Hope you enjoyed Part I A's collection of interesting films, albums and people. Next I set out to complete a Hip Hop 2.0 for all of 2011. Obviously I found the task of narrowing the number down to 20, I ended up with a top 100, so here's a pretty comprehensive list of solid songs that popped up in the hip hop world from 2011. So without further ado here is my list of the best 100 Hip Hop songs released in the 2011 calender. It's not Billboard, or YouTube, just my own opinion. Furthermore, I didn't hear every song made in 2011, so save it, and I know Rack City is the bomb.
The Top 100 Songs of 2011!
100. When I'm Gone - Wiz Khalifa
99. Face Off - Reks Feat. Termanology
98. Never Stop Loving You - 9th Wonder Feat. Terrance Martin, Talib Kweli
97. Welcome To the Jungle - Jay Z and Kanye West
96. Focused - Wale Feat. Kid Cudi
95. Boom, Bap - B.O.B. Feat. T.I., Mos Def
94. Reppin' 4 Flint - Jon Connor
93. The Invitation - Saigon Feat. Q-Tip, Fatman Scoop
92. Ain't No Future 2011 - Jon Connor
91. Loud Noises - Eminem and Royce 5'9" Feat. Slaughterhouse
90. How High - J. Cole
89. Legendary - Wale
88. 3D - Game Feat. David Banner
87. Underground King - Drake
86. The OtherSide - The Roots Feat. Bilal Oliver, Greg Porn
85. Pot Of Gold - Game Feat. Chris Brown
84. The Real Her - Drake Feat. Lil Wayne, Andre 3000
83. Strange Clouds - B.O.B. Feat :Lil Wayne
82. Need Some Bad - Slick Rick
81. What Goes Around - Big Sean
80. Sookie Now - Big K.R.I.T. Feat. David Banner
79. She Will - Lil Wayne Feat. Drake
78. Enemies - Saigon
77. Friends - Saigon
76. I Love Music - Tech N9ne Feat. Kendrick Lamar, Oobergeek
75. Over My Dead Body - Drake
74. F5: Furiously Dangerous - Ludacris Feat. Slaughterhouse
73. Who Gon Stop Me - Jay Z and Kanye West
72. Fuck Your Ethnicity - Kendrick Lamar
71. See It To Believe it - J. Cole
70. On My Level - Wiz Whalifa Feat. Too Short
69. Country Shit (Remix) - Big K.R.I.T. Feat. Ludacris, Bun B
68. No Church In The Wild - Jay Z and Kanye West Feat. Frank Ocean
67. Come On Baby - Saigon Feat. Swizz Beats, Jay Z
66. Band Practice - 9th Wonder Feat. Phonte, Median
65. Words I Never Said - Lupe Fiasco Feat. Skylar Grey
64. Worldwide Choppers - Tech N9ne Feat. Ceza, J.L. B.Hood, Uso, Yelawolf, Twista, Busta Rhymes, Twisted Insane, D-Loc
63. Let's Roll - Yelawolf Feat. Kid Rock
62. Make Some Noise - Beastie Boys
61. Toast To the Dead - Immortal Technique
60. Fast Lane - Eminem and Royce 5'9"
59. Success Is My Cologne - Currency
58. Pimps (Remix) - Big K.R.I.T. Feat. 2Chainz, Bun B
57. Bundle Up - The Cool Kids
56. I'm On One - Rick Ross Feat. Drake, Lil Wayne
55. Ballin' - Young Jeezy Feat. Lil Wayne
54. Work Out - J. Cole
53. DC or Nothing - Wale
52. Martians Vs. Goblins - Game Feat. Lil Wayne, Tyler the Creator
51. Enjoy - 9th Wonder Feat. Warren G, Murs, Kendrick Lamar
The Top 50!!
50. Am I a Pyscho - Tech N9ne Feat. B.O.B. - Tech N9ne experiences a long overdue epiphany!
49. The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco - Again, hardly a track from 2011, despite it's inclusion on Lasers. I still dig the Modest Mouse back riff none the less.
48. Ric Flair - Killer Mike - The song is great, the Ric Flair soundbites are even better!
47. Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay - Big Sean Feat. Kanye West - "The fuckin anthem, get it, the fuckin anthem!"
46. He's a Mental Giant - Tech N9ne - Tech N9ne killing the beat with his incomparble word play, which he is well aware of, being the mental giant he is.
45. Makin Dough - Obie Trice -Obie's got a new album in 2012, good to hear his gravelly flow again on this one.
44. Phone Numbers - Big Sean, Trae the Truth - My pay cheques be looking like phone numbers! I wish.
43. Murder To Excellence - Jay Z and Kanye West - I found Watch the Throne to be a series of hits and misses, this one hits!
42. My Sub - Big K.R.I.T. - Filling my Outkast void with the Southern banger.
41. Capcom - Kid Cudi - Ya'll know I love some Cudi.
40. Molasses - Raekwon Feat. Rick Ross, Ghostface Killah - As smooth and syrupy as the title would suggest.
39. Ghetto Dreams - Common Feat. Nas - Two originals.
38. Wake Up - Wiz Khalifa - Laid back Wiz flow. Run my town, like the mayor. Run my town, bitch, I'm like the mayor. Brilliant.
37. I Do It - Big Sean - Witty punchlines, Big Sean at his #hashtagging best.
36. Cole World - J. Cole - J. Cole brings lyrics to compete with the beat as he goes in on this offering.
35. The Noose - Tech N9ne Feat. Mayday - Tech N9ne's apocalyptic tale of the shortcomings that doom us.
34. Sweet - Common - One of the singles that drove Common's 2011 revival.
33. One Time - The Roots Feat. Phonte, Dice Raw - More great music from The Roots band with a little help from Dice Raw and Little Brother alum, Phonte.
32. Marvin's Room - Drake - Some more sing-songy rap shit from the man who does it best.
31. Memories Pt. II - Big Sean Feat. John Legend - My favourite track off of Finally Famous.
30. Lost Ones - J. Cole - Modern day take on Brenda's Got a Baby.
29. That's Life 2 - Killer Mike - Killer Mike preach!
28. 6'7' - Lil Wayne Feat. Cory Gunz - Crazy beat.
27. Ready Set Go Pt II - Killer Mike Feat. T.I., Big Boi - Had to get Big Boi on this list!
26. Trust Issues - Drake - Drake's open-book-sing-songy flow. He, "doesn't trust these bitches"
25. Black and Yellow - Wiz Khalifa - Points taken for it can hardly be considered a 2011 release, the song that rode the Steelers to the Superbowl and Wiz Khalifa to the mainstream.
24. Roll Up - Wiz Khalifa - The freshest track off of a bit of disappointing and over commercialized major label debut from Wiz Khalifa.
23. M I Crooked Letter - Boo Rossini Ft. Big K.R.I.T. - I am an unapologetic Big K.R.I.T. fan for 2011, including this battle cry from the South.
22. Niggas In Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West - This song continues to grow on me.
21. I Do - Young Jeezy Feat. Andre 3000, Jay Z - An all star cast, Jay Z in cruise control somewhat holds it back.
The Top 20 Songs of 2011!!
20. Greatest Story Never Told - Saigon - Best track on the long anticipated Saigon album that has been delayed for nearly a decade! Worth the wait!
19. Ambition - Wale Feat. Rick Ross, Meek Mill - Wale hits hard and makes you want to be somebody on this one!
18. 5 on the Kush - B.O.B. Feat. Big K.R.I.T., Bun B - A south modern take on Luniz's 5 on It.
17. Otis - Jay Z and Kanye West - Equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster. They both bring it.
16. HiiPower - Kendrick Lamar - Voted HipHop DX's verse of the year.
15. All Black Everything - Lupe Fiasco - One of the only tracks on Lasers that I can actually see Lupe standing behind in post production.
14. Disgusting - J. Cole - All about the beat on this one.
13. 25th Hour - Reks - Dope lyrics over a Premo beat, doesn't get much better than this.
12. Intro/Interlude/Outro - Lil Wayne Feat. Tech N9ne, Andre 3000, Bun B, Nas, Shyne and Busta Rhymes - By far the best thing to come out of the Lil Wayne's Carter IV.
