Top Dot Runnings Bangers of 2006

A short precursor: my natural aversion to commercial radio makes music selection a personal priority, if not agenda: as long as it’s not on the TV, I’m choosing what I listen to at all times. And for music to get into my rotation, it has to have the sort of qualities that earn its repeated play: I’m not saying this to be all high post. It’s just that having grown up at a time where hip-hop flourished artistically at an incomparable level to its contemporary form, I have a very low tolerance for ignorance, repetitive uninspired themes and half-assed rhyming. Not to say I can’t enjoy, say, Jeezy in tiny doses, but prolonged listening is clearly out. So there may be some big tunes missing from this list, but hey…if you know a rapper is really, really...uh...derivative, there’s only so long that tune can stay in the mix…

1. T.I. – What You Know About That: Unavoidable and undeniable. One of the biggest ’06 tunes. And for the record, New-New’s mad cute but if that one eye ain’t lazy, it certainly lacks ambition.
2. Lupe Fiasco – Hurt Me Soul: Off record, he seems to struggle with pretension, but on record, he’s a focused man. Not a booming track, but makes you say true with his lyrics. Inspired.
3. Juggaknots – 30-Something: It’s been said elsewhere, but I’ll say it again: Juggaknots 30-Something > Jay-Z 30-Something
4. Nas feat. Jay-Z – Black Republicans: The most intriguing track of the year is realized as a blazer. With the instrumental up for grabs, Nas makes it clear that despite undergoing a Jordanesque falling off, Hov was never lyrically Jordan……is that fresh ether in the air?
5. NYOIL – Y’all Should All Get Lynched: Somebody needed to say it, who figured they’d pop up on myspace. Sensitive rap thugs…go seek out your hugs.
6. The Roots feat. Peedi Peedi – Long Time: The album gets better with every listen; this melodic joint was the first that really caught me…
7. Outkast – The Train: Hands down best song from the Idlewild album. And no Andre. Hmmmmm.
8. Ghostface Killah – Shakey Dog/You Know I’m No Good/Greedy Bitches feat. Shawn Wigs and Redman: A very good year for Ghost. These three songs showed why. And is there emcee alive better at calling out a bum chick?
9. The Game – Compton(Will I Am)/Remedy(Just Blaze)/1-800 Homicide (Hi-Tek): My west coast fill came from these Game dominated tracks, mostly because of the beats. Will’s joint bangs, Jus’ reworks a PE classic and Hi-Tek does a ‘Chronic’ double-take…
10. Mr. Lif feat. Murs – Murs iz my manager: Slept on back-packer…a really good non-major release…Boston’s finest brings the lyrics in abundance.
11. Xzibit – Scandalous Bitch: My favourite track from his lack-luster ’06 effort, putting the girl he and Usher shared on blast.
12. Lil’ Wayne – Show Me What You Got Freestyle: My face-to-face with Weezy-mania. Does what Hov couldn’t, makes the track hit me in the head ‘like Vonage’. Now if he could just stay away from Baby, in and out of the studio…
13. Pharoahe Monch – Push: P.M. brings it back to the essence with this soulful ode that finds him movin’ on like Stevie…sangs like the Organized days.
14. Obie Trice – Cry Now: Although I wasn’t really feeling the Jamaican joint…an under-rated album for an under-rated lyricist. This song bumps…
15. Rich Boy – Throw Some D’s: Yeah, I know what you’re gonna say…but this bumps. Besides, once I saw the video, it was a rap: for all those cats from back in high school, watch the dude cheezin’ with the white girls in his ride. That is how you get back at the Devil…
16. Lil Keke feat. Bun B and Paul Wall – Chunk Up the Duece: Not Houston’s year, but a Houston burner still…
17. AZ – Sit ‘Em Back Slow feat. M.O.P./ Rise and Fall Feat. Little Brother/The Format: Another solid AZ album that will be slept on. A lyricist that actually got with Primo for a track (The Format). He spits with Little Brother and the M.O.P. joint wins by being appropriately gully…
18. Clipse feat. Slim Thug – Wamp Wamp/Keys Open Doors: The big single was a highly desired instrumental in the industry: took some time but grew on me. The second features the predictable slanging-oriented pun. Clipse just on some focused, unadulterated, lyrical ignorance here. At the end of the day, just make sure you throw some D’s on that bitch…
19. Rhymefest - Dynomite: The album was a solid effort from Kanye’s ghostwriter…this joint is a good platform for his lyrical dexterity…
20. Too Short feat. Snoop and Will I Am – Keep Bouncin’: Very slept on track. And Snoop is in peak form for his verse. Speaking of which, I thought his album was good, but not much jumped out at me. This song is way better than ‘Candy’…
21. X Clan – Weapon X: Has been kicking around for a minute. Brings back the D-Nice beat with some inspired rhetoric from a righteous past…R.I.P. Professor X.
22. Little Brother – Speed Racin’ feat Skyzoo and Chaundon/ Boondock Saints feat. L.E.G.A.C.Y. and Chaundon/ Life of the Party: Phonte drops some fire verses on the first two mixtape offerings. Life of the Party is what it says it is…Little Brother stays present in ’06.
23. De La Soul feat. Supa Dave West – Respect: Newly released single…old De La goodness.
24. Lord Finesse feat. Grand Puba – Real Talk: Also dropped recently. Exactly as the title states…
25. Murs – Yesterday: I probably preferred the first 9^th collabo album more than this year’s offering, but this is what reality rap should be…
26. Method Man – They Say feat. Lauryn Hill/Walk On feat. Redman: No promotion for this album. As much as I would put this on Jay, I think somebody just wanted to cop the video money…Meth spits real with Lauryn on the hook and reunites with Red for a banger.
27. Papoose feat. Nas – Across the Tracks: This may have been released late last year, but I don’t care. The soulful Curtis Mayfield-sampled track does wonders for a lyricist, and both artists represent. Have a good evening.
28. 9^th Wonder feat. Jean Grae, Mos Def and Memphis Bleak – Crooklyn Dodgers III: 9^th provides the backdrop and they make the Crooklyn thing work one mo gain…
29. K-Os – Electrik Heat – The Seekwill/Aquacityboy/Sunday Morning: Canada's own mini-Mos Def always seeks to push artistic boundaries but sometimes it’s just nice to hear a man spit. And is it really necessary to include a singing interlude on every track? My man Johl pointed out ‘Sunday Morning’ is being used on a NFL pre-game show…I guess artistes gotta eat too…
30. Black Sheep – B-Boys Theme/Grew up/Sunshine: Most of you prolly didn’t know, but Black Sheep released an EP this year. Anybody who knows me, knows I have a soft spot for Dres: I still think he can out rhyme...most. The listed tracks were the ones that particularly caught my ear.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year...see y'all on the otherside.