The Audacity of Dope

In a few days, we’ll all celebrate the end of another year (or do you celebrate the start of the next…glass half full vs. half empty?) but before 2011 arrives, it’s tradition that every media outlet in the world releases some sort of wrap up on the previous 12 months.  Here at SNSS, we’re no different…although ours is [hubris] inherently better [/hubris].  In reviewing last year’s Best of 2009 list, I noticed my explanation still applies:

Keep in mind, these are not the biggest records of the year…nor the blogosphere favorites…or Twitter picks.  Nah, these are 26 24 of our favorite songs that we played heavily on SNSS in 2009 2010.  They are not in any sort of countdown or follow any other ranking schema.  We included a few of our favorite records from the town and crossed into other genres as well.  In other words, we followed our normal formula for spinning great music on the radio, but we just supersized it on some Barry Bonds-Roger Clemons-Alex Rodriguez super powered steroid type steez.

Speaking of baseball, we’re closing in on our 300th show.  Not exactly at Cy Young level yet, but still a notable accomplishment in today’s radio environment.  As always, we’re thankful to have the opportunity to shine light on great music and talented artists, plus we really appreciate every soul who tunes in.  We had more positive feedback and new listeners in 2010 than ever before and SNSS continues to move onward and upward.  In all seriousness, it’s humbling to be one of the last bastions of the culture on commercial hip-hop radio.  Thank you.

As I did last year, I’ve included some notes for our selections below, as well as a few honorable mention picks that we would have included on the air if we had enough time.  Any feedback/debate is welcome.  Did we miss any joints in particular?

Enjoy!

Show #291 (12-26-10)
**Best of 2010**

1. Nas & Damian Marley – “As We Enter”
2. Big Boi ft. Andre 3000 & Sleepy Brown – “Lookin’ 4 Ya (Full Mix)”
3. Candidt ft. Maya Jenkins – “Imaginary Stereo” (Local Music)
4. N.E.R.D. ft. Nelly Furtado – “Hot-N-Fun”
5. Freddie Gibbs – “National Anthem (FTW)”
6. Big K.R.I.T. ft. Devin The Dude & Curren$y – “Moon & Stars (Hyphen Remix)”
7. Wiz Khalifa ft. Killa Kyleon – “Spotlight”
8. Concise Kilgore – “Alaska”
9. Freeway & Jake One ft. Raekwon – “One Thing” (Local Music)
10. Aloe Blacc – “Dollar”
11. Nottz ft. Dwele – “You Need This Music”
12. Reflection Eternal ft. Jay Electronica, J. Cole, & Mos Def – “Just Begun”
13. The Physics – “My Place” (Local Music)
14. U-N-I ft. Miguel – “Lately”
15. Kanye West ft. Dwele – “Power”
16. Rick Ross ft. Jay-Z & John Legend – “Free Mason”
17. The Roots ft. STS & Joanna Newsom – “Right On”
18. Bilal – “All Matter”
19. Shad – “Rose Garden”
20. Theophilus London – “Flying Overseas (Version 1)”
21. Sol – “Dear Friends” (Local Music)
22. Dom Kennedy – “1997”
23. The Kid Daytona – “On The Hill”
24. Drake – “Fall For Your Type (Same Mistakes)”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?dgoqsov4ft9aqld
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/84451733eaf81c64/)
(2nd back up – http://usershare.net/vfjlt0697jzy)

If there are any problems with the links or if you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

Notes:

1. Lead single off a hugely underrated album.  Damian’s production guidance + Nas’ introspective social commentary = WIN.
2. It’s a shame that this flawless Outkast record (Dre’s verses!) wasn’t even on Big Boi’s album because of label politics. The Clipse told y’all bout Jive…
3. Speaking of ‘Kast, this local gem sounded like it was birthed at Stankonia…but with a west coast and distinctly Seattle influence.
4. “Ok, we wrote this for a purpose…” and they succeeded.  Stadium music, 50 thousand at a time.
5. Gibbs is everything that hip-hop purists want in a MC.  We almost picked “The Ghetto,” but this record was harder, thanks largely to a chorus reminiscent of Pac’s best.
6. When a record has an incredible chorus and Devin The Dude featured on it, you just assume he supplies it.  Not here, where Krit’s crooning steals the show.  I blended Curren$y’s verse from the remix with the original to round it out.
7. There were a handful of great records on Kush & OJ and we were one of the shows to help break “Black and Yellow,” but our favorite was “Spotlight.”  Wiz wins the best adlib of 2010 with, “this beat go perfect with my belt.”  TGOD.
8. I guarantee we’re the only show with this record on our Best of 2010 list, but that’s a shame.  The Sade sample gets flipped so nasty, you can’t help but make the Cliff face when you hear it.  Possibly my favorite beat of the year.
9. Extended fam of SNSS (you may have caught J. Moore as Free’s hypeman on tour this year) dropped a great album and thanks to a careful clean edit, this was our favorite track to play off The Stimulus Package.
10. Aloe was EVERYwhere in 2010 and his success is well deserved.  Many in the country don’t know the artist, but they know the song.  And he murdered “Politician” live in studio with us.  Epitome of an artist.
11. Between the title, the lyrics, the hook, and the beat, no record summed up SNSS better than this song.  Take your corporate $$’s thaaaaattaway.
12. Talib and Hi-Tek not only reunited with each other and Mos, but they brought along newcomers Jay Elec and J. Cole for an instant classic.  As Kweli mentioned in studio with us, this record could fit right in with any early Blackstar/RE project.  And that’s a beautiful thing.
13. The Physics delivered our favorite local record of 2009 with “I Just Wanna Beat,” and they’re on the list again with the less direct, but equally sultry, “My Place.”
14. And when wifey is at your place, play this record and let Miguel talk to her.  “You on my mind right now…”
15. My favorite artist of the year (and the decade…and ever?) with the biggest song of the year.  Everything Yeezy did in 2010 was an event and this comeback record sparked it all.  Plus, the homey S1 got introduced to the rest of the world with a great look.  “No one man should have all that power”…but he does.
16. I was ready to go back to back ‘Ye with “Live Fast, Die Young,” but J picked another great track from the Bawse.  Kudos to Ross, who successfully evolved from an industry punchline a few years ago to making some of the best mainstream hip-hop music we have.  His ear for beats might be the best in the whole industry.
17. An incredible beat is complemented by a somewhat lackluster verse, until we hear, “I’m Black Thought, what could be more prolific?” and the song kicks into the next level.
18. J’s favorite song of the year has an eerie Marley-esque feel to its lyrics and Bilal hitting notes that only he can.  Honorable mention for one of my favorites, “Think It Over,” off the same album.
19. Sharing the “best writer in the game” title with Lupe Fiasco, Shad finally got some well deserved respect stateside in 2010.  If you’re still sleeping, you’ll wake up soon.  Don’t worry.
20. Anytime your song acts as my ringtone for a good 6 months of the year, you’ll likely make the Best Of wrap up.  Your getaway anthem.
21. As I mentioned in the post for this video, Sol is one of Seattle’s rising stars.  And with our well respected scene, he’ll soon be making noise around the country.  Cop it now while his rookie card is cheap.
22. “1997” sounds like it was a great year for Dom and a 15 year old Hyph would agree.  I also agree that “I hate how rappers use the term fresh so looooooosely.”
23. Daytona is one of our favorite MC’s in the game right now and his flow over this classic sample are a match made in heaven.  Add in a Nutso/Leon “Above The Rim” reference from the greatest movie ever made and I’m all in.  “He’s playin ball…with no ball!”
24. Yes, Drake’s singing.  Yes, he has limited range.  Yes, 40’s beats aren’t the most varied (…yet).  Yes, he gave this record to Jamie Foxx.  But yes, he has an incredible knack for capturing situations many of us have been in through his lyrics and yes, this is one of the best records of 2010.  Don’t make the same mistakes in 2011.

Honorable mentions from artists not otherwise represented:

• Black Milk ft. Royce Da 5’9″ & Elzhi – “Deadly Medley”
• Donnis – “Gone”
• Homeboy Sandman – “Mean Mug”
• Janelle Monae – “Cold War”
• Jay Electronica ft. Diddy – “Ghost Of Christopher Wallace”
• J. Cole – “Who Dat”
• Kidz In The Hall – “Grizzly Man”
• Laws – “Hold You Down”
• Lupe Fiasco – “I’m Beaming”
• Miguel ft. J. Cole – “All I Want Is You”
• Slum Village ft. Posdnuos & Phife Dawg – “Scheming”
• The Foreign Exchange – “Maybe She’ll Dream Of Me”
• Trek Life – “Wow”

Of course there are more, but if you really want to know all the records we liked in 2010, peep our archives!  See you in 2011!

This dude is freaking killing it.  Nice shot at the folks who took issue with his use of the Blackberry on the Funk Flex freestyle video.  Anyway, whoever brings him to the Northwest first will get major props.  Promoters, festivals, radio stations…hmmm…who will it be?

Courtesy of NahRight.

