Best of 2006

Now that the year is almost over, here's my 2006 top 12, I have to say that the year wasn't so bad as a lot of people say, if Hip Hop was really dead, there wouldn't be all this great albums, have fun and see you next year.

UPDATE 31/12: Changed the list to top 12, because I couldn't leave Pigeon John and Free Speech out of the list.

1. The Roots - Game Theory

01. Dilltastic Vol Won(derful)
02. False Media
03. Game Theory (Feat. Malik B.)
04. Don't Feel Right (Feat. Maimouna Youssef)
05. In The Music (Feat. Malik B. & Porn)
06. Take It There (Feat. Wadud Ahmad)
07. Baby (Feat. John-John & Malik B.)
08. Here I Come (Feat. Dice Raw & Malik B.)
09. Long Time (Feat. Peedi Peedi & Bunny Sigler)
10. Livin' In A New World (Feat. John-John)
11. Clock With No Hands (Feat. Mercedes Martinez)
12. Atonement (Feat. Jack Davey)
13. Can't Stop This
14. Come Together (feat. Zion I) (Produced By J.Period) (Bonus Track)

2. Sam The Kid - Pratica(Mente)

I’m sorry, I’m not going to post this album, because as much as I would like to promote Portuguese hip-hop, I’m not going to post the newly released albums for respect for the artists.

3. CunninLynguists - Piece of Strange

01 Where Will You Be?
02 Since When
03 Nothing to Give
04 Caved In feat. Cee-Lo Green
05 Hourglass
06 Beautiful Girl
07 Inhale (Interlude)
08 Brain Cell
09 America Loves Gangsters feat. Tim Means
10 Never Know Why feat. Immortal Technique
11 The Gates feat. Tonedeff
12 Damnation (Interlude)
13 Hellfire
14 Remember Me (Abstract Reality)
15 What'll You Do?
16 The Light feat. Club Dub

4. Ghostface Killah – Fishscale

1. The Return Of Clyde Smith (Skit)
2. Shakey Dog
3. Kilo feat. Raekwon
4. The Champ
5. Major Operstion (Skit)
6. 9 Milli Bros feat. Wu Tang Clan
7. Beauty Jackson
8. Heart Street Directions (Skit)
9. Columbus Exchange (Skit)/ Crack Spot
10. R.A.G.U. feat. Raekwon
11. Bad Mouth Kid (Skit)
12. Whip You With A Strap
13. Back Like That feat. Ne-Yo
14. Be Eay feat. Trife
15. Clipse Of Doom feat. Trife
16. Jellyfish feat. Theodore Unit
17. Dogs Of War feat. Raekwon, Theodore Unit
18. Barbershop
19. Ms. Sweetwater (Skit)
20. Big Girl
21. Underwater
22. The Ironman Takeover (Skit)
23. Momma feat. Megan Rochell
24. Three Bricks feat. Notorious B.I.G., Raekwon

5. Jedi Mind Tricks - Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell

1. Intro
2. Put 'Em In The Grave
3. Suicide
4. Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story feat. R.A. The Rugged Man
5. A Blood Red Path
6. When All Light Dies
7. Serenity In Murder
8. Pariah Demise (Interlude)
9. Heavy Metal Kings feat. Ill Bill
10. Shadow Business
11. Triumph And Agony (Interlude)
12. Razorblade Salvation
13. Outlive The War feat. Sean Price, Block McCloud
14. Gutta Music feat. Reef The Lost Cauze, Chief Kamachi
15. Temples Of Ice (Interlude)
16. Black Winter Day

Bonus Tracks:

01.Heavy Metal Kings Ft ILL Bill (TERROR Remix)
02.Pretty Little Whores Ft Vinnie Paz And Outerspace
03.Blitz Inc. Ft King Syze Vinnie Paz 7L & Estoeric

