And The Bomb Awards Go To...

Another year has come and gone...and i'm sure you cannot change the channel without seeing some sort of recap show of how the year went... First of all I will like to take some time to remember the KING OF FUNK Mr. James Brown...He was absolutely one of the most influential people in Funk, R and B and Hip-Hop... He will be missed and hopefully with his passing more people actually realize how Dope his tracks and swagger was... RIP James Brown (Christmas Day 2006)

Well Shiiit, there was some great and shitty releases in the shoe, music and fashion world... I will leave this up for discussion but here are my opinion on what dropped this year...

Best Store (Calgary)
1. The Source on 17th...
Many would put Goodfoot in the top spot. but truly The source has put out better shit in this past year... I got my shop on a little more harder at the Source than Goodfoot...They put out better brands, sold some dope NIKE DUNKS and some sick skate apperal... But don't get me wrong GDFT is a SICK shop, for it's rookie year in Calgary, it Did really well. and I got nothing but love the people that work over there.

2. Goodfoot.

3. Group Seven... These are the most chill guys in Calgary, and they win the best looking shop award hands down. They sell some of the sickest shit... 10 Deep, Greedy Genius, Crooks and Castles, Lemar and Dauley, etc...

Honourable Mention... Giant 45


The Top 5 Rap Albums of 2006

1. Hell Hath No Fury (The CLIPSE) - From the first track "We Do it for Cheap" Pusha T and Malice, smash any doubt of the sophmore jinx... They genius and aggressive rhymes on "Momma I'm So Sorry" and the car banga. featuring the Bowse of the South, Slim Thug on "Wamp, Wamp" bridge into the real meat and potatoes of the album "Ride Around Shining" and "Keys Open Doors" add the flowy and under-rated intelligence that the Clipse contain. The last song on the album happens to be the best... "Chinese New Year.." could be the rap song of the year... creative idea and great way to close out such a great cd...

2. The Inpsiration (Young Jeezy) - Sorry, but this album from front to back got more plays from me in a day than any cd i've listened to for a while...like cocaine this album is addicting and exillerating...but unlike cocaine... "The Inspiration's" effect does not wear off so quickly " Hypnotize" is a great intro to set the album's tone... I wont give away the rest of the album... but Jeezy again shows that there is no such thing as a Sophmore Jinx and that the south is here to stay..

3. Hip-Hop is Dead (Nas) - Nas, the King of Queens, brings Hip-hop to life, with this latest release... The key to this album is not to expect it to be better than Stillmatic or Illmatic... Cause that is not plausible. With that aside, this is a Damn good album which could easily be the best album of the year, they were no flaws on this album... "Black Republican" feat JAY-Z??!?!! Holy shit... Unreal beat and likewise with the rhymes... The album has the classic shift in pace to it... With up beat tracks like "Money over Bullshit" "Carry on Tradition" and "Who Killed it?" the bridge is "Black Republican" and just when your starting to vibe this album it slowws down to the lyrical savy that Nas has shown over the years "Never Again" with his wife Kelis..."Can't forget about You" "Blunt Ashes" and the acapella freestyle "Hope" to close out this Gem is a great finishing touch... Big up s to Nas for overcoming the idiots that say this album flopped...People that say this album flopped are over expecting traditionalists that need to open they eyes and realize that Hip hop will never be the 80's again...

4. The Blue Carpet Treatment (Snoop Dogg) - Snoop is back and wow he changed the way i thought about him.. he had a certain aggression that I always thought he lacked in his last few releases... "Vayo" is a great track and Akooooonnnnnnnnnnn shows up in " I Wanna Fuck You" and "Boss' Life" Yessir... Great Tracks... Snoop is Back!

5. The Carter Vol. ll - ( Lil Wayne) - Even though this album came out in Late Late 2005 this cd rounds out the 2006 roster of best album of the year... Li'l Wayne is the bomb this cd is unreal...buy it. enjoy it.

Honourable Mention. The Roots- Game Theory The Game - Doctor's Advocate, Justin Timberlake - Future Love Sex Sounds * Not really hip hop... but whatever...The Worst/Over Hyped Rap Albums of 2006
Okay the Worst album of the year is obviously K-Fed aka Fed-Ex's "America's Most Hated..." so lets just declare him the winner and start again...

1. The year of the Dog (DMX) - Wow.... Dmx has to step up... Since "It's Dark and Hell is Hot" He has not made an album 2 stars worthy...

2. Kingdom Come - (Jay-Z) - The most hyped album... due to Dre being on the album... Well Dre. and Jay-Z equally fucked this album up... It has one maybe two good songs on it... i started to like it and then realized how bland it is... this a download only cd...

