The 411/Best of 2005

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The Best of 2005

Although Common is pictured, there was no consensus pick for album of the year. Four writers responded, four albums were picked. But that's the beauty of The 411 Online's "Best of 2005." Our writers have different tastes, just like our readers. Sometimes we all agree on the best of the year, but often we don't. Last year, Kanye West ruled. This year, many thought a repeat was guaranteed, but Late Registration was just one of the four choices for best album. His Chicago counterpart, Common, earned a selection for Be, T.I. kept the south on the map with Urban Legend and Blackalicious earned a vote for The Craft. The picks for best artist, lyric, video and others were just as varied, making for a lot of honorees. Below are The 411 Online's picks for "The Best of 2005."

Best album

B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: T.I., Urban Legend
Cvere: KANYE WEST, Late Registration
The W: BLACKALICIOUS, The Craft
Mason Storm: COMMON, Be

Best single
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: THREE 6 MAFIA, "Stay Fly" featuring Eightball & MJG and Young Buck, and LIL' WAYNE, "Fireman"
Cvere: YING YANG TWINS, "Wait (The Whisper Song)" (could not get away from this song, even when I tried)
Mason Storm: KANYE WEST, "Gold Digger" featuring Jamie Foxx

Best remix
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: FAT JOE, "Lean Back" featuring Eminem, Lil' Jon, Mase and Remy Martin
Cvere: DEM FRANCHIZE BOYS, J.D., BOW WOW & DA BRAT, "I Think They Like Me"
Mason Storm: PUBLIC ENEMY, "Check What You're Listening To" using samples of Rakim, EPMD, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One and Run DMC

Best video
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: 50 CENT, "Candy Shop"
Cvere: DAMIAN "JR. GONG" MARLEY, "Welcome to Jamrock"
Mason Storm: LUDACRIS, "Number One Spot" featuring Esther Baxter

Best lyric
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: T.I., "Fresh out the box / Tip hot than a drop 6 / Made a quarter mil' in the pen givin' stock tips" on "A.S.A.P." (although Ice Cube's verse in 1989 on The D.O.C.'s "The Grand Finale" is still the best of all-time)
Kawon: KANYE WEST, "I felt like Bad Boy's street team, I couldn't work the Lox" on "Touch the Sky"
Mason Storm: COMMON, "I wonder if these wack n----- realize they wack / And they the reason my people say they tired of rap" on "Chi-City"

Best hook
Cvere: SLIM THUG, "I Ain't Heard of That"
Mason Storm