Benz and a Backpack

In case you haven’t been keeping up, here is the full compilation, with a track list and D/L after the jump. The artwork has all been from celebrated hip-hop photographer Mike Schreiber, who recently dropped a collection of his favorite hip-hop pictures called True Hip-Hop (available via Amazon.com). Each of his pictures captures some fundamental element of hip-hop: Biz’s playfulness, Nas’ cerebral disposition, Mos’ introverted artistry, Meth’s larger-than-life persona. The release of Mike’s anthology in 2010 is just one of the reasons it was such a wonderful year for hip-hop. Here’s to an even better 2011!

Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 5]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 4]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 3]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 2]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 1]
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Fifth and final installment, from The Roots through yU (of Diamond District). It includes several emcee/producer combinations: Ruste Juxx & MP, Dat X & the Chocolate Boy Wonder, Mos & Ski, Sky & Ill, Trek Life & Oddisee, Waka Flocka & Lex Luger. Plus: Sean Price and Tyler The Creator at their finest, respectively.

Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 4]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 3]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 2]
Previously: Dizzy’s Best Singles Of 2010 [Part 1]
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One of our favorite producers recently dropped a beat tape in honor of the Christmas season. Willie Green, the in-house at Backwoodz Studioz, is an extremely talented beat maker, producer, and engineer. His version of Christmas, which includes re-imagined versions of “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silver Bells,” is warm, festive, and aurally pleasing. Straight from Willie’s BandCamp, where you can download the project for free.

“Red & Green is a six-track beat tape made in the week before Christmas 2010. Featuring aggressive drums and warped Christmas carol samples, Red & Green is Willie’s unique take on the Yule. Dedicated to the memory of Fran Elligers.”

Merry Christmas!

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Ridin’ solo has become passé.  Everyone nowadays is linking up, whether it be it hip-pop stars or backpackers.  Young Money, Slaughterhouse, Diddy Dirty Money; the list goes on and on.

Last week, out of nowhere, Dizzy and I were blessed with the opportunity to interview Chuck D of Public Enemy as we sipped sweet tea at his kitchen table.  Much of the conversation was about the decline of live hip-hop shows and the disappearance of crews, two things Chuck believes have a serious correlation.  He dropped knowledge about the predeccesors of hip-hop shows, all out funk fests from the likes of Earth Wind and Fire.  “You think an emcee would come walking onto the stage like nothing after an entire funk orchestra rocked out?  Nah, they would come out dancing their asses off.”

Inspired by miss a.k.w.’s Throwback Thursday: Posse Cuts Edition (Parts One and Two), here are ten of 2010′s hottest team efforts.  At first, I wasn’t gonna rank these cuts so you guys could be insulated from my opinion.  But, fuck it, leave some comments.

1. Curren$y Feat. Mos Def and Jay Electronica – The Day

The lead single and anthem off of Pilot Talk.

“I’m so sorry/ if I don’t look happy to be here/in your label office/cause they said I cant smoke weed here”

The first question we asked Chuck D in our upcoming interview was what he though of Jay Electronica’s verse on this song.

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2. Rick Ross Feat. T.I., Jadakiss, and Erykah Badu – Maybach Music III

Rick Ross’s 2010 release Teflon Don shows serious growth and maturity.  Ross is one of the few artists this year that has successfully put together a solid, 12 track album that is replayable from front to back, over and over.  Top 3 so far for me.

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3. Young Money – Bed Rock

No one can ever say Birdman is bad for business.  After nurturing a young Lil’ Wayne into a mega-star, he has now constructed a super-group of young and up and coming (if you can still call them that anymore) rappers and singers around him.  Now that Drake and Nicki are household names, I’m thinking Tyga is next to burst, starting with “Dueces“.

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4. The Roots Feat. Blu, Phonte, and Patty Crash – The Day

If you put on How I Got Over, the latest release from The Root’s, as background music, you will barely be able to tell when one song ends and the next one starts.  The whole album blends seamlessly, with The Day sitting right at the middle.  The best part might be the rare appearance by Blu.

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By now, you already know about the Super Chron Flight Brothers, and the dope team behind them (Backwoodz Recordz, Willie Green, etc.). These guys go harder than your favorite emcees/producers, and they do it without getting the shine that wholeheartedly deserve. Here are the visuals for the Super Chron Flight Brothers’ track “B More” featuring their homie Zesto, off their recently released album Cape Verde. Cop the album now, right here! Shouts to James at DDPR.

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The homie and Brooklyn resident Willie Green shot over the new visuals for two joints off his recent instrumental album Dirty Jordans (dropped June 15th on Backwoodz Studioz, buy it here). The video combines two tracks, “High Stakes” and “Canasta,” into one into one intriguing visual product with a great diversity of sources. Willie also does production for the Super Chron Flight Brothers, who released their latest album Cape Verde a short while ago. Keep Willie on your radar, because there is no doubt he’s got big things in store.

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The homies Billy Woods and Edge, a.k.a. the Super Chron Flight Brothers, are back once again with the third installment of their World Tour Trilogy. The trilogy started with their monster under-the-radar debut Emergency Powers followed by their sophomore LP Indonesia. The two emcees come from a strain of rappers accustomed to not getting the shine that they deserve, but- as the Chron Brothers themselves put it- they’re carving a hole in the game so big that soon their entire team is gonna be able to burst through it.

Their junior effort is entitled Cape Verde, and it rocks top-to-bottom.  Backwoodz Studioz in-house producers BondBon and Willie Green both bring it like the seasoned vets they are (but take special notice of Willie’s phenomenal work on the album). Their longtime friend Nasa (of Uncommon Records) assists on the production as well. Guest emcees include Vordul Mega (of CanOx), Lord Superb (Wu-Tang/Supreme Clientele), Masai Bey, Bigg Jus (of Company Flow), and fellow Backwoodz homies Hi-Coup, Pastense and Zesto.

Thematically, the album is comparable to a day-long session of TV-watching. But at its core, it is an introspective evaluation of the forces that influence American society. The aptly named “Wheel of Fortune” features a deep, demonic doubling of Masai Bey’s culturally critical verse, which ends in a refrain that cuts through a jarring whirlwind of samples: “and the revolution will definitely not be TiVo’d.”

Super Chron Flight Brothers – Wheel of Fortune

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Super Chron Flight Brothers – Travailler

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“You’ve got to earn it, earn it, earn it”

Throughout the entire album, Woods and Edge (and their guests) pull off an amazing feat of lyrical dexterity, mirrored by equally nimble production. They constantly walk the line between comedy and tragedy, superfluity and seriousness. Even if the album doesn’t grab hold of you at first, let it simmer for a while, because once it clicks you’ll be extremely glad you did. Cop the album on iTunes and support the rawness!

Super Chron Flight Brothers – Strangers With Candy

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