Even without his own album, Rozay owned 2011 and topped our Hottest MCs in the Game list.
By MTV News staff

Rick Ross

Photo: MTV News / Getty Images

When Rick Ross experiences a personal moment of triumph, a hearty grunt typically marks the occasion. Built up from the bowels of his belly, Rozay’s baritone call has become as ubiquitous as his titillating one-liners — not that a simple ad-lib is the only thing that earned Rick Ross the #1 spot on MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII list, his first time up top.

Rozay was on pace to release his fifth studio album until he faced a pair of “minor setbacks,” as he so poetically dubs the two seizures he suffered in October.

“God Forgives, I Don’t was slated to come out in 2011, and he had the two seizures, and we thought it was going to make him fall back completely — but he came back and hit us with Rich Forever,” MTV News senior hip-hop writer Rob Markman pointed out during the Hottest debate.

Want to join the debate? Just hit us on Twitter using the hashtag #HottestMC!

The truth is, Rozay’s 2011 reign didn’t hinge on an album release. The Bawse set things up properly in February of last year when he signed his Maybach Music Group record label over to Warner Music Group and scooped up newcomer Meek Mill (this year’s #7 Hottest MC), Wale (#10) and later Stalley. Musically, Ricky Ro put his team in position to dominate with the label compilation Self Made, Vol. 1. Rather than taking all the shine, Ross passed the baton to Meek, who delivered “Ima Boss” and “Tupac Back.” Wale contributed the rhythmic gem “That Way,” and even ousted MMG spitter Pill logged serious miles on the LP.

Album: Self Made, Vol. 1, with Maybach Music Group

Selected Mixtapes: Rich Forever

Singles: “You the Boss” (featuring Nicki Minaj), “I Love My Bitches”

Street Bangers: “9 Piece” (featuring Lil Wayne), “Stay Schemin’ ” (featuring Drake and French Montana), “Yella Diamonds”

Key Guest Appearances: DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One,” Meek Mill’s “Ima Boss,” Lil Wayne’s “John,” French Montana’s “Shot Caller” remix, Drake’s “Lord Knows”

Meteoric Metrics: Ross established his Maybach Music Group brand as its CEO when he notched two #1 rap albums with Wale’s Ambition and MMG’s Self Made, Vol. 1

Business Ventures: Despite having a solo deal with Def Jam, Ross bossed up and took his MMG label to Warner Music Group, signing Wale, Meek Mill and Stalley.

Tours: Rozay joined Wayne on his I Am Still Music Tour

Monumental Moment: Ross is no stranger to success as a solo artist, but after he signed his MMG label to Warner, he truly became a boss!

Forecast: To be able to dominate 2011 without a solo album released is an amazing feat for Ross. With God Forgives, I Don’t on the way and a possible collabo mixtape with Drake, the Double-M-Genius may be going for the repeat.

“You wouldn’t even know that he didn’t have an album out [early last year], because he was all over the radio,” said Rahman Dukes, director of hip-hop news at MTV News.

Whether on his own singles (“You the Boss,” “I Love My Bitches”) or on tracks that he was featured on, the M-I-Yayo MC turned in multiple unforgettable performances. “Ima Boss” was technically Meek’s song, but the casual listener may have missed that fact. Lil Wayne’s “John” was basically a remix of the 2010 Ross track “I’m Not a Star,” and on the summer anthem “I’m on One,” Rozay flexed his muscle alongside Drake and Weezy.

“Rick Ross makes raw records, he makes street records. When he gets on a verse, his beat selection is impeccable,” MTV Jams’ Tuma Basa said, before pointing to Ross’ star-making ability with Meek and Wale. “He’s making other people hot, and these are people, without Ross, may not have been on this list. They’re on this list thanks to Ross.”

It’s deeper than rap with the Double-M-Genius. Beyond the studio, the Bawse proved his worth in the boardroom as well. “I don’t think any artist did a better job of branding than Rick Ross,” said MTV RapFix blog editor Nadeska Alexis. “He was just a marketing genius this year, and you gotta give it to the man.”

