Best Hip-Hop Records of 2012
Now in its fifth decade of existence, hip-hop is, and has been for many years, the most culturally impactful and socially relevant form of music in the entire world. Whether you’re fan of the art form or not, it would be foolish to deny this absolute truth. But perhaps what’s even more foolish is to attempt to narrow down a list of the past year’s best hip-hop records to a manageable size. Yet, that’s what I, lover of rap music, self-proclaimed knower of it all, and apparent seeker of self-inflicted punishment has haphazardly volunteered for once again. (And this time around I’ve even tossed in a second list of just mixtapes to follow.) Clearly I love this stuff. Clearly I hate myself. And with that, I present to you The 20 Best Hip-Hop Records of 2012…
1
Apollo Brown & OC – Trophies
D.I.T.C. crew member OC returned alongside up ‘n’coming producer Apollo Brown with an outstanding album that might just be the sleeper of the year. The premise is as alluring as it is basic: Apollo produced simplistic sample-based boom-bap and OC blessed it with his conciliatory no-frills delivery. You won’t find any traces of crunk, trap, thizzle, #swag, or purple here. Trophies is 16 tracks of pure unadulterated East Coast-style hip-hop, and it’s outstanding. The next time you hear someone loosely throwing around a term like “real hip-hop,” play them this record.
2
Whether on the mic himself or behind the boards for Cannibal Ox, Aesop Rock, Murs, Mr. Lif, or Cage, El-Producto has been consistently creating stellar hip-hop music for nearly twenty years now. In 1997, as part of the now legendary trio Company Flow, he was responsible for one the most important rap records of the ‘90s, Funcrusher Plus. And in five year increments he has dropped a solo album that is not only one of the year’s best records in hip-hop, but the best in all of music. (See Fantastic Damage , '02 and I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead, '07.) The same can be said of his third, and most recent, Cancer 4 Cure. Intact are the recognizable distinctions El-P has spent the last decade perfecting: meticulously-crafted futuristic sound collages and densely congested beats—sci-fi-informed and bass heavy—balanced with hard-hitting lyricism that zigzags between paranoia, self-deprecation, braggadocios chest pounding, and metaphorical witticism. Cancer 4 Cure isn’t just good hip-hop; its good music. Like the hook in the lead-off single “The Full Retard” goes, “You should pump this shit like they do in the future.”
3
Gangrene – Vodka & Ayahuasca
According to Wikipedia, “Ayahuasca is a brew of various psychoactive infusions or decoctions,” the effects of which are “massive spiritual revelations regarding (your) purpose on earth…a spiritual awakening and what's often described as a rebirth…access to higher spiritual dimensions and making contact with various spiritual or extra dimensional beings who can act as guides or healers.” In layman’s terms, or rather, in terms that most rap fans would clearly understand, it’s some shit that gets you really fucked up. Forming once again as Gangrene, Alchemist and Oh No dropped Vodka & Ayahuasca; a sample-heavy blunted cornucopia of movie, TV and druggy interview clips, psychedelic acid rock, and ghostly organ and string arrangements. As a duo, the two fuse their production styles in an impressive fashion, but when it comes to rapping, the best verses come courtesy of guest spots from Kool G Rap, Roc Marciano, and Evidence. (See also: Odditorium EP)
4
Guilty Simpson & Apollo Brown – Dice Game
At this point it’s probably safe to anoint Apollo Brown the new king of boom-bap. Perhaps recognizing that the greats (Pete Rock, Lord Finesse, Large Professor, Showbiz, DJ Premier, J-Dilla, etc.) didn’t have to go great lengths to layer their beats, Apollo flexes an uncanny ability to create incredibly enthralling bangers from basic sample flips—organs, strings, and brass are his modus operandi. Guilty Simpson is a hulking presence on Dice Game. He doesn’t attempt any lyrical mathematics; rather just straightforward rhyming. “Dear Jane” is a metaphorical ode to the herb and one of the album’s best tracks. It’s here that he shows his growth as a lyricist; sticking to the subject matter throughout the entire song rather than going off-topic or playing the word-association game as he has in previous work. The next time you hear someone loosely throwing around a term like “real hip-hop,” play them this record. (Sound familiar? I did that on purpose.)
5
I Self Divine – The Sound of Low Class Amerika
I Self Devine is not only the unsung hero of Ryhmesayers Entertainment, but in many ways, underground hip-hop as a whole. As far as RSE goes, he’s the most traditional street-level rapper on the label. Setting himself apart from his peers, I Self takes a utilitarian approach to songwriting; largely skipping the misogyny, homophobia and gun-clapping subject matter that plagues most street-level hip-hop. Instead he takes it upon himself to narrate the current state of “lower-class” society and provide a historical telling of how things got this fucked up. The Sound of Lower Class Amerika is the latest in an impressive catalogue—one that includes several Micronauts records, a superb outing with DJ Abilities as Semi-Official, and the underrated, yet unforgettable Self Destruction. Against a backdrop of beats provided by Jake One, Vitamin D, Benzilla and others, I Self conveys messages of community, class warfare and social injustice in the United States. (See also: Culture Series mixtapes)
6
People seem to feel very strongly about Kendrick Lamar’s rap oeuvre, good kid, m.A.A.d city—they either love it, or, they hate it. And you can’t really fault either side, as that’s just how polarizing a record it is. On one hand it’s a superbly crafted concept album with meticulously-written lyrics and pacing; and on the other, it’s a self-righteous, self-indulgent vanity project with twelve-minute rap songs. Personally, I wasn’t about to allow an album to be called “instant classic” when it hadn’t even been released yet. So admittedly, I went into the first couple spins with some trepidation, and truthfully, wasn’t all that impressed. But now, after having spent a considerable amount of time with it, I can no longer deny it; good kid, m.A.A.d city has fully grown on me. Am I ready to concede that Kendrick is “the savior of hip-hop,” as many fly-by-night critics are implying? Emphatically, no. But did he indeed create one the best rap records of the year? Without a doubt, yes. That being said, I believe the best songs on the album are the ones that fall in line with traditional rap music—“Backseat Freestyle”, the MC Eiht feature, “m.A.A.d city” and “Swimming Pools.”
