Monday, January 10, 2005
2004 YEAR END WRAP-UP: Singles
People keep saying there were no anthems last year like 2003's "In The Club", "Hey Ya" and "Crazy in Love." Yo f-ck that: True Story might have been semi-garbation as an album but "Lean Back" was the crazy heatrock this summer and still sounds kind of fly to me six months later. Plus Joe gave you a fly-ass reggaeton remix with Tego on it and a Lil Jon crunk banger version with Ma$e and Eminem. When's the last time that dude jumped on a remix that wasn't for some subsidiary of the Aftermath/Interscope rap empire? Yeah, that's how hot "Lean Back" was. Well anyway, congrats to Joe 'cos either way you flip it, from joints I personally loved, whether they were industry sanctioned or not, to joints I banged for the people when I was spinning as DJ I-Queue, "Lean Back" was the lick. Respek, cook coke crack!
As for this year I've no idea what's gonna pop off trend-wise. I'm guessing more great new pop music blending combinations of electro, dancehall, grime/eski/2-step and hip hop flavors a la M.I.A. and Annie (who.she all of a sudden appearing on a bunch of year-end lists?). Props to Nas for bringing back more classic old school hip hop styles and making them sound fresh on tracks like "U Know My Style" and "Virgo." And even though their album bricked, I'm predicting Federation and Rick-Rock are in the vanguard of Bay Area rap renaissance and eventual invasion of hyphy music to rival the current mania for crunk music. With the South and midwest's dominance for the past few years, the Bay is probably due and others agree (
Before we get to it, check how Skillz wraps up the year yet again in 4 minutes with his "The 2004 Rap Up" (via allhiphop.com)
FAVORITE SINGLES 2004
1. Terror Squad - Lean Back (SRC)
2. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (Domino/Epic)
3. T.I. - Bring Em Out (Atlantic/Grand Hustle)
4. Jadakiss - Why? (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
5. Nas feat. Olu Dara - Bridging the Gap (Sony/Columbia)
6. N*E*R*D feat. Common, Mos Def, De La Soul & Q-tip - She Wants to Move (remix) (Virgin)
7. Trina feat. Pharrell - Put It On Top (Slip-N-Slide)
8. M.I.A. - Galang (Showbiz/XL)
9. Akon feat. Styles P - Locked Up (remix) (SRC)
10. Ruste Juxx - Short'ee (Trub-Life)
Honorable Mentions:
Alchemist feat. Nina Sky & Illa Ghee - Hold You Down (ALC/Koch) | Brandy feat. Kanye West - Talk About Our Love (Atlantic) | Cassidy - Gets No Better (J) | Cee-Lo - I'll Be Around (Laface/Arista) | Chicks On Speed - Wordy Rappinghood (Mute) | Keisha Cole - I Changed My Mind (Capitol) | Graham Coxon - Freakin' Out (Transcopic) | Diplo feat. Sandra Melody, Pantera Os Danadinhos & Vybz Cartel - Diplo Rhythm (Big Dada) | Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Man Bites Man (V2) | Fam-Lay - Git Busy (Star Trak/Def Jam) | The Game - How We Do feat. 50 cent/Higher (Aftermath) | Grafh - I Don't Care (Epic) | Juvenile feat. Skip & Wacko - Nolia Clap (Cash Money/Universal) | R. Kelly - Happy People (Jive) | Killers - Somebody Told Me (Island) | Lennox Ave. Boys - Move Back (Vacant Lot) | Lil Flip - Game Over (Sony) | Courtney Love - Mono (Virgin) | Murs - Badman (Definitive Jux) | Nas - U Know My Style/A Thief's Theme (Coumbia) | Phoenix - Everything is Everything (Astralwerks) | Dizzee Rascal - Fix Up, Look Sharp (XL/Matador) | The Rasmus - In The Shadows (Island UK) | Rashad