10. "N The Traffic" - Droop-E ft. J-Stalin & Nite Jewel (prod. Droop-E)
Despite its title, "N the Traffic" is too propulsive to properly enjoy in a stopped car. The deep bass and twinkling vibes, combined with Nite Jewel's typically ethereal vocal makes "N The Traffic" an ideal choice when driving (slowly) down an empty highway at midnight. The beat's so good that Droop and J-Stalin only need to make sure they don't embarrass themselves. They nearly succeed. J-Stalin's line, "I think her name was Malaysia, I met her in Malaysia," approaches the willful stupidity Rick Ross's famous "Atlantic" rhyme. Droop-E is a lot better though; his voice recalls Raekwon, though his laid back flow evokes the Curren$ys and Smoke DZAs of the rap world. The night driving anthem of 2013, so far.
9. "Karate Chop" - Future ft. Casino (prod. Metro Boomin)
Forget the remix, featuring a Lil Wayne verse that's tasteless even without the horrible Emmett Till punchline. The original "Karate Chop" features the one thing anybody really needs in a 2013 rap song: FUTURE. FREE BANDZ!
...
Oh I guess I should write a little more. Metro Boomin provides one of the finest backing tracks of the year, an 8-bit masterpiece that would kick just as much ass if it soundtracked a Sonic the Hedgehog boss battle. Instead of trying to outdo the beat, Future dances around its peaks, filling the empty space with his unforgettable cadence ("just-a bunch-a nar-cotics"). Casino is here too, I guess, adding a doofy charm that jibes with the arcade beat.
8. "Collard Greens" - Schoolboy Q ft. Kendrick Lamar (prod. by THC)
I heard "Collard Greens" for the first time last week, and it's highly likely that this will rank higher if I ever get around to making a year-end singles list. Q and Kendrick tend to bring the best out in each other ("Blessed," "Birds and the Beez"), not because they actively try to top each other, but because they each attack the same beat and subject matter from totally different angles. After taking on haters on "The Spiteful Chant," and counting themselves lucky to be alive on "Blessed," "Collard Greens" finds K. Dot and Q letting loose. Kendrick, in particular is a mad dog on this track, tearing through THC's bass and handclaps driven beat with a feverish intensity, rapping bars in Spanish and allowing himself to brag like he hasn't since "Backseat Freestyle." Q doesn't quite bring Kendrick's fire, but he's the host of the party, gracious enough to let Kendrick burn his house down, but not before he douses it with gas (Q's best line: "freak the freckles off your face").
7. "Long Live A$AP" - A$AP Rocky (prod. by Jim Jonsin)
If you asked me which producer was responsible for "Long Live A$AP" backing track when I first heard it, I probably would have listed dozens of names before I landed on Jim Jonsin. Jonsin is best known for his candy-colored pop-rap megahits, "Whatever You Like" and "Lollipop." Both tracks are texturally oversaturated, with fat sine waves and square leads, and the same stuttering snare. On "Long Live A$AP," that snare drum is still around, but the minimalist beat leaves liberal amounts of negative space. The backing track blends seamlessly with the Clams Casino and T-Minus tracks that make up the rest of A$AP Rocky's impressive debut. The shit is hypnotic and more than a little spooky, with chopped, pitched up vocals on the verses and an airy falsetto proclaiming Rocky's mortality on the chorus. Rocky's lyrics are usually no more than placeholders. He's skilled at linking together sounds that rhyme, but not great at imbuing meaning behind his words. However, on this track, his lyrics provide a good introduction to the main theme of his debut ("I thought I'd probably die in prison/expensive taste in women") and his flow weaves itself within the spaces left in the beat.
6. "Atari" - Young L (prod. by Tomas Barfod)
"Atari" is the most infectiously melodic rap song of the year not released by Chance the Rapper. L's verses are enjoyable. His rhymes are boastful, but not arrogant. "Atari," though, is all about the chorus, which sails over the massive kick drums and wavering synth. "When I slide by," L sings, "your girl gon' break her neck." displaying a sense of melody that helps L stand out, even among the Futures and Kevin Gateses of the world.
