All these people, however, aren't actually listening to the rap albums that are releasing now, they're occasionally listening to the crap that makes radio and top-40 lists.
I've got news for you all: RAP RADIO SUCKS! THE MUSIC YOU LISTENED TO WHEN YOU WERE 18 WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER THAN WHAT YOU HEAR NOW! GET OVER IT!
Whew, glad I got that out. I'm sorry for yelling.
Anyway, when people say things like this to me, I try not to shout mean shit. Instead, I ask a simple question: Ever listen to Cunninlynguists? A ridiculously talented producer, two rappers who refuse to spit the same old shit and albums that sparkle from start to finish. Sadly, nobody listens. Same with other rappers and producers who are creating superior hip-hop, such as Murs, Brother Ali, Skyzoo, etc.
So, for all of you who think hip-hop is dead, check out these albums and then we can have a cup of coffee while I revel in my righteousness ...
1. Raekwon - "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II"
This album, more than any other that came out this year, is the easiest argument against all you late-20s, early-30s white people who think the albums that came out when you were in high school are the best hip-hop could ever accomplish.
Yes, this is better than the first "Linx". I said it. A rapper exhibiting a mature style that improves upon everything he's ever done in his 40s is completely unheard of in this game. Usually, by this age (Raekwon turns 42 next week), rappers are accepting gift spots opening for newer acts on large tours, turning in lame guest appearance on other albums and -- if they're lucky -- putting out mediocre albums that sell just because of their name (COUGHCOUGHBig Daddy KaneCOUGHCOUGHRakim).
Raekwon, however, somehow found a grown-up style that works. If anybody had played the soft-spoken, laid-back, completely coherent "Pyrex Vision" track for me in the late 90s and told me it was The Chef, I would have assumed they were dipping in the Pyrex themselves.
After a decade of stomaching mediocre to horrible solo projects from Wu-Tang members not named Ghostface, Raekwon has discovered how to switch styles, pick solid beats and craft an album from start to finish, resulting in this new classic in the Wu-Tang library.
Mixtape-worthy: Um, pretty much any song on this beast. However, "New Wu", "Cold Outside", "We Will Rob You" and "Ason Jones" are the ones showing up most often on my mixes.
2. J Dilla - "Jay Stay Paid"
Since legendary producer J Dilla, aka Jay Dee, died in February 2006, fans have been waiting for a proper posthumous release that properly lived up to his large legacy. "Donuts", released just three days prior to his untimely demise, is the best instrumental hip-hop album ever, in my humble opinion, but everything since has been mediocre. "The Shining" was just a mixtape of rappers that didn't highlight the beats or offer any truly outstanding tracks; the version of "Ruff Draft" that finally saw the light of day felt incomplete.
Fortunately, With the blessing and cooperation of J's mom, Pete Rock released this shining example of his friend's lifetime of work. Using work culled from the entirety of Dilla's career, the album includes hypnotic instrumental tracks and fully realized songs with a corps of talented rappers.
Best of all, the songs aren't all paeans to Dilla, which the man himself would have felt trite and useless. Black Thought graces one of the album's best tracks with rhymes about how much he hates reality television, while SoCal's Blu raps about his love for weed.
Thank you, Pete Rock, we've waited too long for this.
Mixtape-worthy: All of the instrumental tracks would hold up, but my favorite is "In the Night/While You Slept (I Crept)". "Reality TV" (featuring Black Thought), "Smoke" (featuring Blu) and "See That Boy Fly" (featuring Illa J and Cue D) are the best non-instrumental tracks.
3. Brother Ali - "Us"
Did somebody start slipping Prozac into Brother Ali's coffee? After years of anger, depression and frustration expertly emoted on record, this album is actually ... happy?
I guess a new woman and critical appreciation have finally brought the best albino Muslim rapper ever away from the Dark Side. And while I miss the depressing songs about his failed lovelife and angry rants about Uncle Sam, this album is damn-near perfect.
Atmosphere's Ant handles all the production duties for the third straight Brother Ali album, and its amazing that with the change in subject matter in tone from the rapper, he is able to change his style right along with it to find a rhyme/beat marriage that makes this album top-three for the year, barely beating out the No. 4 pick.
Mixtape-worthy: "Crown Jewel", "Fresh Air", "Tight Rope", "Bad Mufucker Pt. 2"
4. Cunninlynguists - The "Strange Journey" mixtapes
I have a feeling that if all the new tracks from these two mixtapes were put together into an album and Kno spent a little time remixing it, the result would jump all the way to No. 1. Released in a Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, "Strange Journey" has some of the finest production work of the year, with Kno producing a soulful yet playful sonic landscape that I just can't get enough of.
The mixtapes include all the instrumentals, live versions of some songs and remixes of some others, including a great remix of "Georgia", from their "Dirty Acres" album, with members of Goodie Mob. But its the new tracks that truly sparkle, including one of my favorite tracks of the year and a song and video that truly conveys stonededness, "Never Come Down (The Brownie Song)". While they got a little guest-happy, bringing in Slug, E-40, Witchdoctor and many others, that just shows the respect these Kentucky wildcats are deservedly garnering.
Mixtape-worthy: "Never Come Down (The Brownie Song)", "Broken Van (Thinking of You)" (featuring Mac Lethal), "Streets" (featuring Sean Price and Poison Pen), "Cocaine", the "Georgia" remix. Truthfully, I could list like five more. Just trust me on this one, you should get these albums.
