Morale: 50%

Bangarang

I'd like a full crew to wild out with while bumping this song on full blast.

Where the Heart Is

I miss these two places the most in the world.

Top Ten Hip Hop albums of 2011

I'm not really gonna preface this list with anything, except this preface that you're reading right now. 2011 saw some amazing hip hop albums. 'Nough said. We'll start with honorable mentions.

Pac Div - The Div I loved this album. It was everything I was hoping Pac Div would sound like when they finally put one out. It didn't get enough spins from when it came out til now, which is probably the only reason it didn't crack the top 10.

Cunninlynguists - Oneirology Same goes for this album. I'd never listened to these dudes until a week ago, but I promise if they had more spins this would be in the top 5 for sure. Just some lyrical, socially aware rappers with some of the most unique backing beats I've ever heard on an album. The Freddie Gibbs and Big K.R.I.T. assisted tracks are super nice too.

Eminem and Royce da 5'9" - Bad Meets Evil: Hell the Sequel
Royce da 5'9" - Success is Certain
Both of these albums were extremely solid. Shady is clearly the most gifted mc alive right now, but you wouldn't notice it, especially the way Royce handles his own on their duet album. His solo album is equally as awesome, if not even a little bit better in my opinion.

10. Game - R.E.D. Album

Say what you wanna say about Game and his ridiculous antics, from instigating rapper beefs to name dropping every mc in the game in one song, but dude can rap. When he focuses his energy on making music and forgets about the bullshit, Game has the potential to be one of my favorites. This album had amazing production, amazing guest features, and some super solid west coast gangsta ass songs. If only he could just be normal, people wouldn't hate so hard.
Best Songs: "Good Girls Go Bad", "Ricky", "Born in the Trap", "Mama Knows"

9. The Roots - Undun

This album was just way too smart for me. Its a masterpiece aurally. And lyrically. The only reason it isn't higher on the list is that I haven't had enough time to dive into the layers on layers on layers that it possesses. It's like a damn Radiohead album in hip hop form really. Which is the highest compliment coming from me.
Best Songs: "Make My", "One Time", "Kool On"

8. Wale - Ambition

To be honest this album was kind of a letdown. Wale and the MMG crew completely killed the game with their compilation album, and propelled Wale in particular into the spotlight of one of the best in the contemporary game. So with Ambition coming out shortly after, it was expected to carry on tradition, which it did, kind of, just not entirely. I was expecting him to Mike Jordan the game. His rhymes were on par, as always, its his songmanship that is lacking. I talk like it isn't no. 8 on my list though, its just I was hoping for more.
Best Songs: "Don't Hold Your Applause", "Ambition", "DC or Nothing"

7. Doomtree - No Kings

This was exactly what I was hoping and looking for in a Doomtree album. No other outfit in hip hop has paved a lane like this crew. Completely unique beats, flows, and lyrics, from every single member. These are the people I go to when I hate the world and need a pick up. They all seem to somehow know what my soul needs.
Best Songs: are you kidding me? all of them. but "Bangarang" and "The Grand Experiment" to be specific.

6. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne

I mean what can I say about this album that hasn't already been said about 300 times everywhere else. Luxury, boastful rap at its finest, but layered with honesty, candor and emotion if you know where to look for it. If Hemingway and Faulkner were rappers, this would be what their album would sound like. No one is fucking with Kanye's beats though. And that's the difference between this album being great as opposed to just really good.
Best Songs: as if you don't already know... "No Church in the Wild", "Otis", "Welcome to the Jungle", "Who Gon Stop Me Now" bah who am I kidding, they're all good

5. Hail Mary Mallon - Are You Gonna Eat That?

This album came out of nowhere. I had been waiting on an Aesop Rock disc for like 4 years until this little gem fell into my lap midsummer. I was a little wary about this Rob Sonic character as the co-emcee but was pleasantly surprised when his flow, rhymes and even voice inflection were pretty much identical to Aesop's with only a slight difference. I don't always know what they're talking about all the time, but that's fine, avant-rap has a small place in my heart too.
Best Songs: "Church Pants", "Meter Feeder", "Plagues and Bacon"

4. Big Sean - Finally Famous

Mixtape Big Sean fans have been waiting for this album since he said it was mere months away about 3 years ago. Its always great to discover artists right when they start getting noticed because you can track their progression from project to project. Finally Famous the album blew my socks right off my feet as far as progression goes. Big Sean has been the king of materialist and fashion raps since he emerged on G.O.O.D. music, and he still is, but it was refreshing to see him cover some other topics on this album as well. And over No I.D. and Pharrell beats? Too good.
Best Songs" "I Do It", "High", "Live this Life", "!00 Keys", "I Don't Think They Want It"

3. J. Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story

When rumors started coming out this album would be a hip hop classic I wasn't surprised. 1. because you gotta get the hype machine going to sell records but mostly 2. because J. Cole's mixtapes and singles have been fire since he first emerged a couple years ago. He sums it all up perfectly on his own when he raps "I got the nerds rappin' hard shit/ dummies rappin' smart shit/ Mozart meets Humphrey Bogart with this from the heart shit." He is every rapper rolled into one, backpack, hipster, conscious, gangsta, womanizer, and everything inbetween. There is literally a song on this album for every single person. I happened to love all of them.
Best Songs: "Dollar and a Dream III", "Can't Get Enough", "Rise and Shine" "Workout"

2. Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4eva

This album is just on another level. If you love ignorant southern rap, there's a couple tracks for you, if you love positive hip hop, there are lots of tracks for you, if you love weed rap, he's got it, passionate come up stories, check, trunk rattlers, check, oh and did I mention he makes his own beats? Since his emergence a year ago, he has put out an acclaimed mixtape, and this mixtape/album/whatever it is, and is suddenly producing tracks for every rapper out there. He's like the Kanye West of the south, without the ego. My words are inadequate at describing just how much better he is at rapping and producing than everyone else.
Best Songs: "Rise and Shine", "Dreaming", "Rotation" "Highs and Lows"

1. Kendrick Lamar - Section.80

If you haven't heard me talk about K. Dot, then its very obvious that you and I have never met, and you somehow happened upon my blog by accident. This album is a musical juggernaut in every way imaginable. I'm at quite a loss for words to describe just how good it is, mostly because it's beyond words. Most of the songs carry messages about troubled youth, and the ills of 21st century society, but he is somehow able to flip it into positivity, and miraculously, into music that people actually wanna listen to. Alot. Over and over and over again. I predict a major shift in hip hop and pop music away from just materialism and hedonism in the next couple years, mainly because Kendrick has perfectly balanced the line between having a message and making songs people actually wanna hear. He is doing what Lupe has been doing, but better. Be on the lookout for him to take the spotlight this year, and probably sell alot of records. Tupac but better.
Best Songs: "A.D.H.D." "Ronald Reagan Era" "Rigamortis" and all of the other ones

Top 10 Mixtapes of 2011

Its that time of year again, when every single person, critic or otherwise, rolls out their top 10 favorite/best something or other for that year. I am no different. We'll start things off with my top 10 favorite mixtapes. I had about 40 to choose from, and the competition was pretty stiff, and 365 days is a long time for me to listen to anything, but I tried to be fair to the artists that put out music in the first half of the year. We'll start things off with some honorable mentions that seriously broke my heart they couldn't be in the top 10.

Honorable Mentions:
Trademark Da Skydiver & Young Roddy - Jet Life to the Next Life
Pusha T - Fear of God
Phil Ade - A Different World
Schoolboy Q - SetBacks
Freddie Gibbs - Cold Day in Hell
The ILLZ - Illzsential
Ab-Soul - Longterm Mentality

10. Kidz in the Hall - Semester Abroad

This mixtape was just solid all the way through. The features, the beats, the raps, etc. Just great windows down music. It was a solid bounce back for the Kidz after their miserable showing of Land of Make Believe.
Best Song: "So Amazn' "

9. Aleon Craft - Craft Singles

This project wasn't even fair for me, as I am the biggest sucker for mc's rapping on hipster songs. Aleon Craft is a solid ATL mc that has a great ear for beats to rap on. Feel good music.
Best Song: "Broken Paradise" "Cameras"

