1. Allen Stone - Allen StoneI'm a twitter fiend, over a thousand followers with over 60,000 tweets. So a lot of the information I get these days comes straight out of my competently ratchet timeline. Allen Stone came from my timeline. He was just religiously being praised for some youtube videos that had the chicks going crazy. So I checked him out and instantly dude was one of the most sensational singers I have ever stumbled upon. This project is so good. I hope Allen Stone touches people the same way Adele has, only time will tell.
If know PhenomBlak, then you already know I fully support the Black Hippy movement, even if I am on the other side of the Americas. While everybody was giving Rick Ross props for MMG signings and the diversity of the sound, I was telling people to watch TDE and the Black Hippys out in Cali. Jay Rock sound like Game, if Game was a rapper I enjoyed listening to. Jay Rock is no Kendrick, but he's paved his own lane and he's that Rock of their Heltah Skeltah. Follow Me Home is street, gritty, and just plain ill. Definitely a great listen.
The most controversial rapper of 2011, goes to Killer Mike aka Mike Bigga aka back to Killer Mike. The Pl3dge was an album I constantly heard great things about, but never actually took time to listen. Then I got Spotify and I was hip to the wiser. Killer Mike hold back nothing with this Political Statement in LP format. If you miss the days of Public Enemy, then this is an album you WANT! If you miss real conscious rap as well as a banging as dirty south sound, you need to get this album.
The Greatest Rap Group of All-Time, and some how I'd never heard this album. I was working on a 90's Hip-Hop list to pass around to our listeners and well, let's just say that list never got completed. I had this album on repeat for so long, because with hip hop today, you tend to forget jazz and rap go hand and hand so well when done right. This album was a refreshing glass of chilled Simply Lemonade 'Rasberry' with 2 shots of patron, the gold bottle. Classic album, took me 21 years to find that out.
5. Foster The People - Torches
I swoon over this album. YEA I SAID IT, SWWWOOONN. This album came out of nowhere. I don't tend to listen to this type of music. 2011 will go down as a classic year in Rap, however, this album easily made my Top 5 Favorites of 2011. I still sing along to the car commercial. Foster The People just has this very groove new era sound. Its upbeat, and makes you really want to sing along and dance. There's no way you could be in a bad mood and sing along to this. I still haven't purchased the album, but only because Spotify is just so convenient. The only reason I even gave this group a chance, is because at the MTV VMA's they were nominated as best new artists and were the only ones nominated that didn't do Hip-Hop music.
6. DJ QUIK - The Book Of David
Rodimusprime from TheBlackGuyWhoTips.com is going to read this and pat himself on the back. As he should. While we were having a conversation about Common and the way his sound has progressed over the years, Rod told me that he missed THIS Common. Now, I must say, after listening to The Resurrection, so I could hear THIS Common, and then hearing The Dreamer/The Believer, I think THIS common made a brief return to the culture. I highly suggest that you listen to this album and follow it up with The Dreamer/The Believer, so you can hear where I'm coming from. Two Classic albums, from a Renaissance Man of an Artist. Wikipedia even classifies Common as an Entertainer, and I agree. One of the best in the business.
Sometimes you got to remind yourself about the good and the bad. Mostly good in this situation though. Now if I had listened to Nastradamus this write up would be completely different and full of anger. "I Am..." is still one of Nas's better projects. It has so many flaws, but it has classics like 'Nas is Like', 'Hate me Now', and 'Undying Love'. This album dropped during the period in Nas's career where he just couldn't find that niche for mainstream success that Jay-z so easily stole in 98' when he "brought the suburbs to the hood". I know people on twitter think I hate Nas, and yes I did listen to this during a debate to make sure I still had my facts right, but it was an enjoyable listen as always.
From Grey Hairs to More Grey Hairs, to this awesome listen. The album knows its the shet. You know how I know, it knows its successful? It's listed the producers on the cover. Only one other hip hop album this year has better producers than this list and that's Torae's For The Record. Reks is probably your favorite rapper's favorite rapper's favorite rapper. He's just known in the industry. He success doesn't match the talent, but that's the curse of the culture and the people who "support" it. If quality sold, Reks would be signing commercial deals with vitamin water, instead of 50 Cent.
10. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
I hate Pitchfork Reviews. I can't stand them. But when it comes to "white" music, they tend to know their shet. There are a few albums on this list that were recommended by Pitchfork, this just happens to be the first one. If you like the orchestral, emo-ish, subtle-alternative rock like sound with a beautiful voice similar to that of Amy Lee from Evanescence, then you'll love this. I know my boy, fellow comedian Chris Lamberth definitely had me rethinking how I initially felt about this album. At first, it just wasn't for me. After talking to him, I went back and damn it, this shet is good. Its just calming and relaxing. This is the closest I'll ever get to some opera-ish stuff.
11. Prince - Dirty Mind
How does a person who just got Spotify through invite test it's worth? You look up one of the greatest artist and musicians of ALL-TIME, Prince! Prince has a millionboobillion albums, so I just picked one I've never heard before. Of course the album was a great listen. You've got to understand something, even Prince's worst material, and I'm not saying this is his worst, is better than the bool shet getting shoved in my face today. Honestly though, did dudes really walk into record shops and purchase this album with this Princey ass cover? ...smh
12. Ski Beatz - 24 Hour Karate School Part 2
It seems that some sights *cough cough* wikipedia have no idea that the sequel to 24 Hour Karate School, the album that introduced me to Stalley, dropped last year in August. If Part 1 of the series introduced me to Stalley, Part 2 opens up by introducing me to Locksmith. Ski Beatz is just a beastly producer who knows how to make producer albums. By producer albums I mean, he knows how to put the right artists on an LP of his beats and make it sound fluid. Some producers try to rap and sing and it just ends up sounding forced and Swizz Beatz'd to death. I vouch for this project. No need to ask twice, cop it!
13. Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against the Machine
Everybody has that group that they've heard of, but have never actually heard. For me, that was Rage Against the Machine. Yea, I knew of their work and heard the praise and the fanatical love, but I'd never heard one song. So, while playing some Gears of War 2, I decided I needed to Spotify a nice loud, edgy blend of Hard Rock and Rap! Damn this album is the shet. I exploded a many Locusts' heads with the sniper rifle to this album. I was a racist little kid, so you'd be hard pressed to get me listening to some rock shet without instant hate. As my discrimination deteriorated, I began to find the Nirvana's of the world. Rage Against The Machine is something I wish i had grown up on. But, the music never dies, so I'm never late, and always on time.
14. Robin Thicke - Love After War
Either Robin got tired of singing sweet sounds to soothe the vaginae of the world or Paula got tired of listening to him Keith sweat his fans over the microphone, because this album is NOT his usual. This album is a blend of Motown funk, 80's horns, Michael Jackson/ James Brownish pop and dance, and of course Robin Thicke. I can't listen to this a work, because the office isn't prepared to see my moves. I don't want to make any one's wife too overly-willing to abandon they kids just to hit the dance floor with a young tender lad like myself. Must cop album!
15. Betty Wright and the Roots: Betty Wright: The Movie
An Ohellnawlblog.com recommendation. What do you get when you mix Betty Wright, The Roots, and features such as Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne? You get an anomaly in the game. None of this formula seems right, but the final product could cure cancer. Betty Wright was able to bring 2011 to her, and not the other way around. Much of the time, "washed up" artists from her era try to switch their sound with out actually evolving naturally. Betty actually took the time to understand how to fit her sound in with a new generation and still have that classic soul goddess feel. I'm definitely a fan, not to mention, Lil Wayne actually kicks a more respectable verse in honor of his feature.
I would have her babies. Nuff said. I love me some Minnie. She's my favorite singer. I just love everything about her voice. The passion. The feel. The Strength. The Range. Her voice is so riveting, yet so divine. I have her anthology, and I still can't get enough of her. I'm always listening to her Best Of material because I always find perfection in groups instead of going through her whole collection. I get so angry when I think of how such a gift from God, was taken away from us so soon. I can't wait to buy tickets to one of her concerts in heaven!
Earlier, I mentioned that there were a few albums that I listened to based off their ratings on Pitchfork. They really do be on that BS hipster shet. They gave this album something like an 8.5 out of 10. Not exactly sure. I just remember it being high enough to make the spotify rotation. It is an instrumental album. AraabMUZIK is not one of my go to producers. But its always funny to hear what the producer uses for personal projects in comparison to the stuff he sells to artists, or more accurately, the stuff they choose to purchase. I honestly dug the album. I'm currently working on an AraabMUZIK BGM mix for the podcast. This deserves a listen!
