The Worst Rappers of 2007: Where Does Soulja Boy Fit In?

The genre of rap music is notorious for being littered with under-talented, overhyped braggadocios who are better known for sporting sagging pants and giant chains than saying anything of value. Unlike other forms of music that actually demand skill (as in vocal skill or mastery of an instrument) rappers can sometimes fly under the radar, and with an extra dose of swagger, tales of drugs deals and some kind of gimmick to their credit, gain fame.

But the rappers on this list aren't just bad, they're the worst of the worst, the dregs of 2007's rap offerings. In no real particular order (except for the No. 1 spot, which goes to a uniquely horrible MC) the worst rappers of 2007 are:

7. Rich Boy

Rich Boy's rap skills are extremely questionable, if not nonexistent. His heavy drawl makes his lyrics almost unintelligible, and while his "Throw Some D's" hit may have been catchy, it was basically a mindless anthem and showcased little to no lyrical dexterity whatsoever. Much better, and the standout track on his otherwise lame self-titled debut album, was "Let's Get This Paper," a unique, spirited standout and this year's most overlooked rap song.

6. Mims

Almost as simplistic as Rich Boy, but easier to understand, is Mims, who sounds like a bad cross between Jay-Z and Andre 3000. Mims' debut album, ""Music Is My Savior" was again propelled by a catchy hit single, the hypnotic but circular "This Is Why I'm Hot," which never actually explains why Mims is hot. Neither does his album, which makes a lot of empty claims about rap prowess but backs up virtually none of them.

5. Crime Mob

This is not actually a rapper, but a group of teen rappers from Atlanta that would be better off hitting the books than the studio. Although you could make a case that at least one of the rappers in the male-female group has skills, the overall effect is one that is common when listening to many records out of the South: excellent production that can't camouflage barely understandable, repetitive lyrics about selling drugs, being rich and beating people down.

4. Huey

This was yet another rapper with a hit single built around a lame dance in "Pop, Lock & Drop It" and an album full of generic, uninteresting rhymes. The 20-year-old St. Louis native was about as innovative on "Notebook Paper" as Young Jeezy is when he talks about selling cocaine.

3. Gorilla Zoe

Zoe is a Yung Joc affiliate and new member of the group Boyz N Da Hood who replaced our good friend Young Jeezy, so it's not surprising that he's challenged in the rhyme department. Zoe has a deep, monotonous drone and an arsenal of nursery school rhymes about typical rap topics that seldom stray beyond the boundaries of drugs and violence.

2. Hurricane Chris

Chris is another teen protege of industry exec Mr. Collipark, who is apparently hard of hearing and/or has no musical integrity (Collipark also discovered the horrible Soulja Boy).Chris may be 18, but he rhymes with the skill of someone fresh out of middle school, though he at least does approach some deeper subject matter on his debut album, "51/50 Ratchet." The Louisiana native is best known for his hit single "Ay Bay Bay" which is about as mindless as the title would imply.

1. Soulja Boy

Wherever else the other rappers in this list may stand, Soulja Boy is clearly the No. 1 worst rapper of last year. No list of weak wordsmiths would be complete without the self-proclaimed Teen of Da South, who at 17 has turned a repetitive, steel-drum driven beat, some marketing savvy and a corny dance into a "Crank That" music phenomena. Listen to his lyrics, though, and unless you're a teen music fan who hasn't been exposed to quality rap and generally does not know how to spell, you'll quickly become nauseous. Not only are Soulja Boy's lyrics simplistic, mindless, repetitive and often difficult to understand because he appears to be "rapping" in another language, but they're also sexually offensive.

Though scores of young music fans in love with Soulja Boy's personalized sunglasses, oversized Superman sweatshirts and chants of "Yuaaaaa!" will protest, anyone even remotely acquainted with rap music will quickly realize that Soulja Boy and his "Souljaboytellem.com" excuse for an album is a stain on the fabric of hip-hop culture, and the undisputed winner of the genre's lowest honor, the Worst Rapper of 2007!