Top 10 Crew/Clique/Posse Cuts of 2008

The strength of the posse cut has really died down in the last few years. In its hay-day, a posse cut was a necessary feature on an album. Now, it can be the album’s biggest flaw. With that said, here are the top 10 bright spots in terms of Crew/Clique/Posse tracks for 2008.

To qualify for this, the track needed to have verses by at least 3 different artist.

10. Termanology featuring Sheek Looch and Freeway: “Drugs, Crime, & Gorillaz”

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• Using an interesting Pootie Tang sample clip to drive the chorus, these three artists exemplify any high points of this album that weren’t delivered by the mediocre production. Term delivers a verse of the year candidate, while Sheek and Free keep up pace with Term and make this track something rather special for the streets.

9. DJ KO featuring Phonte, Wordsworth, K-Hill and Masta Ace: “Ladder of Success”

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• This entire album could be put up here. Frankly, I had to choose the best of the best and this was it. Absolutely every artist gives a great performance here. Although it may not be everybody’s best, it is certainly enough to make it better than 90% of other crew cuts in the last few years. Unreal track on a great album.

8. Wale featuring Bun B and Pusha T: “Back on the Go-Go”

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• I loved the constant hockey references by Wale and the constant drive by the usually un-go-go like Pusha and Bun. They really elevated the track beyond its potential and developed something quite interesting and addictive.

7. Akrobatik featuring Big Pooh and Phonte: “Be Prepared”

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• Such an in depth track with a message that every rapper should listen to before they get waist deep into the industry. Phonte’s verse is definitely something worth listening too and Pooh delivers something just as good. Ak is so consistently good on Absolute Value; this song is just another example of it.

6. Big Boi featuring Andre 3000 and Raekwon: “Royal Flush”

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• Call me crazy, but after my first listen, this song wasn’t that special. After constantly re-listening, one’s appreciation for this track has no choice but to grow. It offers so much more beyond Andre’s verse and while it is the same line up as “BBQ,” it is unique, modern and dope as hell

5. J-Live featuring Posdnuos and Oddisee: “The Upgrade”

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• 2 wicked verses from J-Live, a great beat and verse from Oddisee and another great verse by a legend. This song (like the album) offers so much. The lyricism is undoubtedly polished to a crystal clear sparkle and the flow is uncanny. The great part is the chemistry between all three artist; seamless connection.

4. Black Milk & Bishop Lamont featuring Elzhi and Phat Kat: “Goatit”

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• This song was scary good. I wouldn’t know where to start. The beat by Black? How about the verse of the year candidates from Elzhi and Bishop? How about the beautiful role play emceeing from Phat Kat? Listen to it and you will be yelling at me for not putting it higher.

3. Evidence featuring Phonte, Blu, will.i.am: “For Whom the Bell Tolls”

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• This was a unique song. I couldn’t understand the mix, but it works. Phonte, Blu and Ev drop some great verses over this pretty dark beat and will drops a fitting chorus. It certainly brought some hype and anticipation to the Ev album due out sometime next year, but for now, enjoy the Layover EP, oh, and this song.

2. Black Milk featuring Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, and DJ Premier: “The Matrix”

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• This should undoubtedly be in anybodies top 3 based on name alone. And they all deliver. There is not one weak spot on this song and it is spotless. So spotless, in fact, that Black Milk’s verse is right on par with Monch’s, while P is just a slight step ahead. Premier drops what could’ve been a guest verse with his remarkable scratching on the chorus. It doesn’t really matter who did it “best” between the three verses; it’s a win-win for everybody.

1. The Roots featuring Dice Raw, Peedi Peedi, and DJ Jazzy Jeff: “Get Busy”

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• This song has just about everything. It has one of the best beats of the year. It has one of the best punchlines and verses of the year. It has one of the best flowing verses of the year. It has everything. This song is outstanding in just about every way and it exemplifies what the crew/clique tracks of the mid 80′s to mid 90′s were: powerful messages. It doesn’t get much powerful than this. Every MC, producer, DJ, plays their part and helps make “Get Busy” the track that it is. Sure, you could replace this with “Rising Down” if you want, but there is so much energy and thump to “Get Busy” that it makes it hard for it not to be number one on this list. And stop the hating, Peedi is so dope on this track.

Honorable Mentions

• The Roots featuring Styles P and Mos Def: “Rising Down”
• Statik Selektah featuring Big Pooh, Phonte, Joe Scudda, and Chaundon: “On The Marquee”
• Black Milk & Bishop Lamont featuring Royce Da 5’9 and Rass Kass: “Go Hard”
• EMC featuring Little Brother: “Traffic”
• EPMD featuring KRS One: “Run It”
• Heltah Skeltah featuring Buckshot & Ruste Juxx: “So Damn Tuff” or featuring Smif-n-Wessun: “WMD”
• Scarface featuring Lil’ Wayne and Bun B: “Forget About Me”
• Reks featuring Termanology and Consequence: “Premonition”
• Kidz in the Hall featuring Sean Price and Buckshot: “The Pledge”
• Statik Selektah featuring Saigon, Termanology, and Cassidy: “To the Top”