What better way to usher in a new decade by remembering all of those things that made 2009? From the INFAMOUS Kanye West shrug to Tiger Wood’s infidelity, to the death of Michael Jackson, 2009 has been a CRAZY year.  Follow me as I take a trip down memory lane. I guarantee you’ll be entertained.

As always, let’s kick this off with some controversy!

 

Most Disappointing Album of the Year

Jay-Z – Blueprint 3 – If you’re going to continue to release albums under what you made a classic album title then how can you say stuff like, “Niggas want my old shit, buy my old albums.” But, I guess it’s not possible for you to have just as many people dislike your music as you do that like it – without being deemed haters – huh Hov? I don’t think I’ve ever felt as indifferent about an album as I did this one.  ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
Asher Roth – Asleep In The Bread Isle – Asher Roth had a BOATLOAD of hype, and what did he do with it? I think he really did fall asleep, but in the studio not the bread isle.
Busta Rhymes – Back On My B.S. – This album was just what its title entailed – BULLSHIT.
DJ Quik & Kurupt – Blaqout – How could such a classic West Coast duo fail? One word: Blaqout
Rakim – The Seventh Seal – This is Rakim. How could ANY Rakim joint not live up to expectations? This one hurt me as much as it hurt to listen to it.

Winner: Rakim – The Seventh Seal

Clothing Line of the Year

Play Cloths – The Clipse came out strong, showing that they can brand themselves outside of the cocaine raps. Play Cloths offers everything from shirts and jeans to bookbags and business card holders.
Levi – With the help of Michigan emcee and style connoisseur, Ro Spit, Levi stepped back onto the scene STRONG.
District 81 – This Michigan based clothing line has been the most consistent, independent lines of the past few years. District 81 never disappoints.

Winner: District 81

“Where You At?” Award for Best Disappearing Act

Cassidy – I think this one’s pretty self explanatory. Has anyone seen Cassidy?
Papoose – What happened to Papoose bullying some, “label,” into breaking the bank for 1.5 million to sign him? Poppycock!
Teairra Mari – She went from Def Jam to obscurity to Interscope BACK to obscurity. **scratches head**
David Allen Grier – What the f*ck happened to Chocolate News?!?!?!?

Winner: David Allen Grier

 

Video of the Year

Royce Da 5’9” – Part Of Me – Conceptually, this is probably the best video I’ve seen. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a video that fits the concept of the song so well. Salute, Rik Cordero!
Vstylez – Clash Of The Titans – How Vstylez managed to get so many lyrical MONSTERS on one track, let alone the video, is beyond me! Vstylez is going to be shutting sh*t DOWN, mark my words.
Ro Spit – Renaissance State Of Mind – Up and coming director Gerard Victor really put his FOOT in this vid. The shot of Ro Spit driving by Motor City Casino alone is a thing of beauty!
Keri Hilson – Knock You Down – DID YOU SEE THAT *SS WHEN SHE WAS FALLING BACKWARDS ON THE BED? **DEAD**

Winner: Ro Spit – Renaissance State Of Mind

Movie of the Year

The Soloist – I still don’t understand how this movie didn’t land on anyone’s radar. This was probably Jame Foxx’s best performance since portraying Ray Charles.
Funny People – Granted a movie starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen in 2009 should have been a bit better than what this movie was, this was still a great movie – a great movie that lasted just a BIT too long. The Eminem scene alone is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in 2009.
The Blind Side – A rags-to-riches story about an NFL football player? I have to admit that I didn’t go into this movie with many expectations but I left the theatre BLOWN AWAY. It was hard to keep a dry eye. Yeah, that’s right… you wanna fight about it?
The Hangover – This is a no brainer. From the moment we all saw Mike Tyson in the previews, we knew this was going to be the funniest movie we’ve laid eyes on since Step Brothers.

Winner: The Blind Side

Concert of the Year

“The Fucking Get Better Bro” Benefit for Hex Murda – This event was PROOF that Detroit’s influence reaches WELL beyond our reputation for random violence, a failed industry, stupid politicians, and general ignorance. Hosted by Rude Jude, with a special guest performance by Alchemist? Detroit’s the only city you can go to where the talent can just mingle amongst the general population without issue.
Rock The Bells 2009 – Rock The Bells is usually an excellent experience and, aside from the horrible hospitality by the venue staff at the Detroit stop, 2009 was no different. Slaughterhouse? KRS-One? Nas & Damien Marley? Victory.

Winner – “The Fucking Get Better Bro” Benefit for Hex Murda

“Where They Do That At?” Excellence in Ignorance Award

Kwame Kilpatrick – You’ve got to be shitting me, Kwame. I pray that we don’t have to deal with anymore of your fuckery in the new decade. But, something tells me that this is only the beginning.
Charles Hamilton – You’d think that being assaulted by his ex-girlfriend after a rap battle gone wrong would have knocked some sense into him. Nope. I guess he wanted to really test the reputation of Detroiters. Idiot.

