Sorry for the lack of posts in the new year. And yeah, I know that every website on the Internet has already posted this. But I don’t care.

Directed by Coodie & Chike. Taken from The Ecstatic.

While the Plug One 50′s top 20 albums list is designed to be authoritative (or at least highly opinionated), the top 30 tracks list tends to be a mishmash of random favorites.

These are a few songs that caught my ear. Some were important singles; others were just “YouTube singles”; and still others were random MP3s. It was actually difficult to put together, not due to an abundance of choices, but because I usually pay attention to albums, not songs. I can’t promise that the situation will improve next year, and I’ll learn to remember the cuts that I liked, but shit, it would make this job a lot easier, wouldn’t it?

I decided to rank the top ten, if only to highlight the ones that truly stood out for me, and then alphabetized the rest.

1. Raekwon, “House of Flying Daggers”
Ice H20 Records/EMI

Raekwon caught everyone’s attention with this throwback to the glory days of Wu. Over a banging track from the late J Dilla — which, it should be noted, was reportedly commissioned before Dilla’s death — Rae, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface and Meth drop a bag of heat rocks, with GZA on the chorus. It let us know that the long-delayed Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt II would actually be good.

2. Eminem, “Beautiful”
Interscope

Relapse should have sounded like this bittersweet single, not the drug-addled attempts to reclaim Slim Shady glory that made it such a disappointment. It proves that Eminem, when not sheltered by Jimmy Iovine and a nation of suburban Stans, is still capable of producing great records. Bonus points earned for “Beautiful’s” accompanying video, which paid elegiac tribute to Em’s native, broken-down Detroit.

3. The Roots, “How I Got Over”
Def Jam

“Out on the streets, where I grew up/First thing they teach you is not to give a fuck/That type of thinking will get you nowhere/Someone has to care.” Brilliant.

4. Cage, “Nothing Left to Say”
Definitive Jux

Cage’s official single, the serial killer fantasy “Depart From Me,” got the Shia LaBouef video treatment, but this teaser single made a bigger impression on me. It honors his late friend and rhyme partner Tero “Camu Tao” Smith, an underappreciated vet who died from cancer last year. (A few major blogs who shall remain nameless, unaware of Camu Tao’s talents, struggled to mount tributes.) Cage gives him the musical tribute he deserves, promising to “live through Camu” over smash-mouth guitars and a raucous El-P beat.

5. Hudson Mohawke, Polyfolk Dance EP
Warp

This five-track instrumental 12-inch summarized Hudson Mohawke’s ideas, with the standout “Velvet Peel” at its whimsically digital center.

6. Buckshot & KRS-One, “Robot”
Duck Down Records

After Jay-Z’s “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)” blew up, the airwaves Buckshot tried to claim credit for starting the anti-vocoder trend since his track dropped first. I liked when KRS-One rapped”Go online, look up Kraftwerk/everything we doing is past work.” It was kinda corny: these days, any teeny bopper can not only download Kraftwerk’s complete catalog, but their influences and their followers, which is neatly documented by Allmusic.com. You have to read deeper into Kris’ line to get his overall point — these silly trends really are reverberations of what’s come before them. It’s simple wisdom.

7. Anti-Pop Consortium, “Volcano”
Big Dada

After reuniting last year following a six-year layoff, I wondered if Anti-Pop still had the potential to “disturb the equilibrium.” This vibrant battle rap let me know that my fears were unfounded.

8. Sa-Ra Creative Partners, “Love Czars”
Ubiquity Recordings

Technically, this 10-minute locked-groove symphony isn’t a hip hop track; you’ll have to dig up the remix featuring Jay Electronica and Ta’Raach for that. However, it exemplified future soul, and all the cross-currents — from hip hop to house music and future jazz — that flow through it.

9. J Dilla feat. Black Thought, “Reality Check”
Nature Sounds

“Reality Check” was a diamond amidst the rough, unfinished beats and sloppy vocals of Jay Stay Paid. Black Thought’s rant about reality TV hell, with its allusions to Public Enemy’s “She Watches Channel Zero,” rolled over Dilla’s synth-y track like a third rail.