5. BK-One - "Radio Do Canibal"
This is the best commercially-released, DJ-driven mixtape since Jake-One's "White Van Music". With Brazilian-influenced beats and a ridiculous list of talented guest rappers, Brother Ali's DJ produced an album that just keeps getting better every time I listen to it.
Mixtape-worthy: "Mega" (featuring Aceyalone, Myka 9 and Abstract Rude), "American Nightmare" (featuring Brother Ali and Scarface), "Blue Balls" (featuring Blueprint), "Eighteen to Twenty-One" (featuring Murs)
6. Dead Prez and DJ Green Lantern - "Pulse of the People"
I've never been a big Dead Prez fan since their first album included a song and video that seemed to support violence against public-school teachers. Dude, that's my mom you're talking about there. Also, while they tried to play themselves off as political rappers, they were really just generally angry with no real ideas besides "Fuck everything!"
However, this album brought them back into focus for me. Green Lantern proves he's more than just a mixtape DJ with an expertly helmed studio album, and the tracks range from true political commentary ("Stimulus Plan") to an emotional ode to New York ("Summer Time") and even a love song ("My Dirty Valentine"). Their best effort since their first album, and no hatred for my mom. Good job, guys.
Mixtape-worthy: "Stimulus Plan", "NYPD" (featuring Johnny Polygon), "Refuse to Lose" (featuring Chuck D and Avery Storm)
7. Skyzoo - "The Power of Words" and "The Salvation"
This one falls down the list a bit because I actually liked the mixtape "The Power of Words" more than the studio album that followed, "The Salvation". The DJ Drama and Statik Selektah-helmed mixtape really allows Skyzoo to show that he is one of the best young rappers in the game. The studio album's beats all sound the same and it bogs down because of it. However, you should get one or both of these albums because this Brooklyn-bred raper is the truth, absolutely the Rookie of the Year for me.
Mixtape-worthy: "The Don Cheadle Effect", "Freshfest" (featuring Wale), "Popularity", "Penmanship"
8. Mos Def - "The Ecstatic"
I've actually purchased every Mos Def album he's released since the back-to-back classics of "Black Star" with Talib Kweli and "Black on Both Sides". They all sucked. Not just sucked, but SUUUUUUCKED. Finally, he decided to just rap for an album, and of course I illegally downloaded it instead of paying for it. This album is good. I swear. I should be the most bitter listener, and even I can admit it.
Mixtape-worthy: "Auditorium" (featuring Slick Rick), one of my favorite tracks of the year; "No Hay Nada Mas", "Workers Comp"
9. Wale - "Back to the Feature" (with 9th Wonder) and "Attention Deficit"
Yeah, "Back to the Feature" had some horrible tracks, and his major-label debut felt like a total sell-out, but Wale still has a great rhyming style and drops more sports metaphors than any other MC, which I appreciate. Feel free to just keep spinning "Mixtape about Nothing" if you're bitter about him signing a major-label deal and putting out a single with Lady Gaga, but I'm gonna keep listening.
Mixtape-worthy: "5 Minutes" (featuring Skyzoo), "Um Ricka" (featuring K'naan), "90210", "TV in the Radio" (featuring K'naan)
10. Felt - "Felt 3 (A Tribute to Rosie Perez)"
I love Murs. I love Slug. I love the first two Felt albums. I didn't love this. It's good, but there are no standout tracks. I will continue to listen to it and maybe my opinion will change, but I expected it to be my favorite album of the year and it barely made the top-10. And I may have been nice to put it here, with so many other deserving albums listed below.
Mixtape-worthy: None, really, though the album as a whole is very listenable. This is why I'm confused.
Others worth listening to:
DJ Quik and Kurupt - "BlaQkout"; Fashawn - "Boy Meets World"; Doom - "Born Like This"; KRS-ONE and Buckshot - "Survival Skills"; Alchemist - "Chemical Warfare"; Saigon - "All in a Day's Work" (with Statik Selektah); Wu-Tang Clan - "Chamber Music"; N.A.S.A. - "The Spirit of Apollo"; Cormega - "Born and Raised"
Biggest disappointments:
Chali 2na - "Fish Outta Water": As a huge Jurassic 5 fan, let me tell you that this album is pure trash. Stick to guesting on other people's albums, Chali, cause I didn't even pay for your album and I feel cheated.
Q-Tip - "Kamaal the Abstract": We waited THAT long for THIS? I'm surprised his "experimentation" didn't involve farting into a mic. In fact, I might have liked that better.
Ghostface Killah - "Ghostdini Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City": After a decade of excellence, you're excused, Tony Stark. Just stay away from R&B from now on, OK?
Rakim - "The Seventh Seal": I didn't hate this album like most other fans. I just found it to be mediocre from start to finish, unbefitting a legend.
Zion I - "The Take Over": After spending three years telling everyone how great this Oakland group is, they put out this piece of trash. I've still got their back, but only because I've deleted the album from my hard drive ...
Non-hip-hop records I really got into:
Ramblin' Jack Elliot - "A Stranger Here": Woody Guthrie protege picks the perfect time to bring back depression-era blues/folk. "Soul of a Man" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy" are two of my favorite songs of the year.
Built to Spill - "There is no Enemy": Another solid effort, possibly my favorite album they have produced.
Dirty Projectors - "Bitte Orca": They take a few too many chances, so songs go from grooving to just plain weird sometimes, but the talent is extremely evident.
Monsters of Folk - "Monsters of Folk": I don't know why I like it, I just do.
that dude we both know sent me this link. I had no idea who ran it. Funny thing. I'm chasing that Wale ish right now.
ReplyDelete-the vegas friend who almost made it