Top Ten Songs by Blackalicious

A San Francisco, hip-hop staple, Blackalicious-comprised of producer Chief Excel and MC extraordinaire Gift of Gab-never disappoints their fans. The duo, who primarily focus on intelligent, positive rap laid over complex beats and instrumentation, have over the course of a decade put out amazing records that have spawned some incredible songs. Here are some of the best:

10) "Deception"

From Blackalicious' 2000 undergroound sensation, Nia, "Deception" is everything you would ever want or need from a quality hip-hop song. The beat is strong and catchy. Musically it's simple but interesting, with a melodic progression. And lyrically it fully displays the incredible talent that Gift of Gab possesses. There are only a handful of rappers who can do what he does physically (as in the speed and combination of words) not to mention how creative and thought provoking he is.

9) "Do This My Way"

In a collaboration with fellow Quannum MC, Lyrics Born-one of the most amazing and gifted rappers in the business-"Do This My Way" is an intertwining and fantastic tale weaved by musicians on top of their game. The lyrics and delivery are so captivating that I rarely even pay attention to the music, which is almost as good. This song is also off of Nia.

8) "Release Part 1, 2, & 3"

In 2003, Blackalicious hit the airwaves and the charts with the release of Blazing Arrow. This album upped the production value of previous pieces and included a litany of guest appearances from some of hip-hop's top MCs. Zach De La Rocha and Saul Williams help out on this long, but entirely worth it track towards the end of Blazing Arrow. Saul's rap in particular is awesome.

7) "Concentration"

From Quannum's (Blackalicious' label) collaborative effort in 2001, this track displays a wealth of rhyming talent (Jurassic 5 make an appearance) and tight, well-plotted production. A great introductory song to the sound.

6) "Shallow Days"

This is a great example of Chief Excel and Gift of Gab both showing off. On some of Blackalicious' tracks, either the music or lyrics take precedence, but on "Shallow Days" both creators are on the same wonderful page. The guitar and horn work is superb. Gift of Gab throws a lot of melody into his voice on this one.

5) "Reanimation"

This track, again from Nia, perfectly displays the intense energy that Blackalicious brings. A blend of jazz and funk, expertly speeded up by Chief Excel, this song is an interesting listen in a purely musical sense. Add it to the rapid-fire rhyme style of The Gift and listeners get a clear sense of what this band is capable of.

4) "4000 Miles"

Charlie 2na (from Jurassic 5) shows up big on this song from Blazing Arrow. Gift of Gab is exquisite on his own and he only gets better with others. The interaction and creative forces of these two propel this song to the top of Blackalicious' catalogue.

3) "If I May"

By far Blackalicious' prettiest song is "If I May." The chord progression is rhythmical and strong. And the backup singer has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. This song will change your opinion of what hip-hop can be.

2) "A to G"

An alliterative rap that illustrates just how talented Gift of Gab is, he literally raps from one letter to the next, quickening the tempo as he goes. This is the song that put the group on the map, and, even after hundreds of listens, I'm still impressed.

1) "A to Z"

After the success of "A to G," Blackalicious released a single that contained letters A to Z of the rap. It is like nothing I have ever heard. That incredible. If you haven't heard this track, you need to.