Dec 29, 2015

6. Percocet & Stripper Joint - Future
This is future breaking new ground, at least to me. If I can be directed to other joints by Future Hendrix as psychedelic as this one, I'd greatly appreciate it. Aside from "Blow a Bag" (and "Thought it Was a Drought"/"I Serve the Bass") I think this is by and far the best track on the album. Southside's instrumental is a trip and of itself. I wish I knew enough about production to actually talk about it....but the way it rises and falls for the hook, the elongated note (is that a flute?) that continues throughout the entire track, etc. It all adds up to a beautiful soundscape that Future absolutely glides over. I know someone like @Cyreides is gonna hate the snares on this, and that is a slight slight gripe i have as well, but the rest of the track is so well mixed and produced that I honestly can't be bothered to focus on the quality of the snares. The high-pitched layering of future's vocals, the way the hook is muffled, the multiple melodies he concocts in the < 3 mins runtime -- it's all brilliant.

Future just "tried acid for the first time" and all he has to say is that it "feel good." Like most, he may not be able to verbalize the experience, but he was able to translate that sense of wonder into music and that's all that matters. Even though it's not his drug of choice (seemingly because he prefers drugs that numb his pain rather than ones that put him face to face with his insecurities), I'm glad he had a good experience. It clearly put him in a more nostalgic, but still celebratory, state of mind. "Treasure brings misery, lean, codeine, and my delivery," he admits in one of his most bare moments on the entire record. However, despite his past struggles, he's now "at the head of the seminar." And he knows he deserves it (*future voice*).

My favorite bit is, for sure, the part in the first verse where he goes:

"Bonefidé superstar I’m straight up out the hood, uh
I just did a dose of Percocets with some strippers"

The way he says "hood, uh" gets me every time, and the way the hook sweeps in for the first time is absolutely glorious. Both verses are honestly fantastic.

"I put charisma in my lingo and she fell for me..."

"They feel this s--- out in Belgium..."

@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @BigCountry @Jehovah @Michael Myers @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 @El Ares

 

Dec 22, 2015

25. Super Saiyan - Lil Uzi Vert
I'm glad I gave Lil Uz a chance. He's clearly more than just "influenced" by the ATL, he's basically using it to morph into a new powerhouse. But at least he's bringing a refreshing energy and sense of style to the scene, and not just biting. And even if you think he's just "biting," at least he manages to be interesting on the mic. "Super Saiyan" is definitely my most listened to Uzi track, but just check out s--- like "Moist" or "Paradise" or the new joints like "So Hit..." he's gonna make a mark on 2016. Luv Is Rage got people's attention, and being under Thug's wing is the only blessing anyone ever needs to break new ground artistically. So I can't wait to see what he does next year. I want to hear more of his actual narrative.


24. Bricks and Mansions - Lil Herb
How do people think someone as generic a J Cole is "real rap" when people as young and as fiercely talented as Herbo exist? It's a sham. This whole rap game is a farce. You guys don't deserve Lil Herb. You don't deserve Vince Staples. You fuckbois are right at home with your spoon-fed bs. Herb's delivery isn't loud for the sake of being loud like, say, Meek Mill. It isn't aggressive for the sake of being aggressive. It's worldweary, it's his vocal chords straining under centuries worth of pressure, loss, and struggle concentrated into just 20 years of existence. "I gave my mamma the whole deposit for her pain & suffering" -- the f--- have you done for the woman that gave birth to you?


23. Summertime - Vince Staples
The conclusion to disc 1 of Vince Staples masterpiece, Summertime 06, couldn't be more blissful if it tried. Actually, to be honest, I don't think Staples meant for "Summertime" to be blissful at all. It really is melancholy more than anything. "This could be forever, baby" comes like the dejected plea to keep a summer fling going into the first few weeks of school, when you already know that isn't gonna work out. She has her own friends, her own classes, her own clubs and sports teams. You have your own responsibilities (to your family, to your block, to yourself)...this can't really be forever. "I probably couldn't fix it if I knew the reason," is heartbreakingly honest. "Don't leave me alone in this cruel cruel world," leaves Staples equally exposed. But for some reason it all sounds so blissful. There's a sense of mutual understanding between Vince and the listener. Time goes on. Also, this couldn't be farther from Vince's comfort zone. Yet he couldn't sound more comfortable. Legend in the making, if we're being honest.