10. Mos Def, “Casa Bey”
Downtown Records

Mos Def’s The Ecstatic was effortlessly innovative, and this laser-sharp example of his lyrical prowess, set to his own jazzy shapeshifting beat, was a sterling representation.

And here’s the rest of the list in alphabetical order:

Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones, “The Lonely Ones”
Decon

Asher Roth, “Lark in My Go-Kart”
SRC

Busdriver, “Least Favorite Rapper”
Anti-

Cage, “Depart From Me”
Definitive Jux

Cam’ron, “I Hate My Job”
Asylum

Clipse, “Kinda Like A Big Deal”
Columbia Records

The Clonius, Adroit Adventures EP
Ubiquity Recordings

Del and Tame One, “The Franchise”
Gold Dust Media

Dorian Concept, “Tropical Trilingual Tease” (online sample track from “Trilingual Dance Sexperience”)
Affine Records

Drake, “Best I Ever Had”
Universal Motown

Filastine, “Marxa”
Soot Records

Finale, “Jungle Music”
online MP3

Kero One, “Welcome to the Bay”
Plug Label

Mos Def, “Supermagic”
Downtown Records

MF Doom, “Lightworks”
Lex Records

Pill, “Trap Goin’ Ham”
Grade A Muzik

Raekwon, “Surgical Gloves”
Ice H20 Records/EMI

Tanya Morgan, “Hardcore Gentlemen”
Interdependent Media

Themselves, “Roman Is As Roman Does”
Anticon

Theophilus London, “Cold Pillow”
online MP3

This year’s crop of hip hop albums was an improvement over last year. But it didn’t come from the artists expected to dominate.

Around this time in 2008, everyone was buzzing about the “new school” of blog-hyped rappers. They injected the medium with an enthusiasm not felt in ages. So far, however, the results of this youth movement are decidedly uneven. Wale’s Attention Deficit drew mixed reviews; even fans of it must concede that it has plenty of decent rhymes, but lacks great songs. By contrast, Kid Cudi landed a few monster singles, particularly the undying “Day ‘N Nite,” but his Man on the Moon: The End of Day seemed monotone and self-indulgent. Blu and the Cool Kids mostly kept silent, and we all know what happened to Charles Hamilton.

With the jury still out on the so-called “freshman class,” the end of the aughts belonged to the veterans. With the notable exception of Nosaj Thing and Dorian Concept, all of the artists on this list are firmly established. Some mounted surprising comebacks after years of mediocre and sub-par work; others made solid follow-ups to classic albums. Unlike 2008 and Flying Lotus’ Los Angeles (and, I would argue, the Cool Kids’ The Bake Sale), these recordings didn’t establish new stylistic tropes. In a year when populism and stubborn class and racial traditions weighed down American culture, these works met expectations and buffered the status quo, whether it was the true-school ethos or the mainstream’s street-rap-as-blues credo.

That’s not to say that 2009 wasn’t an exciting time: it was. But hip hop music thrives on youth movements, and to see blog rap’s most promising rookies disappear in a cloud of weed smoke, meandering mixtapes and incessant corporate-sponsored tours and marketing campaigns was frustrating. It certainly didn’t convince the old heads from continuing to insist that the genre is a dead zombie walking. Of course, next year could be different. But for now, this is where we are.

I don’t know if this list is unique from any other, but I suspect there may be a few surprises. Perhaps the most contentious entry is for Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt II. It has topped many lists, but it certainly didn’t top mine. If my summary reads negative, it’s in reaction to the universal acclaim that has greeted it, some of which seems unwarranted. People love their action fantasies, and Raekwon’s triumphant return has some great crime narratives. But I think some consider it the year’s best because it fits stereotypes of what a great hip hop album is supposed to sound like; other entries on this list drew strong reviews, too, but they were often considered something other than “real hip hop.”

I don’t know what that “other” may may be. Maybe “alt-rap,” “backpacker,” or some nefarious micro-genre like “wobbly”? But lists such as the Plug One 50 will continue to be an anomaly until fans stop equating the genre with criminal activity and po-faced lyrical schemes, embrace a more complex universe of sounds, and live up to Afrika Bambaataa’s vision of hip hop as a perspective on the world instead of a region-specific, drug-infested street corner.

Yes, 2009 was a good year. We got consistently great music, but we missed the excitement that made 2008 seem like a promise of better things to come. Hopefully 2010 will combine not only the tried and true, but also the shock of the new.

1. Mos Def, The Ecstatic
Downtown Records

Few albums sound as hard-earned as The Ecstatic. It incorporates everything Mos Def has done up to now, from the scat-rapping to the soulful singjay-ing that is a bedrock of his stunning live performances. Like Erykah Badu on last year’s New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), he turns to cutting-edge producers — namely Madlib, Oh No and Mr. Flash — to create a frission that his past albums lacked. Those older recordings, particularly 2007′s disastrous True Magic, made The Ecstatic a surprising comeback, but it wouldn’t have been possible without those trials and errors. Its hopeful theme, an obvious nod to President Obama’s 2008 election and the ensuing “Life in Marvelous Times,” tells of a hard road to glory.

2. Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Nuclear Evolution: The Age Of Love
Ubiquity Recordings

If Sa-Ra’s first collection of recorded material, The Hollywood Recordings, was a coked-up ode to sex, drugs and nightlife; then Nuclear Evolution showed a way out of the despair and decadence. “Love Czars,” the album’s magnificent centerpiece, rolled out a locked groove as hypnotic as a Theo Parrish track; “Cosmic Ball,” with jazz-fusion master Gary Bartz as guest, was a shambolic dance in the light. Overall, Nuclear Evolution showed the different sides of Sa-Ra with a depth not heard before, justifying their rep as one of the most talented of the new soul era.

3. Nosaj Thing, Drift
Alpha Pup Records

Here’s an excerpt from my interview with Nosaj Thing earlier this year:

The hype surrounding Drift is the inevitable result of a scene gathering media and fan attention. Thankfully, Drift isn’t a summary of beat music clichés, but a haunting suite of songs that resembles Romantic classicism, minimalism/new music theory and old-school “electronica” techniques pioneered by Global Goon and Aphex Twin. (One of Drift’s tracks is titled “1685/Bach,” a nod to the year Johann Sebastian Bach was born.) Marrying his esoteric melodies to subtly dusted beats, Nosaj Thing creates an instrumental journey that leaves an indelible impression.

4. Brother Ali, Us
Rhymesayers Entertainment

Some critics have asked why Brother Ali, with two great albums under his belt, is never ranked among today’s best MCs. Certainly, few artists could convey inner peace and happiness with such clarity. Like Animal Collective, whose Merriweather Post Pavilion used domestic bliss as a source for drama as rich as any emotional conflict, Brother Ali takes marriage and family as a starting point to wonder why the rest of the world is in turmoil. He raps with such passion and moral certitude; he truly is, as Chuck D. calls him, “a soldier of love.”

5. Aceyalone, Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones
Decon

The second in a planned trilogy of tributes to his influences (the first being 2007′s underrated dancehall venture Lightning Strikes), Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones celebrates the big beats of classic Motown and doo-wop. But it’s not just another retro-soul exercise. Aceyalone playfully inhabits Bionik’s tracks, dropping a series of clean, family-friendly rhymes reminiscent of Freestyle Fellowship’s “Inner City Boundaries.” This may not be Aceyalone’s most important album, but it’s joyously fun all the same.

6. Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. II
Ice H2O Records/EMI

At 22 tracks, this long-awaited sequel to Raekwon’s 1995 masterpiece was full of highs and lows, from the terrific “House Of Flying Daggers” and “Surgical Gloves” to boorish smackdowns like “Broken Safety” (featuring the always predictable Jadakiss). Importantly, this edition focused narrowly on crack dealing, all the way down to the absurd “We Will Rob You” (an interpolation of Queen’s “We Will Rock You”). Save for the anguished “Cold Outside,” it didn’t aspire towards the white-hot hellfire and spiritual redemption of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Here, drug dealing isn’t one’s lot in life, but a familiar role, like a Martin Scorsese gangster flick. The purple tint of the album cover — an allusion to the original’s limited-edition “purple tape” jewel case  — signified business as usual. However, its best songs made for undeniably spectacular mainstream entertainment.

