The Very Best of Ludacris

Earlier on today CJ Beatz did a Ludacris vs. Snoop Dogg mix on Radio 1Xtra, and it made me realise that I hadn't done a TVBO for the Atlanta-born rapper. Granted his last two albums have been pretty damn disappointing (no songs off the latest album made it onto this tracklist), but over the past 11 years Luda has established himself as one of the most talented and unique artists to come out of the Southern rap scene. Although he isn't the greatest lyricist in the world (still very good), what he does have is an incredible voice and flow, and a knack of selecting a flawless line-up of producers which allows him to create the most raw sounding Southern Hip-Hop possible. One thing that he also does is produce great concept albums, which is something that not enough rappers do in this day and age. Hit the jump for the tracklist and download link.

"LUDA!"

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The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield (1970-1977)

With the anniversary of his classic album 'Curtis' fast approaching, what better a time to pay tribute to one of the greatest Soul singers of all-time. Throughout his career, which lasted nearly 30 years, Curtis released 17 studio albums and became one of the most highly respected men in music - he played a pivotal role in Soul music as a whole and has influenced countless musicians and politicians along the way. Soul music isn't the only genre he has influenced though, which is clearly evident when listening to modern day music, with his material becoming some of the most heavily sampled in Hip-Hop history (if you don't believe me, then you need to go HERE). There are many artists who you could label as the Godfather of Soul, and most of them probably deserve it, but Curtis is without doubt one of the originals and the quality of his discography speaks for itself. Hit the jump for tracklist and download link. Oh yeah, and for those who are new to this series, you can check out the rest of the entries HERE.

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The Very Best of Gil Scott-Heron

Yesterday another legend passed. Aged 62, Gil Scott-Heron was a musician, poet and author who has been a pioneer of Spoken Word, Hip-Hop and Soul for the the past 40 years. He was one of music's most charismatic personalities and inspired many people through his unique talent to tell stories in a way that no-one else could. During the late 60s and early 70s in particular his role was crucial, as black poets were the news-givers, ­because their stories were not covered in truth in the mainstream media. Through doing this many people believe that he is the Godfather of rap; with albums such as 'Pieces Of A Man', Gil Scott-Heron took soul/funk/spoken word to a whole new level and pretty much single-handedly created Hip-Hop as we know it today. Check the tracklist and grab the download link below - you will probably recognise most songs from some of your favourite Hip-Hop tracks of all-time. A genius, who will be sorely missed.

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The Very Best of Nate Dogg (R.I.P)

On Tuesday 15th March 2011 we sadly lost a man who many called ‘King of the Hooks’; however, for me, he was so much more than that. Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, better known as Nate Dogg, is one of the most talented singing rappers the world has ever seen and it’s a shame that it’s taken his death to make many people in this country stand up and realise how much of genius he was. People also seem to forget that he featured in and contributed to over 40+ chart singles throughout his career - not many artists can say that. So yeah, as soon as I heard the news, I felt the need to do a special Very Best Of to celebrate the impact that his music had on us all. After the jump you will find the tracklist and a download link for 40 tracks of Nate’s greatest singles, albums tracks & features. Please enjoy paying tribute to one of the OG’s.

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The Very Best Of Wu-Tang Clan (Solo Edition)

Together they are known as the Wu-Tang Clan, but on their own; RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard have all released a ridiculous amount of quality solo material over the past 20 years. Method Man is my favourite member of Wu-Tang, but it’s Ghostface who has been the most consistent when it comes to solo releases; however I believe it’s Raekwon & GZA who have had the two best albums, OB4CL & Liquid Swords, and go down as two Hip-Hop classics for me. I haven’t got much else to say that wasn’t said HERE in the groups Very Best Of, so all I have to say is thank you for the continued support and I hope you all enjoy this. Tracklist and download link are after the jump.

Wu-Tang Forever.

