The truth is that hip hop wouldn’t necessarily need a complete makeover to achieve noticeable results, because the evolution of any music is a natural progression needing time without interruption to thrive. See, Nas didn’t ask for a perfect Utopian society to replace the one we live in, all he really wanted for a better existence was ‘trees for breakfast, dime sexes, and Benz stretches‘. Well, to each his own, but that doesn’t sound like the worst life ever. So, instead of blasphemous claims – bye bye house in the Hamptons and a R&B wife who makes more than I do - let’s call the following a list of “alterations” to a game doing well enough to survive the countless prophecies of its demise, yet still needing a hand in an ever-changing world.

Here are five things every hip hop fan would want to happen 2012:

-Dr. Dre Finally Admits Detox is Never Coming Out-

 
Why It Should Happen: The backstory behind Detox - the nearly decade-long delay, the rumored 500 beats Dr. Dre produced for it, and the scores of artists who have claimed to work on it – elicits a lore on par with classic albums like The Blueprint and Illmatic. The only difference is that Jay-Z and Nas’s projects actually happened. If Detox’s first two singles, ‘Kush‘ and ‘I Need A Doctor‘, aren’t enough proof of the inevitable disappointment of the album, consider Dr. Dre’s forays into Beats headphones, soft drinks, and steroids as an admission that music isn’t a focus for him like it was during his N.W.A. and Chronic days. In a perfect world, Dre’s never-ending project would turn out to be a critically adored, progressive hip hop album well worth the wait. Realistically, however, the optimal outcome looks to be Dre’s bowing out of the lethargic project respectfully in order to focus on his more recent pastime, adding to his fortune. This way, Dre leaves nothing more than an impeccable imprint on hip hop, and affirms that albums – unlike wine – do not get better stuck in the basement for 10 years.

Likelihood: From a financial standpoint – which is basically the only one Dr. Dre is taking right now – the hype behind Detox may be more profitable than its actual release. With the aforementioned pair of singles released last year, Detox is looking to be more of a reality than ever, but then again these mediocre tracks may have just extended the release date another 5 years into the future. Either way, fans expecting a comparable trilogy ending to the classic Chronic series are undoubtedly going to come out in force for Detox, but the chance their lofty expectations are actually met is slimmer than shady…. Sorry about that.

Probable Result: Sigh, sadly for hip hop fans in general, Detox will be released in the shadow of its monumental hype, consisting of generic, and obsolete elements mixed alongside house-influenced beats that are practically unavoidable for mainstream releases in 2012. Wait, I said 2012? Let’s just say I’m not holding my breath.

-Kendrick Lamar & Earl Sweatshirt Drop Dope Debut Albums-

 
Why It Should Happen: Anyone who has kept an ear to the underground over the past couple of years knows that these two young rappers above are arguably the buzziest names bubbling to the surface of hip hop. 17-year old Earl Sweatshirt has ironically gained more fame for being out of the game than in it. While Earl’s complex rhyming schemes and creative wordplay – on display here - certainly earned him some respect in the game, the Odd Future member became the topic of discussion when he was his reportedly grounded to Samoa when his mother heard his severely graphic lyrical content, returning just this past week with the track ‘Home’ that sparked rumors of a new mixtape or album.

Kendrick Lamar is practically Earl’s alter ego, representing thoughtful hip hop with conscious, talented releases and a multi-layered mindset which reaches from politics to prostitutes. The Compton-based rapper has said he melds his style after West Coast legend Tupac, whom is a noticeable influence on Lamar’s mixtape/album, Section.80 , which garnered nearly universal praise from critics and fans alike. While neither up-and-comer has even released a title for their debut album, all signs point to 2012 being a do or die year for their young careers. If you have heard enough of either Earl or Kendrick, you would hope they both release dope albums this year.

Likelihood: On one hand, Odd Future’s unpredictable and moody release schedule looks to be Earl’s biggest obstacle towards making it big in 2012, though – like Eminem – his dark lyrical content could also be toned down a bit to gain more appeal without losing any cred. On the other, Kendrick Lamar seems destined to become an impactful figure in the hip hop game, let’s just hope his meticulous approach doesn’t drag his debut out past this Fall.

Probable Result: Both artists will be well recognized in the game by years end, let’s just hope their success is solely a product of their music and nothing more. On a related note, I think it’s about time Jay Electronica drops his looooong awaited debut as well, will 2012 finally be the year?

 -Lil Wayne Announces Retirement… For Good -

 
Why It Should Happen: The greatest flaw in the entertainment biz could easily be that stars often don’t recognize when its time to hang it up and leave the calling that spawned their fame. Consider the legacies of Brett Favre, Robert DeNiro, and Madonna versus what they would be without putting on a Jets uniform, saying yes to Meet The Fockers, and attempting sexy at 50+, respectfully. Hip Hop artists are as far from immune as anyone when it comes to the inevitable depreciation of skill, just look above at former “best rapper alive” turned poorly dressed high school student, Lil Wayne. For years Weezy towered above the hip hop world in regards to both rap skill and charisma, dropping dope tracks on such a regular basis the New Orleans-based rapper seemed invincible. However, over the past year or two – culminating in the underwhelming release of Tha Carter IV – Weezy’s raps have sounded careless, apathetic, and even challenged and his tracks plainly lack the ka-pow that defined his heyday (read more about this here). We can all admit Lil Wayne is a pretty intelligent dude – which is more than can be said about Favre – but does he have the manpower to drop the mic and leave nothing but the 300 or so great, bad, and ugly songs he’s made?

Likelihood: Not a chance in the world, there’s too much money at stake. Weezy’s brilliant mixtape-driven strategy to the top earned him a fan-base as large as anybody’s in the game, seen most clearly in the impressive sales of the mediocre Carter IV (it went 2x platinum). Let’s just put it this way; Weezy could release an album of him spitting over Opera beats and it would sell.

Estimated Actual Result: I’ll be complaining about Tha Carter VII in 2015.

 
-T.I. Stays Out Of Jail For The Whole Year - 

 
Why It Should Happen: A popular conversation inside the blog-o-sphere and out surrounds “who are hip hop’s heavyweights?” and nearly always includes the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross. A name which has more recently been absent from the list – by nothing more than his own volition – is Atlanta-based star T.I. The infectious dirty south rapper has served two stints in county jail for probation violations and a federal prison bid for a U.S. federal weapons charge since 2005. Most recently, T.I. and his wife were caught in LA with ecstasy, sending the rehabilitated star back to jail where he released the long-awaited but short-sighted album No Mercy. Aside from providing proof that hip hop albums made while in prison are vastly inferior to the those released just after – i.e. Paper Trail - the underwhelming effect of No Mercy reminded the hip hop world that T.I. is a force to be reckoned with, and that his consistent presence in the game is profound.

Likelihood: Accounting for T.I.’s surprisingly shrewd business sense, and the fact that he saved a man from committing suicide in 2010, hopes that T.I. can stay clear of trouble seem feasible. However, anyone familiar with the US legal system knows that probation is a bitch, and considering that T.I. went back to jail in September 2011 for taking a luxury bus to his halfway house (seriously), his next stint could be one badly timed sneeze away.

Estimated Actual Result: T.I.’s next album Trouble Man - which is set to come out this Summer – serves as a somewhat of a tipping point for Tip (pun totally intended), pushing him back up to hip hop’s elite with a solid release or keeping him just below with another scatterbrained, unimaginative album. The most important factor in Trouble Man’s success – both commercially and critically – revolves around whether T.I. is incarcerated or not in 2012. I know whatoutcome I’m hoping for.

-Kid Cudi Tones Down the Trippy Self Indulgence-

 
Why It Should Happen: Kid Cudi’s path to success may come off to some as imaged-based and hit-driven, but his closer fans – including myself – appreciate the Cleveland based rapper/singer’s impressive consistency. Consistent sounds like a bad word when characterizing an enigmatic, atypical hipsterish musician like Cudi, but within the vast spectrum of tracks he’s released so far – from ‘Memories’ to ‘Solo Dolo’ –  its nearly impossible to note a weak point. Thus, when Twitter rumors spread that WZRD, Cudder’s upcoming album with frequent collaborator Dot Da Genius, would be “rock based” and “completely different”, fans weren’t at all doubtful that the project might tarnish his stellar resume…. Until they heard the lead single ‘Brake‘, a 5-minute trainwreck of a track which keeps you waiting for a drop that never happens, and ‘Teleport 2 Me, Jamie‘, a slightly better but still bewilderingly simple and monotonous. Similar to Lil Wayne’s rock-experiment-gone-wrong or Outkast’s anything goes approach to Idlewild, it feels like Cudi has let his ego as well as the drugs make his music for him.

Likelihood: Fans can optimistically point out that ‘Make Her Say’ and ‘Erase Me’ both resembled nothing of the respective albums they were promoting, but ‘Brake‘ and ‘Teleport’ are about as far from radio-friendly as Immortal Technique and seem to represent the theme of WZRD rather than oppose it. Since the album is probably already finished – slated for a February 28 release – there’s not much we can do here but pray.

Probable Result: Now, I’d be a hater if I said Kid Cudi’s new direction is a poor choice, and I would be musically ignorant to say his best bet is to revert to the stoner-pop anthems where he was at his best. Ideally WZRD will turn out to be a cohesive effort that grows on the listener, but considering nothing more than the quality of the first singles I am doubtful of this outcome. Fortunately, Cudi is already at work with the next chapter of the Man on The Moon series – set to be released later this year –  so the potential bad taste of WZRD may soon be forgotten.

Consider Yourself Peeped!

 
 
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However, you would be smart to be wary of the disparity between the authentic, synergetic mindset that powered the below groups to fame and the perceived collective following meant only to boost a solo artist’s image. See, there’s a reason why we don’t see groups like Wu Tang – whoever at Rolling Stone called Odd Future the next “Wu” wasn’t in their right mind – or The Roots forming anymore. Solo pioneers like Biggie and Jay-Z – who invented The Blueprint of what a hip hop album should be – originated a snowball effect that has tipped the scales from shared innovation to selfish repetition of the same approach that was already perfected over a decade ago.
 
Instead of wasting an entire post lamenting about how rap today just isn’t the same – if you really want to read about that, click here – let me celebrate the top ten hip hop groups of all time. It may be an ambitious – and controversial – effort, but with all of the ‘Top Lyricists’ and ‘Top Producers‘ posts out there, I figured it was worth showing these legendary groups some love.
 
Here are the top ten hip hop groups of all time:
 
 
 

10.) De La Soul

The reason Long Island based trio De La Soul squirms by arguably more talented groups like Cypress Hill, D12, and UGK to sneak onto this exclusive list lies in their unique use of the group dynamic in their music. In simpler terms: they work well together. Ever since their inception in 1987 – if you want to feel old, that’s a quarter century ago – De La Soul has oozed positive vibes and a collaborative, playful mindset from their impressive library of tracks, garnering them nearly universal recognition among hip hop fans. But even with a legendary resume that includes membership to the Native Tongues Posse, close involvement in the careers of Mos Def, The Black Eyed Peas, and Black Sheep, and a classic, genre-shifting debut album, this group often goes under the radar when discussions like this come up. Those who know De La on a deeper level than the flowery cover of 3 Feet High & Rising and ‘Feel Good Inc.’ – their Grammy winning collaboration with the Gorillaz – understand that while their lengthy career has been shaky at times, their group chemistry has not; and if anything is to be blamed for their here-and-there offbeat or outdated releases, it is their dedication to the eccentric, interdependent principles from which they were formed.

You need to peep:  ‘Dinninit‘  -  ’Rock.Co.Cane Flow‘ Feat. MF Doom  -  ’All Good‘  -  ’Oooh‘ Feat. Redman  -  ’Trouble In The Water‘

9.) The Pharcyde

 
Initially formed as a dance crew (seriously) The Pharcyde rocketed into the hip hop world circa 1991 by embodying everything that rap at the time wasn’t. Hailing from infamous South Central Los Angeles, this free-minded foursome shunned the criminally influenced themes and loud instrumentation that took over hip hop like a plague after the success of N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton, and instead turned heads with a song about a girl they didn’t have the balls to talk to. Its this vulnerability, mixed with a generous portion of playful creativity, that captivated listener’s during their fantastic debut album Bizzare Ride II and crowned The Pharcyde as the founding fathers of West Coast alternative hip hop. While their library is neither extensive nor formally organized, its uniquely eccentric and, well, fun sound aided by production help from J-Swift is unmistakably impactful. Evidence is in timeless like the aforementioned ‘Passing Me By‘, and J-Dilla produced ‘Runnin‘, which are sure to live on as artifacts of hip hop at its height for years to come. Though the group only released two notable albums before Fatlip - the group’s most notable member – left and the rest of the members faded into obscurity, their impact can be heard in the numerous alternative hip hop groups that have followed suit.
 

