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HiResDes · Jan 12, 2011

*********GAF-HOP PRESENTS 2010's Best HIP-HOP ALBUMS********

(CLICK ARTWORK FOR LINKS)

1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Fantasy

Grzi said:
Album of the year. This was definitely Kanye's year, taking everything into account. The amount of good music he put out this year (a lot of it for free) can't be topped by anyone. And then as a big final move, he put out arguably his best album so far and the album of the year. It's just so good. The beats are perfect, the raps are perfect in their imperfection, the guest spots are picked perfectly, this album really shows how far hip hop can go, and how it evolved. All the flaws of this album are perfect, it kinda reminds me of my all-time favorite (36 chambers) in that matter. There are songs that are too long (Runaway), skits that don't fit at first, but they really make sense (Chris Rock in Blame Game) and verses by guest spots that kinda shouldn't be there (Ross in Devil in a New Dress), but they make sense, in a way. And it sounds right. Perfect. Plus, posse cuts. Kanye brought back huge posse cuts and I'll love him forever for that.

2. Kno - Death is Silent

soultron said:
Was super hyped the second I heard the first track leaked, and I don't think there's a single song I dislike on here. The variety of deliveries Kno displays prove that he's a decent rapper, in addition to being the most under appreciated producer I know of. Kno delivered an amazing album that is a great front-to-back, straight-through listen.

3. The Roots - How I Got Over

PhoenixDark said:
I can't be the only one who doubted The Roots' move to late night television. I expected the album to cater to a more mainstream audience as well. Yet The Roots proved me wrong on both grounds: they've managed to make Fallon's show shockingly entertaining, improving every song they play backup for, and the album is pure dope. Their best since Game Theory imo

4. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son Of Chico Dusty

toasty_T said:
Not breaking new ground anything but it's enjoyable to listen to. Big Boi managed to make Gucci Mane not sound like Gucci Mane, that's an achievement in itself. The beats on this album are fan-freaking-tastic. I like it a bit more than Speakerboxxx.

5. Nas & Damien Marley - Distant Relatives

Net_Wrecker said:
Really good music with a consistent theme, and a good performance from both artists.

6. J. Cole - Friday Night Lights

Ferny73 said:
From top to bottom this album is straight ill. Man ive been waiting for it for a bit but never really hyped about it. Listened to the album beginning to end and it is just so good. Production on it is just great and the lyrics and the flow are just beastly. Cole World

7. Shad - TSOL

Doytch said:
Is it obvious that I like versatility and range yet? Shad's latest once again shows that no one writes and raps like him. The self-deprecating writing hasn't pissed me off yet, and he too bounces between battle-raps on "Yaa I Get It," to popish singles like "Rosegarden" to introspective slow-burns like "Listen."

8. Dessa - Badly Broken Code

Tokubetsu said:
I've got a crush on this lady. She can sing, she can rap, she can WRITE! I've been looking forward to this one for a couple years when I first heard her Mineshaft EP from a 2 or so years back. Had this entire album on repeat for something close to 3 weeks non stop. Just smooth and buttery. My favorite cut? Matches to Paper Dolls but Poor Atlas, Seamstress and Dixon's Girl are always serious contenders. This is what a well balanced independant album sounds like it. It's melodic, great lyrics and absolutely zero fluff/filler. Better yet, it's all coming from the heart, from crew joints to broken hearted slow jams. This was a great year but I'm constantly coming back to this one.

9. Rick Ross - Teflon Don

Grzi said:
Rick Ross was a cop. Big fucking deal. Do we really know for sure that all of these gangster rappers really did the stuff they talk about? No, we don't. But, somehow, everyone was offended by Ross. 50 mocked him so bad, and shit was funny. 50 really mocked everyone, 50 remained real, and hard and a thug, and released 3 or 4 terrible albums in a row. Ross, a faker, released his third album Deeper Than Rap, and it was really dope. He did what a lot of these rappers can't do, he battled the mocking and rumours with quality music. He stepped his MC game up too. All of a sudden, Ross could spit. Deeper than rap was great, it was the soundtrack for Scarfae remade for 2008., but it was too soon. People were still angry (why?!) at Ross for being a cop, it was cool to mock him. Flash forward to 2010. People started to forget that stuff and Ross came out with Teflon Don. A real, pure gangsta rap album, filled with amazing production and great rapping. Yes, Ross is a great rapper, and he'll only improve, if he continues to do stuff the way he's been doing so far. Listen to tears of Joy. That's great rapping. It's not technical, but the lyrics, the heart, the charisma, it's all there. Listen to Free Mason. Jay-Z has the best line of the year in that song - "I said I was amazing, not that I'm a mason", and he still didn't outrap Ross. Some people are still sceptical, and some are even ashamed to admit they like Ross's new album, but I don't care. No one can front on this, this is quality music, it's an event of an album, reminiscent of the huge albums that used to come out in the late 90's.

10. Curren$y - Pilot Talk II

Tokubetsu said:
It's [Pilot Talk I's] sequel, Pilot Talk II, is like the joint you smoke after that same drink ...

11. Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon II The Legend Of Mr. Rager

Messi said:
I just wanted to drop in here to say, I heard my brother raving about kid cudi and he downloaded this album on my itunes so I gave it a spin and wow... cudi is pretty damn amazing. I don't even know how to explain it. He has this amazing way of feeling different on most songs. I just love 'All Along' also I know the song 'Erase Me' is not popular but I love it. Kanye is great in it.

12. Strong Arm Steady - In Search of Stoney Jackson

HiResDes said:
Like a blunted out west coast Wu-Tang featuring forever dope madlib production...One parts weed rap, the other intellectual making this album maybe the most re-playable of the year

13. Drake - Thank Me Later

Grzi said:
Again, fuck the haters. Yes, Drake is soft. Yes he's for the ladies. So the fuck what. He's doing his thang. This album really surprised me, when I first listened to it. It really isn't as mainstream as I expected it to be. It has a sound that's fairly unique, and it runs with it till the end. The production sets a great mood, it fits the themes perfectly and complements Drake's voice and style really good. I wasn't feeling this album so much untill one night, I was driving around town with friends, it was a summer night, and it really clicked with me. It was perfect for that moment, this really is a summer album, for those relaxing summer nights out. Unforgettable with Jeezy is so good. That song probably has the best beat this year for me. And yes, Fancy isn't that good, but it has a great part that should have been used more often in the song (all my l.a. girls let me see them hands...). Lirically, Drake is doing his thing, some people hate it, some love it. I like it a lot, I could relate to some of his themes, robably because we're the same age. Anyway, it's a great album.

14. Yelawolf - Trunk Muzik 0-60

kamspy said:
Yelawolf album is great. Some of the best thematic southern shit I've ever heard. Damn near flawless.

15. Atmosphere - To All My Friends

GodfatherX said:
Atmosphere has always been hit or miss with minus "When life gives you lemons" which is one of my favorite albums this decade. This double EP as they call it, picks up where their last album left off. From start to finish this feels like a proper follow up, and production, lyrics and album themes are all on point.

16. Eminem - Recovery

Net_Wrecker said:
Solid album that could've been better if Eminem would stop screaming, and switch up his flow more.

17. Joe Budden - Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst

Net_Wrecker said:
Lyrically so good, and the vibe is great. Good "winter" album if that makes sense.

18. Skyzoo & Illmind - Live From The Tape Deck

HiResDes said:
Another album that deserves to be remembered as a classic, Skyzoo abandons his slow methodical approach for something more loud and aggressive. His rhymes are menacing, Illmind's production is near-flawless boom bap shit, and the album is pretty much devoid of flaws. However, it's relatively short length may detract it's value from some, but when a package is this concentrated that would be a rather unfair assessment.

19. Big K.R.I.T. - Wuz Here

Doytch said:
A unified vision on a mixtape that is completely realised by the talented producer/emcee K.R.I.T.. All while spanning a range from the ego-stroking battle-rap on "See Me on Top" to the effortless and inventive sample mixing on "Something."

20. Curren$y - Pilot Talk

Tokubetsu said:
Think about the nicest alcoholic beverage you've ever had. It's probably refreshing and a little sweet. Now think about drinking it on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean or in the Mediterranean. That's what this album is like. It's sequel, Pilot Talk II, is like the joint you smoke after that same drink while the sun is setting on the same beach, just reflecting.

***********VOTING STATS**********

Total votes counted: 24

Invalid votes: 7 (Minor errors were accounted for)

Total albums nominated: 54

HiResDes' happiness with the results: 16/20 or %80 :lol

Number of people that bitched about the voting system: 6

LINK TO VOTING THREAD

*********WHAT THIS THREAD IS FOR**********

- Discuss results, snubs, places to find mixtapes, and miscellaneous recommendations

- Ideas to improve voting system, participation, and thread making for next year

- How HiResDes is one sexy ass motherfucker

spindashing · Jan 12, 2011

HiResDes is not a sexy assed motherfucker at all.

