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Posted in hiphop | music on December 27, 2006
Wes' Top Hip Hop Records of 2006
2006 was actually a rather strong year for quality Hip Hop releases. Here's my (Wes') official Top 10 Hip Hop Records of 2006.
1. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale [BUY]
The hunger is back in Dennis Cole, and we were blessed with a whole record of it. Fishscale, the first of two records the suddenly prolific Ghostface Killah released in 2006, has great soulful beats (even without RZA), great voice, great swagger, and great rhyming. I could do without the seven interludes though. Is it 1998? Just stop with them already.
And though the title seems to imply it, Ghost's end-of-year follow-up More Fish was not a Sufjan Stevens Avalanche-to-Illinois collection of outtakes. It was also not as great as Fishscale, but still is a decent record where Ghost shines in the center of a group rather than on his Fishscale-like own.
GET A GHOSTFACE MP3: Bernie has "Shakey Dog"
2. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor [BUY]
Food & Liquor is the best debut release of the year, and perhaps even of recent years. Lupe Fiasco writes meaningful lyrics that matter, and the album showcases interesting in-house beats, consistency, diversity, creativity and truth. Also - check out the coolest non-traditional cover image of the year.
GET A LUPE MP3: Glamorama has "Daydreaming"
3. The Game - Doctor's Advocate [BUY]
Doctor's Advocate is the best sophomore record of the year. I love The Game because unlike all these cool "I'm not a rapper, I'm a hustler that raps" guys, he's a real fan of the genre and it shows. He might be crazy, but he's relevant, and oh so hungry and eager to impress. This one also wins the "Best Dr. Dre Production Impression" award.
GET A GAME MP3: Still Listen has "Compton (Mick Boogie Remix)"
4. The Roots - Game Theory [BUY]
After the disappointment of The Tipping Point, and even Phrenology, I was a little bit worried about this release, but WOW. I'm gonna have to go out on a limb and say Game Theory is the best Roots album, or at least very-very close to it. It features great outside of the box thinking on the lyrical, and song concept, side of things. The always-thorough Black Thought delivers more introspection than before, and explores new themes with old vigor. Great record.
GET A ROOTS MP3: Beat Lawrence has "Don't Feel Right"
5. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury [BUY]
Slightly disappointing, but only because their first album Lord Willin' was nearly perfect. Hell Hath No Fury is a solid release with some great highlights - and a miss or two. We get quality wall-to-wall Neptunes production for the first time since...well, since the first Clipse album. That's a good thing (except for that Trill track, ugh). Great tag team rapping + actual lyricism (even though the topic matter is limited) - sounds like something from the 1980's, but Clipse is doing it right in 2006. Also winner of the "Best Delivery" award.
GET A CLIPSE MP3: Ear Farm has "Wamp Wamp"
6. Murs & 9th Wonder - Murray's Revenge [BUY]
Murs & 9th Wonder (of Little Brother fame) come together for a second collaboration (3:16 being the first) and perfect their chemistry. Murs is one of the most underrated rappers in the game and probably will remain so for the rest of his career when it comes to mainstream acclaim, but listen to this guy and hear originality, spirit, diversity, emotion and a great sense of humor. 9th delivers, as he generally does, and gives us a great throwback sound updated with some more modern touches. More please.
STREAM A MURS SONG: @ Murs' Myspace
7. Jay- Z - Kingdom Come [BUY]
Everyone is complaining about this album - calling it a disappointment. It may not be Jay-Z's best, but it certainly is one of the best albums of the year. Chris Martin (Coldplay) contributes one of the strongest productions, Just Blaze and Dr. Dre take care of most of the rest, and The Neptunes deliver the worst song on any of the albums in this list. Without that one song the album would've sounded a lot better.
Kingdom Come is one of the first-ever efforts of a mature rapper in the post-gangsta era of his-or-her life. As they move into their mid-to-late thirties rappers have a tendency to either lose touch and relevance, focus their attention to the female demographic (*cough*LL*cough*), or sadly not even make it that far, but Jay-Z shows maturity and growth on a personal level and his artistry evolves in a natural way. Now if we can get him to be a little more hungry again, the next one will probably top this list.
GET A JAY-Z MP3: Ear Farm has "Lost Ones"
8. Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead [BUY]
For the first time on Def Jam, Nas returns, and delivers the 3rd best album of his career. Greatly improved beat selection is the key here - lyrically he was never questioned. A stand out track features The Game (with Dr. Dre production), just like a stand out track on The Game's album features Nas (and Just Blaze production). Now can we please get our holy grail: the Nas/DJ Premier album?
GET A NAS MP3: Glamorama has "Hustlers"
9. T.I. - King [BUY]
One of the hottest albums production wise with a fired up T.I. throwing down. The topic matter is unfortunately somewhat monotonous (with some exceptions), but T.I. brings it. Just Blaze, again, supplies the highlights with his urgent production and crazy horn energy.
