stefanoneder 2025

Favorites of 2025

We are going to do this a little different than we used to. In this end of the year post you will still see our favorite songs, projects, and we will acknowledge those we think differentiated and left that indellible stamp on the year. This is more commentary than list, and redefined as our “favorites” rather than just ascribe them as the “best” as we all know that’s contentious and debateable. There are ALWAYS dope tracks, great albums, and talented artists that these pages aren’t big enough to hold, so for that, we apologize. But THIS is the music that moved us most for one reason or another throughout the year that set itself apart. (Please note we will “slow rolling”the albums and songs out daily until we hit our favorites by January 1st so stay tuned for the updates!)

Favorite 50 Joints Of 2025

ArtistSongNote
#1
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#21 – The ExpertA Different Reality (ft. Milc)The flow off of this track is impossible to ignore. I had never heard of Milc before this but I definitely know now. These bars over this etheral production is godly. Off of Vivid Viisions
#22 – Mickey Diamond & BigGhostWTFWe all wait with baited breath until the end of the year for the Mickey Diamond and BigGhost collabo and they did not disappoint with the ill Wolf Tickets. This is my favorite track from the album.
#23 – ElcaminoLondon GatwickElcamino has made ALOT of music over the years but by far his opus is his album MINO. And the toughest track from this album featured a trip to London. Watch how he executes!
#24 – A-F-R-O & 60 EastCornersThis duo was back at it creating dope music in 2025 and this was one of my favorite story telling tracks of the year. Definitely check out their album At The Sideshow 2: Art House
#25 – K.A.A.N. & DJ HoppaBreaking Bad (ft. Coyote)These two collaborators were literally out in 2025 cooking up something special yet again for the masses, offering this ill and frenetic track to the masses off of their fantastic album, Anger Management
#26 – Rasheed Chappell & Mickey BlueNo. 9Another banging and memorable track from an extraordinarily talented artist…backed by banging yet spaced out production from Blue. Off of the Speer VIllage Alum album.
#27 – Eto & NicoJPG#NicoJP laces something dark and ominous for Eto to lace his elite pen game upon! The two lay down the rules of land in a commanding way. Off of Sicilian Codes.
#28 – Skyzoo Pardon Me I have said this many times but you can hear it EVERY time he flows…consummate emcee and rhyme writer with a voice that stand distinct. Off of the Views Of A Lifetime album.
#29 – Maze Overlay Deaf ConfessionsHe’s always dropping something personable and relateable that puts things in perspective for the listener. His easy going flow really connects here. Off of the album, Word.
#30 – Skanks the Rap Martyr & Ruste Juxxessential bars essential bars…and that’s exactly what you get this single. Damn…these emcees bring solidified fire to the mic over some really nice production from UG. Off of the Live From Crow Hill album.
#31 – Ferris Blusa & Observe Since 98In Gawd We TrustThis is the perfect combination of emcee and producer. They did something very unique with their project, Let Go And Let Gawd. Intertwining soul and lyricism seamlessly.
#32 – Lil Dee Up All NightWe’ve seen lots of videos and freestyles of Lil Dee ripping up mics and now you get the album, Danny James…and this song stands front and center with his menta
#33 – Lord JucoHiatusNobody puts the soul into music quite like Juco and that’s on full display here. He gives you that unique conversational style like he’s talking to you through the track. Off of Sweet Nothings!
#34 – BlackLiq & Dub Sonata10 Black Commandments Blackliq put his own twist on the commandments as it pertains life and music. He’s dropping knowledge to artists every where. Don’t miss! Off of the extremely personaland dope Much Given, Much Tested.
#35 – Fuzzy EdFragments Of Life (ft. Copywrite and Tone Spliff)Favorite track off of the album, The Way Home. The strings, the drums, the scratching, and the way Copywrite flows so viciously over it all!
#36 – Ryu Hang Time (Ryu To The Rescue)I love how this leads the album Medium Raw. Ryu shows that his craft and lyricism are still sharp and the production has that vintage SOB flavor. Love it!
#37 – Napoleon Da Legend & Dub SonataHumble Pt 2Love how Dub Sonata laced this beat…so damn beautiful And our emcee laces some introspective lyricism refelcting on life. Off of Soul Vs. Math.
#38 – Substance810 & Josiah The GiftPay The Price (ft. DJ Grazzhoppa)Damn this song goes hard. The bars and the beat are phenomenal alone but Grazzhoppa take this joint next level with the scratches. Off of You’re All Welcome.
#39 – FuHandz Done Different (ft. Planet Asia and Terror Van Poo)Producer FuHandz linking up with venerable PA Medallions and TVP was the sure shot…love this beat and how he rocked it. Off of same titled project…Done Different.
#40 – Vega7 The Ronin & MachacahaQuoth The RavenWish we had more from Vega7 in 2025 but what we did get was potent! And once again Machacha on the boards! Off of The Ghost Orchid
#41 – Fresh Daily & ParentalPlaid Patterns (ft. Awon & Debonair P)It’s in the name…fresh. It’s a refreshing listen from a pair of really talented emcees. Off of These Things Take Time
#42 – Landon Wordsell & Es-KGrudgesAnother highly slept on emcee and project from this year hitting you from the heart. Off of Remember To Breathe.
#43 – AesoprockOpossumEveryone feels this way at some point in their life or day. Aesoprock hits the nail on the head. Off of I Heard It’s A Mess There Too
#44 – B1 The ArchtectFind Out (ft. Daniel Son)I know you slept on this one. This track is like fire in the darkness, and c’mon Daniel Son does not miss. Off Of Heads Or Tails.
#45 – MachachaWish You Hell (ft. Waterr x Andre Desaint)Machacha. We will talk more about him soon. This is the perfect combo on this track. Off of The Formula: 250
#46 – Joell Ortiz AmbidextrousVery few as polished on the mic as Ortiz. And he shows his tenacity and dexterity yet again here. Off of Love, Peace & Trauma
#47 – Blame One & Preed OneReach The DustCuts by DJ TMB push this one over the top for 2025. Pure hip hop. Off of Road Map.
#48 – The Bad Seed50 Seed isn’t just getting older but he’s getting better with time as you can hear on this banger producer by Murda Megz off of From Us With Love.
#49 – GriffenServititude (ft. Squirt ILL)Addressing the state of music ownership in the illest possible way with a chorus that sticks in your head. Off of the effortless pen 2.
#50 – ShylowYa Timez UpThe first part of this song was pretty dope, but when the second verse hit with the drums it was a wrap. Off of The Contingency Plan.

Favorite 10 Albums In 2025

ArtistAlbumNote
#1
#2
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#5 Eddie Kaine & MachachaCrown Me KaineWhen I heard this back in early 2025 I knew this is a record that would wind up as one of the best that year. Kaine’s intensity and talent is magnified overe these beats from Machacha. Also has one of the best songs of the year…(more later)
#6 BlackLiq & Dub SonataMuch Given, Much TestedThis is probably one of the most personal releases of 2025 as our emcee really delves into his own experiences, growth, and missteps. He does so skillfully over some really diverse production from oune of our favorites.
#7 – Substance810 & Big TripThe GuillotineThis release was unrelenting. Nine tracks that delievered without fail. Everything about this release was dope. The beats all hit. The rhymes and the chemsitry are on point. A few tracks longer and this one might have claimed the top spot. Savage.
#8 – Ferris Blusa & Observe Since 98Let Go And Let GawdBlusa has been prolific with his music…releasing several dope releases each year. But this album just sounds and hits different. It sounds like perfect chemistry between producer an emcee. Performed like it was live in Redio City Music and captures lightning in a bottle.
#9 – The Bad SeedFrom Us With LoveSeed has blessed us with a lot of dope music over the decades. But as far as projects go, this album produced by Murda Megz is among his most impressive in my eyes. Hardest album of the year imo.
#10 – Supreme CerebralSon Of HannibalSupreme Cerebral has been crafting music and albums for a long time…but this album…backed by beats from Swab…hit hard and left an imprint for the duration of 2025.
stefanoneder Video

Blame One – What’s The Answer (ft. Aloe Blacc) (Video)

I haven’t been very inspired by music in the last couple of weeks, but this track from Blame One with Chill ill on the boards, brought me back. It’s that jazzy, laid back, melodic, yet lyrical flavor that I really needed for a reset. This joint is dope from both a lyrical and visual perspective. A vibe in the truest sense of the word. And having Aloe Blacc do a sixteen alongside Blame is the right choice. That’s the DEFINITION of smooth.

stefanoneder Singles

Single You Out: Blame One – Bounce & Nod (Video)

Blame One has been a mic master for a long time, but also an artist who has been relatively quiet over the years. But legend has it, that he is back and has an EP coming out soon, appropriately called: Long Awaited. Bounce and Nod is the first single I have personally heard and is produced by Chill-Ill. It’s very laid back and jazzy, a really nice change of pace in today’s music. Horns, Keys, and dope rhymes! So lay in the cut and don’t miss!

stefanoneder Singles

Single You Out: Blame One & Preed One – Walk With Me

I missed out earlier this month when the single Walk With Me from Blame One and Preed One came out, and it’s time for some atonement because this song is so good. Blame One’s bars hit clearly and cleverly over some really smooth and soulful production from Preed and DJ TMB (a renowned turntabalist) puts the finishing touches on the song. This song is a beautiful presentation of what hip hop is capable of.

Automatic like an uzi going rapid fire / I struck / And now you know you suck / Like a pacifier

stefanoneder Singles

Single You Out: Blame One – Frontin’ Foes

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Here’s some new music from Blame One produced by Veks entitled Frontin’ Foes.  The joint’s got a smooth vibe, and Blame One flows so effortlessly over the production.  It’s laid back goodness, with nuggets of wisdom, and keen insight, mingled throughout.

I have always really liked Blame One.  His art speaks to me and thankfully a new album is seemingly on the way soon.

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Big Block Silvers – Crime in the City (Video)

You want to know what the best EP of the year is thus far? Look no further than the project, Bold, from Blame One, Harry Apollo, and JonJ, also known as Big Block Silvers. This is some of the most beautiful hip hop I have heard as of late. There are six tracks, all of which are incredibly impressive. You can hear the amalgamation of dope on this track, Crime in the City, where boom bap, sound, and lyricism collide. You can not help but be impressed here. Cop this project. It is worth every penny.

stefanoneder Album Reviews

AWKWORD – World View (2014)

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Artist: AWKWORD

Album: World View

Tracklisting:

1. Gas Land (Frack Off) ft. Chaundon [prod. by Numonics] | World View Intro 04:31
2. Throw Away The Key [prod. by L.Ment (Canada)] 05:44
3. Bars & Hooks ft. Sean Price, The Kid Daytona & The Incomparable Shakespeare [prod. by Harry Fraud] 04:48
4. Penny [prod. by Dismas (Romania)] 02:55
5. The People’s Champions ft. Shabaam Sahdeeq, Punchline & Beretta 9 (of Killarmy) [prod. by Harry Fraud] 04:55
6. Got Class? [prod. by Fresh Nerd] 02:16
7. Notorious ft. Wordsmith, Jasiri X, Jus Daze & Capital X [prod. by Amin PaYnE (Australia)] 05:18
8. Doctor Doctor ft. GuessWho? [prod. by MajoR R.E. (Malaysia)] 04:34
9. Requiem ft. SoulStice, Ess Vee & CuzOH! Black [prod. by ATG] [add. vox by Jay Daniels (Australia) & Mark Deez] 04:40
10. Melting Pot (Made In America) ft. Chaundon [prod. by Numonics] 03:57
11. Rape [prod. by Fafu] 02:53
12. Rap Genius ft. Perseverance & Chino XL [prod. by The White Shadow (Norway)] 03:51
13. It’s Not Possible [prod. by Recluse Crew (Finland)] 01:42
14. #AaronSwartz ft. L*A*W [prod. by Steel Tipped Dove] 03:28
15. The World Is Yours ft. Sha Stimuli & Viro The Virus [prod. by Dominant1 (Malawi)] 03:53
16. Imperialism ft. C-Rayz Walz & Reks [prod. by Jonny Lupo (Moldova)] 04:08
17. Radio 2.0 ft. KRS-One, Dug Infinite, Brimstone127 & Mista Lawnge (of Black Sheep) [prod. by Vice Souletric] 04:51
18. Metal Music ft. El Gant, ILL BILL, Tenacity & Blame One [prod. by Tranzformer] 05:09
19. Go! ft. Joell Ortiz, Slug (of Atmosphere) & Maya Azucena [prod. by Domingo] 03:25

Note:

This review for AWKWORD’s World View has been a long time coming.   It’s a long time coming for two reasons:  1) AWKWORD has been working on his magnum opus for well over three years 2)  I took another two months to digest the project in between other releases.  But here we are at the moment of reckoning to determine what makes World View special, or if it’s indeed special at all.

 

Continue reading “AWKWORD – World View (2014)” →

stefanoneder 2013

Top 50 Songs (2013)

Disclaimer:  It is hard and challenging to pick 50 tracks from the thousands upon thousands that dropped this year.  It is merely an attempt to list my favorite cuts of 2012.  Click the links to listen to the song!  I think it’s a great list.  There were a lot of great songs crafted this year and I know I left off some good ones.  I listened to 5,000+ tracks from 2012 alone this year, so as an artist, if you made this list you know you are on the forefront of my iTunes!

1. Said Before – Goldini Bagwell

2. Rhyme Of The Year – Nino Bless

3. Believers – Mayday

4. Outlive, Outshine – Theo3

5.  War – Stryfe and Marc Byrd

Continue reading “Top 50 Songs (2013)” →

stefanoneder Singles

Single You Out: Blame One & J57 – How Much Time’s Left (ft. Akie Bermiss)

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This is the third single from the Blame One and J57 collaborative album, Walk In The Sun.   It continues in the tradition of soulful and introspective music.  Blame One reflects back on what is important in his life,   He’s a family man who rocks the mic and not the vice versa.  The man has his priorities in the right order.  Akie Bermiss, does what he has done numerous times…he gives a track a touch of class and refinement.  Dope music.  Can’t wait for the album.

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Blame One & J57 – They Don’t Know (ft. Akie Bermiss)

Beautiful music.  What can I say that the music isn’t already preaching (no pun intended)?  J57 shows us once again that he is a master of his craft.  This arrangement is perfection.  Akie Bermiss lends a chorus that just takes you on a trip in between Blame One’s bars.  And speaking of those bars:  Blame One has always spoken on spirituality and his beliefs.  If you listen to his past music you will pick up on that.   His message is one of acceptance and blessing.  It isn’t preachy…it’s human.

Walk In The Sun drops on August 27th which seems eons away. But you can preorder it now.