Song of the Day - Merry Christmas!

RUN-DMC - "Christmas In Hollis"
This is an easy choice. Christmas can't begin for me without "Christmas In Hollis." The horns, the scratches, the old school rhymes, the nostalgia, it just makes me smile. There are many Christmas traditions out there and "Christmas In Hollis" is one of mine. Merry Christmas to you all. Thanks for supporting The Block. Enjoy the Holidays!

Song of the Day

Your Old Droog - "Droog's Anthem"
When this EP first dropped everyone thought it was Nas recording under a different alias. Really reminds me of the Action Bronson & Ghostface comparisons. Yes, there is a semblance of Nas in his voice and his flow, but Droog is his own entity. This is backpack, headnod hip-hop at its finest. Again, not groundbreaking, but really, really dope.

Song of the Day

Ces Cru - "Phineas Gage"
Really enjoyed Ces Cru's Codename: Ego Stripper. It was consistent from front to back. Had several songs to chose from but "Phineas Gage" started banging on my home from work so I had to share it. It's pretty straight forward hip-hop from the Kansas City crew, and that's not a bad thing. Not sure where they'll end up on my Best of '14 list, but I have a feeling the album will crack the Top 10. Then again I got a ton of new music to get through so we'll see how it all unfolds.

Song of the Day

clipping. - "Story 2"
Just read about clipping. and found this video. This shit is amazing. I can't really describe it. The story builds and builds and the lyrics fit the production perfectly. I'm listening to it again, just taking in the whole thing. Really unique and refreshing. I'm gonna check for the album after hearing this. Love when hip-hop surprises me.

Song of the Day

Punch feat. Kendrick Lamar - "25"
Having a feature from Kendrick got my attention first, then the song started with a soundbite from 2Pac so I was all in. Punch is really nice. I wasn't familiar with him before hearing this, but I really like this track. The beat is mellow, but provides a great soundscape for Punch to tell his story. Kendrick only provides the hook, but that's all that was needed as Punch holds his own with the verses. I'm really feeling this song.

Song of the Day

Raekwon feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah & GZA - "Guillotine (Swords)"
Told you it was Wu week. Have been playing a Wu playlist all week and it's brought so many classics back to me. Of course Only Built 4 Cuban Linx was a classic album and you can pick so many tracks from that album. Hell, just listen to the whole thing it's that damn good. I love "Guillotine" because it recycled the opening of Method Man's "Tical" and Deck goes right in. Deck is the best choice for opening Wu tracks as he brings great energy and incredible lyrics. Then you end with GZA doing what he does best. This is classic Wu. Nothing more needs to be said.

Song of the Day

Wu-Tang Clan - "Bells Of War"
Nothing says Christmas Shopping like a Wu-Tang playlist. Decided to go back to some classic Wu in honor of the release of A Better Tomorrow (available now). As I said yesterday, the newest album from the Wu did little to impress me, but it did inspire me to go back and listen to the music that made Wu-Tang the greatest group in hip-hop history so there's a positive there. I remember the anticipation for Wu-Tang Forever like it was yesterday. I'm not sure I've ever been more excited for an album to come out. And although I still think they could have condensed it to one-disc and made an absolute classic, the double disc LP is still fantastic. Love the cohesion on the whole album and "Bells of War" is a great showing of the greatest collective of MCs ever assembled.

Song of the Day

Wu-Tang Clan - "Ruckus In B Minor"
Tomorrow marks the release of the latest Wu-Tang album, A Better Tomorrow. I was able to preview the album last week and have to say I was truly underwhelmed. The album was clearly not a cohesive project as the MCs recorded their verses all over the world and seems mailed in at times. I have to give it another listen for the respect of the Wu, but this may be the worst album they've ever released. Hope it grows on me, but I have a feeling Ghostface's 36 Seasons that drops next Tuesday will be far superior. Of the bright spots on this album were "Necklace" and "Ruckus In B Minor." Give it a listen, they've earned it but don't go in with real high expectations. Unfortunately yesterday was better than tomorrow for Wu fans.

Song of the Day

The Notorious B.I.G. - "Who Shot Ya?"
If you live in the Philadelphia area and haven't checked out Boom 107.9 yet, then do yourself and get on that immediately. Forgot my iPod today so I was forced to listen to the radio, something I despise. Boom 107.9 saved me as "Who Shot Ya?" came thundering through my speakers. This is one of the meanest and dopest Biggie songs of all time. And of course it played a part in the Biggie/2Pac feud. It's hard to find great hip-hop in any commercial sense anymore, but when you do, there's nothing like it.

