1. Q-Tip-Renaissance: The Renaissance was definitely worth the 9-year wait. The Election Day release date already gives it a special place in my heart. It somehow made that day so much sweeter. This was one of the few albums that I bought this year. It was worth every penny and more. If you don’t like this album, then you probably don’t like sex either. In that case, it’s not my fault you’re a weirdo.

2. Gnarls Barkley-The Odd Couple

3. Erykah Badu-New Amerykah: Part One: 4^th World War: Wasn’t this album supposed to be one of three parts? Methinks Erykah pulled a fast one on us. This album is enough to satiate me for a couple of years. I’ll take it easy on Erykah because I know she’s an artist and sensitive about her shit.

4. The Roots-Rising Down

5. Elzhi-The Preface

6. N.E.R.D.-Seeing Sounds: I’ll let you know when N.E.R.D. makes an album I don’t like. That’s unpossible! © Ralph Wiggum

 7. Seun Kuti-Seun Kuti+ Fela’s Egypt 80: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Fela’s youngest son’s debut was proof that Afrobeat still has a strong and steady pulse. I hate to pit brother against brother, but I prefer Seun to Femi any day.

8. Radiohead-In Rainbows

9. TV on the Radio-Dear Science

10. C.R.A.C.-The Piece Talks: Do you wanna buy me lunch? Detroit + L.A. all day!

11. Black Milk-Tronic

12. Santogold-Santogold: A part of me truly believes that Santogold is magic. That might be a stretch, but she’s definitely not of this world. Not everyone can vomit glitter. This album is unclassifiable, but somehow has something for everybody. I’m convinced she could make a bad ass song with a kazoo and rubber band. This album should have been nominated for a Grammy. The academy is slacking on their pimping. Get it together folks!

13. Beck-Modern Guilt

14. Al Green-Lay it Down: WARNING: May cause babies and baby mamas.  

15. Zo & Tigallo-Zo & Tigallo Love the 80s: Do you know what I love more than great music? Great free music! Phonte and producer, Zo take it back and keep it greasy with this release.

16. Adele-19

17. Johnson & Jonson-Johnson & Jonson: Have you seen the red baby?

18. The Foreign Exchange-Leave it All Behind

19. Solange Knowles-Sol Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams: I think Solange has become a victim of the celebrity sibling curse. For some reason folks wont let her shine outside of her sister’s shadow. Unlike Brandy’s brother or Ashlee Simpson, she’s really talented. She doesn’t sound like a 22-year old, but instead like a woman who has been married and divorced with a child. On this album she teams up with Cee-Lo, Jack Splash, Pharrell, Mark Ronson and produces sonically superior album that no one would have expected.

20. Jake One-White Van Music

21. Portishead-Third

22. Jean Grae-Jeanius: Jean Grae became friends with the internet and it betrayed her, leaking Jeanius before its intended release. As a result, it received a warm reception from her core audience mainly because they had pirated most of the material already. Regardless of when you heard Jeanius, you can’t deny that it knocks. You can’t really go wrong with Jean Grae’s gritty flow with 9^th Wonder’s smooth boom-bap. Whatever hex or root the music industry has placed on female emcees needs to be lifted.  Enough is enough. Its time to let someone through. Jean Grae is too dope to be sitting on the sidelines. 

23. Jamie Lidell-Jim

24. Nas-Untitled: I can’t help but to wonder how this album would have been received if Nas would have kept the title the same.

25. Jazzanova-Of All The Things

26. GZA-Pro Tools

27. Eric Lau-New Territories: This entire album was a pleasant surprise. Emcees better pay attention to this UK sensation while his beats are still affordable. Singers should take note too. I hadn’t heard of Eric Lau before this year, but I’m glad that I was put on. Its an ethereal hip-hop experience that’s a cross between 4hero and Dilla.

28. J*Davey-The Beauty in Distortion/Land of the Lost

29. People Under The Stairs-Fun DMC

30. Dwele-Sketches of a Man

31. Black Spade-To Serve with Love: Black Spade is Bo Jackson of indie hip-hop

32. Large Professor-Main Source

33. The Streets-Everything is Borrowed: Everyone loves The Streets!

34. RZA-Digi Snacks

35. Tanya Morgan-The Bridge EP

36. Menahan Street Band-Make the Road by Walking: It’s great to know that such soulful music is still being made in 2008. Dope bands are nearly extinct in the industry, so when you come across one watch them closely. Make the Road By Walking’s title track even helped make Jay-Z’s “Roc Boys (and the Winner is…) the top song of 2007. If Menahan is good enough for Jigga then they’re good enough for you.

