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MTV Base publish UK MCs top ten, allegations of producer meddling

By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 28 February 2011

Let’s hope MTV’s all new OMAs prove less controversial than a recent poll to identify the ten best British MCs, undertaken by MTV Base.

There’s been quite a lot of chatter about this poll online in recent days, not because of the ten rappers that were chosen, nor the fact they actually chose eleven, but because of claims that the list put together by a panel of urban music types was altered at the last minute when someone pointed out Dizzee Rascal and Chipmunk had been missed off.

It’s alleged producers removed Wretch 32 and Maxsta from the final ten to make way for the big boys. And then, for some unknown reason, Lowkey was made joint tenth with Chipmunk, resulting in the eleven-man top ten.

That said, we should stress that MTV has told Billboard that while there were last minute changes to their MC poll, that was simply because the top ten was being constantly updated as new votes from panellists came in, and that there were various versions of the list before the final ten was aired, including the one in which Wretch 32 and Maxsta appeared. Which could be true. Though it does seem odd Dizzee Rascal didn’t appear at all, and then shot up to position number two at the last minute, but whatever.

And while some urban bloggers have hit out at the alleged last minute meddling in the poll, others have pointed out that a Top 10 UK MCs list without Dizzee or Chipmunk would have been a bit rubbish. And no one seems to dispute that Tinie Tempah is the deserved poll topper.

Here’s the list as it was finally published:

1. Tinie Tempah
2. Dizzee Rascal
3. Skepta
4. Professor Green
5. Wiley
6. Giggs
7. Devlin
8. P Money
9. D Double E
10. Chipmunk/Lowkey