2021: The Year in Songs
December 31, 2021
Kevin: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal
Stanley: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal
To commemorate the year, Kevin and I did individual playlists highlighting our favorite songs from the year (50 songs each, linked above). Below are some of favorite songs from the year and a little about why we love them. Thanks for sticking with us throughout the year, we don’t take it for granted!
Stanley: Nas — Hollywood Gangsta
For much of Nas’ post-Stillmatic career, he’s been ridiculed for his beat selection; an anomaly of an incredibly gifted MC often hampered by lackluster production. In 2018, after releasing his eponymous album, which was solely produced by Kanye West, many of those same criticisms resurfaced. (Nas was keenly aware of this criticism stating Never sold a record for the beat, it’s my verses they purchase on Simple Things). But in 2020, when Nas linked up with super-producer, Hit-Boy, for the first installment of his King’s Disease series, the questions surrounding Nas’ beat selection quelled. Hit-Boy’s Soul-rooted sound fit well with Nas’ vocal approach, and one of Hip-Hop’s age old mysteries had been solved. Nas’ new album, Magic, continues the duos hot streak, making one of this year’s best albums along the way.
But, I’d submit the real magic here — the one that helped change all of those opinions about Nas’ production choices — lies in something more subtle, maybe even unnoticed by most. Over the last 5 years, Soul Surplus, a full-service production company based in Philadelphia area, has become one of the truly bright spots in a music industry that often lacks creativity and style. Noticing the challenges many producers face when clearing samples for song use, Soul Surplus stepped in and filled a void, offering high quality loops (or “song starters”, if you will) that have the feeling of something made by Philadelphia International Records or Motown; J Dilla or the Dungeon Family, and so on. And it’s no surprise, they’ve become a go to for samples, for Hit-Boy and countless others (seriously, there’s not enough space to list the producers that’ve used their samples). So, when we look back and ask how did Nas’ production problem really get fixed? We’ll thank the Soul Surplus team (Wes Pendleton, John McNeil, Joel McNeil, John Smythe, and Pudge Tribbett).
Stanley: Jamire Williams — For the Youth (Featuring Corey King)
In 2012, when ERIMAJ released their album Conflict of a Man, it felt like I’d found a band that synthesized my varying tastes. But the band, headed by drummer Jamire Williams, sadly, would only release one album. (I still don’t know what happened to them, honestly). Thankfully, in 2021, I found Williams again, this time under his own name (as opposed to his band’s name which was his name spelled backwards). Williams’ new album But Only After You’ve Suffered is a beautiful collection of songs exploring Black life, love, and hope; the production is daring and the songwriting is forthright. It’s one of my favorites from the year, and I’m happy to have found Jamire Williams again.
Stanley: Little Simz — Protect My Energy
It’s been fun watching Little Simz’s trajectory over the past few years. She’s one of the best storytellers in music, and she’s always had a great ear for production. These two things have always been true for a while for her. But on Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Little Simz took a leap, an already great artist got even better; the storytelling went deeper and the production, thanks to Inflo, became even more exploratory. (If I had to pick a producer of the year, it’d certainly be Inflo). Her latest offering contemplates trauma, her place in Hip-Hop, legacy, family, fame, and, of course, being an introvert. It’s the stuff a magnum opus is made of, and undeniably one of the best albums this year.
