Top 5 MCs of 2011

5. Louis Mackey

Louis Mackey was part of two albums that came very close to making my top 10 list, "The Dioscuri" with Dr. Quandry and "No Humans Allowed" with ThirtySeven. Each time I hear him I have to stop and totally focus on what he is saying because if not I feel I will miss a line of genius.

4. Guilty Simpson

Did you hear Random Axe? To me, he absolutely stole the show on each track, then you throw in his mix tape and different features, he is killing it right now and each album just gets better and better, he is on track to be something extra special, not just in the "underground" but wouldn't be surprised if he breaks through and crushes some of the mainstream cats.

3. Black Thought

While I still haven't had time to fully digest "undun," it is very very easy for me to say that Black Thought absolutely kills it. If I were an MC I honestly would not to be on a track with him out of fear of looking horrible, he has just about everything going for him, breath control, flow, voice, vocabulary, DAMN.

2. Random aka Mega Ran

Besides putting out my number 2 album of the year with "Black Materia" his "TeacherRapperHero Vol 2: Two Weeks Notice" is easily my favorite mix tape of the year (and an actual mix tape with a DJ), he released "Forever Famicom DLC 2" with K-Murdock, dropped "Mega Ran 10" (possibly the best Mega Ran album to date,) made one of, if not the best, Christmas album of the last decade, and earlier this week his album with Mister Miranda came out. Each album is great and he shows his versatility, the guy never stops and keeps putting out incredible music.

1. Open Mike Eagle

No surprise here. Honestly, he is quickly becoming one of my favorite MCs of all time, with "Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes" he created a masterpiece and with his decision to release companion EPs, he is doing something incredibly special that will last for a very long time. He (along with everyone else on the list) makes me realize that I should never ever attempt to be an MC, he reminds me this is an art form and not just something you randomly decide to do.