Taking a look back at 2007 MichBoogie lets us know what was hot and what wasn't in hip hop. What stories stood out, some dope videos of the year and what to look for in 2008.
Well, it’s that time again. Another year has come to an end and with that is the best of 2007, hip hop wise. Let me also explain that these are my opinions on the best and worst of 2007 and doesn’t reflect any one else but myself. But if you are the type of fan that thought Curtis was one of the best albums of the year, stop reading my blogs and go kill yourself. (Joking, or am I? I’m not.) So, when coming to the end of 2007, what did hip hop really offer? Well, it surely offered some disastrous moments for the genre, but there were also some hidden jewels of 2007. Let’s forget about the Michael Vick scandal, the shooting of Spice 1, and Don Imus and let’s celebrate the great moments of 2007 and what is expected of hip hop in 2008.
Top 10 Albums of 2007
You already knew what was first, my top 10 albums of ’07. Some you may have heard of and some you might be asking “wtf”. But nonetheless, these were the ten dopest LPs I heard in a year full of disappointments, even from veterans.
10. Evidence-The Weatherman LP (Released 03/20/2007)-When artists decide to go solo from their already solidified groups, it usually spells out to disaster. However, in his solo debut, Dilated Peoples’ Evidence rose above the naysayers and the doubts. Being praised by Okayplayer as the best slept-on LP of 2007, Evidence delivers with hot lyrics and hotter beats. Featuring production from The Alchemist, Jake One, DJ Khalil, Sid Roams, and Evidence his self, the West Coast MC put his mark on the underground hip hop scene as a solo artist to be reckoned with. Who knew it could rain in Southern California?
9. Kano-London Town (Released 09/10/2007)-If I said it once, I’ll say it again, the US has to stop sleeping on the UK hip hop scene, especially in 2007. One of the best albums dropping from our boys across the pond was Grime/UKHH sensation, Kano. This year, he took home the award for best International Act at the BET Hip Hop Awards and has received international praise for his album, London Town. His first single, “This Is the Girl” featuring Craig David blazed the UK charts but it was tracks like his politically charged “Fightin’ The Nation”, the nostalgic laced “Me & My Microphone”, and the grimy bass track “Buss It Up” that made this the best UK hip hop album of 2007.
8. Little Brother-Getback (Released 10/23/2007)- Little Brother and the Justus League has always held it down for the Southern underground scene, but this album was seen as skeptical with the loss of producer, 9th Wonder. However, leave it to Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh to bounce back and still release one of the best albums of the year. Moving away from the Minstrel Show theme, LB goes back into their old formula used from The Listening. As Phonte calls it “dope beats and dope rhymes”. Provided with soulful production from Khrysis, Hi-Tek, and Zo!, features from newcomer Carlitta Durand and the “prettiest motherfucking hypeman in the business” Darien Brockington, Little Brother delivers tracks that satisfy both your partying mood and those looking for some lyrical ability. Rapper Big Pooh also gives a nice surprise in stepped up lyrics. Getback definitely takes back Little Brother to the “Shorty on the Lookout” days and is a great pickup for ’07.
7. Talib Kweli-Eardrum (Released 08/14/2007)-Coming back with his fourth solo album and also his first album released on his label, Blacksmith, Talib Kweli shows why he can drop an album that pleases both the underground and mainstream circuit without losing his creative identity in the midst of it. Eardrum leads into the track, Hostile Gospel Pt. 1 where Kweli off the back, spits hot fire “I call these rappers baby seals, cause they club you to death/ I could call 'em Navy SEALs, cause they government feds/ What become of the vets? They drugged up, they fucked up, they in debt/There ain't no love and no respect, it's like a gang it's like a club or a set.” While taking a commercial outlook, Talib still provides tracks worth giving more than one spin to. He pleases the lady fans with his will.i.am produced “Hot Thing” and appeals to the Southern fans with a track with Houston’s greats, UGK on “Country Cousins”. However, it’s in tracks like “Listen!!!” and “Give ‘Em Hell” that we see the political and socially focused Kweli we have come to know and love.
6. Y Society-Travel At Your Own Pace (Released 10/08/2007)-Representing the boom bap resurgence is Insight and Damu the Fudgemonk, also known as Y Society. This album title represents everything that this album stands for, being yourself and going at your own pace. Incorporating old school scratches and beats and insightful lyrics from Insight, this album broke many molds of traditional hip hop but somehow, portraying perfectly what old school hip hop is all about. With feel good tracks like “Dizzy”, “At My Own Pace”, and “Good Communication”, Insight locks you in with lyrics that amaze you and make you move at the same time. Both Insight and Damu compliment each other so well and it translates perfectly on the 16-track LP. Y Society also shows some concern to our society, politics, and everyday issues we face. Travel at Your Own Pace is an album that can inspire any human being to live life as you please and to never stop thinking, something it seems Damu and Insight were aiming for.
