Edd’s MANtra: The Top 10 Albums of 2009, Part 2

Let’s go!


5. Cam’ron, Crime Pays

You know how I give you guys and gals a hard time for enjoying bottom-feeders like Hurricane Chris and Gucci Mane? Well, Cam’ron is my Gucci Mane. Except Cam has talent.


Look beyond the goofy slang and bizarre wardrobe and you’ll get a glimpse of his true talent. No track better illustrates this than “My Job,” 2009’s working-class anthem: “I woke up late, didn’t even have a shower/Lunch break? Give me a break, a d*** half an hour/all this bulls*** for 12 bucks an hour?/plug me to Chuck D, wanna Fight the Powers.” Who can’t relate to that?


But my favorite song of all of 2009 has to be “Get It In Ohio” – simply put, a braggadocios East Coast rap over an intimidating beat. Y’all know I like my rappers middle-aged and bitter. Now it wouldn’t be a Cam’Ron album without its share of coonery (the final track is so horrendous I won’t even name it here) but when Cam is focused, he’s one of the best. Too bad it doesn’t happen very often.


Check out: “My Job,” the hilarious “Woo Hoo”


4. Clipse, Til The Casket Drops

I always do my best to judge an album on its own merits. Sadly, most people who have reviewed Til The Casket Drops haven’t followed that advice. The most frequent comment I see about the Clipse’s third set is “it ain’t as good as their last albums.” Yes, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t excellent in its own right.


No, “Kinda Like A Big Deal” was no “Grindin,” but it was just as solid thanks to the Thornton brothers’ always impeccable lyrics and a noteworthy verse from 2009’s favorite punching bag, Kanye West. “I’m Good,” with Pharrell and his high-pitch warbling, doesn’t match “Wamp Wamp,” but that didn’t stop it from being my anthem this summer. I’ll admit that this album was oddly glossy and upbeat compared to their previous efforts but that’s OK – one can’t live in the past forever.


Check out: “I’m Good,” “Counseling”

2009 could be labeled the year of the comeback. Eminem did it, Maxwell did it, Cam’ron did it, and yes, Meth & Red pulled it off too. If they failed, no one would have been shocked – both were thought to be in the twilight of their years, with albums nearly a decade old being their main claim to fame. Oh, but they proved there was still gas in the tank. And knowing those two, probably lots of weed, too.


The sequel to 1999’s critically acclaimed Blackout!, BO2 features the duo doing what they do best – weaving tales that are as intricate as they are insane. These dudes are all about having a good time. Even when they venture out of their comfort zone, like flirting with auto-tune on “Hey Zulu” or getting crunk with Bun B on “City Lights,” everything clicks.


For most of 2009, this was my album of the year, before it was recently overthrown.


Check out: “A-Yo,” “Father’s Day”


2. Alicia Keys, The Element of Freedom

My review


The last album I purchased in 2009 wound up being one of the year’s best. As I said in my review, this album was all about pain, and her pain became our pleasure. But this album is great not because hearing someone’s trouble makes us feel better – no, it’s the risks she takes that take this set to another level.


You’ll barely recognize her vocals on “This Bed” and “Love Is Blind,” but the twist gives us new insight into themes we’ve heard a hundred times before. “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart” certainly doesn’t sound like an A. Keys track, but she makes it her own – tough to do when she could have been easily lost in the beat. She even breaks down Jay-Z’s played out “Empire State of Mind” to freshen things up.


Only a couple of missteps (that Beyonce song…ugh) kept this album from first place. That honor goes to…



1. Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part 2

Take everything I said about comebacks in the Method Man & Redman section and multiply that by 1,000. Even though I’m a pretty big Wu-Tang Clan fan, I had sadly written off Raekwon as a one-hit wonder. His 1995 album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, was revolutionary, and even though in later years he had a decent verse here and there, he never came close to regaining his initial success.


But then a funny thing started happening this year. Slowly Rae’s songs were being leaked online and they were good. REALLY good. Anticipation built for the Cuban Linx sequel, but I remained skeptical (shocking, I know). But when the album hit, it was like the summer 1995 all over again.


Gone were Rae’s stilted raps of the late 90s – he returned to form with the most complete rap album to hit the streets in a long time. Cuban Linx 2 has it all – stellar storytelling (“Fat Lady Sings”), posse cuts (“House of Flying Daggers”), razor-sharp lyrics (“Surgical Gloves”) and even a heartfelt tribute to the fallen ODB (“Ason Jones”). A must for rap fans.


Check out: The entire album!