About // Contact

• Home
• Interviews
• Music
• Podcast
• Reviews

Best of 2008: Top 50 Albums of 2008

I’m an old soul. I’ve been reading reports about how the album format is dead, and that more and more people are choosing to buy a couple of singles from iTunes than cop a full album from your local mom and pop record store. Times have changed, and I’m sure that writing is on the wall for the album format, just like it is for newspapers, magazines, and broadcast television.

But as much as I love tracks and remixes, there is nothing that substitutes for an album. Sure, ANYBODY can create a track these days, but it still takes a true artist to create an album.

My top 50 albums of the year might surprise some of y’all. First off, there is a scarcity of hip-hop in the top 15 albums. Also, the biggest album of the year, Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III is at 49. And finally, the album is missing some critical favorites, such as Black Milk’s Tronic. But hey, it is what it is. These albums are the one’s that I’ve listened to in 2008, and unfortunately Tronic slipped through the cracks. Also, to those who lament the lack of hip-hop, I offer no apologies. This list is compiled from how many spins each album got on my iPod, and just like that female at the club, I can’t help what I’m attracted to.

Without further adieu, here is the list. The top 15 is here with the rest after the jump.

15.) Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing

Even though he didn’t even drop an album, Wale has had a big year. The DC rapper has been on everybody’s “it” list in ‘08, and the 2009 debut is going to be massive. This year, the dude had the nerve to create a Seinfeld (a show which I’m boycotting because of you know who), and still retain his swag. Even if you question his 90s television refrences, you have to agree that he’s one of the best upcoming rappers in the game right now.

14.) Brittany Bosco - Spectrum EP

Brittnay Bosco is going to tear s*#t up in 2009. The Savannah/Atlanta artist’s EP showed a creativity and versatility that most R&B singers lack these days.

13.) Estelle - Shine

Performance wise Adele blows Estelle out the water, however, I found myself enjoying Estelle’s album Shine even more than 19. Producers like Kanye, Will.I.Am, and Wyclef created an album that not only had pop hits like “American Boy,” but more mellow tracks like “Back In Love.” This album isn’t no Miseducation, but a classic nonetheless.

12.) Solange - Sol Angel and The Hadley Street Dreams

While Beyonce was busy being Sasha Fierce, her little sister crafted one of the best R&B albums of the year. Whether Solange’s love of Dilla and Zero 7 is genuine or a record company ruse is yet to be known. However, Solange is taking the place of Kelis as the left-field R&B chick everybody wants to get with.

11.) Santogold - Santogold

Santi White’s first solo album carries over her rock sensibilities from her punk days while incorporating that Brooklyn hipster swag that is the big thing in music nowadays. This was a big year for Santi, who not only got sampled by Kanye (a feat usually reserved for 70s era soul singers), but also by licencing every track of her album for TV shows, movies, and commercials, ensuring that she will be getting paper well into 2009.

10.) The Black Keys - Attack and Release

Attack and Release started out as collaboration with Ike Turner until his death in 2007, which would have been off the chain. However, what remains is The Black Key’s finest album to date. The Danger Mouse produced disc is their first studio-recorded album and their best selling so far.

9.) Danny - And I Love Her

Danny Swain is still the most underrated hip-hop artist of the past decade. The Couch Sessions Approved artist has been creating hot tracksfor years now, and he’s past dude for his shine. And I Love H.E.R. is a concept album that was better executed than most, with Danny’s nonchalant rhymes and incredible beats (with some of the most random samples imaginable), make this album a hip-hop lover’s dream.

8.) Lykke Li - Youth Novels

I initially dismissed Lykke Li, but she had me at this one line from her track “Little Bit”: “For you I keep my legs apart/and forget about my broken heart.” From that moment I was sold. The album itself is a stripped down, organic affair with Lykke’s voice being the main instrumental. And the girl has cred with fans like David Banner, Kanye, and Q-Tip among others.

7.) TV On The Radio - Dear Science

As someone who simply hated TVOTR’s disjointed musical style and downright depressing lyrics, I was so presently surprised by their new album that it made the top 10. TVOTR made a downright upbeat and danceable album that still retains their trademark vocal styling and instrumentation.

6.) Kanye West - 808 and Heartbreaks

I had REAL low expectations for Kanye’s venture into experimental avant garde emo and thought that this album would be a dud. However, Kanye not only knocked this one out of the park but AGAIN flipped the script on Black popular music in America. You may hate Kanye all you want (and I still do), but let’s face it: Kanye West is Steve Jobs. He’s a outlier (props to Malcom Gladwell) who sees the future and where music is headed way before we can comprehend it. Just like Job’s said we wouldn’t be using floppy drives way back in 1998.