The Original Lose Yourself

Eminem - "Lose Yourself (Original Demo Version)"
Eminem will release the demo version of "Lose Yourself" on the Shady XV compilation and the song has leaked. The beat is a lot more bare than the final version and the hook is slightly different. The lyrics are completely different and while still good, Eminem made the right choice picking the version that went on to win an Oscar. Definitely worth a listen. Found it interesting that Eminem himself said he forgot all about this first version. Wonder how it would've been received if this was the song he chose for the 8 Mile soundtrack?

Song of the Day

PRhyme - "Courtesy"
I don't know how I feel about DJ Premier being in a group not called Gang Starr, but his production has given Royce Da 5'9 his best solo songs so I'm open to this collaboration. This song ain't classic like "Boom" or "Hip-Hop" from these two, but it's still really dope. Premo brings his signature sound on the beat and Royce delivers in prime (sorry, had to) form. This album is looking promising.

Why Jimmy Fallon & Harry Potter Are Good For Hip-Hop

The title of this post is not something I ever thought I'd say. But when Daniel Radcliffe went on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Fallon brought up Radcliffe's love for hip-hop music and in particular lyrically challenging songs and then had Radcliffe perform. Now I thought Radcliffe would pick something more commercially accessible such as Twista's verse from "Slow Jams" or Busta's verse on "Look At Me Now" or even part of Eminem's verse on "Rap God," but Radcliffe's choice surprised me.

Given the mic to perform in front of the live audience, and of course the millions watching at home, Radcliffe chose Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics" and delivered with precision. It was a true nod to what great lyricism and MCing is (Radcliffe held his own, but I'm speaking here of Blackalicious' Gift of Gab) and it was refreshing to see him pick a song that came out 14 years ago that the masses know nothing about.

I did a presentation on Blackalicous in my Music Appreciation class for college some 12 years ago. After talking about the group, I wrapped up the presentation by playing "Alphabet Aerobics" to a room of people who were presenting Mozart and Janis Joplin and the likes. But as a hip-hop nerd, it was too important to me not to present hip-hop as a true artform. It's so much more than rhyming words over a beat, it's a craft and there's no better example than Gift of Gab on "Aerobics." When the song ended people asked, what was that called again? It may've been a room of 20 people, but I was happy to share.

Back to Radcliffe. In a time when the biggest names being played on the radio all day, every day are Iggy Azalea and Bobby Shmurda (seriously, what's wrong with people!) Harry Potter himself opted to educate and give shine to a hip-hop classic and a group that is more than deserving of recognition. And that made me smile.

As for Fallon, he has six (don't quote me on that) installments of his "History of Rap" series alongside Justin Timberlake. And while I love the ode to the classics past and present (and that they're backed by the legendary Roots Crew), I'm hoping Radcliffe inspired Fallon to reach out to the legends of the genre to perform the next chapter. Maybe Big Daddy Kane or Rakim, or hell Nas was a guest recently, let him do it. Let Fallon and Timberlake be spectators, while the legends that grew this artform give a history lesson. I'm not saying Fallon and Timberlake aren't entertaining during these segments and any positive nod to hip-hop is good in my book, but let's give some shine to those that have molded hip-hop into one of the greatest forms of music there is today.

Or maybe have Blackalicious on as the musical guest. Now there's an idea.

Song of the Day/New Release Tuesday

M.O.P feat. Busta Rhymes – "Broad Daylight"
M.O.P. dropped Street Certified today, a 9-song EP featuring the likes of Maino, Busta Rhymes and Mobb Deep. If you're familiar with M.O.P.'s music then there will be no surprises here. It's straight up mean street shit. M.O.P. doesn't dumb it down or try to go commercial at all through the 9 tracks. Just downloaded it for $7.99 from Amazon. I encourage you to do the same. Salute!

Song of the Day

Ghostface Killah feat. Kool G. Rap, AZ & Tre Williams - "Battlefield"
New Ghost 36 Seasons drops Dec. 9. Another concept album from Ghostface following last year's excellent 12 Reasons To Die. Ghost brings Kool G. Rap & AZ along with him on this one. The production is handled by The Revelations and it sounds similar to Chamber Music. With Ghost's consistency I have no doubt this will be another feather in the cap of what has been a legendary career. And the album cover is just fantastic. Looking forward to Dec. 9.

