Selections from my Long List ballot for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize

Still a pretty balanced ballot for me this year versus last year even with my picking three hip-hop albums versus only one (!) last year.

Here’s a quick look at some of the tracks from my Long List picks:

1. Zaki Ibrahim – Every Opposite

2. Jai Nitai Lotus – Something You Feel

3. KJ – Water

4. SonReal and Rich Kidd – The Closers

5. Metz – METZ

Whatchu think??

[MP3] J. Cole – N-ggaz Know

J. Cole on his Christopher Wallace sh-t, cribbing liberally from Francis M.H.‘s “Notorious Thugs” for a track from his forthcoming Born Sinner album dropping June 18.

[MP3] Jae Mann – Mclaren Boyz

I’ve featured this UK MC before. This track is one that didn’t make his #AVA Word mixtape. I’ve said it before: dude is one of the best spitters in the game on either side of the Atlantic, period!

[MP3] Rich Kidd – In My Opinion

I slept on Rich Kidd‘s recent solo album, In My Opinion. The title track is one of the highlights from it. Ya dig? Listen to the whole thing HERE.

[MP3] Wu-Tang Clan – Family Reunion (prod. by RZA)

Listen I grew up on and revere the Wu-Tang Clan as much as the next old dude who lived through the 90s ‘Golden Era’ of hip-hop, but this is even a little too limp for me. No wonder them kids stood non-plussed when the Wu hit the stage at Summerjam XX last weekend!