5.) Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple

Even though Gnarl’s sophomore release didn’t get the attention or sales numbers it deserved, the Atlanta duo’s return marked their best work so far. Their lead single “Run,” couldn’t match the juggernaut that was “Crazy,” but songs like “Can You Save My Soul?” and “Going On,” have cemented the duo as a musical force.

4.) Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Q-Tip’s return to the rap game marked a return to the golden era rap that hip-hop needs right now. Q-Tip never really changed his formula from Amplified, yet crafted an album that that the grown and sexy can cling to without being ultra nostaglic about the past.

3.) Jazzanova - Of All Things

Jazzanova makes music for people who love music. I’m not talking about people who love to dance to music or those who simply just cop CDs or go to concerts, but for those who are simply obsessed with the art of music. The German collective has arranged some of the greatest heard and underheard talent this year–Phonte, Dwele, Jose James, Bembe Segue and Ben Westembach to name a few and created music around each artists’ personal style. This album should be in every music lover’s collection.

2.) Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It

When I heard Raphael Saadiq was doing a Motown album, I dismissed it outright. I thought that he was yet another artist jumping on the bandwagon. Even if The Way I See It could be called “bandwagon jumping,” Saadiq has not only set a standard for what a revival album should sound like, but raised the bar so high that I doubt any artist will ever come close.

1.) Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind

When Foreign Exchange dropped their latest album, I almost felt like it spoke to me. Phonte’s soulful voice, combined with Nicolay’s always organic, smooth beats, made this album a must own for frustrated rap fans like myself that wanted something deeper in their music. Instead of played out cliche’s about poppin’ champange in the club, the duo made an album about breakups, and self deprecation. Billbord chart topper? No. But do we really care anymore?

Albums 50-16 after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Brittany Bosco, Danny Swain, Estelle, Foreign Exchange, Gnarls Barkley, Jazzanova, Kanye West, Lykke Li, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq, Santogold, Solange, The Black Keys, TV On The Radio, Wale

---

New Music: Wale - Chillin’ (Produced by Cool and Dre)

Photo by Lady Glock

Wale - Chillin’ feat Quest (Produced by Cool and Dre)

This track randomly ened up in my inbox the other day, so I don’t know if this is going to be off of Wale’s upcoming 2009 album or not. It’s a dope track that should hold y’all over until his Interscope release later this year.

Tags: Wale

---

Reader Best of 2008: DJ Eurok BONUS DC Edition

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008. Today’s reader is Upset the Setup founder DJ Eurok (aka Peace Justice) who’s hittin’ us with his Top 5 DC Hip-Hop moments.

Name: UPSET THE SETUP
Location: DC
Blog: http://www.upsetthesetup.com

Your Top 5 DC Hip Hop Moments:

1. Kokayi getting nominated for a Grammy and dropping a banging album.
2. The premiere of the Peter Rosenberg directed video for The Package’s “Makin’ Waves” on Nah Right.com.
3. The epic all city graffiti fest at 14th and T.
4. Hearing XO’s The Takeover Part 2 for the first time.
5. Rock The Bells with Wale on the Main Stage.

Tags: DJ Eurok, Kokayi, The Package, Wale, XO

---

Audio: Wale at the Highline Ballroom, NYC

Flickr photo by adamgmignanelli

Wale at the Highline Ballroom Show - Full Live Recording

Congratulations to Wale, who represented DC to the fullest in front of a sold out crowd that included Jay-Z and Leonardo DiCaprio. Even the haters must recognize that selling out a crowd anywhere is a major feat for a new artist AND the dude rocked it with a full band. And I wish I was able to make it up to NYC for that show (could’ve had free tickets), cause from the sound alone it looked insane.

Bonus: Video Recap from Clockwise Clothing

Clockwise Clothing…We Out Chea.. from Collin O’Brien on Vimeo.

Tags: Wale

---

Best of 2008: 5 To Watch 2009

2008 saw a lot of new names come into the fold, however, 2009 has to potential to see a whole slew of new artists graduate from more than just being blog hype. I’m not going to lie…I have a knack for predicting what’s next, and the following 5 artists have just what it takes to get played on a radio station near you.

Asher Roth - With Eminem’s on again/off again status apparently off again, the mantle for best white MC has been quite empty for a while now. Enter Asher Roth, the Atlanta via Pennsylvania MC has been the Internets greatest white hope this past year. Can he take the throne in ‘09?

