Since writing these year-end recaps was always my favorite part of this blog, I've come out of retirement to reflect on the hip-hop year that was. I didn't realize it until I began compiling these lists, but 2010 was a dreadful year for rap music, even compared to the past few. For what it's worth, here are 25 tracks from this past year that are at least worth checking out if you haven't already.
25. "My Time"-Freeway & Jake One
Free and Jake One made a great tandem in 2010, putting out a full-length album and a few other gems here and there. This song, off of the "Hip Hop Helps Haiti" mixtape was actually my favorite. The beat is great and Freeway compliments it with quite possibly the most intelligible raps of his career.
24. "I'm Ill"- Red Cafe Featuring Fabolous
Red Cafe, still the worst rap name evar, had a pretty big 2010 what with the Diddy co-sign. This is his biggest hit to date, and maybe his best work overall as far as I know. This shit hits hard plus I'm always down for a Fab guest verse.
23. "Start It Up"- Lloyd Banks Featuring Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Fabolous, & Ryan Leslie
Banks' "Hunger For More 2" was a predictably shitty sequel to a shitty album. Still, the singles were pretty damn good including this. Fab makes another guest appearance as does Kanye West, who seems to bring it lyrically on other peoples shit. However, I certainly could have done without Swizz Beatz's contribution.
22. "Good Friday"- Kanye West Featuring Common, Pusha T, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, & Charlie Wilson
This was one (maybe the first) of those weekly Kanye West releases that featured damn near everyone on his record label. "Good Friday" remains my favorite because I'm kind of a sucker for piano beats plus the drums knock and verses are solid across the board.
21. "As We Enter"-Nas & Damian Marley
I really could have put any number of Nas/Jr. Gong songs in this spot but I chose this one kind of by default since it was a single and probably the most memorable intro of the year. This one's pretty crazy musically not to mention the way Nas and Marley go back and forth old school style.
20. "Thank Me Now"-Drake
I was blunt cruising the first time I listened to this album and I remember thinking that this was the best song I'd ever heard. I would commence to play the shit out of it until it sort of became just another song. I still think this is Timbo's best work in years.
19. "Our Dreams"- Method Man, Ghostface Killah, & Raekwon
A collaborative album by my three favorite members of Wu was a major disappointment but this song was legit. The soulful beat suits these guys pretty well and the Michael Jackson sample is flipped to perfection.
18. "Still My Ni**a"- Killer Mike Featuring Game & Ludacris
I'm not sure if Killer Mike has been making music all this time and I haven't been checking for it (likely), but this was the first song of his I'd heard in years and I love it. This one has a message everyone can relate to and Game and Luda are two of my favorite mainstream rappers so getting them both on a track was pretty cool to me.
17. "With You"- Lil Wayne Featuring Drake
I'm not the biggest Lil Wayne fan but I can fucks with this grown and sexy shit. I think the chilled out beat is the highlight of the song but Wayne is pretty good on this and I like the hook/Drake's part.
16. "Ha Ha"- Fat Joe Featuring Young Jeezy
I had heard the "Ha Ha" flipped before on that Juggaknots album but I like how they used it on this. It made for one of the most memorable beats of the year as evidenced by all the people who freestyled over it.
15. "9 AM In Dallas"- Drake
I think I read somewhere that Drake wanted this to be the intro to his album but it never materialized. I think this made me like Drake more than ever because this song is great and would have been fucking perfect as an album intro. The beat is pretty cool and Drake definitely goes in on this. Plus he throws in a Willie Beamen reference which would have been enough for me.
15. "9 AM In Dallas"- Drake
I think I read somewhere that Drake wanted this to be the intro to his album but it never materialized. I think this made me like Drake more than ever because this song is great and would have been fucking perfect as an album intro. The beat is pretty cool and Drake definitely goes in on this. Plus he throws in a Willie Beamen reference which would have been enough for me.
14. "I'm Gone"- Fat Joe
This was the best Premo beat of the year even though this one's got 9th Wonder drums on it. Fat Joe, kinda surprisingly, does justice to this track with some of his best rapping in ages. I think it's cool that Fat Joe still reaches out to Premier after all these years and all the gay crossover songs he's done. Jay-Z and Nas should follow suit and maybe they will make the top 15 next year. Well Nas is on here but it's not technically his song.
13. "Get Busy"- Saigon
I fucking love this song. I think the first time I heard it I listened to it like 70 times in a row. If you've read this blog before you probably know I'm about as big of a Saigon stan as there is (even on the internets), not to mention that Mario is easily my favorite video game ever. Truly a perfect storm.