No, great OP. I agree with all of it, in all honesty.

Recon · Jan 12, 2011

Not bad, the only thing I disagree with is how high kanye is and that rick ross is even on there. Glad to see the Kno love

DTLIONS1013 · Jan 12, 2011

Move Recovery to #2, remove Rick Ross, and add Chiddy Bang - The Preview

HiResDes · Jan 12, 2011

DTLIONS1013 said:
Move Recovery to #2, remove Rick Ross, and add Chiddy Bang - The Preview

Recovery #2 :lol, that's absurd, you need to listen to more albums.

toastyToast · Jan 12, 2011

Good result.

A shame that NWL came out so late, I'd tie it with Death is Silent as my AoTY.

kamspy · Jan 12, 2011

A little artsy for my tastes, but at least bawse got up pretty high. GAF burnt me on that Kno joint. I should have known better though.

CRS · Jan 12, 2011

Gave In Search of Stoney Jackson a few more thorough spins recently and wish I could have given it more points. Questions made this album for me.

Pinko Marx · Jan 12, 2011

Pretty much what I'd expect from GAF.

HiResDes · Jan 12, 2011

Pinko Marx said:
Pretty much what I'd expect from GAF.

Dude did you even vote, you can't bitch if you didn't vote...

enzo_gt · Jan 12, 2011

Well, I've listened to most of the top albums, not all, but some pretty solid choices there.

Hell, I even forgot about this, but yeah I obviously agree with the #1. I thought TSOL came out in 2009 though? Could've swore I was just late on it.

And :lol @ that ghetto Drake album artwork. Looks like an O-Town cover or something :lol I don't blame you, the real one is pretty fucking bad as well.

OrangeGrayBlue · Jan 12, 2011

I'm glad that Kno got recognition. Easily my favorite album of the year.

Lambtron · Jan 13, 2011

ReconYoda said:
Not bad, the only thing I disagree with is how high kanye is and that rick ross is even on there. Glad to see the Kno love

Teflon Don is basically the best thing on this list.

IrishNinja · Jan 13, 2011

HiResDes said:
Dude did you even vote, you can't bitch if you didn't vote...

yeah, i was just thinking idve switched the list around a bit too, but i didnt vote either. all in all it aint bad, and its a great OP man, good work.

Recon · Jan 13, 2011

Lambtron said:
Teflon Don is basically the best thing on this list.

I respect your right to express your opinion, no matter how horribly wrong it is.

GodfatherX · Jan 13, 2011

happy with the list as a collective, just shocked more people didnt vote for atmosphere

good OP hires

Lambtron · Jan 13, 2011

ReconYoda said:
I respect your right to express your opinion, no matter how horribly wrong it is.

Well, I know in this case I'm definitely not wrong.

Recon · Jan 13, 2011

Lambtron said:
Well, I know in this case I'm definitely not wrong.

Ok, not "wrong" but just incorrect.

Stat Flow · Jan 13, 2011

I am in agreement with most of the list minus lack of RPM and MBDTF being number one. But I know GAF had a massive hardon for it so yeah.

siddx · Jan 13, 2011

No surprise that I completely disagree with number 1 but overall it's a great list. Some personal favorites that I wish more people had heard didn't make it but I definitely can't argue with it.

I would say that it's probably the best album of the year list on the entire internet. Nowhere else are you going to find such a great mix of styles and artists. Anyone wanting to get into hiphop need only pick up the albums on this list and fall in love forever.

Recon · Jan 13, 2011

I think Dessa was #1 and Eternia and Moss was my #2. I kinda wish i heard em before the voting.

Plywood · Jan 13, 2011

No way! Dessa made #8? I'm happy Dessa even made the list.

siddx · Jan 13, 2011

toasty_T said:
Good result.

A shame that NWL came out so late, I'd tie it with Death is Silent as my AoTY.

Yeah I just got my hands on it and I would have put it on my top list as well. Still getting the feel for it but I am highly impressed so far. Chevrolet Doors' beat was crafted just for me. I love it.

Blackace · Jan 13, 2011

Big Boi got robbed...

bluestuff · Jan 13, 2011

Blackace said:
Big Boi got robbed...

