For the second year in a row, I voted in WKYS's list of the hottest local rappers. (So far, Nos. 3-10 have been unveiled.) It's nice to see acts like Gods'Illa and X.O. get some shine, but I'm still trying to sort out how M.C.-producer Oddisee tied for10th (?!?!?) on the list.

In 2012, expect to hear new albums from Substantial, RDGLDGRN (formerly The Five One), and Lyriciss. Until then, here are the 2011 projects that kept my finger on the rewind button and my stereo volume at max level.

5. Soulful!, Mumbo Sauce & Drumbreaks

Hip-hop embracing the sounds of blaxploitation never sounded so good. Released in January, Soulful!'s expansive concept album combined brassy '70s compositions with finely-chopped cosmic grooves, resulting in an energetic opus driven by its layered production. On Mumbo Sauce, Soulful!'s music held its own; the guest MCs were pure frosting.

4. Maimouna Youssef, The Blooming

From the bayou blues stomp of "Black Magic Woman" to the volcanic unrest of "Wake Up," The Blooming was a dynamic debut album for the former Roots collaborator, as these songs—each one very different in scope and sound—blended together for a thoughtful look into love ("I Got A Man"), overseas romance ("O Encontro No Brasil"), and phony rappers ("You Ain't Hard"). Youssef has come a long way since singing background at Dave Chappelle's Block Party.

3. Oddisee—Rock Creek Park

We're still awaiting his proper solo debut and the follow-up to Diamond District's In The Ruff, but producer Oddisee released Rock Creek Park in September, a mostly instrumental project of nostalgic soul renderings that paid homage to the D.C. park and provided a glimpse into the composer's artistic trajectory. Rock Creek was lush and layered, and stood tall without vocals. Quite the feat for an instrumental project.

2. yU, The EARN

As if his debut album weren't great enough, yU's sophomore release exceeded 2010's Before Taxes and solidified yU's place as the "humble king" of the local rap scene. Hard work and self-actualization were the central themes of this electro-soul offering, as the Diamond District M.C. reflected upon his childhood ("Time Machine"), exorcised personal pain ("If U Down"), and chastised capitalist excess ("Money"). As a man, yU is low-key and relatively unassuming. As a rapper, he's the total opposite, controlling the microphone with remarkable maturity.

1. Gods'Illa, CPR: The Blend Tape

Simply put, Gods'Illa's Blend Tape changed the landscape for local mixtapes, making it unacceptable for DMV rappers to litter their projects with throwaway songs and radio singles. Instead, the Forestville trio proved that free music doesn't have to sound cheap, and that insightful lyrics don't need to be preachy. From beginning to end, the Blend Tape is chock-full of quotable one-liners and neck-breaking production, resulting in the same gritty feel as the aforementioned In The Ruff album. And while neo-soul superstar Erykah Badu hosted the Blend Tape, she eventually faded into the background as Gods'Illa's assertive wordplay took center stage. The group made major moves this year and show no signs of slowing down.

On "Disturbed," yU finds a way to do what he does best, twisting a tale of personal unrest into a horror story, casting his complicated rhyme scheme over a haunting Usef Dinero track.

The song is a prelude to the Killer compilation project being released through Mello Music Group next October. yU's new album, The EARN, will drop Dec. 13. You can download "Disturbed" for free. Listen below.

The Fader (mostly) took Andrew Noz from us, but that's OK, because the music mag is obviously trying to make up for it by showing love to X.O., one of our favorite D.C. rappers. He and several other locals did a show in May that was sponsored by the magazine and a soft drink brand; the followup will be a mini-documentary about the Diamond District member, who most recently dropped a 17-track mixtape in late summer.

Musically, the park represents another notch in his creative belt. Yesterday on iTunes, Oddisee released Rock Creek Park, a 10-song, mostly instrumental album of sample-based production and live arrangements, saturated with nostalgic funk grooves and soul-ridden compositions. "It's a soundtrack to my memories and experiences in Rock Creek Park," Oddisee says. CD and vinyl versions come out in September.

Oddisee now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. The album, recorded in D.C. over a two-week period in June, stems from his bicycle rides through New York's Prospect Park and Central Park—treks that made him remember the good times in Rock Creek Park.

