Third Verse Top 21 of 2007

21. Killing Time – This Dance Dance Revolution Will Not Be Televised

This is was one of the nicest surprises of 2007. It is a lyrical whiplash from start to finish however it remains light and easy and fun from start to finish. The raps are sure fire heat and the beats keep you nodding your head all day long. One of my favourite discman albums! Vancity what! killingtime.ca

20. Awol One, Josh Martinez and Dj Moves – Splitsville

This record after years in the making finally reached the day of light in 2007. Two Ep’s one slammin cd. The sincere raps over Move’s signature production is a winning combination. Stand out tracks include “Past Dues”, “Splitsvillle” and “Wanted & Needed”. I would definitely like to hear Awol and J-Mart team up on an group album similar to the Chicharones in the future. camobear.ca

19. Once a Hue Always a Hue (various artists)

The Hue Records label out of Japan is slowly establishing itself as a label willing to push the hip hop boundaries and blur the lines of the Genre. It is refreshing to see people willing to redefine our current perceptions of what hip hop is and what it can be. This cd is a great example. The cd features artists from Canada, America, and Europe is a perfect cd to put in and enjoy a nice dinner with a person you care about. This is a very diverse album but it definitely hits the mark. inpartmaint.com/hue

18. Mac Lethal – 11:11

I was never a big Mac Lethal fan until I saw him live. This album has become my party album! Whether it be driving around shopping with my sister or slamming beers, Mac Lethal definitely has me singing along and enjoying song after song. The hooks are real catchy and easy to rap along to and the raps are straight ahead and fun! rhymesayers.com

17. Filkoe – lost zoo keys and the animal spirits that haunt them

Wow! I don’t know if I can say enough good things about this album. It is nuts and genius at the same time and a throw back to the early Anticon era days of rap when it was important to be yourself. Filkoe’s strength is definitely his melodic flow over a great landscape of beats. endemikmusic.com

16. Serengeti & Polyphonic – Don’t Give Up

I definitely have to give Noyz a shout out here or I would not have heard this album and that would have been a shame. The production is all over the place on this one in a good way. Serengeti is able to show his range as an mc. This one will probably be slept on and that is a damn shame. audio8.com

15. Junk Science – Gran’Dad’s Nerve Tonic

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14. Iller Than Theirs – Iller Than Theirs

It is hard to separate these two releases. I purchased the Iller Than Theirs cd based on the album art as there was not a lot of information on the cd. I decided it has to be good if they spent the money on a digipack and have ill art on it. When I purchase music I love to pick up one thing blind if I can, it helps me reconnect with my teenage years. I put it in the cd player in Noyz’s car and we were both pleased with what we heard. I saw a Nuclear Family logo on the inside and a track listing featuring Masta Ace both of those things reassured me I would like it. Then as a lot of us did we read through the credits to se who all is involved and low and behold there is a track featuring Junk Science. Next thing I know I grab the Junk Science album and am hooked. These albums have great beats and solid front to back. I would recommend them to anyone who listens to rap. embeddedmusic.net

13. Touch and Nato are the Representatives – Intelligent Design

I think everyone reading this has this album, has heard this album, likes this album, bumps this album on the regular and seriously what more can I say? Touch and Nato team up and drop one of the best Canadian Rap albums in years. I think I could listen to Touch rap forever! myspace.com/touchandnato

12. Blue Scholars – Bayani

The Pacific Northwest duo has completed what Sweatshop Union couldn’t do in their three releases. Socially conscious hip hop that is not contrived and heart felt with a message simple enough for the average person to understand. Did I mention the beats bump! Every Blue Scholar album keeps getting better and better! This is definitely my favourite group on the Rawkus 50. The sky is definitely the limit for this group. bluescholars.com

11. Buck 65 – Situation

Sound the alarms Buck is back! Well not that he went anywhere but a lot of people have been less than impressed with Buck’s last couple releases. I actually really liked them but what do I know. Buck returns with his most conventional rap music. Scratch Bastid makes a return on the sophomore production effort and definitely satisfies any hip hop fan. The team up produces an excellent result! buck65.com

10. GraySkull – Bloody Radio

JFK and Onry Ozzborn return and avoid the sophomore jinx and surpass their debut with this gritty release. The beats are diverse, dark and bouncy. They may be the best two voices in a group in a long long time. They compliment one another and offer diversity for the listener. This one gets better and better with every listen. rhymesayers.com

9. Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass

Aesop Rock returns with what I think is his best album ever. It is great because after Bazooka Tooth I was beginning to wonder if it was the end. The title track “None Shall Pass” I think is the single of the year and reminds us why we all love Aseop Rock. Classic voice, classic delivery, what more can you ask for. definitivejux.net