22. Blow a Bag - Future
"Future isn't lyrical." Shut the f--- up and open your ears. On the same song where he seems to be incessantly rubbing our face in his wealth, Future is hearing the voice of his deceased grandfather. The echoes of his love and support and guidance haunt Future at every turn. "I know I came from poverty, I got my name from poverty," is the type of bone chilling self-awareness thats usually reserved for, well, anything but the breakout single. Just as he's pointblank claimed that "I pour the Actavis and pop pills so I can fight the demons," in the past, it's clear that he's not walking in the mall and going crazy because he just really really loves to go on shopping sprees. He isn't Rae Sremmurd (no slight on them for enjoying their adolescence). He's a grown man. He's blowing a bag today so that if "Snupe was livin'" he'd be proud of him. He's blowing a bag today so that if "Lonzo was livin'" he never would've doubted him. And you think you have the right to judge him. Ha.


21. Real Sisters - Future
Okay well compared to "Blow a Bag," it may seem like there's nothing more to his song, lyrically, than whats on the surface. Future can't be depressingly honest all the time can he? f--- you lol. Enjoy this for what it is -- don't use it as an excuse to negate the depth and complexity of Future's other work. Let this jam get etched into the neural pathways of your molly-soaked cerebrum just as it did for Andre 3k. Stop worrying about the technicalities. If they both wanna f---, go for it. Future doesn't give a f--- if they were real sisters, why should you? Are you more self-important than Future -- one of the biggest rap stars on the planet? Sometimes it's better to dress it up and pretend, than fixate on reality. Well what do you know, even this song has more to it, lyrically, than meets the eye. Of course it does, this is Future we're talking about. Not J Cole. "I serve a lot of chickens and I'm innocent," is one of the most important rap lines of 2015. Also, Zaytoven is the best producer in ATL. Bar None.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Myers @Jehovah @BigCountry @Mowkki @Astro @JG2
@Radeem @Enigma @Meero

 

Dec 27, 2015

9. Senorita - Vince Staples
Vince has better taste than you. He took one random a--- line from a random a--- future song and made it one of the best hooks of the year. Not only did he realize the brilliance of the line itself in terms of its intensity and sense of rhythm (the way it comes in on "Covered N Money" is fantastic), he knew it fit the premise of his song perfectly ("nine millimeter my brother's my keeper, was servin' that ether before I did features"). "f--- ya dead homies, run ya bread homie/got some lead for me, I'm on Artesia" is one of the coldest openers in recent memory. The first verse throws you in the middle of the violence and bravado of a day in the life of Vince Staples, while the second verse is more introspective, and begs the central question "what means the world to you?" Or, more to the point: "what would you murder for?" Survival? Pride? Sport? Vince may not partake himself, but that only allows him to have a crystal clear take on the situation at hand.

Vince honestly takes everything I used to love about Kendrick, but presents it in the most genuine, least pretentious, way possible. This song, along with "Norf Norf," is a staple (no pun) in my group of friends. It's a b-----r, but it's also fierce in its commentary. Also, his flow here is one of my favorites in a year where Young Thug has made everyone else look like a complete joke:

"Snitch get a full clip and closed casket
Won't hug your b---- when the ho ratchet
Cold jumper, been shootin', no practice
Been tourin', whip foreign, coupe crashin'
Still bangin' 2 Naughty 2 Nasty
Still "f--- the police" they won't catch me
My feature too pricey, don't ask me
Go hard, 'til Goyard on my baggage
He mad we won't fight, I'm gon' tag him
Mask up at midnight and start clappin'
Kids crying, still snipe him, no lackin'"

Ay...



(also, the music video is absolutely fantastic. kendrick wishes he came up with this s---.)

@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Myers @BigCountry @Jehovah @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7

 

Dec 23, 2015

15. f---in' Up the Count - Freddie Gibbs
The Wire is the best show of all time. Freddie Gibbs is one of the best rappers of all time. Despite switching up his style, driving head first into the gritty after Pinata's more polished veneer, Gibbs's storytelling is as tight as ever. He makes you listen, has you at the edge of your seat, and throws you into the middle of a couple young gunners f---in' up the count. But you feel safe, protected by his insight and his sage words. He doesn't leave you to fend for yourself -- he's here to show you what he's been through, and how he's become the man he is now. The more melodic Gibbs becomes, the better he gets. And, of now, he doesn't seem to have a ceiling.


14. Calling Your Name - Young Thug
Come on, who else could do a f---in' Ellie Goulding cover besides Young Thug? It might only be for the hook, but it's just more proof that Thug can literally do anything he wants to. Anything. He can take 1 god d--- line from a pop track and morph into his own heartfelt ballad. If that's not creativity at its finest, I apparently have no idea what I'm talking about. He conjures melodies out of nothing, adds extra letters to words just to make them rhyme ("you cant see me like mask(e)s"), sings (at the top of his lungs) about "weiners" in "beamers," and its all just so blissful. None of it seems forced. On the same track he's crooning about "you know we can get away," he's growling about puttin' that "p---- in saran for you." On the same track where he's urging you to "s--- that d-ck, peppermint," he's reminiscing on how it felt to be "so broke that you got jokes." This single track has a dozen flows, a dozen voices, a dozen melodies and, above all, is endearing to a fault. This should be a hit. But we aren't ready for it. Young Thug is "important like pedialyte" (oh come ON, that's f---ing great). He just wants to take care of his family, and make sure if your jewelry is "sunny" his girl's is "windy."


