The Top 10 Most Popular Hip Hop Singles The Week Of 10/17/2011

Thanks to the internet, the musical attention span has dropped significantly. We watch this happen every week, as singles top the charts on HipHopDX, then seven days later they’re gone. This shock came this week with Jay Electronica. Last week (October 10th), Jay Elec started the week with Mobb Deep on “Call Of Duty: MW3.” The video-game titled track was unexpectedly released by the Roc Nation stalwart, as he was previously M.I.A. While the cut didn’t top the chart, it did arrive at #2 last week, only beaten by Nas and Rick Ross’ “It’s a Tower Heist” (that track still made it this week at #8). It just goes to show you how fast songs leave our ears. That being said, we have a whole new batch of tracks this week that will hopefully continue their replay value into the next.

T.I. Returns From Prison and Keeps On Recording, Drake Doubles Up

Ever since Tip left the clink, he’s been on a rampage with tracks. The rapper/actor/and now author has been popping up everywhere. With remixes (Future’s “Magic” and 2Chainz’ “Spend It” ) and collaborations (Young Jeezy’s “F.A.M.E.,” and “I’m Flexin'” with Big K.R.I.T.) under his belt, it’s clear that T.I. hasn’t stopped working from the moment he left jail. This week we’re greeted by two chart-busting tracks – “Here Ye, Here Ye” with Pharrell (in at #1), and a remix to “N***as In Paris” (in at #2). On the former, it seems like Skateboard P is grabbing the reigns, rapping with some ferocity that escapes his Neptunes/N.E.R.D. comfort zone. On the latter – despite T.I. adding a verse and it not being a “formal” remix – Tip’s guest spot transforms the cut into a remix reminiscent of “Swagger Like Us” and that’s a very good thing. Here’s to second chances. Or second appearances. Drake shows up again this week at #5 with his Nicki Minaj collab “Make Me Proud.” Then last night, another Take Care track leaked, “The Real Her” with Lil Wayne, and jumped right to #6. The track is pretty R&B-esque, but it sounds like Drake loves that territory sometimes.

The Roots Come UNDUN While Lupe Fiasco Channels Ellie Goulding

On December 6th, the legendary Roots crew will deliver their first ever concept album UNDUN. Since becoming part of the in-house band for “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” the Grammy-Award winning group has dropped two albums: How I Got Over and Wake Up! with John Legend. This week we got our first glimpse into the project with the Big K.R.I.T.-assisted “Make My” at #3 on the list. The song lives up to the rep of The Roots, and only makes December 6th feel like years away. Lupe Fiasco dropped a track during the second half of the week, and it quickly made its way up the ranks to #4. The song is called “Lightwork” and was hinted at by Lupe a few days prior via Twitter. The track samples UK songstress Ellie Goulding’s (remember her from Tinie Tempah’s “Wonderman” ) song “Lights,” the Bassnectar remix. While Lupe’s track leans heavily on Bassnectar’s production, Ellie’s vocals are retained for the opening and the closing of the song. The song slightly slips Lupe out of his element, but after “Words I Never Said” with Skylar Grey, anything is possible in the world of Mr. Fiasco.