Brittnay Bosco - Being a Black female with left-field R&B aspirations is a tough road. Said road is littered with the remains of singers gone by: Imani Coppola, Jack Davey, Res–just to name a few. But I’m putting my hope in Ms. Bosco, that she will defy these trends in 2009. Can she make it? Only if you cop her ish next year!

Colin Munroe - Saying that Colin Munroe is going to blow up in 2009 is too easy. The dude’s got it all…catchy pop vocals, nice hooks, and the support from some of the largest players in the music industy. The dude is tailor made for pop stardom, yet he still gets love from the hip-hop community.It’s a win-win situation.

Kid Cudi - Even though I couldn’t stand “Day and Nite,” when I first heard it, I have to agree that it’s a certified banger, and the track is slowly lighting up dance floors worldwide as well as the TV show Entourage. Could Cudi break into the mainstream?

Wale - The Couch Sessions was profiling Wale way before Mark Ronson ever heard of this dude (I kid!!). We first brought you Wale in 2005 and since then it’s been a whirlwind of online publicity for the DC-area MC. With his impending 2009 release–with production talent such as Mark Ronson, Kanye West, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, and Travis Barker–Wale is carrying the torch for DC, and has the whole city on his shoulders.

Runners Up: Chester French, B.o.B., Tabbi Bonney, Idle Warship

Tags: Asher Roth, Brittany Bosco, Colin Munroe, Kid Cudi, Wale

---

Mixtape: 10 Deep Presents The New Deal

Download: 10 Deep Presents the New Deal Mixtape

For most people who follow the next generation of hip-hop, the artists and songs featured in this mixtape are already household names. To be quite honest, I was wasn’t event going to download this at all because I figured I heard it all before. However, the first track with Brother Ali and Wale destroyed that notion entirely. Fire. The rest of the tracks are quality as well, and there are more than a few songs that I don’t yet have in collection. All you’re hipster-hop favorites are represented here: , and others are thoroughly represented.

Tags: 10 Deep, Blu, Hollywood Holt, Kid Sister, Kidz In The Hall, Tittsworth, Wale

---

Photos: Clipse/Play Cloths In-store Event at Commonwealth

Download Clipse - Road Till The Casket Drops Mixtape at Complex

Another night, another very dope in-store event at Commonwealth, who just got a feature in WaPo this week. Just like the Diplo event, it was pure craziness, and this time Pusha T of the Clipse was in the building for the launch of their new Play Cloths line as well as the mixtape Road to When the Casket Drops, which is a prelude to their new album which drops in 2009. The party was off the chain as always, and Wale, Raheem DeVaughn, Tabi Bonney were in the building. Photos by Lady Glock.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: clipse, Commonwealth, Lady Glock, Raheem DeVaughn, Tabi Bonney, Wale

---

Video: Wale - Nike Boots

Wale “Nike Boots” video (Directed by Chris Robinson) from Elitaste on Vimeo.

This song is a banger! Wale reps the DMV DC area hard with this Chris Robinson directed video. It also features cameos from Kid Capri, Bun B, 9th Wonder, Young Guru, Raheem DeVaughn among others.

Tags: Wale

---

Pop

New Music: Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero Mixtape

Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero Mixtape (zip file)

The long awaited mixtape from Toronto artist Colin Munroe is finally here. Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero features collaborations with Wale, Mickey Factz, Joell Ortiz, Blaqstarr and Drake, with production from Black Milk & Dallas Austin behind the boards. Munroe is going to be a dude to watch in 2009, and this mixtape is one of the few projects that incorporate hip-hop, pop, and indie rock successfully. What do y’all think?

Colin is currently on tour with Proton, check the tour dates:

Dec 2 - The Boat - Toronto
Dec 3 - Viper Room -Los Angeles
Dec 4 - Studio @ Webster Hall w/ Proton, Izza Kizza & DJ Blaqstarr - New York
Dec 6 - Lenny’s w/ Proton & Spree Wilson - Atlanta
Dec 9 2008 - Highline Ballrooom w/ Wale, KiD CuDi & Mark Ronson (dj set) - New York

Tags: Black Milk, Blaqstarr, Colin Munroe, Dallas Austin, Drake, Joell Ortiz, Mickey Factz, Wale

---

Video: Wale “Nike Boots” Video Shoot at Howard, DC

Nice to see DC giving Wale some love:

Tags: Wale

---

Connect

Podcast

Features

Reviews

Events

Quick Hits

Last.FM

Popular Tags