Song of the Day

Eminem feat. Royce 5'9", Big Sean, Danny Brown, Dej Loaf & Trick Trick - "Detroit vs. Everybody"
This song blew up my Twitter feed so I had to check it out. Statik Selektah on the beat and it's nice. It's not as amazing as everyone was saying, but definitely worth checking out if for no better reason than it's got Danny Brown spitting a verse before Eminem which to hip-hop heads is a breath of fresh air. Eminem's verse needs multiple listens as he's dropping so many punchlines that it's hard to keep up. Not his best, but it was better the second time I heard it. Have to say Big Sean may've had the best verse on the track and I didn't see that coming.

Song of the Day

Run The Jewels - "Jeopardy"
So Run The Jewels 2 happened and of course that's enough to get me excited. More hard beats and mean lyrics. It wasn't as good as the first, but that's not really fair. But when it comes to bringing that hard R2J sound "Jeopardy" displays it perfectly. Killer Mike's verse is so mean and the way the beat comes in midway through is so dope. This is just flawless hip-hop. You won't hear anything like this on the radio.

Song of the Day

Jay-Z feat. The Roots - "Song Cry" (Unplugged)
I think we'll all say, "I remember where I was," when the Twin Towers crashed down during the 9/11 attacks. And I know I will never forget it. The day was just absolutely surreal. There were so many questions that would forever remain unanswered and so many different emotions that ran through me - fear, anger, sadness, doubt, etc. Jay-Z released the classic Blueprint on that day. And it was the only thing that could help distract me. Well, nothing would ever really take my mind off what had just occurred, but it was as close to an escape from reality as I could find. Music has always elicited different emotions in me. It's my lifeblood. And as I took a long commute to work today, I played The Blueprint. Not to relive 9/11, but to remember. To remember the feelings that I experienced that day and also to remember how blessed I am. Blessed to have amazing people around me. Blessed to have the opportunity to look back on that day 13 years ago in good health, with good friends and a great family surrounding me. We should all take a moment to be thankful for those things today. I know I did. And so I leave you with a song from The Blueprint. An album that will always have a significant impact on me because of the events of the day and for the momentary escape it provided. Always remember. God Bless.

Song of the Day

Statik Selektah ft. Action Bronson, Royce Da 5'9" & Black Thought - "The Imperial"
Statik's latest What Goes Around is really solid from start to finish. Statik incorporates a lot of jazz in the album to give it that vintage, glory days hip-hop sound. Obviously I was going to like this song with these 3 MCs all sharing the mic. And Action and Royce are both nice. But holy shit does Thought absolutely own this. This is the second year in a row where Black Thought has featured on a Statik Selektah project and brought the house down. I can listen to this verse over and over again. My favorite verse of the year so far, which would be Thought's second year in a row of delivering Verse of the Year for me. Damn, it's nice.

Song of the Day

Apollo Brown & Ras Kass feat. Pharoahe Monch & Rakaa Iriscience - "H20"
Could we have Trophies No. 2 on our hands? Apollo has done it again with his usual sound assisting one of the most underrated MCs of all time. This beat is absolutely stuck in my hand. Ras has always been one of the best lyricists in the game, but his production has failed him. This project with Apollo will hopefully change things. Pharoahe's verse is just lyrical brilliance. I hear mindless lyrics all day if I dare to turn on the radio and it gets me mad, but then I find a gem like this and hear real lyricism and it restores my faith in hip-hop. Just too nice.

Song of the Day

Chino XL - "Fathers Day"
Obviously this is appropriate for the day. Chino has always been an excellent lyricist, but he's mostly good for punchlines. He hasn't always had the best song structure. Well, throw that idea out the window on this one. Just an amazing account of his daughter's bout with cancer and his role as the helpless father. Happy Father's Day!

Song of the Day

Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth ~ "They Reminisce Over You"
Recently started a dialogue over the greatest song ever recorded. It was just a joke, but got me to thinking. This song is not the greatest song ever recorded, but it's hip-hop perfection. I could honestly listen to this song every day and never get tired of it. The horns, the lyrics, it's just hip-hop in its purest form.

Song of the Day

Eminem - "Legacy"
Love this song off MMLP2. Em just rips the final verse. Not really much else to say. It's vintage Em.