Just three months ago, Oddisee dropped the 31-track Odd Seasons album, a frenzied collection of standout vocal tracks ("I'm From P.G.," "That Day") and raucous break beats ("To Tell The Truth," "Sand To The Beach"), which demonstrated his continued growth as a producer.

But unlike Odd Seasons, which stood out for its schizophrenic energy, Rock Creek Park is much more serene, blurring lines between old and new. "Still Doing It," for instance, is rich and percussive, held together by the sound of crackling vinyl and a scene-setting verse from Diamond District member yU. Conversely, "The Carter Barron" swells as it plays, as cascading drums and horns give the song a triumphant feel.

Listeners should expect an even richer feel on People Hear What They See, Oddisee's proper solo debut, scheduled for a December release. He worked with string and brass sections, which gave the album's tracks an orchestral sound, he says. The album—a mixture of underground hip-hop, pop, and everything in between—will feel lush and dynamic, he says: "You can take the vocals off the album and listen to the instrumentals, and it won't sound redundant."

Oddisee's also compiling beats for a new Diamond District album, that will come out next year, he says. A follow-up to In The Ruff was supposed to drop in 2011, but Oddisee decided to start from scratch after signing a new publishing deal, which gives him access to a hard drive with pre-cleared samples. Until then, Rock Creek Park will have to do. Not a bad way to wait.

I'm on my usual bullshit—rhyming about nothing in particular and thinking it sounds dope. Truth listens, nods in approval, then spits a verse focused well beyond his teenage years. Little did I know that he and his two brothers—known collectively as Gods'Illa—would eventually drop one of the D.C. region's most important projects, CPR—The Blend Tape, hosted by prominent soul singer Erykah Badu.

How that happened is still somewhat of a mystery. "One day, I saw on Twitter that I agreed to do something with y'all, and I didn't remember agreeing to it," Badu says toward the end of the tape. "Then I asked for the music, and I guess it was fated."

Released last Tuesday, the 21-track mixtape is full of memorable one-liners, traditional boom bap and cosmic rhythms, topped with Badu's musings about the world's perils and life's "beautiful struggle." Blend Tape blazes a new trail for mixtapes, showing local rappers that hip-hop shouldn't strictly rely on glossy, radio-friendly beats to gain exposure. There's still room for country music, assertive wordplay, and innovative concepts.

That's not to say other local MCs aren't pushing the creative envelope. Kokayi, a D.C. hip-hop pioneer, trots the globe to showcase his eclectic brand of alternative hip-hop. The Cornel West Theory, with its polarizing blend of intellectual rap, has cornered the conscious market. But Blend Tape is an all-in effort, and arguably the DMV's most refreshing hip-hop release since Diamond District's In The Ruff. That album, released two years ago, told a story of despair in D.C. and its suburbs. Much like In The Ruff, the Blend Tape is authentic and lyrical, carried by the passion and raw talent of three impressive MCs with something noteworthy to say.

Above all, the Blend Tape is another step in Gods'Illa's growth. In summer 2009, the Forestville trio dropped The PreLease, a six-track EP that served as a decent introduction, even if the material only showed flashes of the group's potential. Eight months later, Gods'Illa dropped The Album to significant buzz, even if it didn't make this year-end list (Truth whined about that for a little while). Conversely, the Blend Tape is the year's best DMV hip-hop project so far, and a game-changer for the local scene. For the most part, mixtapes carry the same format: freestyles over popular beats, throwaway tracks that couldn't make the album, glitzy singles for radio airwaves. Gods'Illa reminds its peers that artists can break the mold and be successful, and that it takes time to build a solid reputation.

X.O., one-third of the vaunted Diamond District trio, released last night his video for "Effortless" a methodical, organ-heavy track about making it big. "I'mma run to a dream, I'mma do it my way/I'mma smile when I win, I'mma hit me a 'J,'" X.O. raps. "Effortless" is the first single from his Monumental 2 mixtape, scheduled for a July 30 release.

Following his impressive Postcard From Abroad mixtape, D.C. jetsetter Tabi Bonney dropped "Parachute" this morning, a single from his forthcoming album The Summer Years, coming this August. On this sizzling head-nodder, Bonney plays his unmistakable D.C. twang against a synth-heavy backdrop and bass guitar: "Please give me some privacy to figure out this P.Y.T./If she who she say she is, then she'll walk down the isle wit me," Bonney raps.

