- TiRon & Ayomari - A Sucker For Pumps
- Gucci Mane & V-Nasty - BAYTL
- Drake - Take Care
- Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva
- Currensy & Alchemist - Covert Coup
- Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
- Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
- G-Side - The One... Cohesive
- Schoolboy Q - Setbacks
- Clams Casino - Rainforest EP
-
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GAF-Hop 2011+ |OT3| Look out for OT4 before Detox (dat sh!t cray)
- Thread starter IrishNinja
- Start date
- Status
I just realize the AOTY thread is a voting thread with a completely different format, I'm a fucking idiot. So here, my finalized and completed end of the year award list.
The Top Ten
In no order
1. Apathy - Honkey Kong
At some point in my life, I've been a fanatic for pretty much every style of hip hop. This album takes me directly back to my late teens when anything aggressive and underground received an auto buy from me. It has everything that made me love that style of rap to begin with. Eventually that genre just became too bitter and similar to me, but once in a while an album reminds me why I used to be a straight up backpacker.
2. Belly - The Greatest Dream I Never Had
An odd pick, there are songs I here I don't like at all, but the best songs are so fucking good. "Numbers, Downtown, Purple Drugs, Dreamer" leading the way, and with "Losing my religion, The key, Time alone" also making strong showings. Lets be straight, this is an album about a girl. And he whines about her...a lot. But it also sets a very strong atmosphere, this drugged out, drunk as fuck, angry and spiteful yet conflicted and regretful. And anyone who has been in a relationship that ended poorly has been in his place and can relate. Still, I'm glad it doesn't go on too long, because even if I can relate and I love the production, at some point I would have had to punch the dude in the face if it went on any longer.
3. Big Krit - Return of 4eva
Do I really need to say anything? It's everything that I love about southern rap.
4. Cunninlynguist - Oneirology
Production wise it's not nearly as good as Death is Silent, but on the positive we aren't forced to put up with Kno's generic white rapping voice for the entire album. He works far better as a one verse a track dude. Still, production being a 9 instead of a 10 isn't a bad thing. This album embarrasses your favorite rapper's effort. And the only reason I sound so harsh is because my standards for these dudes are very very high.
5. Dessa - Castor, The Twin
I'm not going to argue why it should or should not be on a hip hop top ten list because the bottom line is she spends enough time rapping that it does, and you can fuck off and die if you disagree because I am god.
From start to finish, this is a beautiful album, Dessa has improved her voice remarkably since badly broken code, all the songs sound fresh and new, and best of all, they sound superior to their old versions. It's the perfect length too.
6. G-Eazy - Endless Summer
Another admittedly odd pick. But I couldn't ignore how many times I've listened to this album. Other than the awful Hang 10 and the merely average first track, every track is sick as fuck. It took me a long time to get used to his voice, he is another one of these wayne imitators, but it helps that unlike say gambino, he doesn't try too hard. It also helps that he produced most of this album and the production is fanfuckingtastic. Excellent use of samples, nice heavy drums and bass, good variety. I love this motherfuckers production.
7. Grieves - Together/Apart
Everything I look for in a thoughtful hip hop album. I enjoy the ignorant, I enjoy the angry, I enjoy the super miracle lyrical, and I enjoy the thoughtful stuff. If it's good, its good. And Grieves is very good. Great production, no low points, and manages to just border himself on emo without crossing over thanks to a healthy dose of self awareness.
8. Hail Mary Mallon - Are you gonna eat that?
grubstake, grubstake? nutcase, fuckface. I love rappers that work well together, I love rappers to do back and forth, and I love rappers who are clearly having a blast. This hits all three. Fun Aesop is way better than vague philosopher Aesop (although I like both versions of him). Another album, like Apathy, that reminds me of why I was once such a underground rap stan.
9. Rittz - White Jesus
If your gonna be ignorant, be good at it. Rittz is good at it. White Jesus was like a delicious desert after I gorged on Trunk Muzik for months. They work well together, and remind me that even if shady continues to strip yela of everything I loved about him, we still have Rittz.
10. Tiron and Ayomari - A sucker for pumps
Ever since MSTRD I've been watching Tiron and I'm glad he seems to get better and better. A sucker for pumps is far and away the best thing he has ever done. Ayomari and Tiron have made a great album. And thats pretty much all I can say.
