"AS WE COME TO A CLOSE FOR 2010..."

     As we come to a close on 2010, we can look back and see a year of extremes, both highs and lows.  This has been evident on many fronts, including our hip hop world.  This year marked a point where underground and crossover melted together, causing the normal line of demarcation to almost be erased.  There were quite a few releases on the local and national scenes that raised eyebrows.  I witnessed many of the releases, listening intently for those artistic works to speak volumes.  After twelve months of open ears, there were some standout albums that should be recognized for artistic and musical merits.

     On the national level, many recognized, as well as up and coming, names dropped gems.  Nas and Damian Marley, Fat Joe, Little Brother, Slum Village, Rick Ross, T.I., Drake, Kanye, Nicki Minaj, Zion I, Kooley High, Bun B, The Roots, Eminem, and Reflection Eternal, as well as others, blessed ears throughout this beginning of the 21st Century's second decade.  Who made my list of the Best Hip Hop Albums for 2010?  In the words of Slick Rick, "heeeerrrrrre weeeee go".

Honorable Mention:  Slum Village, Villa Manifesto

10. Reflection Eternal, Revolutions Per Minute

9.  Black Milk, Album Of The Year

8.  Little Brother, Leftback

7.  David Banner and 9th Wonder, Death Of A Pop Star

6.  Big Boi, Sir Luscious Left Foot:  The Son Of Chico Dusty

5.  Nas and Damian Marley, Distant Relatives

4.  Drake, Thank Me Later

3.  The Roots, How I Got Over

2.  Rick Ross, Teflon Don

1.  Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

     It was a difficult proposition to rank the numerous quality releases for 2010, and I know I may have slighted a few artists deserving of accolades (Eminem, Bun B).  Originally, this list only had five albums included, but after careful deliberation I decided to expand the list.  It took me until 11:45 PM on December 31st to decide NOT to expand to twenty albums!

     I had to wait until Christmas night to determine that indeed Kanye West was deserving of Best Hip Hop Album of 2010, mainly due to the fact that my daughter gave his newest creation to me as a Christmas gift (thanks Adrienne).  Overall, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy encompasses all of Kanye's previous finer points on his past releases, from the College Dropout through 808's & Heartbreaks.  The production from beginning to end is epic and pristine, and lyrically Mr. West brings his A-game with personal and introspective verses throughout.  For those that already have the album, you know; for those without this masterpiece, add it to your 2011 resolution list!  It indeed is living up to advanced hype and current public opinion. 

     2010 offered much in the way of diverse musical tastes, even within the realm of hip hop, and I believe that the stage is set for 2011 to have even more impactful albums, with Lupe Fiasco, J. Cole, Q-Tip and others working on hopeful hip hop treasures.  Let's toast to hip hop!

    

"AND THE NEXT 5-MIC ALBUM GOES TO..."

    

     THE SOURCE MAGAZINE, FROM IT'S INCEPTION, WAS ALWAYS THAT TRUSTY "SOURCE", SO TO SPEAK, WHEN IT CAME TO ALL THINGS HIP HOP.  FROM FASHION, TO OF COURSE, MUSIC, DIEHARD READERS COULD ALWAYS RELY ON THE CONTENTS OF THE SOURCE, UNTIL THE BENZINO SCANDAL PUSHED THE MAGAZINE TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.  THROUGH THE STORM, I'VE BEEN FAITHFUL WITH MY DEVOTION TO THIS MAGAZINE, KNOWN AS "THE HIP HOP BIBLE".  IN TYPICAL FASHION, I WOULD GENERALLY GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE REVIEW SECTION, WHERE THE COVETED "5-MIC" RATING EXISTED FOR A FORTUNATE FEW, AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST 10 YEARS OR SO (THE SOURCE MAGAZINE CAME INTO BEING 1988 AS A NEWSLETTER).  HERE ARE THE ALBUMS THAT WERE RATED WITH 5-MICS ORIGINALLY:

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm -- A Tribe Called Quest
Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em -- Eric B. & Rakim
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted -- Ice Cube
One for All -- Brand Nubian
De La Soul Is Dead -- De La Soul
The Low End Theory -- A Tribe Called Quest
Illmatic -- Nas
Life After Death -- The Notorious B.I.G.
Aquemini -- Outkast
The Blueprint -- Jay-Z
Stillmatic -- Nas
The Fix -- Scarface
The Naked Truth -- Lil' Kim

     THE ONLY TRUE DISAGREEMENT I HAVE WITH THE LIST IS LIL' KIM'S "THE NAKED TRUTH" ALBUM.  NOT SAYING THAT THE ALBUM WASN'T GOOD, BECAUSE IT HAD MOMENTS OF BRILLIANCE, BUT TO COMPARE "THE NAKED TRUTH" WITH "ILLMATIC" IS ASININE, IN MY OPINION.  NOT IN THE SAME LEAGUE, NO COMPETITION.  ON TO THE NEXT ONE...

