Here are the forty best rap songs according to the Conservative Rap Coalition. Limit of one song per album/EP/mixtape. Looking back, it was a pretty good year for non-trap rap.
Enjoy it, screwheads!
Download: The Unkut 40 Oz. 2017 [re-upped May 2019]
Track listing:
01. ‘Pressure Up’ – Killa Sha feat. Tragedy Khadafi
The Shepard finally got an official digital release in 2017, so I can finally share this incredible dedication to a now lost era of Queensbridge rap music, and to the late Sha Lumi courtesy of Trag.
02. ‘Killing Time’ – Roc Marciano
This one pipped ‘Pimp Arrest’ at the post thanks to that beat switch.
03. ‘Long Barrel’ – Da Buze Bruvaz
One of the many highlights from the Adebisi Hat CD. Philly stand up!
04. ‘Arabian Sam’s’ – Conway feat. Styles P
+1 for a Daringer and Styles P album next year.
05. ‘Aquatic Violence’ – Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs feat. Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire and Sean Price
Muggs put in some serious work with the music on his latest project with Mayhem and brought that early Cypress feeling back.
06. ‘Salvador Dali’ – Agallah Don Bishop and Duke Westlake
Agafella on some Prog Jazz shit is amazing…
07. ‘Don’t Trust A Soul’ – Westside Gunn
…likewise for this finely-orchestrated musical violence. Bring the horns!
08. ‘One For Combat Jack’ – Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire
BK all fuckin’ day with this aptly titled slice of poetical terror.
09. ‘Top of the Food Chain’ – Agallah Don Bishop
Magnum Opus was easily my most played album for the year.
10. ‘No Religion’ – Prodigy
P explains his final statement of intent. He will be sorely missed.
11. ‘Negus’ – Sean Price feat. MF Doom & Ike Eyez
Suitably abrasive music for another fallen CRC icon.
12. ‘Do What I Want 2’ – Showbiz feat. David Bars
This one snuck-in from nowhere on Showbiz‘ A Room Therapy EP.
13. ‘Ice Pick’ – Fabolous and Jadakiss feat. Styles P
The Ghost makes everything better by default.
14. ‘Always Sound Hungry’ – Showbiz & A.G. feat. A Bless
This brilliantly claustrophobic beat was the stand-out from the Take It Back LP.
15. ‘Bring Dem Ghost’ – Styles P feat. Nino Man
Harry Fraud does his ‘remaking a nineties rap jam with new drums’ trick again, but there’s no denying it comes off.
16. ‘Message for the People’ – The Alchemist feat. Durag Dynasty
A sure-shot treat from The Good Book 2. Bass in your motherfucking face.
17. ‘Marvin’ – Raekwon feat. CeeLo Green
The best thing Rae has done in years as he masterfully weaves a biography in narrative form that makes that Nas song about Rakim sound like hot garbage by comparison.
18. ‘Winston Red’ – Your Old Droog
Packs was enjoyable but this was the clear standout, as Alan The Chemist provided a suitable canvas for Y.O.D. to get loose over. Pause.
19. ‘Cousin Harold’ – Lil Eto & V Don
After hearing Eto on Agallah’s album last year, I had to keep an ear out for his work. He didn’t disappoint.
20. ‘BS Vibes’ – Quelle Chris feat. House Shoes and Chris Keys
This is 2017 Quasimoto material, in the best way possible.
21. ‘We High Right Now’ – Devin The Dude feat. Odd Squad
Great to hear Rob Quest back in the booth again.
22. ‘Wild!’ – Big Twins & DJ Skizz feat. Chinky
Can we have a Chinky solo LP please?
23. ‘Fashawn’ – Fashawn
Large Professor puts Fashawn in the zone on this one.
24. ‘Olympics’ – The Doppelgangaz
Shark Life don’t stop, won’t stop.
25. ‘Bill Russell’ – Positive K & Greg Nice
We all need more Greg Nice in our life.
26. ‘Hustle/Gamble’ – Edo.G
A tasteful dedication to ‘Broken Language’ by this Beantown legend.
27. ‘Safescan’ – Willie The Kid feat. S-Class Sonny
WTK keeps on keeping on.
28. ‘Heist’ – Molecules & Showbiz
‘Cules rips it over this cinematic Showbiz break.
29. ‘Disrespekt’ – Statik Selektah feat. Prodigy
Disrespectful P flips a one last middle finger to the impostors.
