Best of 2017: Lee's Best Songs

Best of 2017: Lee’s Best Songs

December 30, 2017

1. Kendrick Lamar – FEAR.

Previewed briefly on “The Heart Part 4” with a different verse in true rough draft fashion, the top slot goes to Kendrick Lamar’s chilling FEAR. Whether it’s the rattling snake like sound in the left ear, Alchemist’s signature hard snare/intense sample production or Kendrick’s introspective verses it feels like the song Kendrick is most proud of in his career.

2. Quelle Chris – Calm Before Feat. Cavalier & Suzi Analogue

One of the best self-help rap albums ever made, Quelle Chris’s “Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often” was littered with ethos of self-love and dark honesty that made waves in the underground circle. It also included one of the best verses of the year courtesy of Jean Grae.

3. Westside DOOM – Gorilla Monsoon/2 Stings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzMihdh_ogw

A movement of grimy, dark, murky nostalgic NY Hip-Hop has been emerging since Roc Marciano’s 2010 Macberg album. If you miss that sort of sound then look no further than the Shady Records signee Westside Gunn from the Griselda Records team. He teamed up with the villain himself DOOM and two stellar tracks from a forthcoming collab project.

4. Loaded Lux Freestyles on Funk Flex – #FREESTYLES075

Well, what can you say. This is no surprise to battle rap fans. Wordplay, metaphors, wit, double entendres, punch-lines, schemes and everything many say is lacking in rap today are all here on display from one of the best wordsmiths alive. You won’t catch everything on the first few listens.

5. Rapsody – Knock on My Door

After years of being slept on, ‘Laila’s Wisdom’ made proved why most of your favourite rappers can’t hang with her on the mic. We all knew Rapsody could outrap many but this album proved just how much of a great artist she was and thankfully made listeners stop saying she was good ‘for a woman’ but one of the dopest rappers alive.