Best Hip Hop of 07

My more committed BTA brethren have promptly contributed great selections of 2007's best, with one category left largely untouched: Hip Hop in '07. If we are talking the best, all aspects considered, then the self-proclaimed best rapper alive is king. Neither Kanye, nor Common, T.I., or anybody else could even touch Weezy F. Baby this past year, which he so eloquently articulates by saying "I'm so motherfucking high I can eat a star." Better yet, "Understand I am Michael Jordan ballin'." Bold, yes...from anybody else these bars would sound plain horrible, ignorant even. But he's not bullshitting you, because when your 2007 mixtape record reads like the following:

Bad Ass Grasshopper, The Beast and The Hustla, The Best Rapper Alive, The Best Rapper Alive Vol. 2, The Best Rapper Alive Vol. 3, The Best Rapper Alive Vol. 4, The Best Rapper Alive Vol. 5, Carter Files, Carter vs. Carter, The Carter Meets The Cartel, Da Drought 3, The Drought Is Over Pt. 2, The Drought Is Over Pt. 3, The Drought Is Over Pt. 4, From 9/11 to Katrina Vol. 1, Jackin for Beats, Lil' Wayne vs. Weezy F. Baby, Lyrical Homicide Pt. 1, Lyrical Homicide Pt. 2, New Orleans Nightmare Pt. 1-7, R & Weezy, The Rapper Eater, SQ7, Wayne's World Part 3, Wayne's World Vol. 2, Where's My Crown At? Vol. 3, Young Money (The Best of Lil' Wayne), Young Money Millionaire, Young Money Millionaire Pt. 2, Young Money Millionaire Pt. 3, Young Money Millionaire Pt. 4

...and you are, like Wallace and Carter before you, known for writing nothing...and your freestyles are limitless...and Pitchfork digs you as much as those in any hood...and you came out with "Upgrade," which contains:

It's a new game and I'm the coach like Avery
Leave it to the flow we getting dough like a bakery
I don't really want to but these niggas makin' me
Put a motherfucker on ice like the Maple Leafs
That's a hockey team and I ain't on no hockey team
But I'm a champion, where's the fuckin Rocky Theme
Damn...rest in peace Apollo Creed
I'm a monster. Everyday is Halloween

...then you win. The most notable Toronto sports reference in hip hop history comes courtesy of the New Orleans quote machine, go figure. The Carter III reportedly drops February 15, 2008.

Lil' Wayne - Upgrade

Enough praise for one talent, check out also some other standout tracks of 2007, a short list the BTA writers will pad as needed (minus Soulja Boy, which yes, was fun, bet let's move on). Paper Planes is on everybody's radar, rightly so...how about the remix with Bun B and Rich Boy?

M.I.A. - Paper Planes feat. Bun B & Rich Boy
El-P - Dear Sirs
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
UGK feat. Outkast - International Players

- B.A.