13. Raw - Young Thug
What can I say about this track that hasn't already been covered? From urging himself on during the bridge ("sing to em...that's how you mofuckin' sing to em") to his soul-baring declaration of "L O V EEEEEEEEE," this man is f---ing dangerous. He threatens everything this entire genre has clung onto for decades. He exposes the genre's insecurities. He melds violence with romanticism, croons about pullin' up to "stain lil cuz," and screams his love for his fiancee. His harmonizing, his ability to tap into the exact mood of any given track, his genuinely curious mind...they all contribute to making him the most interesting artist alive, bar none. And he's an incredible writer, on top of that. "A wise man told me...nothing -- he said them snitches they get stitches. I just spent a Bentley on my kidneys. Sayin' I gave my bro the address, the road to riches..." and this is on the same track where he says "hop inside that p---- like a trampoline, boing boing..." It shouldn't work. But it always, and I mean always, does. My favorite part of the track may be "I dropped ten thousand ones on ones on ones," simply for how warped he manages to make that straightforward line sound, and because he follows it up with "I told her to "come on home, hun...you can have my son."" I don't think he'll ever cease to surprise me.

"My love is so big she can't lose that..."


12. Flaws - Young Thug
I've already said all there is to say about this track tbh. This might be the best song out of the 50+ leaked tracks from earlier in the year, and I just managed to get it to the semi-finals in the elimination game just by never shutting up about it lmao. It's absolutely one of the best rap songs of the year, and I'm surprised myself that its this low on my list of favorite tracks from this year. Might be because I played it out months ago, but anyways. From the soaring hook ("Rose goin' right inside the kiiiiitchen") to the fantastic verses, there is, ironically, not a single flaw about this song. It's near the very top of Thug's expansive discography. "Baby I love you, In a house full of grown folks, baby I love you/Swear to god you're my bread and butter/You can still be my all, even if the Feds destroy us" is one of my favorite rap lines, EVER. I loved the line "...they know I'm prince of the city" so much that I mistakenly quoted it in my Barter 6 review (the leaks came out around the same time as I was reviewing the album). Song is flawless.


11. Norf Norf - Vince Staples
"b---- you thirsty, please grab a Sprite..." Vince Staples is one of the most focused rappers in the game right now. And that's why he's f---ing deadly. He can convey any given message without a shred of pretension, and, even better, he can make the most personal of anecdotes accessible to any passerby. He's a bard, a storyteller, a man of letters. But he's also from Northside Long beach and has never run from anything but the police. He's a "gangsta crip, f--- gangsta rap," and his "bandana brown like the dope that he shootin' in the kitchen," but with an ever-sober mind, Staples is able to paint vivid portraits of his upbringing. Although he should be peering out the same window Nas and Kendrick have been noted for lurking around, it seems as if he's never once shied away from being in the center of the commotion. He finds it easier to observe amidst the horrors rather than utilize his privilege of being one-step removed. He's a product of his environment, and he doesn't seem to shun his influences in the least bit.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Myers @Jehovah @BigCountry @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Radeem @Enigma @Meero @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7

 

Dec 31, 2015

1. I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) - Jamie xx ft. Young Thug & Popcaan
I prefer the leaked version with only Thug for plenty of reasons (the order of the verses, the lack of Popcaan), but that doesn't stop this cut from Jamie xx's In Colour from being one of the most innovative, bold, and just downright fun tracks of the year. One of the best examples of Thug's vocal range, as well as why his devilishly exuberant voice should be prized as a national treasure, "Good Times" is a feat worth praising. Jamie xx had people all around the country belting "I'M A RIDE IN THAT p---- LIKE A STROLLER" with nothing but absolute joy written across their faces. Young Thug provided the perfect template for a "good time" (sex, drugs, and companionship -- see: "even in the summertime, me & lil shawty cuddle"), but didn't shy away from his usual train of thought at all (the aforementioned line of note is followed by the often overlooked aside, "I survived in the motherfuckin' gutter"). For Thug, his origins and his place in society at the moment, aren't two disjointed worlds -- he won't let them be. For him, pullin' up and shootin' the fair one, you know, "hood times," is just as essential as that "mush ti(iiiiiiiiiii)me." Especially if that guy is already "runnin' up all the money that he owes." He is "coming red like Coke Cola" after all. He isn't ashamed of his heritage, nor is he concerned, even for a second, about what you think of him.

