Pharoahe Monch & Jill Scott were both in my top 5 albums in their respective categories so it’s pretty cool to see they collaborated once in the same year. “Still Standing” is a dope song, one I really enjoyed from Monch’s W.A.R. album. Now we have the visuals to go with one of the iller songs from one of the best albums of last year. Per usual, Pharoahe’s visual isn’t just a big booty broad or some cars and money but actual storytelling and visual art that nurtures your appreciation for the song. It’s ironic how the stuff the world cries is dead about in Hip-Hop is right here in Pharoahe and others, but he gets no shine. Talk about unsung…how appropriate that this song is titled “Still Standing.” Enjoy the video.

One of my favorites tracks off of W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) gets the visual treatment. If you haven’t yet please head over to iTunes and support this great album!

We fall down, but we get up. With that being said, Pharoahe Monch and Ms. Scott uplift us with their inspiring video. Directed by Terrance Nance. Off W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) available on iTunes now.

redbullusa

In celebration of Black History Month, Pharoahe Monch releases the emotional and heart-moving video for “Still Standing.” The Jill Scott-featured single is off Pharoahe’s W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) LP out now.

Directed by Terrance Nance

Premiered by RedBull

Previously: Pharoahe Monch Feat. Styles P. & Phonte – “Black Hand Side” (Video)

W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) in stores now.

Previously: Pharoahe Monch – No Church In The Wild Freestyle (Live)

Note: No order/LPs Only

Action Bronson – Dr. Lecter
Bottom Line: The Queens native Action Bronson gave up being a professional chef to pursue a rap career. His voice is similar to Ghostface Killah, but his lyrical content is completely different. Action rhymes about gourmet dishes, his beliefs, and inspirational figures from early blues music to wrestling. What makes this album unique is the production from Tommy Mas. Most of the beats were made from breakbeat samples, something Hip-Hop has gone away from since the 90′s. He also has a great album with Statik Selektah under his belt, and working with The Alchemist for a 2012 release. Give Action Bronson my vote for rookie of the year.
Top 5: “The Madness”, “Larry Csonka”, “Shiraz”, “Buddy Guy”, “Beautiful Music”
Download: “Beautiful Music”

CunninLynguists – Oneirology
Bottom Line: Everyone from the staff has that one album we should’ve reviewed last year and Oneirology is mine. The CunninLynguists has been one of the most consistent groups since they debuted ten years ago. On Oneirology, they focus on the study of dreams. Each song acts as a dream itself as Kno provides the perfect production for the group to fill in their dark versatile lyricism. Another standout about the record is the guest appearances by Big K.R.I.T., Freddie Gibbs, and Tonedeff. They drop some of the 2011’s best verses without taking anything away from the concept. This is an album that may take a few listens before realizing the brilliance behind it.
Top 5: “Hard As They Come”, “Murder”, “My Habit”, “Stars Shine Brightest”, “Dreams”
Download: “Hard As They Come (Act I)” feat. Freddie Gibbs

Evidence – Cats & Dogs
Bottom Line: Evidence displays that his skills behind the microphone are improving with each album. Lyrically alone, this is a top five record of the 2011. Evidence brings so much pain behind his lyrics that it’s hard to deny his ability as an emcee. Production is also top notch. [Read the rest of my review here]
Top 5: “The Red Carpet”, “I Don’t Love”, “You”, “Late For the Sky”, “Well Runs Dry”
Download: “The Red Carpet” feat. Raekwon & Rass Kass
Album Review Score: 4.5/5

Kendrick Lamar – Section 80
Bottom Line: I probably played this more than any other album last year. It’s been in the whip since it first dropped. Kendrick Lamar states that Section 80 is for the new generation as the concept deals with drug and alcohol problems facing today’s youth. [Read B-Easy’s review here]
Top 5: “Fuck Your Ethnicity”, “A.D.H.D.”, “Poe Man’s Dream”, “Rigamourtus”, “HiiiPoWer”
Download: “HiiiPoWer”
Album Review Score: 4/5

