Let’s wrap up this 2011 shit so we can move forward. When applicable, I linked to whoever introduced me to a track. I also linked to the producer, if I knew who it was; just throw a comment if I missed your credit. I uploaded a zip of the tracks; I think that most of them were released for free as mixtape tracks, but just contact me if you don’t want yours given away & I’ll take it down.

Download: David’s Top 50 Rap Traxx 2011.zip

Two Obvious Songs I Liked But Felt No Need To Remind You Of (Mainstream & Internet Hype editions, respectively):
DJ Khaled – “I’m On One” f. Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne
A$AP Rocky – “Peso”

50. San Quinn & Tuf Luv – Drunk in San Francisco f. B-legit Prod. by DexBeats. (From A Hustler’s Hope)
It’s the “Dos Factotum” rule, songs that simultaneously capture the celebratory and shameful nature of alcoholism tend to kick ass. Would love to say I discovered this via Done because he’s the only other person I’ve seen talk about it, but I found this one on my own.

49. Game – I’m the King (Remix f. Mistah FAB and The Jacka) (Prod. by 1500 or Nothin)
Game is at low ebb of respectability, but this song was hella memorable and as ‘regular guy rap’ gains annoying levels of attention I’ve begun preferring mythos-building hip-hop from rappers with likely personality disorders.

48. N.O.R.E. – N.O.R.E. Shot Somebody (Prod. by Scram Jones)
This video has some of the best acting in rap video history at the beginning.

47. Slim Thug – Can’t Stop f. Dre Day and Curren$y (Prod. by GL Productions, BDON & G_Luck)
I have nothing to say about this; a hot song is a hot song.

46. Freddie Gibbs – B.A.N.ned (Prod. By Cardo)
This was a big year for Cardo and this Sade flip was one of his best tracks. Been good to see some breadth from Gibbs as well.

45. CyHi The Prynce – Woopty Doo f. Big Sean (Prod. By No I.D. And Kanye)
I don’t love either of these dudes as rappers but the occasional anti-materialist message is nice in small quantities and, OK, this beat is just incredible. Jesus. Someone get Ross or Puffy to swipe No I.D. from Kanye, because thinking of all these incredible beats being wasted on Pusha, CyHi and Big Sean when they could have laced the French Montana record instead is depressing. (Found via Tyrone)

44. Yo Gotti – Ashamed (Prod. by Shawty Redd)
Shawty Redd is incredible. Yo Gotti’s output can seem same-y and is fairly uneven (flood-the-market marketing necessitates it – he had a really consistent record on TVT) but he’s got some great songs out there.

43. Calicoe The Champ and Janelle – Talk 2 Me (Prod. By KLC)
[insert Drake diss here]

42. Young Bleed – Holla at Uh Dog
Young Bleed finally releasing new music was one of my favorite things this year and while I know the response to the record was somewhat subdued it was pretty much exactly what I was expecting so I wasn’t disappointed and I hope that his Strange Music alliance means a Brotha Lynch Hung level of productivity.

41. Dusty McFly – Peaceful f. GLC (Prod. by No Speakerz)
Sometimes a serene beat makes everything OK. Dusty’s tape has a handful of great-ass songs on it. Found via GLC’s awesome blog.

40. Juicy J – Smoke That Bitch f. VABP (Prod. by Lex Luger)
Juicy J’s output was extraordinarily spotty this year and he has less dimension than Yo Gotti, but condensed to a 12 track LP he would have had a solid release. This was the best Luger beat of the year.

39. Sir Michael Rocks – Coochie Crook (Prod. by Ski)
I was not a fan of the Cool Kids in their earlier hyped incarnation; while I recognize that they had a unique style, to me there was something that just felt amateur about their recorded output that I found off-putting. But between Chuck’s (great) work on Boldy’s record – he’s turning into, like, an ’80s 808 version of the DJ Quik-style production head? – and Michael Rocks’ biggest tracks this year, I think both of these guys have serious careers in them. Anyway, this has to be one of the best Ski beats in recent memory. And since we’re on the topic, someone needs to introduce me to the girl from the “Too Short Back” video.

38. Foxx – Get The Fuck
Relationship drama can make for some great-ass rap music. The beat is fairly conventional but makes interesting use of space, implying connections that your ears make on their own, as if they made a full beat and then just snipped parts of it away.

