Pillow Talk 2008: The Most Slept On Albums Of The Year
ALBUM REVIEWS By TC on December 30, 2008 at 10:44 pmIntro By Jesse H.
Being avid music followers, we all revel in our snobbery whether we admit it or not. We all love great music, but by the time Joey Nobody throws on “Lollipop” at a party, we can only shake our heads and mumble about how we predicted the songs meteoric rise six months prior. Because turning your nose up and handing out late passes doesn’t make you all that popular.
When faced with a late bloomer touting old songs as new, we can instead retreat to the sanctuary of our headphones where we can crank up the volume on releases that we know won’t face the risk of overexposure. It’s those selections that we proudly present to you as: Pillow Talk 2008 (Get it? Sleeper picks… sleepers sleep on pillows? Umm, moving on).
The Most Slept-On Hip-Hop Albums Of 2008
Words By K1NG, MZ, LC Weber, Patrick M. & TC
The Boston Hip-Hop scene may have lost some of it’s integrity since the Benzino Tea Party, but the gruff-voiced Akrobatik made a convincing attempt to return it back to the essence with Absolute Value. Holding his own over Illmind, J Dilla, and 9th Wonder undertones while kicking the truth to the young black youth on “Front Steps Pt. II (Tough Love)” gave the world living proof Ak had the “it” factor. Few albums of the year matched the level of cohesion the project embodied for Absolute Value was indeed a maximal achievement from a underrated lyricist.
Previously Posted – “Ak Be Nimble” – Review Of Akrobatik’s Absolute Value
AlchemistTheAlchemist’sCookbook
Whoever said less doesn’t equal more needs to check the ingredients to The Alchemist’s Cookbook EP. Appetizing guest spots from Capone-N-Noreaga, Styles P., and Blu over a healthy serving of dark and lovely Alchemist production treats guaranteed satisfaction for all who checked for it.
Previously Posted – “Step Brothers” – Review Of The Alchemist’s Cookbook & Evidence’s The Layover EP
With gangsta credentials in tact, 2008 saw Tha Doggfather coming into his own as artist as he blended G-Funk, R&B and (gasp!) Country music for his colorful, ninth LP Ego Trippin’. Rollin’ down Crenshaw with “Staxxx In His Jeans” before getting suited n’ booted to become the “Life Of The Party,” Snoop gets top props for paying homage to Roger Troutman — before it became mandatory to get a song on the radio.
Previously Posted – “Press Play” – Review Of Snoop Dogg’s Ego Trippin’
Slum Village strongman eLZhi showcased his penmanship skills on clever essays such as the Royce Da 5′9″ assisted “Motown 25″ and “Guessing Game” on the deftly composed The Preface. If this Detroit delicacy is a prologue for things to come, look for eLZhi’s legacy to unfold like a Pulitzer Prize winner.
Previously Posted – “Transistional Joint” – Review Of eLZhi’s The Preface
Don’t let the movies fool ya. Ice Cube’s very much in tune with the world around him. The flow may be little weathered but the message remained potent as ever as he displayed anti-violence on the Musiq Soulchild duet “Why Me” while being pro-revolution on “It Takes A Nation” and “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It.” Well-placed guest spots by The Game, W.C., and Young Jeezy made certain that Raw Footage was explicit as advertised.
Previously Posted – “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It” – Review Of Ice Cube’s Raw Footage
20+ years and still grinding on the wheels of steel, Pete Rock made an impressive bid to be known as NY’s Finest with proper cameos from Raekwon and Little Brother among others. The electrifying “We Roll” blazed through the underground circuit while he rocked for dolo on “Til I Retire” like an accomplished MC. Don’t call it a comeback. He’s been here for years.