Kool G Rap – Riches, Royalty, Respect
Bottom Line: I don’t understand how this album was so slept on last year. Kool G Rap has been around since the late 80’s and has been dropping gems ever since. He is often cited as one of the most influential and skilled emcees of all time. This album is no different. G Rap brings us back to the golden era of Hip-Hop with his street mentality lyrics and gritty beats. Perhaps, the most slept on album of 2011. This year, he’s dropping an album with The Alchemist, in my opinion, the best producer of last year. He also has The Godfathers project with Necro in the works.
Top 5: “Ya Chic Chose Me”, “Pillow Talk”, “The Meaning To Your Love”, “Sad”, “Maggie”
Download: “Sad”

One Be Lo – L.A.B.O.R. (Language Arts Based On Reality)
Bottom Line: One Be Lo is half of the group Binary Star. If you’ve never heard of them, I suggest copping Masters of the Universe because it’s one of the best albums released since the new millennium. Now that One Be Lo has toured around the world, his insight through different mindsets and communities has made an impact on him. He’s been a star athlete, convicted felon, Christian, Muslim and all of those things are reflected in his music and this is the soundtrack.
Top 5: “Snake Charmer”, “MEGAchile Pluto”, “BEEF”, “Tails from the Hood R.a.t.s.”, “WILdeBEEST”
Download: “Tails from the Hood R.a.t.s.”

Pharoahe Monch – W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
Bottom Line: Pharoahe Monch said this album is a “throwback to 1993, ’94 Hip-Hop”. That’s about the same time Organized Konfusion was dropping some of the best Hip-Hop records of all time. In other words, you should give this one a listen. [Read Saule Wright’s review here]
Top 5: “W.A.R.”, “Clap”, “Assassins”, “The Grand Illusion”, “Still Standing”
Download: “Clap (One Day)” feat. Showtyme & DJ Boogie Blind
Album Review Score: 4/5

Phonte – Charity Starts At Home
Bottom Line: nappyafro’s Album of the Year (…or at least top 2). Need I say more? [Read DuB’s review here]
Top 5: “The Good Fight”, “Not Here Anymore”, “We Go Off”, “The Life of Kings”, “Who Loves You More”
Download: “The Life of Kings” feat. Evidence & Big K.R.I.T.
Album Review Score: 4/5

Reks – R.E.K.S. (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme)
Bottom Line: If you’re into Hip-Hop then this is a must have album. Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme features stellar production with the likes of DJ Premier, Pete Rock, The Alchemist, Nottz, Statik Selektah, and more. Matter of fact, it probably has the deepest production list for any album released last year. The Boston native displays his talents as an emcee as he rhymes in battle form throughout the album. Reks is another highly recommended Hip-Hop artist that is improving with each album.
Top 5: “25th Hour”, “Thin Line”, “This or That”, “Like a Star”, “Self Titled”
Download: “Self Titled”

Saigon – The Greatest Story Never Told
Bottom Line: This was one of the most delayed albums since Detox. Saigon gives us an album filled with deep personal stories, intellectual lyrics, and soulful production. The Greatest Story Never Told was definitely worth the wait. [Read SBK’s review here]
Top 5: “Come On Baby”, “The Greatest Story Never Told”, “Preacher”, “Oh Yeah”, “Too Long”
Download: “Oh Yeah (Our Babies)”
Album Review Score: 4/5

Honorable Mentions (LP’s Only):

Action Bronson & Statik Selektah – Well-Done
Apathy – Honkey Kong
Bronze Nazareth – School for the Blindman
Bumpy Knuckles & Statik Selektah – Lyrical Workout
Cappadonna – The Pilgrimage
DJ JS-1 – Ground Original 3: No One Cares
Eligh & Amp Live – Therapy At 3
Has- Lo – In Case I Don’t Make It
Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown – Daily Bread
Joell Ortiz – Free Agent
Killer Mike – Pl3dge
KRS-One & Bumpy Knuckles – Royalty Check
Lowkey – Soundtrack to the Struggle
M.O.P. & Snowgoons – Sparta
MarQ Spekt & Kno – Machete Vision
Murs – Love & Rockets Vol 1: The Transformation
Pete Rock & Smif-N-Wessun – Monumental
Random Axe – Random Axe
Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows
Tech N9ne – All 6’s and 7’s
Timbo King – From Babylon to Timbuk2
Vakill – Armor of God
Vast Aire – OX 2010: A Street Odyssey