30. ‘Serotonin High’ – Hus Kingpin feat. Milano Constantine and DJ Q-Bert
Best songs from Cocaina by a country mile.
31. ‘Just Cookin’ – Troy Ave
Shout-outs to this dude for including a 32 minute spoken rant on the NuPac album. That’s gotta be a new record.
32. ‘Barbaric’ – Milano Constantine
Uptown is back in the house thanks to this convincing argument courtesy of ‘Lano.
33. ‘Heather Grey’ – Willie The Kid & V Don
Stream-of-consciousness champion just gets sharper every year.
34. ‘Times Up’ – Kool G Rap
Best song from his new album on account of it having no guests. Let G do his thing!
35. ‘Petrus Steel’ – Heavy Metal Kings
Beat is mean, word to Mean Gene.
36. ‘9-24-7000’ – Action Bronson feat. Rick Ross
Rawse stays being an undercover CRC champion when he has the right music.
37. ‘Mic Doc’ – PMD feat. RJ Da Realest
Parrish is sounding a touch rusty but this works on the strength of his enthusiasm.
38. ‘Sound Off’ – OC
Good to hear him back in the O-Zone with a bit more energy.
39. ‘Black Ops’ – Justo
Glad that those Showbiz Rare Breaks CD’s are being put to good use.
40. ‘Gangsta Gangsta’ – MC Eiht feat. Kurupt
This is three minutes longer than it needs to be but hits those nostalgia notes regardless.
Welcome back Robbie, looking forward to blasting this choice selection…happy 2018!!!
Here’s the 20 albums (actually 2 of em are ep s but wtf) I fucked w hardest in 17 in no particular order.
1. Buze Bruvaz – Adebisi Hat
2. Roc Marci – Rosebudds Revenge
3. Molecules & Show – A Bronx Tale
4. Apathy & O.C. – Perestroika
5. Willie The Kid – Deutsch Mark
6. Tha Soloist – Coca Cobra
7. Steph Dash Nash – The Grit
8. Sean Price – Imperius Rex
9. Agallah The Don – 3 day theory
10. Benny the Butcher – Butcher on steroids
11. The Doppelgangaz – Dopp Hopp
12. Your old Droog – Packs
13. Killa Sha – the Shepperd (Finally)
14. Justo – Black Ops
15..Showbiz and A.G. – Take it Back
16. O.C. Same Moon Same Sun
17. Kool G. Rap – Return of the Don
18. Meyhem Lauren and DJ Muggs – Gems from the Equinox
19. Mr Mfn EXquire – Braniac
20. Milano Constantin – The way we we’re
Damn 2017 wuz a pretty decent year in the underground world of rap
Here’s my Soundcloud 2017 list mind you that not all my faves where available on the cloud
Listen to 2017 ish by Petah Yo-Hazzan #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/petah-yo-hazzan/sets/2017-ish
what do you think of Mach hommy and tha god fahim? I’m surprised they didn’t make the list
@Alex Price: They’re good but nothing really stood out in particular for me. Same goes for Planet Asia’s stuff last year.
Thoughts for the Shadow album?
Thnx for sharing your list Robbie. Always enjoy these.
Dope stuff Robbie!
I pretty much defered all my yearly rap listenning to your end of the year list. This year I listened to a lot of God Fahim albums. I felt a lot of his music this year. Not the greatest lyricist but his beats selection shines, plus he has a DIY mentality and still relatively young.
@3BM-Ark: DJ Shadow? Haven’t checked it.
Thanks for this! Good to see you back at it for 2018!
I’m not sure what CRC’s take is but “The Greatest Rapper Alive” by Ransom was one of my favorite albums this and for has quite a few songs that CRC would approve of.
@Ben: Haven’t been floored by him in the past but I’ll check that latest album out.
Quelle Chris!
I’m surprised no Bermuda Triangle track was included … I also think a Crimeapple or al.divino & Estee Nack contribution or one of the tracks from Tragedy’s EP would enhance the quality of this compilation…
@Kool Max Power: The other guy who rapped on the Triangle album killed the vibe for me.
Got to admit I missed the Trag EP, just checking it now. Crimeapple, Estee Nack and al.davino stuff sounding good as well, thanks for tip.
TROY AVE? RICK ROSS??
FUCK FAKE RAP MUSIC!