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The Very Best of Dilla

So here it is; the very last Best Of, which for me is the best by far and means the most by quite a long way. James Yancey, aka J Dilla, is a Hip-Hop Producer/MC from Detroit who passed away in 2006 after suffering from a rare blood disease called TTP. After emerging from the underground Hip-Hop scene in the mid-1990’s he went on to work with some of the greatest artists within the genre and was behind some of the best material to be released in the past 15 years. His forward thinking production style, unique sampling technique and enchanting drums made for the most exceptional sound and allowed him stand out from every other producer out there. He was the producer/exec. producer on Like Water For Chocolate, Beats Rhymes & Life and Fantastic Vol 2, which are my 3 favourite Hip-Hop albums of all time - this says a lot about his influence. Some people will think that 100 tracks is over the top or too much, but it’s the only way to appreciate his genius and is just a sample of the 642 Dilla songs that I have in my iTunes. Throughout the past 6 years I have purchased about 80% of his work and am proud of the collection I have acquired for the musician who means more to me than any other ever has or ever will. In this Best Of there is solo work, production, features and tributes, which should all make for one of the most enjoyable listens in your entire life. I love this man so much and cannot explain how much I miss him. His music changed my life. I would like to thank everyone that has supported this series and I hope you have all enjoyed listening to them as much as I’ve enjoyed putting them together. Much love to each and every one of you. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

R.I.P. Jay Dee x

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The Very Best of Michael Jackson

Here is the penultimate Best Of, which is going to pay tribute to my favourite artist of all time. Michael Jackson is by far and away the most famous musician the world has ever seen and the impact his music has had on my life and millions of others is second to none. Although he had some massive problems in his personal life; nobody can deny the amount of natural talent this man had and the fact that he single handedly created the modern day music video and changed the world of music, for the better. As a child I remember my mum and dad playing his music constantly and I am pretty sure I will be doing the same thing when I have children of my own. He created timeless music that was years ahead of its time and for me personally, Thriller and Off The Wall are the two best albums of all time and will probably never be bettered. One thing that is guaranteed though: there will never be another Michael Jackson. He always had a positive message and tried to make the world a better place through the power of music. I miss him so much. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Final: Dilla.

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The Very Best of KanYe West

So here is the first of the final 3 Best Of’s from myself. There are a few other artists I would have liked to of covered, but other things are more important now that I am back at University - plus these 3 will definitely make up for it. Since hearing The College Dropout back in 2004 I have been KanYe’s biggest fan and it’s safe to say it’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride. He completely changed my view on Hip-Hop and music in general when I was 14 with his unique sampling style and ingenious wordplay, which has gradually made him my favourite Rapper/Producer of all time. Granted he has said some ridiculous things over the past few years, but you have to take them with a pinch of salt and appreciate a master at work. I wasn’t a massive fan off 808s (although I understand why he did it), but The College Dropout, Late Registration and Graduation are 3 of my favourite albums of all time and whether you like him or not; nobody can deny the impact they have had on the world of music. I was lucky enough to be a Moderator on his official forum (KanYeLive) for a year and have seen him live 5 times now, which has allowed me to see and meet some of the most passionate music lovers around. KanYe is one of the most important people in my life and if it wasn’t for him then I wouldn’t be writing this blog or listening to half of the music I do now. He is simply a modern day genius and will go down in history as one of the most influential and iconic artists our generation. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Next: Michael Jackson.

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The Very Best of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Today is the turn of one of the most influential and under-rated duos in Hip-Hop history; DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Granted that Will Smith isn’t the best rapper in the world and doesn’t write all his own rhymes, but his flow, voice and general persona make up for that and he is always going to be one of the coolest men in the world. Jeff is my favourite DJ ever and one of the most unique/forward thinking producers of our generation. Together they released some classic material from 1987-1993 and then parted ways before releasing 6 albums between them as solo artists - 4 of which I still listen to regularly and regard as some of my favourite albums. Jeff’s two solo efforts are two of the best Hip-Hop albums I’ve ever heard. Most people seem to know them for their roles in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and forget about the music they’ve made together. Here is your chance to remember two all-time greats. tracklist and download link after the jump.

Next: Final 3.

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The Very Best of Maxwell, Raphael Saadiq & Bilal

Today is a special Best Of, which pays tribute to 3 of my favourite male vocalists of all time. Throughout their careers they have all been compared to/mistaken for women, which tells you a lot about the type of voices they have. They all have flawless discography’s and albums such as Instant Vintage, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite and 1st Born Second are some of the best I’ve ever heard, from any genre. These men are the modern day equivalents of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye & Al Green - they make soul music that comes straight from the heart, which is very rare for a lot of artists these days. This year; Bilal has had the best R&B album of the year. Last year; Maxwell had the best R&B album of the year. The year before that; Raphael Saadiq had the best R&B album of the year. That alone says a lot about the quality of their music and the impact they have all had on my life. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Next: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.