The Contenders/See you next year!
In no order
1. Action Bronson - Well Done
Rookie of the year. Clever, funny, entertaining, able to turn even the most ridiculous lines into something entertaining. If Action doesn't have a top 10 album next year I will be shocked.
2. Artofficial - Vitamins and Minerals
I am a sucker for bands that use live instruments, and Artofficial is on here instead of the Roots for one reason, Artofficial are having fun. The music is upbeat, made by a bunch of people happy to be making the music.
3. ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveASAP
The lil B comparisons kept me away. "Bass" drew me in. There are too many weak songs on here to be a top 10 album, but the highs are exceptional high. As a rapper he is talented enough to add to the beats rather than detract from them. Another rapper I expect to put out a top 10 album next year.
4. Atmosphere - The Family Sign
Initially this album disappointed the hell out of me. Its not that it was bad, it was just forgettable. I expect a very high level of quality from my favorite band, and this didn't match up. After giving it the silent treatment for several months I came back to it and found it had some real gems, enough to go on my contenders list. But as a cohesive album, it just doesn't work.
5. DJ Quik - Book of David
Another album I was disappointed by initially, and still feel it's one of his weaker efforts. But even a weak effort from Quik is better than the best effort from the majority of rappers.
6. Green Street - Endless Summer
There are no high spots on here, but no low spots either. It rides comfortably just above the median, being enjoyable and chill but never rousing. It's a fun album to kick back and drink to.
7. Jay Rock - Follow Me Home
The best effort from black hippie, it's here instead of section80 because of the more consistent production. I'm looking forward to Kendrick's next project more than Jay's, but in the battle of section80 vs. Follow Me Home, FMH wins everytime.
8. Neako - Loudpack Tree
If your going to jack for beats, at least be interesting about it. Neako is an unremarkable rapper but this is an entertaining album that swings from upbeat fun to drugged out sitting around staring at the wall music.
9. Onry Ozzborn - Hold on for dear life
As a grayskul fan, this album isn't quite what I expected but it's solid all the way through, and Onry is just a damn good rapper. It deserves the mention.
10. Pac Div - Mania!
I don't think I've ever listened to the album all the way through, but I've listened to all the songs by themselves repeatedly. The production style doesn't work in one big chunk, but the quality of the songs by themselves is worthy of this spot.
11. Phonte - Charity Starts At Home
Good production? Check. Great rapper? Check. Content that extends beyond kill a bitch fuck a bitch sell a bitch drugs? Check check check. But in the end nothing on the album rises high enough to make it more than a very solid B album.
12. Thurz - LA Riot
Exhausting album, I have trouble listening to it as a whole, but like some of the other albums on here, when I take the individual songs and listen to a few at a time, I find myself enjoying 90% of them. And it deserves a spot for Colors and Riot alone.
13. Warm Brew - Warm Brew EP
Like the Green Street album, this stays at a comfortable slightly above average quality the entire way through. There are no low spots, no super high spots, just a bunch of very chill, fun tracks.
14. Wax - Eviction Notice
Would be my rookie of the year if I didn't feel like I've been listening to him for a minute now. As a rapper, he's one of the very best out. He can be lyrical, goofy, funny, ridiculous, serious, anything. Great voice, amazing flow, and the ability to take a mundane subject and make it interesting and turn it into a sick verse. His problem is his beat selection. Some of it is fantastic, while some of it (too much of it) is just boring. Not bad...just boring.
15. Yelawolf - Radioactive
As a Yela album it's disappointing, as a mainstream rap album trying to get sales and radio play, it's the best effort this year. But it's not what I want. Sorry, I know that makes me selfish and self entitled, but thats just how it is.
16. (not pictured) Mike Schpitz - The Prize Package
Just came out too early for it's impact to have stuck around on me. But I was very impressed back at the beginning of the year.
