It's been an annual tradition that at every December, I do a post here listing my favorite Baltimore hip hop albums and mixtapes of the year. But I never got around to it before the end of 2010, and here we are at the end of January and I feel bad about slacking and just want to get it out there, better late than never. I'll be posting each entry one at a time, and you can follow me on Twitter for updates when I add a new one:



1. Dirt Platoon - Deeper Than Dirt (Brake Fast Records)
So many underground rappers, especially in Baltimore, talk a good game about real hip hop, keeping it grimy, bringing the ‘90s back, all that shit, but when you really listen to their music they’re as eager to keep up with trends or be on some pop shit as anybody they’re complaining about. So that’s why it’s so refreshing to hear Dirt Platoon just not fuck around at all and make some nasty gritty old fashioned hip hop, but still have enough production values, attention to detail and content in their lyrics that it all holds together as a real dope album.
purchase Deeper Than Dirt on Band Camp
Dirt Platoon - "D.P. Shit" (mp3)



2. Los - Shooter (After Platinum/DJ Ill Will/DJ Rockstar)
As a pure MC Los is one of the rare people in Baltimore who I can sincerely say has inspired awe in me at times, just how fast his mind works and how the words pour out of him. I don’t love every creative decision he makes on this, really his first album-style project of all original production, but it’s a consistently engaging listen and probably the only record on this list I’ve seen on any year-end lists outside of Baltimore, even XXL’s, so I’m really happy that dude is kind of becoming a breakout star around here.
download Shooter on DatPiff
Los - "Freedom Of Speech" (mp3)



3. Rome Cee - Tunnel Vision (FreEP)
This may be billed as a “FreEP,” but at just under 40 minutes with barely a second wasted, it’s closer to what rap albums used to be like and probably should still aspire to. Rome Cee was easily the best new Baltimore MC (or new to me, anyway) to grab my attention in 2010 with such a concise, no-nonsense record.
download Tunnel Vision on Band Camp
Rome Cee f/ Kneel Knaris - "Rock My Style (mp3)



4. Backland - Block Work: None Better (DJ Jabril/Block Boy Music)
Backland’s been on the scene forever, and has always been one of the most talented rappers in Baltimore, but his projects have been fewer and further between since an accident and resulting health problems put him on the sidelines for a while. So every new mixtape is an event, especially this one, which he kept trickling out dope songs from throughout 2010 before finally dropping the whole thing on us.
download Block Work: None Better on AllBmoreHipHop.com
Backland - "Goin' In" (mp3)



5. Mickey Free - Last Of The Tight Wiggers
Sometimes white rappers give me some bullshit about how I'm biased against them, but really I just wish more of them were as dope as Mickey Free or were able to navigate their way through hip hop with the same kind of wit and creativity, letting race factor into his identity but not dictate it, playing with white rapper archetypes while transcending them. Last Of The Tight Wiggers is a fun, funny record with some great rapping and the kind of goofy-ass skits people don't make anymore.
purchase Last Of The Tight Wiggers on Band Camp
Mickey Free - "The Unnies" (mp3)



6. Mania Music Group - Welcome To The Audience (Mania Music Group)
I'm a big fan of Mania and have always enjoyed their plethora of free online releases, although no single one of them completely lived up to the crew's overall potential. And that extended to their first official retail album, but they got close enough with a nice collection of jams where all 4 of the group's MCs got a good solo showcase or a standout verse on a posse cut.
purchase Welcome To The Audience on Band Camp
Mania Music Group f/ Dappa!!! Dan Midas - "U Might Think" (mp3)



7. Mullyman - Harder Than Baltimore (Major League Unlimited)
Mully's second album was a total improvement over 2005's Mullymania and really found him tightening his circle up to 2 great producers that both cover a lot of territory, DJ Booman and MBAHlievable, and just focusing on collecting the best of his various singles and leaks over the past year or two plus some dope new songs.
download Harder Than Baltimore on DatPiff
Mullyman - "MULLY!" (mp3)



