HipHopSite.com Best and Worst List of 2005

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THE 2005 / 7TH ANNUAL HIPHOPSITE.COM BEST AND WORST LIST
By Pizzo, Andreas Hale, & Matt Conaway

It all comes down to this! We'll admit, this was kind of a bad year for hip-hop. There weren't very many great releases, which kinds of led to a slimmed down version of this usually bigger list. However the good stuff was really good, so we guess it kind of evens out. This is just our humble list of opinions - not meant to be taken as scripture, but we definitely recommend at least checking everything on here out before dissing us for picking it. Let's begin.

THE TEN BEST MAJOR LABEL LP'S OF THE YEAR

1. Common - "Be" - Geffen
2. Game - "The Documentary" - Interscope
3. Kanye West - "Late Registration" - Roc-A-Fella
4. Little Brother - "The Minstrel Show" - Atlantic
5. Fort Minor - "The Rising Tied" - Warner
6. 50 Cent - "The Massacre" - Interscope
7. Paul Wall - "The People's Champ" - Atlantic
8. T.I. - "Urban Legend" - Atlantic
9. DJ Z-Trip - "Shifting Gears" - Hollywood
10. Young Jeezy - "Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101" - Def Jam

Honorable Mentions: Lil Wayne - "The Carter 2", Bun B - "Trill", Slim Thug "Already Platinum", Beanie Sigel - "The B. Coming"

THE TEN BEST INDY LABEL LP'S OF THE YEAR

1. Danger Doom - "The Mouse and The Mask" - Epitaph
2. Cage - "Hell's Winter" - Definitive Jux
3. Edan - "Beauty and The Beat" - Lewis
4. Atmosphere - "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having" / Slug & Murs - "Felt 2: A Tribute To Lisa Bonet" (Tie) - RSE
5. Blueprint - "1988" - RSE
6. Big Pooh - "Sleepers - 6Hole
7. One Be Lo - "S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M." - Fat Beats
8. DJ Muggs & GZA "Grandmasters" - Angeles
9. Blackalicious - "The Craft" - Epitaph
10. Perceptionists - "Black Dialogue" - Definitive Jux

Honorable Mentions: Asamov - "And Now…", Cool Calm Pete - "Lost", Zion I - "True and Livin", Sage Francis - "A Healthy Distrust", Ohmega Whatts "The Find", Supastition - "Chain Letters" The Chapter "Us Vs. Them", AZ "A.W.O.L.", Buckshot / 9th Wonder "Chemistry", Sean Price "Monkey Bars", Quasimoto "The Further Adventures of…", Slum Village "Slum Village"

THE FIVE BEST "HIP-HOP ALTERNATIVES" OF THE YEAR

1. M.I.A. - "Arular" - Universal
2. John Legend - "Get Lifted" - Columbia
3. Gorillaz - "Demon Days" - Capitol
4. Blockhead - "Downtown Science" - Ninja Tune
5. Breakestra - "Hit The Floor" - Ubiquity

Honorable Mentions: Maker "Shooting The Breeze", Herbaliser - "Take London"

THE TEN BEST MAJOR LABEL SINGLES OF THE YEAR

1. Kanye West - "Golddigger" - Roc-A-Fella
2. Common - "The Corner" / "Go" (Tie) - Geffen
3. Missy Elliot - "Lose Control" - Atlantic
4. Game - "Hate It Or Love It" / "Dreams" (Tie) - Interscope
5. 50 Cent - "Candy Shop" / "Just A Little Bit" (Tie) - Interscope
6. Mike Jones - "Still Tippin" - Universal
7. TI - "Bring Em Out" - Atlantic
8. Ying Yang Twins - "Wait" / "Shake" (Tie) - TVT
9. David Banner - "Play" - Universal
10. Young Jeezy feat. Jay-Z - "Go Crazy" - Def Jam

THE TEN BEST "NOT QUITE HIP-HOP" SINGLES OF THE YEAR

1. John Legend - "Ordinary People" - Columbia
2. Gorillaz feat. De La Soul - "Feel Good Inc" - Capitol
3. Damien "Jr. Gong" Marley - "Welcome To Jamrock" - Universal
4. Gwen Stefani - "Hollaback Girl" - Interscope
5. M.I.A. - "Galang" - Universal
6. Amerie - "1 Thing" - Columbia
7. Lady Sovereign - "Hoodie" - Island
8. DJ Z-Trip - "The Walking Dead" - Hollywood
9. Blockhead - "Expiration Date" - Ninja Tune
10. Chris Brown - "Run It" - Jive

THE FIVE WORST SONGS OF THE YEAR

1. D4L - "Laffy Taffy"
2. Black Eyed Peas - "My Humps"
3. Mike Jones - "Flossin"
4. Royce Da 5'9 - "Wet My Whistle"
5. Lil' Kim - "Shut Up Bitch"

THE TOP FIVE MAJOR LABEL MC'S OF THE YEAR

1. Common
Was there any question in your mind? Common went back to basics with "Be", after potentially alienating some of his core fanbase with "Electric Circus" (hey, we liked it). Under production from Kanye West and J. Dilla, Common produced arguably his greatest record yet, touching on a wide variety of topics and exercising several different styles of rhyme. Testify!

