TOP 30 BAY AREA RAP 2012

The Bay Area knocked everything else out the park this year.
And I'm talking quantity AND quality. Over 50 of the finest
rap tracks and a shitload of tight album releases.
Needless to say this was a tough call to just name the top 10
and leave it at that. I had to broaden it and go for a top 30
because most of these tracks are just as good as the next and
they pretty much all deserve the top 10 spot. Even within
the top 10 i changed around numerous times, they are just that
fuckin good! The top spot however had to go to my favourite
track of the year, period. "Iller shit" of the Border Wars
album makes me feel so many things, it's ridiculous.
This is why i love rap. The production and melodies, 
the hook from The Jacka, the different flows and styles...
Man i love this  bay shit!
Not going to go deeper into each individual track this time,
but i'll try and add audio later (my other audio site shut down).

1. Berner & The Jacka - Iller Shit

2. Messy Marv - You Gotta Pay Me

3. J. Stalin & Shady Nate - Chalk It Up

4. Bueno, Yukmouth & J. Stalin - 2k12

5. Messy Marv - 2 Steppin

6. Berner - Don't Hate Me

7. Yukmouth & Blanco - Warheads

8. E-40 - This Is The Life

9. E-40 - What Happened To Them Days

10. Baby Bash - Bubble Ball

11. Berner - Cloudy Day

12. The Jacka - Here We Are

13. The Jacka - The Jacka Blues

14. E-40 & Too Short - Cali

15. Mac Mall - Get It In

16. Laroo & Turf Talk - Don't Trip

17. E-40 - What Is It Over

18. C-Bo - I Hustle

19. Berner & The Jacka - No Answer

20. Blanco & The Jacka - Stay Asleep

21. P.S.D. - Luv My Niggaz

22.  Berner & The Jacka - Spray Em

23. Mac Mall - Country Ran By Thieves

24. Too Short - Ima Stop

25. C-Bo - Orca

26. C-Bo & W.C. - 187

27. Berner - 21 Gunz

28. The Jacka, Joe Blow & Liqz- Life's Cheap

29.  Baby Bash & E-40 - That Weight

30.  Laroo & Turf Talk - Trust No One

Again, there were so many great tracks and 22 could've

easily taken the number 7 spot. Here are some more

standout tracks that deserve a top spot easily:

Black C - Cup Of Game

E-40 & The Jacka - In The Ghetto

Berner & The Jacka - Thank You

Guce - Not A Role Model

San Quinn - Measuring Grams

E-40 - This Shit Hard

Blanco & Nipsey Hustle - ak47

E-40 & Too Short - Let's Have A Party

Messy Marv & Young Doe - Lompoc

Blanco & The Jacka - Submit

Mike Marshall - What Im Saying

C-Bo - I'm Ballen

...

TOP 10 EAST COAST RAP 2012

Part two of the countdown continuing with the top tracks from

the East Coast and boy was this a huge disappointment!

What a poor ass year in releases. It just ain't what it used

to be and unlike the Dirty South, there wasn't even a decent

list to choose from. But here goes:

1. Beanie Sigel - This Time

However shit the year was for the east, Beanie just killed it

and the title track for his latest album is just top notch. 

The production along with that killer hook and an

awesome Beanie made this an easy choice.

2. Nas - Bye Baby

As soon as i first heard this track i was hooked

and it still is one of those tracks that just sucks you in.

At least Nas dropped a classic this year. Life is still good!

3. Joey Bada$$ - Hardknock

And then there was Joey and this track knocking 

through my speaker and i sat there smiling and

bumping my head in peace. So glad there's still cats 

out there who know what it's all about. This could easily

beat Beanie for the top track this year. Amazing shit!

4. Prodigy - Pretty Thug

The album wasn't P's finest, but this track really makes you

reminisce about the good 'ol gangsta hardcore hip-hop days.

Onyx style...lyrically not all that, but it's a killer joint.

5. Beanie Sigel - Dangerous

Had to pick another Beans cut and this track was

the obvious choice (though Kush Dreaming is equally great).

Young Chris & The Game kill it on top.

6. Ghostface Killah & Sheek Louch
Different Time Zones

So glad this dropped. Can't have a proper year without

the Wu droppin a little something. This collab was great and

had some really tight tracks, but this is my favourite one and 

sounds like vintage Wu to the ears. Nice to hear INS there too.

7. Lupe Fiasco - Around My Way

Lupe returned for Food & Liquor II and he redeemed

himself big time. A lot of great tracks but i decided on this

one over "Battle Scars", "How Dare You","Bitch Bad" etc.