37. Sly Polaroid – The Bad Guy (Prod. by Emmaculate)
Sly has an ruthlessly callous confidence that I find kind of scary, which keeps in line with the theme of this song, as well as its parent track, Bump J’s “Bad Influence.”

36. Kreayshawn – Gucci Gucci (Prod. by Two Stacks)
I like this song. Fuck you.

35. Boldy James – I Sold Dope All My Life (Prod. by The Plug)
He opened his show with this in October and everyone knew the words.

34. Future – Itchin (Prod. by Mike Will)
Future is a great pop songwriter, but not really a rapper. This was probably my personal favorite track in the wake of “Tony Montana”. Between “Itchin” and his work for Jeezy, this was a breakout year for Mike Will.

33. Fat Trel – Respect with the Teck (Prod. by Lex Luger)
Fat Trel has such a huge personality and sense for songwriting that he transforms a generic Lex Luger beat into a 2011 highlight.

32. Rich Boy – All I Know (Prod. by Supa Villain)
Although I enjoyed Supavillain’s recent solo tape – he’s a good rapper – I like that Supa has built a respectable career working as a collaborator for a more rapper-ish rapper with Rich Boy. It’s nice to hear reasonably talented MCs who have executive producer-types who can make great songs happen for them. #TeamWorkMakeTheDreamWork

31. Bo Deal – Safe Sex f. Mello G Blanca (Prod. by Don Lee)
NY Times beat Bo Deal to covering this phenomenon by a few months. Bo Deal’s version is more entertaining, though.

30. Gucci Mane – 2 Timez f. Wiz Khalifa (Prod. by Drumma Boy)
Drumma Boy is a genius. He’s the only one who really gets great performances from Gucci any more. The emotional production lets you read more into lines like “I really don’t care the game’s unfair” than Gucci probably even intended, but given the state of his career and life in general, it’s particularly poignant.

29. Tity Boi – Feelin’ You (Prod. by Wonder)
His momma named him Tity Boi, I’ma call him Tity Boi. Tity Boi’s strength in my opinion is afterparty jams like this and 2010′s “Up in Smoke” and “Between Me and You.”

28. Stickup Kiddz – We Can Do
Stickup Kiddz are rappers in the NhT Boyz vein (and in fact the two groups did another great song together earlier this year), typically, but I like this atypical track; it’s got a sweet sincerity and some nicely understated, almost ambient production.

27. Young Jeezy – Sittin Low f. Scrilla and Freddie Gibbs (Prod. by Mike Will)
I like this more than anything I heard on Jeezy’s album (which is solid, but). Great beat from Mike Will that is just on the correct side of the song/atmosphere divide.

26. 50 Cent – Wait Until Tonight (Prod. by Scoop Deville)
When I hear “Marvin’s Room” on the radio and not this, I really start to wonder about the next generation of songs-for-the-ladies listeners. Because, what the fuck?

25. YP – The Come Up (Prod. by Jeff Wallace)
Boolumaster, one of my favorite Chicago DJs, used to spin house music and old school regularly on Power 92, one of the big hip-hop stations in the Chicago region (this practice was ended a couple of years ago). One of the big tracks he would drop with some regularity was a house edit of Bill Withers’ “Harlem.” (At one point, I think I managed to track down who was responsible for it, but I’ve since forgotten and on Boolu’s website it’s just listed as “Sunday Morning (Harlem rmx)”); he would also drop borderline-house old school joints like James Brown’s “Doing It To Death.” Jeff Wallace’s incredible James Brown chop here is like the platonic ideal of what those worlds — old school dance music & contemporary rap — meshing could sound like. YP (who is currently working with Alchemist and Q-Tip in L.A.) used Chi slang & an East Coast-style bar-filling flow that gave the song a blacksploitation swag. One of the most Chicago-sounding rap songs I heard all year.

24. Joe Blow – Couldn’t Be a Better Player f. Lil Rue and The Jacka (Prod. by DJ Fresh)
DJ Fresh on his Jam and Lewis shit with a double-time verse from Jacka, a bo’d out verse from Lil Rue and a most-improved verse from Joe Blow? I like what someone said when I posted this to Fader, that it “sounds like Space Jam.”

23. Slim Dunkin and Waka Flocka – Koolin It f. YG Hootie and Kebo Gotti (Prod. by Lex Luger)
Considering all the same-y stoner production this year, this track was a way more interesting take on bleary intoxication. Plus it injected a paranoid edge into the mix. RIP Slim Dunkin.