“A few new stations, put me in rotation/
They’ve embraced the martian, congratulations”

Well, more than a few stations are finally on board with the Kid Cudi movement and “Day N Nite” is skyrocketing up the chart.  Aside from ‘Ye and the always ill Miss Janelle Monae, Cudi was pretty much the star of SXSW, getting mobbed everywhere and packing out show after show.  Let’s just say there were plenty of Cudi Buddies ready and willing for the man.

Hit the jump to see Cons and Cudi perform this track live at ‘Ye’s showcase in Austin.

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If you’re as big of a Kanye fan as I am, you remember a lot of his early material featuring a dope Chicago MC named Mikkey. Well after a brief stint with Cash Money Records (I still have no idea why he signed there), Mikkey returned to his roots and has released a ton of great songs over the past few years. He just compiled a mixtape called Uncrowned King, which is filled with new and previously unreleased material featuring collaborations with ‘Ye, Common, No ID, and more.

Thanks to Drew over at FakeShoreDrive, you can download the tape right here.

There isn’t a Seattle Nike+ Human Race event, but I may have to get out there and do some running on Sunday.  Anyone up for “Murph” after the Keyshia Cole/T.I. show at Bumbershoot?

Hahahaha, are you kidding me?  This is why Kanye’s the man.  Just in time for the Olympic track and field events, ‘Ye drops a web video for “Champion” off Graduation.  Another workout classic.  This is probably the only time we’ll see Lil’ Yeezy, but I’d love for this to spawn some sort of Lil’ Penny-esque series (“I know my spot fool!“).  We’ll see.

Spotted at Yeezy’s.

Kanye’s protege, Big Sean, spits a nice little verse a capella in the Def Jam offices.  Normally I hate these little a capella ‘freestyles,’ but I like the rhyme scheme on this one.  Props on using “al dente” in a rap too…might be the first time I’ve heard that.  Hopefully this is a sign of things to come from Sean’s style, because all the past lyrics I’ve heard from him sound waaaaaay too Kanye-ish.  He’s young so I hope he develops his own thing, rather than trying to rhyme just like ‘Ye.

Shout to Best of Both Offices for the clip.

I’m so mad at myself for blogging the trailer to this special last week and then missing most of it when it aired tonight.  I guess if it’s not in the Blackberry, I just forget to do it.  Damn.

Anyway, here’s one segement where Kanye and Sway met up with Lorenzo Zarate, a veteran from the war in Iraq.  Not only did Lorenzo come home with post traumatic stress disorder, but he recently lost his job, his wife is pregnant, and they’re about to be short on their rent.  Luckily, Mr. West, Sway, and MTV stepped in to help him out…big time.  I especially liked that they set him up with a mentor-ship at the hip-hop station in Austin, because honestly, there’s waaaaay too many people out there putting everything they have towards rapping.  Just because technology has afforded you the option, doesn’t mean you should pick up that mic.  Hopefully Lorenzo gets his health in order and his family can have the future they deserve.

I spotted this clip at Eskay‘s so I haven’t searched the MTV site to see if the rest of the show is up there, but it better be.  I caught the last segment live, then searched the schedule trying to DVR the replay.  To my horror, MTV would rather show 21012910219 episodes of From G’s To Gents and America’s Best Dance Crew over something with a purpose and actual substance.  Wack.  At least they commissioned it in the first place though.

Trailer for an upcoming special airing Monday at 10 PM on MTV.  Kanye teamed up with Choose or Lose to help right the wrongs our government has put our soldiers through over the past few years.  I’m interested to see what exactly they’re doing to help, because a meet and greet with ‘Ye doesn’t quite pay the rent.  Should be dope though, peep it on Monday night.

Preview swiped from Eskay.

It’s 2:30 in the morning and I just got home from the Wyclef/Kardinal Offishall concert, which still has my ears POUNDING.  I’m only posting up this new video for Young Jeezy’s “Put On” for 2 reasons.  One, I wanted to show y’all I managed to survive a crazy hectic few days (including our Summer Jam – watch all sorts of recaps here and find me in person for a million behind the scenes stories).  Two, Kanye’s verse is really dope.  Unfortunately, the first 3 minutes of the song are all Jeezy and filled with more wack lyrics than any other single song performance this year.  Look at it like Yin and Yang, if you will.

I’ll have (extensive) interviews with The Game, Kardinal, and Clef coming in the next week, so be on the lookout for those.  And to explain the title of this entry, me and the homey Lala registered 71 new voters at Summer Jam, 99% of which will be voting for Obama in the fall.  I put onnnnnnnnnnnnnnn…