8. Greenspan - Got Green 2 (Federal Reserve/IllVibes-DMV.com/DJBooth.net)
Greenspan is one of the few rappers in Baltimore that seems to make every move carefully and thoughtfully, his rhymes are always well written, his tracks are always crisp, his live show is always entertaining, just an all-around solid artist.
download Got Green 2 on DJBooth.net
Greenspan - "Never Done" (mp3)



9. Skarr Akbar - The Pursuit Of Happyness (Akbar Enterprize)
Skarr Akbar is one of those artists that keeps dropping new mixtapes year in, year out, and always makes this list, usually somewhere lower, because honestly although he's a huge talent and every record has some dope songs, a lot of times they end up feeling like just another mixtape. But The Pursuit Of Happyness and to a lesser extent its sequel really broke that pattern and felt like cohesive album statements.
download The Pursuit Of Happyness on AllBmoreHipHop.com
Skarr Akbar - “Unbreakable” (mp3)



10. Rapdragons - Featuring Baltimore (Ltd Comp)
I'm really kind of jealous of Rapdragons that they got the brilliant idea to build an entire rap album out of samples from Baltimore rock and indie bands and that they executed it so well.
download Featuring Baltimore on Ltd Comp
Rapdragons - “Come Harvest” (mp3)



11. The Boy Blesst - Show-N-Prove (Reign Music)
I was a huge fan of Blesst's 2009 album Charmicidal, and while this one doesn't have as many memorable songs to keep me coming back, it's still another solid record from one of Baltimore's most underrated rappers, who just has a completely unique voice, an interesting lyrical perspective and a great ear for beats.
download Show-N-Prove on AllBmoreHipHop.com
The Boy Blesst f/ Barnes - “Homeboy” (mp3)



12. Al Great - The Take
After a few freestyle-heavy mixtapes that didn't particularly grab me, Al Great came hard with a couple of records full of original production in 2010, The Heist and a few months later this great follow-up, The Take.
download The Take on DatPiff
Al Great f/ Jet Noise Cardi - “Blinders” (mp3)



13. Si-Notes - Cash On Delivery (Gritty Gang/ARS Productions)
There were other female MCs from Baltimore that made a lot more noise in 2010, but Si-Notes made a mixtape I can really bump front to back last year and they didn't, so I'm still pretty happy with having given her the Best of Baltimore award.
download Cash On Delivery on AllBmoreHipHop.com.
Si-Notes f/ Hunnit Proof - “C’mon Baby” (mp3)



14. Rickie Jacobs - Air Jacobs (BuckMarleyXXX.com/The Good Life Reviews)
After a couple years of enjoying the tracks I'd heard from Rickie Jacobs here and there, it was cool to finally hear a full-length project from him. His voice and his presence on the mic are still a little lacking, in my opinion, but I like where his head's at and what he's trying to say with his music.
download Air Jacobs on Tha Good Life
Rickie Jacobs - “The End” (mp3)



15. Spita - The Fire
This is one of those kinds of odd records that isn't on anybody else's radar that ended up in my e-mail inbox that I really dug, exists very far outside current trends while still being kind of contemporary and radio-friendly, unique voice and some great production.
purchase The Fire on iTunes
Spita - “Spita” (mp3)



16. Bossman - The Re-Up (1Up Entertainment)
Almost immediately after this album was released, Bossman began a campaign of desperate publicity stunts like "Fuck Radio" song and the one-sided Wale 'beef' that, to be honest, were just bizarre and sad to me, and really made me wonder if the dude has just lost his way completely and isn't worth paying any attention to anymore. But the best part of his uneven 2nd official album at least affirmed that he's still got some of that spark that made the Law & Order album so great way back in 2004.
purchase The Re-UP on Amazon MP3
Bossman - “Pain” (mp3)



