Most slept on Hip-Hop artists of 2008

What’s good to the OHN Family

Some of y’all know me in the comments section as DJ Fusion/FuseBox Radio and
some of y’all have no idea who the heck I am.

Besides having a syndicated radio show w/ the FuseBox Radio Broadcast along
with my partner Jon Judah (which does its best to promote fly Black Music,
grooves and news and a lack of too far out there audio coonery) folks can
check out a sista out at FUSEBOX RADIO.?

I also have a blog site at BLACK RADIO IS BACK?(which one day, Slaus will place back up on the links section here?again * side eye *).

Since I got the intro done, we’ll get right into why I’m up on here.

The O Hell Nawl staff gave a sista some guest commentary privledges?here to talk about who were some of the most?Slept-On Hip-Hop artists of 2008.

In my viewpoint, Slept On artists happen when they don’t get enough of?some form of publicity or exposure from their labels or mainstream?media at large, which is where a lot of heads still get their music?fix from.

Now this year granted as been kind of terrible period in regards to?Hip-Hop music sales and promotion in general (the Jay-Z Presidential?reign over at Def Jam played a significant part in this as far as I’m?concerned), as well as the quality of some Hip-Hop music period.

But there have been folks who went above the norm who deserve your?dollars from the iTunes, Mom and Pop store and whatnot that does not?sound like either a Lil’ Wayne (* glances over at Beyonce for that?”Diva” song *) or T-Pain RMX.

Here goes (in no particular order):

1. The Knux -Remind Me In 3 Days…

This joint is a fun Hip-Hop album that’s not corny, especially in this?new era of weirdo hipster rap where everyone believes that the 1980s?were people breakdancing on rainbows with 8-Ball jackets.

These really talented brothers (who besides MCing, also played all of?the instruments on this album and produced the tracks) laced up a?solid project with tracks like “Fire” and “Capuccino”as some big highlights.

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2.* *The Roots *-** Rising Down:*

The Roots seem to stay losing with mainstream media in regards to?radio airplay.

While I understood that for *Phrenology* (in my opinion, was their?most pretentious, “we’re an art band” type album which didn’t really?flow like that at all), they have been on a nice growth period with?their previous album, *The Tipping Point,* and now *Rising Down* in?both getting a balance?of the music and the message that actuallys sounds good.

Besides the single “Rising Up” (which I have a bias to having grown up?in the DC Metro area w/ the Go-Go Music feel), there were plenty of?tracks that should have gotten to the ears of folks new to the Roots?and kept their *Illadelph Halflife* fans in the fan bracket, like “Get?Busy” with Dice Raw & Peedi Peedi to “The Show” with Common & Dice?Raw.

I hope the Def Jam distribution is really worth it for these brothers,?becuase honestly, they haven’t done a damned thing for them since?signing to the label a few years ago. :-/

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3. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War

Yes, I know that she’s a soul & R&B singer, but this album was?probably the album that one of the?most authentic Hip-Hop Music sensibilities of a mainstream album this year.

The production list mostly consisted of heads like Questlove, 9th?Wonder, JayDee a.ka. J. Dilla (R.I.P.), has actual Boom-Bap-able (made?the word up, yes) grooves, songs that acutally could both big up AND
get it right about what the hell real Hip-Hop is with “The Cell”?(“Hip-Hop is bigger then Religion, Hip-Hop Is Bigger Then My n---as,?Hip-Hop Is Bigger Then The?Government”).

That’s probably why besides “Honey”, not ANYTHING got burn from this?album from mainstream media. True Hip-Hop vibe gets the gas face from?mainstream media, real talk.

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Runners Up:

4. *Cartoon Network & William Street Records* *African Swim*: FREE African
Hip-Hop Compliation that’s fly as all get out, can download for free
here?

5. K-Salaam & Beatnick – *Whose World Is This?*: Solid Reggae &
Hip-Hop compliation by producers K-Salaam & Beatnick feat. Sizzla,
Kardinal Offishal, Young Buck, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Capleton, etc.

6. ANY mixtape with B.o.B. on it – trsi me, you will dig it, esp. “Who
the f--k is B.o.B?!. joint

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What do y’all think were the most Slept-On Hip-Hop albums of 2008?