PropsOverHere Presents: Best of 2007- Top 10 Albums

As you'll notice, I gave most of these albums a 3.5/5 rating. In my book, 3.5 means that its better than good/worse than great. It's not to say that my #7 is equal to my #1, but that these albums fall into that categorie. So which album was the most better than goodest?

I gave this album a 3.5 when I reviewed it initially but it wore of quickly so I dropped it to a 3. It has a great guest lineup and some decent production by Statik, an even though I got tired of it, its definitely worth a listen.



Though it fell short of Sean P's comical and brilliant Monkey Bars, his follow up release was still one of the years best. The album had its ups and downs mostly due to boring Justice League beats but was solid overall.



No one is putting this next to 36 Chambers, but this album was far from 'shit' or whatever Ghostface called it. The beats are grimey for the most part and the Clan, though they lack the edge of when they were making classics (its been a decade), do their part on the mic.



Talib Kweli bounced back from a series of botched solo albums with one of the most lyrical albums of the year. The production was a dissapointment given the lineup, but there were about 4-5 great songs on this album.



19 years since winning the first rap Grammy award, DJ Jazzy Jeff is still pushing real hip hop. This album features a mix of random kids and legendary vets over soulful and, well, jazzy instrumentals.



Kanye bodied 50 Cent in the dramatic 9/11 sales feud with his most creative release yet. Setting the tone with the Daft Punk sampling "Stronger", the album is full of that synth, techno, disco shit, aided by Atlanta's DJ Toomp. Kanye probably should've utilized more guests as he did on the first two albums, but this is quality nonetheless.



After fuming over the Wu-Tang album which he was hardly on, Ghost put out his 3rd album in 2 years. While the soul and R&B samples have always suited Ghost well, many of the beats are borderline boring, others straight jacked from old rap songs. In any case, big Ghost steps off laughin.



As I mentioned in my bit about "Wonderful," the group's producer, DJ Kno, is way ahead of the game musically. I have listened to heads raving about him for years now but I was never sold until this album when he went for the more mellow, soulful approach. I'm not sure if I could recite a lyric from this album but it deserves such high praise just for the musical achievements.



Another one of the game's outstanding producers, Marco Polo recruited some of the all-time greats to help him form the second best album of the year. This album is hard and grimey all the way through and of course featured the years best song, Masta Ace's "Nostalgia".



Finally the #1 album, Jay-Z's real comeback, American Gangster. This album is difficult to evaluate because it had a few garbage tracks ("Hello Brooklyn", "Party Life", "American Gangster"), but its standout moments outshined anything else in '07. Three songs off it made my top 16 of the year, while "I Know", the drug metaphor over a flashy Neptunes beat, and "No Hook", Puffy and the Hitmen's best contribution, were tough to leave off the top 25. While Jay-Z can't rap like he could in 1996, he shows in 2007 that he can still make great hip hop.

PropsOverHere Presents: Best of 2007- Top 25 Songs

I thought making this the top 25 would make it easier to chose songs for the list but I found that there were more like 40 very good songs this year. I'm not entirely sure what to make of that, but I'd say it makes 2007 a relative success since 2006 churned out about 4.5 good tracks. Without futher ado, here is the definitive top 25 list of the years best rap songs.

25. Soul Fever- Camp Lo

Camp Lo made a solid return this year with their 3rd album Black Hollywood and an appearence on that 9th Wonder album. The album wasn't so great, but this is an example of the funky songs that they were born to make.

24. C'mon Baby- Saigon

While this could've used more creativity from both Saigon and Just, the single to this 2008 (?) album was pretty gutta.

23. The Hardest- Styles P & AZ

I was kind of lukewarm about this when I posted it a while back but its grown on me since. This never actually came out on an official release but is on the tracklsiting for AZ's Undeniable set to drop in '08. Check the video:

22. The People- Common

While Common's Finding Forever was a letdown, some of that had to do with this being the first single. Unfortunately, Kanye was unable to summon any more of that J Dilla brilliance anywhere else on the album.

21. Rushing Elephants- Wu-Tang Clan

I have to say that I didn't hate 8 Diagrams like all of the other nerds on the internet did. It doesn't exactly stack up with the Wu of the mid-90's but its comparable to The W or Iron Flag, maybe even better. Anyway, this track is an early standout for me. The beat is crazy.

