Seems like a fitting time to share a rare joint I often reach for when on my Kokayi stannery soapbox.

This live recording of Joni Mitchell’s “Free Man In Paris” features Vinia Mojica and Kokayi, when the latter was touring and recording with Andy Milne.

Yes, that Vinia. The “Saturdays/Verses From the Abstract/Climb” Vinia. The original Native Tongue vocal sweetheart Vinia.

*sigh*

*swoon*

Koke did an album for her that never saw the light of day. I wish I could have caught those rare gigs they did together.

Oh well.

And now, the O.G., because it’s amazeballs. Word to Jaco Pastorius.

I wasn’t paying much attention to Good Fridays until this dropped like an anvil on my skull. Kanye and Lupe body their verses. Pharrell’s verse is forgettable but he’s redeemed by the production. If I made that beat I’d just walk around with a boombox blasting it, repeatedly pointing to it then back to myself then telling everyone to kiss my ass.

Black Milk – “Keep Going”

This makes me want to carjack someone. In Black Milk’s case, naming your project Album Of The Year isn’t hyperbole.

Big Boi – “Shutterbugg”

My favorite party record of the year. Rocks from the flossiest club to an underground jam. Luscious Left Foot can’t fall off.

Slum Village – “Dance” feat. AB

In the midst of a lot of confusing and depressing controversy the trio managed to drop an amazing album. Why choose this over all of the other brilliant tracks? Because I really miss slick, playful Baatin. And because I already have two songs on this list that make me want to punch people in the face.

Zo! – “Flight of the Blackbyrd”

Reminds me of all of my favorite jazz fusion records. It’s clear that Zo! and I listened to the same ones. Makes me want to dance like this.

Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura Band – “Roforofo Fight” (Louie Vega’s EOL Mix)

How do you improve on something that’s already perfect? Put it in Louie Vega’s hands. Fela has a home in Cuba. Ashé!

Peven Everett – “Burning Hot” (Timmy Regisford Remix)

Biggest house record of the year. Inspires to people to metaphysically levitate off of the dance floor. Makes me want to crowd surf while dj’ing.

Ian Friday feat. Chris Rob – “Found Myself” (Yoruba Soul Vocal)

My chosen runner-up to King Peven. We’d been waiting for Ian to drop another anthem for a couple years. He didn’t disappoint, and the original is exceptional even though I’m highlighting Osunlade’s version here. As with all enormous records, it inspired a gang of hot remixes.

Akua Allrich – “Hard To Get”

Glad to have a DC representative on this list. This beautiful jazz singer implanted this song in my head where it dwelled there for most of the year, spreading a feeling of warmth and fond memories. You can’t really get the full effect until you watch the video. Bonus points for it being shot in my neighborhood! If only summer could always be like this.

Prince – “Sticky Like Glue”

Prince dropped a new album that you could only get in a newspaper. Sonically, it referred to the style of his classic stuff. Straight Linn Drum and chicken grease. This was my personal highlight.

• Honorable Mentions
Kokayi – “Wynter of My Discontent”
Erykah Badu – “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long”
Jamiroquai – “She’s A Fast Persuader”
Sandra St. Victor – “F.M.A.O.-ocity”
Donwill – “Love Junkie” (Wallpaper Rmx ft The Park)

HI-RES VERSION

The history in this crew is ridiculous. Noyeek, Grizz and Theory have been holding down the Diamond District since before there was a hip-hop scene. Live Society, Infinite Loop, Head-Roc War Machine, and now the New Golden Era. This jont got me psyced, joe.

They also got the schmoovy shmoove introspective jont, directed by the homie Pete Rosenberg.

[DOWNLOAD]

And if you’re still wondering, “who is this guy?” you can get caught up here FOR DE FREE.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Say Goodbye To Love
Kenna
Track from: Make Sure They See My Face
[Star Trak/Interscope]

* Wanna Be
Maiysha
Track from: This Much Is True:
[Eusonia Records]

* Be OK
Chrisette Michele Featuring will.i.am
Track from: I Am
[Def Jam]

* Many Moons
Janelle Monae
Track from: Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)
[Wondaland/Bad Boy]

* Lovin You (Music)
Wayna Featuring Kokayi
Track from: Higher Ground
[Quiet Power Productions, LLC]

Open the door and let us in. Raheem got another one too.

Best R&B Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Bust Your Windows
Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Deandre Way, songwriter) (Jazmine Sullivan)
Track from: Fearless
[J Records; Publishers: Nappy Puddy Music/Universal Music-Z Tunes, Salaam Remi Music/EMI April Music, Soulja Boy Tellem Music/Croomstacular Music]

* Customer
I. Barias, Raheem DeVaughn, C. Haggins, K. Oliver & J. Smith, songwriters (Raheem DeVaughn)
Track from: Love Behind The Melody
[Jive; Publishers: Universal Music-Z Tunes/Ahmad's World/Universal Music/Nivrac Tyke Music/Fresh Paint Music/HC 1030 Publishing/Universal Music/Tetragrammaton Music/Melodic Piano Productions/HC 1030 Publishing]

* Heaven Sent
Keyshia Cole, Jason Farmer & Alex Francis, songwriters (Keyshia Cole)
Track from: Just Like You
[Geffen; Publishers: She Wrote It/BMG Songs, J Vibe Publishing, Lex Project Publishing]

* Miss Independent
M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo)
Track from: Year Of The Gentleman
[Def Jam/Compound; Publishers: Pen In The Ground Publishing, Universal Music-Z Tunes]

* Spotlight
Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)
[Arista Records; Publishers: Super Sayin' Publishing/Universal Music-Z Songs, Sony/ATV Tunes, EMI Music Publishing]

WATCH:

PURCHASE:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/kokayi2
http://cdbaby.com/cd/kokayi

LINK UP:

Myspace.com/Kokayi
Kokayi202.com

Wale, Kokayi & SPP
Sunday, March 16
Nightclub 9:30
815 V St. N.W.
(intersection of 9th, V and Vermont streets.)

$15
doors @ 7:30

A full bill of DC hip-hop at one of the most major venues in the nation! I’m amped. My crew will probably go on first around 8:30pm. Don’t be late!

And now, since all the cool kids are doing it, here are my joints…

Kardinal Offishall – Crookless Dodgers ft. Voyce (download)
Kardinal and Clinton Sparks’ Do The Right Thing mixtape got me so amped I almost threw a garbage can through a plate glass window. It’s so inspiring to me that cats like Kardinal, Skillz and others who I was checking for at the beginning of the early ’90s indie hip-hop explosion are making their presence felt stronger than ever despite the poor health of the industry. You’ve got breakout stars like Common who was in that same peer group back then but then there are dudes like Kardinal, one of the most underrated cats to spit and scarily, he’s still getting better.

Marco Polo feat. Large Professor – The Radar (Remix) (listen/purchase)
I slept on Marco Polo’s Newport Authority mixtape and his Port Authority album although he was getting buzz everywhere. My pile of “stuff to listen to” just got too big in 2007 and I never got around to it. I was banging his “Electric Relaxation” cover with J*Davey and that crucial joint he did with Masta Ace but he breaks fool with the sinister funk he gives Extra-P.

Pharoahe Monch – Welcome To The Terrordome (listen)
See my comments on Kardinal. Pharoahe is one of the greatest lyricists hip-hop has EVER seen and Desire is a snapshot of his abilities on a still rising trajectory. I dare anyone else to try to cover a P.E. classic better than this.

Kokayi – Know Us Mayne (listen)
Another theme in this list is that DC artists are still knocking out amazing music while toiling in obscurity. This banger off of Kokayi’s solo album (purchase) is a DC anthem for all of us who have loved him for years and a great introduction to his humor, grit and unique vocal character for those just coming aboard.

DJ Roddy Rod – Take In Stride (listen/purchase)
I tell him this all the time but it’s really not fair that Roddy can cut it up on the decks, bust rhymes, knock out ill beats AND create multimedia with the best of them. Get a load of him starring and bopping about in his self-directed video for this joint. I’d be hating if he wasn’t as genuine as he is talented. His bonafides go waaay back to remixes with mid-’90s R&B producer All-Star and multiple releases from New England’s finest Maspyke. He’s also been repping for the D(eecee)M(aryland)V(irginia) for the last few years and we’re more than glad to have him and his phenomenal Blunt Park Sessions album. He doesn’t only do retro-futuristic b-boy music either. Check out Cuba After Market for Roddy’s uptempo electronic side.

Oddisee – All Because She’s Gone feat. Phonte (listen/download)
Again… DC STAND UP!!! Just google him. The Halftooth releases, the Foot in the Door joint. Cop all of it. This cut here is a special treat from exclusive material available on another one of those fortuitous developments of the modern underground scene, the free mixtape. I couldn’t pick a favorite song off of the phenomenal Getback album so it’s great that LB slides into this top 10 in the form of Phonte’s contribution to this Oddisee track.

Q-Tip – Work It Out (listen)
Q-Tip’s journey has been chronicled a lot over the last couple years but it doesn’t get any less inspiring. Tribe’s amazing legacy, a crucial solo album, personal upheaval in the loss of his home to fire and two albums scuttled by major label buggery. Through it all his own music has been following an ever more pleasing path down a road of organic instrumentation over crunchy beats and Tip’s trademark charisma. Some folks frowned upon the club treats on Amplified but as a DJ who traffics in the art of moving butts, I welcome all the smart, slick dancefloor jams I can get. If “Work It Out” is any indication, Tip will continue to oblige.

UGK – International Players (feat. Outkast)
I tend to highlight the underdogs and the overlooked but even though this song and its stellar video got all the shine it deserved in ‘07 I couldn’t leave it out in favor of a more obscure pick. It’s just too good. Andre 3000 is back in the rhyming game full force and this joint speaks to what lurks deep in the hearts of men, high-minded and ignorant elements alike. Rest in peace Pimp C.

Rich Brown – So Many (MDCL Remix) (listen/purchase)
This is the pick that will not only preserve your sexy but enhance it. Your pheremones will increase in potency just by listening to it. If you play this in the car on a first date you might get laid. At the very least you’ll score huge brownie points and send your companion scrambling to write down the title and wondering how you got to be so cool. I’ve long been a big fan of Mark de Clive Lowe but I’d never heard of Rich Brown until this cut busted me upside the head (thanks for the tip, Jamil). Then I played it for like a week straight in my iPod. Haven’t dropped it in a live set yet, I don’t want to be responsible for any public indecency.

4Hero – Something In The Way (listen)
The Play With The Changes album accompanied every road trip I took in 2007. The repeats on this cut in particular would have popped the tape or broken the rewind button in the old cassette days. The release of every 4Hero album is an event. The anticipation I had for this record was only eclipsed by how smitten I became with this one gem in a collection of sparkling jewels. Changes indeed, the chord progressions are what really slay me every time. Loving you too, Bembe.

• Honorable Mentions
DJ Jazzy Jeff – My Soul Ain’t for Sale feat. Raheem Devaughn
Blu & Exile – Cold Hearted feat. Miguel Jontel
Karizma – Twyst This
Restless Soul feat. Zansika – Everytime
DJ Spinna – Dillagence feat. Phonte of Little Brother