DJ Stylus – The Vibe Conductor

It’s not categorized. I only mention albums in passing. It’s not even comprehensive. So much music is released that I can only fully assimilate a trickle of it. These are just ten eleven* joints I liked a lot, played a lot or both. But here’s where my expert concierge service comes in. Every track on this list will touch your soul in some way. Quality always wins over quantity. You can consult your favorite publications and blogs for those massive lists that attempt to be everything to everyone. Some of them are very good. This is just a small slice of 2011 music according to The Vibe Conductor. You can review past years if you’re curious. And now, the joints:

*Nas – “Nasty”

After I posted this, I was reminded that I left off a song I raved about in 2011. That’s because I created this list in hasty, sleep deprived fashion. This correction is a good thing mainly because I noticed that my 2011 list had fewer anthems that made me want to kick strangers in the chest. I’m not always in my subtle, soulful, sexy lane. While Nas isn’t saying anything profound on this track, he’s just saying it profoundly. And the beat is everything that’s good and just in hip-hop. I was never one of the whiners who wished Nasty Nas would return. I just resolved myself to not expecting much from him, but when he wildly exceeded those expectations I was paying attention again. Was a bit let down by the cliché video but it’s still a monster tune.

Thundercat – “For Love I Come”

Still a few years from 30, Steve “Thundercat” Bruner is shaking up the world of modern bass playing, excelling in roles as varied as Erykah Badu and Suicidal Tendencies while anchoring a unit of LA’s most forward thinking soulful music makers. Flying Lotus helped him craft The Golden Age Of Apocalypse, a love letter to jazz fusion and an open canvas of new textures. “Walking” gets the nod from most of the folks who turned me on to the record but this George Duke cover blows my wig back every time.

King – “Supernatural”

These three ladies conquered the world this year with only three songs. I was at a loss for words when I first heard “Supernatural”. Fortunately my man John Murph explains it much better.

Pharoahe Monch – “Still Standing” feat. Jill Scott

I probably had the most visceral emotional reaction to this song than any other I’ve heard this year. I’m just so thankful that Pharoahe Monch is still so ridiculously ill. This song is the sonic definition of triumphant.

Illvibe Collective – “Medicine Men Featuring A.R.M.”

I remember when this was a quick snippet from a lil’dave beat tape. I played it like it was a released track. Then IllVibe finally dropped the album they’d long promised to make, and the finished version exceeded my expectations. African emcees are not just the future anymore, they’re the right now. Glad that IllVibe had the foresight to grab a few of my favorites for this much played cut.

Phonte – “Who Loves You More” feat. Eric Roberson

I was thinking really hard on what a true grown man hip-hop record would sound like and could only think of a handful of albums that have fierce lyricism, musicality and mature themes that address adult concerns. Then Phonte dropped Charity Starts At Home and I felt like that album was created specifically for myself and my peers.

TiRon & Ayomari – “All My Love” feat. Yummy Bingham

A Sucker For Pumps renewed my faith that hip-hop can exist that appeals to the sensibilities of my generation while formed from the aesthetics of the current one. I hope these cats lead the way. I caned the Yummy Bingham jam at every gig I’ve had since it dropped. Now I can drool over her cameo in the vid.

Dego – “Pushing You To Begin” feat. Ferraz

And thus I begin the black Brit section of this list. Anyone who knows me knows I’ve done some of my finest stannery over the years for cats from this scene, and Dego is a god of it. 4hero, DKD, Silhouette Brown, 2000Black, and finally his own solo project. I struggled with choosing one tune as the album is such a unified whole. You have to experience it that way.

Omar & Zed Bias – “Dancing”

A party demolition bomb. The scenes in the video are what I strive for whenever I get on the decks. Perfection. I can’t imagine what bacchanal madness this inspired at Carnival. It sure did smash Sol Power every time we dropped it.

Donae’o – “I”

After assaulting the dance with “Party Hard” for the last couple of years, I was intrigued when the R&B/UK Funky vocalist dropped this soul stirring anthem on the venerable Strictly Rhythm label. It’s a nice spiritual balance to the club persona in his mainstream music. Sean Mccabe’s remix is embedded here but I’m most partial to the original.

Mark de Clive-Lowe – “The Why” feat. Nia Andrews

A profoundly sexy song. Stuck on repeat for me this year beyond the point that can be defined as obsessive. Mark’s club mix just takes it to another place, as if it were possible to increase the seduction factor. Nia Andrews says yes, it is.