12. "Before I'm Gone"- J.Cole
Last year I called J. Cole a low budget Lupe Fiasco and, while he's still not my favorite MC, he's beginning to grow on me. I didn't listen to the entire "Friday Night Lights" tape but I liked what I heard off of it. This one was easily my favorite though and definitely one of the best songs of the year.
11. "Victory"- DJ Khaled Featuring Nas & John Legend
This has to be DJ Khaled's least obnoxious beat to date, right? Plus, this alone is evidence that Nas can still rap at a legendary level, unlike most (if not all) of his contemporaries. John Legend on the hook is always good too.
10. "The Show Goes On"- Lupe Fiasco
The real Lupe Fiasco! Who knows when this album is gonna drop but this was a good one. The sped up sample of that Modest Mouse song is something I would expect more from one of those frat kids/hipster rappers but I actually like it. Lupe is nice as always.
9. "The Park"- Ghostface Killah Featuring Black Thought
The new Ghostface is nothing special in my book but this track is fuckin filthy. The guitar and bongo beat hits harder than anything else I heard in 2010 and you're not gonna get a much better rapping duo than Ghost and Black Thought. It's pretty sweet to hear these guys rap about their roots in hip hop music and Tariq goes bananas on this.
8. "Call Me"- Joell Ortiz
Joell Ortiz may very well be the best rapper in the game right now. This wasn't even my favorite Ortiz song of the year, the "Lemonade" freestyle was, but that doesn't really count. This is a perfectly executed hip hop love story and probably would have been big were it released on a major. Maybe one day.
7. "Aston Martin Music" (Drake Version)- Rick Ross Featuring Drake & Chrisette Michele
This year's installment of "Maybach Music" failed to live up to the first two, but this song made up for that. I'm not sure why they asked Drake to do the hook when Chrisette Michele already did a hook but it works I guess. For those who don't know, I wrote "Drake Version" because on the album version he doesn't do a verse. The album version may well have been ranked this high anyway but Drake's verse is tight so this one's a little better.
6. "Unforgettable"- Drake Featuring Young Jeezy
Of all the chill, somber beats on this album, this one was my favorite and both Drake and Jeezy kill it. The Aaliyah sample was definitely a great touch too. I think I'll be listening to this one for years.
5. "Black and Yellow"- Wiz Khalifa
2010 was very kind to Wiz Khalifa. I first heard of Wiz a few years back when he made "Pittsburgh Sound" or whatever it was called. My first roommate in college was from Pittsburgh and was convinced that he was the shit as did every other yinzer I met. I wasn't convinced he would never be more than a niche mixtape rapper until this year when he blew the fuck up. Everywhere I go I hear this song or "Kush & OJ" or something else of his. Good for him.
4. "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley"- Lloyd Banks Featuring Juelz Santana
This was the catchiest tune of 2010 and was rhymed over more than "Ha Ha" and "Black and Yellow" combined. The original still reigns supreme though. More importantly, this song single-handedly made Lloyd Banks relevant again. Gggggg-Unit!
3. "Shutterbugg"- Big Boi
This one took a while to grow on me but I bump this shit all the time now. It's nice to see Big Boi still making hits and doing fresh, experimental shit. This song has something for everyone and it's great to bump in the whip, at parties, etc. Plus it's played in the intro to the past season of "Entourage" which gives it a bunch of cool points.
2. "Over"- Drake
The first time I heard this song and Drake's singing/talking on the hook I thought it was the worst shit ever. Once I gave it a chance though I found it to be one of the best singles in years, both musically and lyrically. This shit is a banger and Drake compliments it with a couple nice verses in what was really his first big rap song. I knew he'd be one of the biggest artists this decade!
1. "Power" (Remix)- Kanye West Featuring Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz
The original version is good but the remix is downright genius. Jay-Z actually raps well on this which will make even a terrible song worth listening to and Kanye steps his game up on this from the original. However, the tipping point was Swizz Beatz's "I Got The Power" part. Yeah that's right, fucking Swizz Beatz is responsible for the best song of the year. Deal with it. He must have shat himself when he came up with this idea. Fuck, I think I shat myself the first time I heard that part of the song. Just brilliant.
This was the best Premo beat of the year even though this one's got 9th Wonder drums on it. Fat Joe, kinda surprisingly, does justice to this track with some of his best rapping in ages. I think it's cool that Fat Joe still reaches out to Premier after all these years and all the gay crossover songs he's done. Jay-Z and Nas should follow suit and maybe they will make the top 15 next year. Well Nas is on here but it's not technically his song.