8. Kay The Aquanaut – Spinning Blue Planet

Kay returns with his fifth release and in my opinion his best release to date. Kay has always had a strong voice and delivery as an MC and can rock a mic like few others but has yet to enjoy production that can compliment his energy and delivery on record. This will definitely be Kay’s break through album. The beats are slamming from front to back and as always Kay the Rhymeminister kills it with his heart felt flow and booming voice. sideroadrecords.com

7. soso – Tinfoil on the Windows

soso returns with his fourth and most diverse release to date. The honest and transparent lyrics are heart wrenching to listen to and as always they are sparsely placed over tracks with long builds and progressions. Maybe Smith teams up with soso to help on the production tip and the outcome is a masterpiece. soso continues to push the boundaries with this release and the end product is a winner! Definitely blurring the lines between genres with this but it works on so many levels! clotheshorserecords.com

6. Brother Ali – The Undisputed Truth

Brother Ali returns after a long hiatus with The Undisputed Truth. Brother Ali definitely makes this album with his lyrical content. He is as fired up as ever and lets the listener see through his eyes on this one. This album definitely lacks singles but as an album it works from front to back. Gotta give him props for releasing al the 12” singles he did with bonus tracks! rhymesayers.com

5. Busdriver – Road Kill Overcoat

Busdriver continues to amaze and please me with each release. One of the most skilled rappers ever he continues to push the boundaries and create amazing songs that are timeless. The first time I listened to this album I was kind of unsure but once I began to get into it I began to appreciate the awesomeness of this album. It is clear Busdriver is a visionary mc and will continue to push the boundaries of rhyme and deliver amazing album after amazing album. epitaph.com

4. Awol and Factor – Only Death Can Kill You

I have gone on record many times saying Awol 0ne is my favourite/best mc of all time however I believe this is his best release since his classic Souldoubt with Daddy Kev. Factors production is perfect for Awol One and the team results in what is a near perfect album. Awol drops those classic lines we have all grown to enjoy over the past ten plus years. This album will have longevity and will be a perennial stoner classic.
cornerstoneras.com

3. Bored Stiff – From the Ground Up

Definitely the best surprise of 2007! The return of the legendary bay area crew was probably the highlight for me in 2007. This is the best crew album to come out since 36 Chambers. It is front to back no fast forward and only repeat casue it is so good. This is the definition of what an walkman album should be. This is always in my discman as I walk to the radio show and the lyrics, delivery and flow take me back to my youth and always put a smile on my face. This honest rap music for people who like rap. hellarecords.com

2. EL-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead

Well I didn’t know if EL-P could top Fantatsic Damage and I am still unsure if he did or not but what he did do was deliver an amazing album. Groundbreaking production with his signature flow what more can you expect! I don’t think I need to say very much about this one as it speaks for itself. definitivejux.net

1. Toca – Toca

Well here we are at number one and we have what some might say is not a hip hop album at all. Well I think it may be one of the most important, groundbreaking, innovative hip hop records ever made. Toca consists of David Ramos. TommyV, Xololanxinxo, Ceschi, Max Heath and Danny T. Levin. This crew has a surplus of musical talent and vision. David Ramos. TommyV, Xololanxinxo, and Ceschi are all accomplished hip hop artists and have been hip hop innovators and trend setters in their own right. They all lend their talents and the end product is a musical roller coaster that cannot be captivated by any genre. The diversity of this album is unparalleled. As soso says, if the Clash made music in 2007 it would sound like this. This album is a musical masterpiece, time will tell its importance and influence. tocatheband.com

Third Verse Top 21 of 2007

1. Toca – Toca
2. EL P – I’ll Sleep When you’re Dead
3. Bored Stiff- From the Ground up
4. Awol and Factor – Only Death Can kill you **
5. Busdriver –- Road Kill Overcoat
6. Brother Ali – The Undisputed Truth
7. Soso – Tinfoil on the Window*
8. Kay The Aquanaut – Spinning Blue Planet*
9. Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
10. GraySkull- Bloody Radio
11. Buck 65 – Situation*
12. Blue Scholars – Bayani
13. Touch and Nato are the Representatives – Intelligent Design*
14. Iller Than Theirs – Iller Than Theirs
15. Junk Science – Gran’Dad’s Nerve Tonic
16. Serengeti & Polyphonic – Don’t Give up
17. Filkoe – Lost Zoo keys ****
18. Mac Lethal – 11:11
19. Once a Hue Always a Hue (various artists) *****
20. Awol One, Josh Martinez and Dj Moves – Splitsville***
21. Killing Time – This Dance Dance Revolution will not Be Televised*

* Canadian
** ½ Canadian
*** 2/3 Canadian
**** Canadian Label American Artist
*****Features Some Canadian Artists