Best & Worst Lists
HHS 2011 Year-In-Review: The 10 Best Indie Hip-Hop LP’s
The year is over, but our lists continue. There were a ton of great indie LP’s in 2011 and it was hard to narrow it down, but here are our very favorites. Best Major Label Albums and Best Mixtapes lists still to come…
10. Pusha T – Fear of God 2: Let Us Prey – Decon/G.O.O.D. – Pusha took the best moments from his Fear of God mixtape, and served them up with several new selections as well. Combining his sharp lyrical wit with effortless braggadocio makes Pusha one of the few “gangster” rappers really worth listening to in today’s day and age.
9. People Under The Stairs – Highlighter – PUTS – Easily one of the most slept on groups of all time, People Under The Stairs show remarkable consistency with their eighth release, presenting traditional, yet original hip-hop, which hinted at being their last. Let’s hope not.
8. Immortal Technique – The Martyr – Viper – Immortal Technique had vanished for a minute, but made a triumphant, timely return with The Martyr, a free album bridging the gap before he releases his long-awaited LP, The Middle Passage. In addition to collaborating with the late J. Dilla on “Toast To The Dead”, he also tapped Killer Mike and Chuck D for “Civil War”. If there was an album that could have served for a soundtrack to the #Occupy movement, this was it.
7. Bumpy Knuckles & Statik Selektah – Lyrical Workout - Showoff/Krupt Mob – It had been a minute since we heard from Freddie Foxxx, with many wondering if he still had it since his Industry Shakedown days. Statik Selektah has been known to bring out the best in emcees, and Lyrical Workout was no exception. Next up, Bumpy Knuckles and DJ Premier on The Kollexion.
6. Pete Rock & Smif-n-Wessun – Monumental – Duck Down – Pete Rock and Smif-N-Wessun coming together for an LP? This LP delivered on the promise of these so-called super-group projects that get announced and never happen. Monumental indeed.
5. Atmosphere – The Family Sign – Rhymesayers – Atmosphere continued to defy convention with their sixth studio full-length. With the production of Ant, along with Collis and Anderson, the sound of The Family Sign had both texture and mood, rather than just being a collection of songs. Slug, meanwhile, balanced the abstract with the specific in a way few, if any, MCs are capable of. This was Atmosphere finding the right balance—both elegiac and hopeful.
4. Action Bronson & Statik Selektah – Well Done – Showoff – The groundwork was laid earlier in the year with Action’s Dr. Lecter, making it hard to chose between that LP and this one. But ultimately, Well Done reigned supreme, with Statik Selektah once again producing his ass off. Comparisons to Ghostface are all but naught at this point, as Bronson The Chef has carved his own niche and persona with both LP’s.
3. Apathy – Honkey Kong – Dirty Version – Perhaps the best album concept of the year, that of an imposing white gorilla ready to eat anything in it’s path, Apathy’s Honkey Kong delivered on all fronts, making it perhaps his best LP yet. With production from DJ Premier, The Beatminerz, Statik Selektah, and DJ Muggs, Ap crafted a truly authentic east-coast boom bap album, and hardly wore out his welcome on it’s 16-plus-7-bonus-joints tracklist. King Kong ain’t got shit on him.
2. Evidence – Cats & Dogs – Rhymesayers - Although we rated this only @@@@ when it dropped, Cats & Dogs was one of those albums that just got better with time, slowly burning into your consciousness, like the rhymes of Evidence himself. Taking a backseat to production, Ev brought his lyricism to the forefront, letting cats like Alchemist, DJ Premier, and others provide the backdrops.
1. Saigon – The Greatest Story Never Told – Abandoned Nation – After being shelved by his former record label, Atlantic, this six-year old LP produced entirely by Just Blaze was destined to live up to it’s title. When it finally saw independent release in 2011, it undoubtedly lived up to the hype, as Just Blaze wove each track into the next, while Saigon built a bittersweet concept LP around it. It’s truly a testament to quality when an LP recorded six years ago can come out and deliver on all fronts. Never say never.
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Kendrick Lamar Section.80…the best album on any list and last i checked was an indie release.