Fo Yo Sorrows

siddx · Jan 13, 2011

Blackace said:
Big Boi got robbed...

Big Boi had some stiff competition. I would have given him more votes if not for "Theme Song" which is one of the worst songs every made and caused me to go on homicidal rampages. Seriously, every other track is fantastic but theme song is so goddamn bad it kept the album off my top 3.

see5harp · Jan 13, 2011

EDIT: NEVERMIND. BUT STILL NAS AND EM. lol

siddx · Jan 13, 2011

see5harp said:
Why so much rap? Many of those albums are great but fuck HighRes that shit ain't even close to true. NAS? You shouldn't be encouraging these retards HighRes.

Are you really this stupid? Or are you just trolling?

edit: HA I GOT YOU FOO!!!!!

KAL2006 · Jan 13, 2011

My favourite album of 2010 was definitely Distant Relatives

Blackace · Jan 13, 2011

siddx said:
Big Boi had some stiff competition. I would have given him more votes if not for "Theme Song" which is one of the worst songs every made and caused me to go on homicidal rampages. Seriously, every other track is fantastic but theme song is so goddamn bad it kept the album off my top 3.

He showed how much more Outkast he is than Andre with this Album..

And West's album gets no love from me and is beyond over-rated..

PhoenixDark · Jan 13, 2011

Recovery isn't in the top 15. Good list

siddx · Jan 13, 2011

Blackace said:
He showed how much more Outkast he is than Andre with this Album..

And West's album gets no love from me and is beyond over-rated..

I completely agree. The songs on his album were phenomenal. And I have long since stopped buying whatever bullshit Andre has been trying to sell us over the last few years. But I am not joking when I say I hated theme song so much that it kept the album off my top 3 list. I would definitely put it in my my top 5 though.

And if you've ever been in a Kanye thread you know how I feel about Dark Twisted Overproduced Fuckery.

Pinko Marx · Jan 13, 2011

HiResDes said:
Dude did you even vote, you can't bitch if you didn't vote...

Not bitching, just sayin this is par for the course for GAF.

Complex Shadow · Jan 13, 2011

Pinko Marx said:
Not bitching, just sayin this is par for the course for GAF.

and wtf do you mean by that. that gaf is one single minded, that we can't think for our selfs? why you so mad?

edit: dude got banned?? for what?

Messi · Jan 13, 2011

What the hell... I was reading each quote for the albums and I get to cudi, and I start reading it thinking this seems familiar... and I wrote it a few days ago in the album ot. Freaked me out for a second. :lol

Stellar album, just happened to be listening to it when I went on to this thread.

enzo_gt · Jan 13, 2011

Pinko Marx said:
Not bitching, just sayin this is par for the course for GAF.

...not quite sure what your implying here exactly.

spindashing · Jan 13, 2011

enzo_gt said:
...not quite sure what your implying here exactly.

lol, he's banned anyway, so nevermind.

I didn't vote either, HiRes. MEET ME SOMEWHERE.

I just never visited. I will vote next year.

I'm glad Big Boi, Cudi, Roots, Kno, Nas+Damien made the list. I loved those albums. How I Got Over is my #1 of last year, though, even if Kanye's was nice. Black Thought is just .. damn.

Equus Bellator Apex · Jan 13, 2011

Blackace said:
Big Boi got robbed...

"Be Still" is the one of my favorite songs.

The ending though kinda kills it.

spindashing · Jan 13, 2011

Equus Bellator Apex said:
I "Be Still" is the one of my favorite song.

The ending though kinda kills it.

Yeah, Be Still was great. Janelle Monae = <3

The only track that I don't feel on Lucious Left Foot is Tangerine, and I'm not sure why.

ShinobiFist · Jan 13, 2011

GAF moves to fast for me. Didn't even know there was a voting thread.:lol

Anyway, list is thrash. No Ghostface, but Joe Budden??:lol Where is Wiseman, Eternia, The Left, Apollo Brown(Both of those albums Murders in production this year) Moka Only(That shit kills pilot talk 2 in the chill weed base type of Hip-Hop..And production is insane)and Joe Kickass(Mind Joe Album)missing from that list??? Fuck out of here!!!! Rick Ross over CNN:lol Might as well put Homeboy Sandman up on that list with all those non Boom-Bap records up there. Anyway, this was voted by the people, wtf do they know. Yeah I'm salty...

enzo_gt · Jan 13, 2011

spindashing said:
lol, he's banned anyway, so nevermind.