5. Iamsu! ft. Problem, Juvenile & Kool John - 100 Grand (Remix)
This is my favorite beat of the year. It might not be as versatile as "U.E.O.N.O." or have the 8-bit charm of "Karate Chop," but I could listen to the snapping snares and ratchet synths of "100 Grand" for hours on end. The rapping is pretty great too. Iamsu! and Problem are laid back, dancing over the skittering claps like they own them (which I guess they do) and Juvenile is surprisingly at home among his West Coast colleagues, turning up his energy to "Back That Azz Up" levels. It shouldn't be so surprising, since the ratchet movement owes a lot to the heyday of the Hot Boyz. Apparently the rappers on this track are rapping words, but they could be rattling off their grocery lists and it would sound riveting with this beat and these cadences.
4. Kevin Gates - "IDGAF" (prod. by EQ tha Misfit)
Kevin Gates' Luca Brasi Story explores the emotional toll of growing up in the hood and projecting a tough-guy facade as horrible things happen around you. Instead of merely alluding to his hard life and struggle growing up, Gates fills "IDGAF" with details about his personal experiences. "Everybody round me says I don't give a fuck about nothing," Gates says, but he does. "IDGAF" is full of shout-outs to friends and family, some living and some dead. He sees his little cousin selling drugs and comforts him after he gets jacked. He laments the state of his neighborhood, where overcrowding is forcing people onto the streets. He struggles with a drug habit and the knowledge that a close friend is responsible for his trip to prison. "IDGAF" is like a full song version of the "when my little brother died, I said fuck school" line from "Hard in da Paint"; but while Waka tries to beat his troubles down with brute force, Gates allows himself to wallow in his sorrows, absorbing his surroundings and poetically reporting them to the rest of the world.
3. "U.E.O.N.O" (Remix) - Black Hippy (Prod. Childish Major)
Everybody in the Hip-Hop community seems to agree that "U.E.O.N.O." is one of the best songs of the year, but people differ on which version they prefer. Some people prefer the simplicity of the original. Some like the sparse, atmospheric beat by Childish Major to feature 2 or more Chainz. I like this version, which keeps Future's verse, does away with Rozay's rapey vibe, and finds four of my favorite rappers contributing new verses.
On "The Art of Peer Pressure," Kendrick sings, "really I'm a sober soul, but I'm with the homies right now." It makes sense. Kendrick is less pensive and more vulgar on his tracks with Black Hippy. On this track he raps doubletime about anonymous, unsafe sex. Still, as uncouth as Kendrick is during his verse, he doesn't say anything about putting molly in a girl's drink. That's Q's job, as he throws shade at Ross, cleverly manipulating the original's most controversial line. Jay Rock takes the anchor leg, as is Black Hippy custom, proving for the hundredth time that he needs to make a new record right fucking now.
2. Chance the Rapper - "Cocoa Butter Kisses" ft. Vic Mensa & Twista (prod. by Cam for J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
First off, shout out to "Juice," "Pusha Man," "Chain Smoker," "Good Ass Intro," "Acid Rain," and "Everybody's Something." Chance made an excellent fucking album this year. I went back and forth several times about which Acid Rap track I wanted to occupy this spot. Did I want the introspective, laid back "Acid Rain"? Did I want "Pusha Man," the most straightforwardly political song on the album? Or "Chain Smoker," the ecstatic climax?
Ultimately, I chose "Cocoa Butter Kisses" because it, in my eyes, best encompasses the different facets of Chance's personality and because it features the best guest verse of the year. Chance's verse is typically idiosyncratic, starting things off with a terrible "Thor" pun and continuing to describe how his lifestyle has alienated him from his family, while endearing him to his friends ("I put visine in my eyes so my grandma will fucking hug me"). Vic Mensa is a good rapper, and he throws in a few good punchlines, but Twista shows everybody up, with his percussive flow dancing around the jazzy backdrop. Usually, Twista's flow sounds great, but the words have no substance. In "Cocoa Butter Kisses," Twista flashes wit and charm like he has not for years. "When it comes to rapping fast I'm the Higgs Boson," he spits, hilariously, following it up with "I'm the Obi Wan Kenobi of the dope, see" and ends his verse with, "You're never too old for a spanking." Verse of the year.
