bamawhew:15. Loaded Lux
Mac Miller – “Red Dot Music”
Watching Movies With The Sound Off
Despite Loaded Lux‘ futile attempts to break into mainstream rap via Atlantic Records, his place in rap folklore has been cemented thanks to a skillful dismantling of highly praised battle rapper Calico. The infamous “you gon’ get this work” line, along with the other hard-hitting verses Lux delivered to a packed house at Webster Hall in New York led to Jay-Z mentioning his lyrics, and Kendrick Lamar tweeting he felt Loaded had a “much higher calling” other than battle rap. That being said, Mac Miller decided to invite the Harlem legend to Watching Movies With The Sound Off to provide some insight on Mac’s transition from kid rapper to Billboard 200 contender. From the un-imitable flow to his crispy clean delivery, Loaded Lux definitely made one of 2013′s better guest appearances.
14. T.I.
Trinidad James – “All Gold Everything (RMX)”
Don’t Be S.A.F.E.
Fresh off releasing his critically-acclaimed Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head album in December of 2012, T.I. began 2013 on a rampage, specifically, his verse on the remix to Trinidad James‘ breakout single, “All Gold Everything”. Soon after signing to Def Jam, James’ street-heater got an upgrade from two of Atlanta’s best and brightest, making for one very entertaining mp3. Despite 2 Chainz proudly proclaiming that on the cover of our 2012 Man Of The Year issue, he wore a fox, rather than previous trendsetters going for fox tails, we went with Tip at number fourteen, because the flow is just undeniable.
13. Kendrick Lamar
Bridget Kelly – “Street Dreamin’”
If you thought K.Dot was killin’ sh*t last year, just wait until this year is over. We would’ve witnessed one of the most drastic guest verse runs in recent rap history. Considering the meteoric rise of J. Cole, Drake, 2 Chainz & Andre 3000‘s tactful appearances, that will make for quite a feat. On the most unlikely stage, Kendrick lays down one of the illest verses in recent memory, which you pretty much knew was going to happen once he opened with, “take a trip with the narcoleptic”. Which does happen for the next 90 seconds or so.
12. Action Bronson
Mac Miller – “Red Dot Music”
Watching Movies With The Sound Off
In a very rare occasion, two artists from the very same song make this list, but deservedly so. While Loaded Lux closed out this Alchemist-produced cut with his strategically assembled bars, Mac Miller found himself trading bars with one of the most cutthroat emcees in the game. Mixing his eclectic choice of fine foods and tasteful arrogance, Action conveys a persona and ego literally as big as he actually is, and on the loud, echoing Alchemist snares, he could do no wrong.
11. Common
Big Sean – “Switch Up”
(G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam)
Despite Big Sean‘s album getting pushed back annoyingly often–Hall Of Fame: Memoirs Of A Detroit Player was originally supposed to be out 4th quarter 2012, then spring 2013–we’ve gotten no shortage of music from one of the original G.O.O.D. Music signees. On a song originally thought to be for the album, “Switch Up”, we find Sean linking up with his veteran labelmate over a vicious Million $ Mano instrumental. In all of Com’s peaceful nature, which helped make Be one of the great rap albums of the past decade, he showcases his seasoned ego, proclaiming “might even let her meet ‘Ye, might even let her meet Sean, might even let her meet Push, she’ll never meet my moms”, keeping up with the roller coaster instrumental.
10. Mac Miller
Ab-Soul – “The End Is Near”
(TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Mac‘s had a better two years than most rappers out there, and he’s still not even signed. The Rostrum Records capo has officially hit the 100,000 first-week mark of his first two albums, which is a feat any major label artist would be proud of, let alone a young kid from Pittsburgh shunning the entire mainstream industry. To add to that, his skills on the mic have grown exponentially, and he shows that off on an Ab-Soul song that will unfortunately not find its home on an official album, but is great nonetheless. After Soul passes the mic to young Mac, while most might expect lesser lyrical potency, Mac just kept his foot on the neck of the instrumental.
Oh, and Mac Miller Larry Fisherman produced it. Win-win.
9. King Chip
Kid Cudi – “Brothers”
Indicud
(Wicked Awesome/Republic)
In a move that shocked most of the industry, Kid Cudi removed himself from the G.O.O.D. Music roster shortly before releasing his 3rd solo effort, Indicud, but that didn’t stop him from keeping up with his old habits. King Chip, previously known as Chip Tha Ripper, a longtime Kid Cudi collaborator, laced his brethren with one of the more underrated, but memorable verses of the year. Alongside two very potent artists (Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky), Chip went the introspective route, opening with “If my niggas don’t fuck with you, I don’t fuck with you/That’s just a code in my hood, don’t let these guns hit you”, and never looked back.
8. Juicy J
Curren$y – “Three 60″
New Jet City
(Jet Life Recordings/Warner)
Juicy J is an enigma. After being in the game for twenty years, you’d think that even someone as energetic and relentless as the former Three 6 Mafia frontman would run out of breath. You’d be wrong. The Oscar award-winning rapper (yes, you read that right), has worked with everyone from Justin Timberlake to Mac Miller, and on this occasion, there’s no denying him. Tangoing with the Cardo instrumental in unorthodox ease, Juicy J delivers one of the better verses of the latter half of his career, stealing the show away from Curren$y‘s critically-acclaimed nonchalance. If there were ever a verse that simply made a song, this should be on that list.
7. Jay-Z
Kendrick Lamar – “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (RMX)”
good kid, m.A.A.d. city
(TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
When Jay-Z gets on your song, its a big deal. Especially considering the only collaborations he’s recently done have been for artists on his label, or artists’ he has a personal relationship with, a la J. Cole, Kanye West and Justin Timberlake. That being said, when Hov reaches out across the country to hop on a song that hasn’t even been designated as a single yet, pump your chest. You did it, kid. We’re sure that’s the spiel Punch or Top Dawg gave Kendrick Lamar when they secured the Roc Nation boss’ guest verse for the remix to K-Dot’s hit GKMC cut, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”. Whether or not Jay-Z or Kendrick Lamar escaped the occasion alive is a debate we’ll leave for you to engage in, but no one will be mad at Jay’s focused staccato flow on this one. Not even Kendrick.
6. Lupe Fiasco
MMG – “Poor Decisions”
Self Made 3
(MMG/Atlantic)
We’ve all watched the transformation of Lupe Fiasco‘s career over the years, and whether you find it to be beneficial to the genre, or detrimental to his legacy, I’m sure we can all agree that one thing is still intact. His lyrics. Whether we refer to his classic Food & Liquor album, the rushed and corporately influenced Lasers, or the social commentary-heavy Food & Liquor 2, there’s no shortage of lyrical potency in any of Lupe’s projects. These talents are adequately showcased on one of Self Made 3′s lead singles, as Lupe raps about the unfortunate effect consumerism has on inner city youth. Right up his alley, right? It shows.
5. Big K.R.I.T.
A$AP Rocky – “1 Train”
Long.Live.A$AP
(A$AP Worldwide/RCA)
Big K.R.I.T. could possibly be one of the best lyricists to come out of the south in quite some time. Whether or not you agree, his discography, despite Live From The Underground‘s sales troubles, are rivaled by very few, which doesn’t even begin to speak to his talent on the microphone. Closing out one of 2013′s more thorough posse cuts, K.R.I.T. took the opportunity to remind those that slacked on him that he’s one of the best doing it, and after impressive performances by Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Danny Brown, Action Bronson and Yelawolf, Krizzle prevails.
4. J. Cole
Bas – “Lit”
Quarter Water Raised Me, Vol. II
(Dreamville)
If this verse doesn’t touch you in some way, shape, or form, you should’ve been an extra in World War Z. Taking the opportunity to support his talented artist Bas, J. Cole paints a picture of pain, resilience and eventually, success over one of 2013′s most soulful tracks, after playfully toying with the listener over which interlude would best fit the song. While Born Sinner was clearly a more conceptual project than we’re used to hearing from Cole, on “Lit”, he flexed a little more than usual, allowing himself to delve into revelations we hadn’t previously heard from the Roc Nation prince.
“Cole, umm world don’t you forget that
I think I lost my mind ’round the same time I lost my six-pack
But, no sit-ups for me
Long as my d*ck still get up for me
Long as the hoes still give up for me
She usually charge but she get us for free, woah.”
3. ScHoolboy Q
A$AP Ferg – “Work (RMX)”
Trap Lord
(A$AP Worldwide/RCA)
One of the biggest co-headlines of A$AP Rocky‘s burst onto the scene in 2011, was the accompaniment of his musical collective, A$AP Mob. At the time, Rocky was consistently promoting the unlikely scenario that one by one, members of the Mob would break-out into the real of relevancy in their own rights, making each artist individually as strong as the sum of the parts. While Rocky has already debuted number one on Billboard, his prophecy is slowly coming to life, as next up out of his camp is A$AP Ferg, a high-pitched, slick talking playboy, bent on bringing to the scene as much energy as his cornrow-clad predecessor. For the remix to his lead single, Ferg recruited one rather hungry ScHoolboy Q, who is as focused on building the buzz for his debut album, Oxymoron, as Ferg is for Trap Lord, and with a few flicks of the pen, rap’s favorite Hoover Crip gave 2013 one of its proudest, vicious moments on the mic.
2. Drake
Migos – “Versace (RMX)”
Young Rich N*ggas
Drake‘s dropping in September. If you remember what happened the last time Drake was about to drop, he took over the internet, releasing four songs, all of which garnered more buzz than the material of artists with multi-million dollar marketing plans. The songs Drizzy put out were free. Take Care eventually went double-platinum, and that’s just in the U.S. Following a similar blueprint, exactly 6 days ago Drake dropped four free songs, and while not all of them were his, they all featured superb contributions from him, and the remix to buzzing Atlanta group Migos‘ single “Versace” was one of them. Utilizing a head-spinning flow that we’d previously never heard from Aubrey, Drake puts more fear in the hearts of his competitors, landing him at numero dos.
1. Kendrick Lamar
ScHoolboy Q – “Collard Greens”
Oxymoron
(TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Let’s be honest, you know K-Dot was going to take the number one spot, the only question was for which song? I’ll keep this short. Oxymoron‘s lead single finds everyone’s favorite rapper rapping in Spanish, effectively using his human gun ad-libs, and delivering potent bars in both his aggressive trademark and sing-songy personas. Need we say more?
http://thesource.com/2013/06/28/the-sou ... -thus-far/