Song of the Day

The Roots feat. Patty Cash - "Never"
I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't gotten ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin yet, but every review I read says that Black Thought is barely on the record and that just doesn't sound like a Roots album to me. I'll end up getting it regardless because The Roots have never disappointed me, but Black Thought and ?uestlove ARE The Roots, so less Tariq is not a good thing. Anyway, this song is really dope. Patty Crash's vocals to open and close the song work really well. She is the star of the show on this one, with a Black Thought verse interspersed. I do like how the track changes its feel when Thought starts rhyming. Really, it's vintage Roots. What am I waiting for? Time to go get ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin.

Song of the Day

Atmosphere - "Flicker"
Just starting to dig into Southsiders and from what I've heard I've really liked. Not a surprise as Atmosphere has been one of the most consistent hip-hop groups of the past decade plus. Slug can tell a story as well as any and on "Flicker" he describes his relationship with Eyedea as well as his reaction to the MC's sudden death. Ant provides the perfect backdrop for Slug to spit over and the lyrics are completely heartfelt. It's uplifting and sad at the same time. Sounds like a perfect Atmosphere song.

Song of the Day

The Notorious B.I.G. - "Unbelievable"
A day late, but here's to Biggie Smalls' memory. So many great songs in such a small catalog. Is he the greatest rapper of all-time? Unfortunately time wouldn't let us find out. But he's definitely on the Mount Rushmore. And this song is a clear example of his talent. Doesn't hurt to have a DJ Premier banger as well.

The Best Hip-Hop Songs & Albums: 2013

2013 was a beast of a year for hip-hop. So much great music to get through and I can honestly say I probably didn’t get to all of it. Making this list took longer than expected because I could’ve done a Top 40 songs and Top 20 albums with little trouble. But I wanted to stay true to the lists from previous years so I listened, and listened and relistened to songs and albums and slimmed it down to my favorite 20 songs and 10 albums. So midway through February I’ve decided to make the list final and put it to bed. Let’s get down to business….

Best Songs

20. “Father Time” – Goodie Mob

Goodie Mob is back together! That alone is enough to excite hip-hop heads. Their latest effort, Age Against The Machine, was good, not great. But this was certainly the highlight of the album as Big Gipp, Khujo, T-Mo and Cee-Lo all take time reminding the young cats in the game that they were among the pioneers of Southern hip-hop. And the sample is just perfect (I just can’t figure out where it’s from and it’s driving me nuts!)

19. “What’s Love” – Torae feat. Pharoahe Monch

There’s a lot to like about this song. For one, it uses the same sample as Beanie Sigel’s “Nothing Like It” which is dope as hell. Secondly, Torae is hungry as hell on this track. He describes the ups and downs of being a hip-hop artist and weighing the balance between doing it for the art and the love and needing to pay his bills. Thirdly, Pharoahe just absolutely slays this track. Nothing can really surprise me in regards to Pharoahe at this point in his career, but he delivered another amazing verse on this song.

18. “Your Honor” – Fat Joe feat. Action Bronson

DJ Premier laced Fat Joe with a banger here and Action jumps on the track to give it that extra little push. Joe’s Darkside III mixtape was short, but solid. The production was tight throughout and it was great to see him reach out to one of hip-hop’s best new(er) acts.

17. “Dark Knights” – Rapsody feat. Wale

9^th Wonder promoted the shit outta Rapsoday all year long. If you follow 9^th on Twitter, you couldn’t go a day without multiple mentions to the female MC. After listening to her mixtape, She Got Game, I understood the hype. I considered going with the Phonte & Jay Electronica assisted “Jedi Mind Code” here, but the beat on “Dark Knights” is just too nice to ignore.

16. “Savagely Attack” – Czarface feat. Ghostface Killah

I’ll discuss the Czarface album in more detail later, but damn that shit was nice! That album had so many Best Song candidates that it was hard to narrow it down. But ultimately it came down to “It’s Raw” featuring Action Bronson and “Savagely Attack” with Inspectah Deck’s Wu brethren, Ghostface. Ghost’s verse is nasty enough to give this song the nod, but it’s Esoteric’s closing line, “Grew up on the tape same color as Galactus” that pushed it over the edge.

15. “Rotation” – Wale feat. 2 Chainz & Wiz Khalifa

I’ve been a big fan of Wale for a while now and he put fourth his best album in 2013. The Just Blaze banger “88” was worthy of making this list, but the beat and simplicity of “Rotation” was too much to ignore. And Wale’s verse to close the song is a perfect example of his intricate wordplay and what makes him such a talented lyricist.

