As you’re perusing my list you’ll probably notice the general absence of any mainstream Hip Hop releases. I’m sorry but Watch the Throne just didn’t do it for me outside of a few tracks. But that’s generally how I’ve felt about mainstream Hip Hop for the past decade as it spiraled into “Ringtone Rap.” I’ll make no bones about the fact that I spent much of my teens and early 20s as a so-called “backpack rap” fan. But I’m not all anti mainstream Hip Hop (nor was I ever) because if last year’s Top 100 was solely up to me My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy would have been the #1 album of 2010. But I digress…

So no one was happier than me when, in 2011, many of the artists who maybe would have been boxed in by a designation like that are now thriving in the freedom of the scene. 2011 was really the year that indie rap (and I use that term loosely) came back in a big way, where actual mixtape culture (not just myriad Lil’ Wayne releases) hit the country at large. How pleasant that the weirdo MC is rising, hopefully to make up for the numerous lyrical crimes of the aughts.

Action Bronson

This was also a great year for the rap community writ large, as fire young producers teamed up with all kinds of MCs, and new posses (A$AP Crew, Bruiser Brigade) popped up and flourished overnight. Rappers were encourage to work outside of the box, and seemed more than happy to work without worrying whether a track would fit in at the club. New York indie rap in particular experienced quite a renaissance. All in all, it was a great year for Hip Hop.

You’ll probably notice the Hip Hop albums here vary some from the Bloglin’s general Top 50 abums of 2011 in inclusion, exclusion and placement. That is because (much like Prolly’s metal best of) this is entirely my list of my favorite Hip Hop releases for the year, unlike the Top 50, which was a group effort. So without further ado, here’s the top 20 Hip Hop albums of 2011.

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20. Schoolboy Q – Setbacks [Top Dawg]

Schoolboy Q seems primed to be whoever you want him to be, with equal lyrical precision on all fronts. The dude hops into all sorts of guises on Setbacks.

Whether it be street proselytizer, hardened thug, or goofy convertible-riding weed smoker, Schoolboy sounds surprisingly good. The dude is ready to blow up, it’s just not clear exactly as what but I’m enjoying the ride so far.

Not Originally Reviewed On the Bloglin

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19. Nacho Picasso - For the Glory [Self-Released]

Only a dude who really knows what he’s talking about could make a song about the deep cuts of the Marvel roster and have it turn out not only not embarrassing but also compulsively listenable.

Coming out of the rainy city of Seattle, Nacho Picasso dropped one of the best debuts of the year with For the Glory. Goofy nerdiness really was quite a trend in rap this year, but Picasso’s never seemed put-on, instead a glimpse into the mind of a kid who grew up “writin’ hooks… smokin’, readin’ comic books.”

Original Bloglin Writeup

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18. Death Grips – Exmilitary [Self-Released]

Death Grips went in on the rap game with a different kind of ferocity than most, forgoing lavish grandeur for brutal intensity, made all the more percussive by the presence of Zach Hill’s drumming.

Exmilitary might not be the easiest listen of the year, but when you’re in the right mood it’s certainly one of the most thrilling. Also proof that hooks can be found in the strangest, most dissonant of places.

Original Bloglin Review

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17. L.W.H. – Tape Hiss Hooligan [Self-Released]

While the cover art may make L.W.H. look like either an Ariel Pink affiliate or a witch house Malcolm McLaren, he’s actually a cloud rap (that’s happening now, right?) impresario who’s production has peppered a lot of great releases this year.

Tape Hiss Hooligan is a broadstroke mission statement for the genre, especially considering his recruitment of a bevy of great collaborators to rap over his woozy, hypnotic, experimental beats.

Original Bloglin Review

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16. Dark Sister – Swag Hag EP [Owlhead Collective]

Just two young white girls from Tennessee who love the occult and make really dope trap muzik. Pretty standard, amirite?

After listening to Swag Hag, prepare to explain to people that the song you keep humming is about making a demonic love potion out of period blood.

Not Originally Reviewed On the Bloglin

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15. C.H.I.P.$. – Couch Potato [Self-Released]

Coming out of Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade crew, C.H.I.P.$. is here to have some laffz, probably fuck your bitch, and do it all with a impressively lackadaisical flow.

He’s the kind of rapper who you just really want to hear say words in interesting patterns, and I’m not trying to be glib. There’s not exactly an ocean below the surface, but C.H.I.P.$. is floating on a decked out yacht with a shitload of weed and a grin. Just don’t bring your girlfriend.

Original Bloglin Review

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14. Das Racist  – Relax [Greedhead]

Our boys done made it to the big leagues! For their first official album (that, by the way, is crazy) Das Racist continued to prove why they’re one of the most interesting acts in rap. Excuse me, “slacker rock rap.”

Though it may not contain the endless and twisting flows of the mixtapes, Relax still finds the boys in fine form, holding onto their trademark humor and gonzo raps that you’ll find yourself quoting even if you don’t really understand what they’re talking about.

Original Bloglin Review

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13. Lil B – The Silent President [Self-Released]

2011 was sort of a vindication year for Lil B, where people’s appreciation for him moved beyond the novelty of songs about Ellen Degeneres and mixtapes with tracklists in the triple digits.

Once mad other rappers tried (and failed) to imitate him, everyone realized B was actually just ahead of the curve. He released a lot of new stuff, but The Silent President was my favorite and what I felt was his most cohesive effort. And if you’re still one of those people scratching your head about Lil B’s appeal and cultist following, listen to “Beat the Cancer,” it’s quintessential Basedgod for me.

Not Originally Reviewed On the Bloglin

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12. Dopehead – Plaid Palm Trees [Self-Released]

Another Bruiser Brigade crewbie (sensing a pattern?) Plaid Palm Trees was another totally solid salvo from a rapidly emerging and shockingly well formed scene.

Though his cadence is similar to ringleader Danny Brown’s Dopehead didn’t put Cali’s favorite softwood in his mixtape title for no reason, adopting a laid back style that fits his blunt fueled storytelling.

Original Bloglin Review

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11. Cities Aviv – Digital Lows [Fat Sandwich]

Featuring really great production, from the doo-wop pop of “Meet Me on Montrose” to the Steely-Dan powered bounce of “Fuckeverybodyhere” Digital Lows is first off just fun to listen too.

With beats this good, you could almost forgive an MC for just doing his best not to get in the way, but Cities Aviv instead goes in, working his tuchus off to stand out and never blend in.

Not Originally Reviewed On the Bloglin

Hit the Jump for the Top 10!

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10. Stalley – Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music) [Мишка]

Though the Maybach Music call-up speaks for itself, it bears repeating that Lincoln Way Nights wasn’t just a good album, it was a breakout one.

Building off a very fruitful partnership with the red hot DJ Rashad, Stalley proved that Intelligent Trunk Music wasn’t just an interesting catchphrase.

Original Bloglin Write-Up

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9. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up [Sub Pop]

Another one out of Seattle, but this time a mystical and magical departure for a seasoned vet who, while no stranger to experimenting in the realm of rap music, still surprises by sounding brand fucking new.

Hyper-literate and yet packed to the brim with hooks, Black Up is the sound of a group in complete control and more than ready to take you on a ride, and show you what they know.

Original Bloglin Review

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8. A$AP Rocky - Live.Love.A$AP [A$AP Worldwide]

The hype machine can be a cruel, cruel mistress. Once the Sauron-esque eye of the internet has landed on you, cracks in the facade quickly appear, even if they weren’t there before. A Harlem kid who wears Rick Owens and raps trill? Manage expectations, no?

No. Live.Love.A$AP deftly and perhaps even unconsciously sidestepped pitfalls, instead showcasing not only the supremely confident Rocky but his in house crew of knockout producers like Clams Casino and TyBeats.

Original Bloglin Review

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7. Western Tink – Hard to Keel Vol.1 [Self-Released]

Though this feeling has been unfortunately co-opted (oh, the irony) and commoditized as of late, Hard to Keel has the as-yet inimitable feeling of DIY-ness that can be so refreshing when delivered in correct dosage.

Odds are Western Tink wasn’t really sure that this tape would go anywhere, but the magic of the internet landed it in many an iTunes, revealing the product of a guy who was working his ass off to create one cohesive statement just in case it was the only shot he had.

Original Bloglin Review

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6. Big K.R.I.T. - ReturnOf4Eva [Self-Released]

Big K.R.I.T. is a thrilling example of what happens when a rapper grew up on a steady diet not of classics like Public Enemy, or even N.W.A. but instead UGK and Three-Six Mafia.

He’s a walking presentation of the evolution of southern rap, showing its past and in the process forming its future. Expect great things from K.R.I.T. in 2012.

Original Bloglin Review

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5. SpaceGhostPurrp - Blvcklvnd Rvdix 66.6 [Self-Released]

If you weren’t singing “SVCK V DICK FXR 2011″ all summer then you probably never heard ”SVCK V DICK FXR 2011.” SpaceGhostPurrp is on his own bizarre swagger that’s one part nostalgic, and two steps ahead of the curve at any given moment. He’s also one of the most interesting personalities to emerge this year.