3. Rotten Apple (Lloyd Banks) - I hate that guy.

4. The Re-Up (Eminem and the Gang) - I Miss the suicidal, angst ridden, mother hating, homophobic Eminem...


The Best Rock Album of 2006

1. Continuum (John Mayer). John Mayer back from his "Song of the Year" win at the Grammy's with the heart warming single "Daughters." John Mayer hit the studios to record his best LP in his sucessful career which is Continuum. The debut of his new singles... actually hit CSI before they hit MTV and Muchmusic. "Vultures" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" closed out a dramatic and great eppy of CSI... (Grissom's Last Show Tonight* Rattled). "In Repair" "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" and "Going to Find Another You" are my Personal Favorites... This album is Rock Solid... Classic Mayer with a little more innovation to his riffs and his band seem to step up to carry his voice and guitar through... This album can be played at a solid get together... or ...chillin with the girl... Much love to John and the Boys....

2. 10 000 Days (Tool) - If you dont already know I'm probally the biggest Tool head in Canada... But I'm Tool's biggest critic as well... This album took a while to grow on me... Lateralus, Aenima, Undertow and Opiate were quick hits... 5 Star albums... But 10 000 Days is more of a CD than 13 tracks... It is very tough to listen to particular songs that are in the loop... "Vicarious" is a hell of a single which have turned many music fans to Tool... "Jambi" is what Tool is really about... Innovation, Fucked up, Visceral lyrics and Crushing instrumentals.. After this song... The Loop of 10 000 Days takes it's effect... "Wings for Marie/ 10 000 Days" is a tribute Lead Singer Maynard's Mother who suffered a stroke and was paralyzed for exactly 10 000 Days until her death... Very emotional beat... after those two songs Tool starts to show their long awaited swagger with "The Pot" and "Lost Keys/ Rosetta Stoned" Which is about losing your keys while on a LCD trip... hahahaha... "Right and Two." the years best Closing track... Hands down...

3. Black Holes and Revelations (Muse) - "Absolution" one of my all time favorite albums... Make sure to purchase that before Digging into "Black Holes..." Muse is a very under the radar band... It's Too bad... but good .. so i dont get sick of them by the overplaying by media stations... Muse are the better version of Coldplay... ya i said it... Coldplay has officially bought into what the Record Exec's have told them to do... Muse do what they want... and it shows... and it proves that you can still be creative in this era of shitty music... Great album, must buy * After Absoultion to get the whole "Muse effect."

4. Amputecture (The Mars Volta) - The Volta's 3rd Full Length... and truly not the best but not their worst.. Frances the Mute is in my opinion their best album... But This cd is so random that if your a true musician you have to pick this album up and the rest of them up if you're not into them yet... They cd's are very cheap 9.99 at most shops around town... Great Deal for what your getting... They are very intricate and random but give them time and you will see how smart and precise they are.. "Meccamputecture" "Vicarious Atonement" and the single "Vicera Eyes" are catchy beats that again have to play in sequence From front to back...

5. We have a tie!! I gave both cd's listens and i can't decide to fit in here so i gave them both the benefit of the doubt..
Revelations (Audioslave) vs. Out of Exile (Audioslave)- Out of Exile is the first cd that came out this year and is a great cd to listen in the car and with the friends... Revelations being released almost 6 months later is more of a CD which is another Front/Back Cd which you give more appreciation to after a few listens by yourself... Clutch shit...



THE BEST ALBUM OF 2006 GOES TO... GOES TO... GOES TO...

The Clipse Hell Hath No Fury... Great fuckin album... Love it!!!

John Mayer - Continuum... A VERY close Second and is by far his best album... and hes nailing Jessica Simpson... Good on him...


The Shoe Release of 2006

1.Grape V (Air Jordan) - I got a pair...and you dont tough break
2. Day of the Dead (Nike SB) - My man Jordan made sick coin reselling these shoes... 3 shoes for 1400? thats hustlin' big up to Big J! They sick shoes without a doubt.
3. SBTG (Nike SB) - Wow THE SOURCE FUCKED UP... lucky they didnt lose they Nike Account.

The Best Clothing Line of The Year...

1. 10 Deep... Wow... Unbelivalbe shit dropped for 10 Deep.. I have yet to cope this shit simply because it is selling out of every store in Calgary... Wow i gotta ISS this shit!


2. Orisue - Great Brand.. My personal favorite... they hoodies are way too nice.. and they shirts are hilarious! Don't carry them in Calgary...

3. The Hundreds - Yes! Great Shit and quality...

4. Modern Amusement - Love their new line... really cool and moderately expensive