Al's 2009 recap #2 (to be concluded)

I still have a few to add/replace to the list (Raekwon, BK-One, Deep Rooted, Afro Classics & Crown City Rockers)...just not sure where these rank just yet. Overall, it's been a damn good year for hip-hop IMO. I think part of it has been that I spent some time unemployed this year and have simply had a lot of time to check out and listen to new music...so maybe it's just me, but I feel pretty good about my '09 list...and there is still dopeness left to come. So I'll be posting a final recap once '09 is over.

If you want to check out the full Amazon Listmania (of the top 40 only) with the pictures and descriptions and all that jazz, go here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/RF8XGTVFIHAFP/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view?ie=UTF8&lm_bb=

Otherwise, for those looking for a short list, here you go...

Best Of 2009 (RANKED):

Tanya Morgan - Brooklynati (5 stars)
Bicasso & DJ Fresh - Rebel Musiq LP (5 stars)
Cyne - Water For Mars (5 stars)
Brother Ali - Us (4.75 stars)
Lushlife - Cassette City (4.5 stars)
Ayentee - Curiosity Saved The Mouse (4.5 stars)
Rise & The Avid Record Collector - Risen (4.5 stars)
Brother Ali - The Truth Is Here EP (4.5 stars)
Dela - Changes of Atmosphere (4.5 stars)
Inverse - So True EP (4.5 stars)
Mr. Lif - I Heard It Today (4.25 stars)
B-Real - Smoke N Mirrors (4.25 stars)
Tiye Phoenix - Half Woman Half Amazin' (4.25 stars)
Jay Dee (J Dilla) - Jay Stay Paid (4.25 stars)
UGK - UGK 4 Life (4.25 stars)
Large Professor - The LP (4.25 stars)
Atmosphere - Leak At Will (4.25 stars)
Fresh Daily - The Gorgeous Killer (4 stars)
Grand Puba - Retro Active (4 stars)
Kero One - Early Believers (4 stars)
Blame One - Days Chasing Days (4 stars)
Sol.illaquists Of Sound - No More Heroes (4 stars)
Sleep (Oldominion) - Hesitation Wounds (4 stars)
Tash - Control Freek (4 stars)
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract (4 stars)
Aesop - Living The Dream While Awake (4 stars)
G&E (Grouch & Eligh, The) - Say G&E! (4 stars)
Classified - Self Explanatory (4 stars)
Mos Def - The Ecstatic (4 stars)
Raashan Ahmad - Soul Power (4 stars)
Big Quarters - From The Home Of Brown Babies & White Mothers (4 stars)
X-Clan - Mainstream Outlaw (4 stars)
J-Ro - Rare Earth B-Boy Funk Vol. 2 (4 stars)
Myka Nyne - 1969 (4 stars)
Afro Classics (Scarub & Very) - Classic EP (4 stars)
MF Doom - Born Like This (4 stars)
Wu-Tang - Chamber Music (4 stars)
Eligh & Jo Wilkinson - On Sacred Ground (4 stars)
P.O.S. - Never Better (4 stars)
Kanser - Table Scraps 3 (4 stars)
KRS-One & Buckshot - Survival Skills (3.75 stars)
Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse (3.75 stars)
Toki Wright - A Different Mirror (3.75 stars)
Ecid - Red Beretta (3.75 stars)
Scienz Of Life - Leviathan (Break The Spell) (3.75 stars)
Finale - A Pipe Dream And A Promise (3.75 stars)
Divine Minds & SoulKlap - The Quan (3.75 stars)
Sadat X - Brand New Bein (3.5 stars)
Dudley Perkins - Holy Smokes (3.5 stars)
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien - Funk Man (3.5 stars)
Prince Ali - Melodically Vibrant EP (3.5 stars)
Luckyiam.PSC - The Present (3.5 stars)
Street Sweeper Social Club (Boots Riley & Tom Morello) (3.5 stars)
Chali 2na - Fish Outta Water (3.5 stars)
Marco Polo & Torae - Double Barrel (3.5 stars)
Exile - Radio (3.5 stars)
Trama - Mr. T (The .zip Tape) (3.5 stars)
The Crest - Cheerful Robots (3.25 stars)
Braille & S1 - Cloud Nineteen (3.25 stars)
Eligh - A Beautiful View EP (3.25 stars)
Zion I - The Take Over (3 stars)
U-N-I & Ro Blvd - A Love Supreme (3 stars)
Common Market - The Winters End EP (3 stars)
Eyedea & Abilities - By The Throat (2.5 stars)

Great Recap.

