Like every year DJ Premier presents to you his top 20 albums of a year on LiveFromHQ, also in 2009 he did that. But instead of top 20 it’s now top 25. Check out Premos top 25 of 2010:
Rank:
25. Ice Cube – I Am The West
24. Bun B – Trill OG
23. Celph Titled & Buckwild – Nineteen Ninety Now
22. KRS-One & True Master – Meta-Historical
21. Nottz – You Need This Music
20. Little Brother – LeftBack
19. Roc Marciano – Marcberg
18. Murs & 9th Wonder – Fornever
17. Eternia & MoSS – At Last
16. The Roots – How I Got Over
15. The Left – Gas Mask
14. Rah Digga – Classic
13. Gangrene – Gutter Water
12. Skyzoo & !llmind – Live from the Tape Deck
11. Drake – Thank Me Later
10. Fat Joe – The Darkside Vol. 1
09. Marco Polo & Ruste Juxx – The eXXecution
08. Rick Ross – Teflon Don
07. Freeway & Jake One – The Stimulus Package
06. Statik Selektah & Termanology – 1982
05. Scarface – Dopeman Music
04. Meth, Ghost & Rae – Wu Massacre
03. Strong Arm Steady – In Search of Stoney Jackson
02. DJ Premier Presents Year Round Records – Get Used To Us
01. Ghostface Killah – Apollo Kids
Voila. Sorry Kanye West, Nas, Eminem & Talib Kweli.
Last year note from DJ Premier himself:
I judge my list based on dope beats, dope rhymes, scratchin’ and cutting, creativity, uniqueness, originality, and overall packaging of the product’s integrity. I don’t care if you sold a million copies, that does not make it dope. I went through more than 60 LP’s released in ’09 on major and indie labels over and over to get it as close as i possible could to being satisfied with the list so here it is along with the list.
“Be Glad or Be Mad” -DJ Premier
Wut abt reflection eternal and distant relatives? Dope albums I thought
Just by having Wu-Massacre number 4 makes me not take this list seriously. I love the Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon and Ghostface are some of my favorite rappers. I actually bought the Wu-Massacre album but I’m sorry, it really does not deserve to be up there. Taking into account this statement: “creativity, uniqueness, originality, and overall packaging of the product’s integrity.” This album fails at that.
Would of thought he would put Ice Cube album higher up the list, Same with the roots.
But this is DJ Premier and he knows his hip hop
Rakaa album was strong. Deserved attention!
I thought I was gonna see Recovery & MBDTF on here, but Preem knows whats best.
well if this list is really based on “dope rhymes, dope beats, cuttin and scratchin”, then why is the left’s gas mask only on 15 (IMO the best hip hop album, opinions are like assholes tho :P), whereas teflon don is in his top 10??? i know it’s preem’s list, but i can’t take this seriously. the 1982 album was boring, and i agree with dude…, the wu massacre was not that dope… apollo kids on 1? well we all kno preem is a die hard ghostface (wu-tang) fan, so i guess that’s why his top 5 consists of 2 wu tang albums. however this is based on his taste so you can’t hate on that, but i’m surprised that he obviously has a total different taste that i was expecting
we can prepare for a “best year round records albums of 2011” list instead of “best rap albums of 2011” I guess 😛
where the hell is the scratchin’ and cutting in Drake’s thank me later???????, Fat Joe’s The Darkside Vol.1 was boring as hell too, Ice Cube’s I am the west was the weakest album of 2010 i’ve heard.
real real, we dont need no kanye west/emenim pop rap thanks.
braaaaap big up ya seldf premier. nuff love!
SMH @ these fools trying to front like they should’ve made this list. IT’S DJ PREMIER, you knuckleheads; this man has been one of the only people keeping REAL Hip Hop alive while y’all stayed buying wack shit and bigging up wack artists.
Besides, it’s HIS LIST, not yours. Go start your own blog and write your top 25 list…. Too bad no one will care what you think tho, because YOU AIN’T PREMIER. This man has paid his dues in the game, his opinions hold weight.
Drake’s higher than The Roots? Seriously?
what about black milk – album of the year?