Previously Posted – “Til I Retire…” – Review Of Pete Rock’s NY’s Finest
DavidBannerTheGreatestStoryEverTold
If you were mentally prepared to pardon blatant radio fuckery like “Get Like Me” and “Shawty Say,” then you’re well aware that David Banner actually based his Greatest Story…on something…well…great. Tracks like “Hold On” and “I Get By” were paragons of Banner’s strong points as an artist. The sampling of Col. H. Stinkmeaner for the affectionate “B.A.N. (The Love Song)” was reason enough to give the Mississippi Hulk’s fables a shot into your rotation.
Previously Posted — “I Get By” – Review Of David Banner’s The Greatest Story Ever Told
Supreme masters of cermonies: Masta Ace, Stricklin, Wordsworth, and Punchline formed together to make an “underground supergroup” with their first album The Show. The collective trade bars over a selection of soul drenched beats like “Don’t Give Up On Us” and “We Alright” while redefining the collaboration.
Previously Posted – “Make It Better” – Review Of EMC’s The Show
HeltahSkeltahD.I.R.T.(DaIncredibleRapTeam)
Da Incredible Rap Team’s album cover wasn’t the only ugly feature included in Heltah Skeltah’s long-awaited third album. The dynamic duo lyrically slung mud on nearly every urban celebrity imaginable while reminding everyone that “Everything Is Heltah Skeltah” and how “Insane” they could be over a blistering Marco Polo backdrop. And with fellow BCC soldiers Buckshot and Smif-N-Wessun and more heat supplied by Khrysis and Evidence, Sean Price and Rock conciliated for one of the more welcomed reunions of 2008.
Previously Posted – “Hellz Kitchen” – Review Of Heltah Skeltah’s D.I.R.T. (Da Incredible Rap Team)
After releasing their third studio album Getback, the jocular duo from North Cackalacka decided to update their 2007 Mick Boogie mixtape minus the drops and plus an array of new songs and remixes. Pooh and Phonte came correct without being constrained to the traditional format of an album. Call it restorative justus for the Hip-Hop community.
Previously Posted – “Best Kept Secret” – Review Of Little Brother’s …And Justus For All
SkillzTheMillionDollarBackpack
Long time ghostwriter Skillz once again tested the waters for solo success with his latest album The Million Dollar Backpack. And once again he found out it takes more than “skills” to catch the public’s attention. Good thing he’ll always have a back-up plan… and the wrap-ups!
Previously Posted – “So Far, So Good” – Review Of Skillz’ The Million Dollar Backpack
Focusing on the 4 letter word that’s not considered vulgar, Black Spade blessed the world with his amore language with the melodic To Serve With Love. Equal parts crooning, slick lyricism & dynamic beats, Stoney Rock’s suite flew under the radar but still left a lasting impression.
Previously Posted – “Revolutionary Bullshit” – Review Of Black Spade’s To Serve With Love
In his debut album, the Bronx-born Justus League MC holds his own weight in his crew while rapping alongside the likes of Sean Price, Torae, and Jean Grae and over a collection of the soul-based beats of 9th Wonder, Khrysis, and Illmind. The album didn’t put Chaundon on the map like he had probably hoped, but it was a solid release from a solid MC and worth the listen.
InvincibleShapeshifters
It’s some shameful shit when a pure Hip-Hop record comes down the pipeline and all anyone can talk about is what the artist looks like rather than what their music is about. Anyone who focused on Invincible as a female and not as an emcee, obviously snoozed through an hour of intricate lyricism served raw over head-banger beats. Discussions about her style over her substance caused several to miss the mark with Shapeshifters, in perhaps the most ironic twist of the year.
Previously Posted – “Looongawaited” – Review Of Invincible’s Shapeshifters
BossHoggOutlawzBackByBlockularDemand:Serve&CollectII
Slim Thugga and his trusty band of Outlawz served up plenty of exceptional accounts of wood steering wheel grippin’ and candy paint to get you through your commute. If Houston ever experiences another nationwide explosion, best believe the BHO will be ready.