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The Very Best of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Perfect time to do this, due to their surprise return last week when they remixed a track off the latest album from John Legend & The Roots - hopefully that isn’t a one off project. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth are one of the most iconic Hip-Hop duos of all time and played a huge part in pushing the genre forward during the early 90’s. Pete’s unique sampling style along with C.L.’s laid back flow and clever rhyming scheme allowed them to create one of the most distinctive sounds in Hip-Hop. Very disappointing that they only ever did two albums together, in the past 15 years, Pete has gone onto have an incredibly successful solo career with his two Soul Survivor albums and producing for some of the greatest rappers of all time. 1994 seems a very long time ago now and I’m hoping for them to get it together and give us some new material as Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth. They reminisce over you. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Next: Maxwell, Raphael Saadiq & Bilal.

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The Very Best of Slick Rick

Here is a Best Of that I’ve been looking forward to doing for a very long time. For as long as I can remember; Slick Rick has always been one of my favourite rappers, even though he hasn’t released anything for 11 years now. His unmistakable voice and incredible storytelling skills make him one of THE most unique Hip-Hop figures to walk the earth. All four of his albums are completely different to anything I’ve ever heard from any other artist and The Art Of Storytelling is one of my favourite albums ever. It was great to hear him on The Ecstatic last year, but I think it’s time we heard some new material from the man himself - sooner, rather than later. If I could have two musical wishes for 2011; they would be to have new albums from D’Angelo and Slick Rick - that would make me a very happy man. Hopefully you will enjoy this tribute to one of the greatest rappers we’ve ever seen. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Next: Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

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The Very Best of Talib Kweli

Today I’m going to pay tribute to one of the most under-rated and influential Hip-Hop artists of the past 15 years. Talib’s solo work along with his stuff with Hi-Tek and Mos Def is incredibly unique and is seen as some of the greatest material of all time by many of the genre’s major players. He has been behind some of my favourite music videos and his discography is a very strong one, which not enough people know about. Unfortunately now I’m back at Uni I can’t guarantee a Best Of every day, so I will just do them as frequent as possible.

Next: Slick Rick.

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The Very Best of Little Brother

Last week it was The Foreign Exchange, but this week I will be paying tribute to one of the most influential Hip-Hop groups of the past 10 years. Phonte & Rapper Big Pooh are two of my favourite MC’s of all time and 9th Wonder is one of the greatest producers to ever walk the earth - together they are (were) known as Little Brother. Although the past few years have become rather sour and hard for LB fans to stomach; there is no getting away from the quality music they have blessed us with ever since releasing The Listening back in 2003. With the uniqueness of 9th’s drums and two effortless/flawless flows; the sound that these three men created was simply beautiful and a breath of fresh air to the genre. Their three latest efforts have been sprinkled with a few gems; however it’s The Minstrel Show and The Listening that will go down in history as two of the best albums of the 21st Century. Really wish they were still together and making music; however I’m sure all 3 of them will continue to have successful careers doing their own thing. I really hope so anyway. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Weekend: Break.
Monday: Talib Kweli.

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The Very Best of The Notorious B.I.G. & 2Pac

Now I was gonna do two separate posts for this, but then decided it would be better to do it as one considering their work is usually compared and appreciated together. I probably should have done it two days ago on Pac’s 14th anniversary, however I don’t think it should matter when you pay tribute to two of the most important Hip-Hop figures of all time. Although they were both gone too soon and didn’t get the opportunity to release as much material as they should have done; the albums they did release have gone down in history as some of the greatest to ever be made. Everyone has a favourite, but both had an equal impact on the genre itself and Hip-Hop culture would not be what it is now if either of them hadn’t been around at such an important time. I tried to not put many songs in from their posthumous albums, because that’s not what I believe they should be remembered for. Ready to Die and Me Against The World are two of the most iconic and revolutionary albums I’ve ever heard and are both pieces of music that I still listen to regularly. I miss these two. Tracklist and download link after the jump.

Tomorrow: Little Brother.

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