Halftime Report: The Best and Worst Rap Albums & Songs of 2009 (So Far)

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Music

Published on July 14, 2009 with 19 Comments">19 Comments

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With the first half of 2009 now safely in our rear-view mirror, it’s time to reflect on the year’s best and worst hip-hop albums, songs, and mixtapes. Here’s our 2009 Halftime Report.

ALBUMS

mosdeftheectstatic
6 Best Rap Albums of the First 6 Months

  • Brother Ali – The Truth Is Here EP: Here’s one EP that blew many LPs out the water. Ali is focused and fierce for 34 minutes.

  • Method Man & Redman – Blackout! 2: The dynamic duo of Red & Meth took a hiatus after 1999′s Blackout!, but one listen to Blackout 2! and you’d think they were only gone for 10 days. Their chemistry is unparalleled.

  • K’Naan – Troubadour: K’naan is not a political MC as he’s often mislabeled. Rather, he’s a prolific storyteller. This becomes more evident on Troubadour, where he assumes the role of a street griot and drops some of the most compelling narratives you’ll hear all year.

  • UGK – UGK 4 Life: Incredibly cohesive and devoid of a boring moment.

  • MF Doom – Born Like This: This is darker and less comedic than DOOM fans have grown accustomed to, but it’s still as engaging anything he’s ever done.

  • Mos Def – The Ecstatic: This ranks behind Black on Both Sides as Mos Def’s 2nd best album. Who knew that all it would take to get another gem out of Mos Def was lock him up in the studio with Madlib?

 

5 Rap Albums Best Used for Frisbee

  • Cam’ron – Crime Pays
  • Jim Jones – Pray IV Rain
  • Guru – Guru 8.0: Lost & Found
  • Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
  • Mike Jones – The Voice

 

4 MIxtapes That Were Better Than Most Albums
bob-vs-bobby-ray

  • Drake – So Far Gone: This is what 808s & Heartbreaks wants to be when it grows up.
  • Joell Ortiz – Joell Covers The Classics: Joell is a student of the game and it shows here.
  • Wale & 9th Wonder – Back 2 The Feature: Surprisingly, Wale sounds comfortable over 9th Wonder beats.
  • B.o.B. – B.o.B. vs. Bobby Ray: B.o.B. affirms that his versatility is what separates him from the pack.

 

3 Albums That Got Pushed Back Further Than Tyra Banks Hairline
raekwon-onlybuilt4cubanlinxiicover

  • Big Boi – Sir Luscious Left Foot
  • Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
  • Dr. Dre – Detox

 

2 Great Rap Albums That Flew Under the Radar

  • Mr. Lif – I Heard It Today
  • K’Naan – Troubadour

 

1 Terribly Hyped Album That Fell Below Expectations
asher-roth

 

SONGS

6 Best Rap Songs of the First 6 Months
raekwon-the-chef

  • Brother Ali – “The Good Lord”
  • Slaughterhouse – “Move On”
  • Raekwon – “Criminology II” (Ft. Ghostface Killah)
  • The Alchemist – “Smile” (Ft. Maxwell & Twista)
  • Wu-Tang Clan – III Figures (Ft. M.O.P. & Kool G Rap)
  • Mos Def – “Quiet Dog”

 

5 Rap Singles That Laughed in the Face of the Recession
bussa-bus-gets-that-a-rab-money

  • Soulja Boy Tellem – “Turn My Swag On”
  • Rick Ross – “Maybach Music 2″ (Ft. Kanye West, Lil Wayne, & T-Pain)
  • Ron Browz – “Pop Champagne”
  • Busta Rhymes – “Arab Money”/”Respect My Conglomerate”
  • Maino – A Million Bucks (Ft. Swizz Beatz)

 

4 Ill-Conceived Diss Songs That Made Eazy-E Roll over in His Grave

  • Saigon – Underachiever (Joe Budden Diss) – For disrespecting Budden’s family.
  • Joe Budden (Slaughterhouse) – D.O.A. Freestyle – For disrespecting everyone who paved the way for him.
  • Soulja Boy – Fuck Bow Wow – For wasting everyone’s time with the lamest diss ever.
  • Steve-O – They Laughing at Me (K-Fed Diss) – For being tone deaf.

 

3 Beats That Were Better Than the Lyrics
doa-artwork1

 

2 Great Rap Songs That Put the “C” Back in Chorus

  • Grouch & Eligh – “All In” (Feat. Gift of Gab)
  • K-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman (Feat. Saukrates & Nelly Furtado) [Imeem]

 

1 Popular Rap Song That Makes Everything on This List Seem 10x Better
we-pop-champagne

Previously:
Halftime Report: The Best and Worst Rap Albums & Songs of 2008

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • moneda

    The Ecstatic is growing on me but I’m still more a fan of The New Danger.

    I feel for anyone who “hugely anticipated” Asher Roth’s album, heh.

  • Happyflip

    As one of the best songs what about Lupe’s Shining Down? or does he have to release the album first?… anyways Lasers > ’09

    Lol at Bread Aisle

    And K-Os Yes! should be candidate for one of the best album “..Natalie portman” song rocked

  • booboo

    You missed Relapse.

  • gabegaloshes

    Can someone PLEASE tell me how to get a physical copy of the K-Os album without putting out a mortgage.

  • CR9

    Album of Finale..great album

  • ATI

    Definitely would have put k-os- Yes! on that best album list, and J. Cole’s The Warm Up can easily go toe-to-toe with any of those mixtapes. Nice list, though.

  • Rick.

    I’ve never heard of Ron Browz or that song. I rule. :)

  • andy c

    I didn’t see relapse up there, are you fuckin gay or something, chemical warefare too, fool

  • B3N

    P.O.S.’ Never Better? Other than that, great list!

  • B3N

    And yo, Andy C, Relapse sucked more balls than the Insane Clown Posse in an Eminem skit.

  • Erock Lazron

    amazon.ca that K-OS album. The exchange rate will make it cheaper for you, and it can’t be more than 15 bucks as it is.

  • RAE

    NO QUIK AND KURUPT ANYWHERE? trippin. thats a real feel good album man.

  • G

    J. Cole The Warm Up > Wale mixtape(although I do like this one too)

  • IT’S COOL FOR WHITE BOYS TO RAP NOW

    This should be broadened to hip hop in general because Jay Stay Paid is better than everything listed except DOOM’s Born Like This.

  • andy c

    b3n, you serious every song on that album was a banger, you don’t like dre beats or wha?

  • J to the AAP

    @andy c: I thought it was mostly a turd too, boring choruses, too much bland beats and Em’s new voice irritates the @#$% out of me. Not even Shady’s mic skill and rhymes-within-rhymes could save that one. He’s still a good MC but I get the idea he didn’t have a lot to say on Relapse.

    I don’t think disliking Relapse has anything to do with sexual preference by the way. Let’s try a grown folks tone next time.

  • buzwe

    I with RAE (nh), no BlaQKout? Rizoh you can always make edits. Great list though.

  • Walter

    Am I the only one that had expectations of like a 6-7/10 album from the Roth boy and actually thought he met those expectations?

    And yes, K’Naan is the truth.

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  • Dom Corleone

    *Facepalm for forgetting to include Chamber Music on my list of best albums*

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