7. Madlib – Beat Konducta, Vol. 5-6: A Tribute To…
Stones Throw

Originally released as two vinyl-only EPs (Vol. 5: Dil Cosby Suite and Vol. 6: Dil Withers Suite), this tribute to Madlib’s friend and collaborator James “J Dilla” Yancey contains real and genuine sorrow. Madlib may have been Dilla’s biggest influence in his final years; you can hear it in his masterwork, Donuts. So the Beat Konducta repays the favor by incorporating samples from Dilla’s best loved tracks, including “The Light.” It’s still quirky and weird…this is a Madlib album, after all. Call it a revival, with plenty of beers, blunts and tears to go around.

8. Serengeti & Polyphonic, Terradactyl
Anticon

Serengeti has worked quietly in Chicago, releasing poorly-distributed albums full of sharply detailed character sketches and odd hooks, which makes him a perfect addition to the left-of-center Anticon. As his official national debut, Terradactyl brings those subterranean elements to light. There is “My Negativity,” which he chants as “My Negga-negga-negga,” drawing an unconscious parallel with a historic epithet. “My Patriotism” turns not to politics but to intimate relations. Meanwhile, Polyphonic the Verbose’s electronic squalls dance around Serengeti’s tales of everyman woe like glowing brain synapses.

9. Tanya Morgan, Brooklynati
Interdependent Media

Brooklynati was a sophomore effort in every way — bigger guests, better production and a concerted effort to translate the rough charms of its debut, 2006′s Moonlighting, to a broader canvas and a wider, blogosphere-primed audience. That the group was mostly successful — the album doesn’t really take off until nearly a third of the way through, during their brilliant “horrorcore” parody “Hardcore Gentlemen” — misses the point. Von Pea, Ilyas, and Donwill continue to grow by leaps and bounds, delivering cipher cuts (“Never 2ndary”) and love jawns (“Never Enough”) with the unique perspective of three admitted rap nerds who are slowly becoming genuine indie-rap heroes.

10. DOOM, Born Like This
Lex Records

If The Ecstatic was Obama’s campaign of hope set to hip hop, then Born Like This was the rabid, red dog populist aftermath. It’s not exactly a fuck-you album on par with Prince and the Revolution’s Around the World In a Day and OutKast’s Idlewild, since DOOM bookended his first solo disc in five years with a gospelly “Thank Yah.” But after enduring rumors of alcoholism, ill health and even his death, prompted by years of eccentric behavior — he hasn’t been seen publicly without his trademark mask since the late 90s — and notorious no-shows at his concerts, DOOM sounds unrepentant. On the Charles Bukowski-quoting “Cellz” and the homophobic “Batty Boys,” among others, he sounds furious, shoving hard rhymes and third-person asides down your throat like Ron Artest. He doesn’t do it consistently enough to make Born Like This a classic, but he still manages to excite and infuriate all at once.

And here’s the rest of the list sans commentary:

11. P.O.S., Never Better
Rhymesayers

12. Finale, A Pipe Dream And A Promise
Interdependent Media

13. Shafiq Husayn, Shafiq ‘En A-Free-Kah
Plug Research

14. Busdriver, Jhelli Beam
Anti-

15. Mike Slott, Lucky 9Teen
LuckyMe

16. Anti-Pop Consortium, Fluorescent Black
Big Dada

17. Willie Isz, Georgiavania
Lex Records

18. Dorian Concept, When Planets Explode
Kindred Spirits

19. Zion-I, The TakeOver
Gold Dust Media

20. Mr. Lif, I Heard It Today
Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises

(Note: This review was originally posted on Vibe.com before the company was liquidated and sold to new owners. It is no longer available on the website, so I decided to re-post it here.)

