Wednesday 11 December 2019

The obligatory best Rap songs of 2019 post

Back when I was young my dad told me to never play with matches, but here I am postin' That Fire™. Bit of an anti-climax makin' a year-end list when I've already done the decade, but I can't resist the urge to inflict my 2019 essentials on the internet. Talk Talk's theory about life is the realest shit they ever wrote, which is why I had just as much fun dancing to Eatem's Whoop Sum in the house as I did singing along to Lil' Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus' Old Town Road remix in the pub. As ever, no order of preference and one song per artist.

Best Rap songs of 2019 IMHO:
BlocBoy JB - Mercedes
Positive K & MC Lyte - I'm Still Not Havin' It
Duke Deuce - Yeh
Mic Terror - Playa Shit
Eatem - Whoop Sum
A-Mafia - Wunn
DaBaby - Walker Texas Ranger
Ether ft. Fivio Foreign & Mr. Swipey - WAKA
70th Street Carlos - Play For
ShooterGang Kony - Charlie
Quelle Chris - Obamacare
Sada Baby - Lame
Dru Down - Ring Ding Dong
Lil' Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus - Old Town Road (remix)
AZ - It's Time
Queen Key - Ratchett
Kokane - Doo Doo Headz
Suga Free ft. Kokane - Hole In Your Heart
Yung Cat - Gangsta Shit
Mozzy - Big Homie From The Hood
TREE - Backflip
Peezy - New Car Smell
Rio Da Yung OG - Legendary
Slick Rick - Midas Touch
Mustard ft. Roddy Ricch - Ballin'
Devin The Dude - Trap-A-N*gga
Laroo AKA Hitta Slim ft. E-40 - HOG
Icewear Vezzo & Babyface Ray - Champions
Polo G - Deep Wounds
Xanman - Foulin' The Plug
The Egyptian Lover - 5¢ Camel Ride (Long Version)

Best new-but-old Rap songs of 2019 IMHO:
Mac Dre - Crest Bound
2Pac - Letz Get It On (Ready 2 Rumble) (O.G version)
Pete Rock - Street Dreams (Instrumental)

Best British Rap song of 2019 IMHO:
J Hus - Must Be

Slightly truncated Audiomack version of the list can be streamed HERE.

Best Other Genres™ songs of 2019 IMHO:
Ari Lennox - BMO
Juiceboxxx - Coinstar Song
Burna Boy - Anybody
Peggy Gou - Starry Night
Calvin Harris ft. Rag 'n' Bron Son - Giant
Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now
SAULT - Foot On Necks

Best new-but-old Other Genres™ songs of 2019 IMHO:
Prince - 100 MPH
LFO - Lost World

Related: 2019 late pass Rap playlist.

26 comments:

Ray Garraty said...

As always eclectic as fuck.

And my annual complaint: no black metal again? LOL

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Ray Garraty AKA Mr. Black Metal Matters.

Anonymous said...

That Ari Lennox song is hard. Probably my fav r&b radio hit of the year next to “Talk” by Khalid.

Ben said...

Cry for Me by Camila Cabello was another good non rap song this year.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

^^^ the best Fifth Harmony-related song was the Sam Smith one featuring Normani, imho.

Ray Garraty said...

https://twitter.com/raygarraty/status/1205218338420510730

the Wire's hip hop list. looking at it one have to conclude that Brits shouldn't be allowed to write about hip hop.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Here in the U.K we don't claim people who write for The Wire as Brits. We don't even class them as human in some cases.

Smell Rell said...

Lurking for a zip.

SE said...

Lotta older artists on the list. Coincidence or symptom of the inevitable slide into the C.R.C.?

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Both!

Although I can't imagine Dru Down, Kokane, Suga Free, and Egyptian Lover are CRC-approved.

Yohan said...

Thanks for this, solid to great list as always.

No real surprises for those who followed you throughout the year. I expected, or certainly wouldn't have minded Doja Cat's Tia Tamera, Doe Boy's Walk Down, Baby Money's I'm Coming and Sada Baby's Back End on your list, but it's solid nonetheless.

All in all, I'd say 2019 had a few absolutely phenomenal songs which could easily top my personal top 25 of the decade, but it lacked a bit of a long tail.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

The only other BIG song I liked this year was Rod Wave's Heart On Ice. I dig it, but I can't sit here and pretend that I've listened to it much. Very enjoyable song when it comes on TV and when I've heard it out in bars/shops tho.

Yohan said...

You guys still have music (videos) on the TV?

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Yeah, got a buncha music stations on Freeview TV here, plus all the MTV stations obviously.

Spartan said...

Fave films of the year?

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Diego Maradona documentary
Parasite
The Irishman

Didn't see too many 2019 movies tbh.

Looking forward to The Lighthouse in January.

Anonymous said...

You gotta go see Knives Out. Murder mystery/who dun it.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Oh yeah, that looks good.

I also wanna see Killerman. The only movie of 2019 to feature someone who regularly pops up in the Martorialist comments.

thru the Wire said...

Very much a rap casual these days so looking forward to investigating this.

My casual list would include

DaBaby - SUGE/BOP
Gunna and Young Thug - Hot
Offset feat. Travis Scott/21 Savage - Legacy
Kevin Gates - Therapy Shit 4
Benny Butcher/Pusha T - 18 Wheeler
2 Chainz/Kendrick - Momma I Hit A Lick
NLE Choppa - Shotta Flow

Non rap song of the year obviously 'Thank u next'

Merry Christmas t'all

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Reporting you for spam for including a song featuring someone from Migos, m8.

Spartan said...

Found it an underwhelming year for movies, enjoyed this lot, though:

1. The Irishman
2. Midsommar
3. In Fabric
4. Crawl
5. Climax

Love the piano man scene from Under the Silver Lake, real shame the rest of the movie didn't match up to it, however.

https://youtu.be/AdE7yos6COw


Kelvin Mack10zie said...

WTF!

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Added Mozzy's Big Homie In The Hood to the list and playlist.

Spartan said...

Adding The Nightingale to my list.

Kelvin Mack10zie said...

Had to Google that. Sounds goooood.

Anonymous said...

My name is DARKNESS I AM an Outcast Rapper/Singer hailing from Twin Cities
Check Out my new song-Darkness I Am - Certified (Where You From) 2020 on Youtube