20. Superstar- Lupe Fiasco

I probably didn't like this the first 5 times I heard it, probably because the white guy on the hook. The more I listened however, I found the track to be "stadium status".

19. No Holding Back- Statik Selektah, AZ, & Cormega

No tandem is fuckin with AZ and Mega and the beat by Statik is definitely cool. Seriously those two should make an album together just back to back rhyming and shit that'd be classic.

18. Good Life- Kanye West

It was tough to chose which song off Graduation to put on here, but this prevailed as it was easily the most entertaining 3 and a half minutes of the album. I have to say that releasing this instead of "Stronger" over the summer seems a bit obvious now, not that Kanye's broke because of it, or that anyone else cares for that matter.

17. Desire- Pharoahe Monch

While this album was a depressing waste of time, the title track was pure heat. I heard the Alchemist jacked this beat but who gives a fuck.

16. Success- Jay-Z & Nas

This is another song that has grown on me alot. Jay and Nas' verses definitely stood out, but the beat took some getting used to. I think the fact that it was a new sample/new idea made me appreciate it more.

15. Yolanda's House- Ghostface Killah, Method Man, & Raekwon

This has a classic trio and storyline but the annoying singing over the beat kind of holds this back from greatness. Still good stuff though.

14. Intro (Jesus Price)- Sean Price

This intro set the stage for a pretty mediocre album but its still one of the best tracks (definitely the best intro) of '07. Sean P kills it over a dope flute beat by PF Cuttin, who should have made alot more beats than he has.

13. All I Know- DJ Jazzy Jeff & C.L. Smooth

This, without exaggerating, is like the 2007 version of something off The Main Ingredient. Pete Rock doesn't even make tracks with this much soul anymore.

12. 125, Pt.4 (Finale)- Joell Ortiz

I wasn't really into The Brick street album/mixtape whatever and I guess I can see why Dre dropped him but this is one of the truest songs of '07. The beat is real slick and Joell really puts his heart into these 125 bars which usually doesn't matter to me but I can respect it. Here's the video for it:

11. Practice- DJ Jazzy Jeff & J-Live

This is what all underground rap songs should sound like. The Allen Iverson sample was a clever touch.

10. Country Cousins- Talib Kweli & UGK

When I saw discussions about this album I hardly saw this song mentioned but this was the shit for me. My iTunes says I've listened to it 7 times but its definitely been more. Possibly the smoothest cut of the year. Pimp C R.I.P.

9. Toney Sigel (a.k.a Barrel Brothers)- Ghostface Killah & Beanie Sigel

Ghost and Beans both bring the heat over the banger of the album and maybe the year.

8. DP3- Jay-Z

If this wasn't like a minute it'd be #1. The beat is a perfect spin off of the original and Jay-Z's first 4 bars could stack up to most 16s dropped this year.

7. Ignorant Shit- Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel

In the same vein, if this hadn't been a leftover it would be even higher. The Just Blaze beat is the most interesting he's made in a while even with the "Big Poppa" sample. How about Beanie Sigel on 2 top 10 tracks?

6. Surviving The Times- Nas

Though he wasted it on a greatest hits CD, this is the best Nas song in years.

5. Classic (DJ Premier Remix)- Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One, & Rakim

The best DJ Premier beat this year. In fact, this may be the best beat by anyone this year. It's too bad Nas and KRS mailed it in.

4. Wonderful- Cunninlynguists & Devin The Dude

DJ Kno shows that he is lightyears ahead of the game musically. This beat is a masterpeice, so much so that I don't give a shit what Devin or Deacon or whoever is in the Cunninlynguists these days have to say. They don't take anything away from it at least.

3. I Get Money- 50 Cent

Hate all you want about 50 Cent, but you can not deny this song. Theres a reason your favorite rapper made a little freestyle over this. Shit is pure adrenaline.

2. Fallin'- Jay-Z

Jay did it again this year with American Gangster and this was the perfect conclusion to the story. JD and No I.D. kill this beat and "Success," maybe they should have handled the album instead of Puff and the Hitmen.