2. Phonte (Little Brother)
Phonte Coleman's progress over time has been damn near scary. In just over a couple of years, and now the release of "The Minstrel Show", Phonte catapulted himself to the upper echelon of emcees, with an absolute stellar outing. Combing sharp wit, a solid flow, brutal honesty and great intellect, Phonte is one of the best yet. And don't front on his vocal chops either - all hail Percy Miracles!

3. T.I.
Although we doubted T.I. declaring himself "king of the south", one year later, we have to give him the crown. Able to rock a party, or simply deliver his lines cooler than cool, T.I.'s got the natural swagger and essence of a great emcee, as evidenced on "Urban Legend", not to mention several other show-stealing moments on the P$C record, and wherever else he guest appeared (ahem, Lil Kim). He's the king!

4. The Game
Sure, Game's lost a little hype since his early 2005 debut, thanks to his defection from G-Unit, and people are quick to criticize him for excessive name-dropping in his rhymes, but "The Documentary" proved that his skill cannot be denied. Unlike most rappers out there, Game knows his hip-hop history, frequently referencing classic events and classic records, such as Eazy-E's dinner with the president and "Brenda still throwing babies in the garbage". What you know about that?

5. Beanie Sigel
Though Beans is still a gangsta rapper at heart, with "The B-Coming", it was interesting to hear him shift from the confrontational emcee to a more pensive one, as tracks such as "Look At Me Now" and "Feel It In The Air". Both songs displayed a matured emcee, willing to expose a vulnerability that was previously untapped. It may have taken Beanie a few LP's to get his formula down, but there's no denying he found it here, as even Bean's more commercial friendly material did nothing to lessen his product. He found his zone with Snoop and the Neptunes on "Don't Stop" and continued his amazing chemistry with Jay-Z on "Its On." While Beans LP features a slew of high profile guest shots (Jay-Z, Snoop, Redman, Twista, Bun B) it was his husky growl and venomous lines that solely command your attention throughout.

THE TOP FIVE INDY MC'S OF THE YEAR

1. MF Doom
The decision for top indy emcee these days is pretty much unanimous. Everybody loves MF Doom, with many new people joining the cult fanbase every day. Hilarious rhymes and a one of a kind style set Doom above the rest, proving that you don't need to parade drugs, murder, and your wealth to see success as a hip-hop artist.

2. Cage
Ironically enough, in an interview with this very website, Cage stated that he's not concerned with being on anyone's top emcee lists, just making good music. Nevertheless, after shedding excess weight both physically and lyrically, the true tales told on "Hell's Winter" made for some of the most compelling and interesting lyrical material featured on record this year - and he did it without having to resort to drugs or horrorcore.

3. Ras Kass
If Ras Kass released more material, he'd likely be on this list every year, as there may not be a finer, more technically proficient emcee then John Austin. While his choice in beats, like some of his "Four Horsemen" counterparts has been his Achilles heel, there's no denying he's mastered the craft and is able to flip a variety of styles at ease. Name another emcee as rough, rugged and raw, who can dazzle with phors and punchlines, yet still be edutaining? But there is a virtual laundry list of reasons Ras is not a yearly member of this list; first, thanks to Priority Records he has not released a "proper" solo-LP in over seven years (2001's Van Gogh never hit shelves - although its an E-Bay top seller) and though he has tracks in the can with a virtual who's who list of producers (Dr. Dre included), Ras refused to do anymore business with his now former label. Second, Ras has spent the last few years incarcerated due to DUI charges (Vegas, baby!). Now released, Ras returned in 2005 with Institutionalized, a mixtape/primer effort that picks up where he left off, and proved Game is not the only emcee that can resurrect the Left Coast. While Institutionalized is a bit rough around the edges and contains the usual mixtape filler, it finds Ras doing what he does best, shredding microphones; "Air Em Out" and the ridiculous "Write Where I left Off" (homonyms anyone?). While Ras may not be the most commercially accessible artist (at least not yet), in 2005 he proved that his best is yet too come! But can we get another LP already??

4. Slug
Releasing a total of 3 records this year (although "Se7en's Travels" being old material), Slug got his chance to shine brightly on Atmosphere's "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having" and "Felt 2: A Tribute To Lisa Bonet", with Murs. Master of the "average guy" style of rap, Slug was at his most lyrically physically fit this year, fashioning himself into easily one of the best emcees in the game. Slug - you can find him in the A's in your Ipod.

5. Gift of Gab
Although the response was mixed on Gab's solo outing , "4th Dimmensional Rocketships Going Up", he saw a return to form with Blackalicious' "The Craft". Showing off his amazing lyrical agility, as well as smart, conscious lyrics, Gab was at his best in 2005. With such crazy complexity, people will still be dissecting his verses, as 2006 rolls ahead.

THE TOP FIVE MAINSTREAM PRODUCERS OF THE YEAR

1. Kanye West
There's really no arguing with Kanye as producer of the year, producing arguably three classic records this year with his own "Late Registration", Common's "Be", and John Legend's "Get Lifted", as each record was given at least one perfect rating by virtually all of the mainstream and underground press. Kanye helped bring sampling back to the forefront when he made his debut under Jay-Z's wing a few years back, and has shown steady improvement as his career has progressed. He helped reinvent Common, introduced the world to John Legend, and released one of the best albums this year. He is the best, and he knows it.

2. 9th Wonder
9th Wonder officially put his foot in 2005 with a number of releases. From delivering the acclaimed major label debut from Little Brother, ("The Minstrel Show"), to lending a hand to one of Destiny Child's biggest hits ("Girl"), 9th let it be known that he's got what it takes to hang around in this business for a long time. Add that to reviving the career of the BDI Thug ("Chemistry"), dropping by to aid the flailing Memphis Bleek, and making sure his Justus League cohorts continue to get the finest (LEGACY and Big Pooh), 9th best work has possibly yet to be seen.

3. Just Blaze
While Kanye is busier and more productive, Just Blaze's catalog this year is inferior to no one. The strength of cuts such as Jay-Z's "Dear Summer" cannot be denied and to boot, he may have even produced the best track ("Touch The Sky") on the artist's LP we gave best producer to (Kanye West). One of Just's main strengths lays in his ability to mesh the past with the present, as the Chuck D vocal sample on Fat Joe's "The Incredible" and his EPMD lift on Game's "No More Fun And Games" validates. And from the material we've already heard, we're betting that the work Just puts in on Saigon's official solo-debut ("The Greatest Story Never Told") will keep him firmly entrenched on this list in 2006.

4. Scott Storch
The self-proclaimed "tuff jew" kept his stride this year, with his "so seductive" sounds that helped propel 50's "Candy Shop" and "Just A Little Bit" into two of the biggest club songs of the year. This of course kept Storch as the "go-to-guy" in '05, lending his signature style to several other huge dancefloor packers such as R. Kelly's "Playas Only", Lil' Kim's "Lighters Up", Chamillionaire's "Turn It Up", and Chris Brown's "Run It".

5. Mr. Collipark
Fashioning his new brand of "intimate club music", Collipark (aka DJ Smurf, aka Beat-N-Azz) helped reinvent both Ying Yang Twins ("Wait") and David Banner ("Play"), with a pair of breathy ballads that never failed for deejays in '05. To top it off, he flipped the script by creating wild, unapologetic club-bangers such as Ying Yang's "Shake (Remix)" and Twista's "Hit The Floor", both featuring Pitbull. If Collipark could make Ying Yang and David Banner sound good, imagine what he could have done for O.D.B.

THE TOP FIVE UNDERGROUND PRODUCERS OF THE YEAR

1. DJ Danger Mouse
Not only did Danger Mouse produce the top indy album of the year in Danger Doom, but he showed amazing versatility by picking up Automator's slack on the Gorillaz follow-up, "Demon Days". There's much more the DM than just "The Grey Album", and he showed and proved in 2005. On another note, anyone find it ironic that Capitol, the company the cease-and-desisted him for "The Grey Album", was the same company cutting him checks for Gorillaz. Oh, Irony, you savage beast!

2. El-P
El was quiet during much of 2005, as he was hard at work on Cage's magnum opus, "Hell's Winter". But when the time came for its release, El showed that his production has become even iller, taking it in totally new directions, as he, along with Central Services co-producer Camu-Tao, helped animate Chris Palko's life story. (Much respect to the other producers on that record as well).

3. Blueprint
While Blueprint was oft stuck in the shadow of his collaborators (RJD2, Illogic), as one of the hardest working men in indy hip-hop, he finally defined himself as a "whole" artist with "1988", entirely rhymed and produced by Print himself. On this excellent tribute record to one of hip-hop's classic eras, Print showed his full range, without sounding dated or retro.

4. Edan
Misunderstood by clueless internet critics when his first album, "Primitive Plus" dropped, Edan was a Bronx throwback who looked to legendary producers such as Lord Finesse and Diamond D for inspiration. With "Beauty and The Beat", he did more than recreate the sound of yesterday, and composed a psychedelic musical masterpiece, fusing hardcore boom bap with 60's folk rock. Words can't do it justice, only listening to the record in its entirety can.

5. Ant
Ant's always been a solid producer, but he's never quite made it into the top tier. That all changed this year with the release of both Felt's "Tribute To Lisa Bonet" and Atmosphere's "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having". Ant stepped up his production style immensely, showing definite consistency through honest, hardcore boom-bap and classic, yet obscure samples.