The best album from someone who sounds like he is taking a massive shit he's been holding all day while he raps
Young Jeezy - TM103
Go home and shoot yourself in the face with a large caliber bullet award
Nick Minaaj
Fail so hard muthafuckas should reitre...that shit lame, that shit lame
Watch the Throne
You're as threatening as a puppy shitting itself, stop trying to be hard award
Tyga
The Wiz Charmin Award for exceptional softness
Drizzy Drake
Most date rapey album
Drake - Take Care
Vaporware of the year
Detox, nothing else came close to matching to amount of talk that went on about an album that will never come out because Dre is insecure as fuck.
The I thought you were dead award
DMX, is he back in jail yet?
Artist most in dire need of better beats
Tyler. You are the worst producer in the world. In the world. THE WORLD.
Rule number 4080 award
Everybody, so tired of this watered down bullshit that qualify as major label releases. "I still say fuck a major label till it limps//Put your deal up our table and we'll show you who's the pimp."
Dre hits ignore when you call award
Game, come on son. Come on. I'm a fan, one of the few you have left. But stop giving a fuck about Dre, he's the distant, emotionally dead, borderline abusive father you never had. He doesn't care, he will never care, you are a commodity that no longer provides an adequate return for him to bother with. Stop trying to be his golden boy and be happy to be a voice of the west. Go hide in a studio somewhere with some of the brightest young westcoast producers and make an album that doesn't scream "Dre loooooook, loook at me!!!! I need your approval!"
The song that will be played at my trial award
SiddX - Fuck you in the eye
You have a lot of expectations to live up to motherfuckers aka artists who I expect to make my top 10/repeat next year
Action Bronson
Kendrick Lamar
Wax
Asap Rocky
Rittz
G-Eazy
Big Krit
Oh and Krit has album of the year. Bitches.
The Top Ten
In no order
1. Apathy - Honkey Kong
At some point in my life, I've been a fanatic for pretty much every style of hip hop. This album takes me directly back to my late teens when anything aggressive and underground received an auto buy from me. It has everything that made me love that style of rap to begin with. Eventually that genre just became too bitter and similar to me, but once in a while an album reminds me why I used to be a straight up backpacker.
2. Belly - The Greatest Dream I Never Had
An odd pick, there are songs I here I don't like at all, but the best songs are so fucking good. "Numbers, Downtown, Purple Drugs, Dreamer" leading the way, and with "Losing my religion, The key, Time alone" also making strong showings. Lets be straight, this is an album about a girl. And he whines about her...a lot. But it also sets a very strong atmosphere, this drugged out, drunk as fuck, angry and spiteful yet conflicted and regretful. And anyone who has been in a relationship that ended poorly has been in his place and can relate. Still, I'm glad it doesn't go on too long, because even if I can relate and I love the production, at some point I would have had to punch the dude in the face if it went on any longer.
3. Big Krit - Return of 4eva
Do I really need to say anything? It's everything that I love about southern rap.
4. Cunninlynguist - Oneirology
Production wise it's not nearly as good as Death is Silent, but on the positive we aren't forced to put up with Kno's generic white rapping voice for the entire album. He works far better as a one verse a track dude. Still, production being a 9 instead of a 10 isn't a bad thing. This album embarrasses your favorite rapper's effort. And the only reason I sound so harsh is because my standards for these dudes are very very high.
5. Dessa - Castor, The Twin
I'm not going to argue why it should or should not be on a hip hop top ten list because the bottom line is she spends enough time rapping that it does, and you can fuck off and die if you disagree because I am god.
From start to finish, this is a beautiful album, Dessa has improved her voice remarkably since badly broken code, all the songs sound fresh and new, and best of all, they sound superior to their old versions. It's the perfect length too.
6. G-Eazy - Endless Summer
Another admittedly odd pick. But I couldn't ignore how many times I've listened to this album. Other than the awful Hang 10 and the merely average first track, every track is sick as fuck. It took me a long time to get used to his voice, he is another one of these wayne imitators, but it helps that unlike say gambino, he doesn't try too hard. It also helps that he produced most of this album and the production is fanfuckingtastic. Excellent use of samples, nice heavy drums and bass, good variety. I love this motherfuckers production.
7. Grieves - Together/Apart
Everything I look for in a thoughtful hip hop album. I enjoy the ignorant, I enjoy the angry, I enjoy the super miracle lyrical, and I enjoy the thoughtful stuff. If it's good, its good. And Grieves is very good. Great production, no low points, and manages to just border himself on emo without crossing over thanks to a healthy dose of self awareness.