1. Nostalgia- Marco Polo & Masta Ace

No song this year came together quite like this one. Masta Ace was the perfect MC for the concept and Marco's beat was perfect for Ace's style. In any case this is an instant undergroud classic. Watch the video and then feel free to complain about my choice.

Back For The Very 5th Time

After quitting rap to run charity projects, Saigon has decided to fuck the ghetto youths and get back into the booth. In a recent mySpace post, he seemed in good spirits and optimistic about "The Greatest Story Never Told," his famously delayed debut album. Among other things, he mentioned that its coming "VERY soon", features 12 legends, and has a track co-produced by Just Blaze and Kanye. He aslo says that a new single will drop around Christmas day, but then again this album was officially set to drop 15 days ago. Read the entire post here.

Album Review- "Super Gangster, Extraordinary Gentleman" - Styles P

I'm not exactly sure what to make of Styles P in 2007. His first album had the defining "Good Times" and not much else, and his '06 release "Time Is Money" wore off within days. Since then he's put out a bunch of mixtapes all of which were pretty insignificant so how would he step it up for a real album.


1. Intro

Styles pronounces himself better than all y'all mahfuckas

2. Blow Ya Mind (Feat. Swizz Beats)

The single featuring Swizz Beats ala every other mixtape rapper this year. I'd probably rather hear a loud synth beat from Swizz like he made on the second LOX album (not that he makes anything that good these days) than this soft piano sample but its not terrible. The song is about smoking, kind of like "Good Times" come to think of it.

3. Let's Go (Feat. Ray J)

Styles P raps about how he goes to the club with a gun and then wakes up hung over with the help of one of those R&B guys that performs after Sixers games.

4. Alone In The Streets

This kind of sounds like Kanye's "Homecoming" but with some sort of 808 snare (why?) and a gay voice sample. Styles just rhymes about being in the street on another uninspired track.

5. In It To Win It (Feat. Bully)

The hardest track yet and its not that bad. Styles kicks some quality shit for the first time on the album over a pretty grimey beat but this guy Bully drops possibly the worst verse evar.

6. All I Know Is Pain (Feat. The Alchemist)

The Alchemist does the hook and I assume the beat too which is pretty good but gets annoying after a while with the synth and the screams. You could take a stab at what the content is all about.

7. Got My Eyes On You (Feat. Akon)

This looks (and kind of sounds) like a radio friendly track but its actually not about a girl. Instead its about making sure kids on the block aren't about to pull some sheisty street shit on you. This Akon thing has to stop too.

8. Green Peice Of Paper

What does Styles P do for the paper? Make unoriginal rap music for one.

9. Holiday (Feat. Max B.)

This rolling guitar beat is just aight but the loud crashing snare gives it some thump. $20 for the first person who can tell me what the fuck Max B. is saying on the chorus.

10. Look @ Her

Styles raps about some chick he wants to bone over techno music.

11. Da 80's

Kid Capri, who he shouts out in the beginning and I assume does the track, kills it with the piano and the marching band drums. Styles P, who is pretty talented, fails to be the lyricisit he seems to think he is.

12. Interlude 1 (Feat. Comedian Tony Roberts)

Some guy imitating a stereotypical fake thug kid which is probably the most entertaining minute of this entire album so far.

13. Shoot Niggas (Feat. Raw Buck)

What a fucking mess! Oh, and Styles claims to have a white boyfriend. The fuck?

14. Super Gangster

This album continues to reach new lows of creativity, though Super Gangster would make for a compelling showdown with Spiderman.

15. Star Of The State (Feat. Ghostface Killah)

The "twin ghost experience." A pretty dope track and Ghostfaces' verse is funny as shit. Maybe someday he'll teach Styles how to do something like that.

16. U Ain't Ready (Feat. Beanie Sigel)

Styles and Beans go line for line on the best banger of the album.

17. Interlude 2 (Feat. Comedian Tony Roberts)

Didn't this guy get shot in the last interlude?

18. Gangster, Gangster (Feat. Sheek Louch & Jadakiss)

Finally, the LOX track. You can hear that "Make The Music With Your Mouth" sample flipped for the millionth time in there, and if this kind of thing interests you; Sheek>Jada>Styles on this.

19. Cause I'm Black (Feat. Black Thought)

A song about injustice and black power and that sort of shit so naturally Black Thought drops a better verse but still not much of a song.