STREAM A T.I. SONG: @ T.I.'s MySpace
10. Obie Trice - Second Round's On Me [BUY]
Surprisingly strong effort from the Shady Records rapper. Amazingly improved flow, great wordplay, a simmering anger and drive underneath most of the words, and real urgency. The production is solid, but not amazing - if that can be changed on the next record, I can see some beautiful things happening for Mr. Trice.
STREAM AN OBIE SONG: @ Obie's Myspace
Honorable mentions to Snoop Dogg (The Blue Carpet Treatment), Ludacris (Release Therapy) and Killer Mike (Da Grind) for dropping some of the very best songs of the year, but not good enough albums to make this list.
Disappointment of the year: Busta Rhymes - The Big Bang
When making lists I always worry about blanking out and forgetting a record I really loved, and of course I haven't heard EVERY hip hop record released this year, so if I missed a great record please let me know in the comments.
-Wes
----
Wes writes the weekly hip hop post, but sometimes-BV-contributor Nick Brassbonanza has just as much passion for the genre. Here's his top 10....
1.NAS - Hip Hop is Dead
2.LUPE FIASCO - Food & Liquor
3.J DILLA - Donuts
4.MOS DEF - Tru3 Magic [INFO]
5.GHOSTFACE - Fishscale
6.CLIPSE - Hell Hath No Fury
7.THE ROOTS - Game Theory
8.MURS & 9th Wonder - Murray's Revenge
9.THE GAME - Doctor's Advocate
10.LORD JAMAR - 5% album
Nick's biggest disappointment: Jay-Z - Kingdom Come (Wes' #7 - see above)
----
Lupe Fiasco & J Dilla also made "My 40 favorite albums of 2006"
Posted on December 27, 2006 12:51 PM
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Comments (44)
No Symptomatic of a Great Ill?
Posted by Chris | December 27, 2006 2:19 PM
kingdom come is sooo bad. jay-z hasn't made a top 10 rap albums of the year album since reasnoable doubt. the fact that people think jay-z is a good rapper shows why rap is in the absolutely pathetic state it is today.
Posted by jason Lee | December 27, 2006 2:55 PM
the Coup's Pick a Bigger Weapon is one of the years best.
Posted by AC | December 27, 2006 3:06 PM
The Coup's album is one of those albums I have only heard about but never got around to checking out
Posted by Wes | December 27, 2006 3:52 PM
I hear you. I really enjoyed Murs 3:16 but for some reason I never got around to listening to Murray's Revenge. I have to get a hold of that album.
Posted by AC | December 27, 2006 4:41 PM
I'm glad someone gave Murs recognition.
To be honest, I think Murray's Revenge is definately better than 3:16. I just like the fact that his content is on a more positive note. And 9th's beats are absolutely amazing...
plus he's a vegetarian...
peace!
Posted by alan munoz | December 27, 2006 4:46 PM
I'm glad someone gave Murs recognition.
To be honest, I think Murray's Revenge is definately better than 3:16. I just like the fact that his content is on a more positive note. And 9th's beats are absolutely amazing...
plus he's a vegetarian...
peace!
Posted by alan munoz | December 27, 2006 4:46 PM
Clipse before Nas? Oh please.
Posted by Amy | December 27, 2006 4:54 PM
Bravo for Lupe Fiasco´s! My favorite of the year.
Posted by Eduardo | December 27, 2006 5:24 PM
King should have been closer to #1...
Posted by Gregory Davis | December 27, 2006 5:35 PM
Where the fuck is Weezy F. Baby??? And how you gonna leave Dilla out Wes? And The Game before Clipse?
ugh
Posted by Anonymous | December 27, 2006 5:36 PM
You forgot about Young Dro!
Posted by the dirty | December 27, 2006 5:54 PM
"Where the fuck is Weezy F. Baby???"
Didn't she die a couple of years ago?
Posted by Anonymous | December 27, 2006 5:55 PM
Joking aside, the above comment brings up an interesting issue: Why aren't any hip hop albums put out this year by female artists being acclaimed? This is a sincere question, not a rhetorical one.
Posted by just wonderin' | December 27, 2006 6:28 PM
Honestly, stop this posturing to cater to the urban community...no one here cares about this joke of a genre but they're too PC to say so. This isn't art on most ocassions, it's product. The whole hip-hop culture is grotesque and sub-intellectual.
Please stick to the indie scene...please!!!!
Posted by Telex | December 27, 2006 7:26 PM
Nice list, Wes. Good to see the Roots up there. My obligatory "Where's (blank)?" statement: Cadence Weapon!
