Renzo: The best undergorund song that I heard this year came from Jon Black and Ensane, collectively known as the Killafornianz. They have this song on their album called "Whatever" that gave me goose bumps when I first heard it. It kinda gave me that feeling I got when Idove into Jurassic 5 as a kid. The song is about shrugging off the bullshit and I am a parader (not sure if it's a word, but fuck it) of not giving a damn at the end of the day. Perfect soundtrack for my daily activities.
Runner-up is Kyle Hubbard's song where he says "I smile at the fact that I know that no one loves me/ I let my pretty blend in wit my ugly." It's on his Tomorrow in Retrospect EP. Song is emotion filled and has unapologetic honesty. And yes, to the reader, I am too lazy to think about the name of the song.
Best mainstream for me was Bun B's "I Get Down Fa Mine" on Trill OG. That was the unmarried, untamed, no-kids, fuck-everything, murder-verse-writing Bun B we all came to love and respect. At one point in the song he says, "And you gon' be a bitch on the day dat you die." Greatest line on the entire album. Runner-up would have been Slim Thug's "Free" on Tha Thug Show. Perfect message and perfect timing.
A.D.D.: I haven't heard any other rappers 2011 projects except Airborne's Mindpodshuffle mixtape, and the best song to me on there is "Make It Happen."
And I definitely don't know who's doing what on mainstream. Matter of fact, I don't even know what to consider mainstream. Most of these niggas' songs - scratch that, all these niggas' songs sound the same.
Oh, and watch out for my debut album this year. And keep it up to all the rap niggas out there.
Doughbeezy: My pick for best underground is my track "Back Stabbers," and that's because I haven't heard a realer song out yet. And my pick for best mainstream is probably Bun's "Put It Down" featuring Drake.
Kyle Hubbard: Best mainstream is Killa Kyleon featuring Chamillionaire, "60 Gs," because it's classic Houston but has its eyes on the future. Best underground is Roosh Williams, "Beautifully Simple," because it's super-smooth.
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