Hip-Hop Hype Men

The NOVA Report provides a vital public service by ranking the hype men of hip-hop.

Read the whole list—our reporter lists five luminaries (and one honorable mention) who have sweetened the tracks they appear on, all the while embarrassing themselves in just the right ways. Here are some highlights:

• “You may not have been the label’s first choice for the record, but your skilled friend/cousin would have it no other way.”
• “One sure sign of a good hype man: his solo album sucks ass.”
• “Crunchy Black is like your retarded cousin you move up, and pitch underhanded to in the backyard game of whiffleball.”