Editorial Review: #AOTY 2014 picks by @RamseySaidWHAT

Well, this has definitely without a doubt been the hardest year for me to write this review. Hip-Hop has been interesting to say the least this year. From January to December plenty of comercial music released and I didn't find myself listening to most of any of it (crazy coming from a hip-hop blogger huh?). The music I looked forward to got pushed back like Kendrick and Joey Bada$$. It's safe to say I spent this year listening to lots of music from 2013, and mixtapes. The only exceptions were the albums that made this list and a few that just missed getting on the list. 2014 was really a year for singles as well. Don't believe me? Do me a favor, turn on the radio and all you'll is Iggy or Chris Brown murdering the charts (from a jail cell for most of the summer, go figure). Back to the topic at hand, my peers made a lot of points in their reviews when they said the year was good not great. Niles respectively declined and said there were enough quality albums to compile a decent list. I also have to agree with him when he said rap's heavy hitters were absent this year, but when based on the criteria (lyrics, production, flow, popularity, sales, and uniqueness), only a few stood out in my eyes. Please remember this is an opinion piece and not just a list of favorites. Please don't murder me too bad. The good one is for tomorrow. Until then, My album of the year picks for 2014 is as follows.

Number Five: NehruvianDOOM - Bishop Nehru & MF DOOM

If you've ever read anything I've written, you know I love music that reminds me of childhood. The 80's and 90's. NehruvianDOOM is an album born during the wrong decade and I love it. The production was superb, well it's produced soley by DOOM himself. The only exception was a collaboration with his partner Madlib on Dangerous. Although being produced by a legend Bishop Nehru still shined and was far from upstaged by his elder-statesman.  It's nice to see such young talent emerging reminding us hip-hop is still a young man's game. Niles actually did a review on this one so for more click here. NehruvianDOOM gets a 3.89 of 5 on the Ramsey Rating Scale.

Number Four: Oxymoron - ScHoolboy Q

I have a lot of respect for this album. In what seemed like a very very off year for the genre ScHoolboy Q came with a bang. His album dropped in January. For him to be able to stand the test of 12 months and even make the list is very impressive. Until July, you couldn't tell me this wasn't the best album in 2014. On top of being the first in the genre to really drop a major LP he was the first in the TDE stable who promised albums from the entire clan. The first and the only one of them to make the list, sorry Soulo. I happened to be off work and was able to stream his album listener with Rosenberg the eve of the release date. That was the first time I heard the deluxe version including songs like Collard Greens with Kendrick Lamar, Studio featuring BJ the Chicago Kid, and Man of the Year. Break the Bank and Yay Yay spoke to the pusher man ScHoolboy Q really was for him and his family, more importantly his daughter Joy you can see on the album cover (much like The Game's). Oxymoron start to finish was remarkable and definitely deserved to make everyone's top 10 including my own. I rated this a 3.91 of 5 on the Ramsey Rating Scale.

Number Three: Nobody's Smiling - Common

This is where it got hard for me. 3 through one have been interchangeable until actually sitting down and writing this. Nobody's Smiling was the only thing in my ears through the summer as far as hip-hop goes (well Rae Sremmurd too cuz those kids turn up man). I was gonna cover this one but I let Niles bless us with this review as well which you can find here. Tracks that stood out to me were Kingdom, Real, and the self title. Kingdom features Vince Staples and a choral background on the beat. The duo trade verses about their respective cities of Chicago and Long Beach, CA. Real features Elijah Blake (who this time I actually did the review on) and is somewhat the climatic turning point of the album where it takes a brief turn. Blake lays down crooning but catchy vocals. I live by the beach. This was one of those "Roll down the window and feel the warm air on a July day while listening to this with your shawty riding shotgun" tracks.

Don't be confused, Nobody's Smiling was not a happy album. I found it very timely as it released a week before the murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO. The self title was an ode to Chicago but not in a Homecoming Kanye sense. Common spoke about the things not talked about. What I liked most about that track was the spoken word piece by Malik Yusef at the end of the track. Nobody's Smiling recieves 4.3 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale.