Rhymefest’s “El Che” was dope too!
how is celph titled and buck not album of the year…the whole album is filthy
A lot of the ones that made the cut on your list aren’t quite my cup of tea, but I appreciate how hard it is to make this lineup. Luckily, 2010 had a lot of good albums to choose from.
looot of things to say about this list…
-First of all, HOW THE FUCK DOES DRAKE COME UP IN THE LIST with his commercial ass pop gay shit (preem you lack of money nowadays or what, come on man this aint serious)
-I’m very, very disappointed about the nineteen ninety now & marcberg ranks, they were both top 5 hands down, no negociations about that, everybody who paid attention to real hip hop shit in 2010 recognized it…
– Also, WU MASSACRE WAS A JOKE, period=>only miranda and a couple of other joints were holdin it down + Rae is more like a guest than the actual third of the crew (however he be tearin the ish down on miranda)
– ICE CUBE??? dude gotta go take his medecine and go read a book in his couch, can’t even hold the mic right on a whole LP by now …
-LOL @ preemo puttin his own label compilation, which was actually damn good but cmon man just set your work aside for this kinda top …
-What about the Veterans Assassins (some dudes from Greensboro, NC) album, shit was mad smooth and nice, preem i thought you was a street DJ, don’t you supposed to be ahead of everybody else when it comes to freshness, and make us discover new artists?
-Apollo Kids is a very suprising choice but gotta admit it was nice, even if its definitely not better than both nineteen ninety now or marcberg (for example) …
-strong arm steady @ rank 2=> i don’t know what to say anymore, ain’t no much bangin drums
on it, its just your basic soulful hip hop album, with several weed carriers, and somehow, some boring beats (just like the stimulus package & 1982, amongst others) …
there is a lot of other points to debate on about this list, lot of the albums ranked on it ain’t even fillin in the conditions but anyway, several weird choices. Anyway, still give mad respect to premier but his list for this year was inappropriate and, on some points, kinda wack…
Eternia and Moss album, Strong arm steady album, wu massacre??? Even the Rah Digga and KRS joints were whack. Oh and Drake is a joke. Premo is a the best Boom Bap HH producer to walk the planet but he is a sell out at times!
I completely agree with the placement of
Strong Arm Steady – In Search of Stoney Jackson – Amazing album, Madlib at its finest.
But that’s about it. Just because Dj Premier knows Hip-Hop doesn’t mean he’s top 25 is legit.
lol he obviously got a good ear for music. But to each his own.
Wow, not mentioning Kanye’s MBDTF shows how bitter you are that he left you out! Haters gonna hate I guess..
YES PEACE TO PREEMO , BUT THEN DRAKE SHOULDNT MAKE THE LIST IF DISTANT RELATIVES DIDNT MAKE IT . ALSO ICE CUBES ALBUM IS WEAK.BUT THAN ITS THE GOD PREEMO.
A lot to talk about here.
I thought Celph Titled & Buckwild’s Ninety Nine Now was the best of the year.
Props to Premier for making the list in the first place and Gim for putting it up there.
tight list! but where’s kanye???????????? ahhahaa just kiddin
2011 is gonna be ILL!
peace
This is real wack…It’s Nineteen Ninety Now…
he said “Be Glad or Be Mad” Im not mad or glad..I’m just confused -.-
YOOOOOO,
Strong Arm Steady def deserves that spot or higher. Drake? def forgettin reflections eternal, ski beatz 24 hour karate school. but I love you anyway Premo.
… so according to Premo, Teflon Don is a better album than The Roots, Roc Marciano, The Left, and Buckwild / Celph Titled ……. lol wow …… and no love for El Da Sensei ??!! ….. Dope Beats, Dope Rhymes, Scratchin’, and Cutting …… I can’t think of another album that came out this year that literally defines just that …. GT2: Nu World ……. no Damu The Fudgemunk ? ……. “Don’t Do It” was one of the best records of 2010 ! …….. first the Drake comment, and now this ! lol …… Don’t Do It Preem !!
dope list….i would of also included reflection eternal, distant relatives, recovery, kanyes album, and mood muzik 4 (not the retail version the free one there was more tracks)…..and id take out drake, krs one, fat joe, freeway, and the ruste juxx or the rick ross album…everything else can stay
^^^ ohh and also vinnie paz season of the assasin lol dope
Drake is on this list and whats worse is that hes high than celph titled really??? drake isnt hip hop he’s pop. celph titled is a beast he should have been in the top ten atleast
premiers a legend and a pioneer so ima have to check some of these out since i havnt heard em…but i gotta say rakims seventh seal should of been in that list
celph titled’s and Bucks album is most def in top 10.. hands down!! think u need to give it another listen premo..