I didn't vote either, HiRes. MEET ME SOMEWHERE.

I just never visited. I will vote next year.

I'm glad Big Boi, Cudi, Roots, Kno, Nas+Damien made the list. I loved those albums. How I Got Over is my #1 of last year, though, even if Kanye's was nice. Black Thought is just .. damn.

wait what? he got banned? for what? :O

Avatar quotes will never be the same.

ShinobiFist said:
GAF moves to fast for me. Didn't even know there was a voting thread.:lol

Anyway, list is thrash. No Ghostface, but Joe Budden??:lol Where is Wiseman, Eternia, The Left, Apollo Brown(Both of those albums Murders in production this year) Moka Only(That shit kills pilot talk 2 in the chill weed base type of Hip-Hop..And production is insane)and Joe Kickass(Mind Joe Album)missing from that list??? Fuck out of here!!!! CNN album over Rick Ross:lol Might as well put Homeboy Sandman up on that list with all those non Boom-Bap records up there. Anyway, this was voted by the people, wtf do they know. Yeah I'm salty...

Just a Chi-town n***a with a Nas flow.

IrishNinja · Jan 13, 2011

Blackace said:
He showed how much more Outkast he is than Andre with this Album..

been hearing this lately - im out of the loop then, what's 3k been on? i catch him on remixes and not much else, kinda sad given how good he is. agreed on Big Boi's album being fantastic though.

Death is Silent, TSOL, Roots etc being as high up as they are makes me happy to see, Ye was gonna take it on the popular vote so no harm done, that was inevitable anyway.

aw fuck, what happened to my man Pinko? was this for implying some hive-mind shit or for another thread? please say this isnt perma....

HiResDes · Jan 13, 2011

ShinobiFist said:
GAF moves to fast for me. Didn't even know there was a voting thread.:lol

Anyway, list is thrash. No Ghostface, but Joe Budden??:lol Where is Wiseman, Eternia, The Left, Apollo Brown(Both of those albums Murders in production this year) Moka Only(That shit kills pilot talk 2 in the chill weed base type of Hip-Hop..And production is insane)and Joe Kickass(Mind Joe Album)missing from that list??? Fuck out of here!!!! Rick Ross over CNN:lol Might as well put Homeboy Sandman up on that list with all those non Boom-Bap records up there. Anyway, this was voted by the people, wtf do they know. Yeah I'm salty...

Yeah I agree with some of those picks. but the voting was close as fuck as actually...So every single vote really mattered. But yeah, I think I was the only one that voted for Apollo Brown which was simply appalling to me

Edit: Pinko is my dawg, I don't know why he got banned...Hopefully it wasn't for something he said while in here, as we're all basically internet family as far as I'm concerned.

Threi · Jan 13, 2011

Shad is in the top 10.

Good shit.

SoulPlaya · Jan 13, 2011

Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, and Drake over Mood Muzik 4? Man, GAF-Hop has really changed over the past few years.

HiResDes · Jan 13, 2011

SoulPlaya said:
Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, and Drake over Mood Muzik 4? Man, GAF-Hop has really changed over the past few years.

...I didn't vote for any of those albums, in fact I had the second most albums left off the top twenty listed in my top ten.

SoulPlaya · Jan 13, 2011

HiResDes said:
...I didn't vote for any of those albums, in fact I had the second most albums left off the top twenty listed in my top ten.

I don't care, I'm bitter.

At least The Roots were highly rated.

EDIT: Kno is good too.

enzo_gt · Jan 13, 2011

SoulPlaya said:
Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, and Drake over Mood Muzik 4? Man, GAF-Hop has really changed over the past few years.

Not a lot of people listened to MM4, but your right, it shits on the other three (damn CuDi was hella disappointing this year).

Plus, such few people voted (even I forgot about this thread

), you can't jump to conclusions that quick. Next year I'll make sure to vote.

Anyways, good job on OP HRD.

SoulPlaya · Jan 13, 2011

enzo_gt said:
Not a lot of people listened to MM4, but your right, it shits on the other three (damn CuDi was hella disappointing this year).

Plus, such few people voted (even I forgot about this thread ), you can't jump to conclusions that quick. Next year I'll make sure to vote.

Anyways, good job on OP HRD.

Honestly, I didn't vote either, lol. I had no idea there was even a thread.

victreeb3l · Jan 13, 2011

absolutely disagree with kanye being #1 but overall a great list

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