Heavy D. 1967-2011. RIP.
Years ago, comedian Nick Swardson pondered what it will be like when his generation grows old and the elderly start listening to rap. “Your grandmother was a ho,” Swardson muses in a faux-old man voice during the bit.
Though I’m still decades away from grandkids, I related to his sentiments in 2011. Never has rap seemed more juvenile (except for maybe Juvenile’s heyday). For the first time in my life, it felt like the majority of rappers making waves were younger than me. Kids (literally!) like Mac Miller and Logic crept through the woodwork, and while I recognized their gifts for rhyming, it was tough to appreciate their lamentations about the teenage rap game struggle. Even the familiar macho bravado of rap vets seemed a bit childish as I wander further into adulthood. And, to quote Young Jeezy, “I loooooooove it.”
Although a salute is in order for all my adults making grown man music (The Roots’ Undun and Blue Scholars’ Cinmetropolis were among my favorites in this category), I still get a rush when bumping something a little more menacing. I may not crank Danny Brown’s “Scrap or Die” in the office or even around my softest roommate (James), but I can’t deny the genius of Brown and his bat shit crazy lyrics: “And you might be laughin’ at it because you know this shit is true, rusty flatbed truck the color of doo doo.”
2012 was a great year for hip-hop. This was perhaps most evident through the songs and artists that didn’t scratch my top 30: Common (despite his resurgence), Tyler the Creator (a force, even if I think he’s forcing it), Weezy (6’7′ was on my 2010 list), and a whole slew of solid underground rap vets. Before we get into the “Dirty Thirty,” it’s worth noting a few guidelines I set for myself: First, with the exception of feature appearances, all artists were limited to one spot on the list. Second, I excluded any song in my all genres best of mix, 2011 in Jams, posted last week.
Enjoy the tracks. May they stand the test of time.
30. Mac Miller – Donald Trump
Mac hasn’t quite reached the status of “The Donald” yet (probably a good thing), but he’s got quite the resume for a Pennsylvania kid born in 1992.
Has-Lo – Untitled #1
Mello Music Group rapper/producer spits real life rap over soulful production
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28. Pharoahe Monch – Let My People Go
Pharoahe’s one of the best ever to pick up a mic and also one of the most unique.
27. A.Dd+ – Insomniac Dreaming
With all due respect to Big K.R.I.T., these Dallas spitters evoked the strongest feeling of Dungeon-era Outkast nostalgia this year.
26. Phonte – Everything Is Falling Down ft. Jeanne Jolly
Phonte of Little Brother has been favorite of mine for years thanks to his honest rhymes and shank-sharp wit. With this joint off the consistent Charity Starts at Home, the Carolina MC gives his fans more of what they’ve come to expect: genuine music and genuinely dope wordplay.
“I’ve done played Jason. It’s Saturday the 14th, fuck you gotta mask on?” --Phonte
25. Termanology – Say It ft. Joell Ortiz, Bun B, Saigon & Freeway
Piano-laced posse cut with some of the harshest spitters in the biz.
24. J-Live – Pronounced Spitta
Veteran J unloads rapid-fire bars on the state of his genre and sounds more vicious than preachy.
23. Joell Ortiz – Battle Cry
This appropriately named joint reached the blogosphere in 2010, but it was part of Joell’s 2011 release, Free Agent.
22. Shabazz Palaces – Swerve…the reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)
Butterfly from Digable Planets dares you to confine him to an era as he waxes poetic over a beat sure to call all the hipsters to the yard.
21. Nas – Nasty
A premeditated rebuttal aimed at anyone questioning whether or not Nasty Nas still has it. No chorus, just flames.
20. Killer Mike – Ric Flair
I listened to this song while reading an article about the crumbling life Ric Flair and it added another layer to the track. Even without this experience, the track stands on it’s own thanks to Mike’s real talk, an “International Players Anthemy” beat and some choice quotes from the Nature Boy himself. Woooo!
19. Rasheed Chappell – Stay Sharp
Rasheed glides over slick Kenny Dope production, evoking memories of rap’s golden era.