Ross meets all the criteria to be considered the Hottest MC in the Game. His impact is irrefutable: Even without a solo album, he maintained a healthy and consistent buzz throughout the year, notching a #1 rap album with his Self Made compilation. Lyrically, Rozay has grown from his “Hustlin’ ” days and become one of the game’s most celebrated spitters, and his swag is through the roof. Check his big-boned, shirtless confidence, immaculately groomed beard and top-of-the-line designer-sunglass collection.

If that weren’t enough, the rotund Rozay cemented his #1 spot in January when he dropped his free 19-song Rich Forever mixtape. While there is no SoundScan or Billboard chart that can measure its impact, with Rich Forever, Ross proved in this era of overdone crossover singles that rap still rules.

“Rick Ross, I think, provides hope to that MC, to that kid growing up who just wants to rap and make street music and say, ‘You know what? In this world where hip-hop has become pop, you can still just rap,’ ” Markman said.

Insert Rick Ross grunt here!

What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC!

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YMCMB standout was ‘On One’ this year, from undeniable features to Take Care.
By MTV News staff

Drake

Photo: Getty Images

Drake says his only cares are money and his native Toronto, but judging from the way he showed out in 2011, you have to figure rap dominance was pretty high on his list too. Drizzy definitely got his money and went to great lengths to put the city where he’s from on the map. Those efforts helped Drake clinch the #2 slot on MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII list.

“A lot of times artists are faced with a sophomore slump. I think Drake surpassed it and probably had one of the best hip-hop albums of the year,” said Steven Roberts, MTV News producer/writer, about the chart-topping Take Care.

Although Drake didn’t drop the November 2011 project until the fourth quarter, he maintained a serious presence all year: whether through personally leaked tracks like “Dreams Money Can Buy” and “Trust Issues” or high-powered collaborations like Future’s “Tony Montana,” Lil Wayne’s “She Will” and DJ Khaled’s inescapable summer smash “I’m On One,” which spent 13 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Rap Songs charts.

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“Try to imagine what radio would sound like this past year if you removed Drake from the equation,” said Rebecca Thomas, MTV News editor/writer, issuing a challenge.

Album: Take Care

Selected Mixtapes: None

Singles: “Headlines,” “Make Me Proud” (featuring Nicki Minaj), “Take Care” (featuring Rihanna)

Street Bangers: “Marvins Room,” “The Motto” (featuring Lil Wayne), “Lord Knows” (featuring Rick Ross)

Key Guest Appearances: DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One,” Waka Flocka Flame’s “Round of Applause,” Future’s “Tony Montana,” Rick Ross’ “Stay Schemin’ “

Meteoric Metrics: Besides scoring a platinum plaque for Take Care, Drake crushed Billboard with top 10 singles like “Take Care” and “Make Me Proud.”

Business Ventures: Drake further established his OVO brand; helped introduce Toronto singer the Weeknd to the masses

Tours: Drake kicked off his intimate Club Paradise Tour on Valentine’s Day 2012

Monumental Moment: Drake beat the sophomore slump with a #1 debut for Take Care, selling 631,000 units in the first week

Forecast: Drake claims he’s already started writing his third album. And if his and Ross’ Y.O.L.O. ever sees the light of day, expect another year of dominance from Aubrey.

Rahman Dukes, MTV News’ director of hip-hop news, answered the call: “You wouldn’t even know that he didn’t have an album out [early last year] because he was all over the radio.”

Drake’s dominance is well-documented, from SoundScan success to extraordinarily extensive radio play. As an artist, the Young Money standout blends R&B melody and alternative sensibilities with an MC’s bravado. While still spitting bars with some of the game’s most highly regarded lyricists, his emotive writing style made it acceptable for rappers to dish out their feelings (though Common might disagree).

Still, while the Toronto rapper meets all of the criteria to be considered hot, some members of the Hip-Hop Brain Trust wondered whether his penchant for singing was a strike against him in competition with purebred MCs? After all, Take Care was equal parts rap and R&B.

