Busby's Favorite Albums of 2011

First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody, it's whole new year and it's time to start them resolutions (Yeah right). However ONE resolution I am gonna achieve is that I am start blogging on here a lot more often, cause lately I've been just a TAD bit lazy, but that IS gonna change this year..I promise! Anyway, I've been meaning to do this list for a while now but I wanted to hold off till the year was officially over. SOOO much good music came out in 2011 that it was kinda hard to keep up with what was dropping. SO I have compiled a list in no particular order on what stayed on my rotation in my IPod for the last 12 months. Now again, this IS just MY opinion so don't get your booty tickled. If you think your taste of music is better then you can just kiss my black ass and make your OWN list. Anyway, lets get under way...

This album stayed on my rotation for the first few months of 2011, for a split second I thought that this album was going to be on Detox status. However, Saigon and Just Blaze put their foot down and after a bunch of mixtapes and street albums, Saigon finally dropped his debut studio album. Just Blaze produced a huge bulk of the album, and the album flowed perfectly. Saigon's lyrics were on point, and the beats were pretty dope. Just Blaze has YET to disappoint when it comes to production so that is no surprise. I kinda wish this album got a lot more exposure then it did, but that doesn't stop it from being a good album, so whenever y'all get a chance listen to this album.

If y'all read my review you guys will already know my opinion on this one.This album was nothing more then RAW LYRICS, Em and Royce went back and forth like the lyrical wordsmiths they are and showed people why everybody should fear them if they EVER wanna test them when it comes to the mic skills. This album STAYED on my rotation for a cool minute, and after that cypher that got the internet buzzing,Shady 2.0 are gonna make a whole lot of noise in 2012, TRUST me on that!

You damn right I listened to Adele last year, last year you couldn't turn on NO radio without hearing her number 1 billboard record. Her album stayed on rotation for a good minute on my ipod. One stand out track for me what I kept playing was He Won't Go, very good smooth track to just slip some wine too. Her voice is not to be fucked with, and if she doesn't win album of the year at the Grammys this year then somebody is gonna get chin kicked real talk.

This shit dropped out of NO WHERE, and he was the main reason why I gave Odd Future a chance. Track after track Frank Ocean dropped his So Far Gone of 2011, after this dropped everybody and their momma wanted to work with him. You couldn't help but nod your head and groove to Ocean's soothing voice. Because of this mixtape it landed him on Hov & Ye's WTT and he now selling out shows left and right. His mixtape stayed going on my rotation for a good min until someone ELSE dropped out of no where...

Now THIS shit right here nigga...NIGGA THIS SHIT RIGHT HERE!! Was straight FUCKING music. While Frank Ocean made a good R&B album, Drake's protege The Weeknd redefined it. House Of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence were mixtapes that dropped through out the year that got the internet world buzzing. These albums are still getting HEAVY rotation as we speak. This dude is only 21 and is making undeniable good music. You can't deny dude got talent and I hope in 2012 his debut album will redefine R&B again.

If you read my review y'all will know my opinion on it..one of the best posthumous MJ albums ever. Can't wait for the next posthumous MJ album, they just better not add no mainstream artist to it or else I'm bout to catch a fucking case!...

It was a Cole World in 2011, and this album did not disappoint.It stayed on my rotation for a while, and Cole's honest lyrics and raw production showed that 2011 was Cole's year and hopefully 2012 J. Cole will drop another mixtape or something...

One of the BEST albums of 2011, Big K.R.I.T dropped a damn near flawless ALBUM. I am calling this album NOT a mixtape because it did NOT sound like one. This whole album flowed FLAWLESSLY and Big K.R.I.T showed how he is next in line to be one of the biggest rappers to blow up in the south. Every time I play this album last year I tend to play it all the way through, it is THAT good. Really can't wait for his album to drop in 2012.

IMO this was Common's best album since Be, with production from No I.D. Common dropped damn near a hip-hop masterpiece. This album stayed on my rotation around Xmas and is still a certified banger. With tracks like Ghetto Dreams with Nas the anti-Drake record Sweet, and the feel good record Celebrate. Common showed why he is still one of the best MC's in the game and how after a decade the dude STILL got it.

Another person who came into my radar this year thanks to Rock The Bells. Actor Donald Glover released his debut rap album under his rapper alias Childish Gambino. This album instantly made me a fan of the rapper/actor. In my opinion Bonfire was the most underrated record of 2011 and more people should have checked it out. His honest lyrics about his personal life and his Weezy/Drake-ish punchlines made this a very enjoyable listen. Hopefully Mr. Gambino continues dropping more records in 2012..

Speaking of actors turned rappers, Jimmy dropped his sophmore album in 2011. I already talked about this album earlier in the year so I am not gonna get to deep into it. All I am gonna say is that Drizzy kept it honest as he always does, and just because he is very sensitive when it comes to his feelings that doesn't mean that he is sweet.

After I saw Dead End Hip-hop, and The Needle Drop review this album I was REALLY curious about how this sounded. Let me just tell you that Danny Brown is NOT to be fucked with. If you can get past his high pitched crack head voice, Danny Brown's album played like Em's Relapse. It almost played like a story of a dude coming down from his high and how his life is pretty much tearing up from around him. The Detroit native showed why is one of the most rawest dudes on the mic. This album stayed heavy in my rotation after I heard it the first time, when y'all get a chance give it a listen. Spin Magazine didn't give him album of the year for nothing.

I am a sucka for concept albums, and The Roots Undun took the concept of Nas's Rewind record and did a whole album telling a story backwards. With a combination of hip-hop and jazz, The Roots showed why they are one of the best groups in hip-hop, don't let the Jimmy Fallon gig fool you. These boys can get down when it comes down to making good music. So this album stayed on rotation on my Ipod when I got a hold of it.

Now OF COURSE I couldn't end this list without mentioning this album. Not gonna get TOO deep on this album since I already reviewed it like everybody else did. This is one of the ONLY albums I brought in 2011. This wasn't just an album, this was an EVENT. I don't think there will ever be an album at that made this big of a magnitude impact in hip-hop. From the secret listening parties, to the album NOT leaking, to the tours, Watch The Throne was pretty historic moment in hip-hop. You can either love the album or hate it, but you CANNOT deny the impact this album made in the game. After listening to it for a good while, I will go on and say that this album is a classic. Y'all may not realize it now, but later on down the line, y'all will realize it.

And there you go, my favorite albums of 2011, hopefully in 2012 more good music drops. Let me stress again..this is MY list and also MY opinion, so if you didn't like ANYTHING on my list...well then tough shit....

here's to a new year...

~~Mr. Busby~~