22. Kendrick Lamar – A.D.H.D. (Prod. By Digiphonics)
Song is undeniable.

21. Bulu – Pussy and Weed f. Devin the Dude
Sometimes rap music is best when it’s about cutting through the bullshit. I guarantee that if you download all the songs in this list, this might not be the one you talk about a lot but it’ll get played more often than the others.

20. A-Mafia – Shine On Em
My favorite New York rapper right now; the beat sounds like the kind of shit that would be on some NY mixtapes back in ’99 fully smothered in DJ Clue shouts and Posta Boy freestyles. He’s also equally comfortable over NY classics and Luger-style contemporary tracks.

19. Kevin Gates – No Regrets
I’ve been seeing Kevin Gates’ name on N.O. to the B.R. comps so long I was really starting to wonder why he wasn’t getting more national love, but it seems like now that he’s fresh off a two-year bid there’s started to be some more noise out there on his behalf. Anyway I love this kind of expressive and honest confessional rap when it comes from the rare talent that can pull it off.

18. Trouble – Bussin’
Trouble is one of the few dudes out there who looks exactly like his music suggests he should, neck veins bulging from his wiry, wifebeater-clad physique and bags under sleepless, piercing eyes. His rap style sounds like it could spazz in any direction at any moment, which is pretty much how he appears in the video for “Bussin.’”

17. Wooh Da Kid, Waka Flocka, Frenchie, Bo Deal, YG Hootie, P Smurf – Everything Brick Squad
This was as good as statement of purpose as any while Brick Squad flooded the market in 2011. Nice and anthemic. Everyone noted the Frenchie-KRS resemblance last year, but his tendency to drop random gems of positivity (“Real estate can be a fortune in wealth! / Got to believe in yourself!”) amongst bars about gat-popping, body-dropping and pillow-smothering was starting to make me suspicious, until I heard that terrible KRS track TheMartorialist unearthed.

16. Travis Porter – My Team Winnin f. Wale (Prod. by KB)
How great are those Timbo-esque orchestral parts that crop up leading into the chorus?

15. EMP Dasme – Party Like Her (Remix) f. King Louie (Prod. by C-Sick)
This song could have been a big internet crossover jam, not sure what happened. Dope beat, catchy-ass hook, big name guest spot, video with a great look. My friends went to Columbia in Chicago so the “lakeshore livin” ethos makes me think of the hi-rise parties we used to have at 1212 S. Michigan. (Discovered via Andrew from FSD).

14. Slick Pulla – Pushin Pillows (Prod. by Knucklehead and Beat Those Drums)
Due to mis-tagged mp3s (someone really dropped the ball on that one) this track was mis-credited to (also-talented) producer Fate Eastwood; instead, credit goes to the twin production team of Knucklehead and Beat Those Drums (both of whose production drops can be heard in the intro) for this sumptuous beast. As I don’t push pillows myself I have repurposed this hook in my own life to indicate that I’m tired. See also: Pac Man’s “duffle bags under my eyes from no sleep-money” lyric from the L.E.P. Bogus Boys’ “Street Money.” (Discovered via DGB)

13. Webbie – What’s Happenin f. Lil Phat
I know there’s a complicated rap relationship w/ Webbie because he gets really high and says dumb albeit entertaining shit in public and white people think racist things about it, but otoh, he can rap (check his bars on Boosie’s “Long Journey” for one of my favorite Webbie flows) and Mouse (?) totally killed it with the 2011 Baton Rouge version of G-Funk.

12. King Louie – Band Nation (Prod. by NezAndRio)
Hella slept on because it only leaked out in a tagged-up version on We Affiliated 3 but it’s one of the best tracks from Dope & Shrimp. I know the DJ tags are loud but turn this one up anyway. Not sure if it’s still on that LP, which is supposed to drop early 2012.

11. Wooh Da Kid – I Prefer (Prod. by Southside)
His output this year doesn’t touch Black Out which remains one of the best of all Brick Squad releases, but “I Prefer” was perfect. His growled adlib is also a nicely streamlined version of DMX’s. Found via TheMartorialist.

10. Gucci Mane – Recently f. 50 Cent (Prod. by Drumma Boy)
This beat is so incredible and Drumma Boy is a genius. I love how the different interlocking parts of the beat seem so carefully intricate but it all congeals into a perfect song; it’s the kind of low-key genius that doesn’t draw attention to itself and puts the quality of the song above the ego. It was an off-year for Gucci, but this was one of a few scattered tracks that I outright-loved without reservation. (See also: “Up My Alley” which sounds like it was recorded in 2009).