“In this debate, he loses points for that,” said Rob Markman, MTV News’ senior hip-hop writer, of Drake’s crooning.

It’s doubtful Drake will change, though, nor do fans want him to — his musical duality has been a major selling point. It not only led to his deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money, it helped launch him to international stardom. Now the whole world knows his name.

Shelia Grullon, music programming coordinator at MTV, put it simply: “I think before he was kinda off of Wayne’s heels and now he just held his own.”

What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC!

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Chi-Town hero claims the Throne and Hottest MCs in the Game VII’s top 3 with a Twisted Fantasy and a groundbreaking joint album.
By MTV News staff

Kanye West

Photo: Getty Images

To be considered one of the Hottest MCs in the Game, a rapper has to build a solid case with lyrics and album sales, but buzz is just as important, and few artists can stir up a frenzy quite like Kanye West, who happens to have the verses and plaques to back it up. But that’s just touching the surface when it comes to why the Hip-Hop Brain Trust gave ‘Ye the #3 spot on our Hottest MCs in the Game VII list.

The Chicago native set tongues wagging back on New Year’s Eve 2010, when he announced at a party in Las Vegas that his joint album with Jay-Z would arrive at the top of ’11. Although Watch the Throne didn’t actually drop until August 8, 2011, anticipation in the months leading up to its release was palpable.

“Kanye came off of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010, and just the hype from that album rolled over into 2011, as he started prepping us for WTT,” said Nadeska Alexis, MTV News’ RapFix blog editor. “Kanye was the only thing people could talk about for the first few months of the year.”

Want to join the debate? Just hit us on Twitter using the hashtag #HottestMC!

West and Jay teased fans with the single “H.A.M.” — later relegated to a bonus track — all while Kanye continued to push songs from his Grammy-winning solo LP. A flashy video for “All of the Lights” featured an appearance from Rihanna and generated plenty of chatter, and that folded right into the Watch the Throne hype.

Album: Watch the Throne with Jay-Z; My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Selected Mixtapes: None

Singles: “All of the Lights” (with Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie); “H.A.M,” “N—as in Paris” and “Otis” (all with Jay-Z)

Street Bangers: “Paris” remix (with Jay-Z and T.I.)

Key Guest Appearances: Big Sean’s “Marvin & Chardonnay”

Meteoric Metrics: Watch the Throne debuted at #1 on the album charts and has sold approximately 1.3 million copies to date, while West’s Grammy-winning solo single “All of the Lights” was certified platinum

Business Ventures: Inked an official distribution deal with Def Jam Records for G.O.O.D. Music imprint; launched DW by Kanye West line at Paris Fashion Week

Tours: Along with Jay-Z, West put on one of the most anticipated hip-hop tours to date in support of Watch the Throne. They grossed $48.3 million across 26 dates.

Monumental Moment: Not only did Kanye add “cray” to the rap vernacular, he joined Jay in performing “Paris” a record 11 times at one of their live shows

Forecast: After picking up Grammys for Best Rap Album (MBDTF) and Best Rap Performance (“Otis”), Kanye is currently at work on the highly anticipated G.O.O.D. album. And, of course, the second incarnation of his fashion line is getting plenty of advance buzz.

In the weeks before the album debuted, Throne fans were treated to more tidbits from the project, much of which had the indelible Kanye West stamp. Animal-inspired cover art designed by Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci? The brainchild of Kanye West, certainly.

“Jay-Z has really stood alone over the course of his career and he never really let somebody else get in the front,” said Rahman Dukes, MTV News’ director of hip-hop news, about the collaboration. “This is the one time [he let someone take control] and that’s a huge nod to Kanye’s genius.”

One of the key elements in building anticipation for the album was that the Throne successfully avoided a leak. The duo even threw a grand listening session at the Museum of Natural History in New York City — select music journalists and A-list insiders from Beyoncé to Lyor Cohen attended — that helped make the project an unbelievable spectacle right up until its drop date.

