Funk Volume

Funk Volume is a movement I am right behind. The jury is still out on what exactly DJ Hoppa brings to the table, but Hopsin, SwizZz, Jarren Benton and Dizzy Wright are four very talented emcees. When they all hop on a track together, it is a joy to behold.

First Date: Eminem & Kanye West

Most people would think that Eminem and Kanye West first crossed paths in 2009 on the Drake track "Forever", also featuring Lil Wayne. However, this is not strictly the case. Nine years prior, Eminem made an appearance on The Madd Rapper's album Tell 'Em Why U Madd. The track was titled "Stir Crazy", and the producer was none other than Kanye West. Eminem got his Slim Shady on, and Kanye's beat was the perfect vehicle for it. Here's hoping that Eminem gets another chance to spit fire over some fresh Kanye production in the near future.

When Skits Are Done Right .....

Dispersing skits throughout an album is a largely pointless exercise. For some reason, many hip hop artists seem to fancy themselves as stand-up comedians, yet the skits they plague their albums with are rarely amusing or entertaining. There is not a single album I have ever enjoyed where the skits enhanced my listening experience ..... except one.

Underrated Emcee: Shad

Shad is one of those hip hop cats that deserves to be heard by a lot more people. He is Canada's greatest hip hop export (sorry Drake), a lyrical monster capable of profound metaphors and similes, thought-provoking social commentary, pop culture references and witty punchlines. As a result, Shad's albums (particularly 2007's The Old Prince and 2010's TSOL) are chock-full of memorable tracks that will have you reaching for that rewind button, because Shad has quotables for days.

My Favourite Donut

Arguably the greatest instrumental album of all time, J Dilla's Donuts oozes with soulful goodness. It's all Dilla, no filler. Every J Dilla fan has their own favourite Donut, but for me, it doesn't get much better than "Airworks". After a cheeky false start, a perfectly chopped vocal sample kicks in over some smooth strings and drums, and the result is a track that I can listen to endlessly.

One Verse Wonders: R.A. the Rugged Man

I became an instant R.A. the Rugged Man fan on the day I first listened to "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story" by Jedi Mind Tricks. I'm sure that many R.A. fans were born the same way. I had first become aware of the Rugged Man when I came across his track "Cunt Renaissance", featuring the one and only Biggie Smalls.

Hip Hop Legend: Big Pun

"Dead in the middle of Little Italy, little did we know that we riddled some middle man who didn't do diddly" - Big Pun

Need I say more?

Most Underrated Album Of 2012

Young Zee & Mr. Green - One Crazy Weekend

I think "underrated" may be the wrong word. For an album to be underrated, people must be aware that it actually exists. I'm sure the 5 people who listened to this album loved it, but the rest missed out. Mr. Green brought his 'A' game on the production tip, and Young Zee delivers entertaining lyrics and punchlines throughout the entire album. Without a doubt, One Crazy Weekend sits comfortably in my Top 5 albums of 2012.

Song vs. Sample

The art of sampling is one of the cornerstones of hip hop. At the heart of every great hip hop track is usually a great sample. One of the things I love about hip hop is being able to track down the sample of a song you love, only to find out that the sample is just as good as the track that sampled it. Here are just 2 examples:

Top 10 Apollo Brown Beats

Apollo Brown is one of my favourite producers in the game right now. I would describe his production style as the best elements of DJ Premier, RZA and Kanye West all rolled into one. He combines gorgeous soul samples with old school boom bap to brilliant effect, and his collaborative albums with the likes of Hassaan Mackey, O.C. and Guilty Simpson have been among the best hip hop releases in recent memory. Perhaps the crowning jewel in his catalog thus far is Gas Mask, the album he released in 2010 with his group The Left, consisting of himself, Journalist 103 and DJ Soko. I could easily create a list of my top 50 favourite Apollo productions, but I will limit myself to just 10. So without further ado, here is my top 10 favourite Apollo Brown beats:

10. Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - One Man

Top 10 Big L Punchlines

Big L was hip hop's king of the punchline. No other emcee could make me laugh out loud with witty and hilarious one-liners like L could. Here are my Top 10 favourite Big L punchlines:

The Greatest Hip Hop Group Of All Time: Wu-Tang Clan

The debate about the greatest emcee of all time is a hotly contested one. Yet when it comes to the greatest hip hop group of all time, there is often no debate at all. Groups such as N.W.A., A Tribe Called Quest and Public Enemy can be considered briefly as No. 1 contenders, but once the Wu-Tang Clan enters into the equation, the No. 1 spot is all but assured.

Hip Hop Legend: Ice Cube

Before Biggie and 2Pac, there was Ice Cube. I feel like people forget that sometimes. He dropped classic (Straight Outta Compton) after classic (AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted) after classic (Death Certificate), and yet he just doesn't appear often enough in hip hop debates about the greatest of all time. He's definitely in my Top 10, and I would pick Ice Cube over 2Pac any day of the week.