9. E-40 – Rear View Mirror f. B-Legit and Stressmatic (Prod. by Droop-E)
This was the catchiest and most jamming track off E-40′s releases this year, with some of his funniest lyrics (lol “FILF”). I don’t have a car (city kid) but I did have an opportunity earlier this year to confirm that this track was a proven rear view mirror-shaker in field tests.

8. Shady Nate – Send It Overnight (Prod. by AK47)
I have a weakness for emotional, immediate ’80s production values, what can I say. Shady Nate is a great rapper too.

7. Tree f. GLC – Texas Tea (Prod. By Tree)
Tree is releasing some incredible music, both as a producer and rapper, and this was an easy standout from everything he’s released. Tree’s verse is one of my favorite verses all year (VIVA LA CHICAGO!) and GLC’s been on a role with guest appearances lately, and his grinning Pimp philosopher steez is possibly the most likeable Pimp archetype since Suga Free.

6. Sess 4-5 and Keedy Black – I Luv Dat Boy (Prod. by Blaqnmild)
Exuberant and immediate pop music. Incredible song.

5. Big K.R.I.T. – Money on the Floor f. 8ball, MJG and 2Chainz (Prod. by Big K.R.I.T.)
I wrote about K.R.I.T. really early on, just before the hype kicked into gear, and I was really into The Last King. But it was definitely one of those artists that I thought needed some time to grow, and the kneejerk press reaction to anoint him the next Pimp C and a genius of southern rap music was kind of gross to behold. Artists need time to develop. But with this track, an incredibly-produced approximation of Suave House, and a few other beats this year, it started to feel like K.R.I.T. is really just now hitting his stride.

4. King Louie – Man Up Band Up Remix (Get Money) (Prod. by LoKey)
This was the song that completely converted me on King Louie and I feel like I’m rediscovering how great it is every time I listen. Purple potion cause slow motion plus we chokin smokin potent.

3. Husalah – Da Mob
What would a somanyshrimp track list be without Husalah? Stompin hard while your boyfriend tiptoe.

2. Meek Mill – Middle of the Summer f. Mel Love (Prod. by Tone Beats)
This is the kind of song that made me fall in love with rap music when I was a kid. I can’t think of many artists who can make this kind of pathos-enducing rap music like Meek right now.