Question: Do you have the Eligh&Magi album-The Brother's Grime? I've looked everywhere for this and cant seem to find it....

The Homie, Acrid wrote:

Great Recap.

Question: Do you have the Eligh&Magi album-The Brother's Grime? I've looked everywhere for this and cant seem to find it....

Do you mean for sale? I bought it here when it was for sale:

http://www.accesshiphop.com/store/?itemid=14101

However, they are out of stock and it's an exclusive deal with the artists and Access. If you want it, I'd suggest clicking "Get emailed when this item is available" and they will notify you.

If you're looking for a DL, just google "Eligh&Magi The Brother's Grime" and it's the 3rd link down. DERGATRON something or other. The link is active.

You know what I must admit 2009 is shaping up betta than 2008 by a good margin. I was really not positive about what this year would bring but now over half way thru it I have heard some damn good music.

My top 15 for 2009 (no order)

Slaughterhouse- SH
Eminem- Relaspe
UGK- 4Life
Brother Ali- Truth Is Here
Bro Ali- US
Raekwon- OB4CL2
Jay-Z- BP3
J-Ro- Rare Earth
B-Real- Smoke N Mirrors
Jadakiss- Last Kiss
Puba- Retroactive
Fabolous- Loso's Way
Tiye P- Half Women Half Amazin
Quik & Kurupt- Blaqkout
dead prez- Pulse Of The People

Nice list Kev. You really like the Slaughterhouse that much? That Raekwon is tight too. I gotta listen to that one some more before I rank it...

Everyone likes Slaughterhouse that much except you and Ex... lol

Oh, Alan, you should check out "Blaqprint" by Blaq Poet. Strong boom bap ish produced by Preemo

My Top 10 for 2009 (not necessarily in order)
KRS & Buckshot- Survival Skills (I know most on this forum don't like it that much, but I don't care, I think it's dope as fuck)
Raekwon- OB4CL2
Joe Budden- Padded Room (Better than Escape Route IMO)
Marco Polo & Torae- Double Barrel
Alchemist- Chemical Warfare
UGK- 4 Life
Eminem- Relapse
Tanya Morgan- Brooklynati
M.O.P.- Foundation
Slaughterhouse- SH

On another note, I disagree with Kev statement when he said this year has shaped up better than last year. I think 2008 was MUCH better as there were at least 3-4 classics released IMO, whereas I don't count any classics for this year thus far.

That being said, this year hasn't been terrible. Not great, but not bad either because while they've been no consensus classics, there have been many near classics.

KJ, what albums would you say are 5 stars from last year?

For me:

K-Rino- The Blood Doctrine
Royce Da 5'9"- The Album
Elzhi- The Preface (this one I'm not too sure about. It teeters between 4.75 and 5 for me)

Man, thats my grandmother's 2009 recap. You ain't even got the best albums on there.

U-God-Dopium-
SuperChronFlightBros Indonesia
Abstract Rude-Rejuvenation
Bus Driver-Jhelli Beam
Marq Spekt-Guilty Party
Raylong-SpazzSession
Junclassic-Southside Savior

no order:

Eminem - Relapse
Raekwon - OBFCL2
U-God - Dooooooopium
La Coka Nostra - A Brand You Can Trust
MOP - Foundation
DOOM - Born Like This
J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid
The Jacka - Tear Gas
Quik/Kurupt - Blaqkout
KRS & Buck - Survival Skills

i rate Wu-Tang Chamber Music 4.5 stars but since its only 8 songs i look at it as an EP and i dont rank EP's with albums, but that was one of my favorite releases this yr.


i still gotta get UGK, Alchemist, B-Real, Blaq Poet, Skyzoo, and Bro Ali

there was no 5 star albums this year, last year, the year before that, and the year before that

"there was no 5 star albums this year, last year, the year before that, and the year before that"

This year and last year are debatable, but 2007 had "Below The Heavens", and that seems to be 5 stars from the majority that heard it. And 2006 had Lupe's debut, "A Piece Of Strange", Donuts, and Hip Hop Is Dead. I've seen people call all of those 5 stars

Shaun wrote:

"there was no 5 star albums this year, last year, the year before that, and the year before that"

This year and last year are debatable, but 2007 had "Below The Heavens", and that seems to be 5 stars from the majority that heard it. And 2006 had Lupe's debut, "A Piece Of Strange", Donuts, and Hip Hop Is Dead. I've seen people call all of those 5 stars

i can see Below the Heavens end up being classic....its just hard for me to give an album thats only been out 2 years the classic rating, since the only measure of whether an album is classic (5 stars) is time. So, Piece of Strange, Below the Heavens, and maybe Donuts could be eventually given the 5 star rating but time is the only factor imo.