5. Common-Finding Forever (Released 07/31/2007)-Finding Forever was 2007’s best commercial/mainstream hip hop album. Common picks up on FF where he left off on Be. Common once again delivers poignant spoken word styled lyrics over chill soul beats to create the perfect combination of musical harmony. Backed by strong leading tracks, “The Game” and “The People”, Common raps about what he knows best: life and the struggles of people. We see Common strongly urging the awareness of AIDS, the price of fame, and damaged relationships in tracks like “Misunderstood” and “Drivin’ Me Wild”. However, Common proves how versatile he can be with hard hitting tracks like “Southside”. Finding Forever is another great work from the Chi-Town veteran.
4. Mr. J. Medeiros (Of The Procussions)-Of Gods and Girls (Released 07/24/2007)-Actually released in 2006, the album was re-released in 2007 with an enhanced album. Mr. J. Medeiros is 1/3 of the Colorado hip hop group, The Procussions. On his first solo album, Medeiros successfully shakes the doubts of going out on his own in an album that beautifully balances the beauty of life and its uglier side. When speaking out on the ugly side of life, Medeiros delivers sharp lyrics over a great production of beats. In tracks like “King of Rock Bottom”, he speaks about the illness of alcoholism, critiques people’s obsession with monetary value with Pigeon John on “Money”, but he may be most known for his startling story of a 13-year old sex slave in “Constance”. But while speaking on the positives of life, Medeiros provides light but powerful lyrics professing his love for the perfect woman on cuts like “Her Wings” or the development of a love on tracks like “Amelie”. Also backed by hard hitting remixes by Ohmega Watts and Joey Beats, Of Gods and Girls is one of the strongest solo debuts I’ve heard in a while.
3. El-P-I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (Released 03/20/2007)-It wasn’t the best album of 2007, but it was the strangest and most confusing. On his second offering to hip hop, El-P indecipherably raps about social problems and to be blunt, the fuck ups of people over his dark, intruding production. While smacking us in the face with our flaws, he takes a sarcastic but humorous approach, such as our obsession with useless celebrities on “The League of Extraordinary Nobodies” or the doom of our generation on “Drive” stating lyrics like “C’mon ma, can I borrow the keys?/ My generation is car pooling with doom and disease.” One of the better tracks on this album “The Overly Dramatic Truth” can be addicting, but at one point, disturbing as it is about a man trying to end his underage sexual relationship with a girl. With El-P’s gut wrenching production and bitter lyrics, I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead is the best pessimistic album you might ever hear.
2. Blu & Exile-Below the Heavens (Released 07/17/2007)-Coming out of right field, I discovered this album less than a month ago, but it had a huge enough impact to make its way to the number two spot. Blu & Exile consists of 21-year old emcee Blu and his producer, Exile (also of Emanon). Exile perfectly executes the production of this album, which seems to be very reminiscent to the glory days of 90s hip hop. However, nothing I can say or cleverly write about can explain how truly talented Blu really is. With story-telling lyrics very similar to Nas, Blu flows effortlessly over Exile’s beats talking about what any 21 year old talks about: girls, money, working a deadbeat job, family, the tough times of life, and the struggle of defining oneself. The only thing different about Blu and some other 21 year old is, Blu talks about it better. With heart-earning bangers like “The Narrow Path”, “Soul Amazing”, and “No Greater Love”, Blu shows exactly why he was voted Okayplayer’s Rookie of the Year.
- CunninLynguists-Dirty Acres (Released 11/27/2007)- Finally we get to the number one album, who more deserving than Southern-based underground group who has been putting it down for 15 years without any serious recognition. Dirty Acres, while being more laid back than earlier works, still perfectly exudes what hip hop music should be: amazing lyrics with a message laid over amazing beats. As known, CL examines the problems of society, hip hop, and racial tensions in our country. In the track “Dirty Acres”, it is laid down bluntly at how obvious our problems are, “Killing’ our livers cause we dying so fast….” / fuck putting these bars on paper there’s bars in the face of half my niggas across the country.” “Georgia” is the most lyrically strong track on the album, but even with these songs touching on the negativity of society, we see tracks like “Yellow Lines” featuring Phonte and Witchdoctor. With a great feature from Phonte, this was my favorite chill track of the year. While it may not be the same approach taken by CL 15 years, it was a great change and definitely for the better. No single review can explain why and how this is the best hip hop album of 2007. The only judgment can be your ears and owning this album is something you need to do before 2008.
