PUNCH HOLES IN MTV'S TOP 10 HIP HOP GROUPS OF ALL TIME

Just recently, MTV, America's authority on everything music, released their Top 10 Hip Hop Groups of all time. Because I got mad beef, I'm going to punch holes in their list so big you could chunk basketballs through them from 50 feet away.

Their qualifier for a "group" was that there must be more than one primary emcee in the group. Therefore, GangStarr would not qualify because it's only Guru as the emcee and Primo as the DJ. However, Nice & Smooth would qualify.

10
MTV'S PICK: UGK
(MY SUGGESTION: GETO BOYS)
Really, dude. If you're gonna take a group to represent Houston, is there really any contesting the Geto Boys? If it weren't for the Geto Boys, UGK wouldn't even exist. They got nine records to UGK's four and Scarface, as a solo act, has eight solo records to Bun B's and Pimp C's one each. Geto Boys innovated and then UGK imitated. It's that simple. Geto Boys have a legacy that can't be matched in Houston, if not the entire South, if not the entire country.

09
MTV'S PICK: THE FUGEES
(MY SUGGESTION: 3RD BASS)

Yeah, I'll get some flack for this one, but listen to their two proper studio records, The Cactus and Derelicts of Dialect and the Fugees can barely hold a match. I would contest that The Score was really only a half-great record and their first record, Blunted on Reality, was far short of greatness--in fact, it's hardly ever mentioned at all when you speak of the Fugees. If they're gonna allow two-album artists into the list, I'll take 3rd Bass anyday of the week, any week of the year. Oh, and Lauryn Hill was the only lyricists in the Fugees. Clef and Pras were back-up dancers.

08
MTV'S PICK: SALT 'N PEPA
(MY SUGGESTION: BEASTIE BOYS)
C'mon, Salt N Pepa get in and not the Beasties? Beasties have sold more of Licensed to Ill than Salt N Pepa have sold in their entire career of all records combined. Seven platinum-plus records from the Beasties. It's not even really about sales. It's about contribution to the artform. What the Beasties did for hip hop can only be matched by names like Public Enemy, NWA and Run DMC. Now, I know Salt N Pepa's importance in breaking the gender limits of hip hop, when all is said and done, you ask anyone to word associate with Salt N Pepa, they're gonna say "Push It" or "Whatta Man." Do the same thing with the Beasties, they'll name albums. That's the difference. One of the biggest debates from MTV was do they really qualify as hip hop. If you get hung up on this, I don't know if you can intelligently speak on hip hop, honestly.

07
MTV'S PICK: EPMD

No argument here. Fine pick. Maybe a little high. I might have thrown them in as a ten, but the definitely belong on the list.

06
MTV'S PICK: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Yep, no argument here either. Their first three records are an arsenal that is simply unparalleled in hip hop.

05
MTV'S PICK: WU-TANG CLAN
Perfect place for the Wu. I don't think you can really just look at the Wu as what they did under the name "Wu-Tang Clan." It's the sum of all parts. Those first three years of solo records propelled the Wu to greatness. The concept of the Wu was that the members were as dangerous alone as they were as a group and it couldn't be truer.

04

MTV'S PICK: OUTKAST

(MY SUGGESTION: DE LA SOUL)
I get Outkast, but album for album, De La takes it. I don't even think it's a contest. I know that might sound insane to some people, but De La blazed the trail that Outkast strolls down. Again, like Tribe, their first three, hell, their first four records would make De La worthy of one of the top three spots on this list, but I'm only arguing their accomplishments over Outkast. Outkast would be in easy at #11. I'll even give them #10 or #9, but being on this list with no mention of De La is nothing short of tragic.

03
MTV'S PICK: PUBLIC ENEMY
Just give them #1, man. "Public Enemy #1!"

02
MTV'S PICK: NWA
I'd give them a #4 spot and De La #3. I don't really have a good reason other than De La's catalog is unrivaled by the likes of NWA, but NWA's overall impact on the game was more deeply felt.

01
MTV'S PICK: RUN DMC

Run DMC's always taking tops on the lists and, while they were the first, I don't know if they should always be the greatest. I'd say they need to sit at #2 with PE at #1. It's like people feel they'll get shot if they don't put Run DMC at the top of every list. They were the pioneers, but it doesn't always equal an automatic bid at the top. It's #2 almost on principle.