My Favorite 10 Albums & Mixtapes of 2011

I'll start it off like this, I enjoyed Stalley's Lincoln Way Nights more than any other album or mixtape I heard all year. But, I'll explain more about that later.

Last year I named 5 of my favorite mixtapes and albums on the first Product of My Opinion podcast, this year I've dedicated a post to my favorites.

Check after the jump for the list.

Bubble Space

Clear Soul Forces - Bubble Space

prod. by Dibia$e

The last couple weeks I've held off on listening to new music. I've just been going through albums and mixtapes released in 2011 and compiling some of my favorites for a post coming up in a few days. Clear Soul Forces leaked "Bubble Space," which forced me to put the other songs on the back burner for a minute. 

Bubble Space" was leaked and serves a prelude to Detroit Revolution(S) which drops on March 13. It'll be nearly two years since CSF's last full length project when Revo drops, so I'm definitely eager to hear the growth of the four man group. The Dibia$e produced song is an auditory exploration requires headphones or high quality speakers. 

#REVO

A ride in Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

Don't front, you watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood growing up. From the assortment of sweaters, the toss of the shoe from one hand to the other, the tr the show was definitely a part of many childhoods for 3 decades.

Take a ride through Mr. Rogers' neighborhood with me.

Menace II Society [VIDEO]

I usually let the "content aggregators" have at it when it comes to posting videos, but I had to throw this video up. "Menace II Society" is from Freddie Gibbs' Cold Day In Hell mixtape. The whole song is perfect, Freddie and Dom's verses, Poly's hook, the beat by Cardo, the chemistry is all there. The video is similar to the cookout scene in the movie of the same name. After watching the video a trip to Cali is definitely on the slate.

Nurture yo brain(child)

Society of Soul - Brainchild

"I just wanna learn something"

I just wanna learn something everyday. Academic careers and formal schooling eventually end for all of us, but we never stop learning. Many have tried to "capture" the meaning of life in a song, a book, or a simple quote, but the thirst for knowledge, learning new things, and then sharing what you've learned with others could be the meaning of life.

When talking about the depth of the Dungeon Family catalog, the Society of Soul album isn't brought up enough. Sure, it didn't move units and wasn't a rap album like the albums that preceded it, but  it is definitely in the Top 8-10 of my favorite Dungeon Fam albums. The title track, "Brainchild," primarily features one of Big Rube's inspirational spoken word pieces about how knowledge can prevent us from making bad decisions and how we must "feed" our brain. It's a positive, inspirational, thought-provoking piece.

"Nurture yo brainchild, protect yo soul, nurture yo brainchild may we ALL grow"

December

OverDoz. - December

OverDoz's last project, Live For Die For dropped earlier this year. If you haven't heard it get on it. There have been albums and mixtapes released by artists I like more than OverDoz, but this mixtape has trumped a lot of projects from my favorite artists.

The song describes turning that cold shoulder to females who didn't give you any play in the past. Petty and childish? Maybe. But, in the end it's a part of life.

What the Game Made Me

"What The Game Made Me" features Jay-Z, "The new, improved Jay-Z" (aka Memphis Bleek), and Sauce Money. The topic of this song is one of those easier said than done things, "I won't let money or fame change me." I'm sure that every person that comes upon money and fame makes that vow, but in the end it's not always true. The Bishop Tay D. Jakes once professed this interesting line: "And they say that money change you, but money don't change you/It just make you more of what you already are."

I can't say if  it's true or not, because I've never been famous or rich, but I'm sure it's something we all think about at one time or another.

The song comes from the soundtrack of the Master P movie I Got The Hook Up. From the various reviews I've read about the movie, it was sub par. The soundtrack was on point though, it went platinum shortly after its release. A sample of "Holding You, Loving You" by Don Blackman is used in "What The Game Made Me."

Take a listen...

Don Blackman - Holding You, Loving You

Jay-Z ft. Memphis Bleek and Sauce Money - What The Game Made Me

prod. by Chris Lidjio

Juicy J & DJ Paul’s 10 Best Willie Hutch Samples

 
My pops put me on to The Mack and the music of Willie Hutch a few years ago. Since then the movie has become one of my favorites and the music of the late great Willie Hutch has dominated my roation.

If you've lsitened to Three 6 Mafia for a significant period of time then you know about their affinity for using Willie Hutch samples in their music. Greg Whitt of The Smoking Section picked ten of the best Willie Hutch samples by Juicy J and DJ Paul.

Head over to The Smoking Section to check it out.

Meet PianOwned: Hip-Hop and R&B Piano Covers

PianOwned's cover of Kick, Push by Lupe Fiasco

There are definitely some talented musicians on YouTube, every once in a while I dedicate a couple hours to listening to covers and original songs by talented singers, pianists, and other instrumentalists.

I came across the page of PianOwned, a piano teacher from Birmingham, England over the summer. I rediscovered his page a few weeks ago and listened to his covers of various songs for an hour. Take a look at his page and you'll hear covers of songs by artists like Dwele, Lupe Fiasco, J Dilla, and D'Angelo. The interpretations are perfect if you're looking to hear some relaxing instrumentation. He doesn't limit it to just the R&B and rap joints either, there are some nice covers of Oasis and Foo Fighters songs as well. 

So before you brush off YouTube musicians, browse around, listen for a few minutes and you might hear something you like.