17. NOE - Gone Till Noevember (DJ 4Five / G14)
NOE has more of a 'biter' stigma than anyone else in Baltimore, but honestly at this point most of the comparisons to Jay-Z is purely from the voice he was born with and he's really got his own rhyme style and ear for beats that doesn't feel especially derivative of anyone in particular.
download Gone Till Noevember on AllBmoreHipHop.com
NOE f/ Jim Jones - "Tangerine Fisker" (mp3)



18. TestMe - In A Lane By Myself (Power Hitter Records)
TestMe is still copping Lil Wayne's rhyme style, delivery and vocal mannerisms so much that the title In A Lane By Myself is pretty inaccurate, but he's still one of the most talented biters in Baltimore and has gotten better and better at putting together consistent mixtapes.
download In A Lane By Myself on AllBmoreHipHop.com
TestMe - "No Hooks" (mp3)



19. Height With Friends - Bed Of Seeds (Friends Records)
Height is kind of the de facto ringleader of a weird, mostly white crew of rappers in Baltimore that gets overlooked or ignored in most conversations about Baltimore hip hop, and the Height With Friends records in particular go a little beyond hip hop with rock instrumentation and vocals that are sometimes more chanted than rapped. But they're in a great groove right now with the records they've been doing and really making a case for why their eccentric vision of rap is exciting and valid.
purchase Bed Of Seeds on Band Camp
Height With Friends - “Link Wray” (mp3)



20. Ogun - In My Spare Time (Architects Studio/Real On Purpose)
There's so much passion and honesty in Ogun's music at his very best that sometimes I just get a little disinterested when emphasizes swag more and kinda lets go of that earnestness that defined his early albums. And the fact that this mixtape is called In My Spare Time only kind of reminds me how much I'd rather him go hard on making the best possible album he can, but there's still some joints on here.
download In My Spare Time on AllBmoreHipHop.com
Ogun f/ Goon - “Why You Acting” (mp3)

Labels: Dirt Platoon, lists, Los, Mania Music Group, Mickey Free, mp3, Ogun, Rapdragons, Rome Cee, Skarr Akbar, The Boy Blesst

Architects Recording Studio presents Street Radio 7 The Overdose Edition: Hosted By Comp (ARS Productions/Surface II Air Street Media)

I was late to posting about Street Radio 6 the other day, so I thought I'd just post about the next installment back to back. This one is the same format, with an artist hosting instead of a DJ, this time Comp, but for whatever reason I'm not feeling this one as much. Plenty of artists I like, just not into most of the songs they used. Street Radio 7 features music from Skarr Akbar, Bossman, 100 Grandman, The Boy Blest, Ogun, Barnes, and many others, and you can download it at allbmorehiphop.com

Tonio From Da Top f/ QG and Bar Cardy - "Twist Ya Fingers Up" (mp3)
A lot of Baltimore cats try to make anthemic crunk records like this, and they are rarely ever this effective, like if I heard this on the radio I'd be blasting this shit.

Labels: 100 Grandman, ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Architects, Barnes, Bossman, Comp, mixtape/album review, mp3, Ogun, Skarr Akbar, The Boy Blesst, Tonio

The Boy Blesst - Show-N-Prove (Reign Music)

Blesst released one of my favorite Baltimore albums of last year, Charmicidle, and the first leak from this new record, "The Difference," was dope, so I was definitely anticipating this. I don't know if it's quite on the same level as the last album, but Blesst is just a really solid rapper, always has a really listenable flow and a good ear for beats, so anything he does is worth checking out. I get a little bored with how much of his music is about success and getting famous, that kind of thing is kinda why I wrote that Might Don't Make It article. I don't think rappers realize that rap stardom isn't actual that interesting a topic for lyrics, even when actual stars like Drake rap about it all the time it's kinda boring, let alone someone who's still underground like Blesst. There's some good songs about real life shit on here too, though, so it's alright. Guests on here include Barnes and C.R. Da Show, and you can download it on AllBmoreHipHop.com.