7
Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
Released only one week prior, and playing like a companion piece of sorts to El-P’s Cure 4 Cancer, R.A.P. Music shows the Atlanta based Dungeon Family veteran as an invigorated and fresh-breathed emcee on verge of finally breaking through. Over a backdrop created entirely by El-P, Killer Mike spits a potent mix of politics, personal tales and hardcore G-talk. Aside from appearances by Bun-B, TI, El-P and a couple lesser-known emcees, Mike goes at it alone, and the result is unified and striking. Considering El Producto’s on the beat, it’s hard to call this Southern rap. That being said, in the aptly-titled “Southern Fried”, Mike lays down Dungeon Fam-esque rhymes about Killer Hill and strip clubs, while El does his best to direct the beats appropriately—not exactly ‘playalisticadillacmuzik but close enough.
8
Masters of the Dark Arts marks the return of La Coka Nostra, a rap supergroup who had originally assembled sometime in ’05 as a much larger entity than they are today, boasting members of Nonphixion, Special Teamz, a reunited House of Pain, and misdirected “rappers” from DMS. (The NYC crew normally associated with thug-ish metalcore.) Since then, they have trimmed the fat so to speak—Everlast has departed, presumably to go back to making less than mediocre acoustic-guitar-folk-blues-rap or whatever, and Big Left’s (of DMS) contribution is limited to a singular verse. That is not to say there aren’t an few key guest spots (Vinne Paz, Sean Price, and Thirsten Howl III all make appearances) but it’s primarily the group’s core—DJ Lethal and emcees Ill Bill, Slaine and occasionally Danny Boy—making most of the noise this time around. Master of the Dark Arts is a pluperfect union of bombastic boom-bap, record scratching, and realism-based hardcore rhyming. Head-banging is absolutely required.
9
Large Professor – Professor @Large
Large Professor, at twenty plus years in the rap game—including being a decisive emcee and production presence on Main Source’s 1991 classic, Breaking Atoms—has created beats for a number of hip-hop’s most revered acts, including Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Eric B & Rakim, and Mobb Deep. So it should come as no surprise then that Professor @Large sounds like a product of the Golden Era NYC. The entire album was produced by Large Pro, and on the majority of the songs, he’s the only rapper, save a few notable appearances by guest emcees. Specifically Cormega and Tragedy Khadafi on “Focused Up.” Cormega also appears on the album closer “M.A.R.S.” alongside Action Bronson, Roc Marciano and Saigon.
10
Lil Fame of M.O.P., going by his producer moniker “Fizzy Womack” and Boston emcee Termanology originally intended to work on a Termanology solo album but at some point midway through the recording process Fame had ended up spitting verses and hooks on nearly every track. They realized that hewing an entirely collaborative project as a duo could result in a milestone record, benefiting both artists. And thus, in the new-ish trend of combined names, Fizzyology was born. Anyone that’s familiar with M.O.P. knows what Fame is all about on the mic—cotton-mouthed gangster-isms straight from the dark alleyways of Brownsville—and there is no shortage of it here; he comes as hard-rhymed and imposing as ever. But Termanlogy turns in some of the record’s most impressive verses. During his best moments, Term has the uncanny ability to make the listener feel weirdly uncomfortable. Songs like “The Greatest”, “Lil Ghetto Boy” and “It’s Easy” make you feel guilty for being privy to his bumpy life story. And all the autobiographical details of his painful upbringing come to head on “Family Ties.” (See also: 1982 (Statik Selektah & Termanology)-2012)
11
Masta Ace – MA_Doom: Son of Yvonne
MA_Doom is the latest offering from veteran NYC emcee Masta Ace. All of the beat selection comes from MF Doom’s instrumental mixtapes series, Special Herbs. So while none of the beats are new, it’s fresh to hear Ace masterfully breathe new life into them. Be warned though; those looking for a return to the furor of Slaughtahouse, this is not it. Son of Yvonne is a tribute to Ace’s departed mother. Over the course of the album Ace raps stories of his upbringing under her watchful eye as he weaves his way through a life immersed in hip-hop’s developing years—from DJing, to graffiti, to rapping, to touring and all parts in-between. MF Doom does make one appearance on the mic, alongside Big Daddy Kane on “Think I Am.”
12
Meek Mill – Dreams and Nightmares
Although Dreams and Nightmares is billed as Meek Mill’s debut album, the truth is he’s already a household name in the rap world. This comes on the strength of some very solid, financially-backed mixtapes which have produced radio hits, and a high-flying presence on the Maybach Music Group's Self Made compilations. So instead of judging this by the outdated standards of debut albums, consider it the latest in an already impressive body of work—this one just happens to have a price tag on it. While the majority of the production would fall in line with trap music, it’s what Meek is actually saying that really sets him apart from the pack. No, he doesn’t do much to distance himself from the negative stereotypes associated with rap music, but he balances it with numerous moments where the listener gets to see his vulnerable side. On the album’s most distressing track, “Traumatized” he details the murder of his father at a young age, and how he struggles with the desire to avenge his death. Meek's raps are the strongest when he flexes an anxiousness in his cadence. The sense of urgency on songs like “In God We Trust”, “Real Niggas Come First” and the second half of the title track is—and it sounds strange saying this—classic Meek Mill. (See also: Dreamchasers 2 mixtape)
13
Ohnomite is the result of beatsmith and emcee Oh No—the younger brother of Madlib and son of singer Otis Jackson—being granted unmatched right of entry to the Rudy Ray Moore/Dolemite audio archives. This included legendary material from The Human Tornado, Petey Wheatstraw, the Dolemite Soundtrack and a multitude of previously unreleased and alternate acapellas and instrumentals. Oh No was given free rein to sample and manipulate it any way he see fit. The end result is a trunk-rattling chaotic burlesque of witty lyricism and gritty beats assembled from the nastiest fragments of funk, soul and Blaxploitation. Carrying the familiar resonances of Gangrene, Evidence and The Alchemist rejoin forces alongside Oh No on “Real Serious." The track piggybacks on some of the best moments of Vodka & Ayahuasca. And perhaps sponging worthy collaborators from his brother, Oh No also brings aboard a few emcees that contributed to some of Madlib’s finest moments; with MF Doom, Guilty Simpson and Phil Da Agony from Strong Arm Steady all featured on separate tracks. (See also: No-Ashes w/Chris Keys, Disrupted Ads)
14
It’s questionable whether what P.O.S. does can even be called hip-hop anymore, inasmuch as his music transcends across genres. It’s not on the same level of mass appeal as say, the Beastie Boys, but quite similar in that he employs a multifarious approach to art. The Twin Cities veteran emcee describes his fourth album We Don’t Even Live Here as “an anarchist dance party.” And that’s pretty much on point, as this record is bursting with anti-establishment lyricism and beats rooted in punk rock, techno, trap, and, well, yeah, regular hip-hop too. The hook to the lead-off single, “Fuck Your Stuff” pretty much sums the overall feel of the album: “My whole crew is on some shit/Scuffin’ up your Nikes—spittin’ on your whip/Kickin’ out your DJ—rock it, then we dip/We don’t watch the replay.”