Winner: Kwame Kilpatrick

“Give It The F*CK Up” Award of the Year

BET (as a network) – There’s no  one or nothing else that deserves to be in this category with BET. When it comes to fail, BET’s on an entire new level of it. I’m convinced that BET is Viacom’s social experiment. The Viacom executives sit at their Legion Of Doom roundtable, plotting ways on how they can make us look even more ignorant and still find enough of us to support it. Unfortunately, they’re winning.

Best New Artist – R&B

Keri Hilson – Keri Hilson is the Satchel Paige of R&B. That’s totally a reference to her being in the game for 9972526 years but just now releasing her own album and getting out there. But, when she dropped? She DROPPED! Keri took R&B by STORM this year.
Ryan Leslie – Though he wasn’t properly managed, and BOTH his albums of 2009 came and went without much fanfare, Ryan Leslie’s a force to be reckoned with and both albums were REALLY good. Too bad his label failed to capitalize on all of the steam he generated for HIMSELF in 2008.
Mayer Hawthorne – Mayer’s come into this R&B game and delivered an entire new sound. There’s NO one out there that sounds like Mayer. I don’t even know how to describe his sound outside of using words and terms such as: refreshing, breath of fresh air, like nothing’s that’s current out, DOPE.
Melanie Fiona – Melanie Fiona definitely stepped on the scene correct, with chart topping hit after chart topping hit.

Winner: Keri Hilson

Best New Artist – Hip Hop

Finale – If you haven’t heard A Pipe Dream And A Promise, then exit this website and proceed to find your nearest bridge. Finale’s a BEAST, and is already finding himself among my top list of emcee’s and easily the best emcee in this category. Hands down.
Drake – No matter how big or small of a Drake fan I am, his presence just simply can’t be denied. It’ll be too soon if I ever hear another watered down track from him, but 2009 was definitely his for the taking.
Wale – Wale finally capitalized on his buzz (almost too little, too late) and delivered a VERY sound album.  Aside from the Gucci Mane featured track, there wasn’t many weaknesses in Attention Deficit.
Yoshi – Creatively, there’s no one I’ve heard that was better than Yoshi. Yoshi’s exactly what music needs.

Winner: Finale

“Who Got Bodied?” Award for Best Diss Track of the Year

Beanie Sigel – Average Cat – Aside from getting too overly emotional while talking at the end, Beanie Sigel skewed Jay-Z on the bar-b! And, as usual, Jay-Z has nothing to say about the allegations of b*tch n*ggotry he’s charged with. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
Eminem – The Warning – I really have NO idea why people continue to challenge Eminem. Why? Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey, are you kidding me? People complain and say Eminem only picks on pop icons but it’s only the stupid people that continue to challenge him. Ja Rule, Benzino, Dave Mays, Canibus, Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey: Need I say more?

Winner: Beanie Sigel – Average Cat

Producer of the Year

Black Milk – In what’s been a slow year by Black Milk standards, he’s STILL managed to keep his name out there.  His single, “Give The Drummer Some,” was featured on Fox’s, “So You Think You Can Dance,” and The Roots played it to ring in the New Year on the Jimmy Fallon show while introducing Tommy Lee of Motley Crue.
Oddisee – Two words will sum up the brilliant mind that is Oddisee: Diamond District.
14kt – There’s never been a producer, in my eyes, that’s been able to move me with an Instrumental LP. 14kt has now done that twice: once with The Golden Hour Soundtrack in 2008 and again with the Nowalataz LP in 2009.
Apollo Brown – The unsung hero of the bunch, Apollo’s definitely capable of handling his own amongst the BEST of the best. Winner of the Red Bull Big Tune Battle – Detroit, Apollo Brown is destined for nothing but greatness in 2010.

Winner – 14kt

Comeback Artist of the Year

Maxwell – If I need to describe the way that Maxwell came back in 2009, then you’ve been under several rocks to end the decade.
50 Cent – 50’s always managed to remain somewhat relevant outside of his music, but after releasing dud-after-dud (see, Beg For Mercy, The Massacre, Curtis, and, T.O.S. Terminate On Sight), Before I Self Destruct sounded like the rejuvenated, 50 Cent that we all loved from Power Of The Dollar to Get Rich Or Die Trying.
Mos Def – It’s been three years since we heard Mos Def on wax, arguably five years since we’ve heard something from Mos Def worthwhile (for the record, I enjoyed Tru3 Magic).  The Ecstatic was of CLASSIC proportions.

