And just like that, 2013 is half over. In short, it was an incredible six months of music, and as I do around here, I’ve decided to round up all my favorite songs of the last six months. Instead of putting them all out at once, I’ve decided to group them in five groups of ten(ish), and roll them out one-by-one this week and next. For all of our sakes, I’m going to keep my write ups short and sweet.
Our first group is basically the stragglers. They didn’t really fit into any of the rest of the categories, but they were too good not to write about.
Lil Snupe
“Melo”
804 R.N.I.C. (self-released)
Jonesboro, LA
We start this countdown on a tragic note. In the early hours of June 20th, Meek Mill-protégé Addarren “Lil Snupe” Ross was gunned down in Winnfield, LA. He was only 18 years old. While the passing of any 18 year-old is a tragedy, Ross seemed to have the world at his fingertips. After signing with Meek Mill’s Dream Chaser label, Snupe seemed ready to breakthrough. His debut mixtape, 804 R.N.I.C, showed his incredible promise as a lyricist and a storyteller, harking back to Louisiana’s rich hip-hop history. “Melo” serves as both an example of his tremendous potential that will never get to be fulfilled and a chilling window into the grim reality the fresh-faced teenager spent most of his life, and ultimately death, in. Terribly sad. RIP.
Jens Lekman
“Olivia and Maddy”
Digital Single
Gothenburg, SWE
Though he’s put out three exquisite albums (one of which was my favorite album of last year), Jens Lekman is really at his best on little one-off singles like this. Released just after Hurricane Sandy hit New York, he tells a beautiful little story about a simple act of kindess from two friends. This is just about perfect.
Ace Hood
“Bugatti” (f/ Future, Rick Ross)
Trials & Tribulations (We The Best, YMCMB)
Port St. Lucie, FL
Mike WiLL Made It and Future are usually a pretty formidable combo, especially when you throw in the ever-menacing Rick Ross. And while the beat is insane and the hook is immense, the 25 year-old Ace Hood is actually the unexpected star of the show, lacing his ravenous, loquacious flow over WiLL’s menacing synths and Future’s affected crooning. The result is one of the best rap songs of the year so far. TURNUP, k thx.
