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.

No Country For Old Men?

On October 5th Xzibit released Napalm, his first album since 2006. The LP is a solid collection, featuring a laid back sound awash with West Coast swagger. The veteran rhymer returned to the formula that made him an important cog in the Loud Records wheel in the early 2000's, making Napalm a welcome addition to X's extensive catalog. It was, however, was a commercial failure, selling just over 3,000 copies in the first week of general release.

Xzibit is not alone in falling victim to the curse of a disappointing comeback. 2012 has been a year of veteran rappers returning to the mic:

Ja Rule Pain Is Love 2 3,000 sold (first week)
Prodigy H.N.I.C 3 4,000 
DMX Undisputed 17,000
Xzibit Napalm 3,000
Total: 27,000

Collectively, the four artists mentioned have sold over 50 million records over the course of their careers. If we estimate the final sales totals to be around 50,000 units, the first week sales of the new albums represent around 0.1% of the total albums the rappers have pushed in their entire careers. Part of the reason for this could be poor critical reception, as was the case with H.N.I.C 3 and Undisputed as it was generally accepted that the two rappers in question had lost a lot of ground in their separate prison bids The respective efforts of Ja Rule and Xzibit, however, were mainly seen in a positive light, resulting in mystifyingly low sales. It appears that in the extended hiatus, listeners simply forgot their former idols. There were 8 years between Ja's R.U.L.E and PIL2, while there were 6 between X's Full Circle (itself a commercial failure) and Napalm.

On the other side of the coin is Nas. The thinking man's favourite released Life is Good in July after 4 absent years, achieving 150,000 first week sales and being hailed as one of the best albums of the year by critics. This proves that there is still an appetite for old school hip hop from the late 90's golden era  (if you allow the discussed artists under those particular terms), but the numbers still reveal a worrying trend. Adding the 300,000 total sales to our 50,000 gives us a healthier looking 350,000, but putting Nas' total of 13 million units onto our 50 million hardly improves the percentages. Even the spectre of illegal downloads struggles to explain such a drastic fall. The hip hop world is in danger of losing the elder statesman that helped establish the mainstream art form.

Taking all this into account, is it any wonder that Dr Dre continually pushes back the now almost mythic Detox?

Putting those concerns aside, this week some rare good news came from the Soundscan totals. Kendrick Lamar has achieved the highest hip hop first week sales of the year with good kid, m.A.A.d city, beating off his competition with an astonishing 242,000. It is also the highest selling debut by a male artist this year. All this was attained without a smash single, instead being a response from a loyal fan base steadily attained through stellar output over the last few years and bolstered by relentless critical praise.

Dr Dre is one of the contributors on good kid. It now seems to be the veteran producer riding on the coat tails of the young gunner. Are we now seeing a power shift?

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.