The Phoenix Network:
 
 
 
About  |  Advertise
Adult  |  Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures
 
CD Reviews  |  Classical  |  Live Reviews  |  Music Features
FallGuide2009

Diversified incoming

A year in hip-hop
By MATTHEW GASTEIER  |  December 19, 2006

061222_hiphop_main
THE GAME: Doctor’s Advocate is a personal best, and it beats 50-Cent with a stick.
It’s a testament to the strength of hip-hop, as the medium enters its third decade, that 2006 would see such a wide range of sounds so well represented, from commercial anthems to abstract beat tapes. But what was most promising about 2006 was its geographical diversity. Although New York and LA continue to lead the way, great artists are no longer confined even to acknowledged hot spots like Houston. England is coasting into the middle of a golden period for its take on the genre, and under-the-radar domestic locales like Miami and Kentucky are proving the universality and adaptability of hip-hop here at home.

1 Clipse | Hell Hath No Fury | Jive | With a back story that could fill a book, the Neptunes-backed Clipse’s sophomore album finally found its way into stores this fall. It was worth the wait. Hell Hath No Fury is a stunning display of the best coke rap has to offer: dark crime tales, sharp humor, and some of the dirtiest beats ever turned into 1’s and 0’s.

The Game | Doctor's Advocate | Geffen | The Game’s follow-up to his multi-platinum The Documentary is even more packed with singles, and thanks to his improved lyric-writing skills, it’s far superior to rival 50 Cent’s G-Unit output over the past two years.

3 Z-Ro | I’m Still Livin’ | Rap-A-Lot | Another fine release from the best rapper in Houston, I’m Still Livin’ takes Z-Ro’s usual sing-rap style flow and puts it to some unusual ’80s-ballad-drenched beats. The result is compelling and heartfelt.

4 Sway | This is my Demo | All City | Don’t call it grime: Sway makes British hip-hop and he makes it well, with a rapid-fire delivery and diverse beats that add up to a powerful presence in the UK. Even next to great releases from Akala, Wonder, and Lady Sovereign, This Is My Demo can proudly represent England circa 2006.

5 Ghostface Killah | Fishscale | Def Jam | Although it can’t compare with the Wu-Tang MC’s classic, Supreme Clientele (2000), Fishscale continues Ghostface’s innovative streak. Unlike anything else released in this or any year.

6 Pitbull | El Mariel | TVT | Miami’s clubs, like England’s, are much better known for dance music than for hip-hop, but Cuban-American Pitbull has been using the booty-shakin’ traditions of his home town to add Latin flavor to Southern-style hip-hop. El Mariel is his most consistent record, a mix of social statements and party slogans, all thrown over dirty dance beats

7 Nas | Hip Hop is Dead | Def Jam | Nas records are often maligned for their beats, which never measure up to the Queens-born rapper’s skills on the mic. If it were any other, less-talented MC, that might matter.

8 Cappablack | Facades and Skeletons | Scape Germany | This Japanese duo turn out the kind of excellent glitch-hop instrumentals that Prefuse 73 used to make, and Facades and Skeletons is all clicks and cuts, blended and strained into a hip-hop mold for maximum portability.

9 Rhymefest | Blue Collar | Alido/J Records | The co-author of Kanye West’s monster “Jesus Walks,” Chicago-born Rhymefest, released his debut to little press. It’s a shame, because Blue Collar announces the arrival of one of hip-hop’s best new lyricists. And he samples the Strokes.

10 CunninLynguists | A Piece of Strange | L.A. Underground | CunninLynguists have made a near-perfect underground hip-hop record at a time when that scene seemed stale and repetitive. That they did it in the middle of the Bluegrass State is the best demonstration of hip-hop’s power and domination in this banner year for the genre.

Related: Chairmen of the boards, Guest lists, Larger than life, More more >
  Topics: Music Features , Celebrity News, Entertainment, Music Stars,  More more >
  • Share:
  • Share this entry with Facebook
  • Share this entry with Digg
  • Share this entry with Delicious
  • RSS feed
  • Email this article to a friend
  • Print this article
Comments

ARTICLES BY MATTHEW GASTEIER
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   UGK  |  September 18, 2007
    Underground Kingz is not quite an instant classic, but it would be hard to deny that UGK have reclaimed their throne.
  •   TALIB KWELI  |  August 20, 2007
    Ear Drum doesn’t reach the highs of that far more ambitious and sprawling album, but it’s a welcome return to form.
  •   SKILL RIDE  |  July 17, 2007
    All it took was a Godzilla sample and a simple, forceful “Simon says get the fuck up” for Pharoahe Monch to leave his mark on hip-hop history.
  •   THE HATE-LOVE-HATE CYCLE  |  June 18, 2007
    The field is already packed with newcomers and veterans alike, all aiming to knock down my standards of good taste and respectability . . .
  •   DIZZEE RASCAL  |  June 12, 2007
    Boy in da Corner may be the classic Dizzee will be forced to chase for the rest of his career.

 See all articles by: MATTHEW GASTEIER

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2009 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group