Generally, the bickering and babbling that coincides with ranking the year’s best LPs tend to blur the focus on the overall picture.

While some albums directly catered to personal preferences more immensely than others, all the selections emerged amongst the year’s best in regards to quality, visibility and of course, durability. Behold fifteen albums deserving of all the accolades and praises heaped upon them throughout the course of 2008. And their value will only solidify going in to 2009.

No order. No bias. Just noteworthy Hip-Hop.

Nas – Untitled

“From the brooding opening piano loop of “Queens Get The Money” to the uplifting snares on “Black President,” Nas channels his inner Walt Whitman as he explores the Black Diaspora. Lyrically though, his wordplay and delivery are sharp as ever as if all the attention to the title made Nas put extra effort and focus into his words…“ — From “America” – Review Of Nas’ Untitled Album

BONUS – Get familiar with Nas & DJ Green Lantern – The Nigger Tape Read the rest of this entry »

Okaaaaaaaay, we’re reloaded.

This week the whole crew lined up to look back at the past, set sights on the future, and take aim at the current potential threats. Read the rest of this entry »

It would be fairly convenient to undermine the sheer genius it takes to be a professional cynic, but the qualifying attribute is generally embedded into the individual’s persona like it was a strand in their DNA. When it comes to Joe Budden, the pathological gloom displayed in his music seemingly comes off as a natural process opposed to those who “fake the funk.” As a master of the melancholy, Budden’s been able to maintain a thriving fanbase even between record label drama as he’s able to relate to listeners through vehement emotion while remaining emotionless all the same. His latest effort, Halfway House, prescribes that beautifully bleak JB sound while expectantly offering little in remedial progress. Read the rest of this entry »

“They say he can’t come to the hood, he got ran out
How’s he living so good? His money should’ve ran out (nah)
Figured he be thirsty for a year now, living at his man’s house
None of that ever panned out
Call him fake ass, say he a fake ass, his girl’s fake ass
Say we don’t hear ‘em on the radio or he ain’t been out in so long
Dude can’t even rap, couldn’t be so wrong
Joey! Read the rest of this entry »

New Regular Joe from Halfway House. More everyday headaches detailed in this joint, which is my favorite version of Joe & in the same vein as that ol’ “Six Minutes” and “Ten Minutes” shit. With this, my Sunday feels complete. Link after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

A picture says a thousand words. Yes, this joint is crazy. Read the rest of this entry »

The official video for his single off Halfway House, releasing on 10.28.

Bonus Shot — Hit the break to watch & listen as Joe previews a new mixtape track, swiped from eskay. Read the rest of this entry »