18. Jessie J - Who Are You
If you're breathing in 2011, I hope you've heard of Jessie J. If you're a fan of VH1 Award shows, you've heard the pipes and seen the talent. She absolutely disavowed all interest in Jennifer Hudson during their duet by simply ad-libbings. It was phenomenal. This album however, not so phenomenal. I feel like Jessie hasn't found HER sound yet. I feel like she knows who she is, but doesn't know how to put it on wax and make it sound natural. This is by no means a bad project. On the contrary, I've been recommending it to people, just so we can converse about it. I think its a strong enough opener to keep her in the game for a long time. I just hope she figures out how to blow me away on record.
Two people from the Black Hippys? Yep! If you've never heard an Ab-Soul album but you talk about how much of a fan you are, you're full of shet. Ab-Soul has more than proved that he can hold his own in a feature and this album proves that he's one of the most slept on rappers in the game. If you like Kendrick Lamar, I don't understand how you haven't sat down to entertain an Ab-Soul album. He's poetic. He's real. He's deep. He's talented. He makes great music. He's also hood and ratchet! Perfect combination for success. YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS! SOUL-O HO! SOUL-O HO!
20. JazzyFatNastee - The Once And Future
Every time I get to a number divisible by 5, I feel like I name a group that either doesn't fit the vibe of the list or is Unsung. JazzyFatNastee is very UNSUNG. Its such a travesty for a group like this to be neglected by the mainstream hype. Everybody wants that new Rihanna album, but she can't hold a candle to these girls. Its so sad. It's one of the main reasons I hate people, in general. I believe I came across the name JazzyFatNastee while reading the credits for The Roots - Undun album. This album is just soulful. They've just mastered the chemistry behind perfect harmony and the technique to producing good melodies. If I'm not mistaken, these girls have a project dropping soon. I'll make sure to keep you all posted.
21. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
I am not an Ice Cube Fan. I've tried so many times. One of the first rap albums I ripped from my dad's collection was The Predator. One of my favorite films is Boyz N Da Hood. Another favorite of mines is Friday. There's just something about the way Cube raps that doesn't resonate well with my ear for music. He could be rapping out the formula for the secret to winning the hundred million dollar jackpot and I'd miss it. I can honestly say, this album isn't bad. I like some of the songs, I like the strength in his delivery, I'm just not a fan of anything else. All in all, this is clearly a 90's classic rap album. It's just not for me.
22. Rah Digga - Dirty Harriet
Have you ever owned an album that you remember being good, but for some reason you fell out of touch with it. Later on in life, you get so curious that you got back and listen to it, only to re-learn why you thought it was dope. That's what Spotify allowed me to do here. Dirty Harriet was a project that kind got lost in the hip hop world. A lot of the mess going on with Flipmode Squad didn't allow for this album to get the push it deserved. Is it a perfect albums, no! Is it a great albums, you could say that. Is it a dope listen, HYFR! Rah Digga is still one of the illest rappers out here. I think Nitty Scott MC got her though. "These are just my thoughts man, just my thoughts."
23. Mac Miller - Blue Slide Park
The more you hate on an artist, the more successful they become. Enter Mac Miller. One of the THE MOST HATED new artists of 2011. People can't stand this kid. I've heard everything from, he can't rap, to his voice is annoying, to he's corny, etc..etc. This kid is one of the nicest artists out here and he's talented and he's paved his own lane. With all that said, Blue Slide Park is meh. Mac Miller needs to do an album with 9th Wonder and Jamla. I'm glad BSP was a successful album for an independent label, but its just not that good a listen. Mac can do better, I've heard it. I can't wait to hear how he grows from his experiences and success. How can you be mad at an artist with this much fame, that will damn near work with ANY up-n-coming rapper, without hesitation?
THC is a classic mixtape! I was so amped for Rolling Stones that I woke up the day it dropped, went to work, sat down at my desk, and pulled up spotify. It was like 6am. Guess what was there, ready for me to give it a fresh listen, Rolling Stoned. This was another one of those Great Moments In Mobile Spotify. The rest of the that was a breeze from there. You don't have to be Rolling Stoned to feel this album in its entirety. Dope ass release, from a dope ass rapper.
25. Emily King - The Seven EP
What do you do when you find out an artist who disappeared from the face of the world after dropping a classic but slept on LP, announces that they are releasing a new EP? You haul ass to spotify and pray they treat her catalogue better than they treat Blu's (see if you can find Below The Heavens on Spotify). I felt like I was breathing for the first time in ages while listening to Emily King bless the mic. I hope her next album gets more promotion than her first album did. Even if it doesn't, I hope she continues to tour and does more shows with Allen Stone, like she did in Texas.
LEAVE A COMMENT, GET IT OFF YA CHESS!...Weezy
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