Winner: Maxwell

Best Song of the Year

Miz Korona – Like A Zoo – From the moment I heard this song, I’ve been flipping out like Chris Rock at the radio station in Pootie Tang.
P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. – Say It – BLAT! Pack co-leader P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. (Phenomenal Hip Hop Individual Living Through His Years) came blazing through 2009 like Lewis & Clark on the dusty trail. “Say It,” was the perfect love song of 2009.
One Be Lo – The Pigs f/Mike Posner – One Be Lo is THE most underrated emcee in all of Hip Hop. Yup, I said it. This Mike Posner laced single has stayed in rotation since it dropped.
Jay Electronica – Exhibit C – We all knew Jay Electronica was dope, but Exhibit C blew us ALL away. Everything about this track was PERFECT.
JYoung The General – Black Nationalist f/ P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. – The other BLAT! Pack co-leader, JYoung The General, helped to show why the BLAT! Pack WILL be a forced to be reckoned with for 2010 and beyond. As of this wrap-up, “Black Nationalist,” is up to 4,462 plays on HipHopDX.com

Winner: Miz Korona – Like A Zoo

Mixtape of the Year

Raheem DeVaughn – The Art Of Noise – Raheem DeVaughn is the man. There’s nothing else that I can even say.
Drake – So Far Gone – Although this mixtape, in my eyes, signified the watering down of a potentially great emcee – the same emcee that put out the Comeback Season mixtape – it was still a very good project. It was something that rap fans aren’t accustom to, and it turned them on to more than what they’re used to.
Ro Spit – The Oh Shit Ro Spit Project – It wasn’t quite a mixtape, and it wasn’t quite an album, but it WAS a f*cking BANGER. Ro Spit is poised for a BIG future in this music industry. Mark my words.
Nametag – Classic Cadence Vol.2 – With beats from Black Milk and features from Skyzoo and Quest M.C.O.D.Y., you’re doing something right.
Wale & 9^th Wonder – Back To The Feature – I’ve never heard a mixtape that played out like it could have been a major label album release, but Wale stepped his game up. It also didn’t hurt that 9th Wonder was involved as well.
Big Sean – UKNOWBIGSEAN – I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t expecting too much from this mixtape, but when I listened to it I was blown AWAY.
Buff1 – It’s a 1derful Life – The fact that Buff1 can deliver something that’s on every one of my Best of the Year wrap-ups doesn’t surprise me. It’s what I’ve come to expect from him. Crown Royale will be no different.

Winner: Raheem DeVaughn – The Art Of Noise

 

Extended Play of the Year

P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. – Lovesongs For Losers And Ballads For Ballers – Have you ever seen an EP and its concept executed so perfectly that it could pass as a full length album despite only having a few tracks? I didn’t either until I heard this. Flawless.
Brother Ali – The Truth Is Here – Brother Ali does NOT get the proper credit he deserves. He’s easily one of the best storytelling emcee’s of our time.
Evidence – The Layover EP – Another extremely looked over emcee, Evidence NEVER disappoints.
Royce Da 5’9” – The Revival EP – Who else could make a buzz with only 4 tracks? You can’t, but Royce can.
Atmosphere – Leak At Will – It’s criminal how much Atmosphere is looked over in Hip Hop. Atmosphere damn near defines everything that Hip Hop stands for. Leak At Will was damn near perfect.

Winner: P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. – Lovesongs For Losers And Ballads For Ballers

 

 

“Legend Of The Fall Offs” Award for the Biggest Drop-Off

Busta Rhymes – Not only is this category named after one of his songs, but Busta Rhymes is its SOLE nominee. I could have put Rakim here after listening to The Seventh Seal, but Busta Rhymes has a track record of duds – musically and decision wise – since The Big Bang.

 

Album of the Year – R&B

Maxwell – BLACKsummers’night – I don’t think I’ve heard too many R&B albums that have been this perfect. Salute, Maxwell.
Keri Hilson – In A Perfect World – As I said earlier, Keri’s the oldest rookie in the game and she’s playing the game as such. Kudos!
Chrisette Michele – Epiphany – I fear that Chrisette Michele will never get her just do in the game, unless she flips the script to the typical bubblegum R&B you hear now. And, that’s a shame because her talent is just as she is – BEAUTIFUL!