Previously Posted – “Looking Clean” – Review Of Slim Thug & The Boss Hogg Outlawz’ Serve & Collect II: Back By Blockular Demand
With Prodigy doing a bid and Havoc a little too kushed up for comfort, Rapper Noyd made his own career moves with the rock-solid Illustrious. The throwback jam “Things Done Changed” took Queensbridge to a period where they’ve long forgotten.
Previously Posted – “Things Done Changed…” – Review Of Big Noyd’s Illustrious
Pacewon&Mr.GreenTheOnlyColorThatMattersIsGreen
Hip-Hop music, plain & simple. No gimmicks, no commercialism, no Clear Channel wishes. Only stellar production and Pace going in with his rhyme book.
“Independent” may have been for ladies night only, but Webbie brought plenty of Trill E-N-T for the fellas on the booming “Six 12’s” and the Bun-B blessed “Doe Doe.” February releases are generally heartbreakers because nobody remembers them come Christmas.
Previously Posted – “Just Like This” – Review Of Webbie’s Savage Life 2
We’ll forgive you for sleeping on Megatron Majorz if you’ll forgive the fact it dropped at the tail end of 2007. Vandalyzm’s hunger is the key to this project, and repeated listens convince you he’s about to do something big. His combined talents on the mic and in the booth are too great to keep him from making waves in ’09 and beyond. Tracks like the sublime “Charity Case,” and the gritty “Get Dough,” show hints of what’s to come. Sure the album’s a little raw in places, but when was that ever a bad thing?
Previously Posted – “Charity Case” – Vandalyzm’s Megatron Majorz
Previously Posted – TSS Presents 2008: The Best Year Ever – 2nd Quarter | TC Sings The Bricks Part DEUX!!!: The Most Disappointing Hip-Hop Albums Of 2008 | TSS Presents 2008: The Best Year Ever – First Quarter
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, GENERAL, MUSIC, REVIEWS, The Week That Was — Tags: The Most Slept-On Albums Of 2008
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51 Comments
I like how one TSS post says David Banners newest was one of the worst, and this post says it was slept on. LOL
i noticed that too…
i must agree…that Elzhi joint was crazy…def. pick that up if you dont got it
Damn, I totally slept on that Chaundon album. Never knew it dropped.
that eMC album was dope.
Pete Rock’s “NY’s Finest”, slept on?
LOL
nah, son…
how ’bout
Pete Rock’s “NY’s FInest” made me SLEEP
god damn, just thinking about that Pete Rock album “NY’s Finest” is making me sleepy….
*yawns*
good stuff (AK, EMC – 2 thumbs up)…
I assume TC’s lookin’ @ you sideways w/ a rotten tomato for that Banner selection though.
Watch your back lol
—————————–
Lemme throw nother couple’a shrimp on the barbie:
- Reks (Grey Hairs)
- Killer Mike (IPATTG2)
- Large Pro (Main Source)
- Statik Selektah (Stick 2 The Script)
^OED on point with those picks.
yo i wana thank tss squad for putting me on to… that black spade !! i love that shit !!
Can someone post a link to the Megatron joint?
I agree with all of these picks…except for that David Banner. The singles were cool, but the bulk of the album was filler.
My sleeper picks, that cats are still sleeping on…
A.B.N. – It Is What It Is
Tanya Morgan – The Bridge EP
Prodigy – Product Of The 80’s
And that Megatron Majorz is fire…
http://www.zshare.net/audio/53500353dde38ba0/
Hands High feat Big Pooh (prod. Vandalyzm)
Heat rock.
To borrow a line from TC, Fluff, use the search engine.
Now this list I can fuck with (no homo) minus a few selections. I have a few sleeper hits of my own, but my I’m still sifting through this sea of albums on my coffee table plus whatever is on my hard-drive.
ps: You guys should do a mixtape list. That would be interesting.
There’s links to every album in the post Fluff Daddy
@ Amp: Don’t forget about that Nicolay & Kay “Timeline” disc. Bangin’!!!
^^ I can’t front, that Timeline joint slipped under my radar. Dopeness.
