This week’s Hellafine Fridays podcast episode is a special edition, acting as volume two of last year’s massively popular Blog So Hard mix. Blog So Hard 2: All Blog Everything collects our favorite b-side / non-album tracks from 2012. As we were selecting our favorite blog-bangers from the year, we noticed a lot of slowed down beats and soulful production, acting as almost an underground answer to the current “hot club sound”, which finds tracks like 2 Chainz’s “No Lie” and Trinidad James’ “All Gold Everything” clocking in the 50 and 60 BPM ranges.

The end result is a much bleaker sound to the mix than it’s predecessor, but with the economy sluggishly recovering, Hurricane Sandy, and the rash of violent crimes in 2012, it’s was kind of a bleak year. There’s a story to be told here, as songs like Pusha T’s “Exodus 23:1″ and Pharoahe Monch’s “Damage” indirectly touch upon the gun violence that happens daily in cities like Chicago, while Game’s “Murder” and Rick Ross’ “100 Black Coffins” deal with the aftermath. Incidentally, among both of this year’s massacres in Colorado and Connecticut, for the first time, rap music was not to blame, as this time violent movies and video games were the scapegoat. The intent here was not to make a depressing mix, but perhaps it’s a sign of the times.

But it’s not all gloom. There’s some DOOM here too. And some Common, AZ, CL Smooth, Beatnuts, Alkaholiks, Cage, Soul Position, De La Soul, Raekwon, O.C., Jean Grae, and other classic hip-hop artists that we don’t hear enough from these days. And keeping those guys around is part of what this site and this mix are about. Today’s new generation of emcees are also represented here as well, such as Brother Ali, Mac Miller, Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, J. Cole, Roc Marciano, Statik Selektah, Termanology, and Freddie Gibbs. And Jay-Z helps bring the mix to a close with a light at the end of the tunnel on “Glory”, a celebration of the birth of Blue Ivy Carter – who is featured on the song – suggesting a brighter future is in store. Here’s to 2013. – DJ Pizzo

1. “Rap & Bitches” – 1982 (Statik Selektah + Termanology)
2. “Can You Keep Up” – Busta Rhymes (feat. Twista)
3. “Street Knock” – Swizz Beatz (feat. A$AP Rocky; prod. AraabMuzik)
4. “The Jig Is Up (Dumpin’) – Kendrick Lamar (prod. J. Cole)
5. “Kill Screen” – Jean Grae
6. “Ask About Me” – C.L. Smooth
7. “No Sell Out” – Common (prod. No I.D.)
8. “Doomsayer” – MF Doom (prod. Young Guru)
9. “Bang” – Liknuts (Alkaholiks + The Beatnuts)
10. “Of The Soul (Remix)” – Mac Miller (feat. Posdnous of De La Soul & Raekwon)
11. “Writer’s Block” – Brother Ali (prod. Jake One)
12. “The Good Life” – Soul Position (RJD2 + Blueprint)
13. “Get Free Cole World” – J. Cole & Major Lazer
14. “The Void” – Cage (feat. Sherry St. Germain)
15. “Exodus 23:1″ – Pusha T (feat. The-Dream)
16. “Damage” – Pharoahe Monch
17. “100 Black Coffins” – Rick Ross
18. “Murder” – Game (feat. Kendrick Lamar & Scarface)
19. “Enter The Void” – Joey Bada$$ (feat. Ab-Soul)
20. “My Nigga” – AZ (prod. Buckwild)
21. “Stop Me” – Roc Marciano (prod. Just Blaze)
22. “Shame” – Madgibbs (Madlib + Freddie Gibbs) (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid)
23. “Glory” – Jay-Z (feat. Blue Ivy Carter)*
24. “The Biggest Loser” – Apollo Brown & O.C.
25. “Hot Shots Part Deux” – Action Bronson + Riff Raff + Dana Coppafeel

*Blue Ivy murdered that shit.