6. NAS - Hip Hop Is Dead

7. Vakill - Worst Fears Confirmed

1. Intro
2. Worst Fears Confirmed
3. Cold War
4. Introducin feat. Ras Kass
5. When Was The Last Time
6. Serpent & The Rainbow
7. Monstaz Ink
8. Farewell To The Game
9. No Mercy
10. Heart Bleeds
11. The King Meets The Sickest feat. Royce Da 5'9”
12. The Confirmation
13. Man Into Monster feat. Vizion
14. Flow Fever
15. Acts Of Vengence

8. Hilltop Hoods - The Hard Road

1. Recapturing the Vibe
2. Clown Prince
3. Hard Road
4. Stopping All Stations
5. Conversations from a Speakeasy
6. What a Great Intro
7. What a Great Night (DNR)
8. City of Light
9. Obese Lowlifes
10. Circuit Breaker
11. Breathe
12. Blue Blooded
13. Monsters Ball
14. Audience with the Devil
15. Captured Vibe

9. Pigeon John (2006) And The Summertime Pool Party

01 Welcome To The Show
02 Scene 1 / I Thought You Was A
03 Do The Pigeon
04 Higher
05 Scene 2 / I Was Just Looking A
06 Money Back Guarantee
07 Freaks Freaks! (Starring DJ Rhettmatic)
08 One For The (Starring Brother Ali)
09 The Last Sunshine (Starring RJD2 & J-Live)
10 Weight Of The World
11 Scene 3 / Black Man On A White
12 As We Know It
13 I Lost My Job Again
14 Scene 4 / The Girls The Fantas
15 Brand New Day
16 Growin Old

10. Hi-Tek - Hi-Teknology 2 - The Chip

1. The Oracle (Intro)
2. The Chip
3. Keep It Moving feat. Dion, Q-Tip, Kurupt
4. I Think I Got A Beat feat. Lil' Tone
5. Can We Go Back feat. Talib Kweli, Ayak
6. Josephine feat. The Willie Cottrell Band, Ghostface Killah, Pretty Ugly
7. March feat. Busta Rhymes
8. Where It Started At (NY) feat. Dion, Jadakiss, Papoose, Talib Kweli, Raekwon
9. 1-800-Homicide feat. The Game, Dion
10. Money Don't Make U Rich feat. Strong Arm Steady Listen
11. Baby We Can Do It feat. Czar-Nok
12. Let It Go feat. Dion, Talib Kweli
13. People Going Down feat. The Willie Cottrell Band L
14. So Tired feat. Dion, Bun B, Devin The Dude, Pretty Ugly
15. Music For Life feat. J. Dilla, Nas, Common, Busta Rhymes, Marsha

Bonus Tracks

16. How We Do It feat. Snoop Dogg, Talib Kweli & Slim Thug
17. Time is Now feat. Talib Kweli (Reflection Eternal)
18. We Get Down feat. Mos Def, Raphael Saadiq & Bootsy Collins

11. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor

12. Free Speech - Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth

01. Intro // Free Speech
02. Shake Your Laffy Taffy // Free Speech
03. Become of Me // Free Speech
04. I Wish // Plat
05. Everything is Different Now // Free Speech
06. Come and Go // Stereo Type
07. Replace U // Stereo Type feat. Free Speech
08. Lovin' Cali // Free Speech
09. Kick, Push (RAD Edition) // Lupe Fiasco
10. Brekfast Club P.S.A. #1 // Ro Blvd., Free Speech, & TalkSik

Other good albums:

The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon
Mos Def - Tru3 Magic
AZ - The Format
Tech N9ne - Everready (The Religion)
Valete - Servico Publico
Tumi and the Volume - Tumi and the Volume
Kidz in the Hall - School Was My Hustle
Lord Jamar (of Brand Nubian) - The 5 Percent Album
Masta Killa - Made In Brooklyn
Method Man - 4-21... The Day After
Bronze Nazareth - The Great Migration
Boot Camp Clik - The Last Stand
Marcelo D2 - Meu Samba é Assim
Pack FM - Whutduzfmstand4?
Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo
J Dilla - The Shining
Main Flow And 7L - Flow Season
MF Grimm - American Hunger
PSALM One - The Death Of Frequent Flyer
Mr. Lif - Mo Mega Louis
Logic and J.J. Brown - Misery Loves Comedy
The Strange Fruit Project - The Healing
Block McCloud - Spittin' Image
J Dilla- Donuts
Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
Ghostface Killah - More Fish
KRS-One - Life
Sway - This Is My Demo
Classified - Hitch Hikin Music
Dan The Automator - Presents 2K7
Soul Position - Things Go Better With RJ and AL
Murs and 9th Wonder - Murrays revenge
Juggaknots - Use Your Confusion
Cut Chemist - The Audience's Listening
Sadat X - Black October
Dert - Sometimes I Rhyme Slow - A Remixtape
De La Soul - Impossible Mission T.V. Series Part 1
Dave Chappelle's Block Party OST
Tanya Morgan - Moonlighting
Roots Manuva - Alternately Deep
Visionaries - We Are the Ones
Aceyalone and RJD2 - Magnificent City
Footsoldiers - Live This
Camp Lo - Fort Apache - The Mixtape Album
Celph Titled - The Gatalog - A Collection Of Chaos
J. Rawls - Liquid Crystal Project
Plan B - Who Needs Action When You Got Words
Skyzoo And 9th Wonder - Cloud 9 The 3 Day High
Swollen Members - Black Magic

Feedback about the list would be apreciated!

Merry X'mas

I’d like to wish to everyone on the blog community, a merry Christmas and a happy new year, here’s a little X’Mas compilation that I’ve put together.

Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shante, MC Shan - A Cold Chillin' Christmas
De la Soul - Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa
Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin'
Run DMC - Christmas Is
Run DMC - Christmas Time In Hollis Queens
Run-DMC, Mase, Puff Daddy, Snoop Dogg, Salt N Pepa, Onyx & Keith Murray - Santa Baby
Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Daz, Tray Deee, Bad Azz - Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto

Treacherous Three - Xmas Rap

EDIT: Link fixed, sorry about that

Spittin' Image

Block McCloud (2006) Spittin' Image

This album is around for a while, but I never gave it a listen, I only knew that Block Mc Cloud was on Brooklyn Academy and on Jedi Mind Tricks “Outlive The War”. When I listened to the album I was surprised because it’s one of the most slept on releases of 2006, the beats are bangers, the rhymes and the chorus are fresh, and the guestspots (Jean Grae in particular) are on point.

1. Isabella's First Skit
2. So Excited feat. War Bixby, Sean Price, Blanquito
3. Livin' For
4. The Dues feat. Jean Grae
5. Donnie Dipskit feat. Young Tae
6. Where's Brooklyn At? feat. War Bixby, Pumpkinhead, Mr. Met
7. Show U
8. The Haunted feat. China
9. All A Game feat. Jean Grae
10. Chaos
11. Masters Degree feat. Jean Grae, O.D., Pumpkinhead, Killah Priest
12. A Square Skit
13. Blockstar
14. Good Or Bad feat. Melody, Pumpkinhead
15. No You Won't feat. O.D.
16. White Noise Skit
17. Pick It Up feat. Melody, A.B.
18. Take Me Home feat. Pumpkinhead
19. My Soul’s In The Music

The Awakening

Clinton Sparks and DJ Boogie Brown Present:
Pharoahe Monch - The Awakening

The lyrical genius, one of the best mc’s ever, Pharoahe Monch is back with a brand new mixtape, although some of the material is old or leaked during this year, there is still new stuff and it’s definitely worth the download! Look out for his album “Desire” early next year!

01. Clinton Sparks Intro
02. Shut Em Down Freestyle
03. Pain Interlude
04. Pain
05. Lets Go
06. We Must Be In Love
07. Shes A Ho
08. The Note
09. Agent Orange
10. Push
11. Desire
12. Stray Bullet Freestyle
13. The Sniper Skit
14. Gun Draws
15. Glorious
16. Down By Law
17. Outro

They Reminisce Over You

Pete Rock & CL Smooth [1992] Mecca and the Soul Brother

Another early 90’s jazzy masterpiece.
CL Smooth's dexterous lyrics were a suitable match for Rock's jazzy, sampled-laden soundscapes. The first single, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", a dedication to their fallen friend and back up dancer for Heavy D, "Trouble" T. Roy, has gone on to become not only their signature hit, but also one of hip hop's most highly regarded songs.
Other topics on the album range from life in the ghetto, the teachings of the Nation of Islam, bootlegging, and the self-explanatory "Lots of Lovin'. At 77 minutes, it's a lengthy album, and the large number of songs is tempered by brief musical interludes, a theme Pete Rock would repeat on the duo's second album, and on his own solo albums.
Mecca And The Soul Brother brought a lot of acclaim to the duo they were often compared to the group Gang Starr.
One of the best Hip Hop albums ever!

1. Return of the Mecca
2. For Pete's Sake
3. Ghettos of the Mind
4. Lots of Lovin
5. Act Like You Know
6. Straighten It Out
7. Soul Brother #1
8. Wig Out
9. Anger in the Nation
10. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
11. On and On
12. It's Like That
13. Can't Front On Me
14. The Basement (feat. Deda, Grap Luva, Heavy D, Rob-O)
15. If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right
16. Skinz (feat. Grand Puba)

17. T.R.O.Y. (Remix)

Tracks 1 - 8

Tracks 9 - 17

Rap Dungeon Selection #04

Rap Dungeon Selection #04

Volume 4, threee tracks from DJ Clue's mixtape, two from Styles P album, one from Kweli's mixtape, the new Redman and Prodigy singles, the BDK/GZA collabo, a Killah Priest/Ill Bill collabo, a track by a new artist called Grafh, and a Nas/Andre 3000 (who is actually rapping) maybe from Lloyd's (RnB) album.

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01. Hell Raza feat. Talib Kweli and MF Doom - Project Jazz
02. Lloyd - You (Remix) (Feat. Andre 3000 And Nas)
03. M.O.P. - Giantz Of NYC
04. Grafh - Black Panther
05. Ill Bill ft. Killah Priest - Awaiting The Hour
06. Redman - Let's Go
07. Prodigy - New York Shit
08. Styles P - Burn One Down (Feat. Flipsyde)
09. The Game & Mario Winans - A Week Ago, Part 2
10. Styles P - Testify (Feat. Talib Kweli)
11. Nas - War
12. RZA ft. Big Daddy Kane & GZA - Cameo Afro

New GZA & Big Daddy Kane

Big Daddy Kane & GZA - Cameo Afro [Prod. by RZA]

...from the new "Afro Samurai" movie soundtrack.

Blacksmith: The Movement

Talib Kweli Presents - Blacksmith: The Movement

Here's something new to listen while waiting for "Eardrum"

1. Talib Kweli - BlackSmith Intro (prod. by J. Dilla)
2. Talib Kweli - This Is It
3. Strong Arm Steady feat. Talib Kweli - On Site
4. Jean Grae feat. McGuyver & Daddy Mills - Role Call
5. Jean Grae feat. Phil The Agony - Heat Freestyle
6. Jean Grae - Haters Anthem
7. Talib Kweli feat. Jean Grae - Hush
8. Hi-Tek feat. Strong Arm Steady - Money Don't Make You Rich
9. Phil the Agony feat. Xzibit & Krondon - I Can't Believe
10. Hell Raza feat. Talib Kweli & MF DOOM - Project Jazz
11. Talib Kweli & Jean Grae - New York Shit
12. Talib Kweli - Funny Money (produced by Madlib)
13. Mitchy Slick feat. Xzibit - Making Money
14. Hi-Tek feat. Jadakiss Papoose, Raekwon, & Talib Kweli - Where It All Started (NY)
15. Sonia Sanchez - Step Back
16. Talib Kweli - I Feel You
17. Jean Grae - The Jam
18. Talib Kweli, Fonsworth Bentley & Krondon - High Enough (produced by DJ Khalil) 19. Jean Grae - Pardon Me (produced by 9th Wonder)
20. Hi-Tek feat. Ayak & Talib Kweli - Can We Go Back
21. Talib Kweli feat. John Legend - Young Man (produced by Kanye West)
22. Talib Kweli feat. Planet Asia - Sacred Artist