Webbies sophomore effort was solid in my honest opinion. but im confused. how is DavidBannerTheGreatestStoryEverTold in the most slept on and worst album category in the year in review?
*edit* dissapointing
@ Flea
Top 10 Mixtapes Of ‘08
———————————–
10. The Nigger Tape – Nas
9. It’s Charles Hamilton – Charles Hamilton
8. Public Domain III – Max B.
7. The Mixtape About Nothing – Wale
6. The Confessional – Bishop Lamont
5. Adam’s Case Files – 88 Keys
4. Hi, My Name Is B.O.B. – B.O.B.
3. Bigger Then The Mayor – Rich Boy
2. The Road Till’ The Casket Drops – The Clipse
1. Halfway House – Joe Buddens
Nicolay n’ Kay/Tanya Morgan
indeed.
@ Amp: Co-sign like a ninja with bad credit about to default again. Here are my humble addtions:
DJ Drama & La the Darkman: The Notorious L.A.D.
Re-Up Gang: We Got It For Cheap III
Elucid: Police & Thieves
The Cool Kids: That’s Stupid
Mickey Factz: The Leak Vol.2 – The Inspiration
Hell Rell: Top Gunna – The Ruga Edition
Jay Electronica: Attack of the Clones
Mick Boogie & Young Chris: Last Man Standing
DJ Young Mase & Willie the Kid: Prince Among Thieves
AOK Collective: My Crew’s All Winners
yo anyone watching Portland and Boston? KG is a wild boy elbowin aldridge 2 times and makin it look accidental. not in the head kg! cant elbow a nigga in the head and make it look accidental. Boston bout to take an L just like my cavs maybe
@ Flea
Top 10 Mixtapes Of ‘08
———————————–
10. The Nigger Tape – Nas
9. It’s Charles Hamilton – Charles Hamilton
8. Public Domain III – Max B.
7. The Mixtape About Nothing – Wale
6. The Confessional – Bishop Lamont
5. Adam’s Case Files – 88 Keys
4. Hi, My Name Is B.O.B. – B.O.B.
3. Bigger Then The Mayor – Rich Boy
2. The Road Till’ The Casket Drops – The Clipse
1. Halfway House – Joe Buddens
————————————————
No love for the Unit? that first body snatchers was meeeeeean.
“like a dog”
“Rider”
“Mechanic”
“Make me Feel Good”
also what about the play cloths mixtape? that one was ill too.
Am I the only person thinking we won’t see a Wrap Up from Skillz this year?
No love for the Unit?
————————————-
If we’re talikng top 20, fa sure.
And “Road To Till The Casket Drops” & the Play Cloths mixtape are one & the same.
@ B. Payton: Ohhhh shit!!! How could I forget man!!! Those G-Unit tapes were ill, plenty of heat to rock with. Damn, waaaaaaay too much tunes to remember yo!!! lol!!!
ps: Let’s not forget all of those Curren$y tapes!!! Plus my new favourite cat off of the West: Nipsey Hu$tle. Check out his “Bullets Ain’t Got No Name” mixtapes. Oh and one more: Messy Marv – Cake & Ice Cream.
Are we sure that that Megatron album wasn’t just misplaced from the “Poison Eye Syndrome” post?
Let’s not forget all of those Curren$y tapes!!!
=============================
Yeah, I forgot about Spitter. “Super Techmo
Bowl” & “Fear and Loathing in New Orleans” were my faves. Currency & C. Hamilton have to make the list just based on the amount of quality material they put out. And as much as I hate to admit it, Gucci Mane was on his grizzly till he got booked.
For the record, Bar Exam 2 shits on 99% of the mixtapes from ‘08.
Royce went IN on that joint.
Halfway House is an album and David Banner is 50/50 to a tee.