Number Two: 2014 Forest Hills Drive - J. Cole

This is for you Jermaine. You did the same thing Childish Gambino did last year with this December release thing. That left Glover with only a honorable mention last year. It's only right that Cole stops here. Just like Common, Forest Hills Drive was timely. Common got the initial murder, Cole got the indictment verdict. 2014 Forest Hills Drive makes my list because it came with no promotion, no singles, and was still arguably the emcee's best project in his impressive discography. As all Cole albums I find myself able to relate to him. He speaks to me in different ways. The frustration and longing for freedom in me was heard in the Intro and January 28th. "Do you wanna be, happy?" Reminiscing to my first time was Wet Dreamz "Cuz I aint never did this before." Wet Dreamz was a nice storyteller track. Simple boom bap beat that doesn't overshadow what he's saying. A Tale of 2 Citez is by far the hardest track on the album. Gritty beat, gritty bars, instant repeat. G.O.M.D. is another one of those acronym tracks kinda like IDFWU. That's all I have to say about that (Forest Gump voice*). 2014 Forest Hills Drive was my favorite album this year. Perhaps if it were out longer and the initial buzz wore off I could rate it fairly with the rest. Because of that, I have to stop you there (again). Cole World huh? 2014 Forest Hills Drive gets 4.79 on the Ramsey Rating Scale.

Number One: Under Pressure - Logic

I can't believe all of the other contributors to the site missed this one. Under Pressure was dope through and through. Frankly, I'm tired of everyone sleeping on Young Sinatra. He's been around for awhile and just now made the XXL Freshman list this past year. On top of the Editor's (me) nod on the AOTY list, iTunes also voted him as the best hip-hop album in 2014 as well. And no it's not cuz his skin pale because he still won't sell like Eminem or Adele (get it?). To the point. Under Pressure was fuego, the one fire album no one listened to. The self title track was my favorite for three reasons. One, it was self produced and done with such flare. Two was the video. The visual was insane and shot like it was a first person shooter. Three, flow. He engaged you with all of the before mentioned things but when you listen to what he said and how it was delivered it was nuts. Other impressive tracks were Driving Miss Daisy featuring Childish Gambino and Buried Alive. Under Pressure was different and equally amazing considering it was a debut album. Not a ton of features so you really see what Logic can bring to the table. I gave Under Pressure 4.71 on the Ramsey Rating Scale. It scores less than Forest Hills Drive but I believe it was still the better album of the two, how's that for an Oxymoron and I'm not talking ScHoolboy (okay the puns are corny).

I said before I started writing this was difficult to judge this year. It was hard to leave out Nicki Minaj and Ab Soul off my AOTY list. I also struggled leaving Anomaly by Lacrae off as a crossover album. I generally hate Christian Rap. I love Gospel, I love hip-hop. I separate church and state (literally). Isaiah Rashaad also impressed with his Cilvia Demo towards the top of the year but couldn't hang with the rest. Those are my picks, hope you enjoyed reading. Keep listening mates.

Who is Elijah Blake?

Much like myself, most people have little to no clue who Elijah Blake is.

I never heard of him until listening to Common's Nobody's Smiling. Elijah Blake was featured on Real, which so happens to be one of the best cuts on the record. So, with a bit a research and twittering (yes I just made that a word) I came across his new 3 track EP, Free Pt 1. I guess that indicates there will be at least a sequel. Anyways you can stream the new soulful sounds of Elijah Blake below. Hope you enjoy, I have.

Common - "Nobody's Smiling" album review by Niles Cavanaugh

Chicago has been in the public conscious heavy in the last few years. The murder rate has been the subject of many a think piece and news reports. On the hip-hop front, Kanye West has been Kanye but Drill Music has emerged as a sub genre. Slurring violent lyrics over dark synths and an ever prevalent snare roll, MCs such as Chief Keef, King Louie, Katie Got Bandz, and like eighty million kids with the prefix "Lil" has prospered, albeit by bring the "Chiraq" lifestyle national. Throughout all of this, Chi-Town could use a savior and finds one in its native son and best MC. Common's tenth LP Nobody's Smiling is the guidance that his city needs from an OG. Originally a concept album, it serves as a "State of the Chi" if you will. It's jarring, informative, and dark; however it avoids being preachy. Additionally, it sees Common working with longtime collaborator No I.D. who produced the entire album.