11. Dreams Money Can Buy - Drake - Drake is a worldwide superstar, here are all the dreams his new found wealth can help him purchase.
10. Reagan Era - Kendrick Lamar - Representin' the West Coast, Lamar brings a social consciousness to the West Coast gang mentality that hasn't been seen since the likes of Ice Cube nearly 15 years ago.
09. Headlines - Drake - Drake proves he's still a force to be reckon'd with. Punchline after punchline.
08. American Rapstar - Big K.R.I.T. - The making of a Rapstar right before our eyes.
07. American Terrorist - Lupe Fiasco - It might just be the Nighcall beat, but I can't get enough of this, I wish Lasers had been better, but this will do.
06. Who Do I Catch Now - Tech N9ne - What started out as a BET awards cypher, tells the story of his meteoric rise to fame in 2011, where does Tech go from here?
05. Nasty - Nas - Nas doing Nas, owning a track and keeping his name in your mouths.
04. Red Nation - Game Feat. Lil Wayne - Love the Zombie nation background beat, a true anthem for 2011.
03. Dreamin' - Big K.R.I.T.- I've been feeling K.R.I.T. since 2011 began. 2011 had to be a dream come true for the Mississippi native,who blew up both on the mic and behind the boards.
02. Make My -The Roots Feat. Big K.R.I.T. Dice Raw - Best song on what is arguably the best album of the year.
01. The Return of Simba - J. Cole - My song of the year, didn't even make an album. Still my song of the year.
And there you have it ladies and gents, the best hip hop singles of 2011. Hope you enjoyed it!
Part II - Resolutions - Hello 2012
12. Decisions, Decisions - That's what it all comes down to isn't it, the choices we make. In 2012 I hope to make all the right decisions, all of the time. Unfortunately, no matter how much resolve I approach this with, I will not achieve this lofty standard. What I can count on is that I'll take the time to make the best decision I can and then I'll leave it alone. Enough with the over analyzing, replaying out what decisions I could have made differently. In 2012 I will make well thought out choices and stand behind my decisions as they determine who I am and continue to become. Furthermore, occasionally I'll screw up as well. (Really took a leap here, I know)
11. Challenge = Growth - Without challenging ourselves in new situations, environments and opportunities we're limiting our ability to grow, change and improve. Interestingly, the chinese word for crisis includes the symbols for both danger and opportunity. Unfortunately most opportunities tend to be disguised as work and that tends to skew our vision at times. Very much a situation where the more you risk (leaving your comfort zone) the greater your possibility for reward. I resolve to seek out new challenges for the opportunities and learning experiences they present.
10. Listamania - There's a saying that goes, fail to prepare, prepare to fail ...or something like that. For me organization is the key to getting things done. If you've read my blogs you know I like lists, so this resolution is seemingly a match made in heaven. An amelioration of tasks and goals. I resolve to become a master of the list; setting 'to do' lists on a daily, weekly, and monthly scale. Checking off even the most mundane of tasks for that feeling of accomplishment that only completing my laundry, groceries and banking all in one trip can deliver.
09. Chef Budd - Next time someone approaches me and says "What's cooking?" ( Followed by a pleasant "good looking", I hope.) I hope to respond with, something edible, anything edible. If there's one thing I am guilty of, it's being a lazy cook. It's not that I can't cook, it's just easier and more convenient to eat out or order in, which a) costs far too much on the day to day b) rarely results in healthy food choices. That said, an improvement here could serve to fatten up my wallet, while at the same time trim down my waist line. I resolve to eat out a maximum of 2 times a week. 08. The Pen(is) Mightier - I'm a better person when I'm reading, if I have time to read it's a sign that life is moving at a good speed for me. Reading is a symbol of relaxation and control. When I'm reading and writing on a consistent basis I have time and patience to get things done at a pace that's thoroughly enjoyable. I resolve to read at least a book a month, and write 2 entries a month, as well as hopefully something more substantial moving forward.