15
Where Reks’ previous albums have featured beats from a variety of producers, Straight, No Chaser is produced entirely by longtime collaborator Statik Selektah. The Lethal Weapon-inspired “Riggs and Murtaugh” shows Action Bronson and Reks trading verses against a RZA/Wu-like backdrop. On the title track, Reks and guest emcee Slaine spit bars over a twisted downbeat that's been looped with minimal keys, recalling DJ Premier’s work with Jeru the Damaja. And the same can be said of the posse cut “Such a Showoff”, which features Statik scratching across hard-hitting boom-bap, while Kali, JFK, Termanolgy, and Reks channel the rap ruckus of the ‘90s. On that note, Statik also deserves credit for keeping alive a key ingredient of hip-hop that has been all but abandoned by the current crop: turntablism. Even when his beats are substandard, he keeps things stirring by showcasing his scratching ability. And as usual, he has an unsullied skill for crafting hooks made up of clever samples and cuts. Key notables on this record include the Beastie Boys in “Autograph,” Common in “Sit/Think/Drink”, and 50 Cent in “Cancel That.” (See also: Rebelutionary)
16
Roc Marciano – Reloaded
Reloaded is one of those albums that, despite months of me patiently anticipating the release of, still took me completely by surprise. And in turn, I find it difficult to explain to people what exactly it is about this record that makes it so damn good. A Google search will result in numerous 500+ word essays on it, but from my standpoint, it’s a disservice to the genius of Roc Marciano to try and spoil this for those who haven’t heard it yet. Roc has the type of vocal accent and flow that pulls you in, demanding your astute attention. Pair that with his alluring production and the end result is an hour’s worth of engrossing headphone music that sticks with you long after it’s over. Reloaded is faultless soundtrack to a train ride through the city—managing to sound experimental while still exhibiting evident nuances of classic New York hip-hop.
17
Sean Price – Mic Tyson
Amidst a period of rap music that could be theorized as “in transition” it’s clear that Sean Price is confident and comfortable in his, let’s say, non-transitioning role. And that’s not surprising, seeing as how his emergence in the rap game came in the early ‘90s as part of the rough ‘n’ rugged supergroup, Boot Camp Clik. It was a time when emphasis was placed more on mic prowess rather than personality and marketability-driven hooks. Over beats from the likes of Evidence, Alchemist, 9th Wonder, and Khrysis, Price spits street lyricism with a poignant and venomous deliverance seldom heard these days. Mic Tyson isn’t so much a statement, as it is an affirmation: Sean Price doesn’t make rap songs for the MTV Jams/BET set. Also, he'll smack the shit outta anyone actin' like a rapper. On “Pyrex” he raps, “A whole lot of shots will follow after I bust your snotbox with the Ciroc bottle.”
18
SpaceGhostPurrp – Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp
While lyricism may not be SpaceGhostPurrp’s greatest strength, his YOLO-esque black male self-awareness, laughable ignorance and misogyny-laced rhymes only distract mildly from the overall feel of Mysterious Phonk, as it tends to one of hip-hop’s chief qualities: escapism. Production wise, Purrp’s beats are Southern-tinged, foggy head-nod-ers that borrow heavily from DJ Paul or anything chopped-n-screwed, and fit nicely alongside contemporaries like A$AP Ty Beats—they are, for lack of a better term, purp’d the fuck out. To people who loved hip-hop before sippin’ syrup and blowing back hydro became the norm, Chronicles probably doesn’t scream “best of”—and traditionally speaking, no, Miami’s SpaceGhost isn’t the most gifted rapper—but as a dual-headed monster—his real prowess is as a producer—he has created one of the year’s most cohesive, and I’ll just go ahead and say it, best hip-hop albums.
19
Strong Arm Steady & Statik Selektah – Stereotype
Returning to the singular producer formula they last used on 2010’s Madlib collabo In Search of Stoney Jackson, Krondon, Mitchy Slick and Phil Da Agongy,—the California cliq known as Strong Arm Steady—teamed up with Beantown production workhorse Statik Selektah for Stereotype. Although the title may imply otherwise, the contents therein which are not as formulaic as one might expect; which is not surprising in regards to SAS, as despite a steady work rate, they come different every outing. With Statik cruising by on autopilot throughout a few other recent releases, it’s nice to see him step away from Preemo-esque boom-bap for a change. Here he steered into a vibrant soulful direction that mirrors the laid-back West Coast approach taken by SAS and various guest emcees.
20
Wu-Block – Wu-Block
While there are appearances from other members of Wu-Tang Clan and all of D-Block (also known as The Lox,) Wu-Block is first and foremost a Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch project. Fairly free of any surprises, Wu-Block finds Ghost and Louch delivering all the crack-bagging, gunplay and material goods-based rap you’ve come to expect from these two veterans. Wu-Block are at their thuggiest on the Method Man feature “Pull the Cars Out.” The three emcees spit gutter-worthy rhymes over a molten-hot banger co-produced by The Furturistics and Phonix Beats. Ghostface raps in typical fashion, “Every hood spot, they know me/Loyal females who can’t just give me the twat; they show me/Like I’m a big stock broker on Wall Street/I said ‘Naw, I’m that big drug dealer from 4E.’” Despite guest spots from the likes of Masta Killa, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, GZA, Cappadaona, Jadakiss, and Styles P what’s most impressive is how well Ghost and Louch work as a duo; clearly claiming ownership of the Wu-Block name and guiding the direction of the album.