     FOR THE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 ISSUE OF THE SOURCE MAGAZINE (ISSUE #240), THERE WERE A MULTITUDE OF 5-MIC CONTENDERS.  DRAKE, EMINEM, MY BIASED FAVORITE THE ROOTS, OUTKAST UNDERDOG BIG BOI, RICK ROSS, FAT JOE, AND UGK REPRESENTATIVE BUN B ALL VIED FOR THE 5-MIC TITLE.  EACH ARTIST DELIVERED STRONG ALBUMS IN 2010, SOME MORE LISTENED TO THAN OTHERS.  DRAKE WAS THE ARTIST THAT CREATED THE MOST BUZZ WITH HIS DEBUT ALBUM DROPPING, "THANK ME LATER".  EMINEM RE-EMERGED AS A PREEMINENT EMCEE WITH "RECOVERY".  THE LEGENDARY ROOTS CREW SHOWCASED ANOTHER GEM IN THEIR ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER WITH "HOW I GOT OVER".  BIG BOI SHOWED THE MASSES THAT HIS VOICE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE HEARD WITH "SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT:  THE SON OF CHICO DUSTY", AN ALBUM WORTHY OF ACCOLADES WITHIN THE VAUNTED OUTKAST DISCOGRAPHY.  EVEN RICK ROSS CAME CORRECT WITH ONE OF THE YEAR'S STRONGEST HIP HOP OFFERINGS WITH "TEFLON DON".  TRUTHFULLY, I THOUGHT THAT THE SOURCE MAY GRANT THE 5-MIC TITLE TO "RICKY ROZAY" BECAUSE OF THE BUZZ CREATED BY HIS HOOD SMASH "B.M.F. (BLOWING MONEY FAST)".  FAT JOE RELEASED AN ALBUM WITH LITTLE FANFARE, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE HIS ALBUM, "THE DARKSIDE, VOLUME 1" WAS A VERY SOLID JOINT WITH LITTLE TO NO FANFARE.  LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, YOU HAVE BUN B, FROM THE LEGENDARY TEXAS GROUP UGK, STILL CARRYING THE UGK TORCH AFTER THE PASSING OF RHYME PARTNER PIMP C. 

     "TRILL OG", RELEASED ON AUGUST 3RD OF THIS YEAR, IS THE THIRD SOLO OFFERING FROM BUN B, A FAN FAVORITE AND UNDERDOG ALL AT THE SAME MOMENT.  MOST INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE OF THE DIRTY SOUTH REGION KNOW BUN B FOR HIS SCENE-STEALING VERSE IN "BIG PIMPIN'" WITH JAY-Z, AND HAS DESERVED RESPECT AND PROPS SINCE UGK HIT THE SCENE IN 1987.  MAYBE BECAUSE OF YEARS OF DUTIFULLY REPRESENTING THE SOUTH FROM A GROUP AND SOLO PERSPECTIVE, THE SOURCE SAW A NEED TO GRANT "TRILL OG" WITH ITS FIRST 5-MIC RATING IN FIVE YEARS.  I TRUTHFULLY DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, "TRILL OG" IS NOT A 5-MIC ALBUM.  I CAN SEE 4 MICS, MAYBE BECAUSE I'M FICKLE WITH TODAY'S HIP HOP CLIMATE.  DON'T GET ME WRONG, THE ALBUM IS GOOD, BETTER THAN MOST OF WHAT YOU SEE AND HEAR IN MUSIC.  BUN B IS BRUTALLY HONEST IN HIS APPROACH TO HIS LYRICS AND MUSIC.  YOU CAN HEAR IT IN HIS VOICE AND CADENCE WHENEVER HE PICKS UP A MIC.  I GET THE SENSE THAT "THE HIP HOP BIBLE" LABELED THIS ALBUM AS A 5-MIC RECIPIENT BECAUSE OF EITHER PAST SLIGHTS OR OVERSIGHTS.  FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD ON "TRILL OG", IT'S NOT DESERVING OF THE COVETED LABEL.  I DON'T FAULT BUN B IN THE LEAST BIT, BECAUSE HE RELEASED ONE OF THE BEST OFFERINGS IN HIS CAREER, AND ARGUABLY THE BEST FROM HIS "TRILL" SERIES.  I THINK THAT THE SOURCE MAGAZINE NEEDS TO GET BACK TO REPORTING THE CULTURE WITH AN OBJECTIVE EYE, NOT PANDERING TO GIMMICKS OR PROPAGANDA.  UNTIL THE SOURCE CAN DO SO, I WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THIS PUBLICATION WITH A CAUTIOUS EYE.

     OVERALL, THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ALBUMS ARE A GOOD ADDITION TO THE VAST HIP HOP CATALOG THAT THE SOURCE MAGAZINE HAS REVIEWED OVER THE PAST 22 YEARS.  HOWEVER, GIVING "TRILL OG" 5-MIC STATUS LOWERS THE REPUTATION OF A PUBLICATION THAT IS FIGHTING TO REGAIN IT'S RESPECT AND STATUS IN HIP HOP.  I HOPE THAT THE NEXT 5-MIC ALBUM (IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY MORE) IS WORTHY OF "ILLMATIC" STATUS.