Oh good gawd this joint is a heat rock and a half. Skinny Bonez Tha Godfather and Words team up with Mickey Diamond and Dro Pesci for music to murk to. Bangkok Bar Brawls as a title sounds like the perfect reflection for the music itself. Each emcee has the gravel to lace som kill shots in their respective sixteens. This is a combo that belongs together on a track.
Lists of this magnitude are tough to do and I take a great deal of pride in crafting. I think the first ten to fifteen are easy to distinguish and then after, I think the places can be somewhat become interchangeable. All great tracks, where the pecking order becomes less discernible. So many artists could have been included multiple times on this list, but then we lose depth. Artists like Mickey Diamond and Jay Royale could have had multiple entries. As it stands only one emcee, Ransom, got two tracks selected for this list.
In the end, this is a testament to the strength of hip hop in 2022. We can agree to disagree on many points but maybe you will find something dope you hadn’t heard or a new artist to support. This is my hope.
Thanks for your time and readership!
-Stef aka thathiphopguy
| Song | Artist | Notes |
| #1 – Done | M-Dot & Apollo Brown | This is the track that sets the tone for the entire year and this is what M-Dot and Apollo Brown typify: Hard work and talent! |
| #2 – Unruly | Vandal & Nottz | A song that gets caught in the head and does not let go. It is a personal anthem. |
| #3 – Power Nap | Nicholas Craven & Boldy James | Boldy and Craven is a beautiful union and nobody makes me crave a little rest like this cut. Beautiful music. |
| #4 – A Most Dreadful Symphony | Ransom & V Don | This song’s whole vibe gives me chills. |
| #5 – Chain Gretzky | Mickey Diamond & Big Ghost | No song went harder than this in 2022. |
| #6 – War I Bring | Sherm LaRock & Midaz | No song went harder than this in 2022…except above |
| #7 – Area 57 (ft. Skyzoo) | J57 | Dope rhymes. Fluid flows. A Change Up. Perfect. |
| #8 – Qtna | Defcee & Boathouse | From the best album of 2022, you would expect a Top 10 song. |
| #9 – Highly Favored (ft. Bub Styles & Mickey Diamond) | Ty Farris & Slim One | It’s raw hip hop with a fantastic producer and three consummate emcees. |
| #10 – Linchpins (ft. Prince Po) | Guilty Simpson | The strings are glorious and the rhymes abound. |
| #11 – Everywhere I Go (ft. Muja Messiah, Guilty Simpson, and Copywrite) | Dub Sonata | The connections and cohesion on this joint are unparalleled. So clever! |
| #12 – Paint Pictures (J.Rocc Remix) | XP The Marxman | Hip-Hop holds true to it’s purest form on this joint. |
| #13 – The Most Exalted | IAMGAWD | Pen game is strong with this one. Glorious. |
| #14 – 3x | Madhattan & NV | Pied Piper type smooth. Follow the flute and dope flow. |
| #15 – Sal’s Pizza | 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud | Spesh and Fraud are an elite combination, and you can hear it here. |
| #16 – Why Bitch | Starvin B & DustyVibes | Starvin B is a regular on these lists and this year is no different. |
| #17 – No Time To Waste (ft. Jadakiss) | Apathy & Stu Bangas | If you love sick lyricism this is the joint for you. |
| #18 – Cancel Myself | Ren Thomas & Brutal Caesar | You make a mockery of hip hop so Thomas and Caesar make a mockery of you. |
| #19 – Immortals (ft. Casual) | Lunar Heights | Great track and the Casual cameo is spot on. |
| #20 – Keeper Of The Flame | Mooch & Oh Jay | Smooth track and crisp flow. |
| #21 – Gunsmithz (ft. Phat Kat, Asun Eastwood, Recognize Ali) | Ol’ Man 80zzz | Another track in 2022 that knocks harder than most. |
| #22 – Stuck In Our Ways (ft. Rigz, MAV, Mooch) | Real Bad Man | It’s Da Cloth!!! Flames! |