@ wallie
seventh seal came out in 2009
can’t wait for the upcomin’ YR releases, 2011’s gonna be a crazy year, tho 2010 was a very good one for hip hop, alotta dope releases imo
23. Celph Titled & Buckwild – Nineteen Ninety Now
11. Drake – Thank Me Later
yeah okay….
cya later premier
Nice list, though I guess you didn’t hear the Wisemen album “Children of a Lesser God.”
FLAMES. Right up there with Apollo Kids.
wouldn’t be surprised if all these albums were garbage/subpar.
I heard parts of the Gas Mask. Weak, boring backpacker shite. The KRS album was even worse. That was trash.
Distant Relatives at least had “Patience” on it, which as a record, is probably better than most of the albums on this list. Granted Distant Relatives was a misfire though.
and fuck outta here with Eminem. One of the most overrated rappers of all time, because he’s white. Not saying he doesn’t have skills (he does, obviously), but he makes crappy music. Pretty much always has. He coasts on shitty records, because he’s white.
His first two LPs were aight though. But man… Em has really put out some trash. Yet I see some of these internet groupies (white people who didn’t listen to rap until they saw Eminem doing it) put Em in the top 5, sometimes as the GOAT. lmao.
Anyway, I’d prefer a Top 5 album list. That way, it’s more competitive and I don’t have to waste my time going through mediocre albums. 19-ninety now was stale on arrival. 1 or 2 decent beats and below-average Celph.
I haven’t heard a single rap album from 2010 that’s impressive. Feel free to suggest/correct me, but half of the ones Preem put on that list are boring and if they were made in the 90s, even like 2000/2001, would be unlistenable.
Preem must have been high and havin some kind of good memory from something he was doing while Drake was playing. Agree Celph Titled too far down that list. Too many subpar albums beating out The Roots. HIGO wasn’t Preem’s kinda rough beats but the album was still raw.
11. Drake – Thank Me Later
LOL…Preem really?
dope beats, dope rhymes, scratchin’ and cutting, creativity, uniqueness, originality
where is all that on that Drake wackness exactly?
Rick Ross?…oh come on Preem, come on.
For years now, Primo’s “Top Albums Of The Year” have pretty much been whatever. Anyways, I think that Little Brother album was VERY disappointing… Not that much of an Ice Cube fan anymore so I didn’t listen to that album… Drake is fuckin garbage and I really can’t stand him… Rick Ross is cool for “Mainstream” type shit, but it’s not something I’d buy or listen to in my spare time… That Meth, Ghost & Rae was pretty disappointing… And I didn’t listen to that Scarface.
I mean, his list isn’t THAT bad, but yeah, the order is all fucked up.
I was the only phone call Primo took last night when Primo was doing his radio show live and counting down his albums. I told him my favorite album of the year was the Celph Titled & Buckwild and he said he really liked it too, but wished it was various emcees spittin over those beats and not just Celph Titled. haha
Here’s my picks of the year for 2010, but I’m only counting albums that were released on Vinyl or CD.