07. Have the Courage To Think Outside The Box - 2012 shall not be a year of, "but I've always done it this way....". In 2012 I resolve to have the courage to think outside the box; to look at the way I, and those around me, do things and ask, "Is that the best way...?" A lot of the time we can fall into the rut or safety net of continually and habitually doing things the same way over and over. Routine can be a good thing but stagnation, not so much. Maybe the best way hasn't been thought of yet, maybe I'd do well at something I've never considered for myself before. In 2012, I will not overlook the endless possibilities that exist beyond my conscious.
06. Lay Waste to the Waist, and Other Forms of Waste - I'm a criminal wastophile. Time, money, food, opportunities, you name em, I waste em. My goal for 2012 is to try and eliminate some of the waste from my life, including this waist (not entirely, obviously). Clearly, some of these resolutions overlap, and I've already pleaded guilty to wasting ends on eating out at an extravagant pace. I waste loads of time on facebook, twitter, and surfing the net, completing mindless, thankless, and product-less tasks. I've got to do a better job of catching myself in the act and improving upon this. Waste. Get rid of it.
05. Be Healthier - Sleep more, eat healthier, exercise daily. Shouldn't that continually be a goal we strive towards. When I reflect on the times when I feel crummy on a day to day, week to week basis, the usual suspects tend to always be the culprits, lack of sleep, a bunch of trash in my diet, general malaise. And they domino as well, when you're not sleeping well, it's more likely that you'll be too tired to complete any physical activity, let alone the activity it'll take to fire up the stove and make something worthwhile to eat. Did I say you'll...I meant I'll. I resolve to sprinkle some healthier habits into my daily routine, maybe you should too?04. Seek and Destroy - For most of this list the resolution involves, doing something new or the addition of something. Addition by addition. Simple. But in some cases what we have is addition by subtraction. Like a computer, we function best when we're not plagued by virus, spyware and clutter. In our daily lives the elimination of some of these hindrances can be just as beneficial as the addition of any new practices or habits. What we destroy shows our character as much as the things we build. I will continue to explore and identify my weaknesses, flaws, and poor habits and work towards their destruction.
03. Discipline - To me discipline is the ability to overlook your short term wants and desires in favour of doing what it takes to pursue your long term goals. You want both, but your over arching vision has to take priority in these situations. You want a fit bod just in time for summer, but you also want a cheeseburger because you're craving it and they're admittedly a known delicacy. In this case your desire for a burger contradicts your goal of a fit bod. Show discipline. Do not bet on a Bears quarterback. Show Discipline. This is especially important when seeking change, eventually the hope is that long term goals and short terms wants and desires are in sync, until then, show discipline. 02. Balance - A big thing for me is maintaining balance, I can be very good in ebbs and flows. As evidenced by November's cleanse followed by December's binge. While, I can maintain the level of discipline necessary for wholesale change over the course of a month, the reality is I wasn't ready to make the full scale lifestyle change. I'll binge for one month on deep frieds, pumphouse beers, and donairs, only to follow up with a month of chin ups, frequent jogs and generally healthy eating. Binge, purge, repeat. I've always been an extremist in that sense, O-Town, all or nothing. I resolve to strike a balance. If I am able to find that fine balance; coupled with an infusion of positive thought and action, destroy some bad habits, there's no reason 2012 can't be a remarkably productive 12 months.
1. Robotic Cyborg - Lastly, I would hope that having stayed in line on all of these resolutions, my end result is that I will have morphed into some type of machination by years end. It will take a well programmed set of algorithms and software to keep me away from some of the vices that could prove fatal to this idyllic 2012. Best to not let any of my superficial desires and emotions have me seeing short sighted in such a scenario as this. This is mostly meant to be tongue in cheek, as some would suggest I have as good a chance of becoming part man - part machine as I have of carrying out these resos. A simple reminder to dream realistically because I think it's important to remember that Rome wasn't built in a day and this life is entirely a work in progress. I am not a robot, I am human - an I can and will make mistakes. I'd love to sit down in 2013 and think 'job well done', but there will continue to be setbacks and obstacles, the thing to remember is to remain realistic in dealing with setbacks. If I can do that and not let any setbacks, which can and will occur, deter my spirit of progress then I have no doubt 2012 will keep me smiling all year long. I resolve to carry these resolutions out with cold, robot-like precision.
Happy 2012 Folks!
Peace.
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