The Boy Blesst f/ Brian Ennals - "The World Don't Stop" (mp3)
Brian Ennals is kind of a newer rapper I reviewed a CD by a while back, cool to see him linking up with other good artists.

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Barnes, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Boy Blesst

This is The Boy Blesst's 2nd video off the Charmicidle album, for "Dun It Again." The first video got a lot of positive feedback, and this one's pretty different, but also a really good job by M1 Films.

Labels: The Boy Blesst, video

Labels: Club Reality, flyer, The Boy Blesst

The Boy Blesst made this video for "Nuthin' To Sumthin'" featuring Danny Boy, off of his really great 2009 album Charmicidle, in time for Black History Month.

Labels: The Boy Blesst, video

Labels: flyer, The Boy Blesst

I posted about 80-something albums and mixtapes on Gov’t Names in 2009, more than any year before, but I have to admit that between staying home with my son for the last 3 months of the year and generally being busy and overwhelmed for the rest of the year, I really feel like my attention was scattered and I don’t know how much I really appreciated everything I heard. And there are a ton of notable releases I either haven’t gotten around to hearing yet, or have heard but haven’t posted about, and while probably spend the first couple months of 2010 catching up on those. Still, I’m pretty confident that barely anyone’s heard as much as I did this year, so I’ll keep pulling together my favorites for a big year-end list for whatever my opinion’s worth. I’ll make the same offer I did last year even though nobody took me up on it then, though, that if people e-mail me their own top 5 or top 10 or whatever, hopefully I can get enough to make that a whole other post (I’m probably never going to attempt a reader poll again, though, that was a mess). I feel like, with more of the stuff I write about here readily available for free download than ever, on DatPiff or AllBmoreHipHop or whatever, there’s really no excuse for anyone who reads this site to not hear a lot of it and form their own opinions, and I’d love to hear them.



1. The Get Em Mamis - TerAwesome (RCRD LBL)
It’s funny, a lot of my music critic friends and contemporaries seem to get excited about any female rapper that comes down the pipeline, and while I’m obviously a big supporter of female MCs especially here in Baltimore, I still feel like they need to be held to a standard just like anybody else. And really, Nicki Minaj and Lil Mama are just garbage, even compared to rappers who were doing it big a few years ago like Trina or Remy Ma. So I’m really glad that Roxzi and Symph from G.E.M. are really stepping up and making great music that you don’t have to adjust your expectations for based on their gender.
download TerAwesome from RCRD LBL
The Get Em Mamis - "Boss Bitch Business" (mp3)



2. The Boy Blesst - Charmicidle (Reign Music Inc.)

I’ve been into Blesst’s mixtapes for a couple years, but he was always just one of many mixtape rappers I liked out of many. But this year he set himself apart by making a real album, where pretty much every track has a good beat and a strong hook, every verse has some dope rhymes and says some real shit, which is somethig that so few of his peers have managed to do. This album is so laser-focused it’s crazy.
buy Charmicidle from digstation.com
The Boy Blesst - "Good Times Roll" (mp3)



3. Cutthroat and Bear - Silent Flutes (For The People Entertainment)

I was initially attracted to For The People for how big and prolific their roster is and how unique their whole organization is as much as for their music. But I always saw the potential and the creativity there, and they really delivered a release that lives up to that promise this year.
buy Silent Flutes from Amazon
Cutthroat and Beat - "Squadre Name" (mp3)



4. The Black Sunn - GodSound (2dopeboyz/illRoots)

The Black Sunn has to be my favorite newcomer of the year, even if he’s probably been doing his thing for a minute, and getting introduced to someone who’s got his own sound and is really making great music right from the jump is one of the things that really keeps me excited to keep doing this site.
download GodSound from 2dopeboyz or illRoots
The Black Sunn - "Tune In" (mp3)



