Hype! Hype!: 2006 Re-rewind

2006 seems to have been the year of the mixtape. Here's a quick little top 5, and some recommendations.

5. JME - Boy Better Know Mixtapes

JME's been working hard in double oh six. He spent 2005 bubbling under but really came through with some good material this year. The Boy Better Know mixtapes were peppered with classics, and he finished off the year by dropping Tropical as an example of things to come. The Boy Better Know T-shirt revolution has to get a mention too.
Duppy

4. Mercston - Da End of Da Beginning

The Movement were the breakthrough of the year. Mixtapes dropped from Ghetto, Scorcher and Mercston, Mercston's being the most consistent. Totally captured the summer vibe, with wicked tracks like Good Old Days and Summertime. The release was kinda overshadowed by Mercston being taken to court on charges of rape. Hopefully The Movement, heavily involved with Logan and his War Report, will keep the drama lyrically based in 2007.
Good Old Days

3. Ruff Sqwad - Guns and Roses 2

The failure of Roll Deep to truly cross over in 2005 kinda harmed the commercial prospects of Grime for the subsequent year, but that didn't stop Ruff Sqwad breaking through with a commercial quality release in the form of Guns and Roses 2. Guns and Roses 2 is stuffed with Ruff Sqwad classics and has quality artwork to match. The strength in terms of both production and lyrical content are astounding, with some of the overspill going onto Tinchy Stryder's Lost and Found and Slix's Down Vol.1.

2. Wonder - Welcome to Wonderland

Not strictly a mixtape, but definately the best Grime LP of the year. Rather than the rambling nature of a mixtape, Wonder edits his tracklist down to a near perfectly formed 14 tracks. Collaborations involve the likes of Kano, Sway, Gemma Fox and most effectively Nio on the track Best Foot Forward. Welcome to Wonderland is a good blueprint for future Grime "artist" albums. This gives me some hope for Skepta, Dizzee, Newham Generals and all the others dropping proper albums in the new year.

1. Wiley - Da 2nd Phaze

It would be hard not to put Wiley at Number 1 given the amount he's done for the scene this year. He's clashing everyone in the scene and he's got Tunnelvisions coming out of his ears, but it's the quality of Da 2nd Phaze that's really impressed. Even the best-intended Grime compilations couldn't put together as many stone cold classic tracks are the Eskiboi does on Da 2nd Phaze. Eskiboy, Gangsterz, Johnny Was A Badboy and Friday Night are worth entry price alone. Here's hoping he doesn't spread his talents too thin in 2007.