Best of 2008

when I’m browsing through periodicals between December and January, both online and in print, the lists that try to summarize the best of the year in music usually seem ridiculous to me. either they are explicitly biased towards multi-million dollar efforts by the same couple of media corporations, or they go the complete other route and just try and out-underground the next lists with obscure references. my point being is that hardly ever do these lists reflect the quality of the year in music.

so i said, fuck it. like last year, i reached out to friends (DJ’s, other bloggers, etc) and compiled my own damn list.

here it is.

THE BEST OF 2008.

song of the year

House Shoes: “Live Ya Life” – T.I. ft. Rhianna

FWMJ: “Motown 25″ – Elzhi ft. Royce Da 5′9, “My Swag” – Lil Big Yung

Ouxu: “Motown 25″ -Elzhi ft. Royce Da 5′9, Exhibit A Transformations – Jay Electronica, “Gettin’ Up” – Q-Tip, “Pretty Wings” – Maxwell

THEGASLAMPKILLER: “Aboriginal” – Flying Lotus, “Why Like This” – Teebs, “Already” – Samiyam

Abraheezee: “That Hump” – Erykah Badu

LPs in no particular order

House Shoes: Guilty Simpson – Ode To The Ghetto, Black Milk – Tronic, Scarface – Emeritus, Black Milk & Fat Ray – The Setup, Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Pt. 1, Shawn Jackson – First of All, Elzhi – Europass/The Preface, Invincible – Shapeshifters, 14KT – The Golden Hour, Danny Brown – Hot Soup, Illa J – Yancey Boys, Jake One – White Van Music

MOSologist: Elzhi – The Preface, Black Milk – Tronic, Guilty Simpson – Ode To The Ghetto, Danny Brown – Hot Soup, Buff1 – There’s Only One, iLLiTe – Creme de la Creme, 14KT – The Golden Hour, Now On – Tomorrow Already, Trick Trick – The Villian

FWMJ: Black Milk – Tronic, D. Rose & DJ Cozmos – Taster’s Choice, H.I.S.D. – Summer Sessions EP (I know it say LP, but who cares!), Sam Sparro – Self Titled, 2000black - A Next Set of Rockers, Nicolay & Kay – TIME:LINE, Torae – Daily Conversation, Onra – Chinoiseries

Ouxu: Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Pt. 1

Rhettmatic: Black Milk – Tronic, Jake One – White Van Music, Dj Babu – Duck Season 3, Elzhi – The Preface, 14KT – The Golden Hour, Madlib – WLIB, Illa J – Yancey Boys, Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Pt. 1, Evidence – The Layover EP, Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Radiohead – In Rainbows

Abraheeze: N*E*R*D – Seeing Sounds, Little Dragon – Little Dragon, The Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind, Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules & Love Affair, Illa J – Yancey Boys, BSTC – Music for a Saturday Evening, Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It, Jose James – The Dreamer, Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro, Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1

Dee Phunk: The Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind, Fat Ray & Black Milk – The Set-Up, Jake One – White Van Music, Hygher Baby - Let Me Play U Something That U Never Heard, Melo – Off My Chest, Jesse Boykins III – The Beauty Created, Illa J – Yancey Boys, Shawn Jackson – First of All, The P Brothers – The Gas, 14KT – The Golden Hour, J. Rawls – The Liquid Crystal Project 2, 9th Wonder & Jean Grae – Jeanius, 88-Keys – The Death of Adam, Zo! & Phonte – Zo! & Tigallo Love the ’80s, Q-Tip – The Renaissance, Daru & Reggie B – Future Music, Flying Lotus – Los Angeles, N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds, Black Milk – Tronic, Black Spade – To Serve With Love, Tortured Soul – Did You Miss Me, HayZee – Next Level EP, Slakah the Beatchild – Soul Movement Vol. 1, Guilty Simpson – Ode to the Ghetto, Madlib – Beat Konducta Vol. 5 (Dil Cosby Suite), Madlib – Beat Konducta Vol. 6 (Dil Withers Suite), Devin the Dude – Landing Gear, Peter Hadar – Well-Dressed for the Art Show, Tanya Morgan – The Bridge EP, Torae – Daily Conversation, Dela – Changes of Atmosphere

mixtape of the year

MOSologist: Royce da 5′9 – Bar Exam II

FWMJ: King Coz – The Observations of King Coz Vol. 1 , Lil Wayne - The Carter III (*snicker*), Roger Riley & Teddy Troutman – Death of Autotune, The Clipse – Road to “Til’ the Casket Drops”