1. Schoolboy Q – Fantasy f. Jhene Aiko (Prod. by Tommy Black)
[insert Drake diss here]

50. San Quinn & Tuf Luv – Drunk in San Francisco f. B-legit Prod. by DexBeats. (From A Hustler’s Hope)
49. Game – I’m the King (Remix f. Mistah FAB and The Jacka) (Prod. by 1500 or Nothin)
48. N.O.R.E. – N.O.R.E. Shot Somebody (Prod. by Scram Jones)
47. Slim Thug – Can’t Stop f. Dre Day and Curren$y (Prod. by GL Productions)
46. Freddie Gibbs – B.A.N.ned (Prod. By Cardo)
45. CyHi The Prynce – Woopty Doo f. Big Sean (Prod. By No I.D. And Kanye)
44. Yo Gotti – Ashamed (Prod. by Shawty Redd)
43. Calicoe The Champ and Janelle – Talk 2 Me (Prod. By KLC)
42. Young Bleed – Holla at Uh Dog
41. Dusty McFly – Peaceful f. GLC (Prod. by No Speakerz)
40. Juicy J – Smoke That Bitch f. VABP (Prod. by Lex Luger)
39. Sir Michael Rocks – Coochie Crook (Prod. by Ski)
38. Foxx – Get The Fuck
37. Sly Polaroid – The Bad Guy (Prod. by Emmaculate)
36. Kreayshawn – Gucci Gucci (Prod. by Two Stacks)
35. Boldy James – I Sold Dope All My Life (Prod. by The Plug)
34. Future – Itchin (Prod. by Mike Will)
33. Fat Trel – Respect with the Teck (Prod. by Lex Luger)
32. Rich Boy – All I Know (Prod. by Supa Villain)
31. Bo Deal – Safe Sex f. Mello G Blanca (Prod. by Don Lee)
30. Gucci Mane – 2 Timez f. Wiz Khalifa (Prod. by Drumma Boy)
29. Tity Boi – Feelin’ You (Prod. by Wonder)
28. Stickup Kiddz – We Can Do
27. Young Jeezy – Sittin Low f. Scrilla and Freddie Gibbs (Prod. by Mike Will)
26. 50 Cent – Wait Until Tonight (Prod. by Scoop Deville)
25. YP – The Come Up (Prod. by Jeff Wallace)
24. Joe Blow – Couldn’t Be a Better Player f. Lil Rue and The Jacka (Prod. by DJ Fresh)
23. Slim Dunkin and Waka Flocka – Koolin It f. YG Hootie and Kebo Gotti (Prod. by Lex Luger)
22. Kendrick Lamar – A.D.H.D. (Prod. By Digiphonics)
21. Bulu – Pussy and Weed f. Devin the Dude
20. A-Mafia – Shine On Em
19. Kevin Gates – No Regrets
18. Trouble – Bussin’
17. Wooh Da Kid, Waka Flocka, Frenchie, Bo Deal, YG Hootie, P Smurf – Everything Brick Squad
16. Travis Porter – My Team Winnin f. Wale (Prod. by KB)
15. EMP Dasme – Party Like Her (Remix) f. King Louie (Prod. by C-Sick)
14. Slick Pulla – Pushin Pillows (Prod. by Knucklehead and Beat Those Drums)
13. Webbie – What’s Happenin f. Lil Phat
12. King Louie – Band Nation (Prod. by NezAndRio)
11. Wooh Da Kid – I Prefer (Prod. by Southside)
10. Gucci Mane – Recently f. 50 Cent (Prod. by Drumma Boy)
9. E-40 – Rear View Mirror f. B-Legit and Stressmatic (Prod. by Droop-E)
8. Shady Nate – Send It Overnight (Prod. by AK47)
7. Tree f. GLC – Texas Tea (Prod. By Tree)
6. Sess 4-5 and Keedy Black – I Luv Dat Boy (Prod. by Blaqnmild)
5. Big K.R.I.T. – Money on the Floor f. 8ball, MJG and 2Chainz (Prod. by Big K.R.I.T.)
4. King Louie – Man Up Band Up Remix (Get Money) (Prod. by LoKey)
3. Husalah – Da Mob
2. Meek Mill – Middle of the Summer f. Mel Love (Prod. by Tone Beats)
1. Schoolboy Q – Fantasy f. Jhene Aiko (Prod. by Tommy Black)

Sorry. This is long and somewhat slapdash. I may come back through and do some quick edits, but I wanted to puke this all up on the internet before the year flips over.

Every year until 2011, people have proclaimed the ‘death’ of hip-hop; I always thought it was bullshit, because it remains one of the most creatively fertile genres in popular music. But no genre seems as torn by intergenerational warfare, either, where kids today talk about the golden age of Bad Boy records and Timbaland the way Rawkus heads used to front about bringing ’88 back. But this year, I saw zero ‘hip-hop is dead’ pieces. Enough niches are available online that if you fronted on “Gucci Gucci” (smh) you could always find an Iggy Azealia to provide a “skilled” alternative (although it would be nice if she had Kreay’s songwriting ‘skills.’)

One of the effects of this niche-ification, though, is that everyone starts cosigning anything that fits their narrow notion of what hip-hop is supposed to sound like, whatever the quality of product. While I fuck with a few Juicy J songs the long way, none of his records this year were all that strong, and a few were straight-up lazy. Spaceghostpurrp had some nice beats but no lyrics. Odd Future were some niche shit that got far too much coverage for the style of music they made, a weird herd mentality amongst the press who decided that this was Important and What The Kids Listen To without any evidence that it would even be well-received beyond an audience of nihilistic skater hip-hop kids. ASAP Rocky had 2.5 good songs & enough swag to convince New York that he was one of the country’s best new rappers. Big K.R.I.T. produced some of my favorite songs this year but his album is dense & he’s not yet a dude I can handle an hour plus of serious introspection from. Future writes some great pop songs, but also some dull ones, and I dare someone to remember a single lyric from him that wasn’t a chorus. Mr. Muthafuckin Exquire is basically the return of Def Jux with a less self-serious demeanor. Danny Brown is an incredible rapper, and I liked Hybrid last year, but his choices in production are just not for me on XXX. Stalley…I have no clue what anyone saw in Stalley, but he did reuse a sample from Kush & OJ that I liked. All of these artists fit into nice PR narratives, but that doesn’t mean they can produce quality long players, and considering everyone was giving the things away, there was a lot of competition this year.