Perhaps released just for exercise, Wale's "Bait" is still a raucous go-go number with plenty of local references: the Stadium strip club in Northeast, H.O.B.O. clothing, and the Berry Farms housing complex in Southeast. Still, it wouldn't be a Wale track without some chick hoppin'. "I'm why baby mamas leave/I'm why baby fathers kirk," he rhymes on the hook.

Over the past year, however, the Upper Marlboro native has moved on geographically and artistically. He's moved from D.C. to Brooklyn, N.Y. Odd also seems more focused on growing as an arranger and composer, based on the feel of Odd Seasons and his upcoming Rock Creek Park.

Odd Seasons, released today, is a 33-track compilation of Oddisee's four seasoned-themed compilations, all mastered and sequenced to take listeners through winter, spring, summer, and fall. "To Tell The Truth" is an upbeat, horn-heavy drum track suitable for break dancing while the soothing "That Day" allows fellow DMVer Muhsinah to whisper softly over an electric piano and subtle bass line.

But it's the album's bonus songs—"Al Mawrada" and "You Don't Close Your Eyes"—that foreshadow Oddisee's new artistic direction. "Al Mawrada" is an effervescent instrumental with a funky guitar riff, intermittent organ drops and cascading drum cymbals. "You Don't Close Your Eyes," with its driving salsa vibe, is made somber by a chilling piano loop as Oddisee rhymes quickly about heartbreak. "Restaurant parking lots seem like the spot in the plot you like to talk a lot," Oddisee raps.

Both songs are on the vinyl edition of Odd Seasons. "You Don't Close Your Eyes" is on the album's iTunes edition.

As I type this post, I'm on my sixth straight playback of "Too Hip-Hop," Pro'Verb's autobiographical new single featuring yU of the Diamond District.

Maybe it's the beat—a meditative head-nodder of chopped piano samples and dynamic drums, held together by the persistent hum of gentle strings. You can thank Soulful! for that.

Or maybe it's the confident yet unassuming way the MCs rhyme over the instrumental. ("Sicker than Earvin, Magic with the rock/They smell what I'm cookin' cause it's magic in the pot," Pro'Verb raps.) yU also gets in on the act: "Lot of new schoolers foolish, focused on the units moreso than just the movement."

Actually, it's probably all of the above. "Too Hip-Hop" is as addictive as it is reflective, an impressive prelude to Pro'Verb's While You're Waiting mixtape, dropping next Tuesday.

While you were drinking egg nog and fighting with your family, WKYS spent the last few days of the year slowly announcing its "DMV's Hottest Rappers of 2010" list. Despite what seemingly everyone who sees it seems to think, it is a pretty solid top 10. Check the breakdown:

1. Wale 2. Phil Ade 3. Diamond District 4. Tabi Bonney 5. Kingpen Slim 6. Bear Witnez 7. Garvey The Chosen One 8. Boobe 9. DC Don Juan 10. RaTheMc/Fat Trel (tie)

Yes, there are some omissions; a few of personal favorites of mine didn't even make the cut. That's the problem with numbers like 10: They tend to be finite. But on the whole, the list offers a very accurate cross-section of D.C.'s increasingly diverse hip-hop scene. Rising national stars rub elbows with local favorites, street dudes share space with underground purists, up-and-comers are next to still-active veterans. (Sorry Head-Roc, Asheru can enter the discussion whenever he actually starts making music again.) Wale obviously takes the No. 1 slot, which despite whatever flaws he may have, is a pretty undeniable choice. Especially when "Hot" (i.e. popular/buzz-attracting) is the unit of measurement. Wale is the city's most visible rapper and will probably remain so for some time. The rest of the list is a similarly predictable act of canon-building, which is maybe necessary as an introduction to these artists. Anybody who loosely follows the scene could have probably offered a rough estimate for at least the top five. The most unexpected (though very welcome) inclusion was Bear Witnez at No. 6. Last year's very impressive Bear Season tape seemed to fall on deaf ears, but apparently his "I'm A Hustler" was "one of the most played local songs" on D.C. radio this year. I hadn't noticed, as this is a dubious distinction of the tallest-midget variety. D.C. radio very rarely plays D.C. music.

This seems to be the main complaint stemming from the experiment (apart from the inevitable "WHAT ABOUT MY FRIENDS!?" crybaby TLC shit): Why doesn't KYS play any of the artists that they just listed? It's a fair complaint but one that suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of how radio works. WKYS is owned by the national conglomerate Radio One. KYS DJs are beholden to a playlist that is dictated from above; they can't just walk into the studio and play whatever the hell they want. The people who write the checks and playlists at Radio One and WKYS do not know what a Garvey The Chosen One is.

This list, however, is a good sign, because it shows that there are at least a few people within the station's walls who are paying attention to local music. Maybe they're as frustrated as fans are that this stuff isn't making it onto the air. Maybe they're hoping the list will pass through the desk of the program director and the next time a Fat Trel single lands in the same place he'll recognize the name and give it a fair shot. I'm not sure how realistic a goal that would be, given how fucked up the mainstream radio power structure still is. But at the very least it's a small outlet within that system where these artists are being taken seriously, where a few more eyes and ears can land on their talents. Instead of nitpicking over the small things the list gets wrong, embrace it for what it gets right.

Before we pop bottles and sing "Auld Lang Syne," here are the five DMV albums (no mixtapes) that killed my car speakers and headphones this year.

5. yU—Before Taxes

Arguably the stabilizing force of the Diamond District trio, yU delivered a nostalgic opus that was part boom bap—reminiscent of the hip-hop I loved in high school—and part florescent freedom music that challenged listeners to look ahead to better days. "Fine," a quick, hypnotic loop at the album's center, is dipped in struggle, yet nurturing enough to wash away the pain. Don't be fooled by yU's seemingly calm demeanor. On the battle-ready "The UP&UP," he proves that he's more than willing to serve second-guessers. "I reign as the humble king, crown made of copper oil/You the best, not for long, sleep until ya spot is gone."

4. Levi Stephens—This Way

Jokingly called the DMV's India.Arie by Mambo Sauce vocalist Black Boo, Levi Stephens easily stands out with his brand of alternative soul in a region dominated by hip-hop. On his eclectic debut album, the guitarist/vocalist discussed the joys of love and the despair of heartbreak with refreshing maturity and exuberance. The upbeat, commercial sound of "When I'm Rich" became an instant classic for many listeners and "Sorry For The Pain" summoned the musical spirit of Bill Withers, an artist who influenced Stephens' sound. At the album's conclusion, Stephens asks, "That's it?" Let's hope not.

3. X.O.—One.One.Ten

The title says it all. Released on Jan. 1, 2010, X.O.'s One.One.Ten set the tone for D.C. hip-hop, as a moody, celebratory, and somewhat cocky project that showcased the Diamond District member's love for the nation's capital and his willingness to help it succeed musically. Whether he was analyzing his progress on the atmospheric title track or jet-setting with Tabi Bonney on the drum heavy "We Are The 1's," X.O. proved he's one of the region's top lyricists, especially when he rhymes over Oddisee's beats. On the horn-heavy "Blah Blah," the D.C. native takes direct aim at the competition: "They sayin' it, but not to me, that lets me know I got the lead/In this race, I set a pace way back in '03."

2. Zo!—SunStorm

Lorenzo Ferguson, a Detroit/Silver Spring hybrid, had earned a solid reputation as a respected keyboardist and producer, mostly playing the background for his peers. In July, however, Zo! stepped to the forefront and released SunStorm, a seamless soul project suited for romantic nights, backyard barbecues, and two steps. In this album review, I compared his transition to Bruce Leroy's in The Last Dragon. Previously, Zo's work was mostly instrumental, with the vocalists making appearances here and there. On his most recent album, the producer merged his talents with those of The Foreign Exchange. The results were very impressive.

1. Kokayi—Robots & Dinosaurs 

While Janelle Monae's The ArchAndroid is still my favorite album of 2010, Kokayi's Robots & Dinosaurs is most certainly my second. Maybe even 1b. If nothing else, I'm intuitive and get good feelings about certain albums before they drop. I had that feeling about Monae's record and it blew me away. The same goes for The Phenomenal Handclap Band record that dropped last year. I felt the same way about Kokayi's album—like I just knew it would be dope, long before it ever blared through my speakers. It didn't disappoint. From the mind-numbing haze of "RoxTar" to the chilling depression of "Autumn Rules," Robots is a sonic and lyrical masterpiece that deserves all the accolades bestowed upon it so far. It tackles ageism, suicide, and heartache with unmatched precision and solidifies Kokayi's stature as one of the greats.