Post-release, the two rap titans began prepping for their monumental Watch the Throne Tour, a jaunt that ultimately grossed more than $48 million. Somehow, in the midst of all this, Kanye found time to debut his fashion line, DW by Kanye West, at Paris Fashion Week.

“Kanye is interesting even when it’s a side project,” noted Rebecca Thomas, editor/writer at MTV News. “He debuted a fashion line in Paris and people cared — people who arguably wouldn’t even care about that stuff.”
“He did the fashion show the same weekend as the BET Hip-Hop Awards and people were giving them an equal amount of attention,” Dukes added.

The tour finally ended and Kanye jetted off to London to work on the second incarnation of his fashion line and the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album, but the world continued to pay close attention. All it took was one night and one legendary Twitter rant for ‘Ye to capture the headlines on seemingly every blog and magazine.

“He just had such a big presence this year, even on Twitter,” Alexis said. “Kanye gets on Twitter and ‘DONDA’ is trending for hours and every magazine is writing about him.”

Kanye’s buzz was undeniable in 2011. Couple that with sales of Watch the Throne and its spectacular tour, and he was just unstoppable, winning a majority vote to land at #3 on the list.

What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC!

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Young Money Barbie had that ‘Super Bass,’ conquering pop and rap landscapes to land on Hottest MCs in the Game list.
By MTV News staff

Nicki Minaj

Photo: MTV News / Getty Images

A few months before the release of his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West took to Hot 97′s Angie Martinez-hosted radio show to promote his G.O.O.D. Friday series, but also to make a seemingly odd proclamation. “The scariest artist in the game right now … the scariest artist is definitely Nicki Minaj,” West said. “I think she has the most potential out of everyone to be the #2 rapper of all time.”

While we won’t even wade into a “hottest MCs of all time” debate, MTV News’ Hip-Hop Brain Trust eventually voted Nicki into the plum #4 spot on the Hottest MCs in the Game VII list.

In the summer of 2010, Minaj was the acid-tongued “two” to Drake’s “one” in Lil Wayne’s Young Money one-two punch. With her debut album still on the way, she was murdering features left and right.

“When she hit the scene, she was just like the pretty girl alongside Wayne,” said Rahman Dukes, MTV News’ director of hip-hop news. “Drake was really the next one that everyone was looking out for.”

Want to join the debate? Just hit us on Twitter using the hashtag #HottestMC!

Album: Pink Friday

Selected Mixtapes: None

Singles: “Super Bass,” “Fly” (featuring Rihanna) and “Starships”

Street Bangers: “Did it on Em,” “Roman in Moscow,” “Stupid Hoe”

Key Guest Appearances: Big Sean’s “Dance (A$$)” remix, Birdman’s “Y.U. Mad” and Drake’s “Make Me Proud”

Meteoric Metrics: Nicki continued to dominate the singles chart thanks to “Super Bass,” which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Business Ventures: The Barbie starred in Mac’s Viva Glam campaign and linked with OPI to launch her own nail polish.

Tours: She hit the road with Lil Wayne on his I Am Still Music Tour and Britney Spears on the Femme Fatale Tour.

Monumental Moment: Nicki took home the Best Hip-Hop Video VMA for “Super Bass.”

Forecast: With Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded on the way, Nicki should once again rule the airwaves in 2012, but Roman is a different story …

But by the time she dropped her Pink Friday debut last November, the world was on notice. Now, Nicki’s success spans the pop and hip-hop worlds, and her fanbase is just as eclectic, with young girls and “Kens” all riding for the Young Money Barbie. Minaj’s song “Super Bass” was just a bonus track on the album, but it won over fans including squeaky-clean Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez, both of whom jumped on the record, rapping along line for line to the infectious track. “Bass” may have even helped Nicki score a spot opening for Britney Spears on her Femme Fatale Tour.

As far as our Hottest MCs criteria, Nicki meets them all. Her impact is undeniable and, lyrically, she holds her own when she’s playing with the boys: She stole the show on Big Sean’s “Dance (A$$)” remix and declared herself the Female Weezy on Birdman’s “Y.U. Mad.” Need more proof? Minaj shut down New York Fashion Week in September 2011. And she has conquered hip-hop’s digital landscape.

“Recently, she broke the record for the most followed hip-hop artist on Twitter; her social media following is incredible,” said Nadeska Alexis, MTV’s RapFix blog editor. “She dropped the song ‘Stupid Hoe’ — people didn’t necessarily love the song [but] a week later it’s at 15 million views on YouTube.”

While her songs may not always appeal to “the streets,” millions of her fans have bought into Nicki’s sound. And her performance at the 2012 Grammys, while controversial, was a huge honor and a testament to the lane she’s carved for herself.

After the roundtable votes were tallied, Nicki was initially slotted at #5 with Young Money boss Wayne clocking in at #4, but several members of the Brain Trust felt strongly enough about Nicki’s accomplishments that her position warranted a second look. Hottest MCs moderator Sway Calloway called for a vote and in the end, six of the nine experts elected to move Nicki up to the #4 spot, sending Weezy down to #5.

“Nicki Minaj doesn’t have to be Meek Mill, but at the same time she’s not Britney Spears,” said Steven Roberts, a segment producer/writer at MTV News. “I think Nicki Minaj is something special where she can be in the middle and she can be pop and hip-hop because I think hip-hop at this point is pop.”

What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC!

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The Martian’s double-platinum album and star-studded YMCMB roster land him firmly on MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII list.
By MTV News staff

Lil Wayne

Photo: Getty Images

On Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne raps about his “Nightmares of the Bottom.” While the sentiment revealed a humbler side of Tunechi, the Martian reached astronomical heights in 2011 and lands in the top half of MTV News’ Hottest MCs in the Game VII list.

But Weezy’s winning year was even more impressive when you consider that the Cash Money soldier spent most of 2010 behind bars. With little time to prepare, Wayne hit 2011 hard beginning with the smash rap single (and Carter IV lead track) “6 Foot 7 Foot.” As with many albums, C4 saw a ton of delays, but Weezy made up for things with his Sorry 4 the Wait mixtape.

When the fourth installment of the Carter series finally arrived on August 28 (after a show-closing VMA performance), Wayne moved 964,000 copies in a single week, just barely missing the platinum-in-a-week mark he hit with 2008′s Carter III.

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“Wayne had a strong year; almost a million in a week doesn’t lie,” said Yomi Desalu, MTV’s senior director of music and talent. “He’s definitely remained relevant for the whole year and once he came out, he hit the ground running.”

Album: Tha Carter IV

Selected Mixtapes: Sorry 4 the Wait

Singles: “How to Love,” “She Will” (featuring Drake), “Mirror” (featuring Bruno Mars)

Street Bangers: “6 Foot 7 Foot” (featuring Cory Gunz), “John” (featuring Rick Ross)

Key Guest Appearances: Kelly Rowland’s “Motivation,” B.o.B’s “Strange Clouds,” Ace Hood’s “Hustle Hard” (remix), Drake’s “The Motto”

Meteoric Metrics: Wayne’s #1 Carter IV moved 964,000 copies in its first week and has been certified double-platinum by the RIAA

Business Ventures: Young Money CEO continued to clock dollars off record sales from Drake and Nicki Minaj; launched Trukfit clothing line

Tours: I Am Still Music run took Wayne across three continents and raked in $47 million

Monumental Moment: Hours after closing out the MTV VMAs in August, Tunechi released Tha Carter IV, earning a platinum plaque in just 14 days.

Forecast: Wayne should continue to dominate in 2012. YM president Mack Maine predicted that Weezy will drop sequels to Rebirth and I Am Not a Human Being, and Tha Carter V is always a possibility.

“I think that’s an understatement, that he remained relevant. I think that he maintained his dominance,” said Rob Markman, MTV News’ senior hip-hop writer. When we talk about Wayne, nobody [has] sold a million in a week — since Lil Wayne. Quite frankly, I think #4 is too low.”