| #23 – Carlito & Kleinfeld | Jay Royale & Kool G Rap | It’s that certified street shit featuring a legend with one of today’s strongest. |
| #24 – Bone Tomahawk | Spit Gemz | This is an intro to Gemz project and packs a lot of heat in a minute’s time. |
| #25 – Fire Slingers (ft. Snak The Ripper) | N.B.S. | Yeah. This track stays true to the namesake. They are spitting flames on here. |
| #26 – Scud Missle | Planet Asia & Snowgoons | Legends unite to give you this heat rock. These guys are at the pinnacle of their craft. |
| #27 – Roar Of The Lions | El Gant | Another track that just “feels” like hip hop. It gets you hype to be a fan. |
| #28 – Slay | Johaz & Nottz | Nottz does it again this time taking you to church with Johaz. |
| #29 – Dis Could Be Bad | MAV | It could be bad, but MAV is oh so good. |
| #30 – Raekwon’s Table | Ullnevano & God Sense Beats | Not all are worthy to sit at Raekwon’s Table. But these artists show and prove. |
| #31 – Lo Pan | Teek Hall | Teek Hall is name you should know and when this song gets caught in your head, you’ll remember. |
| #32 – Hans Gruber (ft. Lil Fame) | Wais P & Pete Twist | Bruce Willis may not approve but the hip hop community agrees this is a banger. |
| #33 – Diamond Backs (ft. Daniel Son) | Maze Overlay | Northside and AZ link up over some Farma heat. |
| #34 – Compromised | Ransom | Ransom is too talented to not make this list twice. |
| #35 – Guerrero (ft. Westside Gunn) | Benny the Butcher | The power and talent of Griselda is undeniable. This joint feels like it was actually made in a lab. |
| #36 – Triple Threat (ft. RIM & Frankky Smaccz) | Eddie Kaine | Flamethrower bars over some production from the talented Hobgoblin. |
| #37 – Both Sides | The Tangiers | Every time this cut comes on, my head nods instantly. Drops heavy. |
| #38 – One Bridge (ft. Fashawn & K-Prez) | Snowgoons | The organ that drives this track is the perfect set up. And the emcees give such great energy! |
| #39 – Bars After Bars | Fatt Father & DJ Jewels Baby | The Wu-Tang flip is insane and the bars and flow speak for themselves. |
| #40 – Museum Piece (ft. Torae) | Napoleon Da Legend & Just Music Beats | This song has the necessary hype and talent equivalent to make the list. Lyricism for days. |
| #41 – Hamster Wheel | Locksmith | One of the most authentic artists in hip hop delivers a virtuoso performance. |
| #42 – Tyrant | Shabaam Sahdeeq & John Jigg$ | Two of my favorites link up for some lyrical gold here. |
| #43 – Dudesovadere (ft. Dro Pesci) | Mic Handz | This project is full of bangers and needs to be heard. This is just one of those harbody tracks. |
| #44 – Too Convinced | Nelson Dialect & BigBob | This joint is just so melodic. It honestly should be higher on this list but what’s done is done. Incredible track. |
| #45 – Queens Gambit | Shaz Illyork & Buon Anni | So good to hear Illyork over these banging beats from Buon Anni. |
| #46 – Big Coffins (ft. Mickey Diamond and Pro Dillinger) | Snotty | It’s The Umbrella posse cut that bodies the competition. |
| #47 – Bill and Fame (ft. Tone Spliff) | The Bad Seed | A tribute of sorts to M.O.P. and no one is more set to do it properly than Seed! |
| #48 – Riot | Daniel Son x Futurewave x 36 Cypher | Yes. This joint could easily cause a riot. Everything is intense on this cut. |
| #49 – It’s Like That (ft. DJ Grazzhoppa) | Supreme Cerebral | Supreme Cerebral slays tracks and he takes this rock infused beat and wreaks havoc. |
| #50 – Gawds Wrath Massacre (ft. Don Streat x Rico Blox x J Fliz x Jae Hussle x Street Da Villain) | Slik Jack & Kng Bondalero) | I needed to set off the list with this ill posse cut because this beat by Bondalero is an anthem. |
Artist: Astro Vandalist
Album: Astroduction
Tracklisting:
1. DV alias Khryst – Astroduction
2. D-Strong – The reaper
3. Declaime feat Georgia Muldrow – Helicopters
4. Rasco – Live & learn
5. Blaq Poet feat Born Unique – In the danger zone
6. Ruste Juxx – Viking verses
7. Dro Pesci – Keep it street
8. Sadat X feat Nine – Nomical
9. Dirt Platoon – Bellyache
10. Born Unique – Dirt naps
11. El Gant feat Shabaam Shadeeq – Vandetta
12. FT feat Godsunz – Astro beast
13. Akbar – Off the grid (OTG)
14. Beneficence – Up in ya era
15. El Da Sensei – Bars & boastin’
16. John Robinson – Music never ends
17. Maylay Sparks feat DJ Too Tuff – Tally up
Notes:
I am going to start featuring one album from the previous week every Monday because there is so much good music that I believe is going unheard. And this album from French producer, Astro Vandalist, is something that you guys need to be made aware of. It’s 17 tracks of unadulterated and potent hip hop. The beats really hit hard and you can see by this lineup of emcees that there are some heavy hitters on here.
Check out and cop the whole thing as it is worth every penny, but here are my favorite tracks if you want a sampling!
Here’s an appropriately titled loosie from producer Giallo Point featuring emcees D Strong and Dro Pesci called, The Heat. And that’s exactly what this trio bring you on this cut. It’s pure and unadulterated fire. Giallo continues his run of lacing banger after banger for dope emcees. Strong and Pesci are laying heads to rest on this track…you all had your chance!
I’ve been meaning to share this video from Dro Pesci. The dude is nice with his and doesn’t get enough credit for the skill he possesses. Harsh Reality has that grimy flavor but features Pesci’s smooth delivery.
Make sure you check out his latest project, When I Blow Up, Don’t Show Up Vol. 4
C-Rayz Walz, independent hip hop artist, and legend if you ask me, has a new project out, Bad Fame: Music To Run With. The project dropped a few days ago, and it’s really dope. But in particular I am enamored with this J-Scrilla produced gem that features, Echo 1, Dro Pesci, and Oktober Zero. It’s just a banging track and that snaking sample Scrilla uses is sooooo on-point!
From Da Streets is a new single from Dro Pesci’s forthcoming album , Groundhog Day, which is dropping on February 2nd. And here you get what you would expect, some gritty street narratives from Pesci, Ruste Juxx, and Nems, over a beat with a piano riff created by Vic Grimes that makes you think of Halloween the movie. Ill shit right here!
I got another banger for you all today. This one comes from the combination of Mr. Stroke and Dro Pesci off of their Real In The Field album that dropped back in October of last year. The track features that hard NYC flavor, with a genuine NYC vet in the form of Shabaam Sahdeeq. I am going to have to check out this album some time. Definitely seems like my flavor!
Dro Pesci returns with some heat from his collaborative album with Mr. Stroke, Real In The Field. This is just one of those grimy, street bangers that’s bound to fly heads. It’s also got two of my favorite guests emcees dropping bars, the unheralded Halfabrick and the hard working Ruste Juxx. There here to give you that work…
I don’t know why but this is always one beat I want to hear how people rock over. Obviously no one is going to top the original but it’s always interesting to hear what kind of wordplay people are going to come up with .
This one features Ruste Juxx who has been doing all kinds of damage in 2012. He has been relentless. He is teamed up with Dro Pesci who’s project this song will appear on. That project is entitled The Sitdown which has no said date. I think the emcees certainly do this track some justice.
Hip Hop Dependency 