Re: Just Wonderin' questioning female MCs. Check out Psalm One's Death of Frequent Flyer on Rhymesayers. Good stuff.
Posted by Kevin | December 27, 2006 7:28 PM
Re: "Honestly, stop this posturing to cater to the urban community...no one here cares about this joke of a genre but they're too PC to say so. This isn't art on most ocassions, it's product. The whole hip-hop culture is grotesque and sub-intellectual.
Please stick to the indie scene...please!!!!"
What a sad and short-sighted comment. How can you even say the "whole hip-hop culture is grotesque and sub-intellectual"? Have you ever even listened to Public Enemy? The Coup? Mr. Lif? They've made more statements -- political, social, economic -- than a lot of your indie heroes would ever be brave enough to make.
And, really, what does Brooklyn Vegan stand to make by "posturing to cater to the urban community." Wes' interest is genuine, if you ask me, not some superficial front to appease a section of an audience.
I feel sorry for people who are so close-minded.
Posted by Kevin | December 27, 2006 7:41 PM
Nice choices for your top.
Thanks for coming to my blog.
Posted by Shawn Kemp | December 27, 2006 7:58 PM
Anonymous
>Where the fuck is Weezy F. Baby??? And how you >gonna leave Dilla out Wes?
I'm one of those people less impress with Lil'Wayne than others. I dig his songs on occasion but not top 10 for me.
As far as Dilla goes. It's left out on technicality for me. To me it's an electronica album more so than a Hip Hop album. There's not a single vocal on the record and I found it hard to compare it to the more rap driven hip hop. maybe I should've called this list my rap top 10, but oh well. It's a GREAT album though.
>You forgot about Young Dro!
No I didn't ;)
>Joking aside, the above comment brings up an >interesting issue: Why aren't any hip hop >albums put out this year by female artists >being acclaimed?
Because no good ones by female HH artists were put out. None that I heard that is at least.
Kevin:
>Cadence Weapon
Didn't hear it! Would love to though. I know BV digs it too :)
Posted by Anonymous | December 27, 2006 8:31 PM
oh sorry, the answer comment above was me! :)
wes
Posted by wes | December 27, 2006 8:34 PM
sorry bv, you need a new hip hop reviewer. no wayne? lupe fiascoa #2? jay-z on a top 10 list? trill not a good song? highly questionable list, at best.
Posted by Anonymous | December 28, 2006 1:36 AM
despite maybe the roots and ghostface record, this list pretty much shoes how this blog is pretty out of touch with quality hip hop, especially hip hopors on indie labels.
this list is the same bag of tricks that most indie types use to front and fabricate being down with inner-city culture.
Posted by Anonymous | December 28, 2006 2:05 AM
Anyone who claims someone's taste is "out of touch" is out of touch with the world in general.
And Telex, please stay away from any music related site on the web. If everyone was in your mindset, music as an art form would have died a long time ago. Your approach to music is not much different than people who only listen to top 40.
Posted by Mike | December 28, 2006 2:52 AM
"this list is the same bag of tricks that most indie types use to front and fabricate being down with inner-city culture."
The list includes The Roots, so it is whitey-approved.
Posted by Anonymous | December 28, 2006 10:22 AM
"Anyone who claims someone's taste is "out of touch" is out of touch with the world in general."
that doesn't even make sense, bro.
Posted by mosesone | December 28, 2006 12:03 PM
Nice list man...that Lupe album was sorely underrated and could very easily be the second best album in time, it gets better every time I listen to it. Glad to see the Game's album ahead of the Clipse. I think its a lot better than most people have given it credit.
Posted by Jeff | December 28, 2006 12:27 PM
all you idiots prasing the game obviously know very little about hip hop...what game does has been done a million times before.
brooklynvegan should seriously stop frontin like they know about hip hop.
Posted by Anonymous | December 28, 2006 12:59 PM
Seriously? Obie is #10? That album is the best. WAY better than Jay-Z. At least he made your list. Poop.
Posted by Glennis | December 28, 2006 1:13 PM
Stop hatin on brooklynvegan.
Posted by Pinky | December 28, 2006 3:01 PM
Where is Spank Rock's YoYoYoYoYo? Easily the best hip hop album of the year.
Posted by Joe | December 28, 2006 5:21 PM
cheers on breakin it down for the haters re: where jay-z is at.
Posted by cakes4rockstars | December 28, 2006 5:38 PM
Digging more and more the Roots' album. I was surprised to listen to it on the radio here in Colombia.
Posted by Eduardo | December 29, 2006 12:09 AM
no j dilla is laughable on the first list. and you both missed the boat on "heroes in the city of dope" from zion i and the grouch. shit's hot!