5. Kneel Knaris - Going Sane In A Crazy World (Street Legal Entertainment)

I remember last year hearing that both members of PX (Parts Unknown) were working on solo albums, and figured they might be coming out around the same time. As far as I know, though, only Kneel’s has come out so far, and he really set the bar high and took his music to a whole new level, really getting high concept and autobiographical at the same time. This might not be my favorite album on this list, but it’s definitely the most ambitious.
buy Going Sane In A Crazy World from Amazon
Kneel Knaris - "Something To Talk About" (mp3)



6. ScholarMan - GameShift: The Movement (Soganic Music)

ScholarMan was another artist that was new to me in 2009 that really impressed me, and he put out a whole lot of music this year, including a couple EPs, but this full-length was my favorite release so far.
buy GameShift: The Movement from Soganic Music
ScholarMan f/ K-Mynez - "What You Puttin’ Back" (mp3)



7. Chubb Rock & Wordsmith - Bridging The Gap (Godigital/Unruly/Koch Records)

I wasn’t sure if this old school/new school New York/Baltimore combination made any sense, or whether Wordsmith would really get the room to do his thing like he does on his many many solo mixtapes, but after all the wait I have to say this album really came together well.
buy Bridging The Gap from Amazon
Chubb Rock & Wordsmith - "Soul Baby Blues" (mp3)



8. Comp - The Man With The Hand (Bang-A-Rang/Shape Shifter Entertainment)

5 years after his Def Jam deal came and went, Comp finally made a non-mixtape album, and it’s way too personal and funny and weird and harrowing than anything a major label would’ve allowed from him.
buy The Man With The Hand from Amazon
Comp - "Short Film" (mp3)



9. Height With Friends - Baltimore Highlands (Wham City)

I’ve liked Height’s unique take on rap since the first guest verse I heard from him way back in 2002, but it was this year that he really seem to come into his own and kind of create a whole movement of likeminded MCs and producers, many of whom collaborated with him for this album.
buy Baltimore Highlands from Wham City
Height With Friends - "Code Of Love" (mp3)



10. K-Mack - Night Ryda (Knokville Entertainment/Banga Bill Enterprise)

Sometimes I wonder if it takes a MC or producer that have been at it since the mid-’90s, like K-Mack and Banga Bill, to make a record that sounds this tough and really maintains the feel of that era, without actually feeling forced or retro.
download Night Ryda from AllBmoreHipHop
K-Mack - "B City" (mp3)



11. Los - Welcome To Swaggsville

You may notice that there’s not a single mixtape in the top 10 of this list, it’s all albums with original production, and that’s because for the most part I’m fucking sick of mixtapes and hearing people rap over the same tired radio beats over and over and over. But if I’m gonna listen to any, I’d prefer it’s someone who can really kill every beat like Los.
download Welcome To Swaggsville from swaggaboylos.blogspot.com
Los - "Say You Will" (mp3)



12. Barnes - Block Work Featuring Barnes (DJ Jabril)

This is an example of a record I didn’t really think of much at first, or at least I didn’t like it nearly as much as Barnes’s first album, but I was really convinced to go back and listen to again after hearing about people really thinking highly of it. And that doesn’t always work, someone else was really insistent that I give their shit a second chance recently and it still sounded weak when I went back to it.
download Block Work from AllBmoreHipHop
Barnes f/ Bump - "Ay Boy" (mp3)



13. Mike Malachi - Malachi's Way II: Malachi's Revenge (Music In Me Production Inc.)

The underrated Mike Malachi and his producer Ron Rico came back hard this year with an album that feels like a step up from their previous efforts, but still a natural progression and very much a piece with their earlier albums.
download Malachi's Way II: Malachi's Revenge from DatPiff
Mike Malachi - "The Showstopper" (mp3)



