Here are the best forty rap songs of the year, according to the Conservative Rap Coalition. Please note that there’s a limit of one track per release, which made for some tough decisions. Play this loud and often, until your neighbours want to fight you.
Download: The Unkut 40 Oz. 2016
*UPDATE: One track changed to replace old Noyd song.*
Track listing:
01 ‘The Cow’ – Westside Gunn feat. Conway
A gut-wrenching tale of tragedy and resilliance courtesy of The Machine makes for the best verse of 2016. Salutes!
02 ‘Cartridge’ – Curren$y and Alchemist
Supremely addictive loop that I just couldn’t stop bumping in the car/whip/bucket at every opportunity.
03 ‘Omar’s Coming’ – Westside Gunn feat. Roc Mariano and Conway
Pure menace. This is hardcore rap perfection delivered in two and a half minutes.
04 ‘Tango And Cash’ – Da Buze Bruvaz
The ultimate anti-social CRC theme music, guaranteed to upset your mother, grandma and wife.
05 ‘Just Being Me’ – Havoc and Alchemist
This beat is so mean that it drove Havoc to give his strongest vocal perfomance in years.
06 ‘Conflicted’ – Ka
Intellectual street wisdom, delivered ice cold.
07 ‘Benz Window’ – Conway feat. Prodigy
Film Noir Rap par excellence. If Phillip Marlowe wore shelltoes, he’d fux with this.
08 ‘Coral Reefs’ – Agallah feat. Lil Eto
The Don Bishop takes the nautical theme to the fullest extent on this slice of dusted magnificence.
09 ‘Filthy America’ – The Lox
This reminds me of the kind of stuff the Ghetto Boys used to do. Jadakiss’ acting performance is particulary enjoyable.
10 ‘Rock Shyt’ – D.I.T.C.
This is effectively a modern-day reimagining of Ultimate Force’s ‘I’m Not Playin,’ which is just fine by me.
11 ‘I Dream B.I.G.’ – Termanology feat. Sheek Louch and Styles P
I was going to edit Termanology off his own song out of habit but since he’s stopped doing that Whisper Rap shit I let him live.
12 ‘Point Break’ – MarQ Spekt & Blockhead feat. Conway, HPONE and Buze Bruvaz
A dreamy excursion into the world of No Fux Given Rap.
13 ‘Savage Lifestyle’ – The Game
Game catches a flashback to the heady days of the ’92 Los Angeles uprising.
14 ‘Sportsmanship’ – Da Buze Bruvaz feat. B-Bill
That hardbody karate from Him-Lo and Clever One.
15 ‘Any Means’ – MC Eiht and Spice One
A brilliant ALC track that propells these two LA Cali Rap vets to a surprisingly contemporary level.
16 ‘Tabernacle’ – Courtesy L
Soft-spoken game spat over a rolling, head-nodding groove.
17 ‘Murder Paragraphs’ – DJ Rude One feat. Roc Marciano
Food and drink references on smash as usual. Bonus points for the fruit flies mention.
18 ‘Bank Heist’ – Him-Lo
An essential chapter in the storied history of Crime Caper Rap.
19 ‘Make ‘Em So Proud’ – D.I.T.C.
It’s all about Joe’s verse, as he catches a flashback to The Castle where he first strong-armed his way onto the stage.
20 ‘Bosses’ – Skizz feat. Roc Marciano and Conway
Phantom of the Rapra action as both of these esteemed fellows deliver stellar verbal perfomances.
21 ‘The Return of the Dottie X’ Sadat X feat. Milano And Shabaam Sahdeeq
The shuffling tension of the beat marches forward with relentless progresse as these three New Yorkers flourish outside of ‘the bubble.’
22 ‘To The Streets’ [9mm Version] – Conway
A mournful ode to innocence lost.
23 ‘Straight Face’ – Big Twins & Twiz The Beat Pro feat. Killer Ben
Twins keeps Bridge music alive and well in 2016.
24 ‘Dragon V.S. Wolf’ – Meyhem Lauren feat. Action Bronson
Basically ‘The Forest Pt. II.’
25 ‘The Space Program’ – A Tribe Called Quest
Somehow ATCQ caught that lightening in a bottle one last time.
26 ‘Avalanche’ – Madvillain
This was first heard in 2011 but only just got a proper release. Good to hear DOOM over some non-electronic bullshit.
27 ‘Caddy Coupe’ – J-Zone feat. Has-Lo
One for all the car freaks out there.
28 ‘Black Superhero Car’ – Smoke DZA feat. Rick Ross
Not a huge fan of DZA’s delivery but Rawse over a Pete Rock blaxpoitation riff is too good to pass up.
29 ‘Long Time’ – Craig G
An excellent entry into the Back In The Days Rap genre from the only rapper who still uses the term ‘noodle’ to describe someone’s domepiece. I also appreciate the flip of the same New birth loop that Roc Marci used on ‘Ice Cream Man.’
30 ‘God’s In The Details’- Timeless Truth
Timeless like to rap fast but I prefer when they ease back on the pedal a little like they’ve done on this spiritual track.
31 ‘Glorify N Praise’ – Powerule feat. Large Professor
Prince Powerule returns to the game after battling some personal demons. I don’t usually approve of positive messages but I’ll grant a pass for this breezy tune.
32 ‘Legitimate Ignorance’ – Vic Spencer
Token Chicago Rap inclusion from the just released The Ghost of Living LP, which seems to have something to do with the guy who used to impersonate/channel GFK on Twitter.
