Leto 2023 si bomo zapomnili predvsem po tem, da je Hiphop praznoval petdeseto obletnico in je vse minilo v tem duhu. Spominjali smo se veteranov, ki so končno dobili svoj prostor pod raperskim soncem, pomnili stvaritve in osebe, ki smo jih že davno pozabili in ugotovili kako je, če mesto New York in Amerika vržeta vrečo denarja med raperje. Biti prebivalec New Yorka v letu 2023 je bilo neverjetno. Vsakodnevni koncerti legend v parku, srečanja z legendami zastonj, obujanje spominov, itd. Prebujale in "od smrti" vstajale so legende, DJ Kool Herc je bil sprejet v Rock'n'rollovo hišo slavnih, čeprav sploh ni posnel nobenega albuma.



Še bolj ga bomo pomnili po tem, da je bilo to najbolj "shitty" leto za hiphop od njegovih začetkov naprej. Medtem, ko so trenutno najimenitnejši aktivni raperji z izjemno ekipe iz Backwoodz Studioza in Dannyja Browna, bolj kot ne počivali, hiphop na svet ni spravil kaj prida stvari, ki jih bomo pomnili čez leta? Vsekakor najslabše leto mojega spremljanja hiphopa. Veterani od sebe - razen solidne plate Kool Keitha z Real Bad Manom in AZ-ja z Buckwildo - niso spravili kaj dosti in so bolj slavili 50. obletnico in nabijali cene za svoje nastope.



Še hujše je bilo stanje na lestvicah, kjer zadnje desetletje hiphop močno dominiral in tedni, ko raperske plate niso bile na vrhovih lestvic prodaje albumov ali komada, so bili redki. A stvar se je s koncem "trapa" in usihanja "drilla" močno spremenila. Do izida albuma Lil Uzi Verta sredi leta, hiphop prvič v zadnjih 30. letih ni imel niti enega singla ali plošče na prvem mestu ameriških lestvic, tudi nasploh je hype za komercialni rap izginjal, kar se pozna tudi pri raperskem letu in mainstream albumih. Ta je praktično obupen. So pa zato raperji še vedno delali traparije, odhajali v zapore in prihajali izven njih, čakali na sojenja.



Pomembni trendi, ki so se zgodili oz. obstali so nadaljevanje povratka tako imenovanih MC/DJ plošč, (Woods/Segal, Earl/Alchemist, June/Alchemist, Beneficence/Spastik, Worthy/Marci, Sharif/Steel Tipped Dove, DZA/Fly Lo, Danger Mouse/Jemini, neuradna izdaja Stove God Cook$/Marci, razvijanje estetike podtalnega lo-fi sounda Marcianove šole, usihanje trapa, pozno prepoznavanje najzanimivejših raperjev s strani "mainstream" in "poznavalskih" multižanrskih medijev ter očitno ugašanje Premierjeve serialke "So Wassup", v zadnjih dveh letih daleč najzanimivejše konsistentne raperske YouTube vsebine.



:::playlista:::



1.) NICHOLAS CRAVEN & BOLDY JAMES: No Pun Intended, beat: Nicholas Craven

2.) DPOMMY: Open Letter (feat. K9SHMERE), beat: dp0mmy

3.) BENNY THE BUTCHER: Big Dog (feat. LIL WAYNE), beat: The Alchemist 

4.) BABY KEEM & KENDRICK LAMAR: The Hillbillies, beat: Evilgiane (pgLang, Columbia, Sony)

5.) DANGER MOUSE & JEMINI THE GIFTED ONE: Brooklyn Bazquiat, beat: Danger Mouse 

6.) McKINLEY DIXON: Sun, I Rise (feat. ANGELICA GARCIA), beat: McKinley Dixon & Sam Koff

7.) THAT MEXICAN OT: Johnny Dang (feat. PAUL WALL & DRODI), beat: TobiAli

8.) EARL SWEATSHIRT: Making The Band (Danity Kane), beat: EVILGIANE & Clams Casino

9.) PHIIK & LUNGS: Don Quixote, beat: LoneSword

10.) ROYAL FLUSH & SEAN PRICE: B.O.B. (feat. CASSIDY), beat: Little Vic

11.) SMOKE DZA & FLYING LOTUS: Drug Trade (feat. BLACK THOUGHT), beat: Flying Lotus

12.) RXKNEPHEW & HARRY FRAUD: All Gone (feat. Z MONEY), beat: Harry Fraud

13.) STOVE GOD COOK$: Cocaine on my Sweatshirt (feat. EARL SWEATSHIRT), beat: Roc Marciano

14.) SWIZZ BEATZ: Take 'em Out (feat. JADAKISS, BENNY THE BUTCHER & SCARLIP, beat: Swizz Beatz

23. albumov, ki jih morate slišati v letu 2023

 

1. BLOCKHEAD: Aux (Backwoodz Studioz)

2. BILLY WOODS & KENNY SEGAL: Maps (Backwoodz Studioz)

3. DANNY BROWN: Quaranta (Warp Records)

4. NONAME: Sundial (Noname, AWOL Recordings)

5. ARMAND HAMMER: We Buy Diabetic Test Strips (Fat Possum)

6. EL MICHELS AFFAIR & BLACK THOUGHT: Glorious Game (Big Crown Records)

7. PHIIK & LUNGS: Another Planet 4 (Tase Grip/Break All Records)

8. EARL SWEATSHIRT & THE ALCHEMIST: Voir Dire (Tan Cressida, ALC, Warner)

9. FATBOI SHARIF & STEEL TIPPED DOVE: Decay (Backwoodz Studioz)

10. DJ MUGGS: Soul Assassins 3: Death Valley (Soul Assassins Records)

11. McKINLEY DIXON: Beloved! Paradise! Jazz! (City Slang)

12. AESOP ROCK: Integrated Tech Solutions (RhymeSayers Entertainment)

13. CHARLIE SMARTS & DJ ILL DIGITZ: Charlietape (M.E.C.C.A. Records/Fat Beats)

14. LARRY JUNE & THE ALCHEMIST: The Great Escape (Freeminded, ALC, Empire)

15. OPEN MIKE EAGLE: Another Triumph of Ghetto Engineering (Auto Reverse)

16. MICK JENKINS: Patience (RBC Records, BMG Rights)

17. JAY WORTHY: Nothing Bigger Than The Program (GDP Records, Marci Enterprises, Empire)

18. CONWAY THE MACHINE: Won't He Do It (Drumwork Music Group, Empire)

19. MIKE, WIKI & THE ALCHEMIST: Faith Is a Rock (ALC)

20. WIKI & TONY SELTZER: 14k Figaro (Wikset Enterprise)

21. MAXO: Debbie's Son (Smileforme)

22. BENEFICENCE & JAZZ SPASTIKS: Summer Night Sessions (Ill Adrenaline Records)

23. MIKE: Burning Desire (10k)



Za vse rap geeke, še 23 »honorable mention« albumov: APOLLO BROWN & PLANET ASIA: Sardines, AZ & BUCKWILD: Truth Be Told, B. COOL AID: Leather Blvd, CHE NOIR & BIG GHOST LTD: Noir or Never, COUNT BASS D: Walter Dwight, DANGER MOUSE & JEMINI THE GIFTED ONE: Born Again, DOMO GENESIS & GRAYMATTER: What You Don't Get!, DPOMMY: Pommon Sense, ESTEE NACK: Nacksaw Jim Duggan, FATBOI SHARIF & ROPER WILLIAMS: Planet Unfaithful, ICECOLDBISHOP: Generational Curse, KOOL KEITH & REAL BAD MAN: Serpent, MAXO: Even God Has a Sense of Humor, NAPPY NINA: Mourning Due, NAVY BLUE: Ways of Knowing, RAY WEST: Macaroni Ray, ROME STREETZ & REAL BAD MAN: Wasn't Built In A Day, RXKNEPHEW & HARRY FRAUD: Life After Neph, SKECH185 & JEFF MARKEY: He Left Nothing for the Swim Back, STATIK SELEKTAH: Round Trip, STIK FIGA & THE EXPERT: Ritual, VEEZE: Ganger, YUNGMORPHEUS: From Whence Conditions



23. komadov, ki jih morat slišati za leto 23.

