The end is near. Again, not the apocalypse, but the end of 2011.
KUST is here to hook you up. We’ll be bringing you various lists throughout the end of the year to recap what went down this year, starting with the Best Hip-Hop songs of 2011 from “honorary” DJ Dan Frye (he is, in no way, affiliated with KUST, but he is my boyfriend and one of the most knowledgable people I know when it comes to hip-hop, so this post from him was necessary).
5. Make It Happen – Casey Veggies & Juicy J
Even though this is technically a Juicy J song, young Veggies steals the show and destroys the Lex Luger produced monster, crushing the first 1:30. Plus the amount of “cooking” in the video is something to see. Swag rap may be criticized but Casey and Juicy show how great it can be.
4. R4 Theme Song – Big K.R.I.T.
Difficult to pick one Big K.R.I.T. song for this list but the theme song to his Return of 4Eva mixtape/album showcases his phenomenal production chops and his flow. The bouncy sample driven beat lets KRIT showcase his smooth down south flow the proves he’s the best up and comer this year.
3. Ronald Reagen Era – Kendrick Lamar
Hip-hop’s posterboy for 2011, Kendrick is the biggest star coming from the left coast. With a cosign from Dr. Dre, Kendrick’s Section 80 took off and this is one of many stand out tracks. Kendrick doesn’t shy away from addressing the problems his generation has grown up with and easily switches from criticizing gang culture to politics.
2. Pe$o – A$AP Rocky
No explanation needed. If you haven’t heard to this yet you’re missing out on the biggest banger of the year.
1. Ni**as in Paris – Kanye West & Jay-Z
Possibly one of the most ridiculous songs you’ll hear all year, Kanye and Jay might have outdone themselves, while creating tons of internet memes in the process. That s**t cray, What she order, fish filet?, a snippet from “Blades of Glory”? Classic, which makes it our #1 hip hop song of 2011.
(Editors Note: Dan originally had Pe$o as number 1, and “Gotta Have It” by Kanye West & Jay Z at number 4, but I vetoed it. I had to.)
Disagree with some songs on this list? Let us know your opinions in the comments section below!
-Dan Frye, Twitter: @Logan_Weapon_X