I listened to more rap mixtapes, LPs and EPs than I have in any year previous; part of it was competitive, as if to see if you can find some incredible tracks to top what Noz or Martorialist or Tyrone are going to come up with in a given year (disappointed that my fav brick squad beat was totally topped by the one Martorialist found; of course, both will now make my tracks list, but you all know who found what). And of course there are a lot of different aspects to consider when constructing these things; for example, there’s always the specter of Random Rap, that moment where obscurity becomes vanishing point, where the qualities of a certain era are fetishized and you end up celebrating some banal no-name joints over shit that was actually popular simply for fitting into some mindgarden idea of the canon. On the other hand, it’s not like the press does a very good job of covering artists that are doing unique work unless those artists are brought to their attention; sometimes, niche or unpopular artists really are making some incredible music, and might have long-term potential.

The effect of the internet hype-cycle catapulting underdeveloped amateurs to center stage is something that indie rock critics have been confronting for awhile, but it’s just beginning to impact hip-hop now. I hope the rap press at large can recognize that this is a potential problem. That said, in making my list of my favorite rap records this year, I wasn’t overly concerned with longevity; I can’t deny that, per Thomas at 100 Grand, HD may not have a reliable long-term career (obviously, I hope to be proven wrong). But I was concerned with finding artists who seemed to have more than a couple good songs, that they could fill up an album. Not that I needed “consistency,” perhaps the most overrated of album qualities; an album with 8 great songs and eight middling ones is sometimes better than a record with sixteen solid and respectful ones (I’d love to see a record from G-Side with more “No Radio”‘s on it). I also was looking at artists who weren’t relying on lame narratives like, say, anything to do with the State Of New York In Hip-Hop and its place in the world, or the Return of Gangster Rap, or a region’s production style — this stuff stood on its own. Nor are they all necessarily about to blow up commercially (although some could); for example, KLC is probably well past his commercial peak, but he deserves more attention, considering his importance to rap history and the quality of his twilight-career output this year.

Instead, these were artists who simply made great music. Some were working within a style that was saturated this year, like Trouble, but they just made better records than everyone else. Others, like Tree or KLC, are completely in their own lane. And then a few artists, like Boldy, Meek and Louie, are incredible rappers. There’s no meta-narrative needed, because they have strong personalities and distinctive styles that complement those personalities. They can carry their own records without lame critical angles or focus on new ‘sonic developments.’ They consistently produce great songs. And at the end of the day, I just wanted to listen to their output a lot more often.

20. KLC – Grand Theft Audio
Love this record. KLC is mad underrated. He should work with Danny Brown. I talked about it here.

19. Don Trip & Starlito – Step Brothers
This one took me a minute to come around to, and I’m still not completely into either Starlito or Don Trip’s rap styles; personal preference. As one of the world’s bigger Slick Rick fans, I find Young Dolph’s laid back rap style a lot more appealing. But then, Step Brothers is a much better record than Dolph’s, and it’s also much better than Trip or Starlito’s solo records this year. Sometimes this I’m having a really intense experience recording in the booth approach feels like it could verge on a gimmick, but so far he’s stayed on the safe side of that divide. Thanks to Tom Breihan, Chris Weingarten, Noz, and I forget who else for pushing it, because I probably wouldn’t have given these guys a fair chance without it. Talked about it here.

18. Gunplay – Inglorious Bastards
Unapologetic ignorance has a strong tradition in hip-hop, and while I understand that it can be weird to see stuff like this written up in Pitchfork, I think that folks concerned about the racial dimension underestimate the degree of ‘ignorant’ hard-headed non-rap music that gets play there too, as if we were all reviewing Radiohead CDs until gangster rap showed up. At any rate, Gunplay’s not likely to develop much dimension in the future, but that would be like asking Fab to stop dropping punchlines. Gunplay’s a born rapper with a sinewy flow and a gift for post-Gucci lyricism and a genuinely vibrant enthusiasm for all things gangster rap.

17. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
This is exactly the kind of rap I don’t really like, done exceptionally well: high brow, arch, pretentious, ambitious. At the same time, it does some things I like a lot; he takes a cautious approach, where meaning is couched in ambiguity, giving the music a cerebral vibe. It is as if Kendrick is concerned that by being too on-the-nose, he’d be more open to criticism, a strategic dodge that makes the record more of a puzzle. It had me returning more than a few times to see if I could better figure out his intent or ideas. He’s a skilled rapper, which isn’t in and of itself meaningful, but amateurism in other prominent artists this year could be distracting; it gave his work a confidence his competition lacked.