LYRICS: TWENTY HOT VERSES OF 2005

Best Extended phor: "Cigarettes" - Mike Shinoda (Fort Minor)
Best Club Rhyme: "Just A Little Bit" - 50 Cent
Most Humorous Rhyme: "Where's Fatlip?" - Fatlip
Best Rant: "Dance Monkey" - Sage Francis
Best Politcal Rhyme: "Memorial Day" - Perceptionists (Mr. Lif and Akrobatik)
Best Autobiographical Rhyme: "Too Heavy For Cherubs" - Cage
Best Biographical Rhyme: "Mrs. Hill" - Talib Kweli
Best Topical Rhyme: "Vats of Urine" - MF Doom (Danger Doom)
Best Flow: "The Corner" - Common
Best Braggadocio: "Touch The Sky" - Kanye West
Best Flossy Rhyme: "I'm A Playa" - Paul Wall
Best Conscious Rhyme: "All For You" - Phonte and Big Pooh (Little Brother)
Best Lesson In Hip-Hop History: "Fumbling Over Words That Rhyme" - Edan
Best Dedication: "That Night" - Atmosphere
Best Display Of Raw Skill: "Pad and Pen" - Gift of Gab (Blackalicious)
Best Rhyme About Hip-Hop: "Someone In My Home" - Zion I
Best Show-Stealing Verse: "Get Yours" - T.I. on Lil Kim's The Naked Truth
Best Race Rhyme: "Ridin'" - Dead Prez on David Banner's Certified
Best Gangsta Rap: "Westside Story" - The Game
Most Personal Rhyme: "Whatever It Takes" - Joe Budden(s)

THE FIVE BEST COMEBACKS OF THE YEAR

1. Swizz Beats
Talk about the comeback kid. After nearly falling off into obscurity after his Casio keyboard scandal a few years back, Swizz got himself a Jay-Z acapella album and turned it into two monster beats of the year, T.I.'s "Bring Em Out" and Cassidy's "I'm A Hustler". He didn't stop there, using his new sound to make hot club shit in the form of Memphis Bleek's "Like That" and '06 sure shot "Touch It", by Busta Rhymes. And he got rid of the football player make-up. Good move, Swizz.

2. Cage
Not that Cage ever fell off, but we never expected a record like "Hell's Winter" to come out of Chris Palko. Once pigeonholed as a horrorcore emcee ("Movies From The Blind"), or a leaked-out druggy ("Waterworld"), Cage reinvented himself with his Definitive Jux debut, undergoing an insane transformation both consciously and physically. Beautifully produced, Cage's new outlook on life found him cleaned up and introspective, coming to terms with the sordid details of his past, transforming him into one of the most interesting characters in hip-hop today.

3. Ras Kass
Over the last few years, not a lot has gone right for Ras Kass; from being held back by Priority, to being on the run (literally), cease and desist orders, to being imprisoned and finally released. But Ras Kass thankfully came back from obscurity with a slew of fresh guest appearances and a primer of a mixtape "Institutionalized" that not only proved his skills had not eroded, but that he maybe at his lyrical peak! Eat your heart out Shyne!

4. Duck Down Records
2005 officially signaled in Duck Down's re-emergence and simultaneous revival in 2005 with there Triple Threat campaign. Duck Down artists have always maintained mad respect in the streets, but a slew of debilitating ailments; label and distribution woes, lack of product, inner-turmoil, and too many extended family members have kept them on the backburner for the last few years. However, the labels long-overdue uprising was marked by three solid LP's, Sean "Jesus" Price's "Monkey Barz", Buckshot & 9th Wonder's "Chemistry" and Smif N Wesson's "Reloaded" (but can we get another O.G.C. and Heltah Skeltah LP already)? To boot, the label showed an inclination to commingle with Little Brother and there "Justus League" affiliates; bringing together two of the more talented underground cliques in the biz.

5. Hype Williams
The innovator of just about every big budget video disappeared over the last couple of years, while every other video director bit his style. So what did Hype do? Reinvent himself - yet again! Not only did he direct the sultry, yet stunning women of the "Gold Digger" video, but he used a new widescreen bar method with Jaime Foxx's "Unpredictable" video (who's gonna bite first?). Just when you thought it was safe video directors, Hype is back! Oh, and word on the street is Hype is working on a Superfly remake, plus an anime Speed Racer movie! Believe the Hype!

FALLING DOWN

1. Black Eyed Peas
True, BEP made this list once in 2003, but still made more noise than ever in 2005 (does anybody read this shit?), so welcome back guys. Regardless, their brand of once honest hip-hop has fully transformed into sell-out pop trash with a "no wack shit left behind" attitude. They took it to a whole new low with "My Humps" - a (heh) "piss-poor" Ferge solo joint, which ain't no "Hollaback Girl". Unfortunately for the Peas, Fergie's got a solo record on the way - and when she Beyonces them, will anyone still want to funk with their hearts? No-no-no-no.