You Need To Peep:  ’Passing Me By‘  -  ’Runnin‘  -  ’Otha Fish‘   –  ’Drop‘  -  ’Pack the Pipe’

8.) Gangstarr

Although the late Guru and DJ Premier didn’t originate the emcee/producer blueprint of a hip hop group that has been responsible for some of hip hop’s brightest moments – they can thank  Eric B. & Rakim and Pete Rock & CL Smooth for blazing that trail - they certainly demonstrated how to perfect it. Despite both emcee and producer being famous in their own right – Guru was solely responsible for beginning the Jazzmatazz movement, while Primo has worked with countless artists to become unanimously one of the greatest hip hop producers ever - there is no mistaking a Gangstarr track. Primo’s bouncy looped samples and Guru’s monotone voice and rational delivery mesh so seamlessly together that they have become, to many, the gold standard for what hip hop should sound like.  Interestingly enough, despite their dominance of the 1990′s underground hip hop game, the duo had an ironically displaced and tumultuous relationship. Gangstarr began as a trial-and-error experiment by Guru, who finally landed on DJ Premier after breaking up with several earlier producers, and while the group was largely based in NY – the heart of the hip hop world –  Guru and Primo actually hailed from Boston and Houston, respectfully. Before Guru died in 2010 due to a heart attack, he stated that he didn’t want his name associated with DJ Premier’s (awkward…) in a move that was douchey even for members of an old garage band, much less the face of hardcore 90′s hip hop. At the end of the day, however, it truly does attest to both artists’ talent that these two were able to make some of the most unforgettable tracks – and albums – in hip hop history. If only they would have been better friends…

You need to peep:    ’You Know My Steez‘  -  ’Above the Clouds‘ Feat. Inspectah Deck  -  ’Work Pt. II‘ Feat. Big L  -  ‘Mass Appeal‘  -  ’Rite Where You Stand‘ Feat. Jadakiss

7.) Bone Thugs N Harmony

Offering probably the most unique sound hip hop has ever heard, Bone Thugs N Harmony’s two-decade career has been filled with enough twists, turns, makeovers, and comebacks to signify it also as one-of-a-kind. While the 5-member group is pictured in full above, the majority of BTNH’s music has been released without members Flesh-N-Bone – who went to prison for 11 years for criminal possession of a firearm – and Bizzy Bone – who was “expelled” from the group around 1998. Perhaps this is only appropriate for a group who’s rugged style yet harmonious teamwork resembles a hockey team fighting a power play. Signed initially by Eazy-E while they were homeless, the Cleveland-based group navigated a steep uphill climb to stardom with hardcore releases like ‘Thuggish Ruggish Bone‘, yet reached their summit with more tame, melodic tracks like ‘1st of the Month‘ and the ubiquitous ‘Tha Crossroads‘, both from their landmark album E.1999 Eternal. Their unique sing-rap style – I really have no better way to put it – is innately appealing, acting as an additional instrument to DJ Uneek’s arsenal gluing the sound together. On the opposite hand, their lyrics – well, the 25% that are actually decipherable – can be at times suspect, but this fact is easily forgiven by their consistent, powerful message that melds drug dealing – and using – with life and faith struggles with nearly unmatched expertise. Whether its due to their talent or unique appeal, BTHN hold honors that would make most hip hop artists jealous; a Grammy for ‘Crossroads’, rap artists of the year in 2007, and being the only act to perform with 2Pac and Biggie – not to mention Eazy E – while they were still alive.

You Need to Peep: ‘Thuggish Ruggish Bone‘  -  ’1st of the Month‘  -  ’Wind Blow‘  -  ‘Money, Money‘  -  ’Ecstacy‘

6.) Jurassic 5

 
Easily the most popular alternate hip hop act since the mid-nineties, Jurassic 5 achieved the exceedingly rare duality of appealing to the mainstream while sustaining career-long street cred usually reserved for buzzing up-and-comers. Bursting onto the scene in 1997 with a sound that echoed the live experimentation and free-flowing hip hop of the 80′s, J5′s debut Jurassic 5 EP featured the spectacularly different single ‘Concrete Schoolyard‘, a song that would epitomize the West Coast group’s collusive, light-hearted style. Not only does every J5 song contain 2, 3, or all of the 6 members rapping or producing, but the structures of many of their tracks like ‘Freedom’ and ‘High Fidelity‘ resemble a freestyle cypher, with each rapper spitting 4 – 6 bars then passing it down the line. After 2000, when rap groups were largely forming either for interdependence of weaker talent or monetary incentives, Jurassic 5 neglected  the fact it had two later-proven stars in their lineup - Chali 2na and Cut Chemist - and appropriately broke up when artistic differences got in the way, leaving nothing but the dopeness they created at their height. In the 90′s, Jurassic 5′s efforts may have been somewhat overlooked – like the Digable Planet’s –  in the midst of the aforementioned Native Tongues, The Pharcyde, and Hieroglyphics, but as one of the leaders of post-2000 alternative hip hop, they will never be forgotten.
 

You Need to peep:  ’Concrete Schoolyard‘  -  ’High Fidelity‘  -  ’Thin Line‘ Feat. Nelly Furtado  -  ’What’s Golden‘  -  ’Future Sound‘

5.) N.W.A.

The group synonymous with gangsta rap and shock value doesn’t get the credit they deserve for setting the archetype for the mainstream appealing hip hop group. Unlike the contemporary hip hop groups of the late 80s which consisted of groups of friends, N.W.A. broke the mold by combining locally renowned artists with larger than life personas to create an entity powerful enough to provoke action from the United States Congress. Whether you’re an avid fan of hip hop, a light browser, or just have a friend who listens on occasion, there’s no avoiding the emotionally evoking, surprisingly clever, and revolutionarily edgy tracks from these West Coast innovators like ‘Straight Outta Compton‘ and ‘Fuck the Police’. Perhaps more than any other hip hop artist, listening to N.W.A. is a hogging experience that brings you back to your first listen – for me, sneaking into a room at a friend’s house and playing ‘Gangsta Gangsta‘ at extremely low volume – and guarantees to be playing in your head the rest of the day. The most common misconception that comes with a controversial group like N.W.A. is that their perceived talent – and fame – is largely due to this “stickiness” factor. Conversely, breaking down N.W.A. ground breaking music reveals a mastery of  Funk-era samples from Dr. Dre, never-before-heard hardcore lyricism from Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and MC Ren, and criminally violent themes that set the cornerstone of gangsta rap. Its crucial to note that, while these elements have been too liberally used by a plethora of unfitting candidates and essentially worn out of style, before these five Compton-based rappers, such a genre didn’t even exist. Come to think of it, West Coast hip hop didn’t exist either.

You Need to Peep:  ‘Straight Outta Compton‘  -  ’Gangsta Gangsta‘  -  ’Express Yourself‘  -  ‘Boyz In Tha Hood’  -  ’Fuck the Police‘

4. ) A Tribe Called Quest

Epitomizing the classic idea of a hip hop group, the name A Tribe Called Quest garners a one-of-a-kind admiration from fans of all music backgrounds who seem to perceive some sort of mystical aura surrounding this Queens-based trio. While the three high school friends turned bandmates were far from magicians, their crafted style and image – now known as the subgenre of alternative hip hop – was pure genius. Entering the cacophonous, break-beat heavy hip hop game of the late 1980′s, Tribe introduced an experimental, Jazz-influenced sound that flipped the genre on its head and helped usher in the Golden Age of hip hop. Along with aforementioned De La Soul and others, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammed pioneered the idea that hip hop can be about and sound like anything, as long as it is accompanied by a bassline and lyrics. Examples include , ‘I Left My Wallet in El Segundo’, a track about, well, you read the title, or the legendary ‘Can I Kick It?‘ which samples, of all things, Lou Reed’s ‘A Walk on The Wild Side‘. Entering the hip hop world in 1990 with People’s Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm - the first of three consecutively fantastic albums – Tribe quickly skyrocketed to fame as the figurative antithesis of N.W.A. Fittingly, the two polarized groups competed both for sales and chart position in a show off that elevated the entire genre. The group broke up in 1998, much to the disappointment of millions of fans, but A Tribe Called Quest’s influence lives on in the scores of alternative artists like Slum Village, Blackalicious, and People Under The Stairs who continue to produce abstract music with free-minded themes. While these groups certainly don’t lack talent, they have so far failed to resurrect the mainstream status Tribe brought to alternative hip hop.

You Need to Peep:  ‘Can I Kick It?‘  -  ‘Check the Rhime‘  -  ‘Electric Relaxation‘  -  ’Sucka Nigga‘  -  ’Bonita Applebum‘

3.) The Roots

Evidently the most musically inclined artists in hip hop, The Roots’ famed live instrumentation and perpetually evolving sound puts the Philadelphia-based crew on a whole different plane of hip hop acumen. If you’re thinking it’s complete blasphemy to rank ?uestlove, Black Thought, and company above demigods like Tribe and Gangstarr, lets take a step back and look at the often-undermentioned group’s legendary Resume. Since 1993, when the group independently released their debut Organix, The Roots have released ten solid albums – as many as Jay-Z – won four Grammy’s while being nominated countless times, and have remained the prime choice for live hip hop performances, backing both Jay-Z during his “farewell” tour in 2003 and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Its easy to see why The Roots belong in the rafters of hip hop hierarchy, but pinning them down to one defined sound is nearly impossible. While Black Thought’s intelligent lyrics and diligent delivery have hardly budged during over past 19 years, the instrumental experimentation and savant sampling by ?uestlove has evolved album to album. More than simply representing the group’s changing tastes, the dynamic sound of their music is actually the output of a continual passion for advancing the genre forward. From the lazy, Tribe-influenced vibes on Organix, the racial struggles of Things Fall Apart, the politically and socially conscious tones of Game Theory and Rising Down, to the latest brilliantly composed concept album, Undun - and so much more…. – The Roots have made their mark again and again  by being a half of step ahead of the game. Its unclear how much longer The Roots are going to keep producing music, but the genre is undoubtedly doper with their presence.

You Need to Peep:  -  ’Common Dust’  -  ‘Act Too‘  -  ‘Break You Off’  -  ‘In The Music’  -  ’Guns Are Drawn’  -  ’Criminal’ Feat. Saigon -  ’Right On’

2.) Wu Tang Clan

Meth & Rae & Ghost & RZA & GZA & Inspectah Deck & Ol’ Dirty & U-God & Masta Killa

If the goal of any group is to rise above the sum of its parts, then the Wu Tang Clan loom highest above the hip hop world. The eclectically cohesive nonet from Staten Island is one of just a few groups to represent something more than just their track library, staking claim to a whole clothing line, an unmistakable hand signal, and their huge pocket of dedicated fans who cherish the group’s rugged raw raps and trippy samples above all else. The unadulterated genius of the Wu, first realized with their seminal debut album Enter The Wu Tang Clan: 36 Chambers, lies in their undying allegiance to both each other and the universal themes – like Kung Fu, chess, and street crime – that have defied the natural evolution of music. While some members haul more influence in Wu Tang’s music – like RZA, co-founder and main producer, or Method Man, rap/tv star – no member is ever absent or played down in their countlessly consistent albums, mixtapes, or singles. This is likely the reason they paradoxically represent both the envy of any underground artists trying to reach the surface and the polar opposite of what is actually popular nowadays – I mean, how can you floss your whip when your splitting cash nine ways – and occupy a wholly unique niche within the hip hop genre. The Wu Tang Clan’s umbrella influence on hip hop both underground and above has in many regards overshadowed the supreme success of the majority of its members as solo artists and other career paths with a simple assumption; anything they touch has got to be worth touching. Try as you might, but you’re stellar production value, cutting edge lyrics and themes, and group cohesiveness will never earn your universal respect like this:

 
 
You can call this the anniversary post, but lets not get sappy. In all honesty, I wish I could have done much more with WB4HH in its first year, but this funny little think called real life and a real job – which, unlike this passion, pays the bills – got in the way. Nevertheless, these ‘obstructions’ have failed to even dent the surface of my passion for hip hop, and my ears have been open all year to take in the dope, the weak, and the what-were-they-thinking? tracks dropped by the myriad of artists that constitute the game.
 
2011 was a year where I claimed both that Hip Hop was dead, and then reneged later to say its doing just fine. Ugh, I know. In my defense, the basis behind my flip-flopping was real: hip hop went through somewhat of a significant makeover this year. The ongoing evolution of the mixtape game, the separation of hip hop and electronica after years of club-influenced “rap”, and the continued delays of Detox – let’s face it, its never coming out – as well as in the careers of 50 Cent and T.I. have shifted the genre from pop friendly back to indie where youthful, competitive rappers are brimming and legends are reverting back to the raw, skill-based sound responsible for their fame.
 
 

 
 
While this transition isn’t necessarily complete – Pitbull is unfortunately still referred to as a rapper – it is responsible for most of these genuine hip hop tracks below. You may not recognize all of the tracks below, and you definitely will not see many Top 40 hits in here – sorry Drake, Lil Wayne, and the current sold out version of Lupe Fiasco – because that’s never what hip hop was set out to achieve. Instead, I’ve concocted a healthy list of gems found on the b-side of albums, bonus tracks, and mixtapes by artists who aren’t on MTV, judging each track by its quality alone.
 
Here are the top ten hip hop tracks of this past year:
 
 

10. Uh Oh  -Talib Kweli Feat. Jean Grae  -  Gutter Rainbows

“Jean’s a Rock Star, minus the Pharrell and all the cop cars”

Of all that can be said about alternative hip hop legend Talib Kweli, one of the few slights that actually has weight is his lack of a compelling image. While the Brooklyn emcee is on par with the greats in terms of rhyme skill, his crime-free history and seemingly rational thought and behavior sadly – but truly – limits  his artistic potential over a 15-song album. Gutter Rainbows is a product of this artistic irony, consisting mostly of lukewarm tracks that are initially listenable but soon forgotten. The exception- along with ‘Tater Tot’ and ‘Palookas’ featuring Sean Price – is ‘Uh Oh’, a collaboration with good friend and arguably the best female emcee ever, Jean Grae. Benefiting Kweli, the track doesn’t have – or need – a plot beyond from “Watch out, were back (and awesome.)” leaving a blank slate for the two lyrically dominating rappers to create their own collage of ideas on. It’s hard to say whose verse is better, but the booming choral beat and fantastic, Dark Knight-esque music video help make this song an instant classic that – unlike some of Kweli’s other recent releases – will remain relevant for many years to come.

9. Journey to Forever – Zion I & The Grouch Feat. Mystic – Heroes in The Healing of the Nation

“Elevate yourself to the next plateau, just go, just go”

Ever since Zion I released ‘Coastin‘ in 2009, I have been long awaiting a follow up track that even comes close to the positive vibes, West Coast feel, and flawless composition that emanated from the Bay Area duo’s opus. ‘Journey To Forever’, though completely different in structure and with added group member The Grouch from the Living Legends‘, is as close as it gets: an airy feel-good track with ginormous scope and deeper meaning. Consisting of uniquely textured sections spanning a lengthy seven and a half minutes, the track includes spoken word,  rapped lyrics, beautifully sung choruses, and a myriad of sampled sounds which Amp Live blends with his usual expertise. The song is a product of Zion I and The Grouch’s sophomore collaboration album that, as usual, blurs the lines of hip hop with an all-over-the-place feel and noticeable West Coast free-mindedness that sounds like nothing else in the genre.  Whether or not their contrasting sounds benefit the group – I prefer Zion I’s more consistent productions like Mind Over Matter - they do manage to highlight each track with a clarity that begs the listener’s full appreciation and focus.

8. BDE Bonus – Mac Miller – Best Day Ever

“Rock like Aesop, light the weed and take off. So high cannot see Adolf”

Despite being the complete opposite of the what the term “rap star” represents in your mind, Mac Miller sort of took over the game this past year. Starting out for most as “hey man check this out this song, dude”, then becoming the “next Asher Roth”, the 19 year old Pittsburgh native became one of only a handful of rap artists to have their debut album – which was released independently – peak at #1 on the Billboard Chart. Without street cred, a rap image, or featured R&B singers to help popularize his music, Miller’s fame is the perfect example of why real hip hop is coming back. At its purest definition, he represents an artist who made it solely on his ability, similarly to Nas, Jay-Z, and other legends from the Golden Age of Hip Hop. ‘BDE Bonus’ is a great example of this, a experimental remix of his mixtape’s title track ‘Best Day Ever’ that has the feel of Mac and his production team ID Labs just playing around in the studio. Miller’s lyrics are catchier than they are talented, but that works perfect with the stoner-friendly beat that builds over the 4 minute track that is as close to the heart of hip hop as any song this year.

7. Oh Yeah (Our Babies) - Saigon – The Greatest Story Never Told

“I’m filled with this realness, rappers happen to lack it
I’m flabbergasted you got a platinum plaque for that wack shit”

Saigon’s long awaited debut The Greatest Story Never Told was a success no matter how you look it at: critics and consumers alike adored this mainstream/conscious crossover entirely produced by Just Blaze, and it was able to accomplish the very difficult combination of being both universally listenable and profound in its content. ‘Oh Yeah (Our Babies)’  isn’t supposed to be the album’s best track – it appears near the end and is overshadowed by booming singles like ‘Believe It‘, but after a few listens it becomes apparent that Saigon is at his best when addressing cultural issues and emphasizing the ongoing struggle in America’s ghettos. This track digs deep right away with a recording of two black children talking about a shooting they witnessed from the window of their room, and its sinister piano laid beat and Saigon’s unavoidable honesty about the dystopian state children today grow up in doesn’t let you go. The song fittingly ends with 16 bars spit acapella by Saigon that contain some of the dopest lines of the year (i.e. above).

6. Lost Ones – J. Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story

“See I knew that this is how you act, so typical
Said you love me oh but now you flipping like reciprocals”

J. Cole has a strange thing for complicating situations with women. Last year, his single ‘Lights Please’ - which took the number 10 spot on my Top Ten List – dealt with Cole trying to educate these girls who just wanted to bone, and was only the first of four tracks on his impressive debut Cole World: The Sideline Story to cover his problems with women. Calling Cole out as a wimp or soft is wrong, however, as he delivers pinpoint analysis with a undeniable rationality and dope delivery accustomed to the North Carolina raised rapper’s fans. See ‘Lost Ones’, an unusually deep yet appealing track – named after Jay-Z’s 2006 track – that cleverly plays both sides of a couple getting pregnant and deciding whether to have an abortion. If the plot doesn’t grab you – abortion isn’t really as cool of a topic as, say, drug dealing – it’s J. Cole’s complete ownership over the song that makes it so good. The catchy beat, the slick lyrics (obviously), and even the surprisingly well sung chorus is Cole, allowing him full creative control to deliver his message, which ironically is one that hits much closer to home than selling cocaine or killing people.

5. Writer’s Block – Royce da 5’9″ Feat. Eminem – Single

“Since I decided to start Class this
All black, all glass, panoramic roof been gettin’ marked absent”

It’s really a shame that it took until 2011 for 34-year old Detroit rapper Royce Da 5’9″ started getting hyped and recognized as dope emcee. His notable career has spanned two decades and included work with Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, and Eminem – with whom the original recording of ‘Renegades’ was recorded, but it has been the bumps in the road that have defined this bright rapper’s career. Verses he originally wrote for The Chronic 2001 were later removed, the aforementioned ‘Renegade’  collaboration was overshadowed by Jay-Z under whom it became a classic, and a highly publicized beef with Eminem and D12 – guess who won that – all kept Royce just out of mainstream hip hop’s landscape until Bad Meets Evil, a joint album with recently re-acclimated buddy Marshall Mathers. Surfing the inertia from this newly found notoriety, Royce released ‘Writer’s Block’, a uniquely rational take on a topic most rappers run from with a hell of a beat and hook from Shady.  Royce is brave to point out that, in the realm of money, cash, hoes hip hop, “ya’ll already said that”, making it more and more difficult to come up with new, hot rhymes around the stagnant topics of… well, money, cash, and hoes. In the end, Em speaks for Royce by blurting “sike!” to insinuate that even this competitive landscape is no match for the tried and true rapper. The original version is nice, but a remixed version with DJ Premier providing a classic jazz-heavy beat for the second verse is the one which qualifies for this list.

4. Kool On – The Roots – Undun

“Who needs a chain when every thoughts a jewel, 
God bless the weirdo when everyone’s a fool.”

No artists in hip hop, not even Jay-Z, has stayed as consistently dope for as long and as across such a myriad of sounds as Philadelphia’s finest, The Roots. So, it was a no-brainer among heads that their newest work, the concept album Undun, would stay the trends of phenomenal, expansive production, hardcore and intelligent lyrics, and the feeling that the blood of hip hop flows directly through the groups’ veins. In all honesty, there really isn’t a standout track on the short but sweet project – they’re all that good – but while each takes on a different chapter in the life of Redford Stevens (the album’s fictional main character), none grabs you with its positive vibes and “kool” flows like ‘Kool On’. Backed with one of the best vocal samples I’ve ever heard topping off an infectious beat, Greg Porn, Black Thought, and Truck North spit about the higher times in Stevens life.    While the rest of the album leans toward dark, ambiguous themes, ‘Kool On’ is warm and sunny while still maintaining street legitimacy; a deadly combination perfectly detailed by the song’s hook “Go get your kool on, stars are meant to shine!“. The true measure of a song like ‘Kool On’ – or an album like Undun – can’t be measured in just a few listens; this is a track that will be bumping on your iPod – or whatever the newest invention will be – for years to come.

3. Toast To The Dead – Immortal Technique – The Martyr

“The only thing worse than giving freedom to the guilty
Is killing the innocent and leaving your soul filthy”

Ok, so maybe it wasn’t as bad as Dr. Dre’s Detox, but the wait for Revolutionary Vol. 3: The Middle Passage - which supposedly has been in the works since 2006 – has been nearly palpable among Immortal Technique’s devoted fanbase. Alas, 2011 has come and gone without a full-length project from one of the greatest lyricists of all-time (no jokes here), but heads like me were blessed with his highly impressive mixtape The Martyr. Containing his usual abrasive and controversial politically charged lyrics – although noticeably more refined now than in 2001 – The Martyr is rock-solid all around, featuring epic tracks: ‘The Martyr’, dream collaborations: ‘Angels & Demons feat. Dead Prez’, and even feel good tracks: ‘Natural Beauty‘. The standout, however, is the mixtape’s lead single ‘Toast to the Dead’, featuring a J Dilla – yes, that J Dilla – produced track which Tech had to gain permission from the posthumous producer’s mother, and lyrics that aren’t as staggering complex as usual but equal in significance. When Tech comes up in discussion, I feel that too many hip hop fans dismiss him as a genre-limited political radical. Hopefully, tracks like ‘Toast to the Dead’ will help change those fans’ minds.

2. Enemies With Benefits – Cunninlynguists Feat. Tonedeff – Oneirology

“Callin the love doctor cause I need a fix of this chick and it’s sickening 
Wish I could quit, but my dick is mixing the signals and shit”

Wait. Before judging the song’s title – or the group name’s title at that – please give this track a chance. Yes, the lead track on Cunninlynguist’s instant classic album Oneirology is about relationship issues, but – like J. Cole – this trio from Kentucky knows how to transcribe the raw emotions of love and hate into a poetic and melodic masterpiece. ‘Enemies with Benefits’ features a powerfully chilling beat – a product of acclaimed beat maker and group member Kno – that plays background to Deacon the Villian’s, and Kno himself’s respectively superb 16s. Tonedeff’s final verse steals the show – which isn’t much of a surprise to those who know his lightning quick yet rhythmical delivery – with lines like above and “My judgement Impaired like I was drunk on kamakazi’s riding a busted Kawasaki” that blur the lines between romanticism and Busta Rhymes-esque head-spinning verbal assault. ‘Enemies with Benefits’ evokes the memory of other Cunninlyguists classic tracks like ‘Love Ain’t‘ – also featuring Tonedeff – and ‘Beautiful Girl‘, and provides more justification to the argument that this group is one of the best in hip hop’s underground.

1. Primetime – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne

“At 42 be better than 24, I carried the 4-5, mastered 48 laws
Still wearing my 23’s they can’t fuck with the boy”

If you’ve read my blog, by this point you can probably denote two things: I think Watch the Throne makes all other albums from 2011 pale in comparison, and unlike the general hip hop population – judging on the comments I’ve received – I think Kanye West is a genius and easily the best producer of our age. In that regard, it was pretty much predetermined that my Top Ten Tracks of 2011 list would feature a WTT song at its pinnacle. But ‘Primetime’? Why not the cult hit ‘Niggas in Paris’, the beautifully composed intro ‘No Church in the Wild’, or the smash hit ‘Otis’? While all of those hits are great – if this list was more honest you would probably see four Watch the Throne songs on it, but I’m a fair guy – track #15: ‘Primetime’ rules as the album’s best because of its subtleties. No ID, Kanye’s mentor and fellow Chicagoan, lays down an incredible beat with an extended piano sample that makes you feel like you’re in a 3-piece suit sipping Ace of Spades Champagne. Meanwhile, from Jay-Z’s play on numbers (seen above) which spans 8 bars and gives us a peek of what the greatest rapper ever used to be capable of, to Kanye’s using a double vocal to emphasize “Prime time!”, the self-proclaimed kings of hip hop show why, at least for now, they’re making hip hop like no else can.

 
 
Honorable Mentions:
 
Niggas In Paris – Jay-Z & Kanye West

All Black Everything – Lupe Fiasco

Consider Yourself Peeped!

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In one of the first posts I drafted for WB4HH, I bravely – or, to some, obviously – wrote that “hip hop REALLY is dead“; a statement which effectively threatened the very existence of my blog while exposing my cynicism towards a genre which has experienced an inevitable decline for the past 15 years. My asterisk, however, for this kamikaze-esque argument was that the death of hip hop is not necessarily a bad or absolute thing, and with the right set of circumstances meeting a perfect concoction of ingredients, a figurative Phoenix of hip hop could rise up and rule once again. Well, a whole ten months after signing it’s death certificate, I am back to claim that we are currently experiencing a dose of real hip hop that would give even the purest 90′s purist a buzz, and that the genre’s outlook is looking brighter than it has in more than a decade.

If you missed my diatribe about what defines the life or death of hip hop: basically it is not the mere appearance of breakbeats and rap that qualifies it as being alive – by that definition it is perhaps more alive and consuming than ever – but rather the popular representation of the genre consisting of quality music, impressive, thought provoking content, and creative collaborations. The latter definition composes what many call “real hip hop”, which ruled in the Golden Age of the early to mid- 90′s, but ever since has only been found quarantined in the underground or alternative subgenres, leading Nas, myself, and others to claim the genre was dead. 