Honorable Mention: KRS-One – The BDP Album, Showbiz & AG – Mugshot Music, Skyzoo – A Dream Deferred, Smoke DZA – Rugby Thompson, Vinne Paz—God of the Serengeti
- Nathan
Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid
Shocker: the record everyone got hyped about and is still talking about is on here. While it would be hard to pick out a proper single on the record, that almost seems to be the point. More than almost any recent hip hop record, this is a complete album with a story attached to it. Each song feels right in its own place, showing a clear idea from start to finish.
Sean Price - Mic Tyson
The wait has ended. After more than a few years of teases, the brokest rapper you know has come back. For all the underground hype surrounding it, the record holds its own and then some. Nothing drastic has changed: Price is still tougher and better than your favorite rapper and he has no shame in telling you about it. The guest features feel right at home as the guests only add to the songs. The production is top notch too, fitting Price's style perfectly.
Ab Soul - Control System
Possibly the forgotten member of the TDE family, 2012 saw one of the more intelligent and interesting releases of the year. The songs allow room for Soul to go in on any subject of his choosing, whether that be politics, love or his adolescence. Everything comes out and feels completely natural, never begging for the listener's attention, but seeming to receive it no less.
Roc Marciano - Reloaded
After a sadly misplaced bit of his career as a member of Flipmode Squad (ask your older brother), Roc managed to go back into the underground, make heavier than anything beats, and come out with a staggeringly intelligent NY hip hop record. After a bit of a wait, he returned and gave us Reloaded, which in a sense is more of the same. But what needs to change when your first record is a perfect encapsulation of East Coast hip hop?
Killer Mike - R.A.P.
El-P really did it this year: along with his return to releasing proper solo records, he fully produced this record too. While one could question how El's production would fit with the cadence and southern flow of Killer Mike, one listen will convince you of how well it works. Bending tales of his family and politics into a complete and visceral album lets this stand on its own and convince any holdouts on Mike to quit sleeping.
El-P - Cancer 4 Cure
And now for his second entry on this list. The master of the dystopian rumble in hip hop returned to his full glory this year, turning in a record that includes his futuristic style while allowing some room for some ridiculously heavy beats. The subject matter feels dystopian just the same, while still being very real and very scary. Whether you listen to "Tougher, Colder Killer" in which he talks about a soldier in Iraq or "For My Upstairs Neighbor" which does everything but allude to domestic abuse, the fear is very real and the music matches it quite well.
Nas - Life is Good
He's been threatening it for more than a few years in his own way: Nas making a grown up album. While each album has shown its own growth in its own way, never before has Nasir managed to encapsulate both his abilities and flaws so well into a complete record. The album that he referred to as his "here my dear" did much to deserve that reference. From the divorce that preceded it to speaking of truly grown up woes in the song "Daughters", The man that once called himself Escobar has truly grown beyond his past.
Schoolboy Q - Habits And Contradictions
Possibly the next member of the black hippie group to get noticed on a mainstream level is Schoolboy Q. This album is the perfect argument as to why he deserves it. Mixing gangster tales with grown up fears without bemoaning his situation past or present takes a certain intelligence. This is all done while speaking of his actual habits with a candor and intelligence that is usually left to indie rappers trying to get noticed. Schoolboy does this while retaining a keen ear for beats that slowly rumble and feel suffocating without being overly dark.
Brother Ali - Mourning In America
I would venture to say that Brother Ali has yet to put out anything less that a great full length record. Each record has relied on a single producer and Ali's willingness to be completely honest (for better or worse) with both himself and his audience. The story remains relatively the same here, trading in his usual conspirator, Ant (of Atmosphere) for the Seattle beatsmith Jake One. Jake provides soulful yet modern beats for Ali to speak his mind on, and for each second of this record Ali does nothing less.
Skyzoo - A Dream Deferred
Skyzoo has made a name for himself in the East Coast underground for years. Between affiliations with 9th Wonder and now Duck Down Records, he's made the most of the notice hes received. With each record, Sky has grown as a writer and found his own voice. With a growing ability to pick beats that he sounds great over it's only a matter of time before he makes a full-on classic. Meanwhile, this is a great record that shows him pushing further towards that classic.
Apollo Brown & O.C. - Trophies
It's sadly forgotten by most, but around the mid-90s, D.I.T.C. were one of the pre-eminent hip hop crews. This was well deserved with members such as Big L, Fat Joe and Big Pun, but with two of their main members' deaths and the mainstream's lack of interest in NY-style hip hop, the group was all but forgotten. Meanwhile, still-active member O.C. has managed to turn in some great albums - arguably, this is the best one yet. Taking full advantage of having Brown at the boards, O.C. makes the most of the opportunity, writing some of his best rhymes ever and sounding truly indestructible.
Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Dice Game
One of Detroit's most streetwise and downright toughest MCs, Guilty Simpson has done more than make his name in modern hip hop. The man has rhymed tougher than most yet is still forgotten in most discussions while D12 still has a major label contract. Whether this is deserved or not is becoming less about opinion with each album Guilty releases. Few MCs carry such a consistency within their catalog, and this record is no different. For Guilty's last album he went with Madlib; for this one he goes with Apollo. Each one brought something special out of Guilty Simpson. Once again, Detroit has given hip hop something great: hopefully more people will notice it after this record.