The first track The Neighborhood features Cocaine 80s (James Fauntleroy in particular) and Lil Herb. Using a Curtis Mayfield sample, Common hits the track running and paints a picture of back-in-his-day Chicago. Herb, who is usually brash and full of misguided bravado like his peers, comes through with a quality verse under the tutelage of his elder statesmen. Fauntleroy keeps his contribution brief (more on this later). It's a quality introduction and the momentum carries through the next song. No Fear sees Common interpolate a Biggie line into a song about misplaced youthful bravado. This is how you start an album.

Unfortunately, the next three don't ride the same wave of quality. Diamonds features a wonderfully crafted beat and good lyricism but also includes Big Sean, who to me is as out of place as the weird kid that wandered into a party he wasn't invited to. Likewise, Black Majik suffers the same pitfall of an ill advised guest appearance in one trick pony of the Jhene Aiko. Both of these songs had potential but got ruined by that extra unncessary guest appearance. On Speak My Piece, Common seems to completely step away from the album's theme thusfar. He raps over a distorted Biggie vocal sample. It seems like it's supposed to be the prototypical rap braggadocio single but Com sounded bored to me.

Order is restored on Hustle Harder where Common and newcomers Snoh Aalegra and Dreezy paint a picture of a hardrock chick living around the way. It's an excellent song and story of women around the way; this is a tale that is usually under-reported. Nobody's Smiling utilizes a minimalist beat and shows Chicago as the modern daydystopia that it has seemingly become in recent years. Spoken word artist Malik Yusef makes an appearance and adds to the proceeding with a poetical touch. The Self-title is potentially the best song on the album and captures the theme wonderfully, even if it's darker than a Christopher Nolan Batman film.

Real breaks the storm of urban nihilism and includes a more soulful sound that Common usually uses. It's much more upbeat and crooner Elijah Blake lends his voice on the hook. Kingdom is the first single from the album and still holds up after repeated listens. Both a choir and Vince Staples assist in this sprawling track. This song bridges the gap between soulful Common and the dark sounds showcased on this album. Rewind That closes the regular version of the album as Common first tells a story about his early career with No I.D. and their subsequent falling out and reunion. The second verse is an incredibly moving piece about late producer J Dilla's introduction to Common and battle with Lupus. This song is a tour de force.

Since it's 2014, no album would be complete without a deluxe version with a handful of bonus tracks. Out on Bond once again features Vince Staples and tells a story of being out of jail on bond. 7 Deadly Sins mixes soul with street and talks about the seven deadly sins and how they relate to the streets. Young Hearts Run Free is assisted by Cocaine 80s/James Fauntleroy. Lyrically it's a decent performance but the beat is boring and James is only good in small voices. Dude's voice fit like an audio version of an Instagram filter. I think the album could have ended after 7 Deadly Sins and it would have been fine.

If you're looking for the heavily soulful Common heard on previous albums, this isn't him. Nobody's Smiling is easily his darkest album, but it needs to be. He's telling the story of a deeply troubled Chi City that once created him and is now in a crisis of sorts. Thus, it's necessary to match the tone of the current events in order to be relevant and relatable. He proves to be an elder statesmen for Chicago, both in hip-hop and otherwisse. the album is solid through and through. The only criticisms I have are some of the unneeded guest appearances, along with the sequencing of the album. The three weakest tracks come in a row. Also, I would have liked to see previously released songs War or Made in Black America with Ab-Soul as bonus tracks on the deluxe version. If you're going to release a gaggle of songs before the release, that would be the best place for them. Still Nobody's Smiling is social commentary at its finest. Common's career longevity proves you can make it out of Chicago and have a long career so long as you grow as an artist and a person. Chiraq Chi-Town's new breed of MCs have been put on notice by their franchise player and living legend.

Rating 4.5 of 5.