My friend first got to hear this song while in Rome. And for that reason I will forever hate him. But, to be fair, I first got to hear the leaked version of this song with one of my closest friends as we made our way through the 100 leaked tracks -- and that experience of staring at each other, bewildered, not knowing music could be this special, is one I wouldn't ever want to trade.

And, with this, my list comes to a close. 2015 was an incredible year for music. It was a fascinating year for rap, in particular. The unnecessary walls between genres are being toppled, homophobia and the resulting insecurities are hopefully on thier way out, and, most importantly, we're starting to realize music is about feeling, and nothing more.

Despite the not so uplifting events that have plagued the US this year, issues that don't seem to be going anywhere for the foreseeable future, "I know...there's gonna be good times." And, to me, making us believe that is the greatest feat imaginable.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @BigCountry @Jehovah @Michael Myers @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 @El Ares @Maximus

The End.

 

Dec 30, 2015

4. March Madness - Future
Even though its the 4th song on my list, some people are still gonna be surprised/upset. That's just how good it is. This is the kind of "song of my generation" candidate that has Lebron tellin' b------s to talk to the hand while he rocks out:

This is one of Future's greatest achievements to date. He made a song that appears to be pure id, pure, unfiltered, bravado, but is anything but upon further inspection. Underneath the mesmerizing Tarantino beat, underneath the "f--- a cougar like she Halle Berry," is the central conceit of the record: "all these cops shootin' n----s -- tragic." All Future wants to do is reap what he's sowed, see his hard work come to fruition, and he should be able to -- shouldn't he? But as much he tries, it's next to impossible when the rest of your community, the ones you've been trying to uplift for years by using your music as a vehicle for self-expression, are being beaten down more than ever before. It doesn't matter if the statistics say otherwise, if crime is actually at an "all time low," or if certain pockets of people in the US somehow don't even believe civil rights issues exist in this day and age -- cops are still killing innocent civilians. The title says it all -- how can there be a "march madness" if nothing's wrong? Things are clearly going to s--- in this country. Why are we in denial? Innocent civilians are dying, and Future's still the lone soul "livin' lavish." And even then, he doesn't feel like he's using his privilege appropriately: "I didn't wanna f--- the b----, but the molly made me f--- her,even though she average." "March Madness" is anthemic, it's exhilarating, it's empowering -- but, above all, it's clearly made in the image of a man grappling with inner demons while being forced to put on a fake front for the rest of the world.

It makes sense that once Esco got out of prison and was on his way home from Dubai, and he finally heard "March Madness" for the first time, he played it non-stop for the entire duration of the flight.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @BigCountry @Jehovah @Michael Myers @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 @El Ares

 

Dec 29, 2015

5. Only One - Kanye West
On January 1st, 2015, I wrote nearly 2,000 words on my phone while taking a bus back to Boston from New Jersey. This review will be back up on the new blog (I think), but for it is again in its original form for this special occasion. "Only One" is still one of the most touching songs I've heard all year, perhaps the most touching, and is honestly one of my favorite Kanye tracks to date.

@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @BigCountry @Jehovah @Michael Myers @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 @El Ares

 

Dec 21, 2015

these will be my favorites. i will write a bit about all of them. there will be a lot of thug. there will be a lot of future. duh.


i might restrict it to only official releases so that its not all thug.


let me know if you want a mention. ill start today or tomorrow. 5 songs at a time.

edit:
25. Super Saiyan - Lil Uzi Vert
24. Bricks and Mansions - Lil Herb
23. Summertime - Vince Staples
22. Blow a Bag - Future
21. Real Sisters - Future
20. Narcos - Freddie Gibbs
19. Peace of Mind - Lil Herb
18. Pacifier - Young Thug
17. Twist My Fingaz - YG
16. Best Friend - Young Thug
15. f---in' Up The Count - Freddie Gibbs
14. Calling Your Name - Young Thug
13. Raw - Young Thug
12. Flaws - Young Thug
11. Norf Norf - Vince Staples
10. Freaky - Young Thug
9. Senorita - Vince Staples
8. Lay Up - Future
7. Pelican Fly/Friend of Scotty/Free Gucci - Young Thug
6. Percocet & Stripper Joint - Future
5. Only One - Kanye West
4. March Madness - Future
3. Halftime - Young Thug
2. News or Somthn - Future
1. I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) - Jamie xx ft. Young Thug & Popcaan

 

