2007 was a pretty sick year for hip hop, aside from record sales. We got a Common album, a Kanye album, Lupe album, Jay-Z album, Joe Budden mixtape, Talib album, Styles album…So it was a nice year for the music artistically. Though we also got a Soulja Boy album, maybe that balances everything out.

The Best of 2007 is broken down into the following categories; Best Rap Album, Best Mixtape, Best Singles, and Best Rapper. Let me know if I missed anything.

Top 5 Mixtapes:

Weezy put like 1000 mixtapes this year. I couldn’t fit them all into the top 5.

Killa came back with a vengeance (not really). But at least he made his presence felt with this mixtape.

I never knew it was possible to make your mixtape better than your album Hell Reezy proved me wrong this year by dropping Eat A Box of Bullets which completely smashed his debut album For the Hell of It.

This mixtape will go down in history as the mixtape that got the East coast interested in Weezy. Songs like “I feel like dying” and backed by East coast sounding production helped make this mixtape a must have for everyone.

You already know I fell about this mixtape.

Top 10 Singles:

T-Pain’s been on every one’s single this year. Most of them, I can’t stand, this one stands out. Honorable mention to Kanye’s Good Life. Oh yeah and little Chris Brown destroyed the MTV Awards showing he got next.

This is the Bobby Valentino song of ’07. We’ll have a new thug R&B’er next year.

I didn’t care about this song at first. But after I paid attention to the lyrics I was blown away. Alicia sounds like she’s madly in love on this joint.

Even this video was mad boring. This song is the theme music when you quit your day job (like I did).

I hated on the video for the green screen video (sidebar: So did Jay-Z). But this goes hard.

Who? I know this is not even urban, some white chick from Canada singing muffled folk tunes. I have no clue how I got into listening to her. But I’m feeling this song, her album is good too if you have an open ear.

Even though The Dream is T-Pain repackaged. This song shut down the R&B gangsters.

When I first heard this on Hot 97, cause they were playing this every minute of the day, I was totally blown away. I thought this song alone would sell like 10 times platinum (boy I was I wrong).

Even though Common is one of the most boring rappers, the Kanye production on this is sick. Not sure if it should be #2 song of the year, but what was as good as this? That gay anthem Stronger?

This has to be the best song of 2007. I don’t care what none of you say. This is my joint for 07, even though it came out like two weeks ago. Lupe’s storytelling in ability in this one gives Young Nas a run for his I Gave You Power money.

Top 5 Rap Albums:

Another boring album that I rate. Maybe I’m getting boring.

I know you will agree with this statement: The production on Finding Forever is better than Graduation. Here’s to Common for taking all Kanye’s good beats.

Every year we can accept Hov to make another comeback album, this year was no different. The old man proves he still got it, well still has something.

Even though I’m still listening to this album because I’m not really sure what the hell is going on during most of the tracks. The stuff I do I get is mind blowing. Lupe has taken rap to the starship enterprise on this one.

And the best album of ’07 goes too…Obviously Kanye’s album takes it after destroying Fifty’s artistic credibility and even beating him on sales in the US. Kanye brought backpack rap to Euro trash.

Best Rapper: Joe Budden
I have ears, I know Weezy killed shit this year. Lil Wayne earned his spot this year featuring on everyone’s song and dropping thousands of mixtapes. However, how many half ass verses did he have? Way too many. Weezy took the most shots and made some great ones, but missed a lot too. So I can’t say he is the best mc of 07, that title goes to none other than Joe Budden.

Joe Budden was quiet for much of ’07, but was quietly building up one of the greatest street albums ever made (no wonder they call him mouse). Joe Budden’s is the comeback story of ’07, having left Def Jam and being left for dead, every single verse I’ve heard him spit has been front to back focused. I have no clue how this man is this inspired. Even over sub-par beats, this man still has something to say. If you are not a fan of the new Joe Budden, I suggest you listen to Mood Muzik 2 and than part 3. Still don’t believe listen to this.

What’s Your Top Five?