2009!

What's good CRDS readers?



I was just going through all of the releases that I really enjoyed from this year and I have to say that it was a pretty dope year for underground Hip Hop, these are my top 5 albums that stayed on heavy rotation through out 2009.



Really great album from Diamond District that I went (and go back) to time and time again, the production was really ill (Oddisee is one the greats as far as I am concerned) and Yu, Oddisee and X.O. were ill on the mic devices, the whole album is very consistent and has a truly great sound, my favourite album of 2009 with "Streets Won't Let Me Chill" being the highlight cut for me, that cut reminds of me some golden era DITC type beats.



Oh man Exile's beats on this were so dope and Fashawn has a great voice and flow, there wasn't a weak track on this and I can't tell you how many times I had "When She Calls" on repeat this year, which was actually my favourite track of 2009, the production on that gave me chills down my spine...and don't forget to check out the bonus cuts.



I was really pleased that Doom took some time off, because we got this dope album after his absence, I loved it and I mean all of it...Doom was in top form and the production was nuts, the only gripe I had was a credited Kurious guest appearance that was well... nothing, Doom/Zev has been one of my favourites for over 20 years now.




This fat album just came out of nowhere for me, and what an album it was, solid production and great rhymes, I had heard some other Aarophat tracks before, but I think it was Illastrate's diverse and dope production that really made me pay attention, a great album that should have been released as a physical product, really dope Midwest Hip Hop from those Midwest Kids.



Yep more Diamond District dopeness, there was just something about this free album from D.D. member Yu that just became addictive to me, again, great and diverse production (Kev Brown, Slimkat 78, Oddisee, Yu and others) dope rhymes and a consistent album that was enjoyable from front to back.

and the rest...

Raekwon-Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2
DJ Spinna-Sonic Smash
Big Tone-The Art Of Ink
Cyne-Water For Mars
Abstract Rude-Rejuvination
Atmosphere-Leak At Will
BK One-Radio Do Canibal
Blame One-Days Chasing Days
Blaq Poet-Tha Blaqprint
Blockhead-The Music Scene
Brother Ali-Us
De La Soul-Are You In?
DJ Mistu The Beats-A Word To The Wise
Finale-A Pipe Dream and A Promise
J-Dilla-Jay Stay Paid
Macro Polo & Torae-Double Barrel
Felt (Slug & MURS)-Felt 3
Jazz Liberatorz-Fruit Of The Past
J-Rawls and John Robinson-Jay Are
Mos Def-The Ecstatic
Odissee-Mental Liberation
Peanut Butter Wolf-Straight To Tape
Mr Lif-I Heard It Today
Qwel & Maker-So Be It
Sene and Blu-Day Late and A Dollar Short
Thaione Davis-Still Hear
Paten Locke-Super Ramen Rocketship
Del & Tame One-Parellell Uni-Verses
Diego Bernal-For Corners
PUTS-Carried Away
Jason The Argonaut-Casting Couch
J.R. & PH7-The Standard
Qwel & Jackson Jones-Jump The Gun
Sojourn-Sojournalism
Souls of Mischief-Montezuma's Revenge
Superstar Quam-Allah-Invisible Man
Trek & Oddisee-New Money-The Remixes
Substatntial & Burns-Substantial/Burns
Muamin Collective-World B Free
Emskee-Hardly Seen, Rarely Heard
Freestyle Professors-Gryme Tyme
Greenhouse-Electric Purgatory EP
J-Period/Q-Tip-The Abstract Best
Cormega-Born and Raised
Dres-From The Black Pool Of Genius EP
Kev Brown-Presents Random Joints
The Black Sunn-The Sun Is Black EP
Large Professor-The LP (Finally!)

what were your top albums and EPs of 2009?