As we enter the year 2007, we must take a moment to reflect on 2006. And what better way to do that than get our entire staff together to select our favorites of the past year. Yeah…many of you will bitch, moan and complain but isn’t what these lists are for? We don’t expect you bastards to agree with us all the time. We even tossed in a readers choice award and I’m sure some of you won’t be happy with those results either. At any rate, take a look at the First Annual DX Awards and see if our views fall in line with yours. Piss and moan (or do the unthinkable and give us props!) about it in the comments. Hopefully we’ll get it right in 2007.
THE 2006 HIP HOP AWARDs & WINNER’s NOMINEES
EMCEE OF THE YEAR
LUPE FIASCO
The young Chicago native displayed a mind-bending set of skills that we rarely ever see. His brilliant narratives and concepts are delivered with flawless dexterity, a liquid flow and absolutely remarkable rhyme schemes. The scary things is, he is just getting started.
AD LOADING...
Nominees:
- Jay-Z
- Nas
- Ghostface Killah
READER’s CHOICE EMCEE OF THE YEAR
LUPE FIASCO
Our loyal reader’s have made up their minds and took the time to vote on their choice for the Emcee of the Year. What do you know? Lupe, again. There’s no coincidence here people.
AD LOADING...
Nominees:
- Nas
- Snoop Dogg
- T.I.
VERSE OF THE YEAR
R.A. the Rugged Man
AD LOADING...
on Jedi Mind Tricks � Uncommon Valor from Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell
RA’s first person account of a Vietnam soldier during and after the war was not just incredible for his poignant storytelling on such a unique subject in hip-hop, but for his ridiculous delivery over the 2 plus minute verse. Download HERE.
Nominees:
- Jay-Z’s verse of The Prelude from Kingdom Come
- Phonte’s verse on The Boondock Saints from DJ Drama’s Separate but Equal
- Lupe Fiasco’s 3rd verse on Hurt Me Soul from Food & Liquor
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
will.i.am
He may be best known as the frontman for the now corny hip-pop Black Eyed Peas, but will.i.am‘s production talents cannot be denied. He came into his own this year proving to be one of music’s most versatile producers, lacing everything from soul ballads from John Legend to rock hard street anthems on both coasts for Nas and Game.
Nominees:
- J. Dilla
- Dr. Dre
- Just Blaze
MOVIE OF THE YEAR
BORAT
Kazakhstan’s premier reporter delivered a full length feature every bit as side splitting his weekly skits on Da Ali G Show. Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat traveled America, demanded gypsy tears, pursued a romance explosion on Pamela Anderson, escaped shape shifting Jews and won a naked wrestling match with a fat man.
Nominees:
- The Departed
- Inside Man
- Clerks 2
NON HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
Danger Mouse continued his genre-defying pop smashes alongside the equally quirky Cee-Lo Green. The surprise hit of the year made history with Crazy being a number one single on downloads alone and broke the “first week numbers” industry rule and actually sold more units as the weeks progressed. But fuck all that, the album was dope as hell.
Nominees:
- J. Dilla –Donuts
- John Legend –Once Again
- John Mayer –Continuum
Worst Album of the Year
Dem Franchize Boyz – On Top of Our Game
Sadly there seems to be more and more candidates for this award every year. I’m sure some 13 year old in his mom’s basement made a shittier album but no one with any sort of an audience made an album as pitiful as DFBz and their affinity for white tees.
Runners Up
Diddy � Press Play
Jibbs � Featuring Jibbs
Pharrell� In My Mind
Worst Trend of the Year
Snap Music
No matter what region it comes from, snap music is just a god awful trend that sucked a little more life out of hip-hop’s rotting corpse. Thankfully it seemed to be dying down by the end of the year, lets hope it continues the way of the dodo. One thing is for sure, calling that music, is a stretch.
Runners Up
Chicken Noodle Soup Dance
Spongebob Back Packs
Ghostride the Whip
Story of the Year
Dilla’s Passing
As the expression goes; the good die young. James “J Dilla” Yancey is not only regarded as one of hip-hop’s all time great producers, but an incredible human being. Dilla lost his fight with lupus, but true to form he was with his true love to the end; making beats from his hospital bed. R.I.P.
Runners Up
Jay‘s comeback
Nas signing with Def Jam
Baby & Lil Wayne kissing
Album of the Year
Lupe Fiasco � Food & Liquor
Whether or not you preferred the leaked version, the official Food & Liquor was still 2006’s finest LP. Backed by production from The Neptunes, Kanye West and newcomers Soundtrakk and Prolyfic, Lupe delivered a classic debut for the ages.
Runners Up
Nas � Hip Hop is Dead
Soul Position � Thing Go Better With RJ & Al
Jay-Z � Kingdom Come
Reader’s Choice Album of the Year
Nas � Hip Hop is Dead
Once again, polling our loyal readers. We gave you the chance to vote for your choice of album of the year. Nasir Jones came out on top.
Runners Up
Lupe Fiasco � Food & Liquor
The Game � Doctor’s Advocate
Jay-Z � Kingdom Come
10 The Hard Way
You’ve got 10 songs to remember 2006 by, no sneaking in 11 or 12, just 10. What would you pick from the dozens of incredible songs made this year? The guns to our head, here’s the picks:
Nas � Black Republican f. Jay-Z
Gnarls Barkley � Smiley Faces
Jay-Z � Oh My God
Snoop Dogg � Imagine f. Dr. Dre and D’Angelo
Lupe Fiasco � Hurt Me Soul
Ghostface Killah � Be Easy
Soul Position � Hand Me Downs
Outkast � Hollywood Divorce f. Lil’ Wayne and Snoop Dogg
Hi-Tek � Music For Life f. Nas, Common, J Dilla and Busta Rhymes
Killer Mike � That’s Life
For a little more of what we liked, download the HipHopDX 60 of 06 iMix at the iTunes store. We only picked one song per album so some of the year’s best songs didn’t make the cut in favor of a superior song on the album (see: Lupe – Daydreamin’). And sadly, some of our favorite songs aren’t available on iTunes, such as AZ‘s The Format or Killer Mike‘s aforementioned track. We’re gonna be bringing y’all monthly iMixes in 2007, so be on the lookout!
R.I.P. List
As good of a year 2006 was, you can’t enjoy the happiness without the pain. We lost a number of great people this year. May you all rest in peace.
Dilla
Proof
Gerald Levert
James Brown