8. Mac Miller - Best Day Ever

If the year would've ended 6 months ago, this probably would've been on top of the list. It was definitely a step up from K.I.D.S. as far as rhyming and beats go. It's just vintage Mac really.
Best Song: "All Around the World", "BDE Bonus"

7. A$AP Rocky - LiveLoveA$AP

This guy took me by major surprise. I held out listening to this tape until about a month or two ago, but once I did, I couldn't stop. If UGK, Bone Thugs n Harmony and Cam'ron all added their DNA to a super rapping baby, Rocky would be that baby. He's got slow, medium and fast flows on lock, and the most syrupy, purple beats I've ever heard. He's more Houston than Houston rappers are.
Best Song: "Peso", "Trilla" and "Out of this World"

6. STS - Demand More II & Demand More II G.O.L.D. Edition

As far as newcomers go, STS is definitely my favorite this year. I discovered him from the Money Making Jam Boys mixtape (#3 on this list) and a few Roots tracks. His nasally pitch is quite unique to hip hop, as is his breathless flow and speedy, yet lyrical delivery. Be on the lookout for more STS this year.
Best Song: "The People", "I Am the A", "Atlanta"

5. Curren$y - Covert Coup

Spitta has been one of my favorite artists since I first got into him in like '07. This year he seemed to have lost his edge a little bit, with a mediocre album, and a few so-so mixtapes. This tape, however, still gets some run on my playlists, 8 months after it first came out. With legendary producer Alchemist at the helm, weed raps never sounded so good.
Best Song: "Scottie Pippens", "Full Metal"

4. Asher Roth - Pabst & Jazz

Damn, every time Asher comes out with something new, mixtape or album, it always blows my mind. I have always been under the impression that white boy rappers have to seriously step up their game lyrically to even make a dent in the hip hop game. Eminem paved the way, and Asher follows right in line, with dense, witty, and comical lines about anything and everything. The beats are great, and so are the many impressive guest spots. Words can't really describe his awesomeness on this tape.
Best Song: Yea right, they're all freaking good. But if I had to choose... "More Cowbell", "Bastermating", "Hard Times", "Charlie Chaplin"

3. Money Making Jam Boys - 10 Deep Presents: The Prestige: Jam Boy Magic

This mixtape, man. It pretty much blew the hinges off anything else in the game lyrically. MMJB are the Philadelphia version of Slaughterhouse, except better somehow. Imagine 5 sick lyricists on one team, except competing against each other for dominance on every single track. Its like the all star game really. And with Black Thought (mc for the Roots) as the leader, this group only has the most potential.
Best Song: "500 Horses", "Tear it Down", "Judgement Day"

2. Pac Div - Mania!

I've been following Pac Div for quite awhile, and every single mixtape, and finally album, gets better than the last. Mania! is no different. They have definitely paved their own lane, with original sounding beats, and 3 very gifted, but fun loving mc's. They are by far my favorite group in hip hop right now, just keeping things light-hearted and fun but not simple by any means. Underground and poppy and mainstream all in one. If you haven't heard them, do yourself a favor and change that. Words can't really describe how sweet they are.
Best Songs: "The Mirror", "Take Me High", "Somethin"

1. Lupe Fiasco - Friend of the People

Come on, its not even fair. Of course a Lupe mixtape is gonna be my #1. When he doesn't have to worry about his label and selling records and being a sellout and focuses completely on making music with his own message, he is absolutely unstoppable. Politically and socially he is pretty much right on par with where I'm at, and somehow he is able to better articulate these feelings in song form than I am with just words. This mixtape is probably my second favorite of all time. Second only to his first mixtape in this series Enemy of the State. Damn dude, I would pay more money for these tapes then his last album for sure. Definitely anticipating Food and Liquor 2 though.
Thanks for reading this self masturbatory list of my favorite mixtapes of the year. Be on the lookout for top hip hop albums, non hip hop albums, and if I'm feeling insanely ambitious, 25 or 50 favorite songs of 2011. Peace y'all.