A Shot of Incilin

Keri Hilson’s debut album In A Perfect World… tries to present Hilson as two different things; a fiery diva who can lay down vocals with the best in the game and a hip hop personality who can stunt as hard as her hip hop counterparts. But in an actual perfect world, Keri Hilson’s debut album wouldn’t be so confused; she would know exactly what kind of album she was intent on making and what kind of persona she wanted to showcase.

Granted, the 26-year-old Hilson is a beautiful woman with considerable talent. She’s been writing songs for other artists since 2001 and has written for artists like Britney Spears (Who she also did background vocals for), Ciara, Usher, and Ludacris. By 2006 Hilson was getting more time in front of the mic: she featured on tracks for Diddy’s Press Play and Lloyd Bank’s The Rotten Apple. But her career really took off in 2007 when she featured on several tracks on Timbaland’s platinum Shock Value, including the Top 5 hit “The Way I Are.” She’s been working on her solo album since 2006 but the album has been delayed numerous times due to budget issues at Hilson’s label, Mosley Music Group/Interscope Records.

Although delays can sometimes be a blessing in disguise for some artists, it isn’t for Hilson. The first half of the album is feature heavy with guest spots from Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Trina, Timbaland, Ne-Yo, and Keyshia Cole; all of whom sound more comfortable on the tracks than Hilson does. Keyshia Cole’s guest spot is surprising since it sounds like Hilson is trying to be like Cole; a street smart diva who has gained mainstream success. Hilson is better at being herself and she really hits her stride on the second of the album with songs like “Make Love” and lead single “Energy.” While “Energy” came out May 2008 and it never became a big hit, it’s one of the stronger tracks on the album because Hilson tries to be sultry, soulful, and elegant instead of tough and arrogant.

That unsavory harshness can be found right away on the album. The intro has Hilson claiming she “rolls with some killers man” and the popular single “Turning Me On” has her singing about her swag, topics best left for rappers like Piles and not an R&B songstress like Hilson.

Ironically, while Hilson got her start as a songwriter, the intro is the only song she writes exclusively on, yet it seems so out of character.

The writing isn’t the only thing that’s off, the production is too. It’s not that Timbaland and Danja (who handle the bulk of the production) provide thumping beats to fuel Hilson’s vocals, but the chemistry between them isn’t up to par to Timbaland’s past production. Timbaland hit his production zenith when he crafted albums for Justin Timbaland and Nelly Furtado, so much so that sometimes the Furtado would sound like just another instrument in Timbaland’s arsenal. Despite their history of collaboration, Timbaland and Hilson don’t mesh as well as they initially did on Shock Value.

But a collaboration with Lil Wayne works well on the popular single “Turning Me On,” if only because it continues Wayne ’s streak of outshining artists on their own songs. Wayne ’s absolutely killer verse is followed by Hilson adapting Wayne ’s catch phrase “Weezy F. Baaaby!” into “Ms. Keri Baaaby!” But Hilson sounds like she’s saying, “miscarried baby.”

Shout out to Joey at StraightBangin for getting the ball rolling on this debate!

It’s impossible for me to make a list like this, looking back on a decade worth of music, but alas I’ll try as hard as possible.

Rather than make a list of what I think are the best albums–which implies the list applies to everyone–I’m going what are my favorite albums since it only really applies to me.

Rules: 1) No mixtapes! This really goes to show you how influential mixtapes have become in hip hop; had I allowed them this list would be totally different because mixtape classics like Dedication 2 and Mood Muzik 2 would have to find a spot on the list. And 50 Cent Is The Future would probably top the list! More importantly, it isn’t fair to compare the two because it’s much easier to make a mixtape. 2) No compilations! Same reason as mixtapes, the shit aint fair. 3) Avoid repeats! I try not to repeat the same artist twice. I’m not saying this is a totally fair rule, but I prefer to try to present the most eclectic view possible. 4) This is strictly a rap list!