Keepin it old skool with deep lyrics. Lupe all the way.

8. Ghostface Killa & Sheek Louch - Stella

Another Wu Banga with a great Method Man feature. 

It really can't get any better!

9. Vinnie Paz - You Can't Be Neutral On A Moving Train

Not the same without Stoupe, but Vinnie had

a nice release this year with some tight joints and

great collabos (Scarface, Mobb Deep), and this track.

Hella deep and a joy to just listen to it all.

10. DMX - Cold World

I just had to close off the top 10 with a joint 

from the dog himself. Great comeback and 

though nothing overly exciting, still pretty damn

great to hear X on the mic again!

Honorable Mentions:

Lupe Fiasco - Battle Scars / How Dare You

Styles P - Like That

Ghostface & Sheek - Been Robbed / Bonus Track

Beanie Sigel - Kush Dreaming

Nas - Daughters
Ala Sole & Nyck Caution - Resurrection Of Real

TOP 10 DIRTY SOUTH RAP 2012

Back again to name the top tracks of the year starting

with the dirty dirty. Overall it's been a so so year for the

dirty south for me. Not enough diversity and way too many

beats sounding the same, regardless of the region it was from?

That's just wrong. ATL rap used to be so different from Memphis

rap, to Louisana rap, to the MIA (slip-n-slide baby). 

Everything had it's niche. From a distinct Triple 6 Mafia 

to a crunk Pastor Troy. And we had Mannie beats,

Timbo beats...now everyone just got MMG type production.

Not to mention just plain ass retards like Chief Keef. Seriously.

Anyway, nuff bitchin about it. There was still straight dope, and

plenty to burst my bubble. Again there's no difference between

the number two spot and the 10th spot. They can easily swap

spots depending on ya mood. So here they are:

1. Big K.R.I.T. - Porchlight

I mean, it's just beautiful. Perfect combination of artists and

proof the south has so much more to offer. There might be

other tracks that got you crunk like a mofo, but this one is

such a great track, i had to give it the top spot!

2. Rick Ross - Ten Jesus Pieces

With a smile and constant bump in the head reflecting

on the lyrics and beauty of it all. Forget the fact we're

talking about Ricky Rozay. It's this year's "song cry".

And Stalley surprised me. Deserves the props.

3. Yo Gotti - Letter

Pretty much the first track i added to my list for the year's finest.

And it still holds the punch a year later. Gotti's flow and grit

over that insanely dope beat (both pounding and smooth as hell)

does everything right and top 3 without a doubt!

4. Fiend - Champagne

So glad my man Fiend made the list again. I love this dude.

And this track is so damn smooth and a great collab with

fellow N.O. native Curren$y. Fuckin awesome!

5. Meek Mill - Dreams And Nightmares

Fuck man. This is intro of the year! When the heat drops

halfway through i still loose my head. What a beast.

Meek has the best delivery here i've heard in years!

6. Big K.R.I.T. - Temptation

You know i had to have Krit appear twice. Dude is the south's

saviour. And this track is pure gold channeling Three 6 Mafia's

"The End". Mad props to it all.

7. Meek Mill - Rich And Famous

Same for Meek Mill, having one of the years' best albums,

another track from Meek is a given. I picked "Rich And Famous"

for the simple reason, i just love it. It's different appeal perhaps?

Could easily have been "Polos And Shell Tops" here.

8. Project Pat - Pop This Pill

I love Memphis rap. And i love Pat. And this track

is straight crack and the closest thing to the good 'ol

chicken head days. Yeean Know!

9. Lil Wyte & Pastor Troy - Sold My Soul

Now this is how you collab. These two together
is like a wet dream. Seriously. From Tha M to the ATL,
it has proven a thing of beauty plenty of times!

10. T-Rock & MC Mack - Informant

Having these two finish my top 10 is perfect.

Out of 33 tracks from the south's finest, half are from Memphis.

So it's only fitting, and this track is straight up classic

m-town shit. And T-Rock made my list again!

A lot more dope cuts that i left out (though for some reason

a top 20 wasn't right this year), and here are the honorable mentions:

Big Boi - Objectum Sexuality

Rick Ross - Ice Cold

Big K.R.I.T. - Package Store & What U Mean

8Ball - No Pain & Good Days

DJ Paul - Smokin & Fuckin

Lil Wyte - Money & Show Some Skin

Fiend - Street Player

Meek Mill - the whole album!