37. Pete Rock-NY’s Finest

38. Murs-Murs for President

39. Common-Universal Mind Control: Common makes a non-cerebral album and backpackers almost lose their minds. Universal Mind Control may not incite a riot or revolution, but it arouses the carnal part of the mind without shitting all over women. Plus, I’m sure you’re girl would rather listen to UMC than Ras Kass’s Soul on Ice in the car. Don’t listen to naysaying backpackers. They don’t get laid enough.

40. Invincible-Shapeshifters

41. Guilty Simpson-Ode to the Ghetto: Its so coooooollllddd in the D!

42. Buff1-There’s Only One

43. Amy Winehouse-Frank (Deluxe Edition)

44. Windimoto-The Travels of Windimoto

45. Lettuce-Rage!

46. Mr. Thing-Strange Breaks & Mr. Thing: Feel free to feed this album to your MPC or FrootyLoops.

47. Raphael Saddiq-The Way I See It

48. Bambu-Exact Change

49. Illa J-Yancey Boys

50. Janelle Monae-Metropolis (The Chase Suite): It’s a crying shame that this CD is sitting in Amoeba selling for $3.99 like it’s Seal “Kiss From A Rose” maxi-single. That’s proof that Puffy is POISON! He got her while she was still young. He’s a statutory rapist of careers.

1. Madlib-WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip (Rapster Records): Madlib+Guilty Simpson, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Oh No, Talib Kweli, Frank ‘N Dank, Stacy Epps, Murs=Motherfucking Maverick Music

2. LoDeck & Omega One-Postcard from the Third Rock (Johnny 23 Records): Hip-Hop light years ahead of the mainstream

3. The Enemy UK-We’ll live and die in these towns (Warner Bros. Records): A Patriot Act

4. Solange Knowles-Sol Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams (Geffen Records): Your girlfriend will thank you, trust me.

5. DJ Muggs & Planet Asia-Pain Language (Gold Dust Media): Dirty Brass Knuckle Rap

6. Vordul Mega-Megagraphitti (Backwoodz Studioz): Hardcore get high music.

7. Kasai All Stars-in the 7^th moon, the chief turned into a swimming fish and ate the head of his enemy by magic (Congotronics): Have you ever had an indigenous afroelectro experience? Its as trippy as the title. If you’re feeling kinky, try and sample/remix them

8. Bronx River Parkway & Candela All Stars-San Sebastian 152 (Truth & Soul): As necessary in your collection as water with salt for cooking.

9. Mulatto Patriot-Sonic Visuals (Mulatto Patriot Music): Does Chicago have ANY wack rappers???

10. Fort Knox Five-Radio Free DC (Fort Knox Recordings):  Sounds like funk, hip-hop, and pop threw a cracking ass party.

1. Murs-Murs for President (Reprise Records): He’s got my vote! (Sorry Barack)

2. DJ Malachi-Chocolate Luv Luv Mixtape: Something to bob your head or get head to.

3. The Black Ghosts-The Black Ghosts (IAMSOUND): Electric Hipster Soul

4. People Under the Stairs-The Om Years (Om Hip Hop): Some Bay Area Slap

5. N.Y. Oil-Hood Treason (Babygrande Records): You should get lynched if you don’t get this album.

6. Land of the Rising Sound-Land of the Rising Sound Vol. 1 (N20 Records): They go hard in Japan

7. The Presets-Apocalypso (Modular Records): Bohemian Rhapsodies

8. The One-Superpsychosexy (Om Hip Hop): Something to strut to

9. The Jacksons-Destiny Expanded Edition (Legacy Records): Classic Soul Revisited.

10. Joan as Police Woman-To Survive (Cheap Lullaby Records): Ooooh Feist-y!

Max Mega is one of the few next generation emcees breathing life and pumping originality back into hip-hop. His release, For the Listeners, embodies his native Philly soul and Virginia Beach-bred freshness (*laser sounds*); plus it offers more than “just a little something” for the ladies. Max Mega may be green as an emcee, but be prepared to let his digital debut ripen in your CD player and iPod. Whether you crave that old soul or need something fresh to keep up with these whippersnappers, he’s got what you need. I’m calling it now: Max Mega’s definitely got next to become the people’s choice.

Yo Mama: Most artists are reluctant to have their albums downloaded by fans, yet you offered your debut for free; why is that?