And who on this earth is calling Hip Hop is Dead 5 stars??? Thats 4 at best and i would say 4.25 even for a personal rating is pushing it

I know Kev has it at 5 stars, I have it very close, and it will probably get there. I think a few other people had it as a classic, I just can't think of who right now. A couple people I know from school said it, too.

And, with the classic thing, can't you say an album is 5 stars right now, and with time it will be called classic?

Oh, and The Format is 5 stars to me, personally. That dropped in 06, if I'm not mistaken

basically i never give out the 5 star rating right away...maybe in 3-5 years ill bump a 4.5 or 4.75 album up to 5 if i think they reached the classic status and held their replay value over time...thats what im trying to say

also Shaun, AZ is dropping "Doe or Die pt. II" in 2010, and Rza supposedly is producing a track on it

Alright, I used to do that, because I always told myself that only classics are 5 stars. Then I changed my thoughts, and give out 5 star albums where I think they are due. If, over time, the rating holds, I'll call it a classic.

I hope that drops in early 2010, lol. If he can get it over 4 stars, it'll probably bump him wayyyyy up in my top 10.

Slang Editorial wrote:

basically i never give out the 5 star rating right away...maybe in 3-5 years ill bump a 4.5 or 4.75 album up to 5 if i think they reached the classic status and held their replay value over time...thats what im trying to say

also Shaun, AZ is dropping "Doe or Die pt. II" in 2010, and Rza supposedly is producing a track on it

So you had to wait 3-5 years to realize OB4CL was 5 stars?

I don't think Slang heard OB4CL when it first came out...

Shaun wrote:

I don't think Slang heard OB4CL when it first came out...

I'm sure he didn't. He was like 7 or 8 when it dropped. Are you saying if it's an older album, it's ok to call it a classic, but if the album is current Slang has to listen to it for 3-5 years before it earns the classic label?.

T. Myers wrote:

Slang Editorial wrote:

basically i never give out the 5 star rating right away...maybe in 3-5 years ill bump a 4.5 or 4.75 album up to 5 if i think they reached the classic status and held their replay value over time...thats what im trying to say

also Shaun, AZ is dropping "Doe or Die pt. II" in 2010, and Rza supposedly is producing a track on it

So you had to wait 3-5 years to realize OB4CL was 5 stars?

i didnt hear that when it first came out i was 7....but i think its different listening to the older albums. The new albums that come out nowadays have a standard to live up to in order to be called classic. Whereas albums like OBFCL and The Chronic were completely groundbreaking and original at the time that when i first listened to them i imagined how crazy these must have been for the time they have been released. I guess i just think post 2000 albums have such high expectations to live up to the albums from the 80's and 90's because they have to find ways to further the envelope and make things sound original again.

I don't know. I just felt like responding

Shaun wrote:

I know Kev has it at 5 stars, I have it very close, and it will probably get there. I think a few other people had it as a classic, I just can't think of who right now. A couple people I know from school said it, too.

And, with the classic thing, can't you say an album is 5 stars right now, and with time it will be called classic?

Naw Shaun I don't have HHID at 5 stars its just one of my top 100 fav albums...I would rate it personally 4.5-4.75 and objectively 4.25-4.5.

Ah, I just remember you said it was a personal classic back in the Amazon days. That's what I based it off of

Shaun wrote:

KJ, what albums would you say are 5 stars from last year?

For me:

K-Rino- The Blood Doctrine
Royce Da 5'9"- The Album
Elzhi- The Preface (this one I'm not too sure about. It teeters between 4.75 and 5 for me)

Mine would be...

Q-Tip- The Reinassance
Nas- Untitled
EMC- The Show

Slang Editorial wrote:

Shaun wrote:

"there was no 5 star albums this year, last year, the year before that, and the year before that"

This year and last year are debatable, but 2007 had "Below The Heavens", and that seems to be 5 stars from the majority that heard it. And 2006 had Lupe's debut, "A Piece Of Strange", Donuts, and Hip Hop Is Dead. I've seen people call all of those 5 stars

i can see Below the Heavens end up being classic....its just hard for me to give an album thats only been out 2 years the classic rating, since the only measure of whether an album is classic (5 stars) is time. So, Piece of Strange, Below the Heavens, and maybe Donuts could be eventually given the 5 star rating but time is the only factor imo.