Dec 22, 2015

20. Narcos - Freddie Gibbs
"yeah yeah..." Gibbs is chameleon. The effortless transition from Pinata to Shadow of a Doubt is enough to praise him to no end. He's been able to tap into various eras of hip hop without missing a step. He's singlehandedly proving that all concern about rap "changing" and the lack of "lyricism" and blah blah blah is all misplaced drivel. "Narcos" is one of my favorite tracks on Shadow of a Doubt (full disclosure: I don't think Gibbs succeeds on every track on this record, I do have reservations about a handful of joints. But when he hits, it's flawless), and he really manages to drill home the tracks main point: "dope game hard, rap game easier than a mothafucka." Well, when you're Gibbs, I guess it is. His delivery for the repeated "Bow Wow" reference also gets me hard, every time. "Got em for some Yayo and a brick of Lil Bow Wow/E-S to the G-N man these n----s 'bout to bow down, yeah, yeah..." In fact, the way he morphs his delivery, embracing multiple styles on every track, is part of what makes Shadow of a Doubt so effective.


19. Peace of Mind - Lil Herb
Welp, Herbo can also apparently knock hooks out of the park, on top of delivering tightly packaged, piercing, 16s. Game over. Obviously this was apparent to anyone who checked out ...Fazoland, but in case it wasn't, he works double time to make an impact this time around. "I got demons in me I don't fight I just keep 'em inside, ain't no fear -- if you seek, I won't hide," he declares, while still just pleading for peace of mind. That's his entire existence summarized to be honest -- he just wants to be left alone, but wont bat an eye if you try him. Especially if you try him about his family. "But it is what it is, I'll be fine."


18. Pacifier - Young Thug
I'm trying to write a piece about Thug (not for this site) and Pacifier is one of the tracks I talk about, so I don't want to repeat myself too much...but who else can find a place on literally any type of production besides Thug? I praised Gibbs for this, but he hasn't tested himself nearly as much as Thug in my opinion. In this single year Thug rapped on "Pacifier," "There's Gonna Be (Good Times)," "Constantly Hating." Each beat weirder than the last. And on "Pacifier," he's just fitting in, he's putting on a f---ing clinic. His stellar verses are technically sound and sprinkle in just the right amount of self-awareness. This track showcases pop sensibilitiy that I wouldn't believe Thug possessed had you asked a year ago. And he makes it seem effortless. The track starts out with these 4 bars, for f---'s sake:

"Cut the chase, I wanna nut in this place
And I know she liked a n----- taste, I can see it in her face
Now don't make me a cute little Christian, I don't feel like Ma$e
Right 'fore a n----- step inside the house got my messages erased"

He follows that up with "I ain't tryna roll no dice, I just wanna make it right," and then you finally get it -- ohh, he's cheating on her. Gotcha. But wait, the hook is about "pacifiers" and there are children wailing all over the track, why is he coming off without a care in the f---ing world? Why is he so extactic when telling you to "bleed the cops," why does nothing ever seem to bother him? Because he's a better man than us all, to be honest. And as long as he has music as his outlet, he'll continue to be unparalleled in his whimsy.


17. Twist My Fingaz - YG
YG must have a cheat code. There's no other explanation for getting to make classics like "Bicken Back Bein' Bool" and "Twist MY Fingaz" in two consecutive years. It's just not fair. And with him embracing the production he seemed to shy away from on My Krazy Life, he's revitalizing the west in a way Kendrick wishes he could (but seemingly gave up on). YG's rapping also gets underrated too often. He's a natural storyteller. His cadences deliberate and focused. For him, there isn't a life outside his block, it's all one and the same. Partying to shootouts, g--- life to studio life. He may have "made out the west without Dre," but he still goes to sleep "flamed up." And that's why he can make a track thats as menacing as it is liberating. "Do you dance YG, do you dance?" is a rhetorical question. He's already dancing -- it's his turn to celebrate. But you'd be foolish to try and test him mid-dance. You have no idea if he's strapped or not.


16. Best Friend - Young Thug
Young Thug put out a single where the main conceit is that his sisters, mom, and himself are his best friends. How does that not put a smile on your face? That aside, the song itself is simply euphoric. For the billionth time (literally), Thug manages to tape into the absolute essence of a beat and channel the moment better than anyone else alive. From the elongated note he holds at the end of the hook, or on "bumble beeeeeEEEEEEEEE," or for "hol up, hol it hol it n----- proceeeeeeEEEEEEEEdeeeeeeee," to the way he finds specific pockets in the beat to declare his likeness to "michael jackson, n-----," this type of song is way more empowering than, say, "Alright" to me.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Myers @Jehovah @BigCountry @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Radeem @Enigma @Meero @Soldier @white jesus @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive

 

Dec 30, 2015

2. News or Somthn - Future
This song is downright INCREDIBLE. Like, jaw-dropping, chill-inducing, raising-the-hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck, INCREDIBLE. Like, it's incredible to the point where I can't help but just throw endlessly complimentary platitudes at it, hoping that somehow turns into a write up worthy of a track of this magnitude.