- Jon E
Best Hip-Hop Mixtapes of 2012
When listing the best hip-hop releases of the year, why add a separate list for mixtapes? What is a mixtape exactly? What makes a mixtape different than, oh, I don’t know, an album? And shouldn’t mixtape be spelled as two different words—mix and tape—or, at the very least, have a hyphen in it like, say, mix-tape? These are questions a rap novice might ask. Hell, these are questions a rap scholar should ask. But like many things in the universes of rap music, there is really no good answer; it’s just the way it is. In case you begin to ask yourself another question—“Why the hell am I still reading this?”—I will do my best to answer the question that opens this very paragraph—why a separate list for mixtapes? This straightforward answer is that basically it’s a way to include some more (or in this case, double the amount of) notable releases. The slightly more convoluted answer, which also addresses the second question—what makes a mixtape different than an album?— is that typically (and I want to stress the importance of typically here) there a few key elements that distinguish them from each other, lest they should not be judged by the same criteria. While albums are official releases on record labels with a price tag, mixtapes are by and large available for free download. Albums are slimmed down to artist’s best songs, while mixtapes are normally collections of twenty plus songs; many of which are freestyles over recycled beats and/or tracks that didn’t make the cut for the album. In fact, often times the sole purpose of a mixtape is to promote the artist’s upcoming album. Furthermore, some artists only do mixtapes because that’s just how they like, keep it real ‘n’ stuff. So, in the interest of keeping it real ‘n’ stuff, here are the 20 Best Hip-Hop Mixtapes of 2012…
1
Action Bronson – Blue Chips
This project—which borrows its title, imagery, and some key samples from the 1994 Nick Nolte, Shaq, and Penny Hardaway basketball film of the same name—brings together Brooklyn producer Party Supplies and the Flushing-Queens emcee-on-the-rise Action Bronson. At his brightest moments Bronson sidesteps his oft-scatterbrained lyricism, to shine some light on his storytelling ability. On “Hookers at the Point” he weaves a misogynist-leaning tale of the street-level sex trade by assuming the roles of a cast of characters—pimps, johns, prostitutes, etc. Peculiar movie samples and Party Supplies’ near-harrowing beat lend the song an authentically disturbing feel. Although Blue Chips came as a free download via all the normal outlets, it plays more like an actual album than it does a mixtape.
2
Action Bronson & Alchemist – Rare Chandeliers
Bronson’s first verse on Rare Chandeliers, his collaborative project with journeyman producer Alchemist, and his second album-worthy mixtape of the past year, is indication that he’s not about to stray far from the eccentric word-association rhyme style he’s perfected in the short period of time since he abandoned a culinary career in favor a shot at the rap game—“All I wanna do is buy boots, ride Coupes, hide loot, flick chives in the soup, stick knives where you poop, backflips of the ledge, hang glide of the roof.” In a year that already saw him release his solo record, Russian Roulette as well as collaborative projects with Oh No and Domo Genesis, Alchemist continued by churning out another druggy soundtrack for the finest emcees to rap on—Roc Marciano, Mayhem Lauren, Evidence, Styles P, and Schoolboy Q all make appearances on here. One of the tape’s standout tracks, “Blood of the Goat,” features Bronson, Big Twin and Sean Price, going all ‘90s-gorilla-rap on a hard-knocking beat that will remind old-heads of the cypher-ish parts from Company Flow’s Funcrusher Plus.
3
A$AP Mob – Lord$ Never Worry
Harlem’s A$AP Rocky broke out in 2011 with his LiveLoveA$AP tape, so it’s appropriate that while the release date for his first official album, LongLiveA$AP continued to get pushed back into, well, sometime in 2013, that he would appease eager fans with a crew tape in 2012. Lord$ Never Worry shines the spotlight on other emcees in his collective, the A$AP Mob—A$AP Ferg, A$AP Twelvy, A$AP Ant, A$AP Nast—as well as a handful of producers; the majority of which apply a liberal amount of Southern hip-hop worship in their methodology. While the best songs are the ones in which A$AP Rocky and his cohorts are featured prominently, some of the more memorable ones feature members from outside the A$AP Mob. “Coke and White Bitches: Chapter 2” features oddball Danny Brown and mixtape regulars Fat Trel and Gunplay, while Flatush ZOMBiES show up on “Bath Salts.”
4
Domo Genesis & Alchemist – No Idols
While Tyler the Creator seems to get all the press, it’s Odd Future’s lesser-known members (see: Mellow Hype, Earl Sweatshirt) that turn in some of the crew’s finest work, and Domo Genesis, perhaps their best-kept secret, is no exception. Teaming up with beatsmith Alchemist resulted in No Idols, an album-worthy tape that not only features SpaceGhostPurrp, Action Bronson, Smoke DZA, WWE samples, and a song called “Elimination Chamber”, but the following line: “I’m raw like Monday nights.” Even if pro-wrestling isn’t your thing, likely—seeing as how you’re still reading this—rap music is. And you needn’t look any further than “Til the Angels Come,” the final song—guest starring Freddie Gibbs and Prodigy—to find a perfect example of some supreme rap music in 2012.
5
Eric Sermon – Breath of Fresh Air
Whether it be one half of EPMD, a solo career or behind the boards for other emcees, The Green Eyed Bandit has somehow managed to remain one of the more pivotal people in the rap game for twenty plus years. Breath of Fresh Air is not entirely all new stuff—some of it is rarities and unreleased tracks from previous projects—but it is still an aptly titled tape. Aside from his recognizable voice, it’s got all the signature Sermon production you’ve come to expect—more or less, traditional East Coast boom-bap. And as per the usual , it is ripe with guest spots—KRS-One, Method Man, Too $hort, Rick Ross and Def Squad alums Redman and Keith Murray all make appearances, as do newbies Twone Gabz, the mysterious Lockness Monster.
6
Fat Trel – Nightmare on E Street
Washington D.C.’s Fat Trel is a heavily-tattooed sorta fat guy who calls himself, ah, Fat Trel, rarely wears a shirt, and has a photo floating around the Internet of him tossing the proverbial salad of some random girl. If that doesn’t automatically make him one of your favorite people ever, the fact that he also puts out exceptional mixtapes, in which he raps really well over Harry Fraud, Big K.R.I.T. and Lex Lugar trap beats should do it for you.
7
Flatbush ZOMBiES – D.R.U.G.S.
Closely affiliated with A$AP Mob, Flatbush ZOMBiES blew up the underground this year, ripped to the tits on forties, LSD, Molly, kush, and any other mind-altering substances that were within’ arm’s reach. D.R.U.G.S. is an impressive outpouring of blunted, trap-tinged, psychedelic horrorcore.
Tracks like “S.C.O.S.A.” and “Remember, I Got Money” are downright creepy, thanks in part to their eerie beats and molasses-slow screwed vocals. “Laker Paper” has an undeniably sing-a-long-able hook: “Purple in the blunt; Swishers be the paper. Mouth full of gold; I’m feeling like a Laker.” And of course, there’s “Thug Waffle”; the song whose video almost broke the Internet last summer.
