Best UK Hip Hop of 2012

We asked you to vote for your favourite UK Hip Hop of the year in 3 different categories. Here are those results, with videos and links for you to check out if you missed anything first time round.

Since the page is pretty damn long, if you want, you can jump to the section your interested in.

Jump to Top Albums/E.P.s

Jump to Top Tracks

Jump to Top Newcomers

Top Albums/E.P.s of 2012

This was easily the most hotly contested title of our 3 categories. More than 100 votes were received, and it went right down to the wire. Somewhat unsurprisingly High Focus topped the chart, but we were very glad to see a good selection of votes were cast. So much so, that we’ve included some honourable mentions below the Top 5.

1. Fliptrix – Third Eye Of The Storm – the High Focus main man has really put the work in this year, with 2 albums in 2012. He’s really captured the attention of UK Hip Hop fans up and down the country, and likely converted some non-heads out there. He definitely deserves the title and we’re excited to hear more from him in 2013. (Lyrics here)

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAI0Fl5g-ME” width=”600″ height=”400″]

2. Jam Baxter – The Gruesome Features – High Focus labelmate Jam Baxter has been keeping the country bumping this year too. After his acclaimed Rinse Out Friday / Spack Out Monday in 2010, this year saw The Gruesome Features hit the nation. Featuring other top artists this release went down a storm, proving Jam Baxter‘s impact on the scene as a top top lyricist.

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3. Edward Scissortongue – Better.Luck.Next.Life – Rounding off the High Focus hat-trick comes Scissortongue with his debut album Better.Luck.Next.Life. Those of you had been waiting for tiiime for this release were not disappointed. This album is definitely one of our favourites of the year too. A decade in the making, this one’s a journey in itself. Check out a couple of reviews here and here. Don’t miss our interview with Ed, and check out his lyrics.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amU8ZugZiSM” width=”600″ height=”400″]

4. Verb T – The Morning Process – Veteran Verbs dropped The Morning Process this year. The album didn’t disappoint, numerous bangers, some introspective numbers, and tales of life in rhyme. Sweet. (The sample on this is so infectious)

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_epI0H33V-w” width=”600″ height=”400″]

5. Fliptrix – The Road To The Interdimensional Piff Highway – Well, this says it all. WIth 2 albums in the top voted albums of the year, Fliptrix proves his sheer ability and dexterity as an artist and a performer. His flow’s insane, lyrics always on par, and his agility in mixing up themes and images is admirable.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2GAG1CPWjU” width=”600″ height=”400″]

(Very) Honourable Mentions

There have been some “comments” about High Focus’ success (why?!), but there’s no taking away from the label’s success. That said, there were some excellent albums/E.P.s this year, that were well-voted in our poll, but didn’t make the top 5.

Melanin9 – Magna Carta – Melanin9 dropped Magna Carta late this year, and a lot of you voted for this one. A UK veteran, Melanin0 had been somewhat quiet until now. We’re glad the silence was broken.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPls-Gi_4Ig” width=”600″ height=”400″]

Skuff – Destroy Everything – Cambridge’s Skuff released Destroy Everything and we featured some lyrics from it. Working wonders for the UK since his Delegates Of Culture days, Skuff’s a hell of an MC, and one to bump and bump again. Album review here.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaOQaTGRnNw” width=”600″ height=”400″]

Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn – Paid To Listen – We’ve seen some great stuff from these young guys this year, and these will definitely be ones to watch in the future.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vln9TcUpnyg” width=”600″ height=”400″]

Top Tracks of 2012

This category received less votes than the ALbums/E.P.s’ one, and it featured some varied votes, which we enjoyed. Here are our very worth top 5 UK Hip Hop tracks of 2012.

