Now that we’re done with the more arduous task of making the ‘Top 50 songs of 2018’ list, I’ll switch to the easier task of putting up a quick top 10 songs for December 2018. We’re going a little overboard this month as you’ll see. Thanks for reading this year and see you in 2019!

Yung Skreww ft. Philthy Rich, J. Stalin, TD, Yung Getta Dro – If I Wasn’t Getting Money

Saw this one on Crimedawbylaw and while it’s two years old, it’s become one of my favorites that I’ve heard in a long time. It really is the ultimate mellow slapper, like he described it. I’m especially loving the chorus from Young Getta Dro and Skreww’s verse, outshining his more famous contemporaries. “You a mohterfucking snitch like what was you telling for, if you wasn’t with the shit what you hung with the fellas for? If you don’t like it, stay away from the clique nigga, 187 on an undercover bitch nigga!” Skreww’s verse just had so much heart.

Cash Click Boog – 200 Proof  

I’d heard Boog’s name here and there and probably as a feature in passing but didn’t really start checking him out until reading Raygarraty’s great all-Detroit top songs of 2018 list, and then I decided to delve more into his music and he really grew on me. ‘200 Proof’ is my favorite of his songs so far. “Blues got me feeling cool as ever, snow or rain nigga, shoot whoever, your main bitch on my dick cause I do it better. Southwest in this bitch then there’s stupid cheddar.”

Side note – I love the Thizzler best of 2018 cyphers that they came out with this year, and the fact that they had one including a bunch of the Detroit guys like Boog and guys from BandGang/ShredGang, commemorating the timeless and always-fruitful Bay Area to Detroit connection.

Kodak Black – Identity Theft  

Kodak with a heartfelt ode to credit card fraud. Rappers have been rapping about the dope game for probably at least 30 years so it’s about time the identity theft game got some love.

Kodak Black ft. Juice WRLD – Mosh Pit 

Another highlight off of Kodak’s Dying to Live album. Amazing beat and great chorus from Kodak.

“Red bottom kicks i feel like stomping in here, no oatmeal and grits I’m eating codfish in here, new space coupe feel like a Martian in here.”

FMB DZ ft. Eastside Reup, FMB Jochavelly – All Kap

An early favorite from DZ’s The Gift 2. The Gift was proably my favorite/most listened to album of last year so it was nice to get the sequel to it right before the end of this year. DZ’s verse to open things up is prime FMB DZ… “I done bought so many guns I be paranoid, the only nigga on my block; uncle Elroy.” “Niggas hoes I don’t want to do no songs with them, I’m tryna calm Joc down something wrong with him.” (I’m assuming the amazingly-named FMB Jochavelli in this song is the aforementioned ‘Joc’ here or ‘Joca’ that I’ve heard mentioned in other FMB DZ songs like ‘Fast Money’. I love the idea of FMB DZ literally trying to hold him back/calm him down while he’s snapping on someone bu the can’t contain him because ‘something’s wrong with him’.) “I spent $40,000 on some white gold nigga, catch me out in Cali with some white hoes nigga.”

Buju Banton – Til I’m Laid To Rest 

Posting this one to celebrate/commemorate Buju being free

Chippass ft. Koran Streets, Bandz Talk – Believe Me 

Caught this one on Nyquil 510 and I’ve been bumping it ever since.

Blueface – Bleed It 

The always-entertaining Blueface continues to pick up momentum. This already has over 8 million views in about a week so it’s only a matter of time before Blueface is literally a household name. “Never let the beef get cold where’s the meat at?” I like the mop and bucket as an allusion to his famous line from ‘Respect My Crypn‘.

FMB DZ – Dopeman

Another highlight off of The Gift 2. Nothing fancy or wildly different here, just exactly what you’d expect from FMB DZ.

6ix 9ine ft. A Boogie – Waka
6ix 9ine ft. Tory Lanez – Kika
6ix 9ine – Wondo 

Just going to group these together as one entry. I wasn’t as big a fan of the last 6ix 9ine album as I was of his first one from earlier this year, as it had more misses than hits in my opinion i.e. the ones with Nicki Minaj/Kanye and the more Spanish-themed ones, but there were still a couple of smashes on it that were fun to just blast in the car. This A-Boogie on here was more of the style of A-Boogie I was hoping to get on his new album but unfortunately this was probably better than anything on his actual album. The talent/potential is clearly there though as his chorus/verse on here kills it. Coincidentally it seems like two of my favorite A Boogie verses of all time are on here and on 6ix 9ine’s Keke so I guess somehow Tekashi just has a way of bringing out A Boogie’s best.

Kika was dope too and I loved Storch’s steel drum beat on it even if as some have said it was probably trying to follow up on the success of Zeze. Tory Lanez sounds great on the chorus. Storch also produced the thunderous Wondo on here, so all 3 of the songs I liked were produced by Storch. I’d certainly welcome Storch continuing his comeback and making more beats in the direction of these ones I can get behind it. I’m not sure what exactly is going on on this song with 6ix 9ine just seemingly yelling about errr ‘adult-themed’ DVDs and VHS’s at the end, but I’m still feeling the aggressive beat.

Meek Mill – Inro
Meek Mill – Championships 

Same idea here grouping these two together. The Meek album and 6iix 9ine album both came out at the end of November/beginning of December so kind of fell into a bit of a no man’s land with these lists. These were my two favorites from Meek’s Championships. A lot of people killed it over this ‘In the Air Tonight’ beat (the Phil Collins one, not to be confused with Beanie Siegel’s oft-rapped over ‘Feel it in the Air’ like I always do) but Meek acquits himself nicely here. “32 Shots in my new Glock, niggas want to hit me like I’m Tupac!”

I wouldn’t mind hearing Meek rap over more jazzy beats like ‘Championships’.

Illa Ghee ft. Rim – Dope Pushers

Alright we’re at well over 10 now but had to include a few more. I’ve been on a big Unkut kick the last couple of days catching up on all of their posts from the last few months and I surprisingly got really into this song on there. Beat is dope and it’s the perfect wintertime type of music.

38 Spesh & Kool G Rap ft. Cormega – Dead or Alive

Similarly to that Unkut/wintertime type style rap, I finally got a chance to check out that joint album between Kool G Rap and upstate-NY rapper and Benny the Butcher collaborator 38 Spesh. They pulled the whole thing off pretty well as it was a pretty good lesson from start to finish and a cool concept with the veteran/legend Kool G Rap teaming up with the younger and less-heralded but talented 38 Spesh. My favorite of the album was ‘Dead or Alive’ with them and Cormega. The 38 verse on here was brutal, “You ain’t never had to starve while your parents watched, you and your siblings sharing a plate while they sharing rocks. You ain’t never had to cover your hands with a pair of socks, that’s hwy I’m running around with a pair of Glocks.”

The Cormega chorus hit hard, “We still here representing, dead or in prison. We’ve been there, cold nights, treacherous living, I’ll put my life on the line if it betters my childrens’.”

I wasn’t expecitng to get too into it but the animation for the video was pretty sick too.