8
Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa
Gary, Indiana’s Freddie Gibbs is a hip-hop chameleon. That is to say, he easily adapts to any beat and drops verse after impressive verse on top of them, cross-pollinating without a hint of the gimmicky-ness that oft-befalls other rappers who attempt a multi-regional approach to rap music. “Kush Cloud” is a hazy ode to the herb, in which Gangsta Gibbs brings along SpaceGhostPurrp and Krayzie Bone for the ride. Young Jeezy and Gibbs go the Molly route on “Go For it”, while Gibbs is in full-on trap mode for “The Diet”, “Bout It Bout It” and the Z-Ro feature “Boxframe Cadillac.” Frequent collaborator Statik Selektah laces Gibbs, Jadakiss and Jay Rock with one his signature laid-back boom-bap beats for “Krazy.”
9
Gigs510 – I Need Food, Swishers and Papers
While Oakland rapper Gigs510’s I Need Food, Swishers and Papers does have its faults—it’s twenty songs long, has a few amateurish rhymes (Like putting two words together in a song just because they sound the same.), some R&B-ish hooks, and questionable beat selection—it still makes the list because the things it has going for it outweigh those going against it. Mainly, when he’s focused, he’s an able-bodied emcee on par with many of the other highly applauded emcees on this list. (See: Joey Bada$$) And when he blatantly indulges the exemplary Bay Area sound, he does it really well. Stripper pole-ready bounce tracks like “Throw it”, “Go Girl” and “Ass Cheeks” are the type of thizzle/hyphy songs that predated (and subsequently outlasted) the jerkin’ movement.
10
Guccie Mane – Trap God
Guccie Mane is determined to stay relevant to the game, even if he has to do so one ubiquitous trap beat and Waka Flocka Flame feature at a time. And here’s the thing: it’s kinda, sorta, OK, pretty much is, working. (See also: Trap Back mixtape, I’m Up mixtape, Free Bricks mixtape w/Young Scooter.)
11
Gunplay – 601 & Snort
Perhaps more famous for off-mic antics like going one-on-four against members of G-Unit at the BET Awards and delivering beatdowns to his accountant, Maybach Music Group's Gunplay shows he’s a force to be reckoned with on wax as well. 601 & Snort is a short ‘n’ sweet, yet impressive collection of freestyles, remixes and new songs. It’s been said many times, but that doesn’t make it any less worth repeating, that Gunplay is the Old Dirty Bastard of MMG. I can’t take credit for that realization, but I certainly endorse it. And apparently Gunplay does too, or at least recognizes it, as he goes over the top of a classic Wu-Tang beats for a few tracks, including “Criminology Freestyle” and “Gullitine Swords Freestyle.” While the runtime on this tape is brief, it leaves a lasting impression, thanks in large part to Gunplay’s wildin’ out approach to rapping and the fact that he's oozing personality. (See also: Bogota Rich mixtape)
12
I Self Devine – Culture Series
In the months leading up to the release of his album The Sound of Low Class Amerika, Rhymesayers veteran I Self Devine released a succession of mixtapes known as the Culture Series. Featuring production from a number of producers, including Vitamin D, Alchemist and Oh No and guest spots from the likes of Twin Cities mainstays Budda Tye and Muju Messiah, each tape tackled a different subject matter of cultural significance. LA State of Mind, The Uplift Struggle, Reports From the Field: in the Trenches, and The Shining Path proved I Self to be not only a prolific artist, but a man with a lot to say. Not surprising considering it had been seven years since the release of his last solo record, the excellent Self-Destruction. (See also: The Sound of Low Class Amerika album)
13
Joey Bada$$ - 1999
Early on 1999, Joey Bada$$ states, “I’m tryin’ to go global…tryin’ to be a mogul” and later, “I won’t stop ‘til I meet Hova and my moms is driving a Rover.” And if this tape is any indication—as well as extramural things like calling out Kanye on his current mediocre-ness and (purportedly) beefing with Odd Future—it may not be long before he finds himself sitting in the front row of the BET Awards with a Kardashian on his arm. The Brooklynite, at just 17 years old, has crafted a surprisingly remarkable mixtape that recalls some of the most revered hip-hop in history. Over the course of fifteen tracks, Joey, along with his rhyme partner Capital STEEZ and the rest of the producer/emcee/artist conglomerate Pro Era, breathe new life into the tried and true ‘90s NYC rap formula. 1999 isn’t just the name; it’s the whole style—featuring production from J-Dilla, Statik Selktah, MF Doom, and Lord Finesse to boot. This cat has all the potential in the world to be H-to-the-UGE. (See also: Rejex mixtape)
14
Mayhem Lauren – Respect the Fly Shit
Action Bronson’s running mate and fellow foodie, Mayhem Lauren’s tape Respect The Fly Shit comes with no purchase point, but at only twelve songs and with the majority of the beats handled by a singular producer—Harry Fraud— it presents itself in album format. It also boasts an impressive guest list—Action Bronson, Heems, Roc Marciano, Sean Price—connecting the dots to what’s really exiting about current NYC rap. Regular Harry Fraud collaborator Smoke DZA tag teams with Lauren on “Radioactive Tuna”, one of the tape’s standout tracks. (See also: Mandatory Brunch Meetings mixtape)
15
Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 2
In anticipation of his solo album Dreams and Nightmares, Maybach Music Groups’s Philadelphian cornerstone Meek Mill dropped the second installment of his Dreamchasers series. The tape features production from Jahlil Beats, All-Star and a number of other beatsmiths. Beat Bully lays the foundation for the “House Party (RMX)”, which is the first time in recent memory that I can recall being able to actually tolerate Mac Miller. Meek goes the emo route a few times with personal stories of struggle and whatnot, but it’s most enjoyable when he unabashedly indulges the listener with sex raps and stereotypical gangsta shit; such as “Str8 Like That” and the Sam Sneaker-produced “Facedown.” (See also: Dreams and Nightmares album)
16
M-Phazes – Phazed Out (Mixed Version)
This is a playlist of tracks from Coalmine Records’ recent catalog that have been remixed by Australian producer M-Phazes. The whole thing has been superbly beat-matched and scratched into a non-stop party-rockin’ joint by DJ Rhettmatic of the World Famous Beat Junkies. Veterans like Heltah Skeltah, Inspectah Deck, Phil Da Agony, Masta Ace, and CL Smooth rap alongside up-n-comers Torae, Bekay, Saigon, Skyzoo, and Termanology. This reminds me of the ‘90s when mixtapes were actually cassette tapes of various rap songs mixed together by a DJ without the use of Serato. That’s not to say there isn’t some sort of mixing software at work here—I literally cannot tell—but if there is, it’s cleverly disguised by Rhettmatic’s impeccable turtablism. Fans longing for the days of hip-hop live-mix radio shows will dig this.