1. Edward Scissortongue (Feat. Contact Play) – Coma – Utter beast of a track from Scissortongue and the Contact Play crew. Taken from Better.Luck.Next.Life as mentioned above. The video’s pretty sick too.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zgmg9-d03U” width=”600″ height=”400″]

2. Jam Baxter (Feat. Mowqgli) – Chemical Sweats – Taken from The Gruesome Features, featuring one of our favourites, Mowgli.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rX6vIu0w5Y” width=”600″ height=”400″]

3. Split Prophets – Stuck In Their Strategy (Bailey Brown & Chris Lucas Remix) – after their incredibly popular debut E.P. Scribbled Thoughts in 2011, their remix version of the E.P. went down a storm too.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkfpGKNjPzg” width=”600″ height=”400″]

4. Fliptrix (Feat. Jehst) – Third Eye Sight – The veteran and the visionary coming together on this one taken from Third Eye Of The Storm.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwzKy7ySjwY” width=”600″ height=”400″]

5. Mowgli – Cadence – Mowgli is a don. His lyricism is like nothing we’ve witnessed before. The guy gets around too – with a feature on Gruesome Features (see above) and his album ’93. This one is taken from the Montalk project (first link). You can also check out Mowgli’s site for the latest info, including our Feature on the Montalk project. Finally, check out Broken Culture’s Interview with Mowgli.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaEMI240lp4″ width=”600″ height=”400″]

Top Newcomers of 2012

We weren’t sure about this category when we were deciding about our 2012 voting, but we went with it anyway. Here are the results.

1. Edward Scissortongue – we nearly didn’t include Scissortongue in this category, but since people voted him in, we decided the decision should stand. Yes, he’s not technically a newcomer, him and Contact Play have been doing their thing for a fair few years. However, as we said above, this guy released his first album this year, and in that sense, yes, he is a newcomer. In fifty years when people look back on Scissortongue, they’re going to find this album, and they will still drool over it.

2. Benaddict – We first clocked this geezer when Dirty Dike posted something about him on Facebook. Since then, we’ve had 1.7 Grams Of A Kilo To Come (Preview E.P.), The Dubs Mixtape, The Dubs Volume 2 and The Cat Suit Tony E.P. with Dirty Dike (released on Christmas fuckin’ Eve!). 203 will definitely hold more in store from this guy. Keep your eyes peeled for “The Kilo”.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpoJ4bidQV8″ width=”600″ height=”400″]

3. Kingdom Of Fear – Kingdom Of Fear are veterans Jehst and Kashmere. The album was a one-off concept thing. We won’t see any more of Kingdom Of Fear, but there’s no doubt Jehst and Kashmere will thankfully grace the airwaves for years to come. Inspired by the eery work of Hunter S. Thompson, this project was a bit of a mystery until its release.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEEe5fhgat8″ width=”600″ height=”400″]

4. Split Prophets – Bristol crew Split Prophets started out in 2011 (in terms of releasing music anyway), but they’ve been just as active this year. We’ve already mentioned the Scribbled Thoughts Remixes, but also on the list are the single Stick Up from May this year (lyrics here), Sound Of Evolution E.P. from Upfront MC, Datkid’s album Home By 8 and of course their recent single Comparisons, which we’ve bumped at least a gazillion times.

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So that concludes HHIE’s journey through the best UK Hip Hop of 2012 as voted for by you. Except, not quite…

We thought it important to give you a couple of things to watch out for in early 2013. Don’t sleep on:

Genesis Elijah – I Ain’t Even Charging – after 2 E.P.s under the same title, Genesis Elijah’s long-awaited album will be dropping in early 2013.

Dirty Dike – The Slopshot E.P. – Dirty Dike’s new E.P. will be dropping on the 11th January 2013. Hit the link to pre-order it now.

Frankie Stew & Cuth – Journeys – this one will be dropping in January, though we’re not sure when.

Jack Flash & Wizard – All Nighter E.P. – From producer Wizard, and northener Jack Flash, this one lands on 17th January 2013, so keep your eyes peeled.

That’s it from us for 2012, except for one VERY important thing. Here’s Mystro’s 2012 Rap Up! (We’ll update to the video version when it drops.)

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8SRaPNTMcw” width=”600″ height=”400″]

Comments, suggestions, opinions? Leave them in the comments below.

Peace, HHIE