Dream Warriors

Dream Warriors - And Now The Legacy Begins

[1991]

Part of the slew of grand early-'90s jazzy hip-hop releases that avoided tough criminal posing for inventive, witty lyrics and arrangements. As the duo plays around with any number of inspired samples and grooves, from jazz to harder-edged beats, with style and skill. The flow of King Lou and Capital Q, mostly the former, fits the stuttering, dramatic pace of the arrangement to a T, bringing an instant smile to the face and dance to the feet. The lead-off single, "Wash Your Face in My Sink," is nutty warning to a friend who doesn't have it all together about cleanliness set to a equally playful arrangement. Things aren't always pretty, though — "U Could Get Arrested" is a slamming attack on police racism delivered with belligerent panache. Throughout the album the Warriors show that they know their pop culture cold. As jazz-inspired producers and arrangers, the Warriors and their various studio assistants may not always be as perfectly smooth as A Tribe Called Quest or Guru, but the results are rarely anything but a joy to hear.
A classic that you don’t want to miss.


1. Mr. Bubbunut Spills His Guts
2. My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style
3. Follow Me Not
4. Ludi
5. U Never Know A Good Thing Till U Lose It
6. And Now The Legacy Begins
7. Tune From The Missing Channel
8. Wash Your Face In My Sink
9. Voyage Through The Multiverse
10. U Could Get Arrested
11. Journey On
12. Face In The Basin
13. Do Not Feed The Alligators
14. Twelve Sided Dice
15. Maximum 60 Lost In A Dream
16. Answer For The Owl

"Hip Hop just died this morning..."

Nas [2006] Hip Hop Is Dead

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Find out if Hip Hop is dead or alive with the new Nas album. I added the bonus track. I've heard bad reviews because the album isn't a classic like some people were expecting but it's still very good if you ask me, I'm mad because the track with Damian Marley didn't make to the final cut, "Road to Zion" is a great song and I was excited with another collabo... anyway, have fun!

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01. Money Over Bullshit
02. You Can't Kill Me
03. Carry On Tradition
04. Where Are They Now
05. Hip Hop Is Dead
06. Who Killed It?
07. Black Republican (feat. Jay-Z)
08. Not Going Back (feat. Kelis)
09. Still Dreaming (feat. Kanye West)
10. Hold Down The Block
11. Blunt Ashes
12. Let There Be Light (feat. Tre Williams)
13. Play On Playa (feat. Snoop Dogg)
14. Can`t Forget About You (feat. Chrisette Michele)
15. Hustlers (feat. The Game and Marsha Ambrosius)
16. Hope (Acappella Version)

17. Shine On 'Em (iTunes Pre-Order Bonus Track)

UPDATE: As most of you have noticed the album includes an Acappella track, and since many people decided to make remixes of it, I gave it a try and I mixed it with some instrumentals that I got, here's a pack with different versions of the track, over the following beats:

Immortal Technique - Dance With The Devil
CunninLynguists - America Loves Gangsters
The Game - Start From Scratch
Common - The Corner
CunninLynguists - The Gates
Cage - Stripes
DJ Grand Wizard Theodore - Subway Theme

UPDATE 2: New link to the proper version!

Rap Dungeon Selection #03

Rap Dungeon Selection #03

Volume 3, a lot of Nas on this one ahaha, enjoy!

