Welcome to my best of series, here's hip hop & related:

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles (5/5)

Mellow, indulging beats. Jazzy, Ambient & very J Dilla like. This guy is on Warp and he is getting pretty huge. Also amazing live if you ever get the chance to see him.

Onra - Chinoiseries (5/5)

Another somebody, highly influenced by Dilla & Madlib. Onra is from France and the samples used on this album are of traditional Vietnamese music. Out of the thirty-something tracks, there is maybe one beat I don't like- which is rare for a solely instrumental album. It never gets boring and I'd like to hear some people rap over this stuff.

J Dilla - Pay Jay (Unreleased) (4.5/5)
Why oh why is this not a legitimate release, it is probably one of the better Dilla albums but I say this as an avid fan so if you're not into the sometimes cheesy gangster/thug/ghetto/pimp aspect of the raps/beats you may not agree. For example, ny favorite song is TRUCKS, and it's awesomely bad but you can bump it in your truck or small car. Other favorites include "No One Knows" and the diamonds song and the club song. Phenomenal execution by Frank -n-dank might I add.

Guilty Simpson - Ode to the Ghetto (4/5)

Guilty's flow/rhythm is so unique in the way his words perfectly align with the beat. I simply love him, I mimic him in the car, pretending I have a gat and was raised in Detroit (.. nigga my area is the tightest!! the raps come easy live it see it write it). Alright getting carried away, buy this album he fucking rules. Best Stones Throw release this year.

People Under The Stairs - Fun DMC (4/5)

Best flows this year. Funky beats, smooth rhymes, these guys keep putting out consistently good music. Great album overall and go see them if they play for free at your local record store.

100dbs - Brenner's Breaks 2 (4/5)

Yes, the homie returns with a sequel to his first Brenner's Breaks which I loved slightly more but this album is a solid comeback.

Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold (4/5)

If you liked Atmosphere circa God Loves Ugly & Lucy Ford EP then you will love this.

Re-Up Gang - We Got It For Cheap Vol. 3 (4/5)

"Tree Hugging Assed Bitch came up to me the other day on some Yo, yall nice and all but, how come yall only talk about dope? How come you only write about street shit? Come on?

"I was like Tree Hugging ass bitch please! I rhyme for my niggas on the corner, all 20,000 of them. 20 thousand money making brothers on the corner. Lets go."

This album is thugged out and amazing.