The album seems a little too insular for my taste. The best tracks seem to come when Earl reaches outside of his usual collaborators ("Burgundy" The Neptunes, "Chum" Chad Hugo and "Molasses" RZA). So my issue is more with the production, lyrically the album is great.
I hope in the future that he collaborates with some new producers; his monotone delivery would work amazingly over some Alchemist productions.
Not suprised to see this as the pick for the week, just surprised that there is no mention of "Vanilla Raindbows" produced by Curtis Mayfield. He does spend a little too much time talking on the track, but the production is fantastic.
Solid list, I would switch the top 2 but really their placement in the top 2 suffices. Would be interesting to include Notorious Lightning & Other Works into the conversation, even if it was connected to Your Blues. It is only an EP but I am not sure if Destroyer's Rubies would have happened without his collaboration with Carey Mercer.
In response to "Which begs the question: Why these guys and not those guys? "
Because those guys came out of the gate with a great album. Even looking at an aggregate site you can see that those guys received a higher critical acclaim.
I just don't see the point of defending or even discussing this. Mumford & Sons first album was meh and their second album is less than meh. They have found a middle road between shit and great, which equals mass popularity these days.
It is so rare that when three rappers collaborate on a single track that there is not a clear winner; all three bodied this track, and that includes Luda. Where has Ludacris been?
I was just glad to see Killer Mike get the much deserved nod, though he should have at least landed in the top 20. I would also put Kendrick in the top 10 but at least this list was better than Mojos.
As for the mixtape conversion, Joey Bada$$'s 1999 stands as one the most solid releases of the year.
Great right up for a much deserved album; you only missed one tiny thing. In between Marcberg and Reloaded, Roc Marciano dropped a fantastic EP in collaboration with Gangrene (producer/MC duo The Alchemist and Oh No).
Joey Bada$$ for the win anyone? With Kendrick and A$AP tied at a close second.
I thought everyone put on an impressive showing with the exception of the Ruff Ryders' freestyle (this of course comes with the exception of Eve who surprised me).
I don't often like to use infinitives cause they often trap one in a box and make them look a fool but Waka Flocka Flame is the worst rapper to have ever existed. He isn't even technically a rapper. So my true issue is how can you remove an important element of a genre and still put it under that genre? In this instance it would be lyricism (I can even forgive those who just rant about hoes and money because they attempt to flow with a beat and create some semblance of lyricism).
If you wrote a horror book that included no horror, would you still call it a horror novel?
End of rant...I am surprised that neither Big Sean, Dominic Lord or STS's new mixtapes made it to this weeks selection.
I don't even see the point of referring to these as "rejex" cause this a pretty cohesive collection. Kid is seriously one of the best things out right now and not to be slept on.
If anyone else is digging the throw back sound, check out The Underachievers who drop their debut mixtape INDIGOI.S.M. on the 11th.
I wouldn't got quite that far. He at least kills it on the Action Bronson assisted "Birds on a Wire". As an earlier Stereogummer posted with the premier of their video, they should release a joint mixtape. They could call it maybe Perfect Strangers (Odd Couple is too obvious and Step Brothers is already taken). But who would be Balki Bartokomous?
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