My Top 10 Hiphop albums of 2010 in alphabetical order…
Apollo Brown – The Reset (MelloMusicGroup)
Celph Titled & Buckwild – Nineteen Ninety Now (No Sleep Recordings)
Damu the Fudgemunk – Supply For Demand (Redefinition Records)
DJ Lord Ron – Environmental Shape Sounds (String Note Recordings)
DJ Premier Presents: Year Round Records – Get Used To Us (Year Round Records)
The Left – Gas Mask (MelloMusicGroup)
Lewis Parker & John Robinson – International Summers (Project Mooncircle)
Roc Marciano – Marcberg (Fat Beats Records)
The Roots – How I Got Over (Def Jam Recordings)
Ruste Juxx & Marco Polo – The eXXecution (Duck Down Music)
My 8 Honorable Mentions…
Blee – Cosmos Road (Blee/HipHopPlaya)
Dysfunkshunal Familee – Family Reunion (Narcata Records)
Ghostface Killah – Apollo Kids (Def Jam Recordings)
JR & PH7 – The Update (Soulspazm)
Marco Polo – The Stupendous Adventures Of Marco Polo! (Fat Beats Records)
MindsOne – Self Reliance (Soulspazm)
Strong Arm Steady – In Search Of Stoney Jackson (Stones Throw)
Tzarizm Presents: Mbodiment – The Heart & Brain (Domination Recordings)
My 5 most disappointing Hiphop albums this year…
Black Milk – Album Of The Year (Fat Beats Records)
Rakaa Iriscience – Crown Of Thorns (Expansion Team/Fat Beats Records)
Meth, Ghost & Rae – Wu-Massacre (Def Jam Recordings)
Reflection Eternal – Revolutions Per Minute (Warner Bros Records)
Skyzoo & Illmind – Live From The Tape Deck (Fat Beats Records)
And here’s 5 albums I like, but wish were better…
Blacastan – Blac Sabbath (Brick Records)
Black Sheep – From The Black Pool Of Genius (Bum Rush Records)
Boog Brown & Apollo Brown – Brown Study (MelloMusicGroup)
Eternia & MoSS – At Last (Fat Beats)
Statik Selektah & Termanology – 1982 (Showoff Records/Brick Records)
It’s a sloppy list Premo. This proofs you’re on the wrong side in the game. A few names are great but you forgot the rest.
Gangrene, Strong Arm Steady and Celph Titled & Buckwild.
But what about:
Ide & DJ Connect – Ideology
ESQ & Chikaramanga – The Succession
Qwel & Maker – Owl
Greymatter – Greymatter
W. Draztik & Sleepy Biggs – Smokers Cough
Nems – Prezident’s Day
Guilty Simpson – OJ Simpson
The Heart & Brain – Mbodiment
Moe Pope & Rain – Life After God
Lewis Parker & John Robinson – International Summers
DJ Muggs & Ill Bill – Kill Devil Hills
Dumhi – The Jungle
Raw Nature – The Direction
Blacastan – Black Sabbat
DJ Lord Ron – Environmental Shape Sounds Of DJ Lord Ron
Click Animosity – Feeders Of The Flamez
Collective Efforts – Freezing World
Von Pea – Pea’s Gotta Have It
DJ Cut Chemist – Sound Of The Police
E The Real – The Wall Street Project
Smoovth – Little Boy Blue
Tiff Da Gift – Cool, Calm , Chill
Rozewood – 2012
And so on…..
no doubt a questionable list, even if it does come from one of the best producers ever to grace the game. if we can’t challenge the views of others, whats the point of having an opinion?
i was mainly disappointed with how low he ranked Celph Titled’s attempt and The Left’s Gas Mask. These are two real albums which grab the listener on every track tell them something.
I also didn’t like the way the top 5 consisted of veterans to the game. We need to be encouraging the new, younger talent so why neglect there efforts and instead promote those guys arguably in there twilight years?
and just to add, no eligh?! DUDE?! one of the illest albums of the year no doubt
Everyone’s bitching bout this list like it’s their list, ha.
I had GFK – Apollo Kids in the #1 spot too.
-The Buckwild & Celph Titled album was number 1 for me by a long way.
-The Ghost album is great but not number 1.
-Wu-Massacre was meh
-The Left and The Roots albums should have been higher
-Drake – LOLZ
my top 3 album of the 2010:
– Kool Sphere – Integritty
– Celph Titled & Buckwild – Nineteen Ninety Now
– DJ Premier Presents: Year Round Records – Get Used To Us
boom bap!!
THIS LIST IS CRAZY CRAP BUN B BUNK DRAKE FAKEIN DA FUNK ICE CUBE GET SNUFFED!PREMO NEEDS TO GIVE IT UP HIS TASTE IN MUSIC IS CRAP IM SURPRISED HE HAD THE LEFT ON THERE AND 90 NOW 25 GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I dont agree with the list as well, but dont get all emotional over it. dmn
I am gonna get emotional over it, because when cats think real Hip Hop they think Primo and if he’s givin props to those wack rap acts what’s next????? the worlds really goin to hell in a hand basket when Primo gets things twisted! No wounder these young cats dig Drake and skinny jeans! 90 NOW…BiTCHES!
