It’s that time of the year again, the good, the bad and the ugly of 2005. Actually, it’s just the good this year. Once again this year I heard some 300 albums, but 2 ears can only hear so much in 12 months so if your favorite album isn’t listed I may not have heard it. Of course, I very well may have and just didn’t think it was worthy of these prestigious accolades. Don’t agree? Well thankfully these are my awards and not yours. Joining me this year with his picks in selected categories is Andreas Hale. On with the show…
Album of the Year
J-23: Atmosphere – “You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having”
From our review: “You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having is absolutely their zenith, in absolutely every sense. It defines honest, music from the soul, it defines emcee/producer chemistry, and can be defined as a classic album. You can’t imagine how good this album is.”
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Andreas Hale: Little Brother – “The Minstrel Show”
From our review: “The idea of a sophomore jinx is just laughable here. Not only have they far outdone their debut, but they’ve really made a body of work that epitomizes their talents. Give me a couple years and I’m sure I’ll be giving up that 0.5. The Minstrel Show is just what this minstrel show needs.”
Runner’s Up:
J-23:
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DangerDOOM – “The Mouse & The Mask”
Little Brother – “The Minstrel Show”
Cage – “Hell’s Winter”
Andreas Hale:
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Common – “BE”
DangerDOOM – “The Mouse & The Mask”
Kanye West – “Late Registration”
Emcee of the Year
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J-23: Slug
Andreas Hale: Common
Runner’s Up:
J-23:
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MF DOOM
Cage
Phonte
Andreas Hale:
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MF DOOM
Phonte
The Game
Producer of the Year
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J-23: Ant (Atmosphere, Felt 2, I Self Devine)
Andreas Hale: Kanye West (Kanye West Common, Game, Miri Ben Arie)
Runner’s Up:
J-23:
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9th Wonder (Little Brother, Buckshot, Legacy, Sean P, Cesar Comanche, Memphis Bleek)
Danger Mouse (DangerDOOM, Gorillaz)
Kanye West (Kanye West Common, Game, Miri Ben Arie)
Andreas Hale:
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Ant (Atmosphere, Felt 2, I Self Devine)
9th Wonder (Little Brother, Buckshot, Legacy, Sean P, Cesar Comanche, Memphis Bleek)
Danger Mouse (DangerDOOM, Gorillaz)
Top 20 Indy Albums (excluding those already mentioned)
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J-23:
Edan – “Beauty & The Beat”
Felt 2 (Slug & Murs) – “A Tribute To Christina Ricci”
Blueprint – “1988”
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Zion I – “True & Livin’”
Sean P – “Monkey Barz”
Buckshot & 9th Wonder – “Chemistry”
Blackalicious – “The Craft”
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Tonedeff – “Archetype”
Sage Francis – “A Healthy Distrust”
GZA & Muggs – “Grandmasters
Da Beatminerz – “Fully Loaded With Statik”
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One Be Lo – “S.O.N.A.G.R.A.M.”
Self Scientific – “Change”
Perceptionists – “Black Dialogue”
Slum Village – “Slum Village”
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Platinum Pied Pipers – “Triple P”
I Self Devine – “Self Destruction”
The Black Market Militia – “Black Market Militia”
Emanon – “The Waiting Room”
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Greenhouse Effect – “Columbus or Bust”
Andreas Hale:
Atmosphere – “You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having”
Cage – “Hell’s Winter”
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LEGACY – “Project Mayhem”
The Chapter – “Us Vs. Them”
Asamov – “And Now”
Cool Calm Pete – “Lost”
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Supastition – “Chain Letters”
Lone Catalysts – “Good Music”
Ras Kass – “Institutionalized”
Big Pooh – “Sleepers”
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Symbollic One – “Onemind”
Edan – “Beauty & The Beat”
Felt 2 (Slug & Murs) – “A Tribute To Christina Ricci”
Blueprint – “1988”
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Slum Village – “Slum Village”
One Be Lo – “S.O.N.A.G.R.A.M.”
Self Scientific – “Change”
Perceptionists – “Black Dialogue”
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Emanon – “The Waiting Room”
Greenhouse Effect – “Columbus or Bust”
Top 5 Major Albums (excluding those already mentioned)
The Game – “The Documentary”
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Gorillaz – “Demon Days”
Fort Minor – “The Rising Tied”
Beanie Sigel – “The B Coming”
Bun B – “Trill”
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Top 5 EP’s
Aesop Rock – “Fast Cars, Danger, Fire & Knives”
Lyrics Born – “Same Shit Different Day”
Count Bass D – “BEGBORROWSTEAL”
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Illogic – “Write To Death Two”
Glue – “Sunset Lodge EP”
Top 5 “Unofficial”/Mixtape Albums
Ras Kass – “Institutionalized”
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Ghostface & Trife Da God – “Put It On The Line”
Royce Da 5’9 – “Indepedence Day”
Talib Kweli – “Right About Now”
Copywrite – “Cruise Control Vol.1”
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Top 5 Instrumental Albums
Blockhead – “Downtown Science”
Prefuse 73 – “Surrounded By Silence”
Maker – “Shooting The Breeze”
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Koushik – “Be With”
The Herbaliser – “Take London”
Thanks to all those people who helped support HipHopDX this year; readers, artists, haters and government agents. Special shout goes to the most dedicated, our message board cronies who spend countless hours on the site talking about things that have no place in any decent society. All the best in 06!! And we’re out…
