This year was a good one. From albums dropping, verses played back, concerts/shows being attended….man listen everything. However, somethings tend to go unappreciated. And while it’s dope everyone is contributing their “2011 Best Of Lists”, it’s been a minute since Team UHTN gave their two cents on the years “Best Ofs.” So, we’re going to shed light on the categories that don’t really get the attention they deserve. And if they do? It hasn’t come across my desk lol.
Hook Of The Year - This is pretty self-explanatory. No matter what time of day or location, this hook instantly pulled you in. Soon as you heard the first note from this particular tune, you were all in. If you hum this hook in church, while you’re girl/man is yelling at you about God knows what, and every other absurd place? This hook is to be nominated.
Beat Of The Year - Not SONG of the year. Not PRODUCER of the year, but BEAT of the year. No matter how much you hated the song, the artist or whatever comes to mind when you hear this song, we’re strictly focused on how much BANG this beat has. If YOU, the person that can’t rap for SHIT decides to even utter something other than original lyrics to the song? The beat is to be nominated.
Ad-Lib Of The Year - This is more comedic than anything. What’s a verse without an even better ad-lib, huh? Do you answer a question with this ad-lib? Do you react to a sexual expression as an ad-lib? When you’re in an argument do you ease the tension with that specific ad-lib? Of course you do, why not? We’re going to have fun with this one. If you answer yes to at least ONE of those questions? That ad-lib needs to be nominated.
Hip-Hop Mobile Of The Year - Hip-Hop was based on the flash. We all sat on the corner/stoop/the bus telling our friends “That’s my car” when it strolled by. This one is plain and simple: If you cry tears of joy when you see this specific whip? That mobile needs to be nominated.
Signing Of The Year - Ahhhh man, shit just got AUTHENTIC. There’s nothing like building your dream team and squashing the competition. While every signing isn’t the BEST move, some of 2011′s signings have been BOSS moves. And if you follow me on Twitter, you’ve seen me express my displeasure for a particular signing. However, this isn’t about me…it’s about the people. If that specific signing made you scratch your head, cringe at the very announcement or jump in excitement? That signing needs to be nominated.
Musical Slut Of The Year - Ok, before we go into this one understand that I’m NOT talking about this artist’s sex life. I have not ONE piece of information of what they do in the bedroom or who they do it with. This accolade is strictly based on their sexual rhetoric IN the songs they release/appear on. One of my nominations is based on STRICTLY one verse. I don’t care whether you agree with it or not lol. And she’s probably going to win.
The 3016 Award – This award is dedicated to our man Andre 3000. No album. No mixtape. No EP. No joint collaboration. No soundtracks. No NOTHING. Just four features throughout a 365 day span. Some say they were awful, others say they were greatness. Again, I have my pick but as stated previously…this isn’t about me. Has Three Stacks lost it? If not, then the verse that gives you that Stakonia feeling or a little bit of it? Needs to be nominated.
The No Names Award – Easy: Clear shots at a rapper without saying his/her name. And BOY are there a lot of those. Oooooo this going to be fun as hell!
Ok, so those are the categories for this years 2011 “Other” Awards. I felt as though my readers needed a fun year end engaging activity so I came up with this as I was driving home from Long Island listening to the radio. Feel free to chime in below between now and Wednesday. Thank you and good night!
Hook of the year: Look At Me Now
Beat of the year: Lord Knows
Ad-Lib of the Year: Rick Ross grunt
Signing of the Year: Wale to MMG
Hook Of The Year
“Marvin’s Room” – Drake
I had to pick a Drake song for this, so I went with “Fuck that ni**a…” and “I’m just sayin’ you could do better.”
Beat Of The Year
“Otis” – Jay-Z & Kanye West
It’s close between “Otis” and “Ni**as In Paris”, but “Otis” gets it for that sample. When this song comes on, Lord help me.
Ad-Lib Of The Year
Kanye’s “HAH?!”
Not entirely sure whether that counts as a lyric of as an ad-lib, but regardless, it’s one of the best things going in hip hop right now. That “HAH?!” in “Ni**as In Paris”…
Hip-Hop Mobile Of The Year
The “Otis” Maybach
C’mon…
Signing Of The Year
ASAP Rocky
How do you get a record deal worth up to $3,000,000 from just a few videos and a lot of promise? Regardless, I’m okay with it.
