7th Boro’s Best of 2014 Awards

It’s been a great year for the 7th Boro and even greater year for Hip Hop. 2014 saw new albums from Ghostface, Wu-Tang, DJ Premier, Royce, Joell Ortiz, Ras Kass, Locksmith, Statik and a slew of others. Some of these were great albums and some were surprisingly disappointing. Either way, it was one hell of a year. The site went through some changes but we are still about the one thing that brought us together in the first place…..Hip Hop. We do this for the love of the culture and will continue to do so. So on behalf of all of the 7th Boro members, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year. Hopefully you will agree with some of our pics. If you don’t, feel free to drop us a comment with your picks.

Stroydnaire: Cormega- Mega Philosophy. This was a tough choice because there was so much great Hip Hop that dropped in 2014. I chose this album because you can really hear Mega’s growth as an MC and as a person. He addresses the many issues with todays music business on this album and other topics that MCs tend to stay away from.

Honorable Mentions: Your Old Droog – Your Old Droog, PRhyme, Apollo Brown & Ras Kass – Blasphemy, Statik Selektah – What Goes Around, A-Villa – Carry On Tradition

Mills: J. Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive. This is what a true fan hopes for: An album from an artist who is free to do exactly what he wants. No radio friendly track was forced. No music video was used to create a buzz. No guest rap verses were needed. Cole had complete creative control. Hip Hop is his art form and he attacked the canvas with passion, varied flows, great production, deep in thought topics, and an album that flows flawlessly from start to end.

Honorable Mentions: Ab-Soul – These Days, Joell Ortiz – House Slippers , PRhyme – PRhyme

DJ Smu – Dilated Peoples – Directors of Photography

Honorable Mentions: Joe Budden – Some Love Lost

United Crates: Step Brothers – Lord Steppington

Stroydnaire: Your Old Droog – I know many will hate on this pick because he’s a new MC in 2014. I’m not saying he’s the best overall, I’m saying he’s the best in 2014. There’s no denying that the Brooklynite can rhyme.

Honorable Mentions: Locksmith, Royce da 5’9″

Mills: Locksmith – Arguably the realest, illest, and most gimmick free MC in Hip Hop. Dropped an incredibly dope and honest album, “A Thousand Cuts”, toured the US and Europe, kept his fans in the loop with 10 journal type videos, released about a dozen music videos (9 off the album), dropped dope guest verses, and destroyed plenty of mics on some insane freestyles. He also happened to have my personal favorite verse of the year. (see Team Backpack Cypher off the Locksmith 2014 mixtape)

Honorable Mentions: Royce Da 5’9″, Joell Ortiz, Black Thought

DJ Smu: Crooked I & Rapsody

United Crates: Your Old Droog

Mills: Selektah ft. Action Bronson, Royce da 5’9″, and Black Thought – The Imperial. Smooth ass beat, check. Three of the best lyricists in Hip Hop, check. Proof that Black Thought is simply one of the best ever, check.

Honorable Mentions: Common and Ab-Soul – Made in Black America, Pharoahe Monch ft. Black Thought – Rapid Eye Movement

Stroydnaire: Selektah ft. Action Bronson, Royce da 5’9″, and Black Thought – have to agree with Mills on this one. Black Thought’s verse on this is fucking spectacular. He literally makes the two that rhyme before him sound like white noise. 

Honorable Mentions: Rah Digga, Jon Connor – Storm Comin (Remix)

DJ Smu: Cormega ft. AZ, Styles P, Redman, Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, & Saigon

United Crates: DJ Premier & Royce da 5’9″ – PRhyme

Mills:  The Rugged Man – Definition Of A Rap Flow. Off his 2013 “Legends Never Die” album, R.A. sits on the director’s chair for this clever and well done concept video. The lyrics are already insane, while the video adds a fun element with tons of cameos from Hip Hop Legends.

Honorable Mentions: Roots – Never, Action Bronson – Easy Rider

Stroydnaire: Action Bronson – Easy Rider – The Chopper, the Les Paul, the Machine Gun, and very loose pants. It doesn’t get any better than this. 

Honorable Mention – The Roots – Understand ft. Dice Raw & Greg Porn. This album wasn’t my favorite Roots album by far but the visuals for this track are pretty original.

United Crates: Shirt – Queens Cat

DJ Smu – PRhyme – U Looz

Stroydnaire: Yasiin Bey & Marvin Gaye – Yasiin Gaye – Amerigo Gazaway took classic Mos Def verses and beautifully blended them with classic Marving Gaye samples. It’s audible love I tell you. I personally like part one better than the second but they are both super dope albums.

Mills: Nino Bless – R.O.A.M. 3 (Audio Trip) Arguably the most underrated MC in Hip Hop. Nino’s first of two mixtapes of 2014 was him at his finest. Insane lyrics, a flawless flow, variety of topics, dope production, and great replay value.

Honorable Mentions: Slaughterhouse- House Rules , Jon Conner – The Late Registration Of A College Dropout Who Had A Dark Twisted Fantasy Of 808s And Heartbreak

DJ Smu: Raekwon – We Wanna Thank You

United Crates: UNT X NahRight – IllMatic20

Mills: J. Cole – Wet Dreamz. So many to choose from…. from upbeat bangers to very introspective tracks. I went with this story track that simply had me on the edge of my seat during the first listen. A story most of us can relate to and has a high replay value.

Honorable Mentions: Lupe Fiasco – Next To It , Big K.R.I.T – Mount Olympus, Kendrick Lamar – i

Stroydnaire: PRhyme – Courtesy. Royce and Preemo made one hell of an album in 2014. Courtesy didn’t have any features…..just straight spitting over hard Preemo beats. 

Honorable Mention: Rah Digga – Storm Comin’ , Your Old Droog – Loosey In a Store With Pennies, D-Stroy – 5 Points

DJ Smu: Dilated Peoples ft Fashawn,Rapsody,Domo Genesis,Vinnie Paz & Action Bronson – Hallelujah

United Crates: M.O.P. – 187

Mills: No I.D. Executive produced Logic’s debut “Under Pressure” album, produced all tracks on Common’s “Nobody’s Smiling” album, produced a handful of tracks on Jhene Aiko’s “Souled Out” album and worked on Vince Staples’ projects.

Honorable Mentions: Selektah, DJ Premier

Stroydnaire: That Blasphemy album with Ras Kass proved that the Detroit producer should be mentioned in the same breath as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Alchemist, and Kanye West. I’m always impressed with his production know matter who it’s for.

Honorable Mention: DJ Premier, Statik Selektah 

DJ Smu: Black Milk

United Crates: DJ Skizz

Most Disappointing Album of 2014

Stroydnaire: – Common – Nobody’s Smiling. I wasn’t smiling either after I spent 9.99 on this shit of an album. I’ve been a fan of Common when he had the Sense. He’s a legend in my eyes but this album didn’t do it for me. Especially that Big Sean track!

Mills: Wu Tang Clan – A Better Tomorrow. A solid effort, but after over 2 years of anticipation, I was hoping for more.

Honorable Mentions: Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron, Canibus – Fait Accompli

United Crates: Killer Mike & El-P – Run The Jewels 2

DJ Smu: Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron