The Top 30: Shortlist

1. Eminem "Relapse"
2. Drake "So Far Gone (Mixtape)"
3. Asher Roth "Asleep In The Bread Aisle"
4. Jay-Z "Blueprint 3"
5. Slaughterhouse "Slaughterhouse"
6. Tech N9ne "K.O.D."
7. Joe Budden "Padded Room"
8. Kid Cudi "Man On The Moon"
9. Clipse "Til' The Casket Drops"
10. Lil' Wayne "No Ceilings (Mixtape)"
11. Wale "Attention Deficit"
12. Hopsin "Gazing At The Moonlight"
13. Tech N9ne "Sickology 101"
14. Eminem "Relapse: Refill (EP)"
15. Young Money "We Are Young Money"
16. Joe Budden "The Escape Route"
17. Method Man & Redman "Blackout 2"
18. N-Dubz "Against All Odds"
19. 50 Cent "Before I Self Destruct"
20. Timbaland "Shock Value 2"
21. Maino "If Tomorrow Comes..."
22. Fabolous "Loso's Way"
23. Royce Da 5'9 "Street Hop"
24. New Boyz "Skinny Jeans & A Mic"
25. Wiz Khalifa "Deal Or No Deal"
26. Twista "Category F5"
27. Jim Jones "Pray IV Reign"
28. Felt 3
29. Grouch & Eligh "Say G&E"
30. Gucci Mane "The State vs. Radric Davis"

THE TOP 30 OF 2009: THE TOP NINE

9. Clipse "Til' The Casket Drops"
Clipse are what some call "The Kings of Coke Rap". One thing I'm sure of is Clipse are in a league of few artists that don't put out an abundance of material and stick to their roots. When I heard "Kinda Like A Big Deal", I felt good about the
possibilities. The one thing this album lacked though was diversity. They still stuck to their Neptunes chemistry set so to say. I was hoping to hear them on at least more than three sets of producers. Either way, the album produced hits like
"Showin' Out", "Door Man" and "Footsteps".


8. Kid Cudi "Man On The Moon"
Cudi had a better mixtape than album. I will say that off the bat. But this album was still pretty damn good. "Soundtrack to My Life" is a top ten song of the year. "Day N Nite" is a definite song you'll hear randomly five years from now. The reason this album ranked high is because it had one thing most of the ones below did not have a lot of. Emotion and serious songs filled with stories.


7. Joe Budden "Padded Room"
This was the long awaited sophomore effort from Joey. I met Joe a couple months back and he treated me like kinfolk. So the internet jerk hype he gets, I don't follow at least not on this night. But back to the album, it produced three songs I think stood out more than a lot of the singles on albums that came out this year. "In My Sleep" is one of my favorite songs this decade, let alone this year. "Exxxes" is an amazing story that I still don't fully understand & "I Couldn't Help It" might be one of the best acoustic songs ever. This album was decent on first listen but after sitting on it, it's a excellent album.


6. Tech N9ne "K.O.D."
Tech N9ne released two albums this year. He & Joe Budden are the only two artists to have released two full albums and both made the list. Crazy thing is Joe had two solos and a group album make the list. K.O.D. features one of Tech N9ne's best singles to date, "Leave Me Alone". But it also contains more heat as usual. Songs that stand out are, "Low", "Hunterish", "Demons" and a couple others. The title track also is one of my favorite songs and just flows so well with the rest of the album. So many rappers could learn from the so-called devil worshipper. At least he makes top ten list worthy albums.


5. Slaughterhouse "Slaughterhouse"
This group is the best group in the business right now. Why? Because eventhough none of them are very young, they all have the most potential out of all the groups out right now. This album was a minor disappointment but still had some really amazing songs. The single was the best rock-rap collab Wayne never stole the beat for. "Not Tonight" is in my top ten songs of the year. "Lyrical Murderers", "Sound Off" and "Cut You Loose" are perfect examples on why this group is a force to be wreckoned with. Crooked's verse on "Rain Drops" is also one of the best verses of the year eventhough I feel it could've ran a little longer.


4. Jay-Z "Blueprint 3"
Most magazines and websites will probably label this rap album of the year. Well, I don't agree. At least not when it first came out. I liked four or five songs when the album first dropped but the one thing about this album is it has many hits. Most albums don't have hits. "D.O.A." was a wake up call and while others like it much more than I do. "Run This Town" was a hit that cemented Jay's album as being something to look forward to. But "Empire State of Mind" is one of the biggest songs in the last few years and Jay really hasn't had any songs like that since "The Black Album". Three months after the fact, I like most of the album sans the horrible song with Jeezy. Hence why Jay ranks in the top 5.


3. Asher Roth "Asleep In The Bread Aisle"
This album probably made one list besides mine and it's a disappointment. Asher put out an album so much more put together than most artists and he crafted an album with a unique sound that meshed through the whole album. Maybe four or five artists did that this year and that's almost an honest statement. "I Love College" was an amazing one-hit wonder and I hope that statement doesn't hold true. "La Di Da" was such an awesome song that sounded nothing like a Don Cannon beat. "Be By Myself" just sounded perfect for Cee-Lo to sing on. "Sour Patch Kids" is just a ridiculously awesome song. But the two key songs on the album are "His Dream" and "Fallin". The stories, the music, the lyrics and the choruses on these songs are just so utterly perfect for an album in a post-music destruction era. Asher deserves every ounce of support he's ever gotten.


2. Drake "So Far Gone (Mixtape)"
I really wonder if Drake knew this mixtape was going to be pretty much #1 on almost every list. I don't need to talk about the songs. They speak for themselves. But Drake brought something that makes artists like myself feel real good about. Emotion and proof someone talented can actually make it these days. He didn't get big off "Best I Ever Had" cause it was a girl song. He got big cause it was so well put together. I do agree there was too much singing on this tape but I love hearing Drake sing. (No homo). He is the true future of this industry so I guess we just got to hope he doesn't run out of gas too fast. As he says, "You just gotta hope that it lasts".


1. Eminem "Relapse"
I will tell you straight up and down that I only started persuing rap as more than a hobby because of Eminem. The back-up inspiration was 2Pac or Lil' Wayne. But the fact that a white rapper could make it so far and be so good made me actually get serious about my writing. But I hated "Encore" and everything Eminem was becoming. I figured it was over to be honest. "Crack A Bottle" leaked and I still wanted to get over it and move on. He finally released the single early April and I was even more ready to cut my head off and never hear him again. "3AM" still didn't convince me. It was better but just wasn't what I needed. Well, when I finally heard the album, I was completely shocked. "My Mom" is a flashback to Marshall Mathers LP and I just lost it by some of the lyrics. "Insane" is a little much but the hook reminds of "The Eminem Show" and that's a definite improvement. "Hello" is a song that should stand the test of time in his catalog. "Same Song & Dance" is another one of my favorites. "Stay Wide Awake" might be the most lyrical mainstream song of the year. But the true gems lie in "Deja Vu" & "Beautiful". When he drops the accent, gets serious and spits the true story is when Em is at his best. I understand the talk of him not wanting to talk about it as his kids grow older but it's what made him a household name. Not the shock value, it's the fact that he was ridiculously good at using rap as a way to release his anger. The album was easily the best of the year.

THE TOP 30 OF 2009: 19-10

19. 50 Cent "Before I Self Destruct"


18. N-Dubz "Against All Odds"


17. Method Man & Redman "Blackout 2"


16. Joe Budden "The Escape Route"


15. Young Money "We Are Young Money"
Both this one and the one ranked above it came out this past week so in all honesty, they might've ranked higher or lower after four months of play. But this CD did fail to exceed what should've been a classic debut but when you saw the promotion and the fact it was going to be free with Rebirth then you shouldn't have expected much. I expected the latter and got a decent album with two stellar singles and good group songs like "She's Gone" and "New Shit".


14. Eminem "Relapse: Refill (EP)"
In all honesty, this doesn't deserve to be ranked due to it being an EP added onto an already released album. But it's Eminem and it was a couple of really good songs with a couple minutes of pure trash. I really enjoyed "Music Box" and "Buffalo Bill". "Forever" was pretty much the best song of '09 and "Hell Breaks Loose" should've been an easy replacement for "Old Time's Sake" on the original album.


13. Tech N9ne "Sickology 101"
Technition!!!!!!!! This album was a group effort under the name "Tech N9Ne" but who do you most likely remember from the album. Tech N9ne. "Ghetto Love" was one of my favorites after seeing Tech in concert. "Nothin" has one of the most bangin' beats this year. "Dysfunctional" was my ringtone for three months straight. "Areola", while meant as a joke, became another Tech anthem. Nobody's going forget "Red Nose" either as while the impact was minimal, the song was utterly amazing.


12. Hopsin "Gazing At The Moonlight"
Some of you will have no clue who this artist is. I remember early this summer I was listening to Music Choice on digital cable and "Pans In The Kitchen" came on and I thought the dude sounded like Bubba Sparxxx. That was a one day comparision. I found Hopsin on myfunkvolume.com and downloaded his mixtape, "Haywire" with an artist named SwiZzZ. Well, I found out he was signed to Ruthless Records of Eazy E fame. He put out an album late October to little to no promotion and not only was it decent, it was great for being recorded in his own basement. Find the songs "I'm Here", "Who Do You Think I Am?" and the title track on YouTube and get this album.



11. Wale "Attention Deficit"
If you would've told me Wale would have top 3 best produced albums of '09, I probably would've shrugged the accusation. "Mirrors" is probably a top ten song in Bun B's huge catalog. "90210" is the best song Kanye never wrote. "Contemplate", "Diary" & "Beautiful Bliss" are some of the best serious written rap songs of 2009. I'd check the album if you have the chance.


10. Lil' Wayne "No Ceilings (Mixtape)"
Only two mixtapes and an EP made this list. You already know why this one made it. This mixtape proved Wayne wasn't just making shitty rock songs. He still had the raw energy and devotion to give us a straight rap mixtape without annoying Auto-Tune. He murdered "Swag Surfin" & "Wasted" so I never have to waste my time hearing those songs to hear the beat and ignore the artists. "Watch My Shoes", "Ice Cream" & "D.O.A." are good examples of why Wayne is top 3 even though he goes almost two years without following up his biggest album.

TOP 30 RAP ALBUMS OF 2009 (30-21)

30. Gucci Mane "The State vs. Radric Davis"


29. The Grouch & Eligh - Say G&E


28. Felt 3

27. Jim Jones "Pray IV Reign"

26. Twista "Category F5"

25. Wiz Khalifa "Deal Or No Deal"

24. New Boyz "Skinny Jeans & A Mic"


23. Royce Da 5'9 "Street Hop"


22. Fabolous "Loso's Way"


21. Maino "If Tomorrow Comes..."


20. Timbaland "Shock Value 2"

CD REVIEW: Obie Trice - Special Reserve

Obie Trice
"Special Reserve"
Available Now

UPDATE: I was misinformed that this album was all new material. This was all recorded pre-Shady and is just now being fully released so no wonder I said some song titles seemed familiar. I edited those out of the review and upped my rating for the fact it's that old and timed so well.

The album begins with "Welcome" which is an angry fueled update on how he feels about his craft. The one flaw Obie has is being off-beat sometimes and this song kind of covered that and made it less obvious so maybe there's the first sign of his skills improving. "Got Hungry" sounds like what would happen if Eminem and Premier produced a beat together for Obie. Standing out on this album is the fact that there are multiple songs with cuts from a DJ. Helps the album feel underground. This song was a perfect re-introduction to Obie. I love the line, "While I roll to prison with the engine light blinking".

"You've Been Slain" also has an Eminem feel to the beat but then again, that's what we're used to from Obie. "On & On" is the first song to come off to not sound anything like Eminem. Obie's off-beat flow accents the beat this time around though. A part of me feels like these beats wee made for someone with a little better flow than Obie.

"I Am" begins with a fury like it's introducing a king. Obie starts his flow with "I been wrecking shots since I can hardly remember" and "I got the anecdote to fucking heat winter". This song is easily the best song so far. "4 Stories" sounds a little too mixtape-ish off the bat but the lyrics are a little above average for a mixtape cut.

"Roughnecks" is another one of my favorites. I just really dig the foundation of the instrumental. Not to mention, Obie completely wrecks it. In my opinion, this should've been track two. But "Got Hungry" fits there as well.

"Coolcats" also sounds like an Eminem production but the song just kind of falls flat. "What You Want" also sounds like filler. The story with "What You Want" does stand out but it just doesn't come across great.

"Jack My D**k" is probably awkward-est title of 2009. The second half of the album so far is flat. "Dope, Jobs, Homeless" is a lot better than the last three. "Dope, jobs, homeless, I done it all" is introspective for Obie but the verses fall short of the chorus. But I enjoyed the track.

Overall, the album has about six or seven great songs and then the rest are filler. I think the album probably should've been a 7 song EP but everyone needed something new from Obie to hold us over until "Bottom's Up". But what more stands out from this material is Moss' incredible production. Most "hip-hop" emcees should get in line for a beat from him if they can't get a hold of Premier.

LYRICS: 3.25/5
BEATS: 4.50/5
OVERALL: 3.8/5
STANDOUTS: "I Am", "Roughnecks" & "Got Hungry"

The Top 10 Rap Albums of the Decade

WARNING: This is personal opinion as most of you would probably vary on numbers but I'm the one writing the article so don't take this as being a consensus.

I originally planned on doing it on the top 20 but I'm gonna do a write-up on the top 10 and the 11-20 just listed.

20. Eminem - Relapse
19. Clipse - Lord Willin'
18. T.I. - Trap Muzik
17. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 2
16. Kanye West - The College Dropout
15. The Game - The Documentary
14. Ludacris - Back For The First Time
13. Outkast - Stankonia
12. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter 3
11. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter 2

10. The Game - Doctor's Advocate (2006)
Most people wouldn't put Doctor's Advocate above The Documentary. Me, on the other hand, will. Why? Because Game's first album was filled with amazing beats, great hooks and rookie verses. Game didn't have a voice until he was forced to find one for his second album without 50 and Dre to fall back on. Songs like "One Night" and "Wouldn't Get Far" are perfect examples of Game having control. I mean this is probably the last truly West Coast classic of the decade and this was over three years ago.

9. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter (2004)
This changed everything. Personally, this is what started my own rap career. As I was just toying with the idea of actually focusing on rap, this album came out. I probably didn't obsess with it until four or five months after it was out. This was Lil' Wayne at his best, album-wise. "BM JR." might be the greatest Lil' Wayne song ever. This was also the last time Weezy and Mannie Fresh would collab and while today, it's not a big deal. Back then, it was like Em with Dre. I mean, both, "Go DJ" & "Bring It Back" are completely nuts in lyrical content. Wayne now is the biggest rapper on the planet and is trying to make a rock album that will start off his jail sentence perfectly. We will want him to go away for a while.

8. Jay-Z - The Black Album (2003)
I've never been a big Hova fan. Honestly, this was the first album I bought. Eventhough Jay's collabs with the Neptunes are pretty much horrible besides "I Just Wanna Love U". I figured I'd try it since it was getting hyped. But Jay had an amazing CD as "99 Problems" will be a big song for the next 10 years still. "Encore" & "What More Can I Say" are also pretty much songs you'd recommend to any new Jay-Z song. While he came back and hasn't had a CD nearly as good, everyone was sad to see Hova go.

7. Kanye West - Graduation (2007)
I was also never big on Kanye until this album. But "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was amazing and when "Stronger" finally came out, I knew I was going to buy this album first week. Both those songs are still played on commercials two years later along with "Flashing Lights". This album might've been a little short but I think it cemented Kanye's career. Eventhough everyone was afraid for "808's & Heartbreak", he still is a driving force in rap.

6. 50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Trying (2003)
Many people wouldn't expect this above the last two albums but honestly, 50 used to be amazing. His first album will go down as the greatest debut this decade. "In Da Club" might be the biggest first single since "Gin N Juice" also. Of course, Dre helmed both projects. I remember I was still a kid when this album dropped and it was shortly before I discovered illegal downloading. So this was one of the last albums I bought and heard for the first time after tearing off the packaging.

5. T.I. - Paper Trail (2008)
Wow. This album came outta nowhere. I loved "No Matter What" all year. Then I heard "What's Up, What's Happening" and lost it. It was my anthem. Follow that with "Whatever You Like". Well, yeah. Good song but I lost the anticipation. Well, this album is the true classic this year. It's just some of the best music ever. I still get goosebumps every time I listen to "Ready For Whatever". Tip did what Game tried to. Came out of a situation and proved after the rain, there's always sunshine. He made an album that was better than "Trap Muzik" because of the struggle and controversy behind it.

4. Kanye West - Late Registration (2005)
I slept on this CD for probably a year to a year and a half after it came out. I wasn't a big fan of the singles until I had the whole project. "Hey Mama" is probably in the top 5 songs of the decade. "Golddigger" is one of the best singles this decade. "Roses", "Addiction" & "Diamonds" were such strong addictive tracks off the album. One of my favorite verses from Kanye ever was off of "Bring Me Down" as he performed some of it on Rap City and I knew it off of that. Alot of people feel College Dropout was better. I disagree.

3. Jay-Z - The Blueprint (2001)
Like I said earlier, I slept on Jay. But probably 2004 or 2005 was the first time I really listened to this album. This was the introduction of Kanye to the masses and also had some really big songs. "Renegade" is probably the biggest collaboration in the first part of the decade. "Heart Of The City" is still to this day, one of Jay's best songs. "Never Change" & "Blueprint (Momma Loves Me" are two of my favorite songs off this album. And who can forget the proper titled "Takeover".

2. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) &
1. Eminem - The Eminem Show (2002)
Well, of course Eminem is in the top three. I don't really got much to say about this album that everybody doesn't know. Eminem had rap in his palms through the first couple years of the decade. The reason The Eminem Show scored higher than Marshall Mathers LP is mainly because The Eminem Show changed my life. It helped me through more than anything/anybody else ever has. It is my favorite album ever so not only this decade but every album I ever heard. Hopefully, 2010-2019 has a close list but sometimes you wonder. Will hip-hop even have a top 20 that can top the albums below the top 20 this decade. Well it guess it's time to find out....

TWO NEW MIXTAPES & AN EP

Ryan Nixon - TYPV3: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts (RAR DOWNLOAD)


Tre D Crazi - I Run Dunder Mifflin (RAR DOWNLOAD)


Nixon Meets Tre EP - 5 BONUS CUTS (RAR DOWNLOAD)