This is Future's best song to date. This could quite possibly be the best rap song of the year -- I would have no absolutely - arguments against that (even if you included every single leaked Thug song).

Right out the gate, in his first verse, Future accomplishes more than most rappers can hope to in their entire career. "Bright light shining all bright on the Bentley" he begins, setting the tempo, and instantly you're transfixed by his cadence, his dialect, his conviction. His urgency is palpable, his drawl is purposeful, his aura is unmistakable. "Old school Chevy '55 granddaddy" never sounded so prophetic. Never before have the words "hope you didn't do it to yourself, that's tragic" embodied this much gravitas. "Hope you didn't throw away what we established" might sound like an afterthought, but only because Future's already spent countless hours (and mixtapes) stressing about the issue (his divorce and his son).

And then he explodes: "Hold on to that clip like a doped up needle/girl hang on that strip with a four." And then you realize why Future is probably the best rapper alive. And then the hook comes in, at over 16+ bars, and you're suspicions are confirmed. "You can turn this off I can kick it acapella" he declares, and you believe. He's proven himself. "Told a young n----- Freeband, Roc-A-Fella" and you're ashamed for ever doubting him.

He "worked the front streets, where mama said: "don't go"" -- he went there. And now all he wants is "nothin' but a bad lil b---- in some red bottoms." Is that too much to ask for?

*cue guitar solo*

"There's a full moon in the middle of the day."


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @BigCountry @Jehovah @Michael Myers @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 @El Ares @Maximus (sorry i actually forgot to mention u the last two tracks -- they're on pg. 15).

 

Dec 30, 2015

3. Halftime - Young Thug
A lot of the time cult shows become cult shows because they represent the creation of a world that you need to be fully invested in to understand. A world that you requires you to drop everything at hand and fixate on the inexplicable in front of you. A world that, once you take the plunge and once the pieces of the puzzle start to magically assemble themselves in front of you, becomes intensely rewarding. Basically, the payoff is worth the effort.

Young Thug in 2015 developed a massive cult following. Is he accessible? No. His discography, at 24, spans hundreds of songs -- and not in a Lil B "855 song mixtape" fashion. These are fully fledged tracks that he's been making since the age of 16 that are brimming with wit, charisma, originality, and style. Not a single one should be dismissed. But, then again, you can't ask every listener to ever skim the artist's suggest tracks on Youtube after having just stared, bewildered, at the "Lifestyle" music video, to invest hours into all these records before making their judgement. Apparently, you can't even ask them to check out a single project after they've made their initial judgement of the artist. That's just the kind of society we live in right now. So no, he isn't accessible. He also isn't easy to understand (as if that matters in any other genre but rap), stays true to his natural dialect, employs multiple forms of delivery, has an unparalleled sense of rhythm, and, above all, is just a big ol' goof. He's an enigma. He's the family-oriented gangster, the menacing fashionista, the nearly-mute-in-interviews 24 year old man that belts, wails, and barks about anything and everything when on wax (or on his own instagram page).

Forget being one of my favorite songs of the year, or one of my favorite Thug songs to date -- "Halftime" is one of the best rap songs of the decade. From dazzling technical proficiency to biting self-awareness, Young Thug created a masterpiece with this track. The "have a good time" bridges are probably the reason SWISH has been delayed for the 50th time. The "100 million flat, like my motherfuckin' idol -- I might eat it, I might like it, but I swear I'll never bite him" is the kind of off-handed, roundabout, way of exonerating yourself from the incessant decries of being a carbon copy of someone whom you've, openly, long-considered your inspiration, that you can't help but marvel at. This track may live in infamy around ATL due to the proceeding court-case and imprisonment of Roscoe (seen in this video with the very weapon he was accused of having shot up Lil Wayne's tour bus with), but, to me, it's just perfection.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @BigCountry @Jehovah @Michael Myers @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 @El Ares

 

Dec 29, 2015

7. Pelican Fly/Friend of Scotty/Free Gucci - Young Thug
Remember this thread? Where I talked about the "power of bias" and how my new room-mate at the start of this past semester, who only listens to the most random rock music/eminem/d12/radio hits etc, started dabbling in Thug's music because of me? And, since he doesn't post on message boards, or have a preconceived notion of what rap is or "needs" to be, he didn't miss a step in becoming a full-fledged fan? Well, his favorite Young Thug song is "Pelican Fly" -- and for good reason.

I don't think this song is a leak (I think it was released in January along with "Hold Us" ft. Rich Homie & PeeWee Longway), but it's poorly mixed, sounds very rough at times, and doesn't have a proper home. But all of this simply adds to it's allure -- at least for me.