It was another banner year for Wayne. His first-week sales were higher than that of any other rap artist and his I Am Still Music Tour, Video Music Award performance and “MTV Unplugged” special proved that the YMCMB CEO was as impactful as ever. Granted, Weezy’s 2011 style and swag were an acquired taste (see his VMA animal-print jeggings and the day-Glo-green moon boots he sported in Drake’s “Motto” video), but his lyrical prowess on songs like “It’s Good” could not be denied.

Some members of the Hip-Hop Brain Trust insisted that the Wayne train had lost a bit of steam though. “You talk about Sorry 4 the Wait, people were disappointed that it wasn’t No Ceilings. People were disappointed that Tha Carter IV was not Tha Carter III,” said MTV Jams’ Tuma Basa.

A few even contended that Weezy was riding off of the success of his Young Money artists Nicki Minaj and Drake. Did the students surpass the teacher? One roundtable panelist argued that Nicki the Ninja, who debuted on the “Hottest MCs” list at #6 in 2010, had bested her sensei.

“I definitely think over the past year Nicki’s singles have actually resonated with her fans. I don’t think any of Wayne’s songs [have] — if you want to say ‘John’ that’s a Rick Ross record; if you want to say ‘She Will,’ it was a Drake record,” said Steven Roberts, a producer/writer at MTV News.

The Wayne/Nicki argument became so strong in fact that moderator and show host Sway Calloway decided to take a vote. In a most surprising turn, six of the nine experts elected to move Nicki Minaj up to the #4 spot and Lil Wayne down to #5.

Still, no matter how you slice the pie, it’s all Young Moola, baby!

What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC!

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Family and friends said their final farewell to the iconic singer who was buried at the Fairview Cemetery in New Jersey.
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Whitney Houston

Photo: WireImage

NEWARK, New Jersey — Superstar singer Whitney Elizabeth Houston was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Westfield, New Jersey today. She was buried next to her father John Houston at the Fairview Cemetery. According to reports, fans and onlookers lined streets with memorials and signs, watching as the police-escorted motorcade and the hearse carrying her casket drove to the cemetery.

The 48-year-old died on February 11, 2012. She was found dead inside her Beverly Hilton hotel room at approximately 3:55 p.m. PT in Los, Angeles. The official cause of death is still being investigated. She was at the Beverly Hilton in preparation for mentor Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party.

Houston was memorialized in a grand ceremony yesterday at the New Hope Baptist Church, the same church she grew up singing in as a child in Newark, New Jersey. The “homegoing” ceremony, marking the singer’s spiritual return “home”, lasted some five hours and was conducted in the Baptist tradition. Although invite-only, it was nationally televised and streamed on Livestream for fans. It featured family friends, professional colleagues and dignitaries from all walks including daughter Bobbi Kristina, cousin Dionne Warwick, actor/filmmaker Tyler Perry, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Flags in New Jersey flew half mast in Houston’s honor.

Bittersweet, the ceremony celebrated Houston’s amazing life and accomplishments and guests shared personal anecdotes about their Nippy, her nickname. Clive Davis mused, “You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. A face like that. A smile like that. A presence like that for a lifetime. And when one person embodies it all — well, it takes my breath away.” Bodyguard costar Kevin Costner fought back tears as he said, “Go sing for your heavenly father, Whitney.”

Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, the Winans family and R. Kelly were among those who gave Houston a musical send-off. Stevie Wonder personalized the lyrics of his classic “Ribbon In The Sky” to “There’s an angel in the choir of love” for Whitney while R. Kelly performed a moving rendition of “I Look to You”, a song he penned that Whitney featured on her 2009 album of the same name. The proceedings ended in a fitting manner with Whitney’s most famous song, “I Will Always Love You,” playing as her casket was somberly walked out of the church.

