The Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2008

Magnify the glass, three-sixty-five have passed
As earth's revolution sparks rap evolution
We look back on the game with our hip hop optics
Seen crops of block kids makin rap robotics
Where the flyest of the flows were branded ice cold
And the sounds of chart toppers chiseled from the same mold
We pile it all together, summation of rap nation
Too poetically potent, causes light headed sensations
So I guess I'm floating, with the cream of the crop
Burn your paper trail cuz this list’s about to drop-

- by Louie Michaud.

---

---

Theo - The Birth

---

Providence rapper Theo impresses us for a few reasons. For starters, someone finally rapped over that head-trip of an instrumental, J Dilla's "Lightworks." He also appears to bring the perspective of an outsider ("Keep Doing Your Thing") to the genre. As we've seen with Lupe Fiasco, that can work out greatly. Most notably, Theo is willing to really put himself out there lyrically. I say this because The Birth (his second mixtape) is a very hit-or-miss release. With a very natural flow, he drops some pretty clever lines ("it's all about I like a Macintosh"), but some complete duds as well ("well I'm Rodney Dangerfield cuz the flow's ugly"), often sounding overly self conscious as well. But he seems to have art-conscious intentions, willing to experiment and push the artistic archetypes of the music. It's reason enough to look forward to debut.

[MP3] Theo - Keep Doing Your Thing (Ft. Skyzoo)

MySpace | More MP3s | Free Download

---

Blue Sky Black Death - Jean Grae: The Evil Jeanius

---

The producing duo of Blue Sky Black Death tend to make long, ethereal sounds intertwined with the beats, a sort of rap-styled loftiness. I think the result sounds like you'd expect, of floating in the sky. Hip hop queen Jean Grae, with her impeccable timing, has what I'd call a "machine gun" delivery. She can complement between slow and sudden flows just like that, and to me it sounds like verbal bullets. When I heard these two were coming together, I expected a clash of sounds, but in reality it turned out far more coherent and pleasant. The album is "unofficial," but still completely worth checking out.

[MP3] Jean Grae - Shadows Forever

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

The Knux - Remind Me in 3 Days…

---

Rappers Krispy Kream and Rah Ah Millo don’t even come close (yet) to the caliber of Outkast's Big Boi or Andre 3000, but they’re approach to the music is similar. As can be heard from "Bang!Bang!," "Cappuccino," and "The Train," the Knux emphasize melodies as much as rhymes, and manage to emote very complete themes in their songs. They also dropped my favorite reference of the year on "Cappuccino" by rapping about beignets from the pimptastic Café Dumonde in New Orleans. The catchiness dwindles a bit as you get further into the album; but it's still fun, and very musical. If these New Orleans rappers get stronger lyrically, expect nothing short of greatness in their future work.

[MP3] The Knux - Cappuccino

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

Lil’ Wayne - Tha Carter III

---

I honestly don't know why I hear this argument all the time, but for some reason people have incredibly polarized views of Weezy. He's either unquestionably the greatest, or a complete waste of radio time. Of course if you actually listen to his body of work, it's pretty obvious that the answer is neither of these. His creeping delivery is inherently bad-ass, probably because the production of today fits his style so well. He dances with his quirky metaphors so suddenly and effortlessly, and like Biggie can do it off the top of his head (rapping since 11 should do that). And for me, Weezy is one of the best at catching me off guard, making me go "oh shit!" excitedly during his verses. But that's not in full throttle on Tha Carter III. There are some great beats (the unfortunately overplayed "A Millie"), and incredibly unique rhymes ("Mr. Carter," "La La" and the last verse on "Phone Home"). But the greatness seems to happen sporadically, unlike the persistent fire from some of his earlier work, like the legendary Tha Block is Hot. Along those same lines (and arguably his fatal flaw), Weezy doesn’t dig deep near as much as I'd hope, where the swagger outweighs the substance just too much ("Got Money," "Lollipop"). There’s no question he's the biggest face in the game right now—that doesn't make him the greatest rapper ever, but the truth is, he's entertaining enough to at least be in the discussion.

[MP3] Lil' Wayne - La La

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

Keak Da Sneak - Deified

---

Apologies to all non-baseball fans out there, but I see Keak Da Sneak as the Vladimir Guerrero of rap music. He's profusely naturally talented, has arguably the most unique approach to the game, consistently produces quality work, but is unfairly overshadowed by more popular players. A big reason for this is that he's purposely stayed local, in my hometown Oakland, his whole career. In pure Oaktown style, every track is very bumpable and stylistically hard. With his matchless delivery (first time listeners: you’ll have to look up the lyrics, trust me!), Keak has created arguably his best release of his career. The next time I'm home I'm positive I'll be hearing this blasting out of some tricked out Impala nearby.