14. “Nosetalgia” – Pusha T feat. Kendrick Lamar

This track is just mean as hell. The beat is minimalistic, but effective while King Push and K. Dot pull no punches delivering an unapologetic ode to drug dealing. Kendrick’s verse opens with, “You wanna see a dead body?” an ode to Boyz N The Hood which is only fitting for the old school feel this song gives off.

13. “R.I.P.” – Prodigy feat. Havoc & Raekwon

I definitely gravitated towards darker, meaner, harder hip-hop in 2013 and “R.I.P” fits that style to perfection. Prodigy sounded rejuvenated on Albert Einstein, while Havoc and Rae join to give you a track that sounds like an ode to 1995’s classic The Infamous. Gotta mention Alchemist’s production as well as it’s hard as hell.

12. “Let Nas Down” – J. Cole

Hats off to No I.D. for producing another gem. The beat on this track reminds me of Jay-Z’s excellent “D.O.A.” And while the production is top notch, it’s Cole’s narrative that makes this song what it is. Describing the pressure to output a hit single, all the while maintaining his credibility among hip-hop heads, Cole ultimately disappoints his idol and asks for forgiveness. Interestingly, Cole had a huge hit with “Powertrip” off the same album, showing that he finally did learn the formula for a single.

11. “1 Train” – A$AP Rocky feat. Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T.

I found A$AP’s debut album to be largely uneven. It had some moments for sure, but it didn’t always hold my interest. One song that certainly stood out was this posse track featuring some of the hottest MCs in the game over the past few years. And while all deliver with their guest verses, it’s K.R.I.T. who closes the track with the strongest performance.

10. “Control” – Big Sean feat. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica

Here we go, the song that created the most buzz among any other in hip-hop in 2013. Deciding where to put “Control” on this list was a bit of a challenge. On one hand, you had the Kendrick verse which just about broke Twitter and had the whole hip-hop world talking. On the other hand, you had a 3-minute verse from Sean that most fast forwarded to get to Kendrick. Then there’s a wasted appearance from Electronica, not because he didn’t bring it, but because K. Dot made everything else on this track irrelevant.

9. “Juice” – Chance The Rapper

Chance grabbed everyone’s attention with his mixtape, Acid Rap. And before we go any further please remember that mixtapes don’t qualify for the Best Albums list, otherwise Acid Rap would’ve found its way into the Top 10 with ease. As for “Juice,” it’s my personal favorite on the tape and a good barometer for whether you’ll like Chance or not. His style/voice is certainly unique so “Juice” is a great place to start if you need to get familiar with his work. Oh, and “everybody fuckin’ hates the Lakers” – who can’t get behind that?!

8. “Love Game” – Eminem feat. Kendrick Lamar

Em’s most talked about song was “Rap God” which was very good, but at 6-plus minutes there’s some filler on that track and the beat is just not that great. As for “Love Game” it’s classic Slim Shady over Rick Rubin production. It’s lyrically on point and a fun listen. Then there’s Kendrick’s appearance (seriously, K. Dot was everywhere in 2013) where he puts his spin on Em’s style and rips it.

7. “Started From The Bottom” – Drake

Quite simply Nothing Was The Same did little to impress me. It’s Drake, so you know there’s going to be some smash records on it and there’s probably a fair share of critics who don’t give Drizzy enough credit for his lyrical ability. But overall, the album didn’t do anything to further develop Drake as an artist to me. But damn did “Started From The Bottom” knock. Drake delivered another anthem with this one.

6. “Bird’s Eye View” – Statik Selektah feat. Raekwon, Joey Bada$$ & Black Thought

After “Control” dropped, everyone handed Kendrick verse of the year. Everyone except me. I still contend that the best verse of 2013 came from Black Thought on “Bird’s Eye View.” Statik’s production was on point for all of Extended Play, and this song was no exception. But it’s Thought that made this the best song on the album and one of the best songs of the year.

5. “Bound 2” – Kanye West

I’ve been all over the place in my opinion of Yeezus and I’ll discuss it more later, but one thing that never wavered for me was my love for “Bound 2.” After a very loud and experimental 9 tracks, “Bound 2” kicks in and brings you as close to classic Kanye as you’ll find on this project. The song is full of Kanye quotables and the great Charlie Wilson on the hook makes it a Top 5 song.

4. “Holy Grail” – Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake

I probably listened to this song more than any other in 2013. So much so that it probably had a positive and negative effect on its place on this list. On one hand, I remember the impact it had when it was still new to me. On the other hand, I overplayed the shit outta this song. The song shows that Hov still knows how to make a commercial smash without compromising lyrically or conceptually.

3. “A Christmas Fucking Miracle” – Run The Jewels

If you picked “Sea Legs” as your favorite RTJ song, then I’d agree with you. If you picked “Banana Clippers,” I’d still agree with you. If you picked “D.D.F.H.”, I’d be fine with that too. In fact you can pick any song off the album as there’s no weak spot. But for me, “A Christmas Fucking Miracle” is the cream of the crop. The production is as good as any other track on the album and Killer Mike’s opening bars on the second verse sum up the album perfectly – mean, in your face and unapologetic. And that’s how I liked my hip-hop in 2013.

2. “Dead In The Middle” – Demigodz

Much like D-12’s “Fight Music” and M.O.P.’s “Cold As Ice”, the Demigodz “Dead In The Middle” is a song I’ll listen to forever and reach to crank the volume up on every time. The beat is sinister, the Big Pun sampled hook works to perfection and Ryu, Celph-Titled and Apathy all rip the track apart on the mic. Celph was the star of the Demigodz’ KILLmatic, and “Dead In The Middle” exemplifies why as Celph spits: “Leave your corpse crispy down in Corpus Christi/My instruments hollow out pianos and leave every organ empty/I got greezy with a groupie and I smacked her britches/The bitch worship my nuts, I guess she’s sacreligious”

1. “Strictly 4 My Jeeps (Remix)” – Action Bronson feat. LL Cool J & Lloyd Banks

Action Bronson had a huge year in 2013. He released the Harry Fraud assisted Saab Stories EP, as well as the Party Supplies produced mixtape Blue Chips 2. Bam Bam also appeared on projects from Statik Selektah, Fat Joe, Czarface, Flatbush Zombies, A$AP Rocky, Prodigy, Mac Miller, Willie The Kid, Chance The Rapper and Tony Touch among others. Dude was busy. Bronson dropped “Strictly 4 My Jeeps” which served as the first single off Saab Stories and would’ve made a claim for Song of the Year on its own. But the remix featured the best LL verse I’ve heard in over a decade and an equally hungry Bronson and Banks which was enough to gain it the No. 1 spot.

Best Albums

10. Magna Carta Holy Grail – Jay-Z

This is a tough album to critique. On one hand, Jay did something completely innovative with the release of this album, including a commercial spot for the album during the NBA Finals, and cultivating in an exclusive download on July 4^th. The album became an event, which took away from the music a bit. As for the music, it’s good, but not Jay’s finest work which knocks it down a few pegs. There are plenty of highlights in the beginning half of the album, it just loses steam over the second portion of the album. I had this and Danny Brown’s Old in this spot and ultimately gave the nod to Hov because the second half of Old is almost unlistenable to me.

9. Colour de Grey – Uptown XO

Talk about a pleasant surprise, I stumbled across Uptown XO based on a recommendation off another site and couldn’t be happier. This album was one of those gems that was discovered by accident really. XO touches on a bevy of topics and brings it lyrically from start to finish. The production is handled by AB the Pro and has a real soulful sound which meshes well with XO’s content and delivery. There are plenty of standouts here, but the best are “Everyday,” “Finding My Way,” “Soul Value” and “XO Skeleton.”

8. Albert Einstein – Prodigy & Alchemist

There are no frills when it comes to this album. It’s raw as hell. Alchemist has been on fire lately (not that he ever really fell off) and he blesses Prodigy with some of the meanest beats you’ll find in this day and age of hip-hop. In return, P brings a performance we haven’t heard from him in years. He sounds refreshed on this project. No, it’s not “Keep It Thoro” classic, but top to bottom it’s really dope.

7. Marshall Mathers LP 2 – Eminem

It’s never a good idea to create a “sequel” to a classic album. Just by reusing the album title, the artist is setting themselves up for failure. Em made that same mistake in 2013. Not that MMLP2 was bad, but it wasn’t anywhere the first and a sequel really wasn’t necessary at all. However, after getting past the title you realize that Em has another solid work on his hands. There are a few missteps, but the highlights (“Legacy,” “Rap God,” “Love Game,” “Evil Twin”) are good enough to get Em back on the Top 10 list. Really wish he would’ve put “Don’t Front” featuring Buckshot on the album though.

