But it's hard to select just 5. But you know how J hart is, right? So, here we are... With no order, the best ones, according to my ears, were :
1. DJ J HART - The East Coast Draft
Yep, lobbying is part of HipHop too. But, that's not why I put J Hart's tape in my top 5. The reasons are quite simple, the main one is : It is a mixtape. I mean, a real mixtape, unless it is not on a proper tape, part from that point, it is a mixtape!!! How many mixtapes can we count these days? By mixtape I mean : discovering new talents, new underground stuff, scratches, mixes, introduction, DJ skills... this tape gathers all that, and the tracks are sick, according to me. and my friends. So yeah, you should cop it right now on the website if you did not give it a listen yet! DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE
2. YOUR OLD DROOG - untitled EP
Your Old Droog - Nutty Bars (Official Video) This tape is really good. Even if it's more an EP than a mixtape, I did not really know to put that one, so it is here. I think he killed it, and it is the perfect format to introduce yourself : just a few tracks, with your Old Droog Showing and proving, and succeeding in doing so. the main reason I put that tape in my top is, to me, your Old Droog is one the artist of the year. So this tape, might be part of history, who know.... DOWNLOAD THE EP
3. ChillxWill - Amighty LP
The album of the year to me (with the infamous of Mobb Deep, which is better)! Did I say album?! Ermm.. Yeah, well it is a free LP, and most of the time where I could find this musical jewel, it was always considered as a mixtape, so I put it in here, i don't care. It's just fukin dope. Some will say : "since 95', not much has evolve or what?" and some others will say "well, thats' what I call Hiphop!" Im from the second group, and no doubt most of youb guys will agree with that. Flow, beats and Rhymes. Far away from the trap music, real consistance in here, real passion can be felt, real music is being done. Much props to him, and watch out for the vinyle which should be released quite soon! BUY THE MIXTAPE
4. FASHAWN & THE ALCHEMIST - Fash- ionably
ALC is one of the best Producer the game ever had. Since his productions for Mobb deep, to his own albums, collaborations, Oh no, or the Step Brothers : he always had his style evolving with time, as an artist. And it never sounded wack. At the end of 2014, he delivered to us some dope beats with the underground resepcted rapper, Fashwan. Boom, it worked very well. Even if tracks like "Dreams are not the type of tracks which would drag my attention at first (cause to slow, too kind, at first), actually it's finally been played in my car a lot of times! Which is a sign. If I play a record a lot while driving, it means a lot... The beat is solid, very solid, Fashawn klick it as usual, that is to say, very well. And bonus : we have Evidence on it. Evidence who keeps showing he's one of the best rapper in the game. By the way, ALC does the beats only, he's not the best rapper ever, clearly (he's not bad tho), and the whole tape is dope (Pope for the president is a banger). It's free, why not cop that? DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE
5.TROY AVE - BSB Vol.4
Troy Ave Presents - BSB Vol. 4 (Full Mixtape/Album) Troy Ave is aa MC, you better have an eye on it. According to me, he's one of the best NY's value as up today. Flow, Rhymes, videos, beats, everything is good. The album "New York city" is a must have for any fan of thug rap, for any fan of this 96' area. This mixtape released this year, just make you xant to cop all the other tapes (and I did), check out the new videos, the new feats (and, the ones with Prodigy are always dope, for info). It is what I'd call "proper NY rap", and I'm just looking forward to his next release really. To play it loud, either in my car, neither with my crew chillon out... NY rap, real NY rap, still lives. DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE
Well, that's about it. Quite a few bangers, we had other dope tapes, such as the one from Curren$y, Slaghterhouse was good too, and in another type of rap, Lil Herb did kill it to me. 2014 was a good year for HipHop, we can feel it's still alive and getting back the strength it used to be... Let's hope HipHop will work out more and get back to the quality it used to have back in the days, so far, we can expect so...!
- BECRI