Overall:

This album had its moments, but overall it was a piece of shit. I'd say that the beats were more lacking than the rhymes, but that isn't saying much since most of them sounded like anything some kid with a soundclick account could have made. My main problem with Styles here is that he's so damn unimaginative. I mentioned this a few times in the review but also note that his first album was called "A Gangster and a Gentleman" and that his last album had a song called "I'm Black".

Best Tracks:

"Gangster, Gangster", "Star Of The State"

PropsOverHere's Top 5 Most Anticipated for December

As you probably don't remember, I made a similar post like this five months ago in anticipation for the second half of '07. Out of that top five, only one album actually dropped, (Havoc's The Kush which was #5 on the list, go figure) and the other four will not be coming out this year or ever. Will these albums repair my shattered hopes?

5. J Dilla & Busta Rhymes- Dillagence

This isn't even an album really its a Mick Boogie mixtape but its Dilla instrumentals (which i probably haven't heard) and new Busta verses. Here is the song that leaked a few days ago called Step Up which sounds kind of like a Greg Nice tribute over an Ice Cream truck but who's complaining?

4. Wu Tang Clan- 8 Diagrams

This leaked a few days ago and most of the interenets think it sucks but I'll reserve my judgment until 12/11 or until I get bored and review a bootleg whichever comes first.

3. Roc-A-Fella Records- R.O.C. Stars

I know, another mixtape, but at least this one will have the best song of ever, Dead Presidents 3 hopefully in its entirety without stupid talking. Also Jay's "This Shit Right Here" is supposed to be good.

2. Hi-Tek- Hi-Teknology 3

I really like the first Hi-Teknology and sort of like the second so I guess this can't be that bad even though he hasn't made much worthwhile in the past few years. That "Piano" track is good anyway.

1. Ghostface Killah- Big Doe Rehab

All I know about this is that Ghostface can still rap and this shit is fire.

New Wu-Tang Clan & Nas

Listen/ Download

These tracks were debuted on some Wake Up Show a couple days ago and this is a rip of the audio. These are some of the best tracks I've heard so far off of 8 Diagrams but I see where Rae is coming from with the Rza/Hip Hop Hippie thing theres as much singing and shit as rapping basically.

Download "What It Is" Snippet

I'm about as big of a Nas stan as you're gonna find and I think this is shit. Jazze Pha could make better beats than this in his sleep for fucks sake.

Album Battlegrounds: The Results

So after a week and six votes (yes that's 6 votes), the results of the head to head poll between Nas' classic Stillmatic and Jay-Z's masterpiece The Blueprint were tied, making this project completely unsuccessful. Anyway, those six votes, as they speak for the populus at large, show that both albums are equally great.

New Hi-Tek! "The Piano" Feat. Ghostface & Raekwon

Download


Straight fiyah. New Wu-Tang AND Hi-Tek on 11/11 thats wassup.

Album Review: "Spell My Name Right" - Statik Selektah

Here is another "producer album" which has become a trend in '07 much to my liking. This one is by Statik Selektah, who is known more as a mixtape DJ (Nas, Saigon, Royce Da 5'9", etc.) than a producer. Regardless, the tracks I've heard are pretty good, and the guest roster is ridiculous, but how's the album?

1. Spell My Name Right (Intro) (Feat. DJ Premier & Termanology)

A brief dialogue by Prem about how hip hop Statik Selektah is and then Termonology drops the names of all the rappers on the album and where they rep, not unlike that old Fat Joe song. The beat actually sounds like something Premier would do, which in this and most cases is a good thing.

2. Stop, Look, & Listen (Feat. Styles P, Termanology, & Q-Tip)

This beat is surprisingly good considering its like a kazoo and a flute. Styles P raps the best.

3. Express Yourself '08 (Feat. Termanology, Talib Kweli, & Consequence)

So basically a remake of the N.W.A. classic by three guys who are the exact opposite of N.W.A. Ok for what it is i guess.

4. 6 In The Morning (Feat. Joell Ortiz, Kool G. Rap, & Sheek Louch)

A song about getting up at 6 and selling crack or something with a pretty irritating beat. None of the rappers are particularly impressive on this either.