^^ Really? So I guess it should look like this…
10. Elephant In The Sand – G-Unit
9. The Nigger Tape – Nas
8. It’s Charles Hamilton – Charles Hamilton
7. Public Domain III – Max B.
6. The Mixtape About Nothing – Wale
5. The Confessional – Bishop Lamont
4. Adam’s Case Files – 88 Keys
3. Hi, My Name Is B.O.B. – B.O.B.
2. Bigger Then The Mayor – Rich Boy
1. The Road Till’ The Casket Drops – The Clipse
Bigger than the mayor was my shit!
IM gunna catch some shit for this but anyone gotta link for the Elzhi I cannot find that album anywhere I would buy it if I could but could someone please bless me witta link
HELLOOOOOOOOOOO
LINKS ARE IN THE POST PEOPLE.
Click the album name.
ice cube had the best album cuz i did a beat for it.
I spoke to soon on the Wrap-Up.. just saw a radio rip .. floating through the innernuts pipes
Word!
Again thanks for putting all that good wording together in the year of Obama, because rap is always looking for a new hope I guess…
Alchemist is the real deal…
While Snoop ego’s is tripping in whatever who care rap…
David Banner must have read the previous post and ummm, laid that smack down. :OP
I KIDD! (not) lol
slept on albums yall slept on..
Crac Knuckles – The Piece Joint
Johnson en Jonson – Powers & Oils
DJ K.O. – Picture This
- Joint
+ Talks
Okay. So…
The David Banner issue.
I didn’t have anything to do with the placement in both categories, but how i feel about it, it is both slept on and dissapointing.
If you remember correctly, Banner was big in the political ring at the beginning of the year and we were hoping for him to skip all that fluff shit and come with what we know he could come with.
Then he came with The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Dissapointing.
People got turned away by the singles like “Get Like Me” and “Shawty Say,” so they didn’t give the album a real chance. But some of those songs on there are banging.. and they got overlooked cuz of the pop shit..
Hence, it is ALSO slept on, because of the songs that didn’t get love that should have got love..
I might be wrong, but that’s how i see it..
i don’t know if u guys like that type of music, but i’ll try it anyway :
http://rapidshare.com/files/158587029/Tsunenori-Landscape-2008-CMS.rar
that’s some calm music, obviously by a japanese guy, from Hydeout Productions, same label as nujabes (if you don’t know this guy, you’ve got to google him)
Try there for some nujabes music : http://musicalschizophrenia.blogspot.com/2008/10/nujabes-several-albums.html :)
(this is not my blog, so i’m not advertising ;) i just want you to know my source)
I thought Guilty Simp got snoozed on until I saw the dissapointment thread posts, go guilt.
I slept through the snoop joint, barely noticed it had dropped, have to rectify that. Nice list.
@ Durum Doner Kebab: Those are honourable mentions as well! What did you think about the “Jetlag” album from DJ Design?
I think that Heltah Skeltah album was the best rap album of 08.
http://poisonousparagraphs.blogspot.com/2008/12/dart-adams-presents-top-250-hip-hop-eps.html
One man’s classic is another man’s drink coaster © Dart Adams
One.
dunlopillo !!!
2 more severely slept on albums this year are Estelle’s “Shine” and Adele’s “19″. Not really hip-hop perse` but both of them joints are official bangers……
last year it was Corinne Bailey Rae and Amy “Crackhouse” showcasing their talent, and this year it was Estelle and Adele. I’m a believer now,….
A) there’s SOMETHING in that London water that we need in the US and B) can’t wait to see what the UK has in store for us in ‘09
- Reks (Grey Hairs)
- Killer Mike (IPATTG2)
I cosign that “Shine” was slept on this year. I’m still listening to it.
“Bitch…ass…nyucca (bowed up)!”
I gotta cosign w/Teef about them goings-ons in the UK. Serious talent over across The Pond.
I gotta big up my Twigga Vandalyzm! I love you, man! Milk n’ cookies on me! LOL!
Why doesn’t anyone give A.B.N. (Z-Ro & Trae) “It Is What It Is” any shine?! I love that album.