As we move into 2012, KN.com offically takes a look back at the best of 2011 beginning today. To kick things off this week we’ve got the ten best music videos of the year. Once again, I wanted to focus on videos that displayed creativity and truly helped paint the picture of the story being told in each song. Among the selections included vets like Pharoahe Monch, R.A. The Rugged Man and The Roots, who delivered ”short films” that impressed all around. A lot of newer artists made an impact visually in 2011 as well with Nemo Achida, Tommy Nova, THURZ and Tyler, The Creator gaining spots on the top 10. So check out the Top 10 Music Videos of 2011 along with a few honorable mentions.

10. R.A. The Rugged Man – A Star Is Born

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWTsqzYHFtg

9. Raekwon – Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq_Gyot8lH4

8. Danny Brown – Guitar Solo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAG1TCSTVTc

7. Tommy Nova – Why She Cries

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysNyGd0BV_s

6. Killer Mike – Burn

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_uhsZmXWJY

5. THURZ – Dope

www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_gma34ZeL0

4. The Roots – undun

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEm5uM4g_vU

3. Nemo Achida – Nemotional

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV6w7fRcryI

2. Tyler, The Creator – Yonkers

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSbZidsgMfw

1. Pharoahe Monch – Clap (One Day)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG_iDZbSZ3I

Honorable Mentions

• Prince Ea – Backwards Rappers
• The Black Opera – Sleep Tight
• Young Scolla – Reflections
• Headnodic – Movin’ On Up
• Rittz – White Jesus

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Music Videos: 2009
2. Top 10 Music Videos: 2010
3. Pharoahe Monch Premieres “Clap” In London

Last night, Pharoahe Monch performed at London’s Jazz Cafe. During his performance, he went crazy with his bars over the Throne’s opening track. Simon says: Monch went in.

eskay

During his performance at the Jazz Cafe in London last night, Monch commandeered the “No Church In The Wild” instrumental for a quick freestyle.

Hit the jump for more footage of him doing the Mr. Porter produced “Trilogy” off Desire and “Simon Says”.

Previously: Pharoahe Monch, Smif N Wessun & Skyzoo – Shout The Winners Out

Wiz Khalifa – “Big Screen“

from Rolling Papers (Atlantic, March 29th)
“Black & Yellow” blew up by placing regular rapping on top of a pop beat, but for “Big Screen” Wiz inverts that formula and drops some soft hands and heavily autotuned sing song shit over a hard ass rap beat. And I don’t mean to deride it when I call it soft hands. Soft hands is a comfortable look for Wiz. He delivers three different hooks in rotation, all of them stadium big. He’s obviously borrowing Max B’s wavy flow but his limper falsetto pushes into more functional pop territory. In a weird way the structure also reminds me of Wayne’s “Did It Before,” the way the choruses just bounces around on a brass anchor. It feels similarly incomplete as well. When I first heard this I hoped it was a rough cut, that they would rerecord the track with fuller vocals but it has grown on me in its under-finished state. Wiz’s greatest weakness as a rapper is probably that his natural voice is less than commanding. Rather than hiding this flaw behind the autotune they use the effect to exaggerate it. He sounds so fragile and endearing here, which also plays into the little n*gga does big things motif. Until recently it’s been hard to get a clear sense of identity from his recorded output but this really does feel like how a Wiz Khalfia should sound. I don’t know why they’re pushing the vastly less engaging “Roll Up” to radio. (By the way Wiz should really think about giving Domo Genesis his album title back. Or at least throwing him a feature or something.)