8. Hail Mary Mallon - Are you gonna eat that?
grubstake, grubstake? nutcase, fuckface. I love rappers that work well together, I love rappers to do back and forth, and I love rappers who are clearly having a blast. This hits all three. Fun Aesop is way better than vague philosopher Aesop (although I like both versions of him). Another album, like Apathy, that reminds me of why I was once such a underground rap stan.
9. Rittz - White Jesus
If your gonna be ignorant, be good at it. Rittz is good at it. White Jesus was like a delicious desert after I gorged on Trunk Muzik for months. They work well together, and remind me that even if shady continues to strip yela of everything I loved about him, we still have Rittz.
10. Tiron and Ayomari - A sucker for pumps
Ever since MSTRD I've been watching Tiron and I'm glad he seems to get better and better. A sucker for pumps is far and away the best thing he has ever done. Ayomari and Tiron have made a great album. And thats pretty much all I can say.
The Contenders/See you next year!
In no order
1. Action Bronson - Well Done
Rookie of the year. Clever, funny, entertaining, able to turn even the most ridiculous lines into something entertaining. If Action doesn't have a top 10 album next year I will be shocked.
2. Artofficial - Vitamins and Minerals
I am a sucker for bands that use live instruments, and Artofficial is on here instead of the Roots for one reason, Artofficial are having fun. The music is upbeat, made by a bunch of people happy to be making the music.
3. ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveASAP
The lil B comparisons kept me away. "Bass" drew me in. There are too many weak songs on here to be a top 10 album, but the highs are exceptional high. As a rapper he is talented enough to add to the beats rather than detract from them. Another rapper I expect to put out a top 10 album next year.
4. Atmosphere - The Family Sign
Initially this album disappointed the hell out of me. Its not that it was bad, it was just forgettable. I expect a very high level of quality from my favorite band, and this didn't match up. After giving it the silent treatment for several months I came back to it and found it had some real gems, enough to go on my contenders list. But as a cohesive album, it just doesn't work.
5. DJ Quik - Book of David
Another album I was disappointed by initially, and still feel it's one of his weaker efforts. But even a weak effort from Quik is better than the best effort from the majority of rappers.
6. Green Street - Endless Summer
There are no high spots on here, but no low spots either. It rides comfortably just above the median, being enjoyable and chill but never rousing. It's a fun album to kick back and drink to.
7. Jay Rock - Follow Me Home
The best effort from black hippie, it's here instead of section80 because of the more consistent production. I'm looking forward to Kendrick's next project more than Jay's, but in the battle of section80 vs. Follow Me Home, FMH wins everytime.
8. Neako - Loudpack Tree
If your going to jack for beats, at least be interesting about it. Neako is an unremarkable rapper but this is an entertaining album that swings from upbeat fun to drugged out sitting around staring at the wall music.
9. Onry Ozzborn - Hold on for dear life
As a grayskul fan, this album isn't quite what I expected but it's solid all the way through, and Onry is just a damn good rapper. It deserves the mention.
10. Pac Div - Mania!
I don't think I've ever listened to the album all the way through, but I've listened to all the songs by themselves repeatedly. The production style doesn't work in one big chunk, but the quality of the songs by themselves is worthy of this spot.
11. Phonte - Charity Starts At Home
Good production? Check. Great rapper? Check. Content that extends beyond kill a bitch fuck a bitch sell a bitch drugs? Check check check. But in the end nothing on the album rises high enough to make it more than a very solid B album.
12. Thurz - LA Riot
Exhausting album, I have trouble listening to it as a whole, but like some of the other albums on here, when I take the individual songs and listen to a few at a time, I find myself enjoying 90% of them. And it deserves a spot for Colors and Riot alone.
13. Warm Brew - Warm Brew EP
Like the Green Street album, this stays at a comfortable slightly above average quality the entire way through. There are no low spots, no super high spots, just a bunch of very chill, fun tracks.