Recently, and not as subtly as you might think, hip hop has been clawing its way back, led by a myriad of forces both external and internal that are putting real hip hop not only on the map, but as the leading force of the genre. Here are the 5 most important signs that hip hop has got its life – and swag – back: 

1.)   Hip Hop is Going Hipster 

The last label any hip hop head wants to wear is hipster. The word connotated with feelings, peculiar fashion, and intentionally bizarre music preferences tastes like sawdust in the mouths of the beat craving and shit-talk loving hip hop nation. But the truth is that hip hop could learn a thing or two from the hipster’s most coveted output, indie music. Similar to how rock completely imploded – seriously, name a rock song that came out this year – and left the obscure yet respectable indie rock, hip hop as a top-40/Hot 1-0 something is noticeably losing its grip, sculpting the genre into a purer, more unforced sound. Don’t believe me? Turn on the radio, chances are you will hear an electronic beat, pop signing, and R&B transposed into thoughtless, ecstacy-influenced phrases like “we’ll dance ’till the world ends”. I don’t know if that’s in a song or I just made it up… matter of fact I should copyright that. Remember a few years ago when Lil Wayne, Yung Joc, and 50 Cent ruled the airwaves, passing for hardcore club music?

The fact is, any music genre is better with less notoriety; it means less money involved, less record label influence, and less impostors, leaving only the manufacturers and innovators creating what they want, how they want. While this example is common, if not universal, in the beginning of any genre – rock in the 50s-70s, hip hop in the late 80s – early 90s, electronic and dubstep most recently – indie rock is a rare example of a genre dying to revisit its creative roots. After its figurative death, and the explosion of electronic music, hip hop looks to be headed down the same path. 

Among others, we hip hop fans truly should congratulate David Guetta; his electro-hip-hop collision, which took off through songs like the Kid Cudi featured ‘Memories’, helped create a unique sound that officially dissected the two genres. Now more free from the expectations of mainstream music than in years, hip hop has been equally calling on its roots – like in Jay-Z and Kanye’s Watch the Throne – and expanding different horizons – Odd Future’s off-beat everything – to unearth some refreshingly good music. The future of this new and improved rap is unknown, but seeing indie rock’s reign culminate – ironically – in a Grammy for Arcade Fire, it is not a stretch to believe hip hop is headed down the same path. 

2.)   Hip Hop Is Getting Good PR

Anyone who has turned on a TV this year has seen those stylish, attention-hogging ‘Imported From Detroit’ commercials from Chrysler. Yes its only one ad, but the classic hip hop beats from The Geto Boys, Jay-Z, and of course Eminem prove more than just how to make an economically pitiful city look awesome. Hip hop has always been used in advertised either to promote younger, cool products or make fun of white people, so the fact that Chrysler is using it to sell a high-end product to a huge demographic of customers is significant. (This must be my Marketing major self coming out…).

Commercials aren’t the only reason hip hop is getting a good rap – pun totally intended – recently, the internet and economy are also responsible, duh. Ok, these sound like total cop-out examples, but follow me for a second. Social Media Twitter has singlehandedly brought rappers to fans like never before, allowing for faster, more efficient promotion, more personal interaction, and unfiltered expression of feelings; three things that rappers spend about 99% of their tracks doing already. So it is no surprise that hip hop artists of all backgrounds and styles passionate about the genre have transposed their culture onto Twitter seamlessly, posting everything from complaints about lunch, updates on bringing an NBA team to Brooklyn (see above), and to new releases like Talib Kweli and Jean Grae’s impressive Dark Knight-esque video for “Uh Oh” which caused quite a buzz around these internets. 

There’s nothing more sobering right now than the state of the world economy, a fact that poses a stark juxtaposition towards the swagger-by-the-billion rappers who have hogged the airwaves to exploit fake wealth with faker ability. The truth is that people are educated and concerned about the state of a lot of things, and in a time where lying politicians and businessmen are teeming, the genuine, struggle-laden themes in real hip hop are sounding quite compatible and appealing. 

3.) The New Class of Rappers Are Different… But Dope

Urban, African American, poor, fatherless; high school dropout, ex-criminal: the prototype of an emcee has been practically set in stone since Eric B. and Rakim burst onto the scene. Well, that’s at least until the past few years in which hip hop has received a polarizing makeover. Just look above, these guys are suburbanites, multiracial, often middle class, college grads with clean-ish records: aka what Pimp C used to call a “beeeeeeeetch”. At face value, this seems like an innately bad thing for maintaining the image of rap star, it actually proves more for the credibility of these newcomers than anything. Bravely shaking off the strict blueprint that rappers have consistently adhered to, these young artists are proving their worth by skill and determination over image and sex appeal. Each does have his own bright and unique direction, but rely on their lyrical ability rather than shot-in-the-dark popularity to display it. The result earns them much more than the 15 minutes in the limelight were so used to – Wacka Flocka who? – , giving fans some rappers they can actually grow to appreciate and follow.

Mac Miller is the epitome of the new image of hip hop, a guy you more associate with that annoying kid in high school who was way too loud than a lyrical genius who has somehow managed to stay relevant long enough to drop a debut album – which drops Nov. 9, btw – and make a song with DJ Premier. Did I mention he was born in 1992, the year Mobb Deep released ‘Shook Ones Pt. II’ and Pete Rock & CL Smooth were on top of the hip hop world with Mecca and the Soul Brother? It may sound crazy, but the fact that Miller, and the rest of this Freshman class, weren’t producing memories until after hip hop had passed its heyday may contribute to their more genuine approach reminiscent of the Golden Age. Instead of the hordes of rappers over the past decade who grew up with Illmatic and All Eyez on Me and rode the mass appeal wave into the 2000s, these kids grew up with Crunk Muzik and fake gangster party anthems and only discovered these classic albums later in life. Maybe its crazy, or maybe its just part of the natural patterns of music that cause every generation to defy the last and adopt retro 

4.)   The Legends Are Not Only Still Here, They’re Killing It

We as hip hop fans often forget how fortunate we truly are to have the legends and innovators of the game still around and making music. Of course there are the dead heroes, retirees, and the rappers who just fell off, but just in 2011 Jay-Z, Nas, Common, Wu Tang Clan, The Roots, Krayzie Bone, and Eminem have or will have dropped full-length albums. There are very few – if any – genres who could claim such a lineup of influential artists still pushing the envelop. Its true, Nas and Jay-Z catch a lot of flak for losing steam and passion for rap, but the two have 30+ years of experience revolutionizing the game so single-handedly that their expectations are un-humanly high.

Common, The Roots, Talib, and other cerebral emcees who have clung on when hip hop took a 90 degree turn away from thoughtful content are now basking in the recently redirected limelight shining rightfully at their new dope projects. Underground trailblazers like Wu Tang Clan and Bone Thugs N Harmony are also consistently dropping new music, and while most of it is now just filler, there are some gems to be unearthed like Wu’s ‘The Black Diamonds‘ released just this year. Add the fact that the two greatest hip hop producers of all time are still wowing on a track-by-track basis, and it becomes obviously apparent that the revitalization of game could not happen without these critical characters leading the way. 

5.)    Most Importantly, Have You Heard The Ill Hip Hop Recently Put Out??

All of the points I’ve made so far are fine and dandy in the theory of hip hop coming back, but really could be stretched and transposed in favor of hip hop never dying: the legends have been around all throughout this trough in rap, newcomers always bring innovative ideas and passion, certain types of hip hop come and go with popularity, and rappers have always been implementing new styles. Ah, while these points could individually be proven true – though not all at once since the mid 90′s – the real determiner of whether hip hop is back is the music itself. And have you been keeping up?

While the first half of 2011 was mostly forgettable aside from a few gems, the second half has shone more brightly than any time in recent memory, from the obvious future classics like Watch the Throne and the surprisingly authentic, and appealing Cole World: The Sideline Story to the buzzy mixtapes like Immortal Techniques refreshingly political and hardcore Martyr  and Mac Miller’s poppy Best Day Ever. However, the most exciting projects in hip hop right now are still to come, including Nas’s full album Life is Good, Common’s The Dreamer, The Believer, Jay Electronica’s obscure Act II, The Roots first concept album Undun (above), as well as a plethora of often odd but very much anticipated albums.

They say anticipation is the greatest draw of music – finally a justification for those 10 minute electronic songs – but these upcoming albums aren’t just well-wished projects that will inevitably fall short of expectations, they are entering a scene in hip hop as faker-free and unpretentious as the Golden Age itself, allowing for pure representation and boundless creativity. There may be a decently good chance I will write another post for WB4HH in ten months claiming that hip hop is on its deathbed once again, but I am going to hedge my bets that, instead, I will be writing about new promising artists, dope ass collaborations, and producers who are shifting the very base of what we know as rap music. I’ll also bet on Detox still not being out. Any takers? 

    Consider Yourself Peeped!

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Hip hop is and has always been a culture of sharing, seen all the way down to its fundamental elements. Proof is in the instrumentals which, more often than not, contain one or a compilation of samples from earlier music, in the rappers often borrow/bite lyrics - depending on how you define it, and in the sheer number of featured artists seen on hip hop albums who, most always, return the favor. The hip hop remix is another product of this sharing culture, involving the introduction of a new beat, lyrics, or an artist – in DJ Khaled’s case, ten artists – to the song in the effort of achieving a new direction, outdoing the original track, or simply selling more copies. Whatever the reason, remixing has been prevalent since hip hop was still a New York subculture, and shows no signs of going out of style any time soon.

I imagine hip hop purists and pretentious hipsters from all over cringing at the very thought of a remix: “You’re destroying the song’s authenticity!”. Or worse, stubborn friends attempting to baselessly exercise their taste in music – “the original is soo much better, I won’t even listen to the remix”. These naysayers usually find themselves on the right side of the argument - most remixes either suck, or really don’t do anything new - but for the wrong reasons. The fact is that to disregard remixes as a legitimate form of hip hop, or any music, is ironically very ignorant. Remixes actually make up some of hip hop’s better tracks, and can on occasion even sound better that the original track. (And it’s not always because the first attempt sucked, either).
   

   
To many, the words “hip hop remix” elicit shuddering thoughts of flashy videos prone to cause epileptic seizures, those same blaring horns - you know which ones I’m talking about - and punch line centric verses yelled by Ludacris. But, like so much else in hip hop,  if you dig a little bit deeper you can unearth some real gems. Here are ten hip hop remixes that are better than their original tracks, and of which we all should be happy were made. Take a listen and enjoy, and feel give that hip hop hipster two fingers of your choice:

GhettoMusick – Outkast (Benny Benassi Remix)

No hip hop group has evolved their music 1/10th as much as Big Boi and Andre 3000 have in their illustrious careers. I mean, compare ‘Return o the G‘ to ‘Hey Ya‘ – or ‘Chonkyfire‘ and ‘Spottieottiedopalicious‘ (which are on the same album). The duo’s effort to always push the envelop and dive headfirst into other genres has usually left them even more beloved and respected, but every once in a while it doesn’t fully connect. Now, you must understand how hard it is for me to say this – Outkast is undoubtedly my favorite artists in hip hop any genre – but ‘Ghettomusick‘, which appeared on The Love Below/Speakerboxxx, is one of the few songs from the group I don’t drool over. Meant to be a fast-paced pump up anthem – much like ‘Bombs Over Baghdad’ – the original track overshoots the ideal level of energy with constant shifts in tempo and lightning quick rapping that ends up sounding busy and hurried. Hm, it almost seen that this track would sound better as a tech… oh, hey there Benny Benassi. Fortunately for the song, and everyone who sings along to “feeling good, feeling great. Feeling great feeling good, how are you?”, Benny Benassi was fresh off his ‘Satisfaction’ buzz when he added some synths and bumping bass that helped find order in the chaotic track. I guess I’m already breaking rules since this song technically is electronic, but isn’t that exactly what the ATLiens were going after?

Sky Is The Limit – Lil Wayne (Mr. Jones Remixed)

If Outkast made a name making music no one else will try, then Lil Wayne made a name by rapping over music that was already made. Wayne is the king of rapping over beats that he likes, are popular, or where he thinks he can rap better than the original artists. Usually he does it for all three reasons, and does it well. All of Lil Wayne dankest mixtapes are full of these instrumentals that Lil Wayne sometimes rips so hard – this was the best rapper alive era – we forget what the first track sounded like. ‘Mr. Jones‘ is one of Wayne’s most brutal victims. The Mike Jones – who? Mike Jones – track was meant to be a sophomore hit for the Houston, Texas rapper, but its fast, hard beat didn’t match Jones’ grillz and chopped & screwed style – which had seen better days – and the song basically flopped. Lil Wayne, not willing to let a good beat go to waste, answered with quick, clever lyrics that lassoed in the striking piano beat the way only he can. ‘Sky Is The Limit’, on Da Drought 3, is phenomenally addictive, with Lil Wayne delivering over 5 minutes of  flawless flow and palpable swag while tying the song together with an impressive hook. All apologies to Mike Jones, whose career was effectively ended by ‘Sky Is The Limit’, but we are all better off as hip hop fans to have Lil Wanye remix his beat.

Thugz Mansion (Acoustic) – Tupac Feat. Nas

Tupac’s passionate vision of a gangster’s afterlife would sound great even over a sloppy-drunk beatbox, but instead was mixed into two yin-yang versions of ‘Thugz Mansion‘, coincidentally released on his first posthumous album, Better Dayz. While Pac wasn’t alive to see the production of either track, his powerful presence and gifted storytelling carry both into dope as hell territory. The “original” version features a classic, quick-paced beat with an obvious west coast influence and excellent chorus by Anthony Hamilton, but its the, slow, acoustic version that achieved instant greatness. Acoustic versions are as rare in hip hop as rappers who don’t want more money, but the simple, guitar-only instrumental meshes perfectly with Tupac’s poetic lyrics depicting what could be imagined as an optimistic eulogy of a thug’s life. Most hip hop beats, especially those more recent, turn the beat up to compete with the lyricist for the listener’s focus, but the acoustically remixed ‘Thugz Mansion’ takes a step back to allow Pac and Nas – who’s at his best over simplistic beats too - to exercise their pure lyrical dominance. This remix is not only one of Tupac’s best, but one of the most unique, heartfelt songs in hip hop.