No, Skillz isn’t doing one this year.

And I’m not writing a long treatise about the hippity-hop. This 2010 Pitchfork piece still has that covered.

These are just the last couple of things I wrote that happen to pertain to rappers, and I hadn’t yet posted them here although it’s almost 2012.

Wait, before you read these, make sure you own this album. It’s one of the best favors you can do for yourself if beats, rhymes and heart still matter. DC stand up..

Oh yeah, my crew dropped an album this year too. I think it’s really good. And that’s not just because I was involved. DC stand up… again always.

Aaaand… these guys too. I’m really proud to say they’re part of the DMV. Good brothers, good music, hard work paying off.

Check the vid for “You Don’t Have to Be A Star” and the remix featuring Bahamadia, Monie Love and MC Lyte (!!!)

Ok, now for the other stuff I was talking about…

In concert: G-Side at DC9 (The Washington Post)

I was pleasantly surprised by this duo and had to do an internal reassessment of my feelings on where southern hip-hop is these days. Wish that happened more often.

Common’s Growing Pains (The Root)

Wasn’t feeling Rashid too tough this time around, but I want more from hip-hop, not just from him.

Some fairly recent scribbles of mine that I forgot to post.

Rapper J. Cole shows his star power at the Fillmore Silver Spring – Washington Post

In concert: Meshell Ndegeocello at the Birchmere – Washington Post

The mourning process is putting all of his substantial career accomplishments in context. There’s a lot to celebrate there. But there’s more to it than that, which is why this loss is hitting me harder than I would have anticipated.

It’s not just that he was an icon for me in my youth, although nostalgia does play a major role. What really stands out is how he was universally loved and respected. And how he always extended himself to others, whether professionally or personally. And how in a cutthroat business full of ugliness and people trying to exploit others, he was always a class act who thrived on positivity and optimism. And how he was able to diversify his work to sustain a successful post hip-hop career, always setting and reaching new goals as an artist. Hev was doing everything right, yet he was cut down so prematurely. At least he made the most of his time. That’s the lesson.

I’ve said a lot this week, and others have said even more. Here are a few that deserve attention.

Heavy D (1967-2011) – by yours truly, over at D-Mac’s spot

Heavy D tribute on Decipher hip-hop radio, WPFW 89.3 FM – via my crew, The Soul Controllers.

“Heavy D danced the way big men work the back line in tennis. Not a lot of sweat or hustle, just a few clutch moves that make it look elegant.” – NPR’s Michelle Norris

RIP Heavy D – Cosmo Baker

Things We Can Learn From the Overweight Lover’s Legacy – Afrobella

Grap Luva on the Death of Heavy D – Washington City Paper

Ashamed to say that I got a promo of his debut album in 2004 and he’s been to DC many times since then but this was my first time seeing him.

Here’s my assessment:

In concert: Van Hunt at the Birchmere, 9/20/11

photo by Josh Sisk/FTWP

A couple things I wrote:

Jill Scott at Verizon Center, 8/7/11

Morris Day and The Time at Birchmere, 8/1/11

For the second anniversary of Michael Jackson’s passing, The Root invited me to discuss his music from a DJ’s perspective. How do I use MJ’s songs to create an experience on my dancefloor? Here are the 15 tunes I picked:

Michael Jackson’s Best: Reflections of a DJ

Also, a couple of re-ups:

• SoulBounce’s Summer of Michael Jackson vol. 1 – Sunshine (download), 2010
• Michael Jackson party at The Main Ingredient (download), 2009

Musiq has nice songs, but sometimes less is more.

Ray-Ray is flawless.

Big Freedia, N’awlins bounce queen: [Posterior] Everywhere!

…but forgot that his species will bite their own mama to get at some chicken wings. I KNOW your kind, dogs. I have lived among you.

^^click!^^

After getting acquainted with a curiously bipedal, brachycephalic pup with a surprisingly developed taste in progressive soul, you might be persuaded to help kickstart the full-length A Pug Named Fender book.

Shoutout to Fave. This is actually our second collaboration. The first is here, in case you missed it, cuz he used one of his many pseudonyms and all.

Joy Jones – Over (Vibe Conductor vs. Markus Gramm retouch) by DJStylus

I didn’t pay Scratch to say those complimentary things about me.