I don't claim to be this or that, I don't claim to be this nice or that nice, I'm just one of the realest n*ggas in the world -- Two straight summers I held down and there's a couple of these n*ggas that ain't had a summer song since 90-something. How you on the list of hottest in the game today, some of them should be hottest in the game overall or past years, no disrespect to some of them on the list but you got legends that did what they did and paved the way for me but at the same time, if you not relevant today -- then how are you on 'The Hottest MC's In The Game' list? They almost try to paint the perception of if you're not on the list, you're not hot." (This Is 50)

50 Cent expressed his discontent with the annual list in an interview around 2007.

"I didn't see [the list] but they asked me about it," Fif said in an interview with DJ Clue. "Well you know, these c*ck suckers -- it's terrible man, it's almost impossible for you to maintain a position without just being a total idiot. God made all of us, so he knows to give me special attention -- [MTV personality] Sway should just jump in front of a bus on his way up here man for doing that -- he's a meathead. They're not using their brains anymore, man. There's a difference between a guy that has eight records and a guy whose built consistency." (Power 105)
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