Your Favorite White Boy

(Recreated from YFWB 1.0) I disagree with the various commentators, bloggers and hip-hop heads who have said that 2008 was a wack year for rap music. While it is no 1988 (and really, has any year come close?) it most definitely was a solid 365 in terms of actual product. You can see the proof here and here .

As a fan for over 20 years, I’ve seen the highs and many, many lows in the quality of the music being produced, the trends that have threatened to snuff rap out completely and innovations (or lack thereof) that moved rap forward or kept it stagnant. Some stretches have been so bad that I ended up falling back on the classics and not really messing with the new stuff out there.

Not this year. This year, my personal faith in this thing called rap music was restored. In 2008, I became a fan again, which is a large part of why YFWB came into existence – because hip-hop is worth listening to again.

2008 will also mark the year that a realignment occurred – where the genre started moving away from superficial garbage and that people once again got what they deserved. As you will see, there is a lot to celebrate and a lot to laugh at: giants were felled, legends were reborn and hip-hop showed strong signs of recovery. Here are the best moments of the past year:

1. Soulja Boy bricks
Don’t get all “let that boy live” on me – dude needed this and so did rap music. More than anything, Soulja Boy selling just over 100K in the first month sends a needed message to all those up-and-coming rappers that you may be looking for that “ringtone dough” (word to Ortiz), but the kids today are fickle as all hell. Sure, you got a dance, you had a great concept that helped sell millions, but that was last year, dude. What you got this year? To me, this was a realignment of the cosmos. All is now how it should be – bullish doesn’t sell. Period.

2. Slaughterhouse is formed
Four hardcore lyricists combine for one group? Its over. Now all we need is four killer producers to back them up (paging DJ Premier, you’re needed immediately) and its an absolute wrap. As you’ve read , I was hyped just to see these guys in the studio. I want to see what they can bring to the game. If the “Onslaught” track was a preview, you ringtone rappers better grab your ankles.

3. Rock The Bells rocks the house
Its been years (Up In Smoke, Roc The Mic) since hip-hop has been known for its tours, but this year’s Rock The Bells show was beyond ill – at least for a head like me. I attended the Toronto stop with a few of my friends from back in the day and it was a classic moment in hip-hop.

Like all the other stops across the US and Canada, it was a dope show that blended veterans (Rakim, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest), some legends (Nas, Redman, Method Man, Pharcyde, Mos Def) and the new cats (Kidz In The Hall, Jay Electronica). No attitudes, no bullish, just pure hip-hop. This tour shows all you other dummies how it needs to be done.

4. Q-Tip returns
Isn’t it the ish when a vet returns and drops an album as good or better than his first album? Q-Tip delivers a classic and shows all these young cats how you do it properly. Not only did Tip spit like he’s trying to score a deal, he let everyone know his production hustle is not to be messed with. And you can’t touch this guy on stage . If you haven’t copped The Renaissance , shame on you. You can read my review here .

5. Rick Ross’ resume gets exposed
This wasn’t a classic story because it was an examination of real vs studio gangsters, but because it shows that you can’t hide the truth forever. When it came to light that M-I-A rapper Rick Ross actually worked as a prison Corrections Officer before becoming a rapper, he denied it – hard.

But through the power of the Internet (and employee records) it was revealed to all that Officer Raws was real – or at least more real than Ricky’s kingpin status. When he was caught dead to rights, Ross finally admitted his past. Post another win for the truth.

6. Soulja Boy gets robbed
Rap’s big mistake makes a second appearance on the list. Look, I don’t condone violence against anyone, but I love the way that hip-hop always has a way of giving fools what they deserve.

This is a hard lesson for a young knucklehead to learn, but it serves as a warning to all you young cats – floss on the YouTube video you filmed at your house about your $100K chain and you’re going to get a visit. Google Maps is a bitch, son, and we’re in a recession. If you’re old enough to walk around with all that ice on your wrist, you’re old enough to get frostbitten. Three words: safety deposit box.

7. Hip-Hop helps elect a President
I’ve already covered this previously, but I think its important enough to warrant a second mention. This was the year that hip-hop went from crafting logos for t-shirts to actually putting in work on the ground to make change happen.

Rappers held concert fundraisers, conducted voter drives, attended rallies and conventions, participated in panels and dropped more political tracks than a PE album. In this pivotal election, hip-hop did not sit on the sidelines. In the evolution of a musical genre from joints for parties in the park to a full seat at the table, this was an important step.

8. N.O.R.E. moves weight
Pounds, dude. Noreaga is one of those dudes that everyone loves. But he’s been out of the booth for a minute, and apparently he has been spending that time at McDonald’s. Nore admitted himself that his weight had gone out of control (he topped the scales at 310 lbs) and he needed to get his waistline right.

In an industry that spends so much time promoting and celebrating excess (especially in terms of smoking, drinking and partying) it was a welcome change to see a rapper check himself and take steps to improve himself. Dude has stepped up and lost 70 pounds. Positivity: its what’s for dinner.

9. 50 Cent gets humbled
The tale of 50 Cent took a critical turn in 2008. Love him or hate him, 50 Cent changed the rap game. And you can’t dispute his numbers – going into 2008 he looked unstoppable. But if anything, the past year saw the chinks in the armor appear: his album got pushed back, his latest single gathered little buzz, his MTV show got cancelled and his crew bricked.

I actually dig a lot of 50′s music, but dude has lost his fire. He went from setting trends that everyone followed to becoming the primary cheerleader for Em and Dre. Not a good look. But, it yet again proves why 2008 showed everyone that you just cannot rest on your laurels. With the eventual release of Before I Self Destruct , we will see whether 50′s stubborn refusal to change his formula is a smart business move or the last gasp of a played out rap act.

10. Tha Carter III sells “a milli” in a week
You know why I love this story? Because it demonstrates two things: 1) That all those failed rappers who claim they can’t sell because of downloading, labels are dead, etc, actually just suck. Lil Wayne showed that if you have a product people respond to, you will move units. 2) A strong work ethic still means something. Actually, it means a lot.

I know a lot of heads think Weezy killed hip-hop (word to Hamza) and that is admittedly a point for future debate. But Lil Wayne’s numbers reminded all that hip-hop is still very much a force to be reckoned with, both in terms of profitability and mainstream appeal. Why is that important? No investment = no records.

There you have it. As I said at the outset, hip-hop is showing signs of recovery. I’m gassed up about what is coming down in 2009 – I think it will be a good year. But win, lose or brick, YFWB will be here to cover it all. No prediction needed – take that to the bank, son.

Tags: 2008, Year In Review