DrewDown's Best 10 Albums of the Year & a few bad ones

In no particular order, sort of:

1. Elzhi - The Preface


Hands down. Classic. 5 stars. The whole Enchilada. This album will go down in history. Probably a sleeper too. Not to say anyone is going to underestimate the man's skill or anything, just guessing I won't see it on a lot of top 5 lists. Just know like they say at the end of Guessing Game "and by the way, Elzhi, That Niggas Better than You! Elzhi's better than you. He's better than you." lmao.

2. 88 Keys - The Death of Adam / Cold Case Files



Fuck it, the mixtape was classic, and so was the album. Mixtape was better than 90% of albums this year. I love music that I can relate to. Sadly both these gems had a lot of the skirt chasing stories of my past. I felt like there were some tracks I woulda traded from the tape to the album, and I was annoyed as hell that 88 keys won't rap without his altered voice but at least it wasn't auto-tune. I love albums that tell a whole story and actually succeed.


3. Solange Knowles - Sol-Angel & the Hadley St Dreams


Surprised the hell outta me. This album bangs.

4. The Roots - Rising Down


One of my favorite albums to drive fast with. Uptempo but dark and moody. Very different from the other roots albums. Killer.

5. Nas - Untitled


I kinda bump the Mixtape more than the album, but this was still a classic. I love it when artist touch on subjects that are kinda uncomfortable to talk about but need to be brought up. Like Kanye USED to with his self conscious shit. Now you can't tell him nothin. You can't even tell him he can't sing. lol.

6. Jake One - White Van Music


Not on here because he rep'd Seattle so damn hard. But on here because he spent like 2 years making a DAMN good album. The Truth was one of the best singles of the year. The release party was off the hook too.

7. Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman


I really enjoy this like I enjoy Kingdom Come. Not all the tracks are the best, but the content is mature and none of this "shake your junk" shit that happens too much. Hip-Hop needed this album. It just happened to be an R&B album.

8. Murs - Murs for President


Not up to par for a man who's last couple albums have been classics, but still a great album. The Hip-Hop version of Ne-Yo's joint?

9. Ludacris - Theater of the Mind


A great rebound album from Luda. The last one screamed 'gimmie a grammy' to me, and I wasn't feelin the whole runaway love stuff. He got it, so now he's back to his old self.

10. Common - UMC / Q-tip - The Renaissance



These albums were both so damn short. I had to count them as 1.

Honorable Mentions:
NERD - Seeing Sounds
Blu & Mainframe - Johnson & Johnson


Ok. A few bad ones:

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter 3


It had a few good joints, a few ok ones and a few bad ones, but it shouldn't be on ANYBODY's top 10 list.

T.I. - Paper Trail


Why does it seem I hear a lot of people saying this is T.I.'s Best Album? Did you guys ever listen to KING? Or for that matter ANY of his albums before that (except Ti. vs T.I.P.)

Ray J - All I Feel


You like to Trick? Really? See ya later Alligator. lmfao.

Bun B - II Trill


Rest in Peace PIMP C, but this was one of the worst albums I ever attempted to listen to all the way through a couple times just because I love Bun that much.

G-Unit - T.O.S.


More like P.O.S. - This goes under the Carter 3 definition but just a little bit worse. A few good tracks, not a lot of decent ones, a whole lot of bad ones. yyyyeeaaaaaNOOOO (c) Jim Carrey.

Kanye West - 808 & Heartbreaks


Give Kanye some singing lessons, Turn the autotune down just a tiny bit, change a few songs around and you've got a classic album. Don't do that, you've got a close but no cigar album. It didn't bug me as it bugged a lot of people I know that Yeezy can't sing. Cause this album definitely wasn't bad just wasn't that good.

There it is, folks. MINE. Agree? Disagree? Change? Way off Base? Mostly on Point? cuz it is fuck me, dwag, than you know its fuck you (c) DMX

EDIT:

Forgot to include probably the WORST album (no Trilla) of the year.
The Game- L.A.X.