2. Fat Joe
Even with 2004's biggest club hit, "Lean Back", Terror Squad still couldn't go platinum. They tried again in 2005, pushing Joe to the forefront with his latest solo effort, but unfortunately, "Get It Poppin'" didn't really get much of anything poppin' at all - namely, record sales. Couple that with a high-profile beef with 50 Cent, and another lackluster solo record, looks like Joe had to forget about the "All" and settle for "Nothing". We'll fully support a new D.I.T.C. record, however. (cue Aerosmith "Dream on")

3. Memphis Bleek
We'll hold off on all of the "future looks Bleek" jokes, they aren't really that funny, but instead more depressing. Can you believe this dude has four albums? He must have saved Jay-Z's life back in the Marcy Projects days, because Jigga has certainly saved his. Let's be honest, Bleek's albums are not all that bad - they're just not all that good, either. And although Bleek had his first true club-banger this year with "Like That", and even landed himself a few 9th Wonder beats on his new LP, the sad fact is, the best shit on the record was the Jay-Z solo cut, "Dear Summer". With the Roc's dissipation this past year, this may be the end of the road for Bleek (cue Europe "The Final Countdown").

4. G-Unit
With 50 starting an unnecessary beef with his biggest and most successful talent, The Game, G-Unit tried to make up for it by signing a whole bunch of second-string rappers to their label. Don't get it twisted, we like Mobb Deep and M.O.P. as much as everyone else, but really, how good could the new Mase and Lil' Scrappy records be? Not to mention the fact that while Tony Yayo was baking with the awful "Thoughts Of A Predicate Felon", 50 had to make up for it by re-releasing his album, plus an onslaught of other projects to keep his name in the spotlight (book, movie, video game, etc). But they'll show us all in 2006 with that long-awaited Olivia album, right? G-G-G-G-G-G-G-Unot! Did I st-stutter, motherfucker?

5. Lil Jon
What!?!? Okay?!?! Lil Jon was almost nowhere to be found in 2005. Perhaps our man was taking a break from the busy year before, but after producing perhaps the biggest crossover song of 2004 (Usher's "Yeah"), plus tons of other hits, we figured we'd at least get another few hot club tracks out of the long-haired dread in ‘05. Was nobody tapping him this past year, or did was he taking a long vacation? One thing's for sure, he'll have to come up with some new adlibs with Young Jeezy now in the game. Yeeeeeeeeeah, that's right.

Dishonorable Mention: People In Destiny's Child Not Named Beyonce
Wasn't it cool of Beyonce to record another album with Destiny's Child? It wasn't exactly a charitable effort, since the group had one album left in their contract. But just like when Tribe broke up before the release of "The Love Movement", the group had to fake it like it was all good for the promotion of this album. Come on people, the album was called "Destiny Fulfilled". Did you really think the break-up that was announced when they were finished working the third single was any coincidence? With Beyonce already on another solo outing, ("Check On It"), those other chicks will certainly "fall off". Hey, watch stage left!

HIP-HOP MILESTONES OF 2005

1. Jay-Z & Nas Perform Live On Stage Together
2. Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music imprint scores 20 Grammy nods, post-Katrina Bush dis
3. Fugees Reunite and Actually Release Something
4. Jay-Z Signs The Roots to Def Jam Left
5. Busta Cuts His Dreads (?)

DOIN' DUMB SHIT: THE 2005 RAP DARWIN AWARDS

1. Mike Jones' Mobile Phone Bill
It seems as if Mike Jones - the Houston rapper who shouted out his personal phone number in several of his songs, not to mention printing it on his album cover and t-shirts, didn't really look for the best mobile minutes plan before doing so. The rapper was hit with a $250,000 Sprint bill, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of hangers-on who wanted to be weird and call a celebrity that they don't know. Maybe his album should have been called "What Is Mike Jones' Phone Number?".

2. Not Very Slim Slim Thug Names His Still Not Platinum Album, "Already Platinum"
Bad move, fella. You can file this under other famous last words in hip-hop, such as Dr. Dre proclaiming "I don't smoke weed or cess / because it gives a brother brain damage / and brain damage on the mic don't manage" and then releasing "The Chronic", or Large Professor frequently dropping "Main Source forever," just before the group's break-up. We guess it kind of fits, if by "Already Platinum", he meant "fucking delusional".

3. DJ Green Lantern Is Filmed Betraying 50 Cent
DJ Green Lantern was fired as Eminem's deejay, because he accidentally was caught on videotape telling Jadakiss what 50 Cent had planned to do next, during the two rappers short-lived lyrical fued. The footage was shown one of those hood mixtape DVD's, was eventually seen by 50, thus leading to his termination. G.L. however saved face by delivering the incredible Fort Minor "We Major" mixtape a few months later.

4. Puffy Redefines The Word "Duets" for 2006! Bad Boy! What!?!?
Do you know how big of a celebrity Diddy is? He was able to make the word "duets" - which in music, usually refers to a coupling of two artists performing together - mean something entirely different! With Bad Boy's half-assed, recycled B.I.G. release entitled "Duets", all but three songs on the 20+ track LP featured at least three artists. Maybe "Trios" or "Collabos" would have been better titles. Or even, "Half-Assed Biggie Album".

5. Houston, Eye Have A Problem
Eye jammie! A suicide attempt is nothing to joke about, but damn, Houston gouging his own eye out during an unsuccessful one, surely can be chalked up to some dumb shit. We don't know how bad his personal life is/was, but the kid had a hit single on the radio and lots of potential. Now, instead he has to explain to his fans why his "Eye Like That".