16. Big Wiz & Tree – Wizardtree / Tree – The Tree EP
Tree is one of my favorite discoveries this year; this summer, Drew Barber at FakeShoreDrive sent an email with a link to Tree’s solo EP. I was immediately struck by how unique it was; his production is unusual, with the kind of raw R&B sampling that reminded me, with its originality and ruggedness, primarily of Pimp C’s work, at least in spirit. But it wasn’t until I heard his EP with Fatboi aka Big Wiz, a West Side Chicago rapper, that his style really clicked. Fatboi’s more traditional approach sounds energized within Tree’s unconventional world, and the contrast serves both artists. I’m actually putting together a piece on this release at the moment, so I don’t want to say too much more for now.

15. DJ Quik – Book of David
One of my personal favorite rap artists of all-time. Probably in the lower tier of my favorite releases by him, but still a solid record. I wish he’d produce an album for Danny Brown.

14. Max B – Vigilante Season
It’s amazing how much more popular he’s become since going to jail, as his influence has spread across the country. I wouldn’t put this up with some of his later mixtape releases, like PD6 or Quarantine (which remains my favorite latter-day Max release), but it is nice to have “South Wave” and “Model of Entropy” in NoDJ format. Plus, this guy is one of the best rap artists of the past decade, so not including him here would make no sense.

13. DB the General – King of Oakland
I talked about this record for my mixtape feature on Pitchfork, available here.

12. Stuey Rock & Future – FDU & Free Bandz
I can’t say I got too involved in the Future hype wave from this year; I find him pretty middling as a rapper, and his solo records are a slog. A split EP is the perfect length of Future output. But he’s undeniably a great songwriter, and this tape was my first exposure to him earlier this summer. Stuey Rock is underrated. I talked more about this record here.

11. Trouble – December 17th
The new Atlanta underground hasn’t rocked my world yet; I’m open to hearing a great Alley Boy record to match the potential promised by “Play Your Position,” and B. Green’s “Shawty Ugghhh” with Magnolia Chop (not yet on youtube) has the potential to be the greatest chorus of 2012, but for my money Trouble’s debut record was the best in his lane. He covers a whole lot of conceptual ground, and “Partnaz Got Stretches” is Alley Boy’s most moving moment of 2011. I talked more about this here.

10. Fat Trel – April Foolz
Can’t believe I missed out on No Secrets last year, but this guy’s still an incredible talent, and not even 21 years old! More on this tape here.

9. Travis Porter – Differenter 3 / Travis Porter – Music, Money, Magnums
I talked about this on Pitchfork as well, but I almost feel like my posture in that blurb is too defensive. Combine these two records together and snip some of the loose weight and you have a front to back classic from 2011′s version of Too $hort. I give the slight edge to Differenter 3, which apparently all somanyshrimp readers were sleeping on, judging by the number who clicked on that link from Tyrone’s singles list.

8. Sen City – Til The Lights Turn Out 2
Again, talked about this one on Pitchfork, as well as over at The Fader, although I really didn’t get to touch on his lyrical approach there. Great lyricist with a singular style.

7. E-40 – Revenue Retrievin 3&4
Wrote about this for Pitchfork.

6. Schoolboy Q – Setbacks
Jeff Weiss wrote about this for Pitchfork. Definitely more in the vein of rap I fuck with than Kendrick was. Favorite rookie from the Black Hippy camp.