Posted by pthep | December 29, 2006 12:55 AM
Wes, stop listening to rap music right now, because it is impossible that you've put Kingdom Come and Second Round's On Me in your top 10 while albums like Subtitle's Terrain to Roam,Mr. Lif's Mo' Mega came out. Nick, take the power man ;-)
Posted by Anonymous | December 29, 2006 8:38 AM
If hip hop is dead is nas's album is the third best of career how could you rank the album number 8. Surely you don't think that the game's album is on the level of illmatic, stillmatic or even nastradamus because if you do, that is pretty pathetic, true story.
Posted by Anonymous | December 29, 2006 10:15 AM
>If hip hop is dead is nas's album is the third >best of career how could you rank the album >number 8. Surely you don't think that the >game's album is on the level of illmatic, >stillmatic or even nastradamus because if you >do, that is pretty pathetic, true story.
top 3 Nas albums ever in order imho:
1. Illmatic
2. It Was Written
3. HHID
HHID easily outdoes all remaining albums in Nas' catalog, as he hasn't put out a super consistent quality album like the top 3, aside from the top 3. Sure, there's some genius on all the other albums, but for every Nas Is Like, there's a You Owe Me, or Small World. True story
;)
Posted by wes | December 29, 2006 11:10 AM
>no j dilla is laughable on the first list.
I explained it above. It's not in the same genre category for me so I left it out. I love the album.
> and you both missed the boat on "heroes in the >city of dope" from zion i and the grouch. >shit's hot!
I actually do dig that :)
w
Posted by wes | December 29, 2006 11:11 AM
big ups on the Murs! its a shame i'm not seeing more Dilla :( that just' wont do!
Posted by su | January 2, 2007 9:15 PM
rap today is absolutely terrible. only in this decade would the clipse album be hailed as a masterpiece by anyone. as terrible as it may sound, the whole hip hop culture IS "grotesque and sub-intellectual" as someone stated earlier. this is coming from someone who used to listen to hip hop all the time and does now on occasion. a response you brought three examples: public enemy, mr. lif, and the coup. sure, they are saying something. but isn't what mr. lif is saying completely bullsh*t anyway? and for every "fat cats, bigga fish," "bring the noise," or "home of the brave" there are thousands of songs like "big pimpin" or "ridin dirty" which are profusely "sub-intellectual." the sad thing (or rather, one sad thing) is that rappers don't realize that they are proliferating stereotypes and being exploited. of course it's hard to say that someone with televisions in the mudflaps of his 100K SUV is being exploited, but at what cost? and the gross material excess mainstream culture seems to worship these days is much of the reason this world is going to end within the century. late roman empire!
Posted by rap sucks | January 3, 2007 6:32 AM
Hip Hop is dying. Ah, I'm glad to see that thr REAL EMT unit is up there. The Game is good, but ppl think he sucks b-cuz of name droppin, so what. He does his homework, and knows his hip hop. Lupe, GOD DAMN!! He is the BOMB. So underrated tho. It cuts me most of tha time, cuz tha nigga gotz flo like gas stations...*guzzle, guzzle!!*....if U not really acquainted w/ his music, listen 2 his mixtapes to start off. They're gud as hell. "Lupe Tha Killa" is one of the best tracks bsides "Jedi Mind Tricks" and "Coulda Been", his first studio track. And let's not forget GHOSTFACE!!! He needs 2 do more songz w/ Raekwon & keep up wit da DOOM productions. "Angels" is slayin, "Clipse Of Doom" was fuckin slaughterin, and ANYTHING ELSE THEY DO WILL! A complex mind is so essential to this rap shit, and most of these niggas ain't cuttin it these days....so, the moral of my story is, "Viva Lu, Game, Metal Fingaz & Ghost; Fuck Radio!!"
Posted by Breezy F. Baby (No relation 2 tha suck w one) | January 18, 2007 1:57 AM
I reviewed the comments about jayz. I feel these kats have no idea about hiphop. For one, the guy is on a different level than most of these young rappers today. Jayz growed up and not on that young state of mine anymore, which I can tell the comments still are.
Posted by greg | April 6, 2007 8:37 AM
I reviewed the comments about jayz. I feel these kats have no idea about hiphop. For one, the guy is on a different level than most of these young rappers today. Jayz growed up and not on that young state of mine anymore, which I can tell the comments still are.
Posted by greg | April 6, 2007 8:37 AM
I reviewed the comments about jayz. I feel these kats have no idea about hiphop. For one, the guy is on a different level than most of these young rappers today. Jayz growed up and not on that young state of mine anymore, which I can tell the comments still are.
Posted by greg | April 6, 2007 8:38 AM
yo man if you get a chance, peep Debaser - Crown Control, Debaser are a duo from Portland, Oregon, and this album is absolutely amazing, my personal favourite album of the year and close to my favourite of all time... so check it out!
Posted by Bipola | May 18, 2007 1:58 AM