Whitney was at her peak the definitive pop diva that all others were measured up to. Her phenomenal vocal range and gorgeous looks made her a multi-genre sensation. The daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, her pristine voice ruled the 80s and 90s with a slew of chart-topping albums and memorable songs like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “The Greatest Love of All”; she broke the chart record with seven consecutive Billboard #1 songs. Her promising film career included roles like 1992′s The Bodyguard and 1995′s Waiting to Exhale and her rendition of “I Will Always Love You” from the former film stands as one of the most recognized and beloved songs in pop history. Houston’s artistic influence is indelible still on subsequent generations from Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson.

Despite a long-standing public battle with addiction and a tumultuous relationship with then-husband Bobby Brown, Whitney was working on staging a personal and professional comeback at the time of her death. She had wrapped filming on the movieSparkle with Jordin Sparks and was working on new music. Since her untimely passing, Whitney has sold over 1 million albums and singles. The diva lives on.

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Brown honors ex-wife at Connecticut show hours after seating spat at New Jersey funeral.
By Ralphie Aversa

Bobby Brown performs at the Mohegan Sun arena on Saturday

Photo: Marc Andrew Deley/Getty Images

MONTVILLE, CONNECTICUT — Hours after the world paid its final goodbye to Whitney Houston in New Jersey, ex-husband Bobby Brown paid his alongside bandmates New Edition before a sold-out crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Brown’s remarks came just hours after the singer’s rapid departure from Houston’s funeral services at Newark, New Jersey’s New Hope Baptist church.

Brown sat out the night’s first three songs, then took the stage for “Hit Me Off.”  He acknowledged the fallen icon before “Jealous Girl.”

“I want to give blessings to my ex-wife, Whitney Houston. I love you,” Brown said, pointing towards the sky. “I want to give a lot of blessings to my kids, my fiancée, my brothers, and all of you.”

Brown and his New Edition band-mates powered through a set that lasted almost two hours, including hits from Brown’s 1988 solo smash, “My Prerogative,” to Bell Biv DeVoe’s 1990 hit, “Poison.”

“I lost three great people in my life, in the last year,” Brown told the audience of over 7,000 before the sextet wrapped with “Home Again.” “But, nothing makes me happier than to be right here, right now.”

Some New Edition fans, like Lisa Pollock of Bridgeport, Conn., were simply happy just to see Houston’s ex-husband in the building.

“[New Edition] just held it together. I can’t imagine what today was like for them,” Pollock said after the concert. “For them to come and do a show for all of us, definitely exceeded my expectations.”

Serita Outlow of Norwich, Conn. also attended the show unsure if Brown would make it.

“I think he did an excellent job considering what he must have been feeling,” she said. “I don’t know what he went through with his voice today but I think he still pulled it off.”

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‘She meant a lot to us, she never forgot where she came from,’ a fan tells MTV News on the day of her funeral.
By Rob Markman

Whitney Houston in East Orange, NJ in 1987

Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage

NEWARK, New Jersey — It was a day of both sadness and celebration as Whitney Houston‘s fans gathered in her birthplace to mourn the death of the fallen pop diva on Saturday (February 18).

Police set up blockades on the streets surrounding New Hope Baptist Church, keeping the public several blocks away from the private funeral in every direction. On the corner of Orange and Nesbitt streets, a group of fans gathered to sing some of Houston’s biggest hits like “The Greatest Love of All” and “I Will Always Love You”.

On Sussex Avenue, about four blocks from the church, another group of fans gathered. A Philadelphia artist who goes by the name Mark G. drew a portrait of Houston, which he had fans sign. By the time MTV News interviewed him he had gathered hundreds of loving notes and signatures, and the artist said he plans to give the portrait to Whitney’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, as a present through a connection he said he has with the family.

“Whitney was connected to the fans, and when she left, she shined her light and this is something creatively that I did that connects the people to Whitney,” Mark G. explained of the artwork he created in ballpoint pen.

“My heart goes out to the Whitney Houston family,” Miami native Karin Collins said. “I feel so bad, I was crying all last night. I’m blasting her music in my car everyday and I just feel so bad and my heart goes out to Bobbi Kristina as well as her grandmother [Cissy Houston].”

