A look back at 2008 hip-hop and R&B, Part 2

5 Notable Omissions from the Top 25

1. Whatever You Like - T.I.
One of those rare songs where the clean version is better than the dirty version (other examples include "I Wanna Love You" by Akon feat. Snoop Dogg and Snoop's own song "Sensual Seduction"), this was a serious contender for the list for its ability to worm itself in your head and live for days. However, it is sad that the biggest hit of T.I.'s career doesn't even have any rapping.

2. Lollipop - Lil' Wayne
This was another monster of a single that could not be ignored. Again, this is the biggest song of Lil' Wayne's career and it's not really rap. It just bothers me that there are people out there who think "Whatever You Like" and "Lollipop" are the best that these artists have to offer, when these artists just happen to be two of the best rappers in the game right now.

3. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce
Sounded too similar to the B'Day album.

4. Low - Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
I actually don't really have any complaints about this song for what it is. It would've probably made a Top 30.

5. Love Lockdown - Kanye West
Don't mistaken surprising for innovative. Don't interpret minimalist as sophisticated. Don't think that emotionless singing is meant to portray numbness. Thank you.


(Click to enlarge. Created by Andrew Kuo.)


5 Winners of 2008 (not in any order)

1. Baby Bash
After making awful radio songs for like five years, Baby Bash had a quietly successful 2008 by taking time off from immaculately grooming his facial hair to put out two songs I actually like: "Don't Stop" and "What Is It".

2. DJ Felli Fel
He's the new DJ Khaled of collaborations. Felli Fel's beats are simplistic and his songs are not even geared towards the same demographic as Khaled, but the quality is consistent even if it's not exceptional. I'm actually not sure if these songs get any airplay outside of Power 106, but I don't switch the station when "Finer Things", "Don't Stop", or "Feel It" come on.

3. Lil' Wayne
"Tha Carter 3" went platinum in a week. Outside of that, he showed up to rap on R&B songs (e.g. Keri Hilson's "Turnin' Me On") and sing on rap songs (e.g. The Game's "My Life"). He even crossed genre bridges with "Let It Rock". Even Kanye West was willing to concede that 2008 was Weezy's year, offering him the American Music Award for Favorite Male Rap Artist that he won. However, I feel that the two years that led to Lil' Wayne's domination of 2008 were even more impressive. Weezy set himself up for success by churning out countless mixtapes, most notably "Dedication 2", "Da Drought 3", and "The Drought is Over 2 (The Carter 3 Sessions)". The fact that he was able to achieve such insane quantity AND quality was mind-boggling and had fans hungry for "Tha Carter 3", more than happy to shell out $9.99 in thanks for all the amazing free music before.

4 & 5. Rihanna and Beyonce
Love 'em or hate 'em, they both have the most number one singles for a female solo artist this decade at 5 apiece.

Rihanna's #1 hits: S.O.S., Umbrella, Take a Bow, Disturbia, Live Your Life
Beyonce's #1 hits: Crazy in Love, Baby Boy, Check On It, Irreplaceable, Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)


5 Losers of 2008 (not in any order)

1. 50 Cent
50 Cent's ego is too big to accept the fact that his star is fading. Embarrassed after losing his sales battle to Kanye West, he goes on to mock Kanye's "Love Lockdown" when the fact is that his own single "Get Up" would go on to fall off radio playlists after a few weeks. An album of Kanye West singing will still out-sell an album of 50 Cent rapping, so Fiddy doesn't have shit on Kanye. Desperately seeking attention, 50 Cent also beefed with Fat Joe, Rick Ross, and T.I. this year. Oh, and don't forget about him calling Weezy a whore for showing up on everyone's tracks. Lil' Wayne brushed it off at the time, but later took some shots at 50 on the song "Louisianimal":

All about a dollar, fuck two quarters
Bitch I’ll pour syrup in that Vitamin Water
I hope you die ugly, and tonight will be gorgeous

2. Rick Ross
He used to be a corrections officer. What the fuck.
























3. The Game
Still can't make any songs without name dropping.

4. David Banner
This worthless motherfucker can't make a damn hit without biting off whatever song is hot at the moment. First he had "Like a Pimp", which came on the heels of 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P." Then there was "Play", which aped "The Whisper Song". In 2008, David Banner jacked a Yung Joc line from "It's Goin' Down" to make "Get Like Me" and rode on the coattails of Weezy's "Lollipop" with "Shawty Says".

5. Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
Haha, he has to add that stupid "Tell 'Em" on his name because "Soulja Boy" was already taken. What about trying to go platinum in a week like Lil' Wayne and ending up only moving 46,000 units? No, no, nothing could top this outrageous interview with the host of BET's "The Black Carpet" Touré:

"
Last week in Atlanta, I got to interview Soulja Boy Tell Em. I found out just how young he really is. He was one of about ten rappers I interviewed in one day for my BET show, The Black Carpet. I decided it'd be fun to give all the rappers part of the Proust questionnaire. I thought it'd be a way to get beyond image and into who they really are. Most of the guys gave good, thoughtful, intelligent, sensitive answers. I asked Juelz Santana, “How would you like to die?” He said, "Loved."

Then came Soulja Boy Tell Em. I asked him, “What historical figure do you most hate?” He was stumped. I said, "Others have said Hitler, bin Laden, the slave masters..." He said, "Oh wait! Hold up! Shout out to the slave masters! Without them we'd still be in Africa."

My jaw, at this point, was on the ground."We wouldn't be here," he continued, having no idea how far in it he'd stepped, "to get this ice and tattoos."
"



Best Latin Hip-Hop Single of 2008

To The Top by Omar Cruz feat. Frankie J





The Yearly Wrap-up by Skillz

What does he do the other 364 days of the year?