Allure – Jay-Z (Dangermouse Remix) – The Grey Album

One of the most ingenious ways to make a name in hip hop has to be Dangermouse’s Grey Album. The White Plains, NY native who has since won Grammys for his work with the Gorillaz and Gnarls Barkley, gained notoriety in 2004 through a cleverly crafted mix of Jay-Z’s Black Album and the Beatles classic White Album - get it? – that was not only excellently done but hugely influential. Sparking what was called “Grey Tuesday” – a coordinated online protest again major record labels in which a plethora of websites put The Grey Album up for free download – the project also popularized the concept of a mashup album, specifically one that utilizes Jay-Z’s Black Album. Soon after DangerMouse’s release, artists like RJD2, Kev Brown, and a hoard of other DJs released their own versions of The Grey Album, sampling the likes of Weezer, Metallica, and their own music in what became some sort of friendly competition among producers. Not surprisingly, none of these response albums matched DangerMouse’s beautiful deconstruction of what is ranked as one of the best albums ever with an acapella of some of Jay’s best verses- though RJD2′s is pretty impressive. ‘Allure‘ was a perfect template for a crossover track; it featured a good but not standout beat produced by Pharell, that paled to Jay-Z’s larger than life tale of the allure of fame rapped with incredible flow and lyrical precision. DangerMouse samples The Beatle’s ‘Dear Prudence’ so meticulously-its-making-my-brain-hurt to construct the spectacular beat for ‘Allure’, and make Girl Talk look like a frat party DJ.

Ignition (Remix) – R. Kelly

Now usually I don’t do this, but uhh, it would be a sin not to put R. Kelly’s megahit  from 2003 – yup, its 8 years old already – on a list of great remixes. This song may not be hip hop, but it really is the perfect example for this post. You would have to live under a rock to not recognize the dripping beat, the “gimme a toot toot”, and the memories of you most likely shamelessly dancing your heart out to it. Wait, is there even an original version? Yes, surprisingly there is, but since it sounds like every other crappy R&B song that R Kelly ever made, be glad you probably haven’t heard it. Instead, forget for the 3:09 seconds of R&B/Pop brilliance that R. Kelly has been convicted of beating up a bodyguard, disorderly conduct, and of sexual assault three separate times – including that pee incident. Ah, ignorance is bliss.

Diamonds From Sierra Lione – Kanye West Feat. Jay-Z

It’s usually a stretch to release a song as a remix when it features just a few altered lyrics and a closing verse by Jay-Z, but in the case of ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)’ these changes create a whole new beast. The original ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone’ won a Grammy for Best Rap Song of 2005 for its excellent beat – which features a vocal sample from the Diamonds Are Forever theme song and striking piano sample from ‘Psychology’ by Dead Prez – and impacting content. Typically an award winning song doesn’t warrant a remix because, can it really get any better? But Kanye instead penned similarly captivating lyrics as the original and enlisted the help of his “big brother” who delivers one of his greatest verses of all-time in an impressive effort to outdo the first effort. Jay-Z’s ‘Diamonds’ verse came during his Brett Favre-like retirement after The Black Album and during his rumored tension with West and co-founder Damon Dash, and thus serves as an “I-told-you-so” to basically the entire rap industry. With quips like “difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week” and the infamous “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business man!”, Jay accomplishes just that, and makes the ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)’ the only version of the song I, and I bet many other hip hop heads, choose to listen to.

Hold Ya Head – Notorious B.I.G.

Biggie’s remixed posthumous album Duest: The Final Chapter is really one of the most unfortunate, shameless marks on the Brookyln-born legend’s name; a faux album filled with tracks hogged by artists trying to promote their own name and all-over-the-place beats Biggie probably would not have approved of. The sleazy attempt to make a buck – which Diddy has become far too comfortable doing - was so anti-Biggie that it caused Method Man to bluntly note ”They got niggas on that album Big would have never rocked with, for real”. The only exception from the album is ‘Hold Ya Head’, a Bob Marley sampled remix of the dark Ready to Die track ‘Suicidal Thoughts‘ which brings the two Jamaican-heritage legends together seamlessly and effectively. While ‘Suicidal Thoughts’ is a unique track which displays Biggie’s versatility as a lyricist and knack for bringing the listeners inside his mind, it features an underwhelming beat and constant interruptions from Puff Daddy that make it one of the least memorable tracks on Biggie’s classic debut. ‘Hold ya Head’, produced by Clinton Sparks, adds much needed bass and the aforementioned Bob Marley sample – honestly, when does adding Bob to a hip hop track not make sense? – that lighten the mood of the song and actually add focus to Biggie’s spectacular lyricism and flow. Lighten may be a relative term, the song is still about death, but ‘Hold Ya Head’ comes out as a much more approachable and relevant song than the former.

The Corner (Remix) Feat. Scarface & Mos Def – Common

Common is one of the greatest storytellers in hip hop, so its no surprise that his track ‘Corner‘ where he paints an eloquent picture of life revolving around a random street block in the ghetto is an instant classic.  Produced by Kanye West who also provides the chorus, and featuring spoken word excerpts from the Last Poets, ‘The Corner’ is one of the rare tracks that achieve the lofty potential of a hip hop song that sounds great and provides real meaning. Appearing on Common’s acclaimed album Be, the song was nominated – but lost – for a Grammy, but more importantly caught the eye of Scarface, who enlisted Common and fellow cerebral rapper Mos Def to record a remix to ‘The Corner’ which was released on My Homies Pt. 2. Like ‘Diamonds from Sierra Leone’, the only differences in ‘The Corner (Remix)’ are a new but similar verse by Common and added verses by Scarface and Mos Def, but between the trio, there isn’t even a weak syllable in the entire song. Socially conscious, brutally honest, and straight dope lyrics like Common’s “the youth fantasize ’bout grasping cash in they eyes, a youth dies and Momma’s asked to rationalize”, Scarface’s wisdom-laced “the corner: the back drop for hustling crack rock, the spot where the ‘Lac stops and issues the packs out”, and Mos’s “a cold world full of hot summers and loud sirens” and “Grandmama hit me with three words, son keep praying, then shorty hit me with three more, son keep blazing” fill the song – which keeps West’s chorus and the Last Poets spoken word as well – from beginning to end. In fact, Mos Def’s 16 bars are some of the best ever spit, and show how brightly talented the off-an-on rapper truly is. Simply put, ‘The Corner (Remix)’ is one of my favorite tracks ever, far outdoing its impressive original track.

L.A. Song (Sensitive Mix) – People Under The Stairs

The People Under The Stairs created a brand of hip hop that intentionally strays from the typically themes of money, power, women, and yet some of their most known songs deal with perhaps the most universal theme in rap: love of where you are from. Among a slew of Los Angeles-named songs is L.A. Song, an aptly named song revolving around the duo’s connection to their place of residence that features a pretty dope beat and solid verses. My ambiguous description of the song is intentional; while its good, its not great because it lacks a gripping, powerful element that all great hip hop songs – including their own ‘Acid Raindrops’ and ‘Los Angeles Daze‘ – have. Fortunately, Thes One and Double K recorded ‘L.A. Song (Sensitive Mix)’ shortly thereafter and released it on their impressive mixtape/album …Or Stay Tuned. To the definition of a “sensitive mix”, I have no idea, but the description is right on when you hearing the light, dreamy beat that fades in slowly to begin the track. Thes and Double K’s verses are also improvements on the originals, coming off as authentic and honest instead of synthetic and filler. PUTS are the masters of the offbeat, horizontal sample, and ‘L.A. Song (Sensitive Mix)’ is the epitome of their expertise.

Shook Ones Pt. II – Mobb Deep

While ‘Shook Ones Pt. II’ is not technically a remix in DJ Khaled terms, it is a retooled retry of a concept song that absolutely was hit out of the ballpark. Unanimously one of the all-time great hip hop tracks, ‘Pt. 2′ is so well known that ‘Shook Ones Pt. 1′ is considered a rare, underground track. The truth is that ‘Pt. 1′  is a more-than-decent track obscured only by the simple fact that its predecessor is basically synonymous with the beginnings of ’90s gangster hip hop. Havoc and Prodigy’s brand of dark, hardcore rap is first exemplified in ‘Pt. 1′ and then perfected in ‘Pt. 2′ where the duo picked out and modified lyrics from the original while adding new content to create the classic. Both tracks supply dark, ominous beats, but ‘Pt. 1′ is much more grittier and raw instrumental than the second which features complex yet smooth production. Though not cohesive with today’s definition of a hip hop remix ‘Shook Ones’ is actually the purest form of the term; a song taken and remade in a different way to have a different effect on the listener. In this case, that effect is usually goosebumps and head nodding as you listen to some of the best lyrics and samples in hip hop history.

Consider Yourself Peeped!

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There is an popular theory in higher education concerning the idea of a circle of knowledge, which details that, among a seemingly infinite amount of information, humans comprehend a finite amount of it across a variety of subjects. Think about your education; where blue represents Kindergarten, a shallow education of many subjects, and where purple and red equal secondary education, a more specialized, deeper understanding of one or a few subjects. Over time, the circle expands due to certain individuals, in the nearly unlimited subjects that comprise the circular shape, pushing at the edge of what is known in their field to produce truly original knowledge – in this example it can be earning a PHD in a relatively unknown field of study.

While this is completely off-topic on a hip hop blog, the minimalist yet spot-on description of knowledge can be transcribed to a number of disciplines, including – you got it – hip hop. Instead of Kindergarten, equate the blue circle to Eric B. & Rakim’s breakthrough album Paid in Full, which has gone on to influence every spectrum of modern hip hop possible. As you go further out on the circle – green can be The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, pink can be Illmatic by Nas, and purple can equal The Blueprint by Jay-Z, etc. – you find more focused, specialized efforts that, while no longer completely original, still have advanced the art form in one, or many, areas. Its easy to see with this description why so much hip hop today is underwhelming, falling short within an ever-advancing circle of possibilities that has been-done-already.

Amidst the mass of rap artists who continue to recite Lil Wayne’s lines from 2007, every once in a while an artist or an album comes out which truly pushes the envelop of hip hop. In recent memory, Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon: the End of the Day, Kanye West’s own My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and – in the underground – Cunninlynguists’ Oneirology have bettered the genre as whole with effort and skill that make the hip hop demigods proud. Naturally, each of these albums have impacted hip hop in at least one area – be it beats, lyrics, concept, style, the list goes on – yet none have holistically made as large of a leap as West’s and Jay-Z’s super-collaboration – and aptly titled – album, Watch the Throne.

If you appreciate hip hop – which I’m supposing you do, unless you have WAY too much free time to scour the internet – then you have to respect a collaboration between an apprentice and his mentor, especially when the former is the hottest artist in the game and the latter easily is the most recognizable name in rap. However, with Jay’s continuous downside in lyrical astuteness, Kanye’s public displays of megalomania, and the shaky ground on which hip hop currently stands, Watch the Throne (WTT) was a volatile project that could have flopped without much surprise. Fortunately for many of us starving hip hop heads, WTT was instead a product of pure effort, both in its approach and content, from two artists who have been responsible for a great deal of the advancement within the circle of hip hop. Here’s a few reasons why:

Perhaps the longest lasting influence WTT looks to have on hip hop was meshed before Kanye laid the first sample and Jay wrote thought his first line. The concept of two of the biggest icons of rap coming together for a full-length album is surprisingly novel, yet has been so desperately needed for the pitiful last half decade of hip hop. In the past, hip hop’s elite have beefed over the top spot without a thought of sharing it, or, when on better terms, have featured each other on, at most, a song or two. It makes sense to avoid the perils of split earnings and the likelihood of damaged respect for whichever collaborator is weaker on the mic, but the true reason we haven’t seen the likes of WTT before is that it requires a perfect storm of circumstances. Among other reasons, Kanye and Jay are not only label mates, but friends and frequent collaborators with similar styles. Also, Jay-Z is nearing the end of his awesome trajectory through music and surely realized he has neither the time or need to make another solo album.

The most important factor for the potential success of the album, though, is that there hasn’t been a clear “king” of hip hop since Lil Wayne ruled the airwaves way back in 2007. West has certainly been on the shortlist in the time since, but his recent albums have lacked lyrical prowess and fallen too off-center of mainstream rap. Armed with the recognition of this, West – and don’t get me wrong, this IS his album –  employed Jay-Z to create a pure hip hop record with one goal made blatantly obvious by its title.  Their challenge to the rest of the game is executed perfectly; not as an aggressive attack but instead a confident, taking the high-road boast claiming Kanye as the current undisputed #1 and Jay-Z as the best ever. The video for ‘Otis’ displays this flawlessly, as it gives off the feeling that the two were laughing throughout the entire project.