There are a number of things I considered when choosing the albums. The first was personal experience: What album did I listen to the most? What means the most to me? What changed my perspective on rap/art/life? I try to answer those questions as honestly as possible. Secondly, I had to consider influence: Which album changed the way people rap? Which album made people change their production style? Third, I tried to give credit where credit is due: Even if the album itself isn’t the best thing the artist did, does the artist deserve some representation on the list for everything they accumulated throughout the decade? And finally, when all else fails, acclaim: Did critics like the album? Did it sell well? Win awards? Popular with fans?

I don’t know if this is the best way to make a list, but it’s the fairest approach I can think of.

1) Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP – As noted above, the most important factor here is personal experience: This was the first album I listened to; I knew all the lyrics, I read all the liner notes, I knew who produced what track. This album was the beginning of my obsession with music. When this came out, I was always pissed because sister would play her Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears albums all fuckin day. My father bought those records for her because it was squeaky clean pop but he wouldn’t buy me a rap albums because they had too much cursing. When my cousin bought the bootleg version of this album, I finally had response to all that: Eminem spiteful tirade on the title track captured my sentiment at that moment in my life. Aside from that, the album is genius: The lyrics are vicious but the hooks are so catchy and accessible. As Em once said, “My music does have a positive message….and it’s, ‘Fuck you’”

2) Jay-Z – The Blueprint – Such a fluid record. It has just about every moment a rap album ought to have; a battle track, a love song, a club track, a personal moment, etc. Jay is in top shape as he effortlessly takes on hardcore topics with a radio friendly pop flare. Production wise this is the beginning for Just Blaze and Kanye West, two of the decades most prominent producers, and the popularity of R&B/soul samples.

3) Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury – I played this album a lot. The flows are so wicked, the lyrics are right on, and beats bang so hard that it’s easy to miss the darker side of the Thronton brother’s tales. Beyond all the cocaine tough talk, there is an inherent sadness and grimness to this album (and all of Clipse’s music in general). That melancholy reflects the complexity that cocaine cowboy counterparts lack. Most acts celebrate their own hedonism, Clipse loath theirs. If you don’t get what I mean, that’s okay because you don’t have to love them, “just be convincing.”

4) The Roots – Game Theory – A fully realized project. I think Tara Henley put it best when she said this was the only album that really captured the sentiment what it was like to be in a post-9/11 America. It’s filled with frustration, confusion, sadness, and anger over a world gone astray. As much as I like The Roots, I always feel like their albums never get to the point. But not with this album, Black Thought sets the tone early, “If I can’t work to make it, I’ll rob and take it.”

5) 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin – I know the internets will hate this pick and say 50 fell off. Never mind what he did after this album, that has nothing to do with this list. Instead, try and think back to 2003 when 50 was a hip hop folk hero that everybody loved. First of all, this album was an event. I remember going to the little Mexican record store around my house to cop this album. The store didn’t give a shit about the rules and sold the album before it came out so I was the first one in school with it. As cool as that was, it meant I didn’t tag along with like 2o of my friends all went to the store to cop it. Second, like Blueprint, Get Rich covers all it’s bases; it isn’t all that original but it proves that traditional hip hop topics (beef, smoking, pimping) can still make compelling music. Also, did I mention this is one of the best produced albums of the decade?

6) Kanye West - The College Dropout – For years I was waiting for this exact record; finally someone found a way to give conscious rappers better beats and make them more accesible. Ye serves as the “Gap like Banana Republic and Old Navy” putting guys like Mos Def and Freeway on the same track (“Two Words” remains one of my all time favorite beats). Although Kanye isn’t much of an emcee, it’s his perspective I apprecaite the most on tracks like “Family Business” “All Falls Down” and “Jesus Walks.”

7) Ghostface Killiah – Supreme Clientele – You could swim in the lyrics from this record. Ghost just goes in on every single track. I don’t what the fuck Ghost is talking about most of the time, but he sounds amazing do it.

8) Nas - Nigger - When deciding my GOAT list, I always ask myself; “If you had to live the rest of your life on an island, and could only take one album, what would you take?” Going to Bangladesh was as close to that hypothetical as I’ll probably ever come. When I went with my mp3 player, I had every song I owned; I barely played anything besides this album. I played it well over 50 times; I know this because at one point the top 20 most played songs on my mp3 player was thetracklist to this album.

9) Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – Speakerboxxx is such an adventurous and experimental album I really feel like it’s underrated and more people should be excited at the idea of a Big Boi solo album. I’m not as big a fan of the flip side, but it does precede autotune and rappers who don’t concern themselves with rapping all that much. All Music Guide puts it best; “the two albums do prove that the music can be solo in execution but remain OutKast records through and through. Both records are visionary, imaginative listens…”

10) Common - Be – Just like the Roots, I find Common’s Like Water For Choc late to an album that takes forever to start. Be catches you right at the beginning when slow guitar strums build into another beautiful Kanye West production and Common spitting “I want to be as free as those who left.” The title is just perfect: Be. Common doesn’t try to be too complex and abstract, he simply spits thoughtful but heartfelt lyrics. Definitely an album I play from beginning to end.

11) Lupe Fiasco – Food and Liquor - Although I didn’t spend a whole lot of time listening to this album, “Hurt Me Soul” and “He Say, She Say” have brought tears to my eyes. That’s more than enough to make this list.

12) The Game – The Documentary/The Doctor’s Advocate – Honestly, I can’t pick between these two. Documentary has insane production but also has a couple of weak tracks (“Special”) and its hard to give Game all the credit. Doctor’s Advocate has Game standing on his own, but it’s beats aren’t as hot. Either way, I spent a lot of time listening to Game this decade but doubt I’ll be doing as much in the next decade.

13) T.I. – King - A testament to Tip’s amazing run this decade. Dude made some of the best singles of the decade. I know there are a lot of fans of his other albums, but this moment is his crowning achievement because it finds the right balance between the street life and pop territory.

14) Prodigy - Return of the Mac - One of the top 5 best produced raps albums of this decade. I love the beats on this album. Maybe because I’m just an Alchemist fan like that. A lot of good stuff came out in 2007 (including Ye’s Graduation) but I played this album the most. Prodigy is pretty good at selling songs about paranoia, life in New York, and how “there’s beast out in the field, and apples aint shit when you starving.”

15) GZA/Dj Muggs – Grandmasters - I feel like this is such a forgotten record. Grandmasters shows GZA’s pen game is as sharp as ever and Mugg’s dark, gritty beats fit his style perfect. Wake up people, this is chess not checkers.

16) Lil Wayne – The Carter 3 – The mere fact that this album was even released is enough to get it on this list. Like Get Rich, this album was an event.

17) Talib Kweli - Quality – Sadly, the last time Kweli would be in top form. I like Train of Thought but it’s too dam dense; I can never listen to it in one sitting. With Quality I can press play and leave it alone.

18) Sean Price – Jesus Price Superstar – Price is as gully as they come. While he isn’t gifted, he’s certainly talented and he summons enough force and wit to make this list.

19) Black Milk - Popular Demand – Milk is one of the few people who produce well and rap well. Although his beats sound like they’re made in his basement, they knock with the best of them.

20) Jean Grae – Jeanius – This isn’t on the list because it’s a solid record that I can play front to back (which it is) but because it’s a microcosm of everything that was wrong with hip hop in this decade; not enough female rappers, not enough albums produced by a single producer, not enough artists trying to expose themselves on records.  Too many leaks, too many pushbacks, and too many wack fuckin’ albums.

