You got the mad fat fluid when I write, it's halftime

This is the first day of July, so we’re officially at the halfway point of the year. 2006 has been interesting so far, especially from a muscial standpoint. Recent albums from Ice Cube and Gnarls Barkley performed much better than most people anticipated, showing that there is room for people outside the 106th & Park generation. However, we did see quite a few duds and garbage passed off as music – Mobb Deep or S.M.A.C.K. soundtrack anyone? – in this half year. The next six months could obviously make or break 2006’s audio legacy, but I decided to take a look back at everything released up until this point and pick my five personal favorite albums of ’06.

1. Ghostface Killah – Fishscale Few of Ghostface Killah’s fans were pleased with The Pretty Toney Album, which many of them saw as a feeble attempt at commercial relativity. Ghost atoned for his mistakes with Fishscale, a 24-track serving of that pure NY street shit that his fans demanded. “Shakey Dog” and “R.A.G.U.” are both classic Ghost songs, so even though this album was a commercial dud, anyone who bought it should be pleased. This will go down as the most criminally-slept-on album in quite some time.
Choice Cut: “The Champ” – Buy @ Amazon for only $10

2. Busta Rhymes – The Big Bang Rapping about other MC’s who fall off can be an ironic omen when you’ve been around as long as Busta Rhymes has. But his Aftermath Ent. debut on The Big Bang proves that the former Leader of the New School still has plenty of spit left in his tank. Busta gets extra brolic on “In the Ghetto” and “Been Through the Storm,” two very different songs about essentially the same thing – harsh life and dealing drugs to escape. Though I didn’t care for “Touch It” (or the terrible remix), I loved this album.
Choice Cut: “Cocaina” – Buy @ Amazon for only $9

3. Murs – Murray’s Revenge
I came across this album when I interviewed him for AllHipHop.com and it was on loop for a while. Murs crafted an album that appealed to both my ex-backpacker and future thug personas, so I just couldn’t stop playing it. “Dreamchaser,” a song that delves into the mind of a gang banger from childhood to hoodhood is one of the best tracks he’s ever done. Even though Murray’s Revenge is rather short, 9th Wonder blesses it with disturbingly dope production on “L.A.” and “Yesterday & Today.”
Choice Cut: “Dreamchaser” – Buy @ Amazon for only $13

4. Little Brother – Separate But Equal (Mixtape)
Even though I liked their sophomore album, I’m glad that the Minstrel Show flopped. If it hadn’t, Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh never would have spit with the vigor that they did on this DJ Drama mixtape. The group finally got some outside production, made some more “accessible” music that was still sick, and elevated their level of artistry. Songs like “Speed Racin’” and “Candy” f/ Bun B show that if LB can make a few changes to their formula, there won’t be a need to let H.E.R. go.
Choice Cut: “Speed Racin’” – Buy @ Gangsta Grillz for only $10

5. Smitty – Voice of the Ghetto
Two years after the semi-hit “Diamonds On My Neck,” Smitty’s getting ready to finally release his debut album Life of a Troubled Child. But first he put out this “buzz album” to gain an extra push for it. Smitty has a lot more depth than Diamonds indicated, getting truthful on the Kanye West-produced “Ghetto” and “Everyday” f/ Joe. Though his Scarface/Trick Daddy hybrid style is lacking at times, this glorified mixtape is enjoyable, which makes me think his real album may appear on my end of the year list too.
Choice Cut: “Ghetto” – Buy @ HipHopSite.com for only $14

Albums To Watch in 2006
Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor – Though “Kick Push” is quickly becoming one of those songs I hate after loving the first 2 billion times I hear it, I’m convinced I’ll like Lupe. The bootlegged leak featured “Just Might Be Okay,” “Trials & Tribulations,” and “Hustlaz Song,” so it just has to be great. *knock on wood*

Clipse’s Hell Hath No Fury – Clipse represent everything wrong and right with Hip-Hop at the same time. Their entire catalogue is about cooking, packaging, and distributing coke, but they’re flow, lyrics, and delivery are good enough to overlook it. “Mr. Me Too” and the We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape series caught my ear.

Nas’ Hip-Hop Is Dead… The N Word – When you have arguably the greatest MC of all-time releasing an album and the other guy people usually claim is the G.O.A.T. is the executive producer, it will warrant attention. Though I haven’t found Salaam Remi’s production very exciting lately, Nas could rhyme over the screams of a dying man and I’d still listen.

Smitty's Life of a Troubled Child – Voice of the Ghetto piqued my interest and I’d like to see a Miami artist get some much-needed shine. The production line-up hasn’t been confirmed, but I’d wager that Kanye West, Cool & Dre, Streetrunner, The Runners, and DJ Khaled all offer beats. Look for lead-singl “Lil’ Haiti” very soon.