A great concept is only as strong as its execution. A ridiculous production team including West, NYC producer 88-Keys, Mike Dean of dirty south fame, RZA, Pete Rock, and others create a varied but loosely cohesive sound chock full of a mix of vintage James Brown samples – like in ‘Gotta Have It’ with harder, progressive mixes- like ‘Who Gon Stop Me’, which features, of anything, a dubstep sample – and horizontal, out-of-this-world ones – like the fabulous RZA-produced ‘New Day’. Altogether, WTT outputs a smorgasbord of sounds in a similar fashion to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, except for that it is holistically much closer to the heart and feel of hip hop. Between these two heavyweight albums, you can find some of the best beats heard in years – or maybe ever.

Lyrically, the album tells a different story. If you would have told me that Kanye would become a better rapper than Jay-Z a few years ago, I would have laughed. But, throughout WTT, West – whose slower, catchphrase-filled lyrics fit perfectly in 2011 – beats Jay on nearly every track, often with quips that make you say ha! Example:

“This beat deserves Hennessey, a bad bitch and a bag of weed, the Holy Trinity”

Jay-Z, on the other hand, spits lyrics that are sometimes clever, sometimes with a good flow, but never seem to come altogether at once. He sounds awkward at times trying to rap shorter and simpler than his days from Reasonable Doubt, but at least he gives it a try. As a ghost of his old-self, the hottest Jay gets is when he delivers verses that he, and only he, can get away with. Ergo:

“When I say it then you see, it ain’t only in the music
Basquiats, Warhols serving as my muses
My house like a museum so I see ‘em when I’m peeing
Usually you have this much taste you European ”

Though many of the lyrics are hedonistic and mirror the duo’s highly inflated egos, their shit-talk – often surrounding money – is done well, largely because they are telling the truth. When Jay mentions his status in music regarding #1 albums; “Elvis left the building, now I’m on the Beatles ass“, it sounds just a little more authentic and dope than Drake ignorantly foreshadowing “last name Ever, first name Greatest“. And although they got heat for tearing up the $300,000 Maybach in the ‘Otis’ video, they at least have the consideration – and business sense- to put it up for auction.

Intelligently, Jay and Kanye balance their luxury rap with proactive lyrics concerning the politics of race, gender roles, secularity vs spirituality, and being a father that are peppered throughout the album. Concerning the ‘circle of hip hop’, Jay and Kanye make stops on their way out to the periphery, quoting lyrics from EPMD, Audio Two, Outkast, and Biggie, while showing mad props to RZA and Pete Rock on the songs they produced.

I’m not saying Watch the Throne is going to ‘bring hip hop back’, and I’m not going to call it a classic yet – I think both Kanye and Jay-Z have hit higher heights – but it is the best example in recent memory of a mainstream rap album that meets or surpasses its lofty expectations. Sure there are irrelevant tracks like ‘Made In America’, and that inexplicable 3 minutes of silence before ‘Illest Mother Fucker Alive’, but overall this album manages to be rock solid while pushing the envelop with so many varied songs. Let’s be honest, there’s not a rapper out there who isn’t going to hear WTT and realize that the ceiling just got higher. The circle of hip hop, built a history of classic albums and songs that form tree rings expanding outward, has been utilized, sampled, and rearranged by Jay-Z and Kanye West to create a new and improved sound posed to become the precedent for other artists to follow for years. (Aka, it just got a little harder to drop a shallow mixtape  all about your cars, clothes, and hoes, sorry Lil B…)

Kanye proved with WTT that, at least for now, he is the king of hip hop. If he hadn’t proved it on MBDTF, a probably better album but more off-center in regards to hip hop, Watch the Throne is a knockout punch. For Jay-Z, he proved, in a more indirect way, that his taste in hip hop is perhaps unparalleled, and his business and style savvy has carved at yet another niche in the game which surely will be copied.

 
Now, its up to someone to challenge throne… Nas is planning to drop his new album Life is Good sometime this year – the first single is ‘Nasty‘ – which should definitely shake some things up. I can’t wait. 

    Consider Yourself Peeped!

   
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Consider this, if you Google “hip hop instrumentals”, you’re sure to be met with a slew of forums and comment threads teeming with wannabe rappers posting freestyles over looped tracks Lil Wayne wouldn’t even choose, and – even worse – videos of the same suburbanites drunk freestyling over classic songs that were never meant to be copied. The fact is that these looped samples and heavy-handed lyrics found on YouTube and lesser sites are slowly destroying the credibility of the song’s original artists and are a slap in the face to hip hop in general.
 

Just be thankful I didn't post a video...

 
The real instrumental hip hop subgenre is much more complex, composing of a few extremely talented, deeply-minded artists who utilize each track like a canvas to splatter motifs, ideas, and worldviews in the form of sounds and samples in an effort to fill up the typically repetitive hip hop beat as dopely as possible. Without too many prospects of a big contract, huge following, or a household name, these artists are fighting a glorious uphill battle, with respect as an artist being their sole characteristic for victory. This purity of effort has output some absolutely great instrumental hip hop songs over the years, yet unfortunately these tracks are rarely heard outside homemade parkour videos, Soccer commercials, and video game lobby music.

As an avid listener – but admittedly not an expert – here are ten dope hip hop instrumentals you need to peep ASAP:
 

Building Steam With A Grain - DJ Shadow

Universally considered the Godfather of instrumental hip hop, San Francisco-based producer DJ Shadow blasted onto the scene in 1996 with the release of the genre-bending classic album, Endtroducing…. in 1996. The concept album built around using only samples – hmm, I wonder if that caught on? – has not aged a bit, mainly due to profoundly inventive and expansive tracks like ‘Building Steam With a Grain’. Piano notes rain over a marching baseline that leads you through an array of  angelical singing and prophetical quotes. Though in a genre all his own, DJ Shadow is approachable by any hip hop listener who claims Wu Tang Clan, Outkast, Jedi Mind Tricks – or, hell, anybody – as a favorite.

Remember Me (Abstract/Reality) – Cunninlynguists

I’ve said enough about Kno – the producer and lead-mind of Kentucky hip hop trio Cunninlynguists – to write a short novel, but his frequent appearances on WB4HH are, more than anything, a testament to how talented he is. ‘Remember Me (Abstract/Reality)’ showcases Kno’s ability to master a track even without lyrical help from fellow members Natti and Deacon the Villain, and features a beautiful blend of acoustic guitar, xylophone, and flutes that flow together with a dream-like feel. Hearing this track, I wonder how much better hip hop would be as a whole if more groups delegated some space on each project for the producer to boast his unique skills on the turntables.

Forest Crunk – Aesop Rock

I don’t get the name either, but nevertheless, ’Forest Crunk’ by nerd-rap superstar Aesop Rock is easily one of my most played tracks on iTunes. Crafted by Manhattan-based producer Blockhead, this track has a persona all its own; muddled electronic wailing accompanies a mysterious but awesome synthed instrument – is it guitar, flutes? Anyone know? – that feels hurried yet balanced. If it sounds weird to you, welcome to “trip hop“. Add in some old school cartoon sound effects, and you have a wholly unique, and strangely addictive beat that fits Aesop Rock’s introspective, edgy, and quirky approach to hip hop perfectly.

Ghostwriter – RJD2

RJD2 is probably the most recognized name in instrumental hip hop, and also possibly the best. Tracks like ‘Ghostwriter’ and ‘The Horror’ are featured in more commercials  than Flo from Progressive (right), yet – luckily for us all – don’t make you want to rip your hair out. ‘Ghostwriter’ looks to prove that anticipation can often make a track better, as RJ builds up a melodic yet homely beat for the first 1:30 of the track before exploding a nearly overwhelming collage of horns and electric guitar. The out-of-nowhere “chorus” is so ridiculously catchy that it more than pardons the monotonous build up, it actually compliments it in a way that makes the whole song better. In all honesty you probably already recognize this track, but if you don’t know more tracks from the Ohio-based superproducer – who is also half of the hip hop group Soul Position and has produced tracks for Cunninlynguists, MF Doom, and  Aceyalone (recognize the Mad Men theme?) – you need to start downloading ASAP.

Storm Returns - Prefuse 73

Prefuse 73 is about as eccentric as hip hop artists get, but his obvious hip hop influence and work on tracks like ‘Blacklist‘ with Aesop Rock and MF Doom qualify him for the title. Prefuse 73 is actually just one of Scott Herren’s aliases, – easily his most recognizable, though – fitting for an artist who has lived and worked in Atlanta, Barcelona, and New York and who’s genre Wikipedia refers to as “Electroacoustic”. Isn’t that an oxymor… It is true that Prefuse’s production resembles nothing or no one else, and ‘Storm Returns’ represents his unique taste in the form of a sensual, harmonious track interrupted by welcome glitches and effects. If you ask five Prefuse 73 listeners what his best track is and you will probably get five different answers, proving nothing more than his innate talent and eclectic approach.

Noctuary - Bonobo

London-based Simon Green, also known as Bonobo, is unique as a producer with his complex down tempo baselines and warm, romantic sound, respected as a pioneer with his complete self-instrumentation – aka he plays every instrument you hear in every one of his tracks – and simply one of my favorite artists, regardless of genre. The majority of Bonobo’s music, which he was already gaining acclaim for when he was still a teenager, falls more into the genre of down tempo and chillout – think casual restaurant music, except 1000x better – than hip hop, yet a few tracks like ‘Noctuary’ earn the classification by featuring stronger bass and a faster step. It’s refreshing to hear the perfecting effort in ‘Noctuary’, which outputs an organic, unforced sound that is still catchy enough to imagine a rapper spitting 16 bars to it. Oooh, it would be sweet!

You’ll Find A Way - Dead Prez

Let’s Get Free, the debut album by Dead Prez, was a truly landmark moment in hip hop; it rekindled political rap with force unseen since the days of Public Enemy and N.W.A., featured the ubiquitous hit ‘Hip Hop‘, and boasting some of the most impressive lyrics of its time. Among all of M1 and Stic Man’s achievements on their rookie effort, the instrumental track ‘You’ll Find A Way’ is often passed over. Its a shame too, since the raining piano and wailing horns fuse seamlessly into this chill out track which is made only more impressive by its juxtaposition to the heated content and heavy basslines that define the album as a whole. ‘You’ll Find A Way’ – produced by M1 and Stic Man themselves – is a great listen on its own, but can only be appreciated at its fullest as a remedy when you are stressing out about ‘They Schools’, all that ‘Propaganda’, or that damn ‘Police State’. Like what I did there??

Lapland - Ratatat

Mixing electronic, rock, dance, and hip hop, Brooklyn-based duo Ratatat own a truly specialized slice of the music pie. Like Bonobo, Prefuse 73, etc., the majority of Ratatat’s tracks would incorrectly be defined as hip hop, but ‘Lapland’  is the exception. The funky, almost awkward break beat complements the duo’s trademark drawn out guitar riffs to create an all-over-the-place yet entertaining listen. Luckyiam of the West Coast collaborative group Living Legends was so keen on the unique sound, he used the original instrumental for his song ‘Rap, Rap, Rap’ - pretty good track, by the way – spurring at least my idea of this song as a viable hip hop instrumental. ‘Lapland’ is a great example of how, in modern hip hop, artists are intelligently using a wider periphery of music for their sound.

Organ Donor – DJ Shadow

There’s no way I could have finished this list without another track by DJ Shadow, especially one as inventive and trend-setting as ‘Organ Donor’. Also found on the landmark album Endtroducing…., ‘Organ Donor’ is the Frankenstein of DJ Shadows’ tracks; a creation almost sadistic in its perfection and experimentation that its feels alive. Centered around a cutting guitar riff, Shadow plays with a set of organ samples ranging from Giorgio Moroder and Samson and Delilah – I don’t know them either, but there’s a cool site on samples you can check out if you click on their names – in front of an incredibly powerful baseline. If you need a track to get you pumped for another set at the gym, this is it. On top of his more-than-impressive instrumental career, DJ Shadow has worked with a range of hip hop artists including Mos Def, Blackalicious, and Keak da Sneak.

Smoke & Mirrors – RJD2

Last, but DEFINITELY not last, ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ is easily my favorite hip hop instrumental track of all time. I’ve already mentioned RJD2′s keen ability to elicit emotion by building up a beat to a point where it becomes tangible, and on no song does the producer do that more effectively than ‘Smoke & Mirrors’. The song begins with a deep, beautiful beat that swells into a perfectly fit chorus stating:

“Who knows what tomorrow may bring, maybe sunshine, maybe rain. But, as for me, I’ll wait and see, and maybe it’ll bring my love to me.”

Once the song has seemingly climaxed, RJ slows the track back into a elegy-esque epilogue reflecting:

“Just to let you know, everything is gonna be alright”

I realize that this post is supposed to be about instrumental tracks, but RJ utilizes the sound and content of these original lyrics so seamlessly, they feel like another instrument at his fingertips. Altogether, ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ is a rare track in hip hop that matches its sound to its meaning perfectly. If I were to film a movie – a longshot dream for me – you can bet that this song will be the feature track. Just wait….

Consider Yourself Peeped!
 

