I’m back home in Wisco for the holidays, and the temps are hovering below zero while the snow continues to relentlessly attack like a rebel army. Given that I’m stuck inside my house, à la Bon Iver, I thought this would be a perfect time to give a shoutout to the hip hop linguists that kept me entertained in the ’08. This may not have been the greatest year for us beatheads, but there were definitely a few jams to be found in the hip hop landfill. Check it:
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Wale has been the ‘next big thing’ for a hot minute now, and his potential shone through again this year on the Seinfeld inspired ‘Mixtape About Nothing’.
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Cudi, Kanye’s newest labelmate, comes correct on the definitive stoner anthem for the ’08.
3. Jake One – The Truth ft. Freeway & Brother Ali
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Rocafella meets Rhymesayers in this collabo brokered by Seattle producer Jake One.
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Fresh out of N’awlins, The Knux channeled their inner Outkast and constructed one of the finest (and only) odes to everyone’s favorite steamed milk concoction.
5. The Cool Kids – Action Figures
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Boom-bap rap was back in a big way courtesy of The Cool Kids – now if I could only find my shell toes…
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And just for good measure: Flight of the Conchords – Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenocerous
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Oh snaps – the Muffin has been needing this shit!
Haha, glad you enjoyed it sir. Plenty more to follow…
Train, pls start a mailing list. I’ll set it up.
These are all jams in a terrible year for hip hop. My hip hop tracks of the year are Nas’ “Queens Get The Money” and The Roots’ “Rising Up” feat. Wale and the super underrated Chrisette Michele