Gucci Mane f/ Birdman – “Mouth Fulla Gold“

The first Gucci song to drop after the alleged institutionalization and the infamous ice cream tattoo where he actually sounds close to inspired as he did in his prime. The raps are sloppy but that old Gucci ambition, that hunger is present. As we heard on the greatest Lil Wayne album, Birdman is best used as a hard counterpoint and it’s a shame Gucci didn’t tag him in ala Ross on “All About My Money” or Montana on “Party In The Trap.” But his standalone solo verse doesn’t get in the way. Prod. by Drumma Boy.

Rittz – “High Five“

from White Jesus (Mixtape, Coming Soon)
I’m still not convinced that Rittz needs to exist in a world where we already have a Yelawolf but his presence is welcomed as long as he’s getting production of this grade. Burn One puts the Memphis-style pitch bend on his 808 cowbells and it makes me want to start a club fight. It should be noted, however, that Rittz’ “High Five” is not the best song about high fives, mainly because Rittz’ doesn’t seem to be about the literal act of giving high fives.

Pharoahe Monch – “Clap”
from W.A.R. (Duck Down, March)
How is it that Pharoahe, undoubtedly one of the most forward thinking technical rappers of all time, has such a regressive ear for production? I mean M-Phaze’s beat here is fine but it’s just fine. Feeling more like an album track from a Statik Selektah compilation than a lead single from a legend, it does no justice to the raps that it sits under. I know people hated on Desire but at least it tried something. Well intentioned Grown & Sexy missteps are certainly preferable to this type of hollow nostalgia. At this point I’d rather this song just be Pharoahe spitting over the solo claps like he does on the closing bars. Duck Down is putting his album and the production lineup has names like Diamond D and Marco Polo, so expect more middlebrow boom bap. Somebody get dude Young L’s phone number.

Blueprint – “Keep Bouncing”
from Adventures In Counter Culture (Rhymesayers, April 5th)
In the last Wiz Khalfia post some readers complained about how weed rap has almost fully supplanted drunk rap. Long standing Ohio underground favorite Blueprint understands your plight. Of course this is more a Common Sense style lament of the bottle’s mixed consequences than an Alkaholik romp but at some point that’s what drinking does to you. Maybe today’s kids are wise to stick to greener pastures.

Young Ace – “In My Zone“

So two years later and the jerks are still Jerkin’, making for what might just be the longest running single minded dance craze in the history of hip hop. Kids are still doing their dance moves to tracks that still blatantly echo Hyphy (“In My Zone” echoes “Hyphy” specifically, what with Ace lifting TJ’s stupid, dumb, retarded line. Southern California known to borrow a party theme.) So it’s the same as it ever was except it now involves Chris Brown cameos and Myspace sponsored dance competitions that involve kids who look like this. “Cat Daddy” is a big record that we never talked about and really didn’t have to because we already talked about it before it existed. I don’t mean to be so cynical about an obviously thriving independent youth music scene but it’s frustrating that this one seems so motionless. The more promising rappers – Pink Dollaz, Illie, Cold Flamez – have petered out while annoying ones all stuck around. But maybe it’s difficult to prance to good rapping. I wouldn’t know. Anyway producer J Hawk, who laced both this and “Cat Daddy” is still the break out talent of the jerk pack. He’s even broken away from the scene some, expanding his resume to include both E-40 to Odd Future’s Hodgy Beats. The “In My Zone” melody is hauntingly awesome but I mostly just wanted to use this song as launch pad for my Jerk Music State Of The Union. (via Digital Dripped)

950 Plus f/ AG – “Bieber Berri“

It’s hard to call things slept on now that calling things slept on has become the exact opposite of slept on but AG’s Everything’s Berri LP was definitely the album that everyone slept on in 2010. Though not as finely tuned as it’s obvious inspiration, Roc Marciano’s Marcberg, the DITC member’s project showed a real emotional core that I think got overlooked in the pace of web music digestion. Anyway this random AG collab isn’t really seeing anything on that album as far as lyrics go but that goddamn beat. It’s like if “I Can’t Go To Sleep” was given the “Stroke Of Death” treatment. It has nothing to do with samples that kid Justin Bieber. (via G)