The 10 Best Hip Hop Tracks of 2012!

It's that time of the year again! My annual, slightly late run down of my 10 best tracks of the year is written in no particular order, so here goes...

1. Loco-Motive - Nas feat. Large Professor: Nas had a blistering 2012, dropping his almost perfect return to form right in the middle of summer. In truth, he could have had over half of this list with one album, but it is Loco-Motive that really stands out. The steadily clattering train anchoring the beat complements the grimy, cinematic atmosphere of a late night subway ride through Queensbridge. Almost 20 years since his debut, Nas hasn't lost a step.

2. Bury Me a G - Rick Ross feat. T.I: The highlight of an otherwise disappointing group LP from MMG, Ross embodies the gangsta don persona he has made his own, his wheezing voice lending a sense of urgency  rarely found on his other work. It is T.I however, who steals the show, his menacingly unhinged, slack jawed delivery bringing the song firmly back to the Dirty South.

3. Something More - Xzibit feat. Prodigy: A drowsy West Coast funk almost renders the listener inert as Xzibit triumphantly retains his place as one of his regions most consistent voices. Prodigy lends able support, a rare 2012 return to the style that made Mobb Deep such a distinct act in the late 90's.

4. Getting By - Lloyd Banks feat. Schoolboy Q: A stoner anthem that is actually listenable, Lloyd Banks released this gem in what proved to be a quiet year for 50's right hand man. Schoolboy Q demonstrates exactly why Black Hippy are so highly tipped for a successful 2013.

5. Hammer Dance - Slaughterhouse: Aside from the baffling decision to deny Royce da 5'9 a chance to rhyme, the lead single for Welcome to Our House was an underrated Araab MUSIK laced banger. Bringing together the remaining talent of the crew under the hook supplied by Royce, the track continues the chemistry first brought to prominence at the 2011 BET Awards.

6. Mercy - G.O.O.D Music: Granted, it has a lamentable middle section that cannot sustain Kanye's ego. That being said, Mercy unquestionably had the most hypnotic beat of the year, as well as a stunning video. Those wondering what all the fuss about this 2 Chainz chap is would be well advised to view this work.

7. Backseat Freestyle - Kendrick Lamar: Kendrick has been the debut star of the year, achieving critical acclaim and gold status for Good Kid, m.A.A.d City without a smash single in sight. The concept album is virtually flawless, but Backseat Freestyle is simple introduction that can be listened aside from the main narrative, reminding listeners that it is no accident that Kendrick is considered as the potential hip hop voice of his generation.

8. Pull the Cars Out - Ghostface Killah & Sheek Louch feat. Method Man: Though Wu-Block wasn't quite the melding together of two legendary crews we hoped it would be, gritty banger Pull the Cars Out showcases three artists comfortable in their own skins, sticking close to the format that brought them such success in the 90's. Method's verse in particular is ice cool in conception, dipping in and out of the beat flawlessly.

9. Love Sosa - Chief Keef: Hip Hop's version of Mario Balotelli continues to battle legal troubles, just about squeezing out his debut album before casually cancelling his entire U.S tour. Finally Rich is pretty dreadful, but single Love Sosa is Keef at his demented, spaced out best, an ode to himself that only fellow Chicago alumni Kanye West could rival. It is also tear-inducingly catchy.

10. Pyramids - Frank Ocean: Not technically a hip hop track in the traditional sense, Frank qualifies due his association with Odd Future. Pyramids is an 8 minute mini epic, Ocean's fabulous voice melting from the up tempo first half into the most beautiful musical moment of the year as the song reaches its conclusion.

G.O.O.D. Music - Cruel Summer

Kanye Wests' G.O.O.D. Music label has been steadily gaining momentum over the past few years. Astute signings such as Kid Cudi, Big Sean and Pusha T, as well as forging close relationships with artists as diverse as Common and 2 Chainz has seen the Def Jam subsidiary appeal to a broad audience, chiefly through the 'G.O.O.D. Friday' scheme, a constant flow of new music that has effectively maintained the attention of fans. Though originally scheduled for a Spring 2012 release, West has just about managed to prevent his album title becoming redundant by releasing Cruel Summer just before the official close of the season.

Album opener 'To The World' is a bombastic, auto-tuned tour de force, R Kelly dominating the song as he screeches through a fantastically overwrought chorus, Kanye hardly needed as he offers a token verse towards the conclusion of the track. The collection kicks into gear properly on 'Clique', Jay Z dropping by to assist his protege with mature, sophisticated rhymes. Kanye strikes the characteristically confident pose that will carry him throughout the rest of the album, boldly proclaiming divine help for the second time in only two songs. The only negative is in the weak Big Sean-provided hook, his voice failing to command the beat in the same way as his two more experienced collaborators.