17
Showbiz & AG-Mugshot Music: Preloaded
Bronx vetarans Showbiz & AG returned this year with both a new album, Mugshot Music and the precursory mixtape, Preloaded. Riding on the strength of Show’s signature boom-bap and AG’s poignant and complimentary flow, this tape proved these Diggin’ in the Crates crew members still maintain a reputable presence in hip-hop some twenty-two years after first debuting on Lord Finesse’s Funky Technician album. In some ways, especially due in part to the R&B hooks that dictate the official album, Preloaded is the superior release—it’s straightforward East Coast rap music. (See also: Mugshot Music album)
18
Tree – Sunday School
Sunday School is a labor of love, detailing life in the poverty-stricken neighborhoods of Chicago, entirely written and produced by the emcee known as Tree. Despite being a Midwesterner, his beats are crammed with mournful soul, rigid bass line and multi-layered samples that recall the bounce ‘n’ roll of classic Southern hip-hop. In stark contrast to his production are his vocals. He has an odd pitch to his voice that might not immediately grab the listener, but given time it works its way into your conscious and sets up shop, demanding your full attention. He effortlessly switches from hostile patterns to churh-esque crooning, to raspy barking, and back again.
19
Various Artists – Closed Sessions Vol. 2
Preseted by Chicago’s Soundscape Studios and rap & culture blog site Ruby Hornet, the second volume of Closed Sessions (named after the small record label run by Soundscape's owners) dropped this last summer and it has held a favorable place on my iPod ever since. Recorded from the spring of 2010 through the winter of 2012, this tape features an impressive cross-selection of present day underground hip-hop. Each track features a meticulously-selected paring of emcees and producers. Among the many unique combinations, you’ll find L.E.P. Bogus Boys, Action Bronson, Raekwon, Mr.MFN eXquire and Freddie Gibbs tag-teaming with beatsmiths The Olympicks, Thelonious Martin, DJ Babu, Mike Jaxx, and Million $ Mano. The most pleasantly surprising result comes courtesy of Ninjasonik, Million $ Mano, and Hollywood Holt (whom I personally hadn’t heard from since his ‘07 ode to mopeds, “Throw a Kit”)—and producer Roofeo on the club-ready bouncer, “This Is How We Treat ‘Em.
20
Various Artists – Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells is a mixtape sponsored by DatPiff, Guerilla Union, Boost Mobile, and the Soul Assassins (Did I miss anyone?) that was put together to promote the annual traveling summer hip-hop festival of the same name. The tape features mostly new and unreleased tracks from artists spanning the spectrum of indie hip-hop. This artist selection is literally all over the place—KRS-One, Supernatural, Murs, Sick Jacken, Chali 2na, Tech N9ne, and Everlast are all on the title track—but it works well, thanks in part to the continuous playlist mix courtesy of DJ Muggs. While it is beset with the type of between-song shoutouts that will sound familiar to listeners of ‘90s Funkmaster Flex or DJ Honda tapes, it’s not to the point where it disrupts the feeling of a live mix. Some of the most bracing verses belong to Cassie Veggies, Sean Price and Atmosphere, whose song “Millenium Dodo 2” features a return to form for Slug, as he goes harder than anything on 2011’s The Family Sign. Also of note is surprising appearances from Deltron 3030 and Keith Murray.
Top 5 Hip-Hop EPs of 2012: Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Shame, Gangrene - Odditorium, Mr. MFN eXquire - Power & Passion, Quelle Chris - 2 Dirt 4 TV, Smoke DZA - Cuz I Felt Like It
- Nathan
Top 5 Bands I Discovered in 2012
Audacity
I get a lot of music. By which, I mean I usually don’t pay a whole lot of attention when the newswire tells me that a record is streaming. For whatever reason, I checked out Mellow Cruisers on a whim and haven’t looked back. I got the chance to see the band earlier this month, too, and they brought it just as well—even in a rather questionable venue as far as sound quality goes. But, hey, that’s punk rock, ain’t it?
Vacation
This was a holdover release from 2011 that I’d been curious about, but never got around to until the calendar turned. Maybe it was even on my “too late for 2011 list” a year back. I can’t remember, but the sloppy garage punk mixed with pure melodic bliss is energetic and makes you want to destroy things. The band has a knack for build-up within the songs while still keeping them concise and on track. Now to wait for a follow-up to their self-titled debut.
The Blank Fight
Where have I been on this one? Okay, I guess it had a limited run and disappeared like most Cometbus bands, but it’s fast, punchy, smart, and forceful. It reminds me of Cleveland Bound Death Sentence in many ways, just slightly less gruff (due to different singers), and the sound quality is good enough for the songs to really carry a punch. Some of this bands have recorded so little that, when you get your hands on them, the sound quality wasn’t done in a proper studio and it shows. Good job with this re-issue, Silver Sprocket.
Shell Shag
Okay, so I saw a few minutes of them at a Fest years ago. This year I sat down with a record and, sure, they’re all covers, but Fuck Society brings it. The covers are a wide range of styles, but there’s a really unified and approachable constant to them, largely brought out by the two-piece’s ability to strip out a powerful melody while making the songs their own. It’s low energy and probably gets a lot of shrugged shoulders at the punk shows, but having taken more time with an LP, I now get them.
Royal Headache
It was a lot of hype that led me to this band. People in all facets of the punk scene seemed to be talking up the Australian “soul punk” band and their self-titled record, released in 2011 in Australia and 2012 here in the US. Honestly, it took several listens to fully connect with the blend of energy and soul, but now I find myself thinking I should have hit up their US tour earlier when I had the chance. (Though SPB did send Nathan there.) Hopefully with all the talk the s/t has received, the band will find the resources for a return trip to North America.