WTF with the pic of Premo in the BABY SHOWER chair lmao…Guess its true the dude listens to more rock then hip hop…Damn thats a shit list..90 NOW, DISTANT RELATIVES, BETWEEN HEAVEN & HELL!!!!!
Some of the comments on this board demonstrate just how sad this hip hop shit has become.
I don’t like Drake either, but dude has made BETTER MUSIC on his album than most of the people on this list. Yeah his stuff is poppy and not really hip hop, but at least it’s sorta different. You can see the dude is putting in some kind of effort. Yeah it’s hit or miss, but some tracks have a decent melody e.g. “Miss Me.”
You underground cats want to get props for doing the most BASIC shit. Still rhyming about the same shit, manipulating soul records in the same way…and with way lower skills than cats had in the 90s.
Most of the new underground cats can’t rhyme or make beats to save their lives. Then add on the fact that they have no personality on wax and you’ve got stale, imitation ‘boom bap’.
I don’t want second-rate imitation boom bap. I want that real shit!
Bottom line, stop complaining about Drake and step your game up!
Overall though, the list is good. It’s so hard to make one in the first place and it’s 100% guaranteed that there’s going to be people complaining such as me earlier on. Wu-Massacre was just so average that I found it suprising that it was number 4. I’m glad Strong Arm Steady was put so high up, it was a great album. I feel like it’s missing Kno’s “Death Is Silent” though. Rick Ross and Drake’s albums were good to be honest, nothing amazing but they had some good songs so I find it perfectly understandable to see them on there. Other mainstream albums like “Recovery” could have made it up there and definitely “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”. “Leftback” was just all right and “Revolutions Per Minute” could have been on there too. Not bad, not bad…
How could I forget! One of my favorite albums of the year. “Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty” by Big Boi! A really cool and funky album which I really enjoy listening to.
I purchased 13 of his list and the only one I wasn’t too hot about was his 25 entry. Big Boi should’ve been on this list but this was Preemo’s so It doesn’t matter. Good list anyway.
so DJ Premier is saying that Drake had a better album than The Roots, The Left, Gangrene, Skyzoo, Celph Titled and Buckwild, KRS One, Roc Marciano and Murs & 9th Wonder?
wow.
“I don’t like Drake either, but dude has made BETTER MUSIC on his album than most of the people on this list. Yeah his stuff is poppy and not really hip hop, but at least it’s sorta different. You can see the dude is putting in some kind of effort. Yeah it’s hit or miss, but some tracks have a decent melody e.g. “Miss Me.””
Lol are you that wack dude’s promo team or something?
I dont agree with everything on the list but Im most alarmed that Preem put his own shit at no 2. It smacks of some narcisstic shit, anyway In Search Of Stoney Jackson was an awesome album, glad it made it so high, shouldve beaten Apollo Kids for sure, its only boring if youre not really familiar with Madlibs style. Madlib and Preem collabbo?? I can only pray. Plus Im glad Gutter Water made it on there too, diggin that shits. MetaHistorical was crazy too you people need to get the shit out youre ears, if ya dont like Drake noones holdin no guns to ya head to listen to him. Live and let live I say, good luck to that dude.
With full regards towards the best hip hop producer ever but something is bugging me about this list and thats Ice cube in the top 25 the beats in that albums are realy washed out and his rhymes are lacking creativity but somehow to primo is ok i think kanye is way more creaitive then cube to not be in this list.
He puts hip hop in a entirily bigger lvl and i think that album its dope ice cube obviosly lacks creaitivity and originality he sais he is 2 weast coast but the beats are 2 dirty south.
Taste is taste, and to each his own.
But Kanye not being in Top 25 is just hating.
That album will be remembered in 10 years, a lot of albums on that list wont.
yeeee Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty by Big Boi is very dope … peace
You know what???
Dj Premier makes dope beats.
But for real? This is list is an insult.
Hes is on pro level of producing, but for real??
Nice sound library in your head, but the hip hop i learned there is no mix between Gucci mane and Raekwon for example.