14. Wax - Eviction Notice
Would be my rookie of the year if I didn't feel like I've been listening to him for a minute now. As a rapper, he's one of the very best out. He can be lyrical, goofy, funny, ridiculous, serious, anything. Great voice, amazing flow, and the ability to take a mundane subject and make it interesting and turn it into a sick verse. His problem is his beat selection. Some of it is fantastic, while some of it (too much of it) is just boring. Not bad...just boring.
15. Yelawolf - Radioactive
As a Yela album it's disappointing, as a mainstream rap album trying to get sales and radio play, it's the best effort this year. But it's not what I want. Sorry, I know that makes me selfish and self entitled, but thats just how it is.
16. (not pictured) Mike Schpitz - The Prize Package
Just came out too early for it's impact to have stuck around on me. But I was very impressed back at the beginning of the year.
The best album from someone who sounds like he is taking a massive shit he's been holding all day while he raps
Young Jeezy - TM103
Go home and shoot yourself in the face with a large caliber bullet award
Nick Minaaj
Fail so hard muthafuckas should reitre...that shit lame, that shit lame
Watch the Throne
You're as threatening as a puppy shitting itself, stop trying to be hard award
Tyga
The Wiz Charmin Award for exceptional softness
Drizzy Drake
Most date rapey album
Drake - Take Care
Vaporware of the year
Detox, nothing else came close to matching to amount of talk that went on about an album that will never come out because Dre is insecure as fuck.
The I thought you were dead award
DMX, is he back in jail yet?
Artist most in dire need of better beats
Tyler. You are the worst producer in the world. In the world. THE WORLD.
Rule number 4080 award
Everybody, so tired of this watered down bullshit that qualify as major label releases. "I still say fuck a major label till it limps//Put your deal up our table and we'll show you who's the pimp."
Dre hits ignore when you call award
Game, come on son. Come on. I'm a fan, one of the few you have left. But stop giving a fuck about Dre, he's the distant, emotionally dead, borderline abusive father you never had. He doesn't care, he will never care, you are a commodity that no longer provides an adequate return for him to bother with. Stop trying to be his golden boy and be happy to be a voice of the west. Go hide in a studio somewhere with some of the brightest young westcoast producers and make an album that doesn't scream "Dre loooooook, loook at me!!!! I need your approval!"
The song that will be played at my trial award
SiddX - Fuck you in the eye
You have a lot of expectations to live up to motherfuckers aka artists who I expect to make my top 10/repeat next year
Action Bronson
Kendrick Lamar
Wax
Asap Rocky
Rittz
G-Eazy
Big Krit
Oh and Krit has album of the year. Bitches.
LOL.IT'S COMING OUT NEXT YEAR. BELIEVE.
Siddx, great fucking list. Love the special awards you threw out haha.
Working on my list, but the past two weeks have been brutal. Prob will end up posting it after my last final on thurs.
All right. Fuck this. Thread going live in 8 hours. It's all done, BBcoded up and shit, just needs to be posted.
Decided to do the votes based on the 1-10 system I talked about earlier. I want the thread to both give out an AOTY but also have a list of peoples 1-10's so we can compare and contrast where we all ranked things and such. Stiff unranked lists just don't turn me on.
This can change if enough people speak up in opposition, if not thread will be live soon!
EDIT: Going to go with the same scoring as the GAF GOTY Stuff, thanks kam.
Eg:
1. Game A ; 4 points
2. Game B ; 3 points
3. Game C ; 3 points
4. Game D ; 2 points
5. Game E ; 2 points
6. Game F ; 2 points
7. Game G ; 1 point
8. Game H ; 1 point
9. Game I ; 1 point
10. Game J ; 1 point
Decided to do the votes based on the 1-10 system I talked about earlier. I want the thread to both give out an AOTY but also have a list of peoples 1-10's so we can compare and contrast where we all ranked things and such. Stiff unranked lists just don't turn me on.
This can change if enough people speak up in opposition, if not thread will be live soon!
EDIT: Going to go with the same scoring as the GAF GOTY Stuff, thanks kam.