14. Shy Lady Heroin - Queen Of The Streets (Money In Da Bank Ent.)

Last year’s Queen Of The Mic champ really upped her profile this year with a ton of live performances and this mixtape, which I wasn’t real into at first but has grown on me.
download Queen Of The Streets from AllBmoreHipHop
Shy Lady Heroin - “What You Want" (mp3)



15. Haz - The Game Need Change (DJ Radio)

I heard a lot of generic hardcore street rap mixtapes this year, but very few of them managed to flow as well as this one and not wear out its welcome.
download The Game Need Change from AllBmoreHipHop
Haz - "100 Bar" (mp3)



16. PenDragon - HomeRun King (Team Arson)

Drag remains one of the city’s best underdogs, making dope beats, dope rhymes, good videos, etc.
download HomeRun King from dragwroteit.blogspot.com
PenDragon - "Never Stops" (mp3)



17. Skarr Akbar - The Street Album B4 The Album (Akbar Enterprize)

The perennial favorite continues to drop solid projects year after year after year after year after year, this list wouldn’t be complete without a Skarr tape.
download The Street Album B4 The Album from AllBmoreHipHop
Skarr Akbar - "Dear Diary" (mp3)



18. Al Great - Greatness (Alevan Music Group/DJ 5 Starr)

I met Al Great a few weeks after posting about this mixtape, and turns out dude was really kinda mad about it, and I didn’t even think I was that harsh, I really just want him to put out another album with original production because he’s had a few mixtapes in a row.
download Greatness from AllBmoreHipHop
Al Great - "Circles" (mp3)



19. Mania Music Group - Demos, Freestyles And Outtakes 2007-2008 (Year One) (Mania Music Group)

Mania’s profile continued to rise in 2009, even if their output wasn’t as relentless as their initial flood of material in 2008, but really even this odds’n’sods collection is as good as what a lot of artists were putting out as their best shit.
download Demos, Freestyles And Outtakes 2007-2008 (Year One) from ManiaMusicGroup.com
Rapman Ron G - "Break (Demo)" (mp3)



20. NOE - Deal Or NOE Deal (DJ Daa One)

Soundalike or not, NOE’s got lyrics for days and continues to be someone worth watching as he makes more and more industry moves.
download Deal Or NOE Deal from AllBmoreHipHop
NOE - "92Q Freestyle" (mp3)

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Comp, For The People Entertainment, G.E.M./Tha Plague, lists, Mania Music Group, mp3, Skarr Akbar, The Black Sunn, The Boy Blesst, Unruly Records, Wordsmith

The Boy Blesst - "The Difference" (mp3)
This track as it was e-mailed to me was labelled "ft. Jay-Z," but of course I never thought for a second that it actually featured Jay-Z, and unsurprisingly it's just got a hook that samples a couple lines from "U Don't Know." I will never ever ever understand why people do that. Are they really trying to fool the 1% of the population that's gullible enough to think an independent rapper actually got a guest verse from Jay-Z? But I checked out this track and am posting it because Blesst is dope, and he released a great album this year, and this song is really good, so fuck even pretending Jay-Z or whoever is on it.

Labels: mp3, The Boy Blesst

"Ground Zero: The 9/11 Hip Hop Showcase"? That's fucking despicable. I mean sure, Jay-Z's doing a concert that day, too, but it's actually a benefit for families of 9/11 victims, this is just tacky. I'm kind of pissed that I already told my editor I'd be reviewing this show before I saw this flyer. I guess I can use the opportunity to write more about what a horrible idea the name of the show is, though.

Labels: flyer, Sonar, The Boy Blesst

Labels: flyer, The Boy Blesst

The Boy Blesst - Charmicidle (Reign Music Inc.)