I know it's a crowd favorite but this album was GARBAGE. MY LIFE was probably one of the worst songs I've heard in a long time. I fucked with the Dope Boys joint. Gotta love Beatles Samples.

Erykah Badu and The Roots at Marymoor Park

I'll update this later! I'll post pictures



WAKE UP!
=!=

I STAY WOKE..

A Fresh BreakDown - The Roots: Rising Down

Sorry it took me so long to get to this yall, cuz it's a good one.  Well, shit.  It's The Roots, you know it was gonna be good.  The Roots are one of the few mainstream acts in Hip Hop that's stayed 100% true to form (along with Scarface, UGK, OutKast, among few others.)  And that's pretty damn good considerin' how times have changed and how long these guys have been in it.  So expect these guys to come with the heat.  Oh, and did I forget to mention ?uest-Love is funky on the drums?

Anyway,  the Roots introduces their music to us with the help of Mos Def and Styles P.  Mos Def once again showin' why he's one of the most under-rated rappers of all time.  All three deliver that heat in a song where they talk about alot of things wrong with the world in a cry out to God himself.  On the song "Criminal" Black Thought even wonders if God is listenin' when he says "I don't even know if God is listnin' or what".  So right off the bat you can tell this album is extremly political and critical of the world we live in today.  And a boost in the song form Saigon ain't bad to hear from either.  And the song "Singing Man" is a must-hear.  And Common lends a hand on "The Show", and if you're wonderin', with this backed-up guest list, did anyone ever outshine Mr. Thought....  No, absolutely not.

For the most part the album has a very very dark sound to it.  Not sayin' that that is a bad thing, cuz it ain't, the beats on here are hittin'.  Therefor the ablum doesn't really stray off track at any point.  But there are a few joints  where they switch it up.  Like in the Chrisett Michele assisted hook, Black's comparin' himself to the weak shit that's on the radio.  The whole mood switches itself on this joint, cuz it's so...  Man fuck, ANYTHING CHRISETT MICHELE IS ON IS A CLASSIC SONG.  Ok.  Had to get that statement outta tha way.  Lol.   I don't even think Shawty-Lo could fuck that song up.  Ahem.  Anyway,  you also get to hear Black Thought spit those bars in "75 bars" showin' his roots to Hip Hop, and in the bonus freestyle at the end of the disc.  He also explains what the hell a real freestyle is.  

All in all, you could play through this whole CD without touchin' it.  Not sayin' it's a classic, but there time in the studio was well spent, and they didn't make any bad songs.

Album Ratin' - 4.5

Worth Buyin' - Indeeeeeed.

Fav Tracks - Rising Down, Criminal, Can't Help It, Singing Man, The Show, Rising Up

The Roots Ft. Dice Raw & Wahud Ahmad - The Grand Return

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Again...Computer issues
Better late than never
This track is an international release
Short, but sweet!
Enjoy

Droppin BOMBS!!! *NEW SHIT* THE ROOTS- Rising Down

Out Yesterday. I shouldn't have to remind you. But this album is dope. Look for a review within a few days, once we get a chance to soak it all in and listen a few times around.

I understand mothafuckas downloadin 50 Cent or Rick Ross, but AT LEAST SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC.

DREW
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The Roots Ft Saigon & Truck North - Criminal

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The Roots Ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele - Rising Up

Jay Smart
{A.T.A.M}

The Roots - Birthday Girl ft. Patrick Stump

DREW
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The Roots’ Rising Down Cover

?uestlove explains:

"This drawing is entitled NEGRO RULE. and it pretty much sums up the feeling of the Confederate Union towards the newly freed slaves and the idea that if given power they would reek havoc and chaos on the country."

Here's a new song "Rising Down (Hum Drum)" Ft. Mos Def and Dice Raw.




DREW
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