Drake’s album sould like some R Kelly type of shit.
And Rick Ross.. who dat nigga? came from where???? a fuck that.
Please Support Talented Indie rap music DJ PREMIER!
There are better lists of 2010. As much as I love Little Brother, they do not deserve to be in that list. Drake is cheesy and shouldn’t be on there as well. However the most important releases are on that list: Gas Mask and Nineteen Nine Now. But then again it is a shame that he didn’t pick Vinnie!
D-Cash..”this man has been one of the only people keeping REAL Hip Hop alive while y’all stayed buying wack shit and bigging up wack artists”
Haha just like Premo with Drake, Lil Wayne and other wackness.
Real Hip Hop?, not to me
ROC MARCIANO #1
yall dont like premo’s list than make ya own instead of cryin like little bitches , most of these would have made mine but not wack ass drake the fake da stupid rich boy actor from canada who trys to talk and act like hes from here in the united states. yall can have wack ass b.o.b. will send him to canada 2
I love DJ Premier. To me, he is a genius and the best hip-hop producer of all time (if not tied with Dr. Dre). The list made me aware of some amazing albums I had never heard of. Most of the rap I listen to is easily accessible or what would be defined as commercial rap. Celph Titled’s “Nineteen Ninety Now”, Roc Marciano’s “Marberg” and Strong Arm Steady’s “In Search Of Stoney Jackson” are must buy albums and some of the best hip-hop I have heard in a while. Thank you DJ Premier for giving big props to some artists and works of art that don’t get the attention due to misguided big corporate label marketing.
However, I am soooooooo stunned to not see “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” on that list. That album is beyond words I can describe, in my view. You really weren’t feeling it? Big Boi’s “Sir Lucious Left Foot” isn’t that dope? “Teflon Don” is better? I don’t mean any disrespect to you or anyone that feels this way, and I appreciate your unique view, but help me understand. Why? I am not getting it. The list almost loses some credibility without having those albums on there. That would have been the case if it wasn’t coming from someone who’s taste, knowledge of hip-hop, and love for the art is way beyond mine. Just felt the need to express myself. Peace and one love to all.
And Drake is one of the freshest to come out in a while. He ain’t real hip-hop.??? He is wack? Please
I agree with the above post. Kanye and Big Boi were easily the top two albums of the year. Even though Kanye did not accept your beat for his album I think you DJ premier should have put him on the list.
Decent list
hahaha…first off, Celph Titled and Buckwild’s album is hands down the best of the year. The beats and cuts are just as good and sometimes better then Premo in his prime(which he currently is not in). And Celph’s rhymes,style,tone,voice,flow,etc is just as flavor(and way more humors with the exception of Jay)as anyone Premo’s worked with on a permanent basis.
Secondly, the next best album of the year is Kanye.Premo doesn’t feel that way. I say fair enough, but to leave him off the list is just plain old jealously.Maybe he’s still salty about Common’s line “my daughter found nemo, I found a new premo”
whys everyone debating on his top 25 list? im glad he takes his time to do this, and by the looks of things his spending alot of time to make the list. just be happy hes making a list.
and yes preemo is like a god when it comes to producing, but at the end of the day it was his opinion, which would differ from mine, but thats the beauty of it. i havent heard of rick ross’s album he mentioned in the list or strong arm steady’s so ima check it out to see whats there that made preemo dig it,
just respect his opinion, and i dont see many other producers doin the same thing, rza, easy moe, and so on
There’s a very dope album missing, considered by many as one of the best of 2011: Rashad & Confidence “The Element Of Surprise”. Still the #1 top seller at UGHH… only positive feedback so far all over the internet!
Glad he had Gas Mask by The Left in the list but are you really gunna tell me Rick Ross,Fat Joe Darkside vol 1 (even though I love that album) AND DRAKE have better albums then THE FUCKING GAS MASK. helllllll no, If that album dropped in 94, i guaruntee you everyone would be saying that its a classic, one of the best of all time. that album should easily be number 1, apollo brown is one of the illest producers ive ever heard and to me tops J.dilla no disrespect, and journalist 103 is crazy lyrical and delivers on every track.
Drake needs to be off this list 🙁