Wired 25: The Most Valuable Players Of 2012

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter

Andre “Dr. Dre” Young

Detox? Just stop. Go outside and look around. Do you see those guys with the cool looking headphones with the “B” on the ear? Yeah, that made Dr. Dre a few hundred million dollars this year. Oh, and he brought Tupac back from the friggin’ dead at Coachella. Detox, Shmeetox. Dre’s good in our book.

Malcolm James McCormick a.k.a. Mac Miller

Numbers don’t lie, and the independent machine known as Mac Miller continued his social media and touring dominance by becoming the youngest member of Forbes’ Hip-Hop Cash Kings. His mixtape, Macadelic, also moved numbers online while his co-headlining tour with Wiz Khalifa raked in the dough.

Tyree “Young Chop” Pittman

Once you heard “Young Chop on the beat” to begin a song, you know some ish was about to go down. Between “I Don’t Like,” “Love Sosa,” “Us,” “Mula,” and many more, Chop had the streets on lock. Especially the Chicago streets, which became the hotbed of new talent in 2012.

Michael “Mike Will Made It ” Williams 

When it came to hit singles in 2012, Mike Will made it. Producing hit singles such as “No Lie,” “Bandz A Make Her Dance,” “Pour It Up,” “Turn On The Lights” and more, the young producer had a pulse on the clubs all year.

Chauncey “Hit Boy” Hollis

In 2012, Hit Boy took a leap to star status. Producing records for artists from Jay-Z to Justin Bieber, Hit-Boy was the go-to producer for almost every single top-tier artist who put out an album in 2012. Once more he dropped his debut project, HITStory, and established his own record label “Hits Since 87.”

Miguel Jontel Pimentel

The Simp God Miguel delivered an instant classic with his hit single “Adorn.” He proved he wasn’t a one trick pony by following up with songs like “Do You,” “Arch & Point,” and “P***y Is Mine.” Miguel’s Kaleidoscope Dream album was essential for any panty dropping session you planned in 2012 and if that doesn’t make you an MVP, what does?

Richard “Gunplay” Morales

When you look up “about that life” in the dictionary, you are likely to see a picture of Gunplay next to it. The Maybach Music Group wild card was initially seen as a sideshow for his drug-infused antics, but the Miami rapper stepped up in 2012. After dropping his popular mixtape Bogota Rich, Ross had no choice but to take notice of who he had on his roster while his MMG label was rising. Don Logan delivered with memorable verses on “Power Circle,” “Cartoons And Cereal,” and more. Hopefully he can stay out of fistfights and out of jail so we can enjoy him much longer. The sea bass is on us.

Shante “Curren$y” Franklin

One of the hardest working indie acts in Hip-Hop finally got his major label push when he dropped The Stoned Immaculate. The big check didn’t change his work ethic either, dropping tons of visuals and free mixtapes all along the way.

Clifford “T.I.” Harris 

The Kang Of The South was all over the place in 2012. After relatively quiet buzz to his loose records, he kept his face out there on his show The Family Hustle as well as numerous award shows. However, it was when he finally got off probation where we finally got to get the T.I. we know and love by delivering his best work since Paper Trail in Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head. 

Karim “French Montana” Kharbouch

French Montana’s street buzz translated into real buzz when he scored his first #1 Billboard single in “Pop That.” He also managed to keep the streets buzzing with records like “Ocho Cinco,” “I’m A Coke Boy,” and more. His standout contributions on “Stay Schemin” and “Mula” were also appreciated. All while wearing the s**t Jesus used to wear.

Nayvadius “Future” Cash

Future was shot to the moon in 2012 while using an unpopular method to do it. He brought auto-tune back to life with his charisma and ability to craft hit records. It started with “Racks” last year but with “Turn On The Lights,” “Tony Montana,” and “Same Damn Time,” the Future was now.

Keith “Chief Keef” Cozart

Chief Keef’s been the center of controversy ever since he burst onto the scene from the underground of Chicago. What you want to believe about him or choose not to believe is entirely up to you. What you can’t deny is that he’s the face of the new Chicago movement and has legitimate hits with “I Don’t Like” and “Love Sosa.” Even if his songs need subtitles, Keef’s was a man to watch in the beginning of the year and a man to be reckoned with at the end of the year. Bang bang.

Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter

Lil Tunechi used to have a ton of terrible vices, so he should be commended for picking up a (relatively) healthy habit in skateboarding. His love of skating has become so deep that with the help of Mountain Dew, he helped open a skate park in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. Wayne also dropped the fourth installment of his wildly popular Dedication series and hit a homerun with his single “No Worries.”

Cameron “Wiz Khalifa” Thomaz

Young Khalifa continues to be one of the biggest financial success stories in Hip-Hop. He hasn’t not a sold out a show in the past four years and his constant tour schedule got him a highly ranked position on Forbes’ Hip-Hop Cash Kings list. Musically, he dropped the critically acclaimed Taylor Allderdice mixtape after being disappointed creatively on Rolling Papers and released the sequel to Cabin Fever. He capped it all off by dropping his sophomore album O.N.I.F.C. and is now waiting for his main squeeze, Amber Rose, to pop out the little WizBud. Not a bad year.

Robert “Meek Mill” WIlliams

Meek Mill was a special case for Maybach Music Group. While Wale was already pretty established commercially when he signed there, it was Meek Mill who plucked from the streets of Philly to run with Warner Bros and Ross. After his hit singles “I’ma Boss” and “Tupac Back” did well, he struck back in 2012 with “Amen,” “Burn,” and “Young And Gettin It.” He also dropped the sequel to Dreamchasers and released his debut album, Dreams And Nightmares on Halloween. Spooky.

Kanye West 

Seemingly being everywhere and nowhere at the same time, Kanye to the had another strong year in 2012. From having his Yeezy’s jump over the Jumpman to releasing his group’s compilation album, Cruel Summer, that would’ve been enough in most years. Yeezy also stepped up and was the only rapper to perform at The Benefit For Sandy on December 12th. All while not saying a peep to the media despite dating the media phenomenon that is Kim Kardashian. Yeezy, Yeezy how you do that, hanh?

Christopher Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean bravely did what no artist in his position ever has done and accepted and owned his homosexuality in Hip-Hop. The singer/songwriter instantly became a household name by dropping his Grammy nominated album, Channel Orange, only weeks later.

Aubrey “Drake” Graham

Despite not dropping an album, young Drizzy held court in 2012. He headlined one of the most financially successful tour of 2012 with ‘Club Paradise’ and scored memorable verses on “Stay Schemin,” “No Lie,” “Amen,” “Us,” “Diced Pineapples,” and countless others. He also inked a deal to open his own record label, OVO, under Warner Bros.

“Big” Sean Anderson

The Detroit player could make a case for being the M.V.P. of G.O.O.D. Music in 2012. Big Sean dropped his critically acclaimed mixtape, Detroit, shortly after shining on Cruel Summer. He also had a few standout verses on Meek Mill and Game’s album respectively while scoring an endorsement deal with Adidas.

Tauheed “2 Chainz” Epps

What can be said about 2 Chainz in 2012? After his breakout year in 2011, 2012 he became a legitimate star in Hip-Hop. His debut album, Based On A T.R.U. Story went #1 on Billboard off of the strength of “No Lie” and “Birthday Song.” He also managed to get a verse on damn near every single rap album that came out in 2012. He headlined the B.O.A.T.S. tour and was an integral part of the G.O.O.D. Music album, Cruel Summer. 

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth

K.Dot’s remarkable 2012 proved that quality can still sell in Hip-Hop. His debut album good kid, m.A.A.d. city touched R.I.A.A. certified gold status recently and is one of the most critically acclaimed albums in recent memory. He also hit the road with Drake on the Club Paradise tour and got Dr. Dre to rap on not one, but two songs on his album. Now that is a feat.

Nasir “Nas” Jones

You can’t teach an old(er) dog new tricks, but they’ll never forget how to spit. Nas’ Life Is Good was a return to form for one of Hip-Hop’s golden children. The don got personal and one on tracks talking about his daughter, his ex-wife, his place in Hip-Hop and everything in between. He also brought Lauryn Hill out of hiding for a tour and brought Amy Winehouse back to life on “Cherry Wine.” Life is good.

Onika “Nicki Minaj” Maraj

Nicki’s billboard status might have taken a slight hit but her influence sure hasn’t. The newest judge on American Idol snatched up more endorsement deals than we have fingers. Although it seems like she’s getting sucked further and further into the pop world, Nicki proved she can still hang lyrically on songs like “Come On A Cone,” “Freedom,” and B.o.B’s “Out Of My Mind.”

Sean “Diddy” Combs

At the 2012 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Puffy declared that Bad Boy was back. He oversaw the success of Machine Gun Kelly and French Montana while continuing to build his Ciroc empire. Puff’s equity in the business kept him in the top three of Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings and