I’m not one for new year’s resolutions simply because the changes I want to see in my life usually takes much more work than I can fit into a resolution. The change I seek requires blood, sweat and tears (as they should). I'm talking that violent revolutionary, bloody delivery room new birth type change.

That said there’s a lot to look forward to in 2008. New job, new classes, and shit I can't even began to imagine. So here's to taking it one day at a time.

As for '07:

My favorites:


Albums (those I've listened to most this year):


Brother Ali's "The Undisputed Truth:" This dude is hands down one of the best in the game.



Blu's "Below the Heavens:" During the week of Ye vs. 50 I kept postponing my trip to Best Buy to pick-up Ye's album. In the meantime I stumbled upon this album- I never made it to BestBuy. This was in deed a plesant surprise from a So Cali native.



Honorable Mention: Little Brother's "Get Back:" LB released a banger despite 9th Wonder leaving the group. I enjoy albums that only feature one producer (Examples: both of my top pics for the year and any of of Outkast first three albums). It feels like you're listening to a whole experience as opposed to the songs with the Kanye West or Just Blaze beat. I'd imagine the whole experience of making an album is different when you have the artist and producer grinding it out together, instead of a producer sending an artist a bunch of different tracks for him to pick from like a box of Sees candy. Despite 9th's abscense LB managed to release an album that sounded as if it was produced by one person. Get Back knocked like an old LB album, but was definitely a step up for the group.



Verses
Andre 3000's verse in "Da Art of Storytellin part 4:"

This gem was featured on DJ Drama's Gangsta GrillzMixtape Album.

The album was supposed to be Drama's first official release, but it was really just a bunch of the same "slang dope, cock back, and I'a fuck yo ho type shit." The song put the rest of the album to shame... and not just because it was on the positive tip, but Andre's verse is straight literature. The stuff books are made of. His verse almost made me go out and buy the album (In retrospect, maybe I will purchase the one song on Itunes just to support). Listen:



The way Pharrell flipped the chorus from an old Envogue song “Blue Magic.” Definitely one of my favorites this year.



TV Shows
Boondocksis like the Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park rolled up in a strawberry SwisherSweet. It points at the elephant in the room and leaves it at that, making it both hilarious and poignant... and the soundtrack is sick too!

Cane Jimmy Smits has been around a long time. I know I know him from an old show I used to watch with my grandmother, but can't remember the name. But I've heard his name echo throughout my life, and watching this show I can see why. Dude is on point. I vote for Smits Alex Vega as gangster of the year over Denzel Washington's Frank Lucas.

Dexter Michael C. Hall was cool in Six Feet Under and KILLS it in this.

Honorable Metion: Kim Kardashian’s sex tape (the second version) and her Playboy spread too (sorry no link)


Shoes
Air Jordan Beginning Moments Package I pulled an all nighter to get my hands on a pair of these (shout out to Almon). I'd never do the same for another pair of shoes. The young bucks have blown this shoe thing way out of proportion. Teenagers had there mom's outside in the middle of the night. I couldn't get my mom to buy the shoes, let alone wait outside at 3am for them.

Vanilla Ice Nike SB Blazer: Copped these relatively easily. One of my favorites for the red and the stars going dow the heel. sick.


Gadgets
Ipod Touch
Guitar Hero

Movies
Grindhouse
Eastern Promises (another Gangster flick better than American Gangster)

Websites
Allhiphop for out doing the Source and XXL with in format and content.

Google Blog Search
for leading me to a download link of just about any album I looked for.
Davey Dis always on point. Although the content update slowed down during the second half of the year dudes analysis and POV is one of a kind

Perez Hilton for being a guilty pleasure. Anytime I visit this site, I know I have too much time on my hands.

Tragedies

Number one has got to be George Busheverybody in DC.

LAPD and City of Los Angeles

FCC
for reminding us that C.R.E.A.M. and the internet is our last hope for real news.

American Gangster—it just really wasn’t that great. I was expecting Frank Lucas to replace Tony Montana as hiphops new crash and burn gangster.

Kanye West- It was cool to hear he finally graduated, but College Dropout is his best in my opinion. In an interview he said he wanted Graduation to be an stadium album, something he could perform in front of large crowds. He basically made an album he could scream at us, where College Dropout he was talking to us.
OJ for not doing like Michael Jackson and just leaving the country
Britney Spears losing/ giving away her kids

Jim Jones—is he even a rapper? “Baallin.” I hated that shit. Props on leveraging the shine, but I’m not buying it (and wouldn’t download it)

50 Cent’s “Curtis” it was a remixed version of “Get Rich or Die Tryin...” same old shit with songs featuring 2008’s hitmakers

Tookie Williams—His execution was a reminder that either rehabilitation isn’t the purpose of prison, or stakes is high when it comes to politics- If the Governator had kept him alive there’d be a lot of angry white people in Cali.

TI or TIP—he strikes me as a genuine dude. I didn’t even listen to the last album, but I was rooting for him. Let’s hope he gets to stay at home with his kids and learns his lesson.

Dog the Bounty Hunter’s son- for selling his dad out for 15k.

Pimp C, dude just seemed to drop dead at 34 years of age.


To 2008 and being our best... I leave you with this: