Songs of the Year: 2011

So I peeped the homie Eljay going on a slew of end-of-year posts on his site, including multiple posts on the top songs of the year. I decided to do my own. Because I bite styles like that and then do it better. Just kidding. Kinda. lol. Anywayyy...check out the songs I think were top hard hitters of 2011 below (in no particular order). Keep in mind that these are my personal favorites. Songs that were on constant rotation on my iPod. Enjoy!

Niggas in Paris - The Throne

Y'all know I had to put this on the top 5! Unless you live under a rock in a secluded area somewhere in Wyoming (no diss to Wyomingans), you've probably heard this song a bajillion times. I'll be honest, on my first listen through Watch The Throne, this one caught my ear the most. The beat goes hard. A true embodiment of hypeness, this song will pump you up for any activity you are about to attempt. Pause. I'm almost tired of this song. Almost. But for now, this shit cray!

Bonfire - Childish Gambino

So, so, so many quotables in this one (My favorite is: "made the beat then murdered it, Casey Anthony."). It still baffles me that this is the same guy known as Donald Glover. Who woulda thunk it? Anyway, Gambino goes off again. The aggressive flow, the clever wordplay and the eerie video (as you can see above) all add to the dopeness of this joint. Gambino is a problem, guys. Don't sleep.

Return of Simba - J.Cole

This was my summer anthem. I blasted this in LA and in the Chi every single day for at least four months. J.Cole continued his Simba series with this banger. No chorus, no typical song setup. Just a straight up slaughter of the beat. Speaking of the beat, it's amazing. Makes me wanna climb a mountain and relieve everyone's pain while climbing haha. Jermaine proved with this song that he is a force to be reckoned with. And although his debut album wasn't AMAZING, it definitely lived up to the hype. If you need a song with a defiant vibe, this is for you.

The Kick - XV

I was going to make this joint the Song of the Week for this week, but I figured it would be a better fit in my Songs of the Year post. This XV joint is truly an inspirational song to me. The Inception sample used in the beat sets up for what turns out to be a somber and mellow, yet valiant song. Vizzy flexes his lyrical talent while touching on a personal topic. It gives me the feeling of wanting to get away. Just sitting back, waiting for the kick..

The Other Side - The Roots (ft. Bilal, Greg Porn)

Bet you didn't expect this one huh? Yes, I know it was released late 2011 but I love this song. This year was all about the vibe of songs to be rather than just pure lyricism. This song closes the year well. A simple, piano-laced beat is intertwined with a soulful chorus and old school style verses. The Roots did it again. If this doesn't make you wanna buy Undun, I have nothing more to say to you.

There ya have it. My top 5 of 2011. Once again, keep in mind that these are my personal favorites. They definitely do not include other songs that deserve great praise for being truly amazing hip hop songs. My last word to you is to find your own voice in music. Make your own top songs list and share it with me in the comments, on Twitter, or anywhere else. Happy Holiday Season, folks.