Honorable Mentions of 2007
They didn’t make the top 10 list, but these were still very solid efforts of 2007. Don’t sleep on these albums either!
-KanYe West-Graduation
-Luckyiam-Most Likely to Succeed
-Dizzee Rascal-Maths and English
-Sean Price-Jesus Price Supastar
-Hi-Tek-Hi-Teknology 3
-Royce Da 5’9- The Bar Exam (Mixtape)
-DJ Jazzy Jeff- The Return of the Magnificent
-Somobe-The Great Communication
-Brother Ali- The Undisputed Truth
-9th Wonder-The Dream Merchant Vol. 2
Top 5 Videos of 2007
These videos were innovative, creative, mind blowing, and just fun as hell to watch. With 90% of music videos being nothing but ass, dollars, and cars (cliché, I know.), these five videos were a breath of fresh air.
5. The Cool Kids
Black Mags
Totally Flossed Out EP
Dir.:GL_Joe
Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b34U3-CutuU
4. Jay-Z
Roc Boys (And The Winner Is…)
American Gangster
Dir.: Chris Robinson
Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp7PrQZZvBg
3. Kanye West
Can’t Tell Me Nothing
Graduation
Dir.: Hype Williams
Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY2Wv4zaGIU
2. El-P
Smithereens
I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
Dir.: Cassidy Gearhart
Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgSweMvre30
1. Mr. J. Medeiros (Of The Procussions)
Constance
Of Gods and Girls
Dir.: Sam Sanchez of Stick Productions
Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqyLRpGgxRs
Artists to Watch in 2008
Nas: He isn’t a new artist, but the Queensbridge native is still keeping his name in the spotlight. Over the last few months of 2007, Nas has released statements on releasing his next album, Nigger. The title has caused controversy and tensions within his label, political leaders, and even fans a like. With such a power album name, Nas has hip hop fans on the edge seeing if he can deliver an album on the same level as Illmatic or just a hyped up “average” album.
The Cool Kids (www.myspace.com/gocoolkids): Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish have blasted onto the “geek/skateboard” scene with their single, “Black Mags”, an ode to Dyno bikes. The straight to Youtube video and single was noticed by Rolling Stone in 2007, making it to the number 53 spot on the 100 best singles of 2007. They have already toured with international star, M.I.A. and touring into the 2008 year, The Cool Kids have made a name for their self. It is also been rumored, they have been signed to Columbia Records.
Jay Electronica: Being the first artist signed to Erykah Badu’s label, Control Freaq, Jay Electronica has started an underground following with his StyleWars EP. The New Orleans native received buzz on hip hop sites and blogs from his track “Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)”. Electronica announced a second act was to be released on Christmas Day of 2007, but for some reason it was postponed but will be dropping soon. With heavy lyrics and production from some of the biggest names, such as J Dilla and features from Nas, Jay Electronica may be the South’s true king.
Wiz Khalifa (www.myspace.com/wizkhalifa): This self-proclaimed Prince of Pittsburgh has already created international buzz in 2007 touring and opening for both Lupe Fiasco and Nas. Only 19 years of age, Wiz Khalifa has released three major mixtapes: Show and Prove, Prince of the City, and Prince of the City 2. Being a producer and emcee, Khalifa has showed his skill on tracks like “Youngin’ On His Grind” and also releasing a video for “Pittsburgh Sound”, which has seen rotation on Fuse.
Saigon (www.myspace.com/saigonthayardfather): While Saigon received a lot of attention in 2007 for punching Mobb Deep’s Prodigy, threatening to slap a woman on Shade45 Radio, and for “quitting” hip hop, “Tha Yardfather” has made major moves in 2007, being signed to Hip Hop Since 1978/Atlantic Records and also releasing his Pain In My Life EP with a video as well. However, it was his single “Come on Baby” that really bought the attention to the Brooklyn rapper. His remix with hip hop legend, Jay-Z has been garnered as one of the best street bangers of 2007. Hoping that he doesn’t quit again, his first major released album, The Greatest Story Never Told, is to be out in 2008.
Biggest Disappointments of 2007
You can’t have the good without the bad, can you? 2007 had its pleasant surprises, but it definitely had its obvious disasters. Here are my disappointments of 2007.