33 ‘Cam’Ron Voice’ – Uncle Murda
Cheers to Teh Martorialist for the tip on this one as a late substitute for a decade-old Noyd song I included after spotting it on Skizz’ Soundcloud and not bothering to do the research.
34 ‘Get Sprayed’ – Psycho Les feat. Snype Life and The LOX
My choice cut from Les’ Dank God LP after ‘Thunder Bells,’ which was on last year’s 40 Oz.
35 ‘Making A Murderer’ – Styles P and Black Thought
Some very good rapping by both of these CRC-approved gentlemen.
36 ‘Closer’ – Milano
Executive class rap excellence with an excellent 3xD namecheck.
37 ‘Me & A.G.’ – Masta Ace feat. A.G.
The most off-topic song from The Tipping Point The Falling Season concept album is also the most enjoyable. Imagine that?
38 ‘The Most Dangerous’ – Blaq Poet
Poet is still as pissed-off as ever, which means that all is right in the world.
39 ‘Magnetize’ – Jigmastas
The return of Kriminal and DJ Spinna delivered loud drums and that patented ‘ignorant backpack’ flow.
40 ‘Stratocaster’ – Kool Keith feat. Godfather Don
Donnie Brasco destroys this verse, which is particularly impressive for a guy who hasn’t rapped publicly in years.
Official! Something to knock back my 2 bottles of Courvoisier to. Peace Robbie
Pure menace! I understand that u chose the Rude n Roc joint but the way marci rocks the Black Benz joint is crazy and unorthodox in a great way
Just FYI, you need to click the download button, then let that spam shit open in a new page, then click the download button again. Zippyshare has finally fallen to the spambots.
Good list. Shall download once back home and not on coal-fired rural “broadband.” The only thing yours’ and my #DinosFaveRapAlbums2016 have in common are ATCQ and Kool Keith.
great end of year list as usual. i’m hesitant to click on the download though cause a spam page came up the first time i did it
Nice compilation, salute Robbie. When are you going to write a goddamn book?
@Bootleggin: Looks like I need a new distributor…
@Roc425: The book is written already but the design isn’t finished.
Thanks for this! Happy holidays to the CRC! Here’s to a successful year to come!
“Avalanche” is definitely DOOM’s best shit in a looooooong arse time.
Can’t believe you’ve fronted on Uncle Murda’s “Cam’Ron Voice” at the expense of songs by Smoke DZA, The Game, and friggin’ Termanology, tho. 2016’s most ig’nant rappin’ over what sounds like Harry Fraud found a lost 1997 Beatnuts instrumental – what’s not to love?
@Bouncer’s dream:
I considered it but the loop gets annoying like whistle rockets after a couple of spins.After being informed that the Noyd song I included is ten years old, Murda is now the case.Nice list as usual. How come you never mention any artist on the Ill Adrenaline label? They have put out dope shit this year, especialy the Beneficence album and joints by Truth and Phantasm from the Cella Dwellas.
@ceedub: Those albums all slipped past me unfortunately, but I’ll give them a listen this week.
Shudda just made a Conway mixtape
some thoughts:
– Sadat X’s voice is raspier than ever that combined with him actually rapping lines that rhymes for an entire verse makes for one his best performances in a while.
– My new year’s resolution is to stop sleeping on Conway he’s the one CRC dude that’s really doing it for me right now and I should investigate further
– I have mad respect for KA he’s an outstanding lyricist I’ve listened to every album in his discography exactly once with the lyrics pulled up on some read-along spoken word documentary sht. Repeated listens require actual beats and actual rapping.
– Production is really my problem with a lot of modern CRC raps. Alchemist can do lots of interesting stuff without percussion but the majority of the drum-less beats on here are kinda lazy. Just a boring loop without any changes and the samples are mostly elevator music not soul or funk
Is Gunplay CRC approved? I think he meets all requirements and also he’s old. Gunz N Butter with Cormega is a glaring omission.
Yo Robbie you ever listen to Below System Records? They got the album by Code Nine & Purpose, Kazi & Madlib (90s version) and more. They gotta be CRC approved.
https://belowsystem.bandcamp.com/album/below-sumerian-skies
“there’s a limit of one track per release”
Doesn’t apply to artists, though, as evidenced by multiple appearances from Clever & Him, and Griselda, for example.
@Fosterakahunter: The loophole is there to be exploited.
@Fosterakahunter: Da buze bruvaz just shined this year w excellent CRC dopeass songs take The Heist for example… Come on!!!! Fuck Ghost and Chef!
Noyd track is old…
@OnkelMichael: Fark, it’s from 2006!
It’s what raZZ’s Mom would want!
Me & A.G. is off of “The Falling Season” not “The Tipping Point” which is an old roots album. Aside from that, this is a nice list. Couple tracks I’ll need to check out. Vic Spencer is dope.
Robbie, Spice 1 is actually from Oakland,CA. Non-California people still don’t know how big California really is. Meh
Westside Gunn and Conway had a career year and Kool Keith’s album production didn’t bother me for the first time in years.
👀
I counted exactly just 2 tight clothes on new rapper complaints – both from Lord Finesse
Robbie could ypu do some kind of article on Run The Jewels? I feel like you may be able to put into words the confusing feelings that I have about them.Should I like them? Do I actually like listening to them?
We need a CRC policy on this ASAP.
@Frank: I’m on the case.
Who is Courtesy L? This song is dope, but I’m having trouble finding anything about him on the Google besides this post… Does he have a soundcloud? Twitter?
@Jedi: He’s from Atlanta. https://soundcloud.com/courteousl/
Thank you, much appreciated
There are about 5 good tracks on this. What’s with all the boring, drum free production?