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Somewhere in L.A., The Game is smiling (The Documentary was a DOPE album, btw)

Anyway, enough lamenting, beneath the perpetual pile of trashy hip hop, there have been some true gems this year. Whether you’ve peeped these albums already – like, duh its dope – or you’ve been wondering where the hell hip hop music has been in 2011, these 5 albums are definitely worth checking out:

5.) Pete Rock & Smif-n-Wessun – Monumental  (Released June 28)

This album is literally fresh off the presses – it dropped just last week – so I glanced it over as I was drafting this post, with list already in mind. Well, so much for that. By ‘That’s Hard’, the fourth track, I was completely hooked to Pete Rock’s modern adaption on his legendary soul-infused beats and Smif-n-Wessun’s – whom I honestly had not heard much of before this album – confident and intelligent lyrics, and needless to say had to do a little editing. Sorry Atmosphere, Family Sign was a pretty dope album, but Monumental is produced completely by notorious perfectionist Pete Rock and features a hoard of hip hop heavyweights including Styles P, Sean Price, Raekwon, Bun B, Freeway, and Black Rob (yes, THAT Black Rob). Monumental is an educated hip hop head’s wet dream, with quality production and verses from start to finish, but is also approachable for anyone looking for some tracks to bump all Summer. After listening to it just a couple of times, I feel like I’ll be comfortably in the middle.

Top Tracks:

• 4.)  ‘That’s Hard’ Feat. Styles P & Sean Price
• 6.) ‘Feel Me’ Feat. Bun B
• 7.) ‘Roses’ Feat. Freeway

4.) Saigon – The Greatest Story Never Told (Released February 15)

The Greatest Story Never Told was one of my most anticipated albums of 2011, and unlike so many others on that list, it actually surpassed my expectations. At a glance, the album is a typical rags-to-riches rap story with a well-trodden East Coast hip hop blueprint, but look closer and you have one of the buzziest, respected rappers in the game teaming up with the best producer in hip hop on a project over 3 years in the making. Yeah, there’s dry spots like the forced thug love ‘It’s Alright’ and the boring ‘Clap’, but holistically this album packs enough dope lines and notable beats to more than forgive its faults. GSNT’s greatest achievement – the lack being the greatest fault of so many hip hop albums – is its varied content. Though Saigon centers around the usual New York City drug game – below,  for example – he also recites captivating and introspective lyrics about his struggle to make it in the rap game – ‘Too Long‘ – and switches seamlessly to spit club-influenced lines for ‘Believe It‘.

I wait for niggas then shoot em like I was a paparazzi
I jump out the back n turn ya block into Nagasaki

In a year where nearly all debut albums lacked any dynamic approach or – for lack of a better word – cajones, Saigon and Just Blaze reminded us all that, when done great, the prototypical hip hop ‘blueprint‘ (pun intended) is all you need.

Top Tracks:

• ‘Bring Me Down Pt. 2‘
• ‘Believe It‘
• ‘Too Long‘ – Feat. Black Thought

3.) Mac Miller – Best Day Ever (Released March 11)

If its hard to believe that a party mixtape from a 19 year old kid who looks – and probably acts – like a total douchebag is one of the best albums of 2011, it is something to say about Mac Miller’s buzzworthy, smart lyrics and the inventive production of ID Labs, Big Jerm, and others. Like its predecessor KIDS, The Best Day Ever  feels thrown together, with tracks ranging from intelligent to corny, and understandably promoted toward a large audience. No matter the format, however, cream always rises to the top, and though you will have to press skip a few times to pass through ear-bleeding bad tracks like ‘Wear My Hat’ and ‘Snooze’, there are also some gems on this album. ‘Donald Trump‘, ‘She Said‘, and ‘Get Up!‘ are fun, catchy, and lyrically better than you would imagine from a white teenager from Pittsburgh, but the pinnacle of Best Day Ever is the experimental b-side ‘BDE Bonus‘. Cutting away all the artificial hype, exaggerated mojo, and marketing, this track goes back to the basics; a couple of guys making an ill beat and Mac uninhibitedly flowing without a hook. And that’s what separates Best Day Ever from your run of the mill monotonous mixtape. Whether or not Mac Miller is nothing more than a flash in a pan – see my comment earlier – no one can deny that he knows what he’s doing.

Top Tracks:

•  ‘Donald Trump‘
• ‘Get Up!‘
•  ‘BDE Bonus‘

2.) Bad Meets Evil (Eminem &. Royce da 5’9′) – Hell: The Sequel  (Released June 14)

What’s began as a collaboration track (above) on Eminem’s sophomore album The Slim Shady LP, Bad Meets Evil - Detroit duo Eminem and Royce da 5’9“, respectively – became a 12 year off-and-on project that quietly concluded last month with the release of debut album Hell:The Sequel. Quiet is a relative term, the album did go to #1 its first week, mostly because the collaboration surprised – and honestly excited – a bunch of hip hop heads still buzzed from Em’s Recovery and with plenty of respect for the only rapper proud enough to tell you his height. By the way, if you don’t know Royce, check this dope track out. Like any huge Eminem fan – he is the best ever – I think his collaborative work, especially with D12, is fantastic, but I was completely thrown off to find out that ‘Renegade‘ was not originally Em and Jay-Z… it was Em and Royce!? Needless to say, I was pretty hyped for Hell:The Sequel. After hearing the title track ‘Fast Lane‘ I was consumed by the raw energy of the two working off each other with competitive respect reminiscent of Jay-Z and Biggie on ‘Brooklyn’s Finest‘ and nearly void in hip hop today. While not necessarily as complex or inventive as some of the other albums on this list, Hell:The Sequel is the filet mignon of 2011 rap albums. It only has a few ingredients – hard beats, harder flow, and phenomenal lyrics – but they are all that’s needed for what is surely to become a classic album.
 

Top Tracks:

• ‘Fast Lane‘
• ‘Lighters’ Feat. Bruno Mars’
• ‘Living Proof’

1.) Cunninlynguists – Oneirology (Released March 22)

By leaps and bounds. Oneirology by Kentucky based trio Cunninlynguists is not only the best hip hop album so far in 2011, it may be the talented group’s best work of their decade long career which includes SouthernUnderground and A Piece of Strange. Oneirology is the study of dreams, which serves as the albums thematic concept which is both flawlessly mastered and never shortcut. The madman behind such a holistically cohesive work is genius producer Kno, who lays down dark ominous beats accompanied by fantastical horns and a slew of folk samples – seriously – which blend perfectly to create a sound not far from what you probably hear when dreaming. Deacon the Villain, Natti, and featured rappers Big Kritt and Tonedeff play along with bright, relevant lyrics that weave between fantasy and reality themes effortlessly. Even the rapper-half of Kno, infamous for pitiful lines such as “I get the cleanest dome, I mean it homes” delivers a dope verse at the end of ‘Get Ignorant‘ that rivals his lyrical counterparts. Beginning with the explosive ‘Premortidum (Prologue)’, there  is not a single dull moment in the album; so much so you may never really figure out which track is which. If you have been asking where the “real hip hop” has been, maybe its time you take your eyes off NY and LA and instead peep this gem from the backcountry of Kentucky by a group whose name belongs with best. $20 says you don’t press skip once the first listen. Any takers??
 

Top Tracks:

• ‘Premortidum (Prologue)’
• ‘Get Ignorant‘
• ‘Enemies with Benefits’

Though I recommend peeping each of these five albums – if you haven’t already – with albums set to come out from Immortal Technique, Jay Electronica, J. Cole, People Under The Stairs, Wu Tang Clan, and so much more, it looks like the best hip hop of 2011 may be yet to come. So, like always, thanks for checking out WB4HH and stay tuned for more peepage to come!
 

 
Consider Yourself Peeped!
 

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Defining hip hop as a genre usually brings words to mind like aggression, competition, violence, hate, and masculinity. Thus, in the world of ‘Money, Cash, Hoes‘, love is a lightly tread topic. Going ‘too soft’ can damage your image and put your career in jeopardy (hell, there’s already enough crappy R & B out there), while not going deep enough can come off as corny and boring.

The truth is, however, that love is a serious and honest topic, and when done well can produce great music. Everyone can relate to it, and the complexity of emotions and intriguing plots derived from it are a perfect platform for 16 bars. Especially in such a dog-eat-dog genre, tracks about love can be refreshingly different and exhibit an artist’s range of talent.

Here are ten hip hop songs that capture the theme of love best, whether deeply in it, chasing it, or losing it, without getting too mushy:

(click the song title to listen)

10.) You Never Know – Immortal Technique Feat. Jean Grae

 
Combining lyrical genius, controversial content, and a gift for storytelling, Immortal Technique is undeniably one of hip hop’s most talented emcees. Here’s some measure; the Peruvian-born rapper who grew up in Harlem and attended Penn State for a year has never been signed, yet nearly every fan of hip hop knows at least some of his work. While many of his tracks may seem unapproachable by the average, non-radical listener, Tech has a wealth of less political, more chilled-out music that still packs his trademark intelligence and cleverness. ‘You Never Know‘ is perhaps the best example of this; a detailed depiction of Tech’s love affair with the most desirable girl in his neighborhood who tragically gets HIV from a blood transfusion and dies before the two can consummate. Yeah, its not an easy listen, but true or not, spitting a dark, realistic tale is what Immortal Technique does best. Featured on the excellent Revolutionary Vol. 2, the grainy sound and less-than-perfect flow enhance the personal and emotional story which, similar to ‘Dance with the Devil‘, takes 7-minutes for Tech to intricately depict step-by-step.

Love Line -

Hold the person that you love closely if they’re next to you,

The one you love, not the person that simply has sex with you

9.) Another Day – Living LegendsFeat. Marty James

The atypical, schizophrenic work of Los Angeles-based hip hop collective Living Legends has produced some of the best underground tracks of the past decade, ranging from lunched-out mixtape-esque gems to serious, thoughtful tracks to club bangers, and everything in between. Underground may be somewhat of a misnomer for the 8-man group, as most of their music is constructed with a pop influence and a West Coast attitude that defies the typically dark, complex sub-genre. Take ‘Another Day’, a love track with a feel good beat and an excellent chorus sung by Marty James that would seemingly be disliked by no one yet somehow is largely unheard of. The lyrics are provided by original member LuckyIAM, and center on a confession of love to a girlfriend that hints at the emotional roller coaster relationships inevitably take us on. It is impossible to listen to this song and not immediately get in a great mood, and its classic tracks like this that make me, and a ton of other hip hop heads, wish the double L’s released new music more than just sporadically.

Love Line - 

Baby, it’s a blur and a whirlwind, more than a girlfriend,
Girl, this is urgent, forever I was searching, but you was just perfect

8.) I’ll Be There For You - Method Man Feat. Mary J. Blige

The hugely successful collaboration between Wu Tang’s biggest star and R & B’s most talented signer, it won a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo in 1996 and is the only male/female rap duet to go platinum, almost didn’t happen. Supposedly, Meth didn’t want a sappy love song on his debut album Tical which also contains songs about torture and weed smoking, but was finally convinced to do the RZA produced remix based on Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1968 hit by the same name. The result is a beautifully juxtaposition of Mary J. Blige’s smooth vocals over the slow, bouncy beat with Method Man’s sandpaper-rough flow. Add in the Notorious B.I.G. ‘Me & My Bitch’ sample (which, unfortunately, didn’t make this list in its own right), and you have a truly classic love track that doesn’t at all diminish Meth’s hip hop cred. To be honest, I just recently peeped this song for the first time randomly on Pandora and was immediately hooked, not knowing its Grammy status or wide acceptance as the best hip hop love duo of all time.

Love Line - 

Back when I was nothin, You made a brother feel like he was somethin
That’s why I’m with you to this day boo no frontin

7.) Mind Sex – Dead Prez

 
The politically charged group Dead Prez, much like Immortal Technique, too often gets blindly associated with their activist motifs instead of their pure talent and great non “F*** the Law” tracks. In fact, their debut album Let’s Get Free, which features ‘Mind Sex‘, is a determined, intricate piece of work that easily lands in my top 5 hip hop albums of all time. The intimate, soothing ‘Mind Sex’ is evidence of the duo’s brilliance, featuring on-point lyrics detailing their desire to get to know a woman before boning them. From two radical lyricists whose delivery is often described as “confrontational”, isn’t that just sweet? Perhaps the best part of the song is a diatribe by poet Abiodun Oyewole about the longing for a woman he compares to a “beautiful black rose”. Ok, so maybe ‘Mind Sex’ is a little bit of an awkward listen for the average white listener, but great music is great music and this love song can be related to by anyone.

Love Line -

See I ain’t got to get in your blouse
It’s your eye contact, that be getting me aroused

6.) Albany – Kev Brown

 
The most beautiful sounding, and unknown, song on this list comes from the pride of Maryland (my home state), Kev Brown. ‘Albany‘ is Brown’s most known song, which isn’t really saying much since this dude doesn’t even have a Wikipedia Page, features a melodic, simply guitar sample that serves as a perfect backdrop for the melancholy lyrical content. Brown laments about a brief, past relationship that he wish didn’t end with impressive honesty and poetic delivery. Though the song has a sad theme, it’s so well composed that it is an enjoyable listen every time. Without any other notable tracks, it is hard to tell if ‘Albany’ is a glimpse of genius in an otherwise average career, or Brown has some tricks up his sleeve we have yet to hear.

Love Line - 

We never hung out that much but still, when we did hang out the whole vibe was chill
I miss your goodnight kisses for real, I miss your goodnight kisses for real…

5.) The Number One – Atmosphere

 
I apologize for the corny (yet hilarious) image of Slug of Atmosphere in his school days, but its fitting for the content of ‘The Number One‘, a song about the inhibitions and discovery of youthful love. ‘The Number One’ is surprisingly a positive love song from Slug, who’s lyrical content largely deals with relationship problems and womanizing. “Positive” is a relative term for the Minneapolis-based Atmosphere,  and they use the warmth of young summer love to complain about adult relationships and being “blindsided by these grown-up women”. As expected from the excellent emcee, Slug lets you into his world with personal and emotionally-charged lyrics about the awkwardness and exploration of his numerous flings during his teenage years. Ant supplements an equally positive and upbeat production to help create one of Atmosphere’s best tracks, and one of the best hip hop love songs ever.