- Loren
Top 5 Pieces of Album Art of 2012
The Top Five Pieces of Album Art
One thing is undeniable about this piece by Swiss/Swedish horror artist Hans Arnold: it sets the mood for this album incredibly well. Though this work was originally done in 1969 and later adapted by Storm Corrosion for their self-titled debut, there's no questioning that it was a good selection. Storm Corrosion is an uncomfortably awkward and disquieting album, and nothing says that better than the collective wailing of undeniably humanoid yet distinctly monstrous figures. Everything about this painting seems to teeter just past the edge of ready comprehension, and that feeling of shiver-inducing half-familiarity never seems to leave. It's difficult to look at this painting for a long period of time, but that's part of what makes it so effective.
4. Denis Forkas Kostromitin - Half Blood
It's quite easy to look at this piece a dozen times over and still not completely understand what is going on, but truth be told, that's part of the point. This surreal image done by Russian painter Denis Forkas Kostromitin seems to be incredibly sinister, yet it's hard to pinpoint exactly why that is. There's nothing inherently fearful about the individual elements, but when they're combined together in such unusual and grotesque ways, it's hard not to feel some small sense of revulsion--as well as curiosity. It fits the mood of Horseback's eyebrow-raising compositions quite well, to say the least.
This painting by Thomas Hack may not seem like much, but it only captures a fraction of the work he did for The Eye of Time. In addition to the cover art, he provided an enormous amount of paintings to the accompanying booklet for this album, and unlike many other albums, it's a valuable part of the overall experience. The music alone is fantastic enough, to be sure, but it's the total package that makes this album so memorable, and Hack's artwork is what seals the deal. The bleak images emphasize and clarify the intention behind the music perfectly, and it's hard not to appreciate the full message here.
German artist Eliran Kantor is no stranger to heavy metal album art, but this particular work for Sigh's In Somniphobia is particularly impressive. At first blush it appears to be a relatively normal piece of cover art, if somewhat odd, but then the details begin to jump out at you. The grayed babies lined up unceremoniously in the (presumably pregnant) woman's cart, the children holding and contemplating human skulls, the style of dress seemingly anachronistic with the modern streetlamps and road signs... This piece is full of subtly hidden disgust, and it's overall incredibly effective. Though it's also a bit distracting--you probably wouldn't even notice the fact that the band's name is even in the image at all.
The artwork of American guitarist/vocalist John Dyer Baizley is well recognized, and his style is now a staple of his band Baroness's covers. The fact that his overall style doesn't change much between albums doesn't dull the beauty of his artwork in the slightest. There's a lot to be found in the purpose and intention behind the posing of his figures and the various props they interact with, even if the details do take a bit of time to tease out. Though he does cover art for many different metal artists, it's clear that he saves the best for himself--and we should be lucky to get a taste of it.
- Sarah
Top 10 Worst Pieces of Album Art of 2012
Okay: this should perhaps receive some sort of bonus point for being colourful, macro-scale and constrasting, a little like Battles' music, but in general, this artwork looks like what would happen if the My Little Ponies were brutally murdered, with their rainbow-soaked brain matter left congealing in a pile as nearby kids scream and cry uncontrollably. Even the still image holds a sense of foreboding, as though a terrifying dayglo clown is about to spring out of the pile, covered in primary colours and masturbating uncontrollably. Sickening.
This is Oi? This is fucking predictable, more like. Don't Rancid own the copyright on that font, too?
What the fuck is this, the Backstreet Boys? Since when did bands list the members' names and photos on their covers? Even the fucking Beatles didn't do it as directly as this. It doesn't even look like an album, either, but one of those cheapo compilations you see in record stores called something like "Sound of the Sixties: Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits" which manages to not include any of the band's well-known songs.
Green Day - ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! and ¡Tre!
Ugh. This aesthetic was old hat ten years ago, let alone in 2012. The crosses-for-eyes thing is as played out as substituting love hearts for bombs, and it irrationally bothers me that the angle of the text for ¡Tre! isn't the same as the other two. Also, why is Mike Dirnt so important that his heads gets to cover up some of the band logo, but not the other two? It's definitely not because it's the best of the three (it isn't).
Making all of the band members look alternately like murderers and rapists is a bold marketing tactic, but gimmicks aside, this just looks stupid. If it was the Ramones thirty years ago it might've been cute and bubblegum, but here it just feels forced and tacky, down to the colour-coordinated Converse each guy is wearing. I bet they play live in these outfits too, don't they?
Seriously.
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Area 52
Did they commission a just-starting-out Graphic Design 101 student for this? Each bit of it smacks of "hey, look at this awesome Photoshop filter, bro!", down to the faux-Cyrillic typeface and cheesy ink stamp effect.
Another wannabe Rancid typographer must've designed this one. They should've given the Grim Reaper a mohawk and be done with it.
Maybe I'm taking the bait here but this is just painful, unless it's meant to be a spoof of a Mars Volta cover, in which case I'm down with it. Come on guys, the fucking face isn't even symmetrical. Also, are they boobs in the corners?
Actually, you know what? This features a bunch of cute flying dragons(?) vomiting rainbows into idyllic Discworld-esque floating planets, and alternately duelling scary-looking pink versions of themselves whose belching thunder/lightning clouds threaten to wipe out an Earth-like city. Fuck it: this is the best album cover of 2012.
- Matt
Sleep's seminal Dopesmoker is a one track, fifty minute plus masterpiece of stoned out doom weirdness. Reissued and remastered by Southern Lord, Dopesmoker came back into the world via a multitude of different packages but with only one outcome - perfection.
The enigmatic Uncle Acid and his band of merry deadbeats put out Blood Lust in 2010 but each LP run was snapped up in a matter of minutes leading to a new reissue via Metal Blade and Rise Above Records this year. 1960s/70s influenced horror fuzz has never sounded so wickedly good.
The ever mysterious black metal group Nine Covens released their second full length in the UK in November, however it doesn't see an American release until January 2013. As SPB generally goes for US release dates, they couldn't be included on my personal main list. A shame, but something to look forward to in terms of 2013 year end shenanigans!
HIM's anniversary compilation is a lovely reminder of the fact that the Fin's wrote darn good rock tunes and are still very much the masters of their own love metal brand. Honest.
Kelly Clarkson rules. That's basically it.
