Top 10 Most Overhyped and Undertalented Rappers of 2011

issue 14, Leandro Fefer, top 10, Entertainment - By Matthew Grant Anson on Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 01:59

1) Waka Flocka
If you go “Hard in the M****r F***ing Paint,” rhyming isn’t necessary to produce a rap album. Flaka had his debut solo album in 2010, but it was bad enough to warrant a spot on this years list. Apart from his club single “No Hands,” (where he is drastically outshined by his features), Waka Flaka is a completely one-dimensional rapper whose only merit is his unrelenting gangster persona; however, even this is marred by rumors that he gets punched in the face by real gangsters every time he enters an Atlanta shopping mall.

2) Lil’ B
Lil’ B has been producing a continuous stream of new music for the last several years. Too bad it all sucks. The one thing that can be said for Lil’ B is that he seems sincere in his music, which sounds like it was written by a five year old. Once again we see that you don’t have to rhyme in order to make records. Swag.

3) Chris Brown
Well, Chris Brown sure can hit; he hit the charts like crazy last year. He was better at hitting women and singing pop-y R&B... at least he could do those better than rapping.

4) Pitbull
Pitbull has done it again. Departing from his early style that was a Reggeton hip-hop crossover and leaving rowdy beats and Spanish infused lyrics of “Rompe” and “Gasolina,” Pitbull has given up all creative individuality and made hip-pop dancy and un-interesting with no creative wit or inventive delivery.

5) Tyga
Somebody make sense of his mix tape, or even one whole song, and get back to me and tell me what his infatuation with grandmothers is. When Tyga dropped, hip-hop took an L. He’s basically a Lil’ B imitator who can sling together a few words to rhyme, but only a few.

6) Big Sean
Well, Big Sean is “Finally Famous,” so now he can start making mediocre music about how much it sucks to be successful. Big Sean emerged out of the blue when he signed to Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music group, has paid no dues and has no real angle in the rap game other than to be pop-y and arrogant … He makes songs about big butts and being famous, can anyone predict a one-hit wonder?

7) Wale
Can you say “sell out?” After Wale flopped in 2009 with the release of a semi-socially conscious and somewhat interesting Attention Deficit, he has come back as a strip-club rapper who gets outshined by rappers who actually go to strip clubs. As Ghostface Killah describes him “Ayo this n***a scared of females n probably cries when he f**ks. Straight up.”

8) J. Cole
In “Work Out” Cole uses Kanye samples and recycles Kanye punch lines to make a hit single that has maybe one original line in it. What’s more sad, the music or its popularity? Well, once again we have unoriginality combined with mediocre rhymes, add a little industry advertisement and boom: a star is born.

9) Kreashawn
I’ll admit “Gucci Gicci” was an instant hit for me. Great song. Only song by Kreashawn ever worth listening to. Ever.

10) Whiz Khalifa
Mediocre just seems to be the word of hip-hop in 2011. Whiz certainly fits the bill with his lack of rhyming acuity or variation in subject matter. As a former pothead, it is hard to concede, but yes, Whiz has played out smoking weed. Oh and stealing your girlfriend, he played that out also … Whiz won “Rookie of the Year” at the 2011 BET awards, and he is already played out.