1. "Bugatti" - Ace Hood ft. Future & Rick Ross
At once an effective boast and a succinct metaphor for overnight success, Future's "I WOKE UP IN A NEW BUGATTI" highlights the greatest hook in Hip-Hop since...well, at least since "Duffle Bag Boy." Future, so often in sad robot mode, sounds positively jubilant on this song. The last time he sounded so turnt up was "Same Damn Time," which was one of my five favorite songs of last year. Of course, the power of the chorus stems from Mike Will Made It's monstrous beat, with squealing synths and massive Inception-style horns. Ace Hood and Rick Ross contribute decent verses, with Ace in particular matching the energy of Future's hook. Honestly though, the verses could have solely comprised of Jadakiss's "a-hah!" ad-lib and it would still be a classic because of that chorus.
Oh I guess I should write a little more. Metro Boomin provides one of the finest backing tracks of the year, an 8-bit masterpiece that would kick just as much ass if it soundtracked a Sonic the Hedgehog boss battle. Instead of trying to outdo the beat, Future dances around its peaks, filling the empty space with his unforgettable cadence ("just-a bunch-a nar-cotics"). Casino is here too, I guess, adding a doofy charm that jibes with the arcade beat.
8. "Collard Greens" - Schoolboy Q ft. Kendrick Lamar (prod. by THC)
I heard "Collard Greens" for the first time last week, and it's highly likely that this will rank higher if I ever get around to making a year-end singles list. Q and Kendrick tend to bring the best out in each other ("Blessed," "Birds and the Beez"), not because they actively try to top each other, but because they each attack the same beat and subject matter from totally different angles. After taking on haters on "The Spiteful Chant," and counting themselves lucky to be alive on "Blessed," "Collard Greens" finds K. Dot and Q letting loose. Kendrick, in particular is a mad dog on this track, tearing through THC's bass and handclaps driven beat with a feverish intensity, rapping bars in Spanish and allowing himself to brag like he hasn't since "Backseat Freestyle." Q doesn't quite bring Kendrick's fire, but he's the host of the party, gracious enough to let Kendrick burn his house down, but not before he douses it with gas (Q's best line: "freak the freckles off your face").
7. "Long Live A$AP" - A$AP Rocky (prod. by Jim Jonsin)
If you asked me which producer was responsible for "Long Live A$AP" backing track when I first heard it, I probably would have listed dozens of names before I landed on Jim Jonsin. Jonsin is best known for his candy-colored pop-rap megahits, "Whatever You Like" and "Lollipop." Both tracks are texturally oversaturated, with fat sine waves and square leads, and the same stuttering snare. On "Long Live A$AP," that snare drum is still around, but the minimalist beat leaves liberal amounts of negative space. The backing track blends seamlessly with the Clams Casino and T-Minus tracks that make up the rest of A$AP Rocky's impressive debut. The shit is hypnotic and more than a little spooky, with chopped, pitched up vocals on the verses and an airy falsetto proclaiming Rocky's mortality on the chorus. Rocky's lyrics are usually no more than placeholders. He's skilled at linking together sounds that rhyme, but not great at imbuing meaning behind his words. However, on this track, his lyrics provide a good introduction to the main theme of his debut ("I thought I'd probably die in prison/expensive taste in women") and his flow weaves itself within the spaces left in the beat.
6. "Atari" - Young L (prod. by Tomas Barfod)
"Atari" is the most infectiously melodic rap song of the year not released by Chance the Rapper. L's verses are enjoyable. His rhymes are boastful, but not arrogant. "Atari," though, is all about the chorus, which sails over the massive kick drums and wavering synth. "When I slide by," L sings, "your girl gon' break her neck." displaying a sense of melody that helps L stand out, even among the Futures and Kevin Gateses of the world.
5. Iamsu! ft. Problem, Juvenile & Kool John - 100 Grand (Remix)
This is my favorite beat of the year. It might not be as versatile as "U.E.O.N.O." or have the 8-bit charm of "Karate Chop," but I could listen to the snapping snares and ratchet synths of "100 Grand" for hours on end. The rapping is pretty great too. Iamsu! and Problem are laid back, dancing over the skittering claps like they own them (which I guess they do) and Juvenile is surprisingly at home among his West Coast colleagues, turning up his energy to "Back That Azz Up" levels. It shouldn't be so surprising, since the ratchet movement owes a lot to the heyday of the Hot Boyz. Apparently the rappers on this track are rapping words, but they could be rattling off their grocery lists and it would sound riveting with this beat and these cadences.