Love Line -

And all we ever did was kiss, no sex
But in our defense, there was never any stress

4.) Never Been In Love – Talib Kweli

 
You know those songs that you just can’t stop listening to, even though you wouldn’t show your friends because you think they’re kind of corny and airy? ‘Never Been In Love’ was that song for me, until after hundreds of times listening to it I finally realized the true brilliance of Talib Kweli and Just Blaze on this collab hit. While the track leans closer to the radio than a backpacker’s iPod, Talib delivers exceptional lyrics that won’t get out of your head like: “I met her at the bar, rolling with three wise men like I followed the star” and Just Blaze lays down a up-beat 60′s Motown sample that eventually breaks down into a gospel clap that altogether works so naturally its infectious. ‘Never Been In Love’ appears on Talib’s crown achievement, The Beautiful Struggle (2004), that helped launch him into his ironic status in hip hop as the underrated yet universally respected rapper. The song helped launch an already soaring Just Blaze, whom I have said before has become the game’s top producer since this love classic dropped 7 years ago.

Love Line -

I tell them dude you I don’t care who she speaking with
‘Cause I already know she made it clear who she’s leaving with

3.) Everything Changes – Aceyalone

‘Everything Changes’ by Los Angeles rhymer Aceyalone chronicles the struggles of love possibly better than any other song on this list, spanning his past relationship with a woman from first meeting to bitter breakup. A haunting piano loop accompanies a woman’s whispers “remember how in love we were, once?” introducing the song with a sad, nostalgic theme for Aceyalone to pay vigil to what seems like a very serious relationship. Acey’s retrospective and painful honesty is the glue of this track, and he quips “stay on the rise, leave love left where love dies” and “next lifetime, ain’t what they say?” to hint at a larger question ‘is it better to love and lost than never loved at all?’. His answer is ultimately the former, as he states “I’ve got love for you, always” and the challengingly true “if I had a chance to do it all over, I’d do it exactly the same“. Acey’s rap ability doesn’t get lost in his large-scale approach and deep content, while the dark, intimate beat drives his point home in this little-known classic by a little-known hip hop star.

2.) The Light – Common

Common and hip hop love songs go together like Kanye West and douchebaginess (I finally hated on Ye, happy now??), his most famous being his classic ode to hip hop, ‘I Used to Love H.E.R.‘, among a plethora of others. The Chicago emcee has basically formed his two-decade career around positivity and love, but no track is more purely focused on that subject matter than Grammy-nominated and J Dilla produced ‘The Light‘ off his acclaimed album Like Water for Chocolate. Framed as a love letter, Common, who perpetually is placed on ‘top 10′ and ‘top 5′ lyricists lists, spits to the fullest of the art about the subject of his infatuation,  supposedly then-girlfriend Erykah Badhu. Unlike many of the songs on this list, this song begins, plays, and ends on a happy note, proving that Common’s positivity earns him honors as one of the only rappers who can turn content meant for an R & B slow jam into a great hip hop song. J Dilla deserves significant credit as well, as his notoriously warm and soulful productions are the ideal canvas for a hip hop love song. Like Water for Chocolate represents Common’s peak as an artist, and it helped, along with The Roots, Things Fall Apart, open the gates for conscious rap on a mainstream level (Talib Kweli says “thank you”), largely because of universally adored classics like ‘The Light’.

Love Line -

I never call you my ‘bitch’ or even my ‘boo’,

there’s so much in a name and so much more in you

1.) Passing Me By – The Pharcyde

Not only one of the top love songs, but one of the best hip hop songs ever, ‘Passing Me By’ is a flawlessly cohesive song, impressive since it was one of the first tracks laid by the four motley members of the aptly named group The Pharcyde, with a totally unique approach that would blaze the way for countless future artists. Based in South Central Los Angeles, The Pharcyde actually started out as a group of dancers, and the creativity and playfulness rehearsed on stage bleeds into their music to output catchy and outside-of-the-box tracks that capture a given theme with a focus and intelligence not common in hip hop. Like a great dance routine, ‘Passing Me By’ is vivid in its imagery and wordplay, yet strictly obeys a template for content and delivery that leaves not a dull second in the song. Trying to capture both is incredibly difficult and thus rarely attempted in hip hop (think about it, we’ve come to a point where a song is either “catchy” or “smart”, why not both?) but The Pharcyde tried and succeeded in ‘Passing Me By’, and arguably their entire classic debut album Bizarre Ride II: The Pharcyde (1992) through due diligence and a novel approach. ‘Passing Me By’ has received its well-deserved kudos in the form of a #1 Billboard position for Rap/R & B hits, helping Bizzare Ride II become certified gold, and being adored by critics, artists, and even us common-folk. The music video is quite impressive too (the linked song title directs to it) , as should be expected from a dancers turned trailblazers in West Coast hip hop.

Love Line (actually Fatlip‘s entire verse)-

Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian
And now the world around me be gets moving in slow motion
When-ever she happens to walk by, why does the apple of my eye
Overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try?
Wait, no, I did not really pursue my little princess with persistance,
And I was so low-key that she was unaware of my existence
From a distance I desired her, secretly admired her,
Wired her a letter to get her, and it went,
My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me but I know you very well
Now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you
When I try, or make some sort of attempt, I symp
Damn I wish I wasn’t such a wimp!
Cause then I would let you know that I love you so
And if I was your man then I would be true
The only lying I would do is in the bed with you
Then I signed sincerely the one who loves you dearly, PS love me tender
The letter came back three days later, return to sender
Damn!

Honorable Mentions:

So Good – Pharoahe Monch

A bonetastic slow song guaranteed to put you in the mood.

Beautiful Girl – Cunninlynguists

The Kentucky-based trio rap about the perfect girl they desire whose name is more than coincidentally Mary Jane. Hmmm..

The Fugees – Killing Me Softly

You can’t have this list without the classic Lauryn Hill-rapped track that samples another iconic hip hop love song ‘Bonita Applebum‘ by A Tribe Called Quest.

Fall in Love – Slum Village

More than any track on this entire list, this J Dilla produced track just sounds like love; its warm and fuzzy with a perfect dash of corniness from the second-best-hip-hop-thing to come from Detroit. (and if you don’t know #1, shame on you haha)

The Roots – You Got Me Feat. Erykah Badhu & Eve

The Grammy-winning track featured on the iconic album Things Fall Apart may be a little slow but Black Thought and Eve’s poignant lyrics are definitely worth a listen.

Consider Yourself Peeped!

Nas’s roller-coaster career in hip hop has been markedly atypical; emerging as a promising star who’s debut album is hailed as one of the genre’s best, the Queens native went on to release a string of disappointing mainstream attempts, lose a highly public beef with Jay-Z (despite what some would argue), and then become an antagonist of the genre that made him famous claiming ‘Hip Hop Is Dead’. Call it bad luck, poor artistic choices, or a narrow outlook, Nas, who is comfortably one of the top 4 rappers in history, has received unfairly tough scrutiny from critics and listeners throughout his two-decade career.

Take It Was Written, Nas’s sophomore project (released in 1996) which sought to bridge the dark, realistic tones of his outstanding debut, Illmatic, with popular mafioso-style rap ruling the airwaves at the time. The result was Nas’s most commercially successful album (heavily from the buzz of Illmatic), climbing all the way to number #1 on the Billboard charts. However, the album was drably reviewed by critics, and unlike some of its contemporary Mafioso efforts like Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt (1996) and Raekwon’s Only Built For Cuban Linx (1995), It Was Written did not stick to hip hop culture as a classic.

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Here are some of the initial mixed reviews of the project:

“The latest blatant example of trashy tough-guy talk” – Mark Coleman, Rolling Stone

“Late-stage gangsta rap, starting to buckle under its own contradictions. [It Was Written] continually shifts perspective.” – Jon Pareles, New York Times

“The lyrics in It Was Written could be sharper, but the music, energetic and engaging on many tracks, helps drive his message home.” – Christopher Farley, TIME 

“[It Was Written] demonstrates a continuing lyrical maturity that makes his already potent beats and rhymes all the more compelling.” – Cheo Coker, Los Angeles Times

Ok, so It Was Written wasn’t universally despised by critics, but consider the label of “underrated” as relative. Less-recognized works such as Binary Star’s Masters of the Universe, or Brother Ali’s Shadows on the Sun certainly deserve a lot more credit than they receive, but Nas’s sophomore work is a forgotten gem lying directly in plain sight. It’s easily accessible by any casual hip hop fan, yet the excellent work has become muddled by, among other factors, colossal expectations, a ton of competition, and Nas’s aforementioned bafflingly atypical career.

Following-up the best hip hop album of all-time is not an enviable task. It is ironic that such a great work canhurt a career, but the brilliance of Illmatic has seemingly weighed down Nas’s work down since its release in 1994. This weight is most apparent in It Was Written, when the fantastically realistic and clever lyrics from tracks like ‘Halftime’ and ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell’ from two years before were still echoing in listener’s heads. And while Nas occasionally diverted from his typically introspective content on his sophomore effort, his lyrical potency remained strong. In ‘Affirmative Action’, a Mafioso styled song featuring Cormega, Foxy Brown, and AZ (altogether forming the supergroup The Firm), Nas flows:

‘Life’s a Bitch,’ but God-forbid the bitch divorce me
I’ll be flooded with ice so hellfire can’t scorch me

Dirty. Yet compare this ice-sporting to Nas’s “conscious” appeal, and you can start to see where critics reprimand Nas’s inconsistency. However, in agreement with Cheo Coker (above), I believe Nas’s lyrics in this track, as well as the whole album, are actually more skilled and perfected than in Illmatic. For example (from ‘The Message’):

Yo, overnight thugs, bug cause they ain’t promised shit
Hungry-ass hooligans stay on that piranha shit

The only problem is since expectations were already so high, It Was Written does not hold the same shock value of his debut, allowing the easy criticisms to shine through.

Hip Hop was flooded with excellent rappers in 1996, perhaps more so than at any other time in history. Stalwarts such as the Notorious B.I.G., Outkast, Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, and Gangstarr were met by newcomers like Jay-Z, Big L, and Bone Thugs N Harmony to form a deep and talented field which brewed high standards for each artist. Nas’s own Illmatic had brought realism to hip hop which was now the standard, and Biggie, Jay-Z, and Raekwon had derived the sub-genre of Mafioso, coke-dealing rap which exploded with popularity.

By the time Nas released the Mafioso-influenced It Was Written, the sub-genre was already teeming with arguably more authentic alternatives. In fact, Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt (perhaps the pinnacle of Mafioso rap), was released just one week before Nas’s It Was Written. Jay-Z would be more than just a nuisance for album sales, and the two stars’ highly publicized beef would grow to define Nas’s career. Split between raw realism and kingpin rap, Nas didn’t capture either audience fully, largely because there were so many other comparable artists to love instead.

However, much like Outkast’s Aquemini (which straddled the southern duo’s gangster beginnings with their mainstream aspirations), the true strength of It Was Written was in its diverse compilation. Unlike the cohesiveness in Illmatic, we are able to hear Nas attempt unique and challenging tracks in his sophomore album, most of which he conquers surprisingly well. One instance is a collaboration track with Dr. Dre (who also served as the executive producer for The Firm), ‘Nas Is Coming’, which molds a West coast beat with the East coast flow to create a holistically different (and awesome) sound.

Nas’s subsequent work after It Was Written were mostly forgettable, giving critics and fans alike who called the album “too mainstream” more reason to stop listening. His next two solo albums, I Am… and Nastradamus featured more concentrated pushes towards mainstream, including boastful singles like ‘Hate Me Now’ (Nas is depicted as Jesus in the music video), and sold/sexed-out tracks like ‘Oochie Wallie’ (its soo bad). Add the failed attempt at the Mafioso supergroup The Firm, and Nas’s place in hip hop was truly in jeopardy by 2000. Fortunately, Nasty Nas came back strong with ‘Stillmatic’ in 2001 (which like its predecessor received 5 mics from XXL) and followed with several more credible releases to salvage his name, but It Was Written had long been forgotten and bundled with his less-than-par work instead of classics.

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So is It Was Written really that good to deserve ‘Most Underrated Ever’? Check out these album highlights and make up your own mind:

02.) Message

The most Illmatic-esque song on the album features Nas rapping about the NY crime life over a simple looped beat. The chorus even features Nas’s own lyrics from ‘NY State of Mind’

03.) Street Dreams

An aptly titled song plays a aptly featured Eurythmics sample against Nas’s vivid lyrics to create the most radio friendly single on the album.

07.) Nas Is Coming

08.) Affirmative Action

Possibly Nas’s best verse on the album. You’ll definitely remember this beat.

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12.) Shootouts

Much like ‘The Message’, Nas goes in on this one depicting the street life in Queensbridge.

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14.) If I Ruled The World (Feat. Lauryn Hill)

My favorite track on the album, and maybe my favorite Nas track. Lauryn Hill and Nas were born to collaborate, and Nas’s fantastic visions of his perfect world.

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Consider Yourself Peeped!

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