I spent a whole morning examining my iTunes catalog and mixtape playlists, trying to figure out just what my favorite song was at this time of last year. When no clear-cut champion emerged, I had the bright idea to search my Gmail to see if I did any excessive ranting and raving that could help determine the right choice, and found this in a chat log:

Me: Cannot stop listening to “Revel.” Over and over and f*cking over. I may make the hook a ringer for my phone.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner.

The song in question features heartfelt sixteens from Nato Caliph as a defender of hip hop culture, and a stirring, triumphant backdrop, but Black Spade’s chorus is the reason “Revel,” which originally appeared on Nato’s R.E.A.C.H. EP last summer, dominated late May 2010 and still gets regular rotation a year later.

The verses on the Tech Supreme-produced track bemoan the current state of Hip-Hop music (“This is more than a rap song or something to clap for/it’s trying to rescue an artform from its current platform”) and Spade’s hook is a call for attention to be paid to Nato’s message. He wails like he means it and the heavy echo makes him sound as if he’s singing alone in a cathedral, demanding the ears of unseen masses. I’d advise you to take heed and tune in because The Force has something to say.

Nato Caliph Feat. Black Spade – “Revel” (Prod. By Tech Supreme)

Editor’s Note: Today marks the final entry in our The 30 Day Song Challenge. You’ve been a wonderful, receptive audience and we do thank you. Click here to view all 30 entries.