Eg:
1. Game A ; 4 points
2. Game B ; 3 points
3. Game C ; 3 points
4. Game D ; 2 points
5. Game E ; 2 points
6. Game F ; 2 points
7. Game G ; 1 point
8. Game H ; 1 point
9. Game I ; 1 point
10. Game J ; 1 point
From Hip hop DX, their end of the year awards
The 2011 HipHopDX Year End Awards
by DX STAFF
posted December 19, 2011 at 9:47AM EST | 5 comments
From December 19 to December 23, HipHopDX will be giving you the annual award winners and two runners up for what our veteran staff determine to be the best of the best in 2011, a great year for music.
Welcome to the 2011 HipHopDX Year End Awards. For the last decade, this is when we acknowledge the year, honor its triumphs and uglier moments, and begin our own celebrations leading up to another exciting year giving you the best in Hip Hop.
EMCEE OF THE YEAR
Tech N9ne
Nobody in 2011 deserved to win this honor more than Kansas City veteran Tech N9ne. Tech released two acclaimed albums this year and appeared in several high-profile places, with All 6's & 7's proving to be his magnum opus. As Rap drifted towards limp lyricism and swagger over substance, Tecca Nina's "chopping" was a rude awakening that it should take precision to be an emcee. Meanwhile, the subject matter on Tech's two releases, as well as profiled features with the likes of Lil Wayne, Jay Rock and Travis Barker was both personal and inspirational to his hundreds of thousands of "technicians." With the traditional label system is in limbo, Tech N9ne's 20 years of grinding have scraped the face off the industry as we knew it.
RUNNERS UP
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick "penetrated the hearts of good kids and criminals" with his verses.
Freddie Gibbs
Among his peers, Freddie Gibbs single-handedly keeps lyrical Gangsta Rap alive in the skinny-jeans era.
TREND WE'D LIKE TO SEE DIE
White People Justifying Their Use
of the N-Word
Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing to have to write this. But it's entirely possible that a whole generation missed Q-Tip's treatise on this matter on Midnight Marauders' "Sucka Nigga." With or without an "er" at the end, this word carries a ton of negative history with it. Whether or not you see a grilled-out white chick mouthing the word in ASAP Rocky's "Purple Swag" video or even secretly say it in your car alone while singing along to Jay-Z & Kanye's platinum hit, have the common sense not to pull a V-Nasty and assume you have license to use it yourself. Even if you have black friends that address you with this word (another matter entirely), it's still probably not cool. Because at worst, you might get beat the fuck up, and even at best, you'll look like more of an idiot than the kids on the Clayton Bigsby skit from the now defunct Chappelle's Show. Hi, Vanessa!
RUNNERS UP
College Rap
Tom Hanks and Tommy Hilfiger, come pick up your sons. The only Sam Adams we care about is seasonal.
Twitter Tantrums
"It comes off as tacky, unsophisticated, and it's just not G."
SLEPT-ON ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Action Bronson's Dr. Lecter
As 2011 comes to a close, Action Bronson is finally on the brink of fame. The Queens burly-man with a Ghostface twang had a slow build throughout 2011. There is no question about it that 2012 will be Bronson's year. Before that happens though, it's important to remember that his debut project Dr. Lecter started it all. An admitted foodie and chef, Bronson handles his Rap with food-inspired cuts like "Brunch" and "Shiraz" while mentioning top-dollar eats like truffles. If 'Ye and Jay can mention Margiela, then Bronson responds with foie gras. It's not all food talk though; Bronson toughens up with perverse lyrics about the ladies, the streets, and everything in between over-the-top '90s-minded production from Tommy Mas. As much as he makes us hungry with his verses, these rhymes also feed the Hip Hop soul.
RUNNERS UP
Blueprint's Adventures In Counter-Culture
Blueprint's beautiful commentary on life, perseverance and industry in Adventures In Counter-Culture mixed great music with Hot Topic-approved subject-matter.
Thurz's L.A. Riot
The former U.N.I. emcee channeled the anger, hurt and hate of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 and made them tangible to everybody with speakers or headphones in 2011.
The 2011 HipHopDX Year End Awards
by DX STAFF
posted December 19, 2011 at 9:47AM EST | 5 comments
From December 19 to December 23, HipHopDX will be giving you the annual award winners and two runners up for what our veteran staff determine to be the best of the best in 2011, a great year for music.