While fans were mostly upbeat and positive, some Newark residents were upset by the decision to keep the service private without holding a bigger public send-off at the much larger Prudential Center, as was first rumored.

“It was sad that they didn’t have it in the Prudential Center, I don’t know why they didn’t do that,” Brian Collins said. “All the fans in Newark could’ve came out and just gave their all in all out to her, pay tribute to Whitney Houston. She meant a lot to us, she never forgot where she came from and I love you Whitney.”

With things as they were logistically, fans might have been more comfortable watching the invite-only funeral from home anyway. But the crowds that assembled at each police check-point wanted to feel closer to the ceremony. On Norfolk Street off Central Avenue, about 75 people surrounded a CNN transmission truck and watched as R. Kelly sang a spirited rendition of “I Look to You,” a song that he penned for Houston in 2009.

After the funeral an excited group waited on Central Avenue hoping to see some of the ceremony’s high-profile guests as they filed out. There were no sightings of Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Kevin Costner or any other celebrity from the fans’ vantage point, but when Whitney Houston’s golden hearse turned onto Central, fans gave the musical icon one last cheer.

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‘It really means a lot to me,’ the Bawse tells MTV News after topping Hottest MCs in the Game list.
By MTV News staff

Rick Ross

Photo: MTV News / Getty Images

All the votes have been tallied, and the results are in: Rick Ross is MTV News’ Hottest MC in the Game.

MTV News began the list last week with Wale at #10. A new rapper was revealed each day until Sunday’s “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” debuted on MTV2. So how did the Bawse react to his crowning achievement?

“I just got the news that I was voted the game’s Hottest MC, and man, it really means a lot to me, of course, but it’s an honor,” Rozay told MTV News from an L.A. recording studio. “It’s something I’ve been watching, something I’ve been a fan of forever. Of course, MTV, they run the game. MMG, we’re here. Shout-out to the whole team.”

Ross topped the list, which also included Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa and Wale. Each MC was judged based on our Hottest criteria, which included impact, buzz, sales, lyrics, swag and the intangibles.

Rozay surely met all of the above. His impact on the game is undeniable, with his Maybach Music Group and key guest appearances on songs like Meek Mill’s “Ima Boss” and Lil Wayne’s “John,” Ross maintained a consistent buzz all year long. His Self Made, Vol. 1 compilation album debuted at #1 on the Billboard rap albums chart. Lyrically, Rozay was a force as well, and his swag was through the roof. In January, the Bawse lit up the streets when he dropped his free 19-song Rich Forever mixtape.

When it was all said and done and MTV’s Hip-Hop Brain Trust convened, there was no question that Rick Ross would emerge as the biggest boss of them all.

What do you think of our list? Sound off on MTV News’ “Hottest MCs in the Game VII” using the hashtag #HottestMC!

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‘Lost Without You’ singer was held for 15 minutes at the police station and signed autographs for the staff, according to reports.
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Robin Thicke

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images

Robin Thicke was arrested for marijuana possession in New York City on Friday (February 17), according to reports.

The 34-year-old “Lost Without You” singer was apprehended near Manhattan’s Madison Square Park after he was pulled over for throwing something out of the window of his Cadillac Escalade, a source told Access Hollywood. Police reportedly opened the cigarette box in the vehicle and found an unknown amount of marijuana. Thicke was taken to a police station and issued a summons before being dismissed. He was reportedly held for 15 minutes and signed autographs for the staff while in the station.

No official statement has been made from Thicke or his reps on the charges.

Thicke released his fifth studio album, Love After War, in December. His single “Pretty Lil’ Heart” featuring Lil Wayne was released in November. The duo had previously collaborated on “Shooter” and “Shoot Me Down,” from Wayne’s Tha Carter II and Tha Carter III albums, respectively. Thicke and his wife, actress Paula Patton, had their first child, Julian Fuego, in April 2010.

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