13. "Get Busy"- Saigon
I fucking love this song. I think the first time I heard it I listened to it like 70 times in a row. If you've read this blog before you probably know I'm about as big of a Saigon stan as there is (even on the internets), not to mention that Mario is easily my favorite video game ever. Truly a perfect storm.
12. "Before I'm Gone"- J.Cole
Last year I called J. Cole a low budget Lupe Fiasco and, while he's still not my favorite MC, he's beginning to grow on me. I didn't listen to the entire "Friday Night Lights" tape but I liked what I heard off of it. This one was easily my favorite though and definitely one of the best songs of the year.
11. "Victory"- DJ Khaled Featuring Nas & John Legend
This has to be DJ Khaled's least obnoxious beat to date, right? Plus, this alone is evidence that Nas can still rap at a legendary level, unlike most (if not all) of his contemporaries. John Legend on the hook is always good too.
10. "The Show Goes On"- Lupe Fiasco
The real Lupe Fiasco! Who knows when this album is gonna drop but this was a good one. The sped up sample of that Modest Mouse song is something I would expect more from one of those frat kids/hipster rappers but I actually like it. Lupe is nice as always.
9. "The Park"- Ghostface Killah Featuring Black Thought
The new Ghostface is nothing special in my book but this track is fuckin filthy. The guitar and bongo beat hits harder than anything else I heard in 2010 and you're not gonna get a much better rapping duo than Ghost and Black Thought. It's pretty sweet to hear these guys rap about their roots in hip hop music and Tariq goes bananas on this.
8. "Call Me"- Joell Ortiz
Joell Ortiz may very well be the best rapper in the game right now. This wasn't even my favorite Ortiz song of the year, the "Lemonade" freestyle was, but that doesn't really count. This is a perfectly executed hip hop love story and probably would have been big were it released on a major. Maybe one day.
7. "Aston Martin Music" (Drake Version)- Rick Ross Featuring Drake & Chrisette Michele
This year's installment of "Maybach Music" failed to live up to the first two, but this song made up for that. I'm not sure why they asked Drake to do the hook when Chrisette Michele already did a hook but it works I guess. For those who don't know, I wrote "Drake Version" because on the album version he doesn't do a verse. The album version may well have been ranked this high anyway but Drake's verse is tight so this one's a little better.
6. "Unforgettable"- Drake Featuring Young Jeezy
Of all the chill, somber beats on this album, this one was my favorite and both Drake and Jeezy kill it. The Aaliyah sample was definitely a great touch too. I think I'll be listening to this one for years.
5. "Black and Yellow"- Wiz Khalifa
2010 was very kind to Wiz Khalifa. I first heard of Wiz a few years back when he made "Pittsburgh Sound" or whatever it was called. My first roommate in college was from Pittsburgh and was convinced that he was the shit as did every other yinzer I met. I wasn't convinced he would never be more than a niche mixtape rapper until this year when he blew the fuck up. Everywhere I go I hear this song or "Kush & OJ" or something else of his. Good for him.
4. "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley"- Lloyd Banks Featuring Juelz Santana
This was the catchiest tune of 2010 and was rhymed over more than "Ha Ha" and "Black and Yellow" combined. The original still reigns supreme though. More importantly, this song single-handedly made Lloyd Banks relevant again. Gggggg-Unit!
3. "Shutterbugg"- Big Boi
This one took a while to grow on me but I bump this shit all the time now. It's nice to see Big Boi still making hits and doing fresh, experimental shit. This song has something for everyone and it's great to bump in the whip, at parties, etc. Plus it's played in the intro to the past season of "Entourage" which gives it a bunch of cool points.
2. "Over"- Drake
The first time I heard this song and Drake's singing/talking on the hook I thought it was the worst shit ever. Once I gave it a chance though I found it to be one of the best singles in years, both musically and lyrically. This shit is a banger and Drake compliments it with a couple nice verses in what was really his first big rap song. I knew he'd be one of the biggest artists this decade!
1. "Power" (Remix)- Kanye West Featuring Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz
The original version is good but the remix is downright genius. Jay-Z actually raps well on this which will make even a terrible song worth listening to and Kanye steps his game up on this from the original. However, the tipping point was Swizz Beatz's "I Got The Power" part. Yeah that's right, fucking Swizz Beatz is responsible for the best song of the year. Deal with it. He must have shat himself when he came up with this idea. Fuck, I think I shat myself the first time I heard that part of the song. Just brilliant.