And who on this earth is calling Hip Hop is Dead 5 stars??? Thats 4 at best and i would say 4.25 even for a personal rating is pushing it

HHID is 4.25 stars easily IMO. I only skip 3 tracks on it.

Fishscale (released in 2006) is a personal classic for me.

"Mine would be...

Q-Tip- The Reinassance
Nas- Untitled
EMC- The Show"

I had The Show at 5 stars for the first few months it came out, but I knocked it down to 4.5ish. Untitled sits at 4.5-5 stars for me. I won't listen to it for a few weeks and put it at 4.5, then when I listen to it, it goes up lol.

I wasn't into The Reniassance as much as a lot of people. Not sure why, but I'd still give it 4 stars

"HHID is 4.25 stars easily IMO. I only skip 3 tracks on it."

What 3 tracks? I sometimes skip Blunt Ashes, but that's about it.

Shaun wrote:

"HHID is 4.25 stars easily IMO. I only skip 3 tracks on it."

What 3 tracks? I sometimes skip Blunt Ashes, but that's about it.

Blunt Ashes, Who Killed It, and Play On Playa (although I occassionally listen to it).

I had HHID at 4.75 on the first listen back then, but I bumped it down to 4.25-4.5 because while it's dope, I rate it as Nas' 6th best album, although most people would have it 4th or 5th.

The beat is sick on Who Killed It, but I can't stand that voice. If he rapped normal, that would be a standout track, IMO.

my Nas rankings:

Illmatic
It Was Written
Stillmatic/Lost Tapes
^ these 4 are on an entirely different level from his others IMO

then theres:

God's Son
Hip Hop is Dead/Untitled
I Am
Streets Disciple
Nastradamus

Shaun wrote:

The beat is sick on Who Killed It, but I can't stand that voice. If he rapped normal, that would be a standout track, IMO.

I agree, the voice is what turns me off about that song too.

HHID is my 3rd fav album of 2006, behind Food & Liquor and Fishscale.

That said, Let There Be Light is one of my 10 fav Nas songs.

Slang Editorial wrote:

my Nas rankings:

Illmatic
It Was Written
Stillmatic/Lost Tapes
^ these 4 are on an entirely different level from his others IMO

then theres:

God's Son
Hip Hop is Dead/Untitled
I Am
Streets Disciple
Nastradamus

I agree with your Top 4, those are definitely his best.

I think "I Am" is a criminally underrated album. It's got some great standout tracks. I only skip 3-4 tracks on it. Personally it's 4.25 stars but I can't see a rating under 4 for that album.

"Illmatic
It Was Written
Stillmatic/Lost Tapes
^ these 4 are on an entirely different level from his others IMO

then theres:

God's Son
Hip Hop is Dead/Untitled
I Am
Streets Disciple
Nastradamus"

My Ratings:

Illmatic (5 Stars)
The Lost Tapes (5 Stars)
Untitled (4.75ish Stars)
God's Son (4.5-4.75 Stars)
Hip Hop Is Dead (4.5-4.75 Stars)
Stillmatic (4.5 Stars)
It Was Written (4.25 Stars)
I Am... (4 Stars)
Street's Disciple (3.75-4 Stars)
Nastradamus (3.25-3.5 Stars)

KJ, I Am does have some standouts its pretty good.....im surprised you agree with It Was Written being so high

"I agree, the voice is what turns me off about that song too.

HHID is my 3rd fav album of 2006, behind Food & Liquor and Fishscale.

That said, Let There Be Light is one of my 10 fav Nas songs."

Hip Hop Is Dead is top 5 of 2006 for sure... The Format, A Piece Of Strange, and Donuts are probably the only ones above it for me.

Let There Be Light, Carry On Tradition, Hold Down The Block>>>>>> The rest of the album, IMO

IWW is KJ's second favorite Nas album, I believe.

By the way, sorry for completely disreagrding your thread, Al, lol

Shaun wrote:

Everyone likes Slaughterhouse that much except you and Ex... lol

lol...I see.

It's hard to say whether 2009 is better than 2008. It'll be close IMO, but I still think 2009 will be better when everything's been released. And I do feel both years will be better than 2007 (IMO...again). One thing I will say though, is that I started posting on the Amazon hip-hop forum in 2007, so the recommendations I've got within the years 2007-2009 have just been better because I've stayed more focused on finding more quality records than I have pre-2006.