THE TOP FIVE BITCH MOVES OF THE YEAR

1. Dave Mays Gives Lil Kim's Manager 5 Orgasms, Mics
Not that we are at all surprised at The Source's backwards-ass ratings scale these days, but they delivered the shocker of the year when they awarded Lil' Kim's lousy "The Naked Truth", a perfect, 5 Mic rating. Especially considering allegedly Source owner, Dave Mays, is in bed with Kim's manager, Hillary Weston. And by "in bed", we mean "honey, you're stealing all of the covers". That's bed sheets, not magazine covers (or is it?).

2. Little Brother: Too Smart For T.V.
So we all know that BET isn't exactly the station it was a decade ago, but damn. They had already shunned De La Soul and The Beatnuts for not being "culturally relevant" to their audience in 2004, but their next bad executive decision in 2005 was even worse. After deciding not to air Little Brother's "Lovin It" video despite the fact the album was receiving ridiculous critical acclaim - they allegedly went out on a limb and called the video "too intelligent" for it's audience. What does that say about you as a viewer? Maybe Little Brother's album title hit a little too close to home for the folks at BET - art imitating life and all. Granted, they did end up deciding to air the video - FOUR MONTHS LATER! Fuckers.

3. Shortsighted 50 Cent Creates Beef With His Most Commercially Viable Artist
Always a hog for the spotlight, in order to create some extra press for his upcoming album, "The Massacre", 50 created a beef with his own artist, The Game, possibly because Game was generating crazy buzz on his already released "The Documentary". 50 even went out on a limb, threatening his bosses, Dr. Dre and Eminem, saying that if they didn't side with him, he'd sign to another label. This of course, led to Game's defection from G-Unit, and a host of bad mixtape dis records from both parties.

4. Benzino: More Fun Than A Barrel of Slut-Monkeys
Yet another publication talked bad about The Source, but for some reason this particular one really pissed Benzino off. Maybe dude was on the rag, but he totally flipped on editor of Ozone Magazine's (Julia Beverly) voicemail. Mind you that Beverly is a pretty small, nerdy looking white chick, one who Zno went off on like she was a dude. Aside from telling the "cracker" he'd "spit in her face", he suggested other colorful euphemisms that might work as good evidence in the pending sexual harrassment suit with Kim Osario. While Benzino thought this was a pretty private voicemail, Ozone Magazine put the audio on their website for all to hear - Benzino's cel phone number included (Mike Jones!). Taking it to a whole new level, Funkmaster Flex then broadcasted the message multiple times on Hot 97 radio, calling him "disgusting". Who's the "Slut Monkey" now?

5. Author Karrine "Superhead" Steffans, Gets Rich, Syphilis
Karrine "Superhead" Steffans (um, the "superhead" part is not because she's smart), is an admitted rap groupie, who in her book, "Confessions of A Video Vixen" confesses to having sex with just about every major hip-hop artist out there. It's sad to know that she made a bunch of money off of this, while respectable women still walk around struggling. A true bitch move.

THE TOP FIVE GAYEST RAP LYRICS OF 2005

And on with the disclaimer. No, we don't have anything against homosexuals, and no, we don't think these rappers are gay, but given the fact that there is so much machismo and homophobia in hip-hop, you'd think these tough guy hetero rappers would rethink some of these lyrics before spitting them. Hmm, two for 50….

1. "Yayo, bring the condoms, I'm in room 203" - 50 Cent "Piggy Bank"
There really is no getting around this one. 50 could have at least said "WE'RE in room 203'" to imply that there were some females present. Note to 50: when you're making a dis track about how all the other rappers aren't as bad-ass as you, be sure to make sure there's no accidental disses to yourself in there.

2. "I read somewhere I'm homophobic, shit / go through the hood, there's mad niggas on my dick" - 50 Cent - "Ryder Music"
Um, yeah. We don't know exactly what Fiddy was trying to say with this line, but again, quite gay. The ladies love him, and if that's not enough, apparently so do all of the men.

3. "If you really want to hold me, show me, homie" - Mike Shinoda of Fort Minor - "Petrified"
We feel bad for including this one, because we love the Fort Minor record, but this is all in good fun. However, it should be noted that the song is called "Petrified".

4. "Lets eat and talk about all them niggaz we cut" - Lil Wayne - "The Mobb"
Damn, if you are from the South, you should know that "cut" is a commonly used homonym (heh) for "fuck". That's why we found it particularly sloppy for the often shirtless Wanye to suggest to his homies that they should gather around the dinner table to reminisce on all the men they "cut". Whoops.

5. "Ride solo I don't trust ya'll niggas / and if you get outta line I'll touch you niggas - Slim Thug - "The Interview"
Yeah, we know, he meant "touch" like "hurt", but damn, in the interests of good old fashioned American homophobia, maybe guys like Slim Thug should consider the alternative. Or maybe he already has! (Cue "Twighlight Zone" theme).