6. My Name Is My Name – Pusha T

A full album from Pusha T didn’t really excite me, but I have to say he exceeded my expectations with his debut album. Not surprisingly the production is on point throughout with Kanye and Pharrell’s influences firmly in place. But it was a matter of Push’s subject matter keeping my interest and he succeeded. Lots of dope tracks on here, including the album opener “King Push” and the oft-kilter production of “Numbers On The Boards.”Other highlights include “Hold On” featuring Rick Ross, “Pain” featuring Future, “S.N.I.T.C.H.” featuring Pharrell and the already mentioned “Nosetalgia” featuring Kendrick Lamar.

5. Twelve Reasons To Die – Ghostface Killah

Now 20 years into the game, there’s really nothing left for Ghostface to accomplish. He’s a part of the greatest hip-hop group of all time, he helped create the greatest hip-hop album ever (and my favorite album of all time, regardless of genre) and he’s been the absolute most consistent member of the Wu over the past two decades plus. But that wasn’t enough for Tony Starks, as he joined forces with producer Adrian Younge to create a concept album about the rise and fall of Tony Starks and the eventual resurrection as the Ghostface Killah. It’s risky territory, but it absolutely works. Younge’s production/composition reminds of vintage Wu-Tang and Ghost never lets down on the mic. This was my No. 2 album at one point, but dropped a few spots as it hasn’t quite held up for me over repeated listens. Regardless, it deserves its due as a truly creative and risky album that is executed very well.

4. KILLmatic – Demigodz

A Demigodz album is never going to be a mystery. It’s going to be an album full of punchlines, clever wordplay, vintage ‘90’s samples and one MC after another trying to out rhyme who ever spit before them. KILLmatic is no different. It’s much like Apathy’s Eastern Philosophy and Celph-Titled’s Nineteen-Ninety Now with newer production and even sharper lyrics. The album starts with banger after banger and never really loses steam. Highlights include “Worst Nightmare,” “Dead In The Middle,” “Raiders Cap” and “The Summer of Sam.” If you like punchlines, creative wordplay, vintage ‘90’s hip-hop samples, banging production and even a Tecmo Bowl sample, then this is the album for you.

3. Yeezus – Kanye West

Reviews and opinions for Yeezus seemed to become more and more favorable as time went on and I can say I’m the same way. After first listen, I was wondering what the hell Kanye just did? It was loud, it was scattered, it was a big disappointment. Then the more and more I listened to it, I realized how good the album was. It still doesn’t crack Kanye’s top 3, but it is one of the best albums of 2013 for sure. I’ve seen a ton of reviewers name it Album of the Year, which is wrong, wrong, wrong! I’ve also seen people call it trash and absolutely hate it, which is also wrong. It’s loud. It’s different. It’s abrasive. It takes time to set in. But it’s also really good.

2. Czarface – Czarface

Reason No. 1 that Yeezus isn’t the best album of 2013 comes in the form of the Inspectah Deck collaboration with 7L & Esoteric, Czarface. Everything that made Ghostface’s Twelve Reasons To Die and Demigodz KILLmatic great is taken to another level on this album. This is vintage hip-hop. This is that ’93-’96 golden era hip-hop sound. It’s a lyrical tour de force as Deck and Esoteric both bring their ‘A’ game. Then there’s 7L’s production that is every bit as good as Deck and Eso’s performance on the mic. Most people have no idea who Czarface is or that this album even exists. And that’s really, really sad.

1. Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels

Read an end of the year list that said Yeezus was the Album of the Year and it wasn’t even close. And part of that was true. Yeezus wasn’t even close to being Album of the Year because Run The Jewels exists. Period. No album could claim Album of the Year in 2013 because Run The Jewels exists. It’s the best hip-hop album of 2013 bar none. The production is better than any other. The lyrics are better than any other. And it’s one of the rawest, meanest, most in your face albums in a long, long time. And it’s perfect. Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music was one of the best of 2012. And that relationship with El-P paid huge dividends in 2013, as Run The Jewels was formed. The album begins with the title track and smacks you upside your head and never lets go. It’s sad that most people are unaware of Czarface. It’s criminal that most people are unaware of Run The Jewels.