"One thing I will say though, is that I started posting on the Amazon hip-hop forum in 2007, so the recommendations I've got within the years 2007-2009 have just been better because I've stayed more focused on finding more quality records than I have pre-2006."

Me too. October '07 is when I started.

I agree with this year being better than '07, too. Last year is debatable, but there's still a bunch of heavy hitters (for me) coming in the 4th quarter, so we'll see

My 5-star albums from 2005:
Big Jess "Good Clean Fun 2: The Super Jump-Off"
The Perceptionists "Black Dialogue"
One Be Lo "S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M."
Edan "Beauty & The Beat"
Eligh "Enigma"
3 Melancholy Gypsys "Grand Caravan To The Rim Of The World"

My 5-star albums from 2006:
Unknown Prophets "The Road Less Traveled"
J Dilla "Donuts"
C.L. Smooth "American Me"
Eulorhythmics "Extended Play" (just an EP, but a classic EP IMO)

My 5-star albums from 2007:
Shad "The Old Prince"
Arrested Development "Since The Last Time"
Blu & Exile "Below the Heavens"
Blue Scholars "Bayani"

My 5-star albums from 2008:
Knonam "Length Of The Blade"
Heiruspecs "Heiruspecs"
Raashan Ahmad "The Push"
Jazz Liberatorz "Clin d'oeil"

After the past time, I feel comfortable giving all these 5 stars except for the Blu & Exile album....which may be more of a 4.75 star album to me these days. I don't know though...I'll leave it up there until I spin it again. lol

Shaun wrote:

I agree with this year being better than '07, too. Last year is debatable, but there's still a bunch of heavy hitters (for me) coming in the 4th quarter, so we'll see

Exactly, there are at least another 2 '09 records I expect to hit the 4.5-5 star range for me (Unknown Prophets and Crown City Rockers). Damn, People Under The Stairs is coming to...

Wow... looking back, 2008 has crushed this year so far, IMO. K-Rino, Royce, Elzhi, Jazz Libs, Invincible, Reks, eMC, Immortal Technique, Raashan Ahmad... jeeeez

"Exactly, there are at least another 2 '09 records I expect to hit the 4.5-5 star range for me (Unknown Prophets and Crown City Rockers). Damn, People Under The Stairs is coming to..."

I'm really looking forward to Cormega, K-Rino, Royce, Vakill (hopefully), and Eminem (sort of, because Relapse was dope)

Shaun wrote:

Wow... looking back, 2008 has crushed this year so far, IMO. K-Rino, Royce, Elzhi, Jazz Libs, Invincible, Reks, eMC, Immortal Technique, Raashan Ahmad... jeeeez

So far? I don't know. While I have an extra album I'd give 5 stars too in '08 (as of now), I got about the same amount in the 4.25-5 star range so far in 2009 than I did overall last year. Still much too early to tell, but I feel '09 will end with a bang (at least on my list....and it is so subjected these days consider the oversaturated market).

Well, you've heard a LOT more albums than me this year... lol

I had at least 25 albums over 4 stars last year, and 5 or 6 being 5 stars or very close.

Shaun wrote:

Well, you've heard a LOT more albums than me this year... lol

I had at least 25 albums over 4 stars last year, and 5 or 6 being 5 stars or very close.

Like I said, I've been unemployed, so I had the time...lol....I got a job now though...

That may be the whole reason I found more shit I dig this year than in the past. lol

I think 2008 may had more heavy hitters and more standouts but I still feel 2009 has had more quanity in quality overall.

Slang Editorial wrote:

KJ, I Am does have some standouts its pretty good.....im surprised you agree with It Was Written being so high

Shaun was correct Slang, IWW is my 2nd fav Nas album.

Shaun wrote:

"Illmatic
It Was Written
Stillmatic/Lost Tapes
^ these 4 are on an entirely different level from his others IMO

then theres:

God's Son
Hip Hop is Dead/Untitled
I Am
Streets Disciple
Nastradamus"

My Ratings:

Illmatic (5 Stars)
The Lost Tapes (5 Stars)
Untitled (4.75ish Stars)
God's Son (4.5-4.75 Stars)
Hip Hop Is Dead (4.5-4.75 Stars)
Stillmatic (4.5 Stars)
It Was Written (4.25 Stars)
I Am... (4 Stars)
Street's Disciple (3.75-4 Stars)
Nastradamus (3.25-3.5 Stars)

I have IWW and Stillmatic as classics, and God's Son at 4.25-4.5 stars, but otherwise those are accurate ratings.