Mos Def, The Ecstatic
Downtown Records

What’s it like to be ahead of your time? Ask Mos Def. Since bursting out of Brooklyn in 1996 through standout cameos on De La Soul’s “Stakes is High” remix and Bush Babees “The Love Song,” mighty Mos has redefined hip hop artistry. His blend of deft rhymes, melodic harmonizing and spoken-word poetry into spirit-lifting, conscious-raising music is indelibly unique. He may be one of the few rappers that actually deserve the “conscious” sobriquet.

The problem is that Mos Def’s considerable ambitions often obscure his talents. 1999’s Black on Both Sides diverged wonderfully between the DJ Premier-assisted throwback charm of “Ms. Fat Booty” and the hard-charging hardcore punk quotations on “Rock & Roll.” But subsequent albums like 2003’s The New Danger and 2007’s True Magic found him struggling to synthesize his varying interests into cohesive statements. Time softens disappointments, however. Heard today, The New Danger sounds less a schizophrenic mess of cryptic freestyles and black rock than a courageous, even visionary preview of the future soul movement now led by Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Georgia Anne Muldrow and others.

On his fourth album The Ecstatic, Mos Def declares himself as the MC who flows “greatest like the Greater Lakes,” and revels in the power of his words. “I speak it so clearly sometimes y’all don’t hear me,” he raps in a determined voice on “Auditorium,” just before Slick Rick, inspired by producer Madlib’s medley of “Middle Eastern instruments,” appears spins a surreal tale of traveling through war-torn Iraq. Mos and Rick’s Q-Tip-and-Phife-like collabo gives way to “Priority,” where Mos calls himself “The gingerbread the slave master can’t catch.” (Get that?) Childhood fables aside, one of his most endearing traits is his empathy with impoverished people around the world. He observes Arabian women deep in prayer while traveling overseas on “The Embassy,” and raps a tribute en español to the Third World on “No Hay Nada Mas.”

Yes, it’s a typically eccentric tour de force from Mos Def. But this time, he recruits producers capable of keeping pace with him. Brothers Madlib and Oh No, French producer Mr. Flash of Ed Banger Records infamy and even the late master James “J Dilla” Yancey contribute grainy sample-filled beats, bringing Mos’ ideas into focus. Oh No loops an electric guitar solo for “Supermagic” (recycled from his 2007 album Dr. No’s Oxperiment); “Priority” finds newcomer Preservation weaving a dramatic medley of strings and bass drums. Mos Def soaks it all up, reverting to the hungry rhyme-spitter of years past instead of the wealthy rapper-actor hyphenate he’s now become.

As Mos Def unfurls each song, he offers little in the way of memorable hooks or choruses. But it doesn’t seem to matter. From comparing himself to Sugar Ray and Muhammad Ali on “Pretty Dancer,” to dropping adlibs over Muldrow’s vocals on “Roses” like a dancehall chatterer, Mos Def weaves and bobs like a champion boxer working the ring, creating eclectic sounds that deserve and rewards repeated listens. He truly earns the title of The Ecstatic.

Artist of the year candidate appropriates a one-cam strategy to unique (if slightly annoying) effect. Apologies for the OnSmash.com linkage, I didn’t look for a non-site-affiliated clip this time.

Directed by Dribblez & Weirdcore. Taken from The Ecstatic.

Mos Def is currently on tour behind his new album, The Ecstatic. Jay Electronica, who has an album dropping via Decon Records this fall, is lending support. Erykah Badu and Mos’ old crew Medina Green appear on select dates.

• 8/01: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN (1)
• 8/02: House of Blues, Chicago, IL (1)
• 8/05: Higher Ground, Burlington, VT (1)
• 8/09: 9:30 Club, Washington, DC (1) (2)
• 8/12: Amos’ Southend, Charlotte, NC (1) (2)
• 8/13: Music Farm, Charleston, SC (1) (2)
• 8/14: The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA (1) (2)
• 8/15: Performing Arts Center, Miami, FL (1) (2)
• 8/17: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA (1)
• 8/18: House of Blues, Dallas, TX (1)
• 8/19: House of Blues, Houston, TX (1)
• 8/21: Gothic Theatre, Denver, CO (1)
• 8/22: Boulder Theatre, Boulder, CO (1)
• 8/24: Edmonton Events Center, Edmonton, AB (1)
• 8/25: Flames Central, Calgary, AB (1)
• 8/27: Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC (1)
• 9/03: Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA (1) (3)
• 9/04: Paramount Theater, Oakland, CA (1) (3)
• 9/05: The Palladium, Los Angeles, CA (1) (3)
• 9/08: House of Blues, Boston, MA (1)
• 9/17: Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA (1)

(1) w/Jay Electronica
(2) w/Medina Green
(3) w/Erykah Badu & the Cannabinoids

Next week on June 9, Mos Def will release his long-awaited album The Ecstatic via Downtown Records. Contrary to reports from last year, it appears that Kanye West hasn’t contributed any tracks. Instead, Mighty Mos turned to Madlib, Oh No and Georgia Anne Muldrow, among others, for tracks. Guest shots come courtesy of his Black Star partner, Talib Kweli, and Slick Rick.

• 1. “Supermagic”
• 2. “Twilite Speedball”
• 3. “Auditorium”
• 4. “Wahid”
• 5. “Priority”
• 6. “Quiet Dog”
• 7. “Life In Marvelous Times”
• 8. “The Embassy”
• 9. “No Hay Nada Mas”
• 10. “Pistola”
• 11. “Pretty Dancer”
• 12. “Workers Camp”
• 13. “Revelations”
• 14. “Roses”
• 15. “History”
• 16. “Casa Bey”

Mos Def – “Casa Bey” – The Ecstatic – 6.9.09

Here is a speculative list of ten 2009 hip-hop albums. All of these titles are scheduled to drop sometime during the next 12 months. I omitted some perennial “coming soon” titles (Madvillainy 2, 9th Wonder’s The Wonder Years, Ghost & Doom’s Swift and Changeable, Big Boi’s Sir Luscious Left Foot and others). Not to say that they’ll never come out, but we’re moving on now.

Hudson Mohawke’s debut album (Warp): This may be the most hotly-anticipated of the electronic/hip-hop crossovers. Warp has a good track record of signing underground sensations who go on to record their best material for the label, with Autechre, Prefuse 73, Boards of Canada and Antipop Consortium being among the many examples. (tentative release date: Spring ’09)

Zion-I, The Takeover (Gold Dust Media): I’ve heard this album, and I can safely say that it’s Zion-I’s best to date, maybe as good as those cassette EPs they used to release back in the day. But will fans and critics give them their due recognition? People who don’t live on the West Coast tend to sleep on/underrate them. (release date: January 27)

Willie Isz, Georgiavania (Lex Records): Khujo and Jneiro Jarel have been leaking tracks from their forthcoming collaboration for the past several months. Some have sounded impressively soulful and reflective (“In The Red”), while others have sounded tinny and strange (“Gwan Jet”). It seems as if all the leaks — many which you can hear on Willie Isz’s MySpace page — are meant to get listeners comfortable with their unusual sound before the full-length drops. At the least, it should be an adventure.  (tentative release date: late February/March)

Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal (Warner Bros.): There’s some speculation whether this will come out now because Kweli’s Blacksmith management has split with Warner Bros. But I think that Warner Bros. still wants him on the label — it just didn’t feel like pushing Blacksmith’s underground slate (Jean Grae, Strong Arm Steady) to the mainstream. Kweli’s last album (2007′s Eardrum) was pretty good, and Hi-Tek is long overdue for a breakout year. Keep your fingers crossed that Warner Bros. doesn’t let this one rot on the shelf. (tentative release date: TBA)

Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love (Ubiquity): Sa-Ra’s 2007 debut was a patchwork of old singles and leaked tracks, detritus from their stillborn deal with G.O.O.D. Music/Sony. It sounded like leftovers. This upcoming affair should be much more fresh and cohesive, provided that blogs don’t leak the whole thing first. (tentative release date: spring ’09)

Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon (Fool’s Gold/Downtown): I wasn’t feeling this song at first, but lately it has resonated with me. Kid Cudi (pictured above) seems to have found a way around the auto-tune nightmare that has ruined rappers’ impulse to harmonize; it’s not exactly Cold Crush Brothers, but memorable nonetheless. An openness to electronic styles like soulful house could make this an intriguing debut. (tentative release date: TBA)

Dam-Funk, Toeachizown (Stones Throw): Dam-Funk is another dude who has leaked MySpace joints for many months now. He’s already released a few 12-inches, as well as an edition for Stones Throw’s Rhythm Trax series. But I expect Toeachizown to be a head-scratcher on par with James Pants’ Welcome. When I first heard that album, I disparaged James Pants for making a good demo tape. It was faint praise. Almost twelve months later, I still can’t stop thinking about that album. (tentative release date: Spring ’09)

Antipop Consortium, Flourescent Black: It’s been over a year since the four members of Antipop announced they were reuniting, and still no word of when the album will come out, or even which label will release it. (However, they’ve performed several NYC shows.) I imagine something will drop before the next edition of All Tomorrow’s Parties takes place in September; APC are scheduled to make a key appearance there. (tentative release date: TBA)

Charles Hamilton debut album (Interscope): Sonic the Hamilton’s album will most likely be a highly commercial mix of styles meant to entice hipsters, backpackers and teenyboppers alike. The question is, will he get the formula right? (tentative release date: TBA)

Mos Def, The Ecstatic (Downtown): Since his classic 1999 solo debut Black On Both Sides, Mos Def has concentrated most of his energy on his acting career, with fantastic results. Though not yet a lead actor, Mos has scored meaty supporting roles in critically acclaimed films and box office hits. Unfortunately, he’s subsequently used his music to indulge his artistic whims, making for meandering and unfocused albums like 2004′s The New Danger. At the beginning of 2008, he announced that he was teaming up with Kanye West (who also made beats for The New Danger), perhaps a sign that he wasn’t going to fuck around this time. Whatever The Ecstatic turns out to be — another classic or another mess — it should be interesting. (tentative release date: Spring ’09)

Other releases to watch for: MF Doom (Lex), Mr. Lif, I Heard It Today (Definitive Jux, April 13), Thavius Beck, Dialogue (Mush?), J. Medeiros, Friends Enemies Apples Apples (Quannum), Nosaj Thing (Alpha Pup), new Themselves album (Anticon), The Cool Kids, When Fish Ride Bicycles (Chocolate Industries), Evidence, Cats & Dogs (label TBD), Finale, A Pipe, A Dream & A Promise (Interdependent Media), Danny! (Definitive Jux)

It’s been a long time since people have had a reason to care about Mos Def’s music. While I have a soft spot for 2004′s The New Danger, I think we can all agree that his last two albums were below his usual standards, frustrating fans who loved him during his Rawkus glory years. Reportedly, Mos Def hated being on Geffen Records, which picked up his contract after it bought Rawkus, and he may have tanked those albums in order to get out of his deal. But that’s my theory.

Mos Def has recently signed with Downtown Records, the home of Gnarls Barkley, Spank Rock and — in a joint venture with Atlantic and Vice — Justice. The tres cool label has immediately set about resuscitating Mos’ music career by placing him and Spank Rock on an official remix of Justice’s club hit “D.A.N.C.E.,” which you can download at RCRD LBL. According to a story on Billboard.com, Mos Def is reuniting with Kanye West, who produced the best tracks on The New Danger.

If the album comes out next year, it will coincide nicely with Mos Def’s blossoming acting career. He currently has several films in production and one of them, Michael Gondry’s new flick Be Kind Rewind, is already penciled in for January 25. The buddy comedy, which co-stars Jack Black, is about two video store clerks who reshoot popcorn classics such as Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. 80s babies will love it.

Since there’s not much to report on Mos Def’s new album, here’s the trailer for Be Kind Rewind.

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www.myspace.com/mosdef