The Best of Underground Hip-Hop

I'm a Senior in college, and known by my peers as the go to "intellectual authority for everything hip-hop". I post and review the best songs hip-hop has to offer, old and new. Most will be in the “underground” genre, considering that’s where the vast majority of hip-hop's true art resides these days. I update my tumblr daily with new music. I also occasionally post mashups I've put together and poetry I'm working on. I'm currently living in Toledo, Ohio...in case you were wondering. _______________ My Favorites: . Hip-Hop Artist: . Masta Ace .

Hip-Hop Group: CunninLynguists

Favorite Band: Modest Mouse

Saigon – Too Long (ft. Black Thought)

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Saigon - Too Long (ft. Black Thought)

This is my favorite song off of Saigon’s album The Greatest Story Never Told. This is a very intelligent collection of songs, with more than enough philosophy and hood knowledge to keep your mind thinking each time you give it a listen. I really enjoyed keeping this song on repeat for a long time when it first came out. I also rated this the 10th best song of 2011 for my “30 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2011” list.

“When you feel like your life is getting stagnated, and you know it’s time for a change”

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My Song Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Played 259 times.

My 11 Favorite Indie Rock Songs of 2011

Yes, in addition to religiously listening to copious amounts of hip-hop, I also listen to a TON of indie rock. I absolutely love it. These are my top 11 songs of 2011, and if you haven’t checked out my list of The 30 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2011 I highly recommend you do.

1) Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

I can’t praise this song enough. Honestly one of the most profound pieces of music I’ve ever known. As a Jewish/Atheist this is exactly how my mind comprehends the world. It speaks to me on a level so deep it sometimes makes me feel like tearing up. If you don’t put blind faith in a god and instead accept the stark reality that humanity knows absolutely nothing about our purpose in the universe, you can feel pretty helpless in the face of the overwhelming unknown…but we still march on in the name of humanity…quietly keeping our helplessness blues to ourselves. Longing for a predefined purpose, such as tending our orchard.

2) Lana Del Rey – Video Games

Keep an eye on Lana Del Rey. I expect 2012 is going to be HUGE for her, and you’ll be hearing a lot more about her as time goes on.

3) The Wooden Sky - Child of the Valley

I randomly came across this band a few months ago, and I’m extremely glad I did. They are absolutely incredible. They have such profound/beautiful/earthly music…I can’t get enough of it. Their 2011 EP “City of Light” is outstanding as well. I highly recommend it.

4) Bon Iver – Holocene

Bon Iver really surprised me with his 2011 self titled album. I didn’t realize how amazing his music truly could get. He definitely far exceeded all of my previous expectations. This song is extremely epic. Boasting vague yet extremely deep lyrics to be left up to interpretation, a sexy background guitar, and Bon Iver’s warm haunting vocals dragging you deep into his world.

5) Adele vs Gnarles Barkley - Crazy in the Deep

Truthfully I love Adele’s original, but something magical happened when it was mixed with the Danger Mouse’s legendary instrumental. I’ve probably played this an unhealthy amount of times.

6) jj – New Work

Even though jj’s “Kills” mixtape wasn’t as great as I had hoped, it still had a few really solid songs. This one being my favorite. Her voice is just so damn angelic.

7) Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Problem Queen (ft. Norah Jones)

I really enjoyed the entire album “Rome”. It is a beautiful work of art. Danger Mouse definitely knows what he’s doing, which is why he is one of my favorite producers. This is my favorite song off of the album.

8) Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks

Even though it was technically released in late 2010 as a single, their debut album didn’t come out until May 2011, and I must say, it is one hell of a album. “Torches” is easily one of my favorite albums of 2011.

9) The Decemberists – Down By The Water

When harmonica is used perfectly with the harmonious vocals of a male and female singer, it gets me ever time (hence why I love Neil Young’s song Heart of Gold so much). Simply put, it’s an extremely well put together piece of music that I still haven’t grown tired of.

10) The Wooden Sky - City of Light/Dancing at My Window (Reprise)

This 6 minute 30 second piece of soulful art is pretty damn amazing. It has more than enough personality and intelligent lyrics to go around. The first time I heard it, I couldn’t stop saying to myself, “holy shit this is good!”

11) My Morning Jacket – Circuital

From their album also named “Circuital”. Just keep in mind everything is connected…

Hip-Hop Fights Back: The 30 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2011

1) Tyler, The Creator – Yonkers

Yes, it’s true he’s a punk who probably deserves to get his ass kicked, but he put together one of the grittiest/darkest/rawest/most profound pieces of music ever created. This is the epitome hip-hop’s darker side, no argument.

2) Joell Ortiz - Night Train (ft. Novel, Bun B, & Tech N9ne) (Remix)

I’m not sure how this song is so damn amazing and still extremely lowkey. Some beautiful shit. Everyone on this track does an outstanding job, and the listener get’s a more personal perception of each artist.

3) The Roots - Make My (ft. Big K.R.I.T. & Dice Raw)

Definitely the best song off their outstanding album Undun. It’s my new favorite track by The Roots.

4) e-dubble – Hard Bargain

I’ve been following e-dubble for a pretty long time. He’s definitely going places, regardless of how underground he remains. He mixes/produces his own music and has a real badass flow with intelligent lyrics. Keep an eye on this guy, one day he’ll be big.

5) Jay-Z and Kanye West – Niggas In Paris

Honestly, not much to say about this. It’s a really amazing track. If only the rest of Watch The Throne could have been this good…

6) Nikki Jean – Million Star Motel (ft. Lupe and Black Thought)

Even though I was kind of disappointed with Nikki Jean’s debut album Pennies In a Jar there was still one song that definitely stood out, which is this gem.

7) Slain – Can’t Go Home

Slain has been through more shit in life than most hip-hop artists, and he beautifully depicts the negative emotions and perceptions he’s grown accustomed to in this haunting song. If you’ve never felt completely helpless with no place to turn to, you wont fully appreciate the emotional magnitude of this song. It sends shivers down my spine.

8) B.o.B – New York New York

I have a love hate relationship with B.o.B. It seems that when he isn’t making disappointing sell out songs, he’s making classics. I deemed his song The Biz the 2nd best song of the year for my 2010 list. He’s managed to make my list again, and once again it’s his distinctive mixtape material.

9) Shaun Boothe - Poor Boy (Stylust Remix Mashup)

You might say, “Wait a second, didn’t he release the original song in late 2009?” Well yes, but I feel in instances where a song is completely reinvented and has a completely different feel and aura, it’s essentially a completely different musical entity than its original counterpart. It can’t be any truer for this song. The original was decent, but this dirty dubstep version is absolutely mind blowing. One of the most intense songs to be released this year, with out a doubt.

10) Saigon – Too Long (ft. Black Thought)

I’m still not sure why Saigon’s album The Greatest Story Never Told was slept on the way it was, but it’s a very comprehensive album. When it comes to Ghetto knowledge being spit over a well produced instrumental, Saigon illustrates that he’s one of the best.

11) The Roots – Tip The Scale

12) Common - The Believer (ft. John Legend)

13) Dumbfoundead - Run Home

14) Apathy - I Remember (Thomax Remix)

15) Lupe Fiasco – Words I Never Said

16) Mexicans with Guns – Highway to Hell (ft. Freddie Gibbs & Bun B)

17) Slain – 99 Bottles

18) Kendric Lamar – Ronald Reagan Era

19) Dumbfoundead - Cell Phone (ft. Breezy Lovejoy & Wax)

20) Clinton Sparks - Favorite DJ (ft. Jim Jones, Bun B & Game) (Green Lantern Remix)

21) B.o.B - Beast Break (DOSVEC Remix Mashup)

22) A-Trak - Ray Ban Vision (Remix) (ft. Danny Brown, Donnis, Pill, & CyHi Da Prynce)

23)e-dubble - Robots Can’t Drink

24)Lupe Fiasco - Til I Get There

25) Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown - Mackey’s Lament

26) Asher Roth - Not Meant 2 Be (ft. Nathan Santos)

27) Talib Kweli - Cold Rain

28) Hopsin – Ill Mind Of Hopsin 4

29) Has-Lo – Fiber Optics

30) One Be Lo – Pigs (ft. Mike Posner)