Ouxu: Black Milk – Elec

Rhettmatic: Bishop Lamont – The Confessional, Khrysis & Rhettmatic – Khrysis On The Boards With The Heat Vol. 2

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Controller 7 – Sonoro

Abraheeze: Mick Boogie & Adele – 1988

Dee Phunk: 88-Keys - Adam’s Case Files, Drake – Comeback Season, Colin Munroe – Colin Munroe Is the Unsung Hero, Marshia Ambrosius – Truly Yours, Clipse – Road To Till the Casket Drops, Fly.Union – Closed Doors, Open Windows, DJ Soul & Tanya Morgan - Tanya Morgan Is A Rap Group, Von Pea – The Further Adventures of Von Pea, Che Grand – Breakfast at Wimbledon, Spec Boogie – Kid Gorgeous, Mykestro – Quantity Over Quality, Dela – Atmosphere Airlines Vol. 2, Daru & Marc Mac – Spirit & Soul Hop Sampler ‘08, Ty & Kory – Raw & Bangin’ Vol. 2, Aqeel - Inside the Mind of An Afro-American Angel

personality of the year

House Shoes: Hex Murda

FWMJ: Hex Murda

Ouxu: Barack Obama, Kanye West

Rhettmatic: Hex Murda & House Shoes

THEGASLAMPKILLER: House Shoes

Abraheeze: House Shoes

Dee Phunk: Joe Budden, Consequence, Miss Info, Elliott Wilson,
Peter Rosenberg, Cipha Sounds, Jay Smooth

best hip hop blog

House Shoes: Classic Drug References/Fresh Selects

MOSologist: Rappers I Know

FWMJ: meh

Rhettmatic: 2DopeBoyz, Fresh Selects, Classic Drug References, Stoney Jackson, Rappers I Know, BlackNBling, SuperIll

Ouxu: Classic Drug References, Mixtapeshow.net

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Fuck Your Blog

Abraheeze: Moovmnt, Hype Machine, RCRDLBL, OkayPlayer

Dee Phunk: Rappers I Know, Classic Drug References, 2dopeboyz,
The Meaning of Dope, Fresh Selects

breakthrough producer

House Shoes: 14KT

FWMJ: J “8 Months” Lewis, Swift D, Algorythm, King Midas & DJ Cozmos as King Coz, Exile, The ARE, Black Milk, Zo!

Ouxu: Black Milk

Rhettmatic: Madlib, Dj Khalil, OhNo, Jake One, Illmind, Dj Babu, J.Rocc, Exile, 14KT, Swiff D, Dibia$e, J-Thrill,, Houseshoes, Slopfunkdust, Black Milk, Alchemist, Samiyam, Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer, Khrysis

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Teebs

Abraheeze: Zo! & Exile

Dee Phunk: Black Milk, Daru Jones, Mainframe, Exile,
Jack Sample Pros, The ARE, M-Phazes, Aeon

breakthrough artist

House Shoes: Danny Brown

Ouxu: Danny Brown, Janelle Monae, Shawn Jackson

Rhettmatic: Blu, Shawn Jackson, Danny Brown, Fashawn, Buff 1, Pac Div, U-N-I, Diz Girban

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Blu

Abraheeze: Blu & Illa J

Dee Phunk: Johnson & Jonson, Shawn Jackson,
Jesse Boykins III, Theophilus London

best unreleased album

House Shoes: J Dilla – Pay Jay

FWMJ: Kay – The Talk Show

Rhettmatic: OhNo & Roc C - Team Getem , Madlib & OhNo – The Professionals

THEGASLAMPKILLER: every Samiyam beat ever, on whatever fucking album he wants them to be on

Abraheeze: Samiyam

best DJ

House Shoes: J-Rocc, and me on a good night.

FWMJ: Primo

Ouxu: Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Rhettmatic: The Beat Junkies (sorry for being biased..LOL), Houseshoes, Kutmah, The Gaslamp Killer, Spinna, Primo, Rich Medina

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Kutmah

Abraheeze: Anthony Valadez

Dee Phunk: Houseshoes, Spinna, Waajeed, DJ Eleven

the “can we please get that fucking album?” award

House Shoes: House Shoes LP

MOSologist: Eminem

FWMJ: Nas & Primo, ATCQ, Slum Village, Bilal, Black Thought solo, A K-otix Reunion LP

Ouxu: Van Hunt

Rhettmatic: MOP, Supreme Team (Madlib & Karriem Riggins), OJ Simpson (Guilty Simpson & Madlib), Madvillian 2, Cold Steel (Phat Kat & Elzhi), Royce Da 5′9 & Elzhi, Self Scientific & Psycho Realm, Bishop Lamont, Glasses Malone, & Crooked I, Dj Battlecat Solo album, J.Rocc Solo Album, The Beat Junkies album, Kurupt with Dj Quik & Pete Rock

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Motherfuckin’ Gonjasufi! We’re ready

Abraheeze: PPP – Abundance LP, Exile & Fashawn - Boy Meets World, Big Ideas’ album and Sade’s next record (we miss you, Miss Adu!!)