Pusha t sucks. That Freddie foxx lp was aiight, but not even a top 20, sims-bad time zoo was totally ignored by HHS, and I’m curious as to……..why? It was at least as good as evidence’s cat & dogs(not hating’, lived that joint too, just saying they’re equal), and was better than atmosphere’s(also a great album, just not quite as good as the one I’m arguing for). Just my opinion, i could be wrong, lOl.
i don’t know why i wasted my time checking this list. PURE CRAP!.
Agree Pusha T was poor, not a top 10 entry even though he and clipse are banging, it sounded like a poor mixtape with a couple of well made cuts.
Yes where is Section 80? That was a steady burner.
Saigon defo no. 1 for me, best album of the year bar none, very hard to believe its 6 year old material. He kills it, still listening to it weekly which can not be said for anything else on this list.
Im looking forward to the big label top 10 hope lady beiber and BEP make the cut
Oh wait…
you 3 ^^^^^ are either dumb,dumb,or dumber….. and quote ” here are our very favorites”
our means theres. which means its there fucken site with there opinion… get it. not your 2 cents. if you would like 2 cents that some one wonts to read make a site put it out there and make a list from your ipod. i dont like all thats on here but fuck me its alot better then some list i have seen on other OVER SIZED SITES( wink wink xx)
keep up the good work Pizzo and staff.
Agreed with many, replace Pusha T with Kendrick Lamar.
Where’s Randome Axe???
We didn’t forget Kendrick… Best Mixtapes list is still to come…
damn what a lame hip hop year if you look at this releases…
Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis? That has to be in the list.
It’s nice to see PUTS get some recognition…finally. One of my fave groups for over a decade. Highlighter took their sound in a different direction on some of the joints but it still came off lovely. Plus the online version was released in 24-bit!! The sound is insane!!
I hope it’s not their last album…they are one of the only groups whose albums I buy.
What about Charity Starts at Home???? That was the best indie album of the year, and the Evidence cats and dogs was definitely number 2! I don’t know whats up with this list.
Section.80 isn’t a mixtape…Kendrick said himself it wasn’t
Def that Kendrick needs to be on the list. I would also add yU, Has-Lo and Phonte’s joint. I’m not too familiar with Pusha’s joint, but all-in-all, not as bad of a list as some people stated.
Absolutely agree with the top 4, largely indifferent about the rest. About Pusha, I actually really like the project alot, but can it really be considered indie? Sure, Decon is an indie, but the cross-release with GOOD (complete with Def Jam distribution) kind of calls it into question. Maybe I’m being far too much of a stickler here.
W.A.R.?
Oneirology?
Charity Starts at Home?
Dr. Lecter?
Co Sign on Oneirology and Dr. Lecter…I actually prefer Lecter over Well Done but just barely.
@ ozi battla GFY, commenting is our opinion on their list, thats what this section is for, not you spouting off the mouth, we come here to hiphopsite because this is the at the forefront of hip hop blogging and we all really appreciate the work the staff do even though we don’t always agree…
…Section 80 is no mixtape either, far to dope!!!
ugly duckling – moving at redneck speed?
The list is great but I agree with all about the Pusha T inclusion as many of you have stated. I absolutely love the song “Alone in Vegas” but the rest of it to me, production wise, was not interesting. He always and I mean always delivers a tight verse, never heard a wack one yet from him or his brother but I didn’t like the music. I hope when his true G.O.O.D. LP comes out it is more Neptunes and Kanye beats then these which sounded more Rick Ross and Fat Joe style backdrops…
If you ask me I would have included Dr. Lecter and had Action on here twice, to me he’s that dope! Dr. Lecter still gets listened to on a weekly basis to this day, along with Well Done. My favorite artist right now and can’t stop listening.
PUTS LP is incredibly choice and it amazes me how they just keep getting better with each album!
I honestly haven’t given Immortal Technique or the Bumpy & Stat LPs enough of a listen to say either way. I need to go back and really listen again…
Half of the list is actually my albums of the year. Way to go hhs, good taste, good job!
I have to agree that Dr. Lecter kicks Well Done’s ass.
And major oversight missing Cunninlynguists.
Thirdly, The Doppelgangaz ended up on mine, but I can see why they didn’t appeal to everyone. Likewise a local album by a DJ named Mister Jason called “Frankensteez”; I can’t recommend it enough.
@KC agreed on Doppelgangaz I’ve liked those cats since their first LP and their latest is fantastic but I agree they definitely are an acquired taste.