18. J. Cole – Lost Ones
I have mixed feelings about rappers (who can’t sing) crooning their hooks, but Cole’s emotion really works on this one. Plus it’s refreshing to hear the talented Jay-Z protégé rap without his usual misogynic content.
17. G-Side – Impossible (Javelin Remix)
G-Side joins the aforementioned A.Dd+, as well as Main Attrakionz and Harlem’s ASAP Rocky as emerging artsy street rappers of 2011.
16. Blue Scholars – Cinemetropolis
The title track from one of my favorite albums of the year. This is hip-hop crafted for adults.
15. ASAP Rocky – Palace
The Clams Casino beat has a certain weight to it, and Rocky’s bare-boned rhyming feels like the perfect compliment.
14. Jay-Z & Kanye West – N***** in Paris
I didn’t know how much I loved this song until I heard Jay and Yeezy etched it into my consciousness by performing it seven straight times at the “Watch the Thrown.” Isn’t that cray?
"Ball so hard motherfuckers wanna fine me." --Jay
13. Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown – Volume
“When A Man Loves A Woman” has never felt so boom-bap. Shouts to Hassan Mackey for his no frills dedictation to cranking shit.
12. Evidence – Late for the Sky ft. Slug & Aesop Rock
Three underground vets join forces and spit over a folksy sample.
11. People Under the Stairs – Too Much Birthday
Left Coast legends PUTS provide listeners with three-plus minutes of party and bullshit. Doesn’t hurt that they sampled rap elders Freestyle Fellowship.
10. Action Bronson – Ronnie Coleman
Some people have criticized Bronson’s voice for sounding too much like Ghostface Killah’s. The comparison’s relevant, but focusing on it doesn’t do the king-sized chef-turned-rapper justice.
“An hour later eat the burger with my drug dealer. Then add the butter to the fudge to make the fudge realer.” --Action Bronson
9. Shane Eli – When We Were Kings
The educator in me digs the sample of Geoffrey Cananda (CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone), but the hip-hop head is satiated by Eli’s barbs.
8. Willie Evans Jr. – Nerd English
Willie name-checks Tekken and Boba Fett in a grizzly ode to nerds.
7. Rashad & Confidence – The City
This song rolled up on me this winter. Not sure where Rashad & Confidence came from, but from the sounds of their music, it might be 1994.
6. Childish Gambino – Freaks and Geeks
Community actor armed with lewd wit cements his status as hip-hop’s Bo Jackson (acting’s Bo Jackson?).
"I am running this bitch, you are just a dog walker." --Childish Gambino
5. Big K.R.I.T. – Another Naïve Individual Glorifying Greed and Encouraging Racism
2011 continued the awesome trend of free mixtapes better than lots of albums. In this realm, K.R.I.T.’s Return of 4Eva stood out as maybe the strongest.
4. Drake – Over My Dead Body
This track was a great tone-setter for Drake’s sophomore LP and features some of my favorite quotable of the year from the cuisine-themed “Shout out to Asian girls, let the lights dim sum” to Drizzy’s lampooning of the flow he helped bring to prominence: “All your flows bore me…paint drying.”
3. Kendrick Lamar – Ronald Reagan Era
A super-talented young MC (no “Bust-a-Move”) with something to say. I’m looking forward to see where the prolific Lamar takes us 2012.
2. Danny Brown – Monopoly
I can only listen to this song in certain settings and moods, but I’ll be damned if it’s not one of the most potent ones I heard all year. Danny’s got an awkward delivery, but it adds to his overall rawness and a sound that’s unlike any other.
1.The Roots – Make My ft. Big K.R.I.T.
In a year where it sometimes felt as if hip-hop passed me by (no Pharcyde), the Roots delivered on a refreshing album targeted adults. On “Make My,” K.R.I.T. and Black Thought ground a fluttery beat with tales of struggling.
"Addicted to the green. If I don't ball, I get the shakes." --Big K.R.I.T.