Musical Slut Of The Year
The Weeknd
When you can understand his lyrics, dude talks about a lot of crazy sexual shit in his songs, and this year there were three whole albums of it.
Hook of the year: Pot of Gold
Beat of the year: Luv My Bitches
Ad-Lib of the Year: Rick Ross Grunt
Signing of the Year: Busta to YMCMB
Hook Of The Year – Young Jeezy Way Too Gone
Beat Of The Year – Just Blaze Lord Knows tie with Tyler the Creator Nightmare
Ad-Lib Of The Year – Juicy J making that crazy noise on his mixtapes with Lex Luger
Hip-Hop Mobile Of The Year – porsche panamera caught my eye each time I saw. I didn’t dig it at first til I approached one.
Signing Of The Year – Wale with MMG because that just opened him up to a new audience and fan base.
Musical Slut Of The Year – Rihanna on Cockiness, Birthday Cake, & Watch N Learn makes her the clear favorite for this outside of Nicki Minaj asking to be pointed out the best ass eater. My hand is raised.
The No Names Award – Jay-Z Why I Love You aimed at Beans
Hook of the Year – (I’m On One / She Will) – Drake brought the heat all year with his incredible crowd grabbing hooks and lets be honest how can the best song on a terrible Wayne album just happen to be the one with a Drizzy hook..(“and we gon be alright if we put Drake on every hook”)
Beat of the Year – J Cole ( Hiii Power)…if you listen to that beat and break it down its crazy….it takes you to a place that hip hop has never been…almost mesmerizing…but normal enough that we understand why it needed to be made…
Rza (New Day)…that beat alone could’ve made WTT….I don’t know what got into RZA but he knocked that shit out of the park….and the sample….woooh…at the end its almost like a depressing effect because the sample comes in (Birds flying high you know how it feels)….and it sounds so dope you never want it to cut off….
Adlib of the Year – That shit Cray…..lets be real….Kanye covers up getting murdered on a track from Hov with inventing a slang that is addictive
Hip Hop Mobile of the Year – *Otis Scream* nothing else needs to be said…
Signing of the Year – this would’ve gone to whoever scooped up Kendrick Lamar..but no one has as of yet…so you gotta give it to Rick Rozay on scooping up Wale…..sure YMCMB getting Busta is big…but what Rozay did for Wale whether directly or indirectly is fat too great to ignore…from 30k to 100k….MMG winning…
Musical Slut of the Year – Lil Wayne….come on…dude damn near killed Tech N9ne pussy song and just spoke about how much he loves yamming it….and almost every verse on Carter IV whether if the song was about pussy or not had something to do with pussy…and lets not forget…he is a slut in real life…..why wouldn’t it translate into his music….
The 3016 Award – Even though this guy is in my top 5 of all time….he has taken a dip in verse quality and just being Andreish….he was about 60 % this year…and that is rare for Andre since he only did like 6 features……
Party, Carter IV verse, Sleazy and I Do were dope…everything from him sucked..especially Deuces…
The No Names Awards – Pusha T/ Common – I don’t know what is more embarrassing…Pusha T not having released a solo album or album period that has sold as much as Drake first week…or Drake never responding to these G.O.O.D music dudes…I love Pusha T but it what would it do for Drake’s career to diss you back….he is richer, has more number one albums, and has already accepted that the world think he is soft as fuck……and Common come on lying and then changing when you heard what Drake said….I expect this loose behavior from Sherbert but no Pusha and Common….
Hook of the year: I’m a Boss
Beat of the year: Niggas in Paris/Look at me now
Ad-lib of the year: Rick Ross grunt wins every year but specifically in 2011 is the Otis Scream
Hip-Hop Mobile Of The Year: Otis Maybach; too easy lol
Signing Of The Year: Wale to MMG by far the best move; worst move need I say…Busta to YMCMB
Musical Slut Of The Year: Rihanna; no brainer
The No Names Award: Jay-Z but Common outta nowhere has been pretty angry lately with Drizzy