[MP3] Keak Da Sneak - Super Hyphy

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

Immortal Technique - The 3rd World

---

I usually avoid mixtapes on these lists, just to keep it simple. But with Immortal Technique, one of the kings of the underground, I'm easily willing to break that rule. The best and worst thing about the guy is that when it comes to his music it's really all about the lyrics and their delivery. That's not to say that his production is weak (it isn't), but when you compare it to the worldly depth and intensity encompassing his lyricism, what's bumping in the background almost seems negligible. I mean that as a compliment. This mixtape is not of the same caliber as Revolutionary Vol. 2, but in all honesty, the little nuggets of knowledge the guy drops on pretty much every track are so invaluable that it's very easy to get a lot out his artistry. Make sure to check out "Hollywood Driveby," unless you like R. Kelly...

[MP3] Immortal Technique - Hollywood Driveby

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

Nas - Untitled

---

Nas needs to call his next album something ridiculous like “Dooky Central” cuz then I know it'll be another instant classic. In his previous release, Hip Hop is Dead, people flipped shit, but when it was actually released the critics quieted down because they realized the album's greatness could not be summed up in that contentious title. With Untitled, but really Nigger, the controversy was similar, and the end result as well. The production does not have the eclecticism of its predecessor, but still has some standout beats ("Hero," "You Can't Stop Us Now," "Fried Chicken") that somewhat remind me of the style from It Was Written. But when it comes to the lyrics, Nas matches the depth of his best work, as he rips apart Fox News ("Sly Fox"), exploits the silliness of equating isolated vernacular with culture ("N.I.G.G.E.R."), and ponders whether or not President Obama will actually help our ghettos ("Black President"). Untitled is not as consistently impressive as H.H.I.D. was, but it’s definitely one of the better pieces of work by one of the greatest ever.

[MP3] Nas - Sly Fox

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

GZA - Pro Tools

---

In an age of Weezy, T-Pain, and stylized Auto-Tune electro-hip-hop, you'd think there's only way to sound hot these days. Luckily, we have one of Wu Tang's finest, the genius, GZA. His delivery is near-monotone and mellow, which I suppose could be interpreted as half-ass and unenergetic. But it isn't at all. It's hard to explain why it works, but the result is something very hard and fulfilling. Of all the albums on the list, Pro Tools is probably the most "traditional," but the way that GZA pulls you in with his words keeps it sounding very fresh. GZA is completely on top of his lyrical game here, maybe as much as he was more than a decade ago with Liquid Swords. It's the full package, ribboned with the most viciously thorough diss of 50 Cent ("Paper Plate") that I’ve ever heard.

[MP3] GZA - Paper Plate

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

T.I. - Paper Trail

---

When it comes to musical maturation, the artist that really impressed us with the leaps he took was southern rapper T.I. Choosing to write his lyrics down on paper for the first time since his debut, he creates a brutally honest and personal piece that confronts his inevitable prison sentence instead of masking it with unwarranted rap swagger. For as long as I can remember, the game has been filled with hyper-masculinity and various forms of pimpology. So it’s very refreshing to hear an artist, who has fit that mold in the past, momentarily just step back and connect with the listener on a personal level that I think many other rappers have been afraid to climb down to. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of hype in Paper Trail, but it comes across as a guy being optimistic during a rough time in his life. Both the energy of his rhymes and the production are incredibly vibrant, an example being the iconic-sounding ‘I’m Illy.’ The sincerity of T.I.’s efforts are very clearly seen as he anchors the superstar lineup of Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne & Jay-Z on “Swagga Like Us” with the most thought-out and impressive verse among the group.This sincerity is what truly makes Paper Trail his most rewarding work.

[VIDEO] T.I. - Ready For Whatever

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

Elzhi - The Preface

---

As we kicked off our list with Theo, an artist attempting to push the limits of perspectives in rap, we come full circle with a rapper who most effectively shattered boundaries with his lyricism: Elzhi. The Detroit underground mc and member of Slum Village, in his first official album, has amassed 16 tracks of unabashed flame-throwing lyricism almost unprecedented in its intensity. To say that the rhymes on The Preface are fire would really be an understatement. Elzhi has the ability to toy with his words so creatively. He plays a game with the listener as you try to guess what word he's about to say ("Guessing Game"), paints a portrait of the streets using color phrases ("Color"), and clues us in on a robbery he's about to pull ("Hands Up"). The display of his verbal dexterity is not all show, as he touches upon many topics: concerns over mainstream rap, the struggles of growing up, relationships, dreaming, stress on the streets. The beats, primarily done by Black Milk, are soulful and all very well done, creating a light-sounding aura that complements the grittiness of Elzhi's rhymes really well. It's raw—so lyrically impressive in an overwhelming way that by the time it's over, you realize the obviousness of how artistically ambitious it truly is. When I finished it for the first time, I couldn't help but think of how the energy displayed by Elzhi was as powerful as Nas on his debut. Thirty-something listens later (yeah…currently unemployed) and I still feel the same. It's that type of special.

[MP3] Elzhi - Talking In My Sleep

MySpace | More MP3s | Buy @ Insound

---

HONORABLE MENTION:

Murs - Murs For President
Termanology - Politics As Usual
Reks - Grey Hairs
Q-Tip - The Renaissance
eMC - The Show
Common - Universal Mind Control
Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
The Roots - Rising Down
The Game - LAX
Shyan Selah - Brave New World

Editor's Note: This post was written by Louie, not Connor as it says below, so please direct all comments and questions his way.

---

Related Posts