Perhaps unwisely, the same artist is immediately back in the fray, given the task of kicking off lead single 'Mercy'. Kanye is on top production form, the unsettling, ice cool beat overwhelming Sean as he spits some poorly thought out, corny punchlines. The track is saved by some intense work from Pusha T and finished off expertly by the charismatic 2 Chainz. The two rappers have received a similar career boost in aligning themselves with G.O.O.D. and both are utilised well in posse cut 'The Morning'. Enlisting Raekwon proves to be a masterstroke, his cinematic montage complemented with shorter, sharp vignettes from the other features, Cyhi The Prynce attempting to rectify his status as the forgotten man of the label with an entertaining appearance.

Second single 'Cold' becomes the crux on which the listener will decide how to respond to the album. West has always been known for his gargantuan ego, his meteoric career rise accompanied by an inflated sense of self worth he does little to hide. The song features a chorus jabbing at Kris Humphries:
"Want to talk about clothes I motherfuckin' embarrass you/ Want to talk about hoes I motherfuckin' embarrass you..." along with suggesting he will get "Jay to drop him from the team" (unlikely as Jay Z owns less than 1% of New York Nets). Catchy, offensive and braggadocios, the track encapsulates the best and worse of Kanye West. The listener can either accept it or deride the flamboyant eccentricities of a flawed genius.

Taking a break from West, the album then moves into smoother R&B territory. The Dream croons over relaxing production as 'Higher' slows the pace. A surprising verse from Mase captures the mood of the track perfectly, the slick, soothing rhymes becoming another entry in the incremental, steady career revival of the former Bad Boy. A triumphant, powerful hook from Marsha Ambrosius lifts 'The One' as Kanye recites his most hilarious lines on the LP:
"Everything around me got me underwhelmed/ Best way to describe my position is at the helm/ Best way to describe my new whip... NYAOOOOOW"

Kid Cudi is mystifyingly absent for much of the album, a tiny appearance on 'The Morning' and a whirling, dervish-like appearance on the 'Mercy' video being his only contributions to the project until the tenth track. His solo spot on 'Creepers', however, is worth waiting for. Evidently still in Wzrd mode, Cudi infuses catchy production with his trademark lonely, spaced out yearnings. John Legend and new signee Teyana Taylor collaborate less successfully on 'Bliss', the track seeming better suited to another collection.
'I Don't Like (Remix)' also seems out of place, a strange decision to use another's work for a figurehead usually noted for his individuality.

Track By Track:

01. Kanye West and R. Kelly - "To the World" (8/10)
02. Kanye West, Jay-Z and Big Sean - "Clique" (8/10)
03. Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha-T and 2 Chainz - "Mercy" (8/10)
04. Kanye West, Pusha-T - "New God Flow" (8/10)
05. Raekwon, Pusha-T, Common, 2 Chainz, Cyhi the Prynce, Kid Cudi, D'Banj - "The Morning" (8/10)
06. DJ Khaled - "Cold" (8/10)
07. The-Dream, Pusha-T and Ma$e - "Higher" (8/10)
08. John Legend, Travi$ Scott, Teyana Taylor, Cyhi the Prynce and Malik Yusef - "Sin City" (7/10)
09. Kanye West, Big Sean, 2 Chainz and Marsha Ambrosius - "The One" (8/10)
10. Kid Cudi - "Creepers" (9/10)
11. John Legend and Teyana Taylor- "Bliss" (6/10)
12. Kanye West, Chief Keef, Pusha-T, Big Sean and Jadakiss - "Don't Like" (7/10)

The Verdict:

Kanye West has thrown the gaudy excesses of hip hop into sharp relief, embodying the urgent, captivating style that is missing from much of mainstream chart rap music. Much critical response to Cruel Summer will focus on personal opinion of the figure of West, but this would be to miss the point of the LP. At different times raucous, boastful, sophisticated and sultry, Cruel Summer ranks as one of the year's best albums.

8/10

Homophobia In Hip Hop

Man, cats don't know what it's gonna be/

Fucking with a nigga like me, D-to-the-M-to-the-X/

Last I heard, ya'll niggas was havin sex, with the same sex/

I show no love, to homo thugs/

Empty out, reloaded and throw more slugs/

How you gonna explain fucking a man?/

Even if we squashed the beef, I ain't touching ya hand.