Over a rambunctious Dun Deal instrumental, Thug's vocals seem to literally be tearing through fabric of the beat. He finds multiple ways to wail and croon about his girl being "pelican fly," pays homage to p---- C, and declares defiantly "I don't give no d--- bout what you say to me." He's an "alphabet boy, ridin' through the hood" and he's "Trayvon good." But, make no mistake, his "car ain't got no hood -- misunderstood."

"I'm in my zone, can't find way my way home," he ruminates, and you can't help but stand there in awe, mesmerized, as he begins to "take off runnin'."

There's just something therapeutic about Thug's music. Through his own vibrant expression, he gives you a vehicles to exorcize your own demons. There's nothing more satisfying than yodeling "oh you know you're pelican fly! oh god, oh god, OH GOD," along with the track. Trust me. Give it a try.

Now, this spot was originally just for "Pelican Fly," but I really needed to correct for my oversight at some point on the list. This list would just be fraudulent if I didn't include "Friend of Scotty" or "Free Gucci," two early releases from the year. Each has become a staple in my group of friends ("Friend of Scotty" more than "Free Gucci"), and are two of my personal favorite Young Thug tracks of all time.

"Friend of Scotty" contains the infamous "no h--- but the blunt look like a diiiiick" line, and a lot of what makes it work is the same as "Pelican Fly." It's an infectious song, produced once again by Dun Deal (an underrated collaborator), but is a lot smoother compared to Pelican Fly. I listened to this track so much during this past winter, that pressing play just brings up a whole array of mixed emotions. Although "Friend of Scotty" feigns to be anthemic and happy, it personally makes me feel a bit melancholy. If I have the slang right, the hook itself is about a girl who used to be Thug's, but he's lost her to her drug addiction. He spends the whole track longing for her, in between reminiscing about how his bro was gonna buy him a new Bentely if he passed the 5th grade test and made it to the 6th grade (I think 6th grade is when Thug broke his teacher's arm and was kicked out of school and sent to reform school). So I guess melancholy isn't that fetched, huh? Side note: one of my other room-mates, is not big into Thug at all. He's not into rap really in general (he's very musically inclined though, just prefers a lot of different genres). "Friend of Scotty" (along with "Flava") is one of his only favorite Young Thug cuts.

"Free Gucci" is a MetroThuggin cut that dropped at the same time as "Speed Racer," for Gucci's birthday this past February. According to Alex (Thug's Engineer) he recorded both "Speed Racer" and "Free Gucci" in one 30 minute session. Jesus f---ing christ that's ludicrous. Talking about "Friend of Scotty" and "Free Gucci" side by side presents an interesting contrast actually. Because, although "Friend of Scotty's" instrumental is anthemic and upbeat, and "Free Gucci's" is full of sullen operatic vocals harmonizing behind the admittedly uptempo template, each song ultimately has the opposite effect on me. "Free Gucci," with it's declarations of "b---- I'm good, b---- I'm blood, b---- good....b---- I'm hood...ayyyyy" has me on cloud nine every single time. It's an absolutely fantastic celebration of Thug's friend and mentor. This track is pure bliss, to me.

I hope you guys enjoy all three tracks.




@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Fromme @BigCountry @Jehovah @Mowkki @Astro @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7 =

 

Dec 27, 2015

8. Lay Up - Future
Literally don't know what to say about this song other than it's perfect. Future was hungry on Beast Mode. He lost his fiancee, his lost best friend, he lost his music, he had to start from scratch. They tried to make a pop-star, and instead they made a monster. And after he was done exorcising his demons on Monster, it was finally time to reap the spoils on Beast Mode. But he couldn't even do that right. "Where I Came From," "Just Like Bruddas," and "Foreva Eva" all have Future falling into the same depression that plagued the first mixtape in this trilogy. However, this range and versatilely is part of what makes Beast Mode one of my favorite projects of the year.

But anyways, back to the track at hand. I had to invent a new metric for judging music when I first head this s---. HBPS -- "head bobs per second." I remember standing at the T at 8am in the dead of winter this past February, putting on a show for all the dull drones waiting to start their s-----y days, becuase I was already high (yeah I smoked before work, im a badass like that) and completely in my zone. My pre-work ritual every morning was walking up to a "zaytoven!" tag with a smile on my face, getting ready, smoking a bit, then almost breaking my neck because of the amount of HBPS a song like "Lay Up" would elicit while waiting for the T to arrive.

