Nathan S.'s TOP HIP HOP SINGLES

“I've heard Shane make good hip-hop, I've heard him make dope hip-hop, but this is the first time I've heard him make classic hip-hop. Straight up, there aren't many who could both produce and rap this well on a track, f**king dopeness. (And y'all know I only swear when I really mean it.) Oh, and Z, totally agree with the Rondo analogy. A few years ago you could tell Rondo wasn't quite comfortable in the spotlight, but now he owns his place as one of hip-hop's elite.”

“I've had this on repeat for the last 30 minutes straight. I think that says it all right there.”

“As I wrote in my Darkside review, I'm not quite sure why people started hating on Joe. He's had some slips, but he's still damn good emcee, and this track is absolutely epic. By the way, that Raekwon monologue is secretly hilarious.”

“Damn. It's such a cliche to talk about "real rap", but this is as real as it gets. That beat's hard as hell without going overboard, and both REKS and Styles First 48 their respective mics. Dope.”

“Michelle simply continues to impress. This sounds a bit like a Keyshia Cole record to me, but not in the style copying sense, more in the soulful r&b meets pop sense. Someone really needs to get behind her, Michelle's a hell of a talent.”

“It's good to hear Emilio moving in more of this rock direction, it really fits his aggressive and emotional style. I like hearing him simply spit as much as the next man, but this is epic music, and you can't sleep on that.”

“As a fan of the babymaker r&b jam I have to say, I'm impressed by this. It's got that sound that totally draws you in and keeps you there. In all honesty, I'll be paying a lot more attention to new Jaiden music from here on out.”

“Beautiful music made by true musicians. What more is there to say?”

“If you're in L.A. right now (like me), and you're looking out your window (like me) and listening to Imagine (like me), you're in a pretty damn good mood. Thanks Freshmen.”

“I don't know if there's anyone better at creating a mood, an atmosphere, than ILLZ right now (remember the all caps when you spell the man's name). And it's more than "just" trippy, the dude can really rhyme too. Props.”

“Actually, what I really dug about this is that on the surface it feels like a completely mindless banger, but dig a little deeper and there are actually some deeper points being made. Not deep enough to stop you from banging your head, but deeper than you might think. Either way, props to Soul and Q.”

“Damn. If there were any questions about whether Elite could really rhyme they were just answered.”

“Damn this is some enjoyable s**t. And you know I really mean it if I'm swearing. That beat's an absolute monster, and every emcee rides it perfectly. Great way to start off my morning. By the way, "Deliver more dope than the Army back in '69." Classic line.”

“Ha, looks like consistency is the keyword today. In all honesty I think Marion's truly stands out on deeper cuts, but he can still so aggression with the best of them. I'll bump a new Write x Two3 collaboration anyday.”

“That sample is absolutely gorgeous, and when the beat kicks in it's just as good. Props to Audible. And Knight more than back up the production - I'm really digging the honesty and passion. Damn this is a nice day for indie hip-hop on the Booth.”