THE FIVE MOST DISAPPOINTING ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

1. Notorious Big - "Duets" - Bad Boy
C'mon Diddy! "Duets" was an obvious last hurrah at making a little cheese off of the Biggie legacy. Not only were there a bunch of Biggie verses we've heard in the past, but Biggie was also linked up with some very strange and lackluster guests (Big Gee, anyone?). The result was a pretty lame album that probably made Biggie turn in his grave.

2. Royce - "Independent's Day" - Koch
After releasing the surprise indy LP of 2004, "Death Is Certain", we thought for sure that 5'9 would follow-up in 2005 with something on that level. Instead, we got the generically titled "Independent's Day", which featured Royce switching styles all over the place. While the album did have it's small share of bangers, it was also cluttered with crossover pop nonsense, which of course did nothing to further his career. Give us the good shit in 2006, Royce - please!

3. J-Live - "The Hear After" - Penalty
As one of the best emcees the independent hip-hop movement has produced, with two solid LP's already in the bag, everyone was looking forward to the release of J-Live's "The Hear After". Unfortunately, Live took over the production reigns himself, which didn't quite hold a candle to the DJ Premier or Jazzy Jeff tracks we were spoiled with on his last two LP's. Hopefully that remix contest can shed some new light on an otherwise decent LP.

4. Twista - "The Day After" - Atlantic
The title to this LP can only refer to the feeling you have after a long night of drinking and/or a one-night stand with a girl that doesn't exactly look like Paula Abdul. That's kind of how we felt after hearing Twista's new one - straight disappointment. Sure, it had a few decent tracks on it, but after the stellar "Kamikazi", led by those two Kanye West blazers, "Slow Jamz" and "Overnight Celebrity", "The Day After", fell short. Sorry, Mr. West is gone.

5. Tony Yayo - Thoughts Of A Predicate Felon - Interscope
"Thoughts of a Predicate Felon"? He thinks? Okay, it's not like we had high hopes for this LP in the first place, but this really was the nail in the coffin for G-Unit. Up until this point, 50 and his crew had delivered a handful of pretty decent LP's (not to mention Game's classic The Documentary), but Tony's LP may have been more aptly titled, "Thoughts of A Predictable Album". Meh.

BEST USES OF HIP-HOP IN POPULAR CULTURE

1. SNL's "Narnia Rap"
2. Flava Flav's Miller Lite Commercial
3. Adult Swim co-signs Danger Doom & The Boondocks Cartoon
4. Common endorses Air Jordan
5. RJD2 "Ghost Writer" as NBA theme song

WORST USES OF HIP-HOP IN POPULAR CULTURE

1. Flava Flav on VH1's "Strange Love"
2. 50 Cent's "Get Rich Or Die Trying: The Movie"
3. Hustle and Flow
4. All Post-GTA Thugged Out Video Games
5. McDonald's Cashes In (Big Mac name-dropping & proposed Sean John uniforms)

ROOKIES OF THE YEAR

1. John Legend
2. M.I.A.
3. Paul Wall
4. Lady Sovereign
5. Mr. Collipark
6. The Chapter
7. Asamov
8. L.E.G.A.C.Y.
9. Ohmega Whatts
10. Cool Calm Pete

BEEF: BEST RAP BATTLES OF 2005

1. 50 Cent Vs. Fat Joe - Winner: 50 Cent
2. G-Unit Vs. Game - Winner: Game
3. Jadakiss vs. 50 Cent - Winner: 50 Cent
4. The Lox Vs. Diddy - Winner: The Lox

60 REASONS TO LIVE ANOTHER YEAR (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
This is just a partial, stream-of-consciousness list of releases set to drop in 2006. This isn't everything, it's just what came to us when we were scrambling to get this list to you in time for New Years Day. 1/3 of these will never see release in '06, 1/4 of them will never see the light of day period. Scary.

