Music

Break Out the Haterade

Counting down hip-hop's most despised players.

By Jonathan Cunningham 

There are a lot of cocky but affable rappers out there for people to cheer on these days. But who needs to go over a list of the most beloved rhymers, when there are so many jackasses worth writing about? With last month's deluge of A-list rap albums still in our CD players, it's a perfect time to assess the most hated hip-hoppers in the game. Hopefully, we won't need a bulletproof vest after this.

10. Soulja Boy Tell 'Em: Anyone who raps like he has Down syndrome and yells "Yoouuuu" as the chorus of his hooks is going to wind up on a lot of people's shit lists. This 17-year-old MC is barely old enough to have facial hair, and his pubescent rap voice is just plain annoying. He did come up with a popular dance. But between his wack sunglasses and songs like "Booty Meat" and "Pass It to Arab," you probably won't have to worry about hearing from him ever again.

9. Paul Wall: Call it reverse racism, but platinum grills just don't look right on white dudes. Wall's rhymes about candy-coated slabs are passé, and the novelty of hearing a white guy screwing and chopping beats has already worn thin. Eminem manages to reinvent himself; Kid Rock switched to country-fried rock and roll. If Paul Wall hasn't gotten the news flash, white dudes have to keep it moving to remain relevant.

8. Cam'ron: Few rappers have fallen out of the hood's good graces like this Harlem native. Cam'ron is better at creating drama than he is at creating good music – he's lost many beefs with hip-hop heavyweights like Jay-Z and 50 Cent. And when he got shot last year, he refused to cooperate with the cops. Whatever street cred that vow of silence may have earned Cam'ron, he immediately lost it by going on 60 Minutes to keep the "Stop Snitching" campaign alive. Does it really need support?

7. Nelly: This dude's raps are so misogynistic, other rappers have to call him out on it. KRS-One can't stand him (a bad sign), and he's banned from performing at several universities, because female student groups have shut down his shows. One of his most popular songs features the line, "Drop down and get your eagle on, girl!" If that's not enough, Nelly's attempt at turning Run-DMC's "My Adidas" into "Air Force Ones" further cements the notion that he's an ass-clown who should be banned from making music. Permanently.

6. Fergie: You might wonder why she's even on this list, since she's pretty much a pop singer. But it wasn't long ago that Fergie was pimping hip-hop with the Black Eyed Peas. Before she joined them, they were a respectable trio with crisp rhymes. Then the group went from ultra-underground to super-commercial with one bad decision: hiring Fergie. Despite bringing them fame and fortune, she practically ruined their reputation.

5. DJ Khaled: The general consensus is that Khaled is a self-aggrandizing blabbermouth. Plus, since he doesn't really produce, rap, or engineer any of his tracks, a lot of folks can't figure out just what the hell he does. Call it lingering racism from 9/11 if you want, but the U.S. just isn't ready for a big, surly Palestinian bragging on the mic.

4. 50 Cent: Songs like "Piggy Bank" and "How to Rob" have landed him beefs with practically every rapper on the planet. The guy disses his own crew routinely, and steroids have turned him into a hip-hop bully. 50 flat-out promised to retire if Kanye West sold more records than he did last year — and when Kanye outsold him, Fiddy went back on his word.

3. Diddy: You know those overseas sweatshops where your Sean John clothing line is manufactured, Mr. Puff Daddy? The people there would like to make more than 25 cents a day. And they'd appreciate a bathroom break once a week. And potable water and an end to mandatory pregnancy tests. Sure, you throw a mean party, but human rights come before profits.

2. Karrine "Superhead" Steffans: For starters, her nickname is "Superhead," and her greatest achievement is giving better fellatio than any other video groupie in history. Taking pride in one's work is understandable, but don't you think her nine-year-old son wishes she wouldn't brag so much? Plus, she boasts about being the "other woman" who broke up Bobby and Whitney, Usher and Chilli, Shaq and his wife, and who knows how many other relationships.

1. Suge Knight: Knight has been a menace to hip-hop for a long time. Lots of people think he had a hand in Tupac's murder. He certainly led Shakur down a darker path after the rapper signed with Knight's Death Row label. Suge also fueled the senseless East Coast vs. West Coast beef that ruined hip-hop's golden era. Rap fans have been cheering for his demise ever since.