ARMAND HAMMER: The Flexible Unrealiability of Time & Memory, BENNY THE BUTCHER: Big Dog (feat. LIL WAYNE), BILLY WOODS & KENNY SEGAL: Year Zero (feat. DANNY BROWN), BLOCKHEAD: The Cella Dwellas Knew (feat. QUELLE CHRIS), DANNY BROWN: Dark Sword Angel, DJ MUGGS: Jokers Wild (feat. CEE-LO GREEN), EARL SWEATSHIRT & THE ALCHEMIST: 27 Braids, EL MICHELS AFFAIR & BLACK THOUGHT: I'm Still Somehow, FATBOI SHARIF & STEEL TIPPED DOVE: Brandon Lee, GUNNA: fukumean, KILLER MIKE: Scientist & Engineers (feat. ANDRE 3000, FUTURE & ERYN ALLEN KANE), MAXO: 48 (feat. PINK SIIFU), MIKE: Mussel Beach (feat. EL COUSTEAU and NIONTAY), NAS: Office Hours (feat. 50 CENT), NICHOLAS CRAVEN & BOLDY JAMES: No Pun Intended, NONAME: Namesake, ROYAL FLUSH & SEAN PRICE: B.O.B. (feat. CASSIDY), SMOKE DZA & FLYING LOTUS: Drug Trade (feat. BLACK THOUGHT), STATIK SELEKTAH: Round Trip (For Dave) (feat. POSDNUOS), THAT MEXICAN OT: Johnny Dang (feat. PAUL WALL & DRODI), THE ALCHEMIST: RIP Tracy (feat. EARL SWEATSHIRT & BILLY WOODS), TYLER, THE CREATOR: Sorry Not Sorry, WIKI, MIKE & THE ALCHEMIST: Mayor's a Cop + uradno neizdana STOVE GOD COOK$: Cocaine On My Sweatshirt (feat. EARL SWEATSHIRT).



10 najboljših albumov, ki jih verjetno niste slišali: HOODLUM: Southside Story, PHIIK & LUNGS: Another Planet 4, CHARLIE SMARTS & DJ ILL DIGITZ: Charlietape, BENEFICENCE & JAZZ SPASTIKS: Summer Night Sessions, DP0MMY: Pommon Sense, RAY WEST: Macaroni Ray, SKECH185 & JEFF MARKEY: He Left Nothing for The Swim Back, COUNT BASS D: Walter Dwight, SHABAZZ PALACES: Robbed in Rearness, NEAK: Die Wurzel



10 najboljših EP-jev: 1. THE ALCHEMIST: Flying High Ep (ALC), 2. FATBOI SHARIF x ROPER WILLIAMS: Planet Unfaithful Ep (POW Recordings), 3. SWIZZ BEATZ: Hip Hop 50, Vol. 2 (Mass Appeal) 4. SMOKE DZA & FLYING LOTUS: Flying Objects Ep, 5. CHUCK STRANGERS: The Boys & The Girls Ep (Lex Records), 6. THE ALCHEMIST: Flying High 2 Ep (ALC), 7. TREE & VIC SPENCER: Something Is Not Ep (Soul Trap), 8. ROYAL FLUSH & SEAN PRICE: Royal Price Show Ep (Digital Vintage), 9. DAVE & CENTRAL CEE: Split Decision (Neighborhood, Live Yours), 10. BOLDY JAMES & CHANHAYS: Prisoner of Circumstance  Ep (Droppin Science Productions/Boldy James),



10 najboljših kitic leta:



1. MIKE: Mussel Beach (feat. EL COUSTEAU & NIONTAY), kitica 2 (Niontay)

2. KILLER MIKE: Scientists & Engineers (feat. ANDRE 3000, FUTURE & ERYN ALLEN KANE), kitica 1 (Andre 3000)

3. NONAME: Balloons (feat. JAY ELECTRONICA), kitica 3 (Jay Electronica)

4. TYLER, THE CREATOR: Sorry, Not Sorry, kitica 1 (Tyler, the Creator)

5. SWIZZ BEATS: Take 'Em Out (feat. JADAKISS, BENNY THE BUTCHER & SCAR LIP), kitica 1 (Jadakiss)

6. BENNY THE BUTCHER: Big Dog (feat. LIL WAYNE), kitice 2 (Lil Wayne)

7. NAS: Office Hours (feat. 50 Cent), kitica 1 (Nas)

8. CONWAY THE MACHINE: Won't He Do It (feat. 7XVETHEGENIUS), kitica 2 (7xvethegenius)

9. BEYONCE: America Has a Problem (feat. KENDRICK LAMAR), kitica 1 (Kendrick Lamar)

10. NONAME: Balloons (feat. JAY ELECTRONICA), kitica 2 (Noname)



5 najboljših producentskih albumov: 1. BLOCKHEAD: Aux, 2. DJ MUGGS: Soul Assassins 3: Death Valley (Soul Assassins Records), 3. RAY WEST: Macaroni Ray (Red Apples, Fat Beats), 4. NAPPYHIGH: Menace (Old Soul Music), 5. WINO WILLY: Wino from Another Planet (Grilchy Party)



5 najboljših major label/mainstream albumov: 1. 2 CHAINZ & LIL WAYNE: Welcome 2 Collegrove (Gamebread, Def Jam Recordings), 2. VEEZE: Ganger (Navy Wavy, Warner), 3. GUNNA: A Gift & A Curse (Young Stoner Records, 300 Entertainment), 4. 03 GREEDO & MIKE FREE: Free 03 (Alamo, Sony), 5. RICK ROSS & MEEK MILL: Too Good To Be True (Maybach Music Group, gamma.)



5 najboljših založb leta: 1. BACKWOODZ STUDIOZ,  2. LEX RECORDS, 3. MELLO MUSIC GROUP, 4. DEF JAM RECORDINGS, 5. GRISELDA



Jizina peterka raperjev, ki najbolj obetajo: ICECOLDBISHOP, NIONTAY, RXKNEPHEW, SIDESHOW, YUNGMORPHEUS

Veteran leta: AZ

Najboljša že zdavnaj posneta plošča, ki je končno izšla: DANGER MOUSE & JEMINI THE GIFTED ONE: Born Again (Lex Records)

Najboljša trap plata: SPARK MASTER TAPE: The Sale of a Soul (Paper Platoon)

Najboljša kompilacija: HIGH BIAS (Backwoodz Studioz)

Najboljši soundtrack: CREED III: THE SOUNDTRACK (Dreamville)

Producent leta: THE ALCHEMIST

MC leta: BILLY WOODS

MC-jka leta: NONAME

Preboj leta: ICECOLDBISHOP

Presenečenje leta: PHIIK & LUNGS: Another Planet 4

Upokojitev leta: STYLES P (čakamo dan, ko se bo premislil)

Smrt leta: TRUGOY THE DOVE aka DAVE (De La Soul) R.I.P.

Povratek leta: DANNY BROWN

Dogodek leta: 50 let hiphopa

YouTube leta: NPR koncert SCARFACA

Smešnjak leta: BRUISER WOLF

Pain in the ass leta: DRAKE

Buča leta: DA BO SNOOP DOGG NEHAL POHAT

Smešnica leta: Razred Freshmenov XXL-a

Nateg leta: ANDRE 3000

Podatek leta: dobili smo vzrok smrti MF DOOMA. Umrl je zaradi stanja imenovanega Angioedem, ki je redka reakcija pri zdravilu za krvni trak.

5 največjih razočaranj leta: 1. KILLER MIKE: Michael, 2. BUSTA RHYMES: Blockbusta, 3. ZOMBIE JUICE: Love Without Conditions, 4. ILL BILL: Billy, 5. MEECHY DARKO: Doses



5 najbolj precenjenih albumov leta: JPEGMAFIA & DANNY BROWN: Scaring the Hoes (Peggy), TRAVIS SCOTT: Utopia (Cactus Jack, Epic, Sony), SEXYY RED: Hood Hottest Princess (Open Shift, gamma.), KILLER MIKE: Michael (VLNS), DRAKE: For all the Dogs (OVO, Republic Records, UMG)

Polom leta: BUSTA RHYMES: Blockbusta



Najboljša slišana plošča v letu 2023 pa ni Aux, temveč je STOVE GOD COOK$ov "If This Kitchen Walls Could Talk", ki pa uradno še ni izšla (pa tudi nihče je očitno ni kupil za milijon dolarjev).