feat. Jadakiss & Sheek Louch - Sweet Misery (Beat Street) | The Roots - Ain't Sayin' Nothin' (Geffen) | Slim Thug - I Ain't Heard of That (Geffen) | Snoop Dogg & Soopafly - Then She's Got It (White) | T.I. - Rubberband Man (Atlantic/Grand Hustle) | Too Short - Burn Rubber (Jive) | Wiley - Wot Do U Call It? (XL) | Kanye West - Jesus Walks/All Falls Down (Rocafella) | Amy Winehouse - In My Bed (Island UK) | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps (interscope) | Yung Wun feat. Dave Banner & DMX - Tear It Up (J) | Malik Yusef feat. Kanye West & Common - Wouldn't You Like to Ride (Zoawe)
DJ I-QUEUE'S CLUB BANGERS FOR 2004:
1. Usher - Yeah (LaFace/Arista)
2. Terror Squad - Lean Back (SRC)
3. Jay-Z - 99 Problems (Rocafella)
4. Nina Sky - Move Ya Body (Next Plateau)
5. Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell - Drop It Like Itz Hot (Star Trak/Geffen)
6. Joe feat. G-Unit - Ride Wit U (Jive)
7. Ciara - Goodies feat. Ludcaris/1,2 Step feat. Missy Elliot (Laface/Arista)
8. LL Cool J - Headsprung (Def Jam)
9. Kevin Lyttle - Turn Me On (Atlantic)
10. Beenie Man feat. Ms. Thing - Dude (Def Jamaica/Virgin)/(Baby) Cham - Vitamin S (Atlantic)
11. Ma$e - Breathe, Stretch, Shake (Bad Boy)
12. Petey Pablo - Freek-a-Leek (Jive)
13. Noreaga feat. Nina Sky, Tego, GemStar & Big Mato - Oye Mi Canto (Thugged Out Militainment) reggaeton crosses over (finally).
Honorable Mentions:
Lloyd Banks - On Fire (G-Unit/Interscope) | Daddy Yankee feat. NORE - Gasolina (Thugged Out Militainment) | Federation - Go Dumb (Virgin) thanks, Nick | Houston feat. I-20, Nate Dogg & Chingy - I Like That (Capitol) | Lil Scrappy - No Problems (BME/Warner Bros.) | LL Cool J - Move Somethin' (Def Jam) | Mobb Deep - Real Gangstas feat. Lil Jon/Got It Twisted (Jive) | Nelly - Flap Your Wings (Universal) | Vybz Kartel - Tekk | Ying Yang Twinz - Salt Shaker (TVT)
There were a bunch of remixes I liked this year, not all of which I bought (for short money reasons). Curious which ones? Just click the archives in the sidebar to check 'em out.
VIDEOS:
Yet again, I didn't peep many videos this year but, of the few times I did watch music video television, it looked like the creativity level was on an upswing. I was also glad to see that the quotient of supersaturated, in-the-club/on-the-(hired) yatch/poolside-at-the-(rented) mansion, poppin'-bottles-with-hired- video-girls clips seems to have fallen, although they hadn't disappeared completely (nor would I want them to either - I need my regular fix of Ki-Toy, Esther and crew as much as the next guy). Here's a few joints that caught my eye though (and before you comment, yeah I saw "99 Problems' and all the "Jesus Walks" videos. They were cool, they just didn't blow my wig off like they did for others.):
- D-12 - My Band (Shady/Interscope)
- Eminem - Mosh (Shady/Interscope)
- Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (Domino/Epic)
- Jadakiss -Why (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
- Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Rocafella/Def Jam)
- Phantom Planet - Big Brat (Sony)
- The Roots - Don't Say Nuthin' (Geffen)
- Steriogram - Walkie Talkie Man (Capitol)
- The Vines - Ride (Capitol)
A look back:
- 2003 Year End Wrap-Up: Hip-Hop singles
- 2003 Year End Wrap-Up: R&B and Soul singles
- 2003 Year End Wrap-Up: Disco-Funk, Electro, Rock etc.
- 2003 Year End Wrap-Up: Remixes & Videos