Honorable Mentions:
Jay-Z – American Gangster/The Black Album
Talib Kweli – Reflection Eternal
Q-Tip – The Renansiance
Snoop Dogg – The Blue Carpet Treatment
Ghostface Killiah – Fishscale
Ludacris – Chicken and Beer
Outkast – Stankonia
UGK – Underground Kings
Eminem – The Eminem Show
Lil Wayne – The Carter II
Kanye West – Graduation

Some rappers are overrated (Andre 3000) and some are underrated (AZ), but there is a rare breed that is simultaneously overrated and underrated. How does this happen? Usually, the artist has a strong following from one aspect of the game but hasn’t garnered the attention of the main stream, yet their fans insist that the artist can/will one day have both. Artists like MF Doom do not qualify for over/under; his underground fans love him but even they admit he has no crossover potential. In order words, you can only be underrated if the people who ought to be listening to your music aren’t listening to your music. The two artists that come to my mind when discussing the most underrated overrated rappers are Big L and Jadakiss.

You’ll notice that these two guys have a lot in common; heavy mixtape presence, plenty of punchlines, well respected by fans of gangsta rap, more crossover potential than success, and most importantly no classics. Their predecessor is Lord Finesse (someone who is actually underrated). Also, they both treated themselves as royalty which may be why their fans do the same. Make no mistake, I’m a fan of both these guys. But their both hyped by so many of their fans it makes me wonder how they became underrated in the first place.

Big L

Underrated: Casual hip hop listeners don’t even know who Big L was. Those who have heard L point out his super witty punchlines, slick flow (and also for once out rapping Jay-Z) his rugged rhymes, and gritty street tales. He’s got underground classics like “Ebonics” and “Holding It Down” (the latter of which boasts some crossover potential) to show he’s more than just a freestyle rapper, and he was one hell of a freestyle rapper.

Overrated: The fact that L died a little after Biggie and Pac seems to make his stans think he’s in their company. No! He is not. He’s not even close. The reason that fans don’t know his name is not because their ignorant but because L died before they could find out. Stans like to say he was “underground” (WTF does that mean anyhow?) but forget to mention he was signed to Columbia, and not some indie label. Plus, either one of his albums are all that great.[1] Of course there’s the ad libing argument, “Had he lived, he would have made a classic” and “He was going to sign to Rocafella and…” Well, guess what? He didn’t. It’s a shame, but it’s true. Stop ad libing his future. And two albums is more than enough to make a classic, just ask the mcs he supposedly keeps in his company; Nas, Jay-Z, Biggie, LL Cool J, and Rakim. God knows how people put him in their top 10 lists. Some are wise enough to say, “Top 10 New York Rappers” but even that’s an insult to other rappers who put in work; Big Pun, Big Daddy Kane, RUN DMC, AZ, KRS-One, Ghostface Killah, and DMX. All of whom, unlike L, have a true classic under their belt.

Jadakiss

Underrated: From the very beginning Jada could spit that piff that the streets would eat up. Blame Puff and the street team for not knowing how to work the Loxs. Jada’s career has been a series of false starts due to his label situations thanks in part to P. Diddy. A fued with 50 Cent helped Jada solidify his spot as a permier battle rapper but hurt his it stunnted his progession as a lyricist turned hit maker. Either way, Jada made his bones early by spitting amongst the greats like Biggie and Jay-Z and holding his own throughout.

Overrated: As much as I love the “top 5 dead or alive” line because of all the debates it sparks, its really the stupidest line in the history of rap. How can Jadakiss be top 5?!?!?! That “one LP” he mentions, it sucks! And his second album is another mediocre effort and even the biggest Jada fan knows this. The first Lox album is pretty shitty too. Here’s my rule of thumb; if you have no classics, then you cannot qualify for the GOAT argument. Besides, even if he did have a classic, he still wouldn’t be better than Pac, Nas, Big, or Jay. Which only leaves the 5th slot open. And again, Jada isn’t better than Eminem, Snoop, Andre 3000, Bun B, or all the other guys I mentioned in the Big L section. I think eskay from Nahright summed it up best when he said, “Man, for a B list rapper with A list lyrics, Jada sure puts out C list albums.”

[1] When someone refers to an album as a “street classic” it just means that the album was supremely satisfying for the streets but no one else liked it. In other words, its totally overrated because stans run around screaming its a classic but every other fan knows better. This applies to both Big L albums and ditto for the first LOX album.