Winner: Maxwell – BLACK Summers’ night

 

Album of the Year – Hip Hop

Slaughterhouse – Slaughterhouse – This album was damn near everything I expected and wanted it to be. If I had to say anything it’s that it seemed as if Joe Budden’s presence wasn’t memorable.
Royce Da 5’9” – Street Hop – I can’t begin to explain how much I loved Street Hop. Royce Da 5’9” never disappoints me. Ever.
Yoshi – The Talent Show – This was the most COMPLETE album I’ve heard in recent years. You may not be familiar with Yoshi but I’m here to teach you yet!
Mae Day – Cherish The Day – Talk about nailing a concept perfectly! I don’t think there’s anyone who could do what she did with Sade tracks.
Finale – A Pipe Dream And A Promise – This album took me places that few albums have. This album provoked pure emotion. This album was amazing.
Brother Ali – US – There aren’t too many people that can put an album together as complete as Brother Ali.
Blitz The Ambassador – Stereotype – Musical euphoria is the best way to describe Stereotype.
Skyzoo – The Salvation – This album is amazing and I would have given it album of the year if it weren’t for the eventual winner…

Winner: Yoshi – The Talent Show

Best Moment in Hip Hop

Eminem, Mos Def, Black Thought cipher on BET Hip Hop Awards – Not only did I VOLUNTARILY watch BET for this, I sat through the ENTIRE show JUST to see this cipher. Now THAT’S saying something.
The Roots serve as house band for The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon – It always feels good when QUALITY acts such as The Roots can break through to a mainstream audience. How long have we been waiting for mainstream to take us serious outside of what the radio does? This was BIG for Hip Hop – this move was bigger than Hip Hop.
The formation of Slaughterhouse – Two of the group’s members go from the verge of lyrical warfare to becoming one-half of one of the most creative groups to ever be formed. Hip Hop needed four different emcees of this caliber to unite. The formation of Slaughterhouse signified unity.

Winner: The Roots

Artist of the Year – R&B

Maxwell – Yup, Maxwell’s in a class of his own. This year belonged to him. SALUTE!

Artist of the Year – Hip Hop

Royce Da 5’9” – Who has had a better year than Royce Da 5’9”? I’m SURE you could make a case for Drake, but, let’s face it – there’s a HUGE discrepancy of skill between Drake and Royce Da 5’9”. Slaughterhouse? The Revival EP? Street Hop? Not only did Royce keep busy but he released nothing but QUALITY in 2009.

Who/What To Be On The Lookout for in 2010…

T.I. – Fresh out of jail, T.I. is BOUND to hit the ground running in 2010. T.I., in my opinion, is in the prime of his career. Right now, it’s his to mess up.
BLAT! Pack – BLAT! Pack. Remember that name. 2010 will be BIG for the BLAT! Pack.
Yung Classix – Normally with Hip Hop producers, you only have one facet – they do Hip Hop and that’s it. Y.C. is one of the most versatile producers I’ve ever heard, and with his first mixtape slated for a summer release, you’re all going to know what I know. I hope you’re ready.
Miz Korona – I’ve heard the message of the Promise Land, and it read, “Miz Korona’s The Injection shalleth be in thy playlist all year.” I had the opportunity to hear it in its entirety. I guarantee you The Injection will be in 2010′s album of the year category.
Cold Men Young – There aren’t too many groups out there that can do what Cold Men Young do. These guys make RECORDS. Not songs, not tracks, not mixtape stuff but RECORDS. You’re going to get QUITE familiar with these guys in 2010.
One Be Lo – One Be Lo doesn’t release music often but when he does? My GOD! Like I said earlier, he’s the most underrated emcee in the game. Lo’s going to smash the game with his new album in 2010.
Street Justice – Street Justice’s group dynamic and stage presence is bar none. These guys are ENTERTAINERS. Not only do they produce QUALITY Hip Hop, but they’re entertaining with it. No one in Hip Hop right now has that balance.
Nick Speed­ – G-Unit Records in-house producer, musical genius, and WHUTUPDOE! Contributor: Nick Speed has all of his ducks lined up to have a PRIME year. I’ve been lucky enough to hear the beat tape he’s releasing in 2010, and it is the most creative, innovative sound I’ve ever heard from a producer.
Danny Brown – After the success of the Hot Soup album with Nick Speed, Danny’s built quite a buzz for himself. The Hybrid is dropping in 2010 and it’s not going to be like anything you’ve heard before.
The Book Of Eli – This looks like it could be Denzel’s best movie since Training Day.
Why Did I Get Married Too – That’s right, I actually have a Tyler Perry movie on here. How many of you saw a sequal to Why Did I Get Married? I sure as hell didn’t but I’m interested to see how this turns out. April 2^nd!
Little Fockers – Gaylord Focker is having kids?!?!? Genius, pure genius! July 30^th!
The Other Guys – Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, THE ROCK, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Rob Riggle, and Craig Robinson IN ONE MOVIE? EPIC! AND it comes out on August 6^th, the day before my birthday? Victory.

I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to what 2010 will bring. Something tells me that it’s going to be a hell of a year!