T.I. Gets Charged with Felony Weapon Charges
“Do not free T.I.” was the surprising yell of many hip hop fans. Atlanta’s own T.I. was caught in the possession of dangerous firearms on 10/13/2007, hours before the BET Hip Hop Awards. The true disappointment is a successful commercial rapper such as T.I. continuing the image of being a “gangsta rapper”. T.I. has sold millions of records, won Grammy awards, but yet still felt the need to put out a message he was a rapper to be reckoned with, not just on wax, but on the streets. This bravado led to his arrest and his third strike (T.I. is already a convicted felon) and he will be prosecuted by the assistant US attorney. Great way to throw your life away, I guess his only plea is T.I.P. did it.
Lack of Response to Jena 6
Hip Hop artists were rarely seen at the Jena, LA rally on Septmeber 20, 2007. Not only that, there was a lack of response from hip hop artists on the racially charged attacks in the small Louisiana town. While Mos Def and Bun B of UGK were two of the biggest names in the town protesting, it was clear that hip hop was more caught up in the Kanye v. 50 Cent beef to care about six black boys unfairly treated and charged. Even David Bowie provided 10,000 dollars to help afford defense for Mychal Bell, who was actually sentenced to time in jail. Instead of hip hop always writing about hard it was growing up a black male, how about showing support to those actually living it right now. However, this lack of response was also seen politically. What is unknown about the Jena 6 situation is that it happened in 2006 and was bought to media attention in 2007. The former governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco did not give any attention to the situation whatsoever, not even at the time of the rally. Nothing was heard from President Bush and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson only came around for more camera time.
Lupe Fiasco comments on A Tribe Called Quest
Dubbed “Fiascogate” by many hip hop blog sites, the whole controversy centers around Lupe Fiasco messing up the words to ATCQ’s biggest hits “Electric Relaxation” and “Scenario” at the 2007 VH1’s Hip Hop Honors. Fiasco than went on to post comments on OkayPlayer stating that he Q-Tip was “adamant” on him performing and went on to say, he didn’t listen to ATCQ, especially their 1993 classic album, Midnight Marauders. The whole problem is, Lupe Fiasco isn’t really the first emcee you would peg on growing up on West Coast gangsta rap, as the Chicago MC said him self. With a flow and voice similar to Q-Tip and tracks that seemed to be very ATCQ inspired on both of his albums, it seems weird how Lupe thinks otherwise. None the less, the way Lupe went about this was cocky and arrogant. He is still a fresh rapper to the game and should learn to give respect where it’s due. Read about the whole “fiasco” here: http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1571748/20071011/story.jhtml
Joe Budden
Once a promising commercial rapper with his hit single “Pump It Up”, Joe Budden retreated to the underground hip hop scene and released two mixtapes, Mood Musik 1 and 2, which received praise from critics and internet fans. But in 2007, Joe Budden continued to push back the anticipated release of his second album The Growth under Def Jam and the third installment to Mood Musik. Budden than followed many Def Jam artists, like LL Cool J and put the blame on Jay-Z for his works not dropping. In late 2007, it was reported Joe Budden was officially dropped from the Def Jam roster and MM3 was once again pushed back. When MM3 finally dropped, it left many people disappointed, not living up to the hype of MM1 and MM2. Now, Budden is saying The Growth will be released on an independent label but continues to whine about Jay-Z, this is especially seen in MM3 with many subliminal and direct disses thrown to the former Def Jam president. While many still have hope in Budden, some people have grown tired of his antics.
Final Thoughts & Thank You’s!
Finally, I come to the end of this blog. 2007 was an okay year for hip hop, we saw great releases and we saw bad ones. My only word to hip hop fans is to look deeper for quality music because it is there, do not succumb to the commercial garbage on the radio and TV! I can only hope in 2008, we will see a resurrection of good hip hop music and see artists who have been grinding for so long receive their long awaited dues. I started writing in August and I am proud of what I have accomplished so far. My plans for 2008 are to get Hip Hop Since ’88 Radio out to the masses and to see my writing on a bigger level. You think I can make it to allhiphop or Oh Word? Haha. Okay, so thanking those who have been supportive of me. Let me thank all my friends, such as Romere for pushing me to continue writing, special thanks to Danielle and Amanda who do my graphic work and banners for the site. Thank you to everyone who reads and comments my blogs, it is so appreciated. Thank you to Nathan Driver for allowing me to get more exposure on his site HipHopRemix (www.hiphopremix.com). Also, thanks to Bored Stiff for giving me the first “promise” of an interview. Even though we haven’t done it yet!! Thanks to Vonnegutt and especially Kyle Lucas for my first interview for my blog. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Without these people, I’d probably be rambling to myself. So on that note, Happy New Years!
MichBoogie
Hip Hop Since ‘88