Dee Phunk: So I guess that MF Doom / Ghostface album was a crock of shit, right?

songs that make u want to rob people

MOSologist: Trick Trick – The Villain (pick a track)

House Shoes: Guilty Simpson. All of them.

Ouxu: Dwele – “Workinonit”

FWMJ: I dunno about robbing anyone, but anything Blaq Poet’s dropped in the last two years definitely makes me want to slap dumb kids upside the head.

Rhettmatic: Jake One ft. Bishop Lamont & Busta Rhymes – “Kissin The Curb”

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Bar 9 – “Shaolin,” Flying Lotus – “Un-Invited”

Abraheeze: Blu – “Spacejive,” Flying Lotus – Lightworks Remix (I NEED A NON-BOBBITO-WATERMARKED VERSION OF THIS SONG IN MY LIFE IMMEDIATELY)

Dee Phunk: Shawn Jackson f/ Guilty Simpson – “Strategies”

best youtube clip

House Shoes: Europe For Dummies

FWMJ: PInfinite of course.

Rhettmatic: “The Enemy” – Evidence with Babu & Rhettmatic

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Dance Fail

Abraheeze: James Brown Gives You Dancing Lessons

Dee Phunk: Transformers Go Hollywood
Cobra Commander’s Turkey Dinner
Mr. Sprigg’s BBQ commercial
Election Night In Harlem (Jay Smooth)
Fat Albert In Da Hood Pt. 1
Sonseed – “Jesus Is A Friend of Mine”
The 10 Most Ridiculous Things About the Beyonce Experience
Justin Timberlake Is A Douchebag
Dru Hill Reunites & Breaks Up In 10 Minutes
Donuts Are Forever 2

most anticipated albums for 09

House Shoes: Jay Electronica, Blu, Slum Village, Random Axe, Danny Brown, Mayer Hawthorne and The County

MOSologist: Elzhi – The Feed

FWMJ: not sure

Ouxu: D’angelo, Jay-Z – Blueprint 3, Maxwell, Tweet

Rhettmatic: OhNo & Alchemist – Gangrene, The New Royales, Bishop Lamont, Guilty Simpson, Sean Price, & Black Milk - Random Axe, Self Scientific, MED, PPP, Evidence & Alchemist – Step Brothers, Buff 1 & Rhettmatic – Crown Royale (sorry…kinda biased on this one too…lol), Frank Nitty & Rhettmatic – The Joint Chiefs, Black Milk & Bishop Lamont – Caltroit (Metropolis), Slum Village, Evidence, Emanon, Rapper Big Pooh, DETOX???

THEGASLAMPKILLER: Gonjasufi LP, New Flying Lotus LP, New Samiyam LP, New Hudson Mohawke LP

…

and if that’s not enough good shit to look forward to in 09…

PART TWO IS COMING….

King James

King James Chapter I: Verse I

PLACE YOUR ORDER FOR YOUR LIMITED EDITION COPY OF THE KING JAMES VERSION @ RENSOUL.COM

if you still for some reason don’t believe that James Yancey is on par with any other person ever to touch a beat machine, House Shoes‘ upcoming mixtape The King James Version is further prove of the other-worldy talent and in particular the finely tuned ear that Jay Dee possessed.

from the most well known classics to unreleased demos from the vaults, Shoes compiles a compilation of Dilla’s inspiration that will have you diggers hating your life and newbies mystified. Shoes is that dude.

for those in the LA region, Shoes will be hosting a listening party for the mixtape this Saturday at the illustrious Fat Beats on Melrose. shenanigans start at 7pm, with the after party taking place at Carbon in Culver City.

The King James Version drops on January 9th.

speaking of Shoes, Kenny has some streams of some Shoes produced bangers that are actually up for download on this site, if you can find them, hahaha.

since times is on some …

… at the moment, i’m offering a special “recession package” for the latest volume of SHOOK magazine, which incidentally has a full length feature on House Shoes. package includes volume 4 of SHOOK, volume 3 of SHOOK* and/or a CD or promo out of CDR’s promo stash. all for just 11.56 shipped, 2 dollars more for international orders.

order @ the space.

*while promo supplies last