2011 Hip Hop Music: The Best of the Year
We’re taking a look back at the best hip hop music of 2011. From Drake and Lil Wayne to Jay-Z and Kanye West, these are the artists that dominated the year.
Best Hip Hop Albums of 2011
This was a great year for hip hop music, with a lot of great albums being released. Here are some of the best hip hop albums of 2011.
J. Cole- Cole World: The Sideline Story
On September 27, 2011, J. Cole released his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 218,000 copies in its first week. Cole World: The Sideline Story received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its production and Cole’s lyrics. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Grammy Awards.
Kendrick Lamar- Section.80
Kendrick Lamar’s debut album, “Section.80” was one of the best hip hop albums of 2011. The album tells the story of life in Compton, California, and was praised for its lyrics and production.
Lil Wayne- Tha Carter IV
The fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011 through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Republic Records. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, a year after Lil Wayne’s previous album, Tha Carter III. The album features guest appearances from Drake, T-Pain, Andre 3000, Bun B, Tech N9ne, Rick Ross, John Legend and Busta Rhymes.
Lil Wayne has stated that Tha Carter IV is a return to his roots and the sixth and final installment of the Tha Carter series. Several tracks from the leaked version of the album were later removed from the final version due to sampling credits. The production on the album was handled by various record producers such as Cool & Dre, Boi-1da and T-Minus. Upon its release it received positive reviews from music critics and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 964,000 copies. It was later certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Drake- Take Care
Drake’s second album, Take Care, was released in 2011 to critical and commercial success. The album featured Drake’s biggest hit to date, “Hotline Bling,” as well as a number of other popular tracks like “Started from the Bottom” and “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” Take Care won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, solidifying Drake as one of the most successful hip hop artists of the 2010s.
Mac Miller- Blue Slide Park
Mac Miller’s debut album, “Blue Slide Park” was released on November 8, 2011. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it the first independently distributed album to top the chart since 1995. “Blue Slide Park” received mixed reviews from critics, but was a commercial success, certified gold by the RIAA.
Best Hip Hop Songs of 2011
It’s been an amazing year for hip hop music. We’ve seen a lot of great artists come out with new music, and 2011 has been a great year for the genre as a whole. Let’s take a look at some of the best hip hop songs of the year.
“Niggas in Paris” by Jay-Z and Kanye West
Released on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s collaborative album Watch the Throne, “Niggas in Paris” became one of the most popular songs of 2011. The track features a sample of “Brick House” by The Commodores and an infectious beat that helped the song climb to the top of the charts.
“Otis” by Jay-Z and Kanye West
“Otis” is a song by American hip hop artists Jay-Z and Kanye West from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song posthumously features soul singer Otis Redding, whose version of “Try a Little Tenderness” is sampled in the song. The production was handled by West, Mike Dean and 88-Keys, and features additional vocals from Frank Ocean. The track was released as the second single from Watch the Throne on July 20, 2011.
The song peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number two on both the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Rap Songs charts. Internationally “Otis” peaked at number 26 in Canada, number 16 in the United Kingdom, number eight in Ireland and number six in New Zealand. Critics generally praised the song for its aggressive lyrics, but were divided on the quality of its hook. Many also complimented West’s production techniques, calling it his best work to date.
“I’m on One” by DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne
“I’m on One” is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, American rappers Rick Ross and Lil Wayne and Palestinian-American recording artist DJ Khaled. The song is the lead single from Khaled’s fifth studio album, We the Best Forever (2011). It was released on May 20, 2011, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment, Universal Republic Records and We the Best Music Group. The artists co-wrote the song with its producers Noah “40” Shebib and T-Minus; it contains an interpolation of “The Motto”, also co-written by Drake.
Hip hop fans praised “I’m on One” for its sampling of Diana King’s 1996 hit single “Shy Guy”. The song peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and has since been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also peaked at number one on both the US Rap Songs chart and US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Internationally, it peaked at number 13 in Canada and number 17 in Australia. The accompanying music video was shot in May 2011 by director Colin Tilley.
“No Lie” by 2 Chainz featuring Drake
“No Lie” is a song by American rapper 2 Chainz, released as the lead single from his debut studio album Based on a T.R.U. Story (2012). The song, which features Canadian rapper Drake, was produced by Mike Will Made It and written by 2 Chainz, Drake, and the producer.
“No Lie” peaked at number 83 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 32 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Internationally, it peaked at number 45 in Canada and New Zealand. The song performed better in urban markets than most of 2 Chainz’s other singles. The track was met with positive reviews from music critics upon release; many rappers were praised for their verses on the song.
2 Chainz performed “No Lie” for the first time at Hot 97’s Summer Jam concert in June 2012. He has also performed it live on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, BET’s 106 & Park and MTV’s RapFix Live. In July 2012, Drake shot a homemade music video for “No Lie” in Toronto with Octobers Very Own (OVO) Filmz; it contains footage of him performing at Wireless Festival that same month.”
“The Motto” by Drake featuring Lil Wayne
“The Motto” is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring American rapper Lil Wayne. The song serves as the lead single from Drake’s second studio album, Take Care. It was released on November 29, 2011 as a digital download through iTunes. The song features a number of pop culture references and was well received by music critics. The song peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and Rap Songs chart in the United States. Internationally, the song peaked within the top ten of the charts in Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
Best Hip Hop Music Videos of 2011
There were plenty of hip hop music videos released in 2011, but only a few can be considered the best of the year. These videos are the ones that had the biggest impact, were the most popular, or were simply the most entertaining. Let’s take a look at the best hip hop music videos of 2011.
“Niggas in Paris” by Jay-Z and Kanye West
This single by Jay-Z and Kanye West was released in August of 2011, but the music video didn’t come out until October. The “Niggas in Paris” music video features the two rappers performing in front of a Parisian backdrop. Throughout the video, there are also shots of the two rappers enjoying all that Paris has to offer, including its nightlife and food. The video ends with a message from Jay-Z and Kanye that reads, “In Paris, nobody sleeps.”
“Otis” by Jay-Z and Kanye West
“Otis” is a song by American hip hop artists Jay-Z and Kanye West from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song posthumously features soul singer Otis Redding, whose version of “Try a Little Tenderness” is sampled throughout the track. The production was handled by West, with multiple other producers contributing to the track. The song was released as the second single from Watch the Throne on August 9, 2011. Upon its release, “Otis” received generally positive reviews from music critics and peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The music video for “Otis” was directed by Spike Jonze. It aired on MTV and BET in August 2011, and was available for purchase on iTunes the following month. The video predominantly features footage of Jay-Z and West driving around in a Maybach convertible while Redding’s vocals play over the instrumentals; additional footage includes shots of architectural landmarks in Florence, Italy. Multiple videos were shot for “Otis”, with one having multiple takes place inside a burning carriage while another features West and Jay-Z lip syncing to Redding’s vocals inside an abandoned warehouse.
“I’m on One” by DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne
The foursome of DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne went hard in the paint for the official music video of their popular track, “I’m on One.” The music video features each artist flexing their muscles in luxurious settings while beautiful women are sprinkled throughout. While some may say that the video is nothing more than a glorified commercial for Ciroc vodka, we think it’s one of the best hip hop music videos of 2011.
“No Lie” by 2 Chainz featuring Drake
“No Lie” by 2 Chainz featuring Drake was released on May 8, 2012, as the lead single from 2 Chainz’s debut studio album Based on a T.R.U. Story (2012). The song peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The music video was directed by Alex Nazari and premiered on May 23, 2012, receiving over two million views in its first day of release.
The video features 2 Chainz and Drake in a variety of settings including a mansion, a club, and a jewelry store. The two rappers are also seen driving luxurious cars and counting money. Throughout the video, there are cameo appearances from several women, including model Rosa Acosta.
“No Lie” received generally positive reviews from music critics. The song was praised for its catchy hook and verses from both 2 Chainz and Drake. Some critics also noted the chemistry between the two rappers and felt that the song was a strong collaboration between them.
“The Motto” by Drake featuring Lil Wayne
“The Motto” is a song by Canadian recording artist Drake. The song features Lil Wayne and is a single from Drake’s second studio album Take Care. The song peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart in the United States. It also charted in Canada, peaking at number twelve on the Canadian Hot 100. The song features one of Lil Wayne’s more memorable verses of 2011.