Here’s my fave album purchases of 2017:
Honourable mentions (inpo)
Billy Woods “Known Unknowns”
Armand Hammer “Rome”
Crime Apple”Metralleta
Doppelgangaz “Dopp Hopp”
Random “Extra Credit”
Lil Eto & VDon “Omerta the film”
My top 10 faves:
10) Milo “Who told you to think?”
9)Open Mike Eagle “Brick body kids still daydream”
8) The Notorious RAN “Ready to live”
7)Quelle Chris “Being you is great. I wish I could be you more often”
6)Teen Burger “Hive Mind”
5)Twizzy “Alarm bells ringing”
4) Ill Move Sporadic & Big Toast “You are not special”
3) Abdominal & DJ Format “Still hungry”
2) The Menagerie “Odd Beast”
1) ALLTTA “The Upper Hand”
The song with Nas on the EP was ok, lol. I saw him perform the new album in Melbourne, and twas a tight set. Not missing anything, just wanted your thoughts if you checked it…
Thanx for this Rob, only halfway thru so far, my faves being ‘No Religion’ & ‘Marvin’, neither of which I’d heard previously cos, alas, I’m old & out of touch these days.
Rick Ross??? Cee Lo???? No talent sell outs!!! I guess now it’s cool to like commeracial rap and sell outs?????
Action Bronson and your old droog???
Why the white copy Cats???????
Just like jazz. SMFH.
Joe Marma’s 40 oz
Not a definitive list just shit I could remember
(in no order)
1- Killa Sha – Give It Up
2- Tha God Fahim – I’m Dumpin!!!
2- Sean P & Junior Reid – Church Bells
3- Da Buze Bruvaz & Rustee Juxx – US Embassy
4- Westside Gunn – Pissy Work
5- B.E.N.N.Y. – Camilla’s
6- Rosati, Rozewood & Hus Kingpin – Midnight Savages
7- Tha God Fahim – Kevlar Coating
8- War Porn Industries – Dazed & Confused
9- Planet Asia, Rasco & Tristate – Sherm Theme
10- Styles P, Conway & Lil Fame – Finish Him
11- Westside Gunn & Mach Hommy – Macho On Coke
12- Daniel Son – Jubilee
13- $amhill – Extreme Wordplay
14- Your Old Droog & Danny Brown – Grandma Hips
15- Gift Of Gab, A.F.R.O & RA The Rugged Man – Freedom Form Flowing
16- ASAP Ferg – Our Streets
17- Mach Hommy & Tha God Fahim – SPF 45
18- Blacastan,Ill Bill,Rasheed Chapell & Nems – Delete (remix)
19- Run The Jewels – Calm Down
20- Crimeapple – Suicide Drills
21- Mach Hommy – So Much More
22- Don’t Smoke Rock, The Lox – Milestone
23- Lil Eto & Jai Black – Pyrex(tie)Lil Eto & Meyhem Lauren – High
24- Meyhem Lauren, MR MFN Exquire & Sean P – Aquatic Violence(tie)Redrum
25- Crimeapple & Daniel Son – Elm Street
26- Tha God Fahim – Nashing Of The Teeth
27- Spit Gemz,Necro & Nems – Exorcise The Exorcism
28- OC,Apathy,Slaine & Kappa Gamma – Tomorrow Is Gone
29- Fokis,Edo G,S-Dub & Planet Asia – Wild Young Man
30- Chubs – ETC
31- Statik Salektah & The Lox – But You Don’t Hear Me Tho
32- Pete Rock – Aretha
33- Roc Marciano – Killing Time
34- Killah Priest,4th Disciple & Raekwon – You Don’t Stop
35- Milano – British Walkers
36- Smoovth & Milano – Jesus Piece
37- Dirt Platoon – Will Fuck You Up
38- Lord Juco,Benny & Roc marciano – Narcos
39- Apollo Brown & Planet Asia – Deep In The Casket
40- Jidenna – Long Live The Chief
“a lot of God Fahim albums”
Emphasis on a LOT. Me too, @Rantago.
Co-sign the God Fahim comments. Reminds me of Cormega
‘Barbaric’ by Milano is song of the year for me…
Good list again Robert. I’d squeeze Benny ‘Change or ‘Camillas’ in too
Shameless Plug..
Ya’ll should have peeped the group “Stallone & Weathers” EP from last year…gems..DJ Premier and Eclipse played joints from this release.
https://soundcloud.com/kickaversemg/sets/precyce-politix-and-k-hill-are