What's Good 2008, Albums You Should Be Bumping

Before Whatever's Good was born, I used to write about rap music on my personal blog, generally keeping posts centered on album reviews in order to build toward a year-end "Best of" list. We haven't done too much of that on WG yet, so I think it's time for a pre-Summer update: a lot of great music has dropped, and the CD player in my whip has stayed hot from all the spins that the following discs are getting.

Bun_b_-_ii_trill.jpg Bun B - II Trill
2006's Trill was a major letdown, but II Trill finds Bun B riding a tidal wave of emotion following the death of his longtime UGK counterpart, Pimp C. In addition, he seems to have remembered the formula that works for him: where Trill failed, II Trill succeeds; on the former album, Bun B tried to do too many tracks on his own while on this release there are a host of guests that help frame Bun's powerful voice. This is Texas coming hard.
Flo-rida-mail-on-sunday.jpg Flo Rida - Mail On Sunday
Fuck any haters expressing doubt about commercial rap or Flo Rida's cred. Mail On Sunday is the best dirty south party album to come out this year. Pretty much every track will sound perfectly at home in a club or, more appropriately, blasting from a convertible, top down. It's a bit shallow, sure, but infinitely listenable.
Guilty_simpson-ode_to_the_ghetto_2008.jpg Guilty Simpson - Ode To The Ghetto
Guilty is the man. A longtime cohort of J. Dilla, his voice is as unique as his flow. Ode to the Ghetto is definitely Guilty's first proper album, but it should best serve as a gateway to his early work, which I can't recommend highly enough. If you're looking for honest, straight-shooting raps, Guilty is the man (plus he has a great name).
kith-the-in-crowd-lp-cover-art.jpg Kidz in the Hall - The In Crowd
It's no secret that we love Kidz in the Hall. I was worried that The In Crowd might have been something of a flop (riding the success of "Driving Down The Block," a sound unrepresentative of the duo), but since it leaked, Naledge and Double-O have gotten major iPod play in my house (And apparently, on TRL, too). Hipster-hop is here to stay. Word.
Santogoldalbum.jpg Santogold - Santogold
Fuck everyone who says that Santogold sounds like M.I.A.--she doesn't. The girl is unique and brings an array of style to the table. Powerful, loud and sexy as hell, Santogold crafted an original masterpiece with this one. I particularly love the collabo with Spank Rock ("Shove It"). I want more, and I want remixes, and if you're a DJ this is what you should play to steam shit up.

So there's five albums that I'm bumping. There's other shit in my CDP, but really, this is the rotation for '08, so far. I wouldn't say it's been a great year for rap music, but it hasn't been awful--and really, the 3rd and 4th quarters are looking up with albums like Carter III, Last 2 Walk, Nigger, The Greatest Story Ever Told and more on the way.

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bw in Music @ May 14, 2008 4:33 PM | 0 Comments

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