I would put The Doppelgangaz, Phonte, “Dr. Lecter” (in addition to “Well Done,” both were incredible), Willie Evans Jr., and Reks, in there somewhere.
Top Ten in all…
Section 80
Heavy Metal Kingz
Hell The Sequel
Saigon
Cats and Dogs
Undun
MBDTF
How Do You Do
The Less You Know The Better
Highlighter
Good list. I’d drop Pusha T and Bumpy Knuckles tho for Charity Starts at Home (Phonte) & The Sender (Median)
To keep the echo going, I absolutely would have put Doppelgangaz on here over a lot of the listed albums. Dr. Lecter too. If an artists earned being on it twice, put him on it twice dammit.
My favorite indie release of the year, Has Lo-”in case I don’t make it” should’ve made the list, also that locksmith-”embedded” has been criminally slept on despite being issued on dame dash’s label DD172, not certain if technically qualifies as an indie release though. Nice beats by ski beats, & lyrically substantive.
@JustMarv, that Has-Lo record is good, I don’t think I’d put it in my top 10 though because it’s definitely something you need to be in a certain mood for. “Conversation B’ was just as good in my opinion.
The great thing about this list (as well as the ones we feel are snubbed) is that they’re all quality releases, which speaks volumes about the quality of indie hip hop last year. Hassan Mackey and Torae also came to mind for me. It’s a good time in hip hop, despite what some of this major label crap would lead you to believe.
@KC I couldn’t agree more, Hip Hop is thriving in creativity and quality it’s just the goodness rarely gets pushed by the media. I don’t there there has ever been a time frame when I didn’t have a new LP I was spazzin’ on and another coming out in a few weeks I was fiendin’ to get. Hip Hop is alive and well and always has been… F#$k the media and the Majors for pushing garbage rap and Hip Pop on the masses!
@Skins man y’alls know I am the biggest Action Bronson fan so I am biased but I agree both his LPs were so tight he deserves to make the list twice!
I know that there are so many indie hip hop albums that came out but i have to say that the list is missing some vital hip hop lp’s.
I can’t believe that DTMD – Makin Dollas and Vakill – Armour of God and CHACHI – In Dust real revolution didn’t appear in the top 10… I also have top ask just what criteria is making up these albums of the year as i think it’s so vital in this day and age to distinguish the really good from the ok.
I think it’s alos important that if we are talking about hip hop albums as opposed to albums having more than 4 tracks with other guest rappers as it then becomes a peoples album rather than a solo album.. I am always interested to know what the hip hop world thinks so please holla and of course please check out the three albums mentioned.. must say big ups to all the artists still keeping it going.. Continued blessings to you all… From da Music Man…
Where’s Monch?
clipse is one of my favorite rap groups ever but that pusha t cd sucked. I love push but agree with dayz about the production selection. I also must admit listening to a pusha cd without mal is just wrong. That entire release was pretty much garbage.
the two bronson cds, ev’s, and honky kong were probably the best i heard this year.
not a terrible list though.
Top 10 LP’s of 11…top 2 in order, the rest no…eff above or underground…these are the best Hip Hop LP’s of 2011…
1. The Roots “Undun”
2. Phonte “Charity Starts at Home”
Talib Kweli “Gutter Rainbows”
Kaimber and Kev Brown “Alexander Green”
Action Bronson “Dr Lecter”
Evidence “Cats and Dogs”
Monche “WAR”
Raekwon “Shaolin vs Wu Tang”
Willie Evans Jr. “Introducin”
yU “The Earn”
Other than your top 4 y’all missed out on a lot. I am pretty sure all the other comments nailed it but I will beat a dead horse….no PHONTE? that shit should be in the top 5. WAR – missing, Kendrick Lamar – absent, no Reks or Torae either…..but for real, Pusha T was such a disapointment. anyone of the albums I mentioned should of made it over that shit. I really hope he is saving all his good material for the album….
Shabazz Palaces- Black Up
hail mary malon
I liked Hail Mary Mallon, properly my favourite. I also liked Atmosphere and Danny Brown. But maybe the Danny Brown album was a little uneven.
Hail Mary Mallon and Pharoah Monch should’ve definitely been on this list. Both can be listened to straight through without skipping any tracks.
Good list, but you guys missed the Black Irish and Brown13 indie release–great production and rhymes.