Welcome to the 2011 HipHopDX Year End Awards. For the last decade, this is when we acknowledge the year, honor its triumphs and uglier moments, and begin our own celebrations leading up to another exciting year giving you the best in Hip Hop.
EMCEE OF THE YEAR
Tech N9ne
Nobody in 2011 deserved to win this honor more than Kansas City veteran Tech N9ne. Tech released two acclaimed albums this year and appeared in several high-profile places, with All 6's & 7's proving to be his magnum opus. As Rap drifted towards limp lyricism and swagger over substance, Tecca Nina's "chopping" was a rude awakening that it should take precision to be an emcee. Meanwhile, the subject matter on Tech's two releases, as well as profiled features with the likes of Lil Wayne, Jay Rock and Travis Barker was both personal and inspirational to his hundreds of thousands of "technicians." With the traditional label system is in limbo, Tech N9ne's 20 years of grinding have scraped the face off the industry as we knew it.
RUNNERS UP
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick "penetrated the hearts of good kids and criminals" with his verses.
Freddie Gibbs
Among his peers, Freddie Gibbs single-handedly keeps lyrical Gangsta Rap alive in the skinny-jeans era.
TREND WE'D LIKE TO SEE DIE
White People Justifying Their Use
of the N-Word
Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing to have to write this. But it's entirely possible that a whole generation missed Q-Tip's treatise on this matter on Midnight Marauders' "Sucka Nigga." With or without an "er" at the end, this word carries a ton of negative history with it. Whether or not you see a grilled-out white chick mouthing the word in ASAP Rocky's "Purple Swag" video or even secretly say it in your car alone while singing along to Jay-Z & Kanye's platinum hit, have the common sense not to pull a V-Nasty and assume you have license to use it yourself. Even if you have black friends that address you with this word (another matter entirely), it's still probably not cool. Because at worst, you might get beat the fuck up, and even at best, you'll look like more of an idiot than the kids on the Clayton Bigsby skit from the now defunct Chappelle's Show. Hi, Vanessa!
RUNNERS UP
College Rap
Tom Hanks and Tommy Hilfiger, come pick up your sons. The only Sam Adams we care about is seasonal.
Twitter Tantrums
"It comes off as tacky, unsophisticated, and it's just not G."
SLEPT-ON ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Action Bronson's Dr. Lecter
As 2011 comes to a close, Action Bronson is finally on the brink of fame. The Queens burly-man with a Ghostface twang had a slow build throughout 2011. There is no question about it that 2012 will be Bronson's year. Before that happens though, it's important to remember that his debut project Dr. Lecter started it all. An admitted foodie and chef, Bronson handles his Rap with food-inspired cuts like "Brunch" and "Shiraz" while mentioning top-dollar eats like truffles. If 'Ye and Jay can mention Margiela, then Bronson responds with foie gras. It's not all food talk though; Bronson toughens up with perverse lyrics about the ladies, the streets, and everything in between over-the-top '90s-minded production from Tommy Mas. As much as he makes us hungry with his verses, these rhymes also feed the Hip Hop soul.
RUNNERS UP
Blueprint's Adventures In Counter-Culture
Blueprint's beautiful commentary on life, perseverance and industry in Adventures In Counter-Culture mixed great music with Hot Topic-approved subject-matter.
Thurz's L.A. Riot
The former U.N.I. emcee channeled the anger, hurt and hate of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 and made them tangible to everybody with speakers or headphones in 2011.
lol I actually considered using lay, but I wasn't sure people would get it
ShinobiFist
Banned
Great list Siddx. That Apathy album is the truth. Didn't put it in my list because I knew you would 
BTW, so that Pac Div album is solid then? Didn't get a chance to rock it yet.
BTW, so that Pac Div album is solid then? Didn't get a chance to rock it yet.Yeah see to me it just sounds like an inconsistent mess of songs with no direction and of varying quality. Shit's just boring. And it ain't No ID's fault.
I cannot fathom anyone thinking Ghetto Dreams/Sweet/Blue Sky/Celebrate being boring. The very opposite of boring to me.
Yeah those are pretty good.
I still wish that Kanye or Big Sean had these beats instead of common...
Yo that's like 4 songs out of 15 partner. The rest of that shit makes me drool all over myself in fits of violent boredom. Like i said, varying quality.
