These may be slept on in terms of how many people listened to them, appreciated them, or simply just noticed them. Some probably didn’t get enough praise despite being listened to by thousands, but there are a variety of ways for one to be “slept on.” This is ordered on a combination of how hard it’s been slept on and why it shouldn’t be slept on, due to its quality. It also takes into the consideration the ability to be slept on, meaning that the album has to get considerable talk and mention for people to sleep on.
10. DJ Revolution: King of the Decks
- Given the talent on this album, it should’ve been better than what it was. Regardless, the good tracks are very good, and this album warrants a listen based on the names alone.
9. Common Market: Tobacco Road
- A great release that needs more attention is Tobacco Road. Sabzi is an extremely musically gifted producer and Ra has all the mechanics to be a great MC. No reason not to peep.
8. El Da Sensei & The Returners: Global Takeover
- One of my favorite duos in hip hop is the tandem of Tame One and El Da Sensei. One half unites with the Polish production duo, The Returners, to drop a gem of an album in 2008. It’s loaded with great material and it needs to be checked out.
7. Nicolay & Kay: Time:Line
- This was the other Nicolay album that came out this year and got massively slept on. Kay certainly is no Phonte, but he’s sufficient enough to help elevate Nic’s style on joints like “Tight Eyes” and “Blizzard.” Nic is about as musically beautiful as it gets right about now, so don’t miss out.
6. The Knux: Remind Me In 3 Days…
- I hope my frequent mention of these guys throughout these top 10 lists don’t keep them slept on much longer. There’s too much talent to ignore and too much flavorful tactics to shy away from.
5. People Under the Stairs: Fun DMC
- Sure, it’s their sixth album, but why the hell are people still sleeping on this? It has such a dope concept and execution. It’s a great album that certainly deserves more attention than what it is getting.
4. DJ K.O. Presents: Picture This…
- An album featuring Elzhi, Kweli, Diamond D and O.C. (just to name a few) really shouldn’t be slept on. Throw on the fact that Illmind, M-Phazes and Black Milk are only a small list of featured producers on this and you got an album that really should be listened to regardless of what type of hip hop fan you are.
3. Killer Mike: I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II
- It is certainly one of the best lyrical performances of the year. Killer Mike is ultra-talented and easily could be the third member of Outkast if he wanted to be. There aren’t many flaws in this album and Killer goes off on numerous tracks. Slightly political, but that’s hard to hate on. It’s better than the overrated Immortal Technique LP.
2. J-Live: Then What Happened?
- Have you seen this cover? Because that’s what everyone else has been doing to this album and J-Live’s career. One of the best MC’s ever in hip hop, EVER, and people still seem to sleep to high hell on this guy. It’s sickening at the lack of respect and notice he gets for the caliber of hip hop he puts out. This is just another classic from J-Live, just another.
1. Akrobatik: Absolute Value
- It came out in early 2008, so chances are, it’ll miss a ton of the 08 lists. It’s a great LP and Ak is a beast on it. Some noteworthy features include Little Brother and Talib Kweli, both acts tear up their verse only increasing Ak’s abilities. It was slept on during the first quarter of the year and it kind of just drained away by the late second quarter. Do yourself a favor and listen to one of the best albums of the year.
Honorable Mentions:
- Wax & EOM: Liquid Courage
- Shad: The Old Prince
- Torae: Daily Conversations
- Ill Bill: The Hour of Reprisal
- Z-Ro: Crack
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
HS – D.I.R.T.?
I’m astonished Doap Nixon albums not here. Seriously?
people NEED to listen to that AK!!!
and why on earth would DIRT be slept on.. I’m at a point where I feel like that album has gotten over appreciated
can someone hit me up at my email address where i can download these, so i can then go out and support these artist!
i totally agree with your list..i got all albums except for killer mike (just not a fan)..some of these albums made my top 10 albums of 08 (DJ REVOLUTION,COMMON MARKET,EL DA SENSEI & RETURNERS,DJ KO,AKROBATIK & J-LIVE)..other slept on albums (PACEWON & MR GREEN “the only color that matters is green”, REEF THE LOST CAUZE “a vicious cycle”, BRAILLE ” the iv edition”, BUFF 1 “theres only one”, TASSHO PEARCE “the opening act”) im sure im missing a few more..
Skeme… The PaceWon almost made it, I jsut couldn’t mess with a few of the tracks, and that hurt it for me, but I nkow plenty of people who haven’t stopped playing it
I agree with the Ak and Nicolay/Kay but there’s a reason why some of these were slept on.. I am not feelin the Knux at ALL and I don’t see what all the hype about Killer Mike is.. third member of OUTKAST? Puhleaaase.. I’m speechless.
I’m usually with you K Nott but I’ma have to disagree here.. Slept-on albums this year include Little Vic, Elzhi, & Tanya Morgan
This list hits hard. Like skeme, most of these are in my Top 10 for the year… El Da Sensai, J-Live, Nicolay, DJ K.O…. all in constant rotation. Yeah, Reef was slept on. You could go on all day with this kind of list, cuz it all depends on your definition of “slept on”. Basically anything NOT in the mainstream is slept on.
and BC, that makes no sense. Do a search, all of these are readily available for purchase online through the regular retailers. If you can’t find one, let me know.
I like to thank Dom for reading everything except the author of the post
on point as always bruv. damn right about the knux. there in my favs list for the year. i can’t believe i’ve heard people downing that album
i totally agree KEV..it all depends on your definition of slept on cause, obviously to us, these artists are not been slept on.
i gave a quick description of my slept on at the top
Doap nixon should by here…
Doap nixon? Another one we need to check for… never heard it.
I’ve been checking the list out from around the web and it hasn’t gotten mention…maybe I’m not looking hard enough. That joint was straight New York hardcore hip hop…despite the diverse selection of beat makers.
Yeah, J Live is dope. ‘Braggin Writes’ is definitely in my top 10 hip hop traks of all time.
Also, did you check ‘Dem Damb Jacksons’ album?? It is produced by the ARE and features Kay and Oh No rhyming over MJ/Jackson 5 sampled tracks… Pure fire. Serious.
EMC – THe Show?
@Ben: I second that! The EMC joint was actually my favorite this year!
thats right..the EMC “the show” was dope..cant believe i forgot to mention that also
cant forget C.R.A.C. “the piece talks”..dope album also
In my opinion N’telligence’s Black Boy Lost was one of the best and most slept on albums of the year
EMC was hardly slept on, got plenty of attention
I thought CRAC was bad.
To me, the most slept-on thing this year (cos it got no mention in any category) has to be “Lord Fire” by Vintage and Theory Hazit. I’ll second that J-Live, EMC, and People Under The Stairs been slept on too, although the PUTS hasn’t been out that long yet and people might still pick up on it. As for Nicolay and Kay – dope album, but not necessarily everybody’s cup of tea. I’ve checked the AK too, but the fact I didn’t buy it shows it wasn’t that memorable to me
HAHAHA I may be a little BIAS
but I think
RAWKUS presents… “CRUSH YOUR SYSTEM”
DUTCHMASSIVE
was the Slept on album of the year =)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ep4u3k
Dont believe me?…..hahaha then that prooves it hahaha Download it for Free up there, or I tunes hahaahah
http://www.myspace.com/Dutchmassive
http://THEHOBBYSHOPHERO.BLOGSPOT.COM
The above comments… just great. Kev & Deez need hip-hop talk radio show or something…
Great list Kev, glad to see Killer Mike and Common Market on there, those were two of my favorite albums this year, especially Common Market’s.
Deez did up this list GrandeMarshall.
EMC = album of the year… to me anyway.
Thanks Kev.I’ll hook you up with that Sour Diesel joint, by Doap Nixon, fucking DOPE album, affiliated with Jedi Mind Tricks, album is unreal!
Prodigy dropped two good albums this year ‘H.N.I.C. Pt. 2′ and ‘The Product of the 80’s’
I kinda thought that Doap Nixion was a snooze fest, but if you are into the whole Jedi Mind Tricks thing, I can see it. To me P Brothers – The Gas was a lot better album than Doap Nixon and is on the same vibe.
I gotta listen to that El Da Sensi, I guess I’ve been…ummm ahem, sleeping on it.
Some of the others I guess it’s hard for me to call slept on cause I played so much myself. The only one I don’t agree with much is the Killer Mike, I’ve seen numerous people and blogs name that as one of their favorites, although I’ve never seen the appeal
Not only was this a slept on album, but this is probably one of the funniest interviews with an artist I have ever heard!! http://www.rappersiknow.com/2008/12/21/roger-riley-teddy-troutman-interviewed-by-hoodhypecom/
Fuckkkkkin’ genius.
hell yea, j-live is the shit
GZA – Pro Tools a good album that wasn’t talked about.
Got slated over at the rapup! (i think ?) i personally loved Pro Tools.
Oh and Thomas, HNIC was fucking horrible man.
Also, i’m one of the biggest Mobb Deep fans, and it pains me to say that, also broke my heart when Havoc dropped The Kush, another piece of shit.
BC…how dare you. lol. P dropped that Thun lingo all over that album my friend.
Okay, maybe the lyrics where dope, but we’ll agree to disagree, but them beats, are utter,utter… shit.
Ok…I’ll admit they weren’t “vintage” Mobb sounding beats, but they were haunting and fit them paranoid raps he was spittin. ALC had some bangers though. Sid Roams handled most of the production.
I wonder whatever happened to the ALC/Havoc album. Man that’d make my year!
That sure what to that ALC/Havoc album. I thought it was suppose to come out the same time Havoc’s joint dropped.
lmfao @ H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 being “garbage” and the beats bein “utter shit”
I take it you don’t agree TeGo?
Thats cool, everyone is entitled to they opinion, i just feel since the brilliance of Hell On Earth, Murda Muzik, even P’s HNIC PT 1, that it isn’t even comparable.
na i don’t.. yeah P’s dropped better shit.. some of the shit P says nowdays makes me be like “wtf” but H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 wasn’t a bad album or ne thin imo..
“I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II” – this joint is fire. He is the intelligent hustler. Heavy, heavy, heavy ish.