Zaytoven may be my favorite producer alive. The way he creates these already complete and fully fleshed out aesthetics before a rapper even thinks about touching one of his beats is something worth marveling at. And when you match that with Future's ability to effortlessly tap into a track's natural rhythm and bounce, its nothing less than magical. It's groovy. It's surreal. It makes me feel giddy. It's like Im standing in a bright pink room that should be off-putting, but feels intensely warm. A room that feels like it's slowly engulfing me every time the hook swings back around -- but it's okay, because it's Future, and because the colors are just so d--- pretty. And it just feels so f---ing right. So god d--- empowering.

I'm not just a local pedestrian.



@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Myers @BigCountry @Jehovah @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7

 

Dec 22, 2015

ok making this list was the worst experience of my life so lets just get started.

first thing id like to persent is a random list of songs that didn't make it, copy and pasted from my notepad:


Honorable Mentions:
drawn down (all of ss1 thats not on the list)
Grief - Ear Sweatshirt
Wesley’s Theory - Kendrick Lamar
peacoat
hercules
try me - wayne
6 man
Lit Like Bic (all of sreemlife)
Momma
Alright
Mantra
smuckers
flex
Institutionalized
jump off the roof
Night Call
3500
Be Me See Me
Digital Dash
Pass Me the Lighter
Dont Know
Mind Right
Thief in the Night
Lamborghini Dream
First Day Out
f--- Up Some Commas (all of 56 nights not on the list)
Foreva eva (all of beast mode not on the list)
all day
again
wanna be me
speed racer
free gucci
no way
She Notice
Hey I (all of ss2 not on the list)
My Baby
Thats All
Never Made Love
where i came from
peacoat
aintchu
Slave Master
Groupies

@ThyNeighbor @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel

 

Dec 31, 2015

Great way to cap off a great list.

There aren't a lot more infectious hooks this year than "GOOOOOD TIMES, GOOD TIME"

 

Dec 31, 2015

This top 5

Sucks that News doesn't have a home but I'm very happy it's popping up on several year-end lists it deserves every ounce of praise.

Halftime is crazy, love how minimalist it is yet its so vibrant. Its the song that first springs up when I think of B6.

March Madness is an anthem I made sure everyone in my neighborhood knows that song word for word.

 

Dec 27, 2015

10. Freaky - Young Thug
I don't know if it's just an urban legend at this point but when I first got this long leaked to me (yeah im that cool), months before any of you would give it the attention it deserves, I was told Kanye West was supposed to be on it. And the fact that Thug drops the "5000 on Yeezys, they think I ain't Jesus," bar made it even more believable to me. Kanye had given Thug a pair of Yeezys. But now it's come and gone as part of Slime Season 1, and I've gave up on this being the first time we here these two legends together (aside from Kanye mixing "I Swear to God" which itself is an awesome collaboration, despite Mr. West not having a verse or any sort of vocal contribution...he just wanted to work with Thug's vocals ). However, they did have a session together, and they did make a handful of records in that 1 session that Kanye is holding on to....hopefully for his next project? Who knows?

But back to this joint...Thug's hooks are better than most peoples' verses. Often times, they're larger than life. From scope, to execution -- the variety of flows, the adlibs, the delivery...they all add up to creating an infallible backbone for the track. "I hope out the rarri, I'm leavin' it started..." The verses are endlessly quotable: "I apologize if I got more money than you and your clan (I apologizeeeeee)" to "what is your bargain???" Many of the most quoted Thug lines in my group of friends are from this very track.

Bro he said "your clan" lmao. Bro he said "I'm lovin your patience, low turtle in this race (turtle you turtle!)" lmfao. Like, his adlib was "turtle you turtle." I'm f---ing dead. He said "I aint talkin bout no coffee, but she got double Ds," lmao. Where that Dunkin Donuts sponsorship at? He said "hey I'm on the third base, and you're away (that means I'm home!). bars.

"d--- this might be coward's day...yeah this might be powder day!"

"Even if you had Erykah Ba' you couldnt do us (f--- you!)"

"And everybody hate Chris but I got them racks up, now they Luda, yeah/tell baby girl, I only want that throat...flute us."

WondaGurl's production is honestly fantastic, and I definitely hope her and Thug collab more often. The strings in the back are heavenly. s---'s way better than her work with Jay Z lol.

It makes sense if this was part of his session with Kanye, because he brought his A game man. These are two of his best verses of the year, for sure.

Thug is the best rap artist alive, and these other n----s vibe faker than a puppet.


@ThyNeighbour @Winter @FlawlessT @Boyz N The Suburbs @Mike Tyson @Ordinary Joel @Michael Myers @BigCountry @Jehovah @Mowkki @Astro @JG2 @Enigma @Soldier @white jesus @The Product @Nori @Fire Squad @Clive @Jakey @Bossun7

 

Dec 22, 2015

Mention me slime