As 2007 winds down, I’ve been busy compiling some year-end lists. But I need your input as well. So, tell me: What are your Top 3 Hip-Hop Albums of the year? Feel free to add some honorable mentions.
::Eh…I needed an excuse to use this picture
Halloween parties are usually more about booze and babes in costumes, with the occasional creepy soundtrack. If you decide to throw a party this Halloween, here’s a playlist of ten (some humorous) attempts at hip-hop spookiness. Not all are spooky or funny. Some are downright disturbing.
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Canibus unleashed more lyrics of fury in one year than most MCs have been able to muster in their whole career. Pointblankperiod.
Head on over to my 2nd favorite blog, Street Census, for details and audios.
Street Census—a joint blog venture between your Rizness and Quibian Salazar-Moreno—is now live and direct at Streetcensus.blogspot.com.
In case you’re not already familiar with Q, he helped pioneer the daily hip-hop news format at SOHH.com 10 years ago. He currently writes for URB, AOL Blackvoices (even though he’s not all that black!), and hiphopcrack.com.
The concept for Street Census is hinged on hip-hop recommendations—best of, worst of, etc—from yours truly, Q, and the artists we run into every now and then. Some of the lists available for your perusal, for instance, include: Stephen Marley’s 5 Essential Bob Marley Recordings, Rob Swift’s Top 5 Most Influential DJs. and Q’s 10 Best Femcees Ever.
Check it…Street Census: Hip, Hit, or Hype.
Just what I’m diggin’ at the moment, Ladies & Gents….
#5.
Soulful and cohesive from start to finish. (Cop this now.)
#4.
You can bump this while cleaning up your house without worrying about skipping a track. (Cop this now.)
#3.
Dope beats, dope rhymes, what more do y’all want? (Cop this on May 15th.)
#2.
Devin’s half-sung raps and southern fried grooves can get you through the worst traffic no matter where you’re headed in life. (Cop this now.)
#1.
An emotionally honest record laced with a litany of broiling gems. The undisputed best rap album of the first quarter. (Cop this on April 10th.)
Like my friend O-Dub would say, “these things are subjective.” Still, there’s a handful of principles and elements that we can all agree on–originality, longevity, social impact, live performance, etc…
Of course, music tastes differ across the boards. And depending on your age, old school vs new school preferences vary just as much. I fell in love with hip-hop during the Native Tongues/Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff era, so that obviously affects my general expectations and outlook on the game. I also remember thinking that ‘Pac was the best thing to ever happen to hip-hop at some point. My preferences have evolved over the years, but one thing’s remained the same: I always value avant garde lyricists over by-the-book rappers. (Though, spewing multi-syllabic words straight outta Webster doesn’t always guarantee you a spot on my list.)
Now, it’ll be foolish to assume that we’re the only ones evolving. The rap game has diversified. And as job descriptions change, emcees adjust to match the task. What was deemed a relevant rhyme topic 11 years ago might be considered stale and redundant today.
In any case, take this list with a huge grain of salt. I don’t claim it to be the gospel. It’s just my thoughts, Ladies and Gentlemen.