5. What Would You Do? (Feat. Freeway & Cassidy)

This beat is tight and Freeway provides a lot of energy and then Cassidy ruins it with his cornball flow. Honestly, who wants to hear the guy best known for "I'm a Hustla" enunciate and rap about chess?

6. Make A Movie (Interlude) (Feat. DJ Khaled)

Irrelevent

7. Bam Bam (Feat. Red Cafe, Termanology, & MIMS)

A remake of "Just Hangin' Out" or that one Guerilla Black song but with really heavy bass and weird sound effects. Red Cafe might be the worst rap name I've ever heard. What does that even mean?

8. G-Shit (Showoff Mix) (Feat. Uncle Murda, Sev-One, Termanology, & Jadakiss)

This beat is smooth a fuck, maybe the best yet. I'd say that Murda's 3rd person raps are probably the best on this which isn't saying a whole lot.

9. Back Against The Wall (Feat. Royce Da 5'9", Cormega)

This one opens with these goofy horns but then the loop kicks in and its actually pretty tight. Royce and Cormega don't bring their best stuff.

10. Hardcore (So You Wanna Be) (Feat. Reks & Termanology)

I feel like if you're gonna use a Biggie voice sample its got to be a better track than this. The beat sounds like something off a T.I. album except Reks & Termanology are coherent.

11. No Mistakes Allowed (Feat. a shitload of DJs)

This I gather to be a nod to the 80's what with the repetitive loop and all the scratching. Kind of like an old posse cut or something. Not the best idea in my opinion.

12. Knockin' 'Em Out (Interlude) (Feat. Clinton Sparks)

An intro to...

13. Punch Out! (Feat. Big Shug)

This beat samples the theme from the old video game "Mike Tyson's Punch Out!" Not that this was the greatest idea to begin with, but Madlib did it already this year with some old school Atari game (and much better at that). At least he wasted it on Big Shug.

14. The Good Life (Give It Up) (Feat. Lil' Fame of M.O.P.)

So they gave Big Shug over 2 minutes to babble over some video game but Lil' Fame 1 minute with this smooth shit? A strong track but it's a shame it's just an interlude.

15. Big Dreamers (Feat. Reks)

This is probably Statik Selektah's best instrumental yet and it's pretty impressive. Reks raps about his pipe dreams of being a rap star ala every other rapper ever. Good shit.

16. No Holding Back (Feat. AZ & Cormega)

There's no holding back a stiffy listening to this shit. This alone makes the album worthwhile, but then again I'm kind of biased towards both MCs .

17. Got Me Goin' (Hip Hop) (Feat. Slum Village, & Granite State)

I don't even know who's in SV anymore nor what Granite State is at all but this is another smooth cut anyway.

18. Time To Say Goodbye (Feat. Evidence & The Alchemist)

Statik actually manages to form a pretty good beat with just drums, bass, and a voice sample kind of like 9th Wonder might do. Evidence & The Alchemist both rhyme like they always do.

19. It's Over Now (Feat. Termanology & A.G.)

This beat, unlike the past few, is actually too laid back. A.G. clearly has nothing left to say but Statik makes nice use of the Big L, "It's over now, leave the game." thing.

20. Talk To Me (Feat. Jon Hope, Reks, & Skyzoo)

This sounds like one of those Fort Minor songs that was popular for a while except with a Marvin Gaye (or at least Marvin Gaye-like) voice sample. This Reks guy is actually kinda tight, better than Termanology anyway.

21. Did What We Had To Do (Feat. KRS-One, L Da Headtoucha, Large Professor)

Another good beat from Statik to round things off. The rapping is solid overall except KRS-One is off-beat but what else is new.

Overall:

Wow. That was good! It started off sounding like some compilation mixtape what with the old school remakes but the end of the album was heat. Had the rapping been any good or had the beats lacked that sort of mixtape quality this would have contended for my album of the year.

Best Tracks: "G-Shit", "Big Dreamers", "No Holding Back"

Wu-Tang Clan: "8 Diagrams" Update

That's the badass cover for the new album. They also dropped (or will drop) a new mixtape with some tracks from 8 Diagrams and a few that they found in ODB's underwear drawer. Here are snippets from the mixtape that you can download at Loud.com but I think you need a subscription or something.