Top 12 Hip Hop Albums of 2009

Here you go...my personal favorite albums of 2009. Yeah, it's 12. Please make comments. Agree/disagree?

1. Skyzoo - The Salvation
   This album had constant replay value since it's release. Pretty much solid front-to-back, with the exception of the track "Mr Popularity." Skip...
   
2. Drake - So Far Gone (mixtape)
   This one is a no-brainer. This "mixtape" was classic and introduced those nonbelievers to Drake (myself included). After getting this I went back and got everything else I'd missed. My first impression of this album was that it was what Kanye was trying to do with 808s and Heartbreaks, but didn't do nearly as well (singing, emotions, mellow beats, and raps).
   
3. Cormega - Born and Raised
   For me it doesn't get any better than Cormega for gritty, honest, true school NYC raps. I am still amazed an album like this can be released in 2009. A definite throwback in the best way. Cormega finally got the beats all right, and had minimal guests (all sharing his true school NYC ethos).
   
4. Saigon & Statik Selektah - All In a Day's Work
   Statik Selektah is definitely my favorite and most consistent producer of the past year plus. I never really paid attention to Saigon until he teamed up with Statik and here he shines. The few other tracks I've heard from him were always "eh," but this is superb.
   
5. Ghostface Killah - Wizards of Poetry
   I have to admit I slept on this album at first thinking to myself, "Ghost and R&B? No thanks." But after listening I remembered why Ghost is so dope. The deal with this album is the rhymes all revolve around the topic of females and relationships in general, but are definitely not sappy. Think more along the lines of Wildflower. The production is semi-smoothed out, but raw, like Ghostface.
   
6. The Jacka - Tear Gas
   This was the #1 bay album of the year, hands down. With dark production (think the opposite of hyphy) and the most-varied guests I've seen on any album. Devin the Dude, Cormega, E40, Zion I, Freeway,...need I say more?
   
7. DJ Quik and Kurupt - Blaqkout
   DJ Quik is one of the top 5 producers of all time and on this album, he's teamed up with the very talented, but generally lyrically lazy Kurupt. On this album though, Kurupt sounds inspired and rejuvenated a bit by the presence of Quik. The album is very well rounded with songs to ride to as well as songs you could hear in the club (if they played stuff besides whats on the radio). Quik continues where Trauma left off to push the limits of his production range with tracks like "9 times out of 10," but also gives you the smooth funk you love on tracks like "The Appeal."
   
8. Souls Of Mischief - Montezuma's Revenge
   This one came out at the end of 2009 as a sleeper, but a certified banger. The production is handled solely by Prince Paul (Gravediggaz, De La Soul). At first this sounds like an odd pairing, but after one listen, all doubts are set aside. This album bangs from front to back with energized and witty lyrics from Phesto, A-Plus, Opio, and Tajai. And with Prince Paul on the production, even the skits are worth not skipping (see Morgan Freeman). The Souls manage to sound rejuvenated and seem to have aged very well unlike some of their counterparts.
   
9. The Grouch - Three Eyes Off The Time
   This EP is a collaboration between the bay areas own DJ Fresh and Living Legends The Grouch. I remember when I met DJ Fresh back in 2004 when I was living in San Jose. He was working at Circle A skateshop, DJing between customers. He told me that he had just gotten back off of the Nas "God's Son" tour. Having just met him I kinda wondered if he was full of shit. Guess not. DJ Fresh provides lush beats for Grouch's ever conscious, but fresh delivery. The production is very melodic and rich...it sounds bay area, but also with influences of J Dilla and other east coast producers.
   
10. Wale - Attention Deficit
    Wale provided one of my favorite mixtapes with his Seinfeld-themed album called "Mixtape About Nothing" in 2007. Now in 2009 he finally released his full length debut. The album he delivered is great with solid production, thoughtful lyrics, and original concepts. Unique for a major label debut.
    
11. Royce Da 5'9" - Street Hop
    This album is amazing...and amazingly slept on. I'm not sure the deal. It sounds like it wasn't mastered entirely and the cover looks very last-minute. The tracks are all original (not mixtape) and features production on a few tracks from DJ Premier and other top shelf producers. Royce definitely flexes his pen game on this album with amazing concept and storytelling tracks (listen to "Part of Me" and "On the Run").
    
12. Termanology - Time Machine
    With Term's sophomore release he mostly sticks to the script with production from Large Professor, Statik Selektah, and Fizzy Womack among others. The standout tracks are "Time Machine" produced by Large Pro and "Nothing Iz Real" - a great track featuring a downtempo sample from the group Zero 7.
    

Also, after reading a few other peoples lists for 2009, I have to admit that I have not heard these albums: Brother Ali - Us; Wiz Khalifa; The Cool Kids.