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10:10 am - Wed, Dec 28, 2011

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The 11s: (6) Shit You Probably Slept On/Plain Forgot…

This entry doesn’t need an extended prologue, so I’ll get to the keyboard punching. But first… nah, just kidding. Read away:

1. Joell Ortiz - Free Agent: This shit dropped around this time last year. Actually, it leaked in December 2010, but it was supposed to have a February 2011 release date. Of course, it slipped into the cracks. But given what we’ve come to expect from Joell and other NY rappers like him, this is a really dope project. Really well rounded. He does everything really well - bangers, lyrical exercises, crossover attempts and concept tracks.
2. Willie The Kid - The Fly 2/The Cure 2: I’ll probably write a bit more about WTK in a different entry (and I have, I didn’t write these things in order), but he’s easily one of my MVPs in 2011. I just worry for the guy. He makes such good music with almost zero accessibility in this climate. His shit is far from dated, but I can’t imagine he’s made a rap dollar in 4 years. Which is too bad given his highly literate and imaginative flow, which happens to be vaguely reminiscent of the GZA (well, if the Genius was more materially inclined and still prepubescent - pause?). Plus he picks the grimiest and most dramatic beats out there. Go get these mixtapes.
3. Saigon - The Greatest Story Never Told: Yeah, we’re all guilty of giving zero fucks about this shit, but in our defense it took Saigiddy forever to get this shit out to us. This shit deserves a listen just off the strength of the production and the transitions from track to track (Just Blaze was showing out). Of course, Saigon brings that ignorant righteousness throughout the album and makes great use of his guests throughout. Great album.
4. Killer Mike - PL3DGE: I’m not sure that this album qualifies as being slept on because I’ve seen it on a few lists (seriously, look around a bit), but it dropped early this year and I didn’t hear/read nearly enough about it from anyone until the lists started up a few weeks ago. Killa Kill can never get enough attention. Seriously.
5. David Dallas - The Rose Tint: I’m too lazy to run a quick check to find out if this guy is an Aussie or Kiwi, but he made a very nice album. He’s a proficient, if unspectacular rapper and has great beat selection. The album was a joy to listen to on a slow summer afternoon. Plus he had Gangsta Gibbs on a track. I’ll be listening.
6. Wu-Tang - Legendary Weapons: I know this didn’t come with the hype of a regular Wu album and it has way too many affiliates and newcomers littering it to qualify as anything more than a minor entry in the Wu canon, but it’s seriously good. I don’t want anyone to hunt me down and kill me, but this shit is so much better than the last RZA helmed Wu album, even with all the randomness. It’s true.
7. Phonte - Charity Starts At Home: This entry should probably be on my favorites of the year, but it got edged out by some other shit. Phonte basically made the ultimate grown man rap album (with a little bit of singing of course). He talks about the most relatable shit ever, thus making him the anti-Rawse - to the point where some of this shit is just flat-out depressing. But that’s real life for you. The only complaint I have is that he never really stepped out of his comfort zone on this project - he’s been rocking over shit that sounds like this forever.
8. Cocaine 80s - If only I had listened to this more intently, I wouldn’t have been so underwhelmed when I first heard Common’s ‘The Dreamer/The Believer’. The blueprint for that album is this all on this shit. Common’s album is actually pretty decent, but those in the know know that No I.D. and James Fauntleroy essentially just plopped down a bunch of this Cocaine 80s stuff for Lonnie to rap over. Once I got past that initial realization and calmed down a bit, I realized that Common had just given us his best project since ‘Be’ - but he and No I.D. ought to be capable of so much more. Lonnie aside, this Cocaine 80s shit is decent all by itself.
9. Action Bronson - Dr. Lecter: The more I listen to Whiteface Killah, the more he seems to develop his own personality and style. This shit was easily one of the more interesting albums I heard this year. The only reason why it’s not on the “favorites” list is because I haven’t bumped it in a minute, thanks to him continuously dropping new shit (he just dropped a new one with Statik Selektah that I’m working my way to shortly). This shit was so interesting that I busted out my best 3-mile run ever listening to it - I HATE RUNNING (unless it’s from the cops), so obviously, I had to stop bumping it. Just random references packed within a myriad of dense flows topped off with a dope sense of humor. He’ll go far. Methinks.
10. Araab Muzik - Electric Dream: Killa and Vado’s in-house guy steps out for a second to pair his prodigious MPC skills with all kinds of electronic and trance shit (some of which you may have heard before). I’m not what the sales bitch for this shit is, but it’s definitely worth your time. Kid got skills.
11. Kool G Rap - Riches, Royalty, Respect: The OG still has it. In spades. Given the general “meh-ness” of the production on this shit, it makes one wonder just how dope a Kool G Rap album could be if he had access to better production. In other words, how cool would it have been if he signed that deal with MMG? Oh well. As things stand, he still managed to flex a bit and he gets credit for that. Here’s to him continuing in this fashion (with better beats and WAY MORE exposure [ll], if possible).

Hmmm, I might actually do this 11 shit to the max. I’m feeling a bit confident. I mean, I expect the remaining entries to suck, but hey, this shit is free. Now go check all those albums out if you haven’t already…