The Boy Blesst is really one rapper that I've always felt like doesn't get the props he should in Baltimore, just a really solid MC with his own twist on things and always makes good music. But his new album, which I reviewed in the City Paper this week, really exceeded my expectations. Sick verses, memorable hooks, good variety of beats (by Banga Bill, Street Heat, Imahj, J Stax, B.Lansky, among others), not much filler or bullshit, I really hope people don't sleep on him this time. You can buy the album here.

The Boy Blesst - "U Lucky" (mp3)
It was tough to pick a favorite song here, the whole stretch from tracks 4-8 is golden, but right now this is the one I'm feeling the most.

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Banga Bill, magazines/newspapers, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Boy Blesst

The Boy Blesst - Lockdown II: In My Skin (Reign Music/DJ 5 Starr)

This is the sequel to the last mixtape I heard from The Boy Blesst, last year's Lockdown Vol. 1, which he sent to me from ATL where he's been staying lately. This has the song "Barry White" that I posted the video for a while back and some other dope new songs, although it's still largely a freestyle mixtape. The mix is really kinda bad on this, just sounds kinda cheap and muddy, but Blesst is a pretty talented, charismatic MC so his words kinda cut through the tracks anyway.

The Boy Blesst f/ Debonair Samir - "Won't Stop Rockin'" (mp3)
Samir made a banger here, nice Run DMC sample hook.

Labels: Debonair Samir, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Boy Blesst

Some new videos I've been meaning to post for a minute:



Here's the video for Bossman's "I Wonder," which was his tribute track for K-Swift produced by One Up (I posted it last week but it was a version with Raheem DeVaughn on it and I had it under the title "Missin' U" because that's what his MySpace page called it). The video looks amazing, since it was done by the same Sleeping Giant Media folks who did the 100 Grandman video I posted a while back.



E Major has a new video for "We Got It Going On," it's short and not as slick as his last video but still pretty cool. Look out for E Major being featured in this Tuesday's issue of B.



I hadn't heard anything from The Boy Blesst in a minute, but he just e-mailed me about his video for the song "Barry White."



So apparently this cat Substantial is from Baltimore and has been getting some play on MTV channels with his latest video, "It's You (I Think)," and before Jade Fox put me up on it I had never heard of this guy before in my life. I'm not mad at that at all, though, I think it's great that someone from here is making big moves outside the local circuit, and it just goes to show that some cool things escape the notice of even a know-it-all motherfucker like me.

Labels: Bossman, E Major, K-Swift, One Up Entertainment, Substantial, The Boy Blesst, video

B-Ill - The Best Of B-Ill: Chapter 1 (Banga Bill Enterprises)

Banga Bill is a producer who's down with Star Status and Street Official Records and a lot of other labels, and if you listen to Baltimore hip hop at all you've heard some of his work over the years. I reviewed this mixtape for the City Paper recently, and it's a double CD that features his work with a ton of great Baltimore artists (Mullyman, Barnes, JI-900, Tha Annexx Click, Backland, Los, Blesst, Sonny Brown) as well as some pretty major out-of town MC's (Freeway, Joe Budden, Snoop Dogg, The Clipse, Jae Hood, Drag-On, Ghostface Killah, Memphis Bleek). Don't be confused by the cover art, though, none of the Baltimore rap featured on The Wire is on these CD's. But check out Bill's MySpace page where you can buy a lot of these tracks via Snocap.com. Since it's a double CD, I'll post a track from each CD:

Silohette - "Chicken Box" (mp3)
The chicken box is such a Baltimore thing, when I heard this for the first time a year ago I thought it was so brilliant that someone here made a song out of the concept. This track should've been a huge hit, in my opinion. Is her name spelled Silohette or Silowette, though? I've seen it both ways.

Los - "Ain't Shook At All" (mp3)
This is a pretty short track but it's hot, and it's always good to hear something from Los, he needs to put out a solo mixtape or something already.

Labels: Annexx Click, Backland, Baltimore City Paper, Banga Bill, Barnes, Los, mixtape/album review, mp3, Mullyman, Sonny Brown, The Boy Blesst