I love it. Whether it be the Tobias Boon “toastee” drops that pepper the album or the voodoo incantations of “Get Yah Head Bust,” BLVCKLVND RVDIX 66.6 (I mean, that title…) is uncompromisingly SpaceGhostPurrp (also that name…).

Note: Had this shit been properly mastered, it’d be even higher. That’s how tight it is.

Original Bloglin Review

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4. Main Attrakionz – 808s & Dark Grapes II [Мишка]

The image on the cover of 808s & Dark Grapes II is not just some post-Magritte hip-hop surrealism. No, think of it more like an “after” photo of you listening to the contents.

Simultaneously birthing and justifying the suddenly essential genre of cloud rap, Squadda and Mondre took laconic and flipped it on it’s head, ending up with a novel and intense wooziness that was as much the sound of 2011 as any.

Original Bloglin Write-Up

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3. Action Bronson – Dr. Lecter [Self-Released]

Action Bronson is living, lumbering proof that “New York Rap” can still be New York Rap without sounding like tired retreads of Illmatic era mean street tales or being in the Wu-Tang Clan. The ginger chef from Queens has his own shit to say, but that don’t make it not NY as fuck.

Another technical “first full length,” Dr. Lecter is a bigger better Bronsolini, refining his MC skills but thankfully not abandoning his food references and proclivity for arresting grimy shit that isn’t like fake cinematic grimy but tricks in actual derelict motels grimy. Never change Action!

Original Bloglin Review

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2. Danny Brown – XXX [Fool's Gold]

I already put most of his crew on the list, but you knew Danny Brown was gonna be chillin’ near the top, right? Well, probably not chillin’ actually, more like jumping around wildly, saying some next level shit in that confounding and addictive voice (which i’ll admit took some time to grow on me, but oh how it did).

XXX is great because it’s more than the sum of it’s parts, not the least of which are the very distinct front and back halves, one in which Danny is at his bizarre braggart best, the other a gut-punch of grey gritty realism that even finds the trademark squawk dropping to a lower register. It’s the musical twist of the year, one that confirms that Mr. Brown is only crazy like a fox.

Original Bloglin Review

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1. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – Lost In Translation [Мишка]

So after including two Мишка releases in the top 10, I’m giving #1 to yet another Мишка release? Sure why not. I’m giving up on the whole humility thing. If Complex can have Bobby Hundreds write a greatest Streetwear brands of all time list and slip himself in at #3, I can give my favorite Rap record of 2011 this honor. Besides, I know that whether our name was associated with this, the same would be true.

Sometime earlier this Summer we got an email from an old friend of ours, Emeka Obi, urging us to give  a listen to this new track called “Huzzah!” by a Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire. He went on to say it was a hot song and that eXquire was a huge Мишка fan and would love to put his tape out through us. Emeka wasn’t kidding about the song. “Huzzah!” is one of the best Hip Hop anthems I’ve heard in a real long time prompting me to dust off and use the word “gully” the second I heard it. I wanted to hear more. I then found the video for “Michael Dudikoff” which I quickly realized had been emailed to the Bloglin way back when. However due to the volume of emails we get, I never got the chance to hear the track the first time it was sent… But I did remember the email because as I cycled through the inbox, I thought “Did dude just name a song after the American Ninja?” I still wanted, nay needed more. The next afternoon I came to my desk to find a burned CD-R and brown bagged 40oz from eX and his manager. It was Lost In Translation and fuck yeah we were going to help put it out. I played it non-stop until the whole design studio could recite every word down to the infamous studio BJ at the end of “Pissin’ Between Train Cars.”

While his skill was undeniable and I liked the fact that eX was breathing new life into a few classic El-P beats, what I loved most was his personality. While Lost In Translation is heavy on grimy bangers, it was tracks like “I Should Be Sleeping,” “The Maltese Falcom Pt. I & II” and “Build-A-BItch” that really sold me on eX. This was genuine New York Hip Hop by a genuine dude minus the whole braggadaccio schtick. This guy wasn’t just witty, he could also draw you into a story. I’m proud we got to play a hand in eX’s rise to fame and he truly deserves all the accolades and attention he’s been getting. And if you still haven’t listened to Lost In Translation… well suck a dick!

I kid, I kid, just download it already.

Original Bloglin Write-Up

- My Pal the Crook