1. Outkast - "Idlewild" - LaFace
2. Madlib & MF Doom - "Madvillain 2" - Stones Throw
3. Aceyalone & RJD2 - "Magnificent City" - Decon
4. Cunninlynguists - "A Piece of Strange"
5. Jay Dilla - "Donuts" - Stones Throw
6. Busta Rhymes - "Untitled Aftermath Debut" - Aftermath
7. 9th Wonder - "Mr. Dream Merchant Vol. 2" - 6Hole
8. Soul Position (RJD2 + Blueprint) - Untitled Sophomore LP - Rhymesayers
9. Murs & 9th Wonder - "Murray's Revenge" - Rhymesayers
10. El-P - "I'll Sleep When You're Dead" - Definitive Jux
11. Mr. Lif - "" - Definitive Jux
12. O.C. - "Starchild Remixed" - Grit Records
13. Rhymefest - "Blue Collar" - J Records
14. Lupe Fiasco - "Food and Liquor" - Atlantic
15. Ghostface and MF Doom - "Swift & Changable" - Nature Sounds
16. Jay-Z - "The Dynasty 2" - Def Jam
17. Pharrell Williams - "In My Mind" - Interscope
18. Oh No Meets Galt MacDermont - "The Exodus into Unheard Rhythms" - Stones Throw
19. Percee-P - "Perseverence" - Stones Throw
20. Apathy - "Eastern Philosophy" - Babygrande
21. The Roots - "Game Theory" - Def Jam Left
22. Lady Sovereign "Untitled Def Jam Debut" - Def Jam
23. Game - "The Doctor's Advocate" - Aftermath
24. Nas - "Nasdaq Dow Jones" -
25. Dangerdoom 2 - Epitaph (?)
26. Redman - "Red Gone Wild" - Def Jam
27. The Fugees - "Untitled Reunion LP" - Columbia
28. Pete Rock - "Next Generation" - Nature Sounds
29. Madlib - "The Beat Konducta Vol. 1 and 2" - Stones Throw
30. Swollen Members - "Black Magic" - Battle Axe
31. T.I. - "Untitled Atlantic LP" - Atlantic
32. Planet Asia - "The Sickness" - Gold Chain Music
33. Planet Asia - "The Medicine" - Gold Chain Music
34. Planet Asia - "The Diagnosis" - Gold Chain Music
35. Ghostface - "Untitled Def Jam LP" - Def Jam
36. Count Bass D - "Act Your Waist Size" - Fat Beats
37. Chino XL - "Poison Pen" - Activate Entertainment
38. Mobb Deep - "Blood Money" - G-Unit/Aftermath
39. Little Brother - "The Minstrel Show: Director's Cut" - Atlantic
40. Dilated Peoples - "20/20" - Capitol
41. Chaundon & Sean Price - "The Best of Both Seans" - Duck Down
42. J-Zone and Celph Titled - "Bo$$ Hogg Barbarians" - ??
43. Louis Logic - "Untitled Sophomore LP" - Fat Beats
44. Jay Dilla - "The Shining" - BBE
45. Akrobatik - "Untitled Sophomore LP" - Fat Beats
46. Ugly Duckling - "Bang For The Buck" - Fat Beats
47. Cannibal Ox - "Untitled Sophomore LP" - Definitive Jux
48. Kenn Starr - "Starr Status" - Halftooth Records
49. Immortal Technique new LP
50. Supastition "Memory Lane"
51. Nore - "One Fan A Day" - Def Jam
52. People Under The Stairs - "Stepfather" - ??
53. MF Grimm - "American Hunger" 3CD - Day By Day
54. Wildchild - "Jack Of All Trades" - Stones Throw
55. Saigon - "The Greatest Story Never Told" -
56. Project Security (One Be Lo + Majestik Legend ) - "l Detectors" - ??
57. Public Enemy - "It Takes A Nation…" and "Fear of A Black Planet" Deluxe Reissues - Def Jam
58. Dave Chappelle Season 3 (The Lost Episodes) - Comedy Central
59. Nas & DJ Premier - Untitled LP - (We'll believe it when we see it).
60. Dr. Dre "Detox" - Aftermath (Yeah, sure)

DEATHS (REST IN PEACE)

- Richard Pryor
- Luther Vandross
- Stan "Tookie" Williams
- Rosa Parks

[KURUPTION-81]

y the love for lady soverign ?

if your from the uk , u will know she is shit.

[BigBDrugStores]

THE TEN BEST MAJOR LABEL LP'S OF THE YEAR

5. Fort Minor - "The Rising Tied" - Warner
6. 50 Cent - "The Massacre" - Interscope
7. Paul Wall - "The People's Champ" - Atlantic
9. DJ Z-Trip - "Shifting Gears" - Hollywood
10. Young Jeezy - "Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101" - Def Jam

Honorable Mentions: Lil Wayne - "The Carter 2", Bun B - "Trill", Beanie Sigel - "The B. Coming"

lil wayne bun and beinie didnt make the list be these did?

[Meho]

Lol nice read.Hes on point most of the time.

[Oklin]

dope read 

[Elevz]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HipHopSite.com's lists always guarantee a good laugh.

[WestCoasta]

haha some of this shit is dumb but when it clowns on people it's dead on.

[jeromechickenbone]

Well, how can they not have Three 6 Mafia - Stay Fly as one of the top singles of the year.  If Gold Digger is #1, then that is a close second.

As for the producers - Mr. Collipark?  The beats he gave to Ying Yang and David Banner direct rip-offs of Drop It Like Its Hot.  So being a huge biter shouldn't garner being called a producer of the year.

[Javier]

LMAO atPeople Champs being on the lits and while  Tril isnt in the top 10l

[Eihtball]

I don't agree with all of their "Best" choices, but it's hard to deny how spot-on they are with the "Worst".  LOL at the 5 "Dumb Sh!t" and "B!tch Move" categories...I'm still cracking up now.

[Throwback]

their indy lists were pretty on point IMO.

but Missy Elliot - Lose Control 3rd in the best singles list? that should be 3rd in the worst list. that song is fucking annoying.

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

dope read

[westkoastanostra]

how the fuck did 50 cent win the battle against jadakiss?...i coulda sworn jadakiss killed 50 cent on wax...

[wcsoldier]

Dude seems to hate and dickride 50 in the same time 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Damn, that's the longest post i've ever read. Good read though. Some stuff people wouldn't agree with naturally, but still good lists.