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01. AZ ft Hi Tek - New York
02. Nas - Hustlers (Feat. The Game & Marsha Ambrosius)
03. Mos Def - Murder of A Teenage Life
04. Matt Fingaz feat. Just Blaze, Talib Kweli, Large Pro, Rahzel, Jelly & The Game - 1 Degree Of Me
05. Nas ft Termanology and Dr Dre - Everyday
06. Ghostface Killah Feat. Trife Da God & The Willie Cottrell Band - Josephine (Remix)
07. Blitz - Hush (feat Nas & Tre Williams)
08. Raekwon - Da Destroyer
09. El-P - Smithereens (Stop Crying)
10. Smif N Wessun Feat. Dead Prez - Warriors Heart
11. Saigon - Dreamz (produced by 9th Wonder)
12. Nas Feat. Chrisette Michele - Can't Forget About You (Clean)

Native Tongues: Unreleased And Unleashed

A Tribe Called Quest (2003) Native Tongues: Unreleased And Unleashed

Rap Dungeon's selection is a little delayed, so here's something that I was holding for a while, there's not really need for description (the name and tracklist say it all), enjoy Tribe fans.

1. The Promo Part 2 feat. The Jungle Brothers
2. Come On Down feat. Big Daddy Kane & Busta Rhymes
3. It's Yours
4. Money Maker
5. Mr. Incognito
6. 1nce Again (Jackin' For Beats Remix)
7. S.O.S. feat. Phife Dawg & Godfather Don - 'Who Got Da Funk'
8. Whitey Don feat. Phife Dawg & Chip Fu - 'Article'
9. Tiger feat. ATCQ - 'Who Planned It?'
10. Tiger feat. ATCQ - 'Who Planned It?' (instrumental)

And I just noticed that this is my 103rd post ehehe

Sweet Friday: Ghostface & Mos Def

Ghostface Killah [2006] More Fish

More Fish is the upcoming album from Ghostface Killah, set to be released on December 12, 2006 through the Def Jam label. There are many appearances from the members of Theodore Unit (Cappadonna, Du-Lilz, Shawn Wiggs, Trife Da God, Tommy Whispers, Kryme Life, and Ghostface's teenage son Sun God), as well as from Redman, Sheek Louch & Killa Sin and production from Pete Rock, MF DOOM, Madlib, Kool-Aid & Peanut, J-Love, Phantom Of The Beats & Hi-Tek.

01. Ghostface Killah - Ghost Is Back
02. Ghostface Killah Feat. Da God & Sun God – Miguel Sanchez
03. Ghostface Killah Feat. Da God, Cappadonna & Killa Sin - Guns N' Razors
04. Ghostface Killah - Outta Town
05. Ghostface Killah Feat. Trife Da God & Mr. Maygreen - Good
06. Ghostface Killah Feat. Sun God - Street Opera
07. Ghostface Killah - Block Rock
08. Ghostface Killah - Miss Info Celebrity Drama (Skit)
09. Shawn Wigs & Ghostface Killah - Pokerface
10. Ghostface Killah Feat. Redman & Shawn Wigs - Greedy Bitches
11. Ghostface Killah Feat. Trife God & The Willie Cottrell Band – Josephine (Remix)
12. Trife Da God Feat. Solomon Childs - Grew Up Hard
13. Ghostface Killah Feat. Sheek Louch - Blue Armor
14. Ghostface Killah & Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
15. Ghostface Killah - Alex (Stolen Script)
16. Shawn Wigs Feat. Eamon - Gotta Hold On
17. Ghostface Killah Feat. Kanye West & Ne-Yo - Back Like That (Remix)

Mos Def [2006] Tru3 Magic

Tru3 Magic is the third solo album from Mos Def. It will be his last album on Geffen Records and features production from The Neptunes, Kanye West, Rich Harrison, 9th Wonder, Minnesota and RJD2, among others.

1. Tru3 Magic
2. Undeniable
3. U R the One
4. Thug Is aA Drug
5. Crime & Medicine
6. A Ha
7. Dollar Day (Surprise, Surpise)
8. Napoleon Dynamite
9. There Is a Way
10. Sun, Moon, Stars
11. Murder of a Teenage Life
12. Fake Bonanza
13. Perfect Timing
14. Lifetime

Megaupload Link:

Rapidshare Link (thanks to Ceasar):

"Hip Hop Is Dead" should be leaking soon too, too bad Pharoahe Monch's and Talib Kweli's albums got pushed back to next year.