5. HD – Fresh
Wrote about this for Pitchfork. One of the most underrated producers in hip-hop.

4. V/A – Mobbin Thru The West
In a roundtable over at Slate, Jonah Wiener argued that the casual misogyny of hip-hop is often dismissed or ignored in part due to the “frission of otherness.” Meaning that listeners are getting off on its perceived exoticism, which charges their experience with hip-hop, rather than detracting. I’m sure that’s true of some listeners to a degree, or that at the very least there’s a complicated interaction between race/class/etc. But I think he is looking at it from the wrong way, excluding his readers from his analysis by setting parameters around the ‘gratifying friction of voyeurism.’ Because isn’t hip-hop just as much about entertaining people that are ostensibly closer in cultural origin to the artists in question, i.e. poor people from inner-cities or trailer-parks who don’t speak in “indie-yuppieese,” and aren’t they as invested and interested in gender equality? The appeal of rappers from my POV, and this was as true when I was a kid, had less to do with ‘otherness’ in a cultural sense (in fact, as a fairly poor kid, it was often about identification) and more to do with the rapper’s strong, almost mythic personalities (which of course are also tied up w/ issues of race & class). It offers another explanation for why listeners might overlook misogyny to a great degree; these aren’t ‘real people,’ these are action heroes. Which is, of course, a fallacy all its own, and that’s the lesson we were all supposed to learn from Pac & Biggie’s deaths, the peak era of the rapper as larger-than-life hero. But trying to reduce this to simple fetishization of the other does a disservice to rap fans. It also, to me, unfairly stereotypes the rapper’s environments, as if there aren’t non-misogynist or even feminist ppl coming from similar neighborhoods. I’ll be the last to say that there aren’t complicated issues at work in any listener’s approach to hip-hop, but I think assuming that it’s primarily exoticism for the people who would happen to be smart enough to write about it is a problematic assumption about Jonah’s reading audience.

On a more pertinent note, it also explains why regular-dude rappers don’t really resonate for me at this point, and why I really like the Mob Figaz, particularly Rydah, Husalah and Jacka. They are old-school style proper gangster rap anti-heroes, capital-I Important, big picture characters who understand entertainment without backing down from the dimension required of reality rap. Anyway, “Da Mob” is the obvious highlight, but I really found little to complain about on this record. It’s not a classic like their earlier work but it’s a strong front-to-back record, and I’m happy they’re still around.

3. King Louie – #ManUpBandUp Pt. 1
Wrote about him for Pitchfork here, for Fader here, and for this website here. Basically, if you’re sleeping at this point, you’re missing out on one of the most promising rappers out today and you need to get your shit together.

2. Meek Mill – Dreamchasers
Easily the most interesting rapper of the year, Meek Mill killed it with Dreamchasers. While it has its inconsistencies, the best songs are incredible, peak documents of 2011 hip-hop. His influence as a rapper, the way his vocals transmit intense empathy, is turning out to be very influential. Tracks like “Middle of the Summer” are exactly the kind of hip-hop that used to really resonate with me as a kid and I love that there’s someone on the verge of mass-popularity who does it convincingly and effectively. Plus he can rap, he’s got a unique style that has a clear geographic origin — like a midpoint between Freeway and Peedi –and creates great music. Hail Meek.

1. Boldy James – Trapper’s Alley: Pro’s and Cons
I wrote a lot about this here. While Meek might be the best rapper in 2011, and King Louie the most promising, Boldy made the best album. Front-to-back, it’s just a powerful statement about what rap music can do. Although his voice has been compared to Prodigy, there’s a rawness under the surface that feels like a fresh wound, and is that much more powerful for it. Even when the production falters a bit, his voice is strong enough to push through and carry it. It’s also got the best child-rapping moment on a hip-hop LP in years. Get this record and watch him in 2012.

20. KLC – Grand Theft Audio
19. Don Trip & Starlito – Step Brothers
18. Gunplay – Inglorious Bastards
17. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
16. Big Wiz & Tree – Wizardtree / Tree – The Tree EP
15. DJ Quik – Book of David
14. Max B – Vigilante Season
13. DB the General – King of Oakland
12. Stuey Rock & Future – FDU & Free Bandz
11. Trouble – December 17th
10. Fat Trel – April Foolz
9. Travis Porter – Differenter 3 / Travis Porter – Music, Money, Magnums
8. Sen City – Til The Lights Turn Out 2
7. E-40 – Revenue Retrievin
6. Schoolboy Q – Setbacks
5. HD – Fresh
4. V/A – Mobbin Thru The West
3. King Louie – #ManUpBandUp Pt. 1
2. Meek Mill – Dreamchasers
1. Boldy James – Trapper’s Alley: Pro’s and Cons

12.12 — King Louie, “Still Arrogant” MP3
12.12 — Video: Meek Mill f. Young Chris, “House Party”
12.13 — PREMIERE // Tree f. GLC, “Texas Tea” MP3
12.13 — Video: Trademark, Young Roddy, Curren$y and Sir Michael Rocks, “1st Place”
12.14 — 50 Cent, “Wait Til Tonight” MP3
12.14 — SL Jones, “Gas Station” MP3
12.15 — Video: Gunplay, “Bogota”
12.15 — Video: Meeno, E-Snaps and T6, “Welcome 2 Harlem”
12.16 — Video: 50 Cent, “Wait Until Tonight”

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