4. Kevin Gates - "IDGAF" (prod. by EQ tha Misfit)
Kevin Gates' Luca Brasi Story explores the emotional toll of growing up in the hood and projecting a tough-guy facade as horrible things happen around you. Instead of merely alluding to his hard life and struggle growing up, Gates fills "IDGAF" with details about his personal experiences. "Everybody round me says I don't give a fuck about nothing," Gates says, but he does. "IDGAF" is full of shout-outs to friends and family, some living and some dead. He sees his little cousin selling drugs and comforts him after he gets jacked. He laments the state of his neighborhood, where overcrowding is forcing people onto the streets. He struggles with a drug habit and the knowledge that a close friend is responsible for his trip to prison. "IDGAF" is like a full song version of the "when my little brother died, I said fuck school" line from "Hard in da Paint"; but while Waka tries to beat his troubles down with brute force, Gates allows himself to wallow in his sorrows, absorbing his surroundings and poetically reporting them to the rest of the world.
3. "U.E.O.N.O" (Remix) - Black Hippy (Prod. Childish Major)
Everybody in the Hip-Hop community seems to agree that "U.E.O.N.O." is one of the best songs of the year, but people differ on which version they prefer. Some people prefer the simplicity of the original. Some like the sparse, atmospheric beat by Childish Major to feature 2 or more Chainz. I like this version, which keeps Future's verse, does away with Rozay's rapey vibe, and finds four of my favorite rappers contributing new verses.
On "The Art of Peer Pressure," Kendrick sings, "really I'm a sober soul, but I'm with the homies right now." It makes sense. Kendrick is less pensive and more vulgar on his tracks with Black Hippy. On this track he raps doubletime about anonymous, unsafe sex. Still, as uncouth as Kendrick is during his verse, he doesn't say anything about putting molly in a girl's drink. That's Q's job, as he throws shade at Ross, cleverly manipulating the original's most controversial line. Jay Rock takes the anchor leg, as is Black Hippy custom, proving for the hundredth time that he needs to make a new record right fucking now.
2. Chance the Rapper - "Cocoa Butter Kisses" ft. Vic Mensa & Twista (prod. by Cam for J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
First off, shout out to "Juice," "Pusha Man," "Chain Smoker," "Good Ass Intro," "Acid Rain," and "Everybody's Something." Chance made an excellent fucking album this year. I went back and forth several times about which Acid Rap track I wanted to occupy this spot. Did I want the introspective, laid back "Acid Rain"? Did I want "Pusha Man," the most straightforwardly political song on the album? Or "Chain Smoker," the ecstatic climax?
Ultimately, I chose "Cocoa Butter Kisses" because it, in my eyes, best encompasses the different facets of Chance's personality and because it features the best guest verse of the year. Chance's verse is typically idiosyncratic, starting things off with a terrible "Thor" pun and continuing to describe how his lifestyle has alienated him from his family, while endearing him to his friends ("I put visine in my eyes so my grandma will fucking hug me"). Vic Mensa is a good rapper, and he throws in a few good punchlines, but Twista shows everybody up, with his percussive flow dancing around the jazzy backdrop. Usually, Twista's flow sounds great, but the words have no substance. In "Cocoa Butter Kisses," Twista flashes wit and charm like he has not for years. "When it comes to rapping fast I'm the Higgs Boson," he spits, hilariously, following it up with "I'm the Obi Wan Kenobi of the dope, see" and ends his verse with, "You're never too old for a spanking." Verse of the year.
1. "Bugatti" - Ace Hood ft. Future & Rick Ross
At once an effective boast and a succinct metaphor for overnight success, Future's "I WOKE UP IN A NEW BUGATTI" highlights the greatest hook in Hip-Hop since...well, at least since "Duffle Bag Boy." Future, so often in sad robot mode, sounds positively jubilant on this song. The last time he sounded so turnt up was "Same Damn Time," which was one of my five favorite songs of last year. Of course, the power of the chorus stems from Mike Will Made It's monstrous beat, with squealing synths and massive Inception-style horns. Ace Hood and Rick Ross contribute decent verses, with Ace in particular matching the energy of Future's hook. Honestly though, the verses could have solely comprised of Jadakiss's "a-hah!" ad-lib and it would still be a classic because of that chorus.
