Ayite, I waited long enough to get a few more 2011 albums before dropping my 2 cents on this. I'd say, as usual it was a decent year for Hip Hop but not nearly enough Hip Hop albums got dropped on vinyl despite another record breaking vinyl sales year. Whatever, I think I say that every year though.
Regardless, as Boom Bap and others pointed out there was definitely some fire dropped.
I gotta add to this list what I finally got last night.
People Under the Stairs - Highlighter (Handmade Records)
Not only is this album tight on production, rhymes and reason, but the packaging is outstanding too as you can see. Besides the great artwork and highlighter yellow colored vinyl, they took time to print cartoons inside the sleeve wrapper! Limited, numbered, and I'm gonna guess they will go fast. Like most PUTS releases the vibe is really feel good and the production is really on point. The album is much better then their last 2 releases which weren't bad at all. It's not as classic as some of their earlier OM records, but I can already tell this will stand up to repeat listens. 4/5 in my book.
I also bumped this last night...
Odd Future - Goblin (XL recordings)
But no, I'm
not nominating it for a "best of 2011" pick, it's WAY too personal and frankly fucked up. Out of 4 sides of records to listen to I got to side 3 and had to pull the plug on it. The lyrics are all about this kid's ego, not a "good Hip Hop bragger" ego, but a "messed up thoughts" ego. While I was not feeling it for the most parts, I couldn't help but keep listening after I heard some of this guys lyrics. He praised Bob Dylan one minute, then talked about voices telling him to do things he doesn't want to do the next. The production was way too minimal and it had 0% boom bap beats on it. I'll try to bear with another listen later, sometimes music that abstract is ok if you are in that mood. It definitely won't stand up to repeat listens though so it can't make my best of 2011 pick despite the initial hype surrounding this album.
another album that should
not make the best of 2011 list is this one for sure...
Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows
Other then a few good tracks at the very end of the record, this one is very weak. Don't know what Talib was thinking on this one but it's lackluster as fuck. Try Talib, you got all kinds of potential but lately you been falling off.
I'm cosigning w/ Boom Bap on these albums which I've heard...
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva
Smif-N-Wessun & Pete Rock - Monumental
I've heard a lot of hype surrounding these albums but I can't comment on them myself because I haven't heard em...
Apathy - Honky Kong
Evidence - Cats and Dogs
Roots - Undone
J-Live - S.P.T.A. Said Person Of That Ability
Random Axe - Random Axe
Rasheed Chappell - Future Before Nostalgia
Add on! Drop some recommendations and\or disagreements.
“Lesser artists borrow... great artists steal.” - Igor Stravinsky
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