DMX - Where The Hood At (2003)

On May 9th 2012, President Obama confirmed his belief that same sex couples should be able to get married. Though this is seen as a risky political move, Obama has received some unlikely support from Jay Z: 

"I've always thought it as something (the ban on gay marriage) that was still holding the country back. What people do in their own homes is their business and you can choose to love whoever you love. That's their business. It's no different than discriminating against blacks. It's discrimination plain and simple." (Jay Z)

Such a bold statement from a hip hop heavyweight is at odds with a genre of music that has traditionally attacked and avoided homosexual relationships, particularly between men. Wu Tang member Raekwon described his disgust towards gay culture in a 2009 radio interview: 

"My mouth is too small to suck a d*ck," Raekwon added. "How the f*ck do you convert over to do some sh*t like that? How do motherf*ckers get into that sh*t? The males? The females, they gonna do what they do. I ain't gonna front, I can't stand f*cking h*mos. That sh*t is just f*cking disgusting. They can never holla at me. Get the f*ck away from me, immediately."  (Raekwon)

Such views, unfortunately, are prevalent within the hip hop community. The DMX lyrics quoted above were taken from 2003 album Grand Champ, a record that debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 200, and the song itself was released as a single. Around 2004 Harlem native Cam'ron popularised the phrase 'No Homo' to justify the use of 'suspect' phrases while asserting that the speaker is a heterosexual. Though these events were nearly ten years ago, the attitudes expressed can still be found in much of the fan base of mainstream hip hop. In 2011, XXL Freshman Lil B received death threats when he announced a new LP titled I'm Gay. The record sold terribly, though that could be down to  factors such as the project being available for free for a short while and lukewarm critical response, rather than outright homophobia (Lil B is straight, though has pledged his support for GLAAD).

The picture however, could be slowly changing. Popular figures such as Kanye West have publicly spoken out about their previous homophobia, and how they now accept the gay community. N.O.R.E confirmed in 2009 that he is aware he has worked with gay rappers, and he has no real issue with this, while rappers such as Eminem, Juelz Santana, Game and Tyga have either defended the homosexual community, or apologised for homophobic slurs/musical content.

Perhaps the most heartening response, however, is from rap newcomer A$AP Rocky. Discussing his previous homophobia, he confirmed to Pitchfork that he now has a different outlook: 

"I'm going to be honest with you-- I used to be homophobic, but that's f*cked up. I had to look in the mirror and say, "All the designers I'm wearing are gay." I hear stories about all these industry motherf*ckers who are gay, and I don't know if it's true or not, but that sh*t don't matter. It's so immature." (A$AP Rocky)

A statement like this gives rise to the hope that the new generation of rappers is becoming more tolerant and accepting, something that ideally will be reflected in the new music being produced. It is elder hip hop statesmen such as Jay Z, however, that have a responsibility to lead the way in changing attitudes. His support of Obama's policy is a strong start.

Xzibit - The Garage, Glasgow. 19/10/11

For the second time in a fortnight I traveled to Glasgow to experience the unbridled joy that is provided by G2 (Not the main venue, just round the back!) Fortunately, there were no fights outside this time. The entrance, though, was surrounded by a litany of unsavoury characters, someone helpfully shouting "RUFF RYDERS!" at me as I entered. Though it is always nice to see appreciation of DMX, The LOX and the work of Swizz Beatz, we were all here to see Xzibit (perhaps he was a Drag-On fan?). There was a VIP package offering 3 CD's, a t-shirt and 15 minutes backstage with X, but I respectfully declined, preferring to take my chances in the crowd.
After keeping us waiting just a tiny bit too long (after Snoop Dogg arrived an hour late I'm prepared to forgive more minor tardiness), X took to the stage, sparking the set off with new single 'Xzibit v. The State of Hip Hop'. Aided by hype man Young De, the West Coast veteran bounced across the stage, regularly flashing his cheesy grin as the more familiar fare took over the set list. 'Front 2 Back' and 'Get Your Walk On' were highlights of a Restless heavy focus, with 'Alkaholic' predictably sending the crowd into a frenzy. The rapper outlined his credentials, asserting that he could drink more than "any motherfucker in this room!" Any hopes of witnessing him down a pint of Tennent's were swiftly dispelled, but the song was played twice during the performance to a typically rowdy response.
A medley of standout verses from his association with Aftermath Records followed, hits such as 'Bitch Please', 'Bitch Please II' and 'What's the Difference' were merged to give a strong West Coast flavour to the evening. In a similar vein, 'California Vacation' was played to a rousing reception.
The gig took a sombre turn with a tribute to Nate Dogg, followed by a return to first album material with 'Paparazzi'. Though the song matched the tone of the tribute, it seemed strange that he rapper chose not to perform one of the many songs he has recorded with the late soul singer. The set list continued with the theme of 90's hits, 'What You See is What You Get' from 40 Dayz and 40 Nightz being performed with typical enthusiasm. More recent fare was thin on the ground, 'Muthafucker' from Weapons of Mass Destruction and 'Multiply' proving popular, the gig finishing with 'Thank You', a heartfelt tribute to the fans who have supported the rapper through thick and thin. The performance ended abruptly just over the hour mark, with the rapper finishing mid song and walking off the stage. His DJ carried on playing, raising hopes for an encore ('Hey Now' and 'Heart of Man' were sorely missed), but after 5 minutes it became apparent he was not to return. The crowd left puzzled, but generally satisfied by an evening with one of the West Coast's most enduring voices.