I wouldnt go that far.. But his album definitely isn't as cohesive as I thought it was gonna be, it's WTT all over again.
Those were my 4 favorite, I still think the rest were ok-good.
Common shits all over WTT. I do agree it isnt as cohesive as i would of liked. But to be mentioned in the same breathe as WTT is an insult to Common.
Yeah those are pretty good.
I still wish that Kanye or Big Sean had these beats instead of common...
ShinobiFist
Banned
TRUTH! 2TIMES!
Same deal to me, plus WTT had a higher % of better than okay-good tracks tracks than TDTB IMO, so based off that alone it's somehow a better incohesive album that TDTB is. Surprising, really.
[insert WTT argument #7485735 here]
I wouldn't say most of Gafhop is unfamiliar with him at all. For example i heard him on Royce joints back in 08(?), he's not a low profile producer at all. Like someone else said a way back, Well Done impresses me because I didn't think he was real capable of making a coherent awesome album by himself. Makes me wanna try out the project he cooked up with Gibbs this year.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Yeah, well, not your cup of tea. It's cohesive to me. Not much to discuss beyond that, really. I found a lot of shit this year boring, this wasn't one of them.
Still on repeat.
Seriously? What a shitty attitude.
spindashing
Banned
Great list Siddx. That Apathy album is the truth. Didn't put it in my list because I knew you would
Pac Div album is one of those albums that work in the right circumstances. It's a fun album, but it's not a headphones album, its a riding in the car album. It works best when you take certain songs and put them in a larger playlist. I was surprised by it though, I expected super simplistic production like on cool kids albums, but the production strikes a good balance between that simple hard hitting shit and more dense stuff. As you said, the best word for it is solid.
ShinobiFist
Banned
Fuck your spoiler tags! Legendary Weapons is dope, and a solid record all around, but it doesn't stand out like some other albums that came out this year.
True, true. Is lacking the total wu collaboration magic. But man some of those junts like Black Diamonds, Diesel Fluid, Meteor Hammers is classic level quality. Its almost disappointing.
Im afraid I have to agree with Dreamer/Believer being boring. I had it on randomize on my mp3 player and I thought I was listening to the same song multiple times. Common just sounds like he's going through the motions half the time. It's sad to type in common in my itunes, see all his albums up there that I've listened to endlessly (save for that which shall not be named) and not feel any desire to listen to his new one.
Will give it more listens though, these days a lot of albums take a while to really click.
Will give it more listens though, these days a lot of albums take a while to really click.
Only if it results in battle raps being thrown. Otherwise I was mostly playing, though he is mad underrated in here.
ShinobiFist
Banned
Oh fuck yeah, bring out those poor souls.
Broseidons, a couple of y'all might remember that I was making a best of 2011 hip hop playlist this year on spotify(so itll be missing shit) but I'm gonna post the recently updated version here. I know i missed a lot of shit this year so feel free to make any song suggestions you want, but here it is. Feedback is great because i wanna have this shit out and finished before XMas. Still cant believe its like 9 hours long.
My Best of 2011 Spotify Playlist
My Best of 2011 Spotify Playlist
Its not working for me.
i edited the link.should work now.
spindashing
Banned
It's going to be delicious.
I'll make sure and take part this year. I didn't do so last year for God knows why.
spindashing
Banned
silentcapybara
Banned
Which release do you think had the most hype (not necessarily only from this year)? In my opinion, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy takes the cake. The release was more of an event, as Kanye had fans racing home on the weekends to download the new G.O.O.D. Friday track every week up until (and after) the release of MBDTF.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
That's okay. I listened to Apathy because you guys recommended it so highly, and I found that record to be one of the most boring rap albums of the year. Tastes on here are varied, to be sure.
But, Dreamer/Believer? That's my shit. I'm going to give it a few spins, and having it be released so late makes it weird for me to put it in a t ten list, buti can't see myself getting bored with it. I haven't listened to an album 3x back to back in a long, long, long time.
Yeah, i agree with this. I found Honkey Kong and Well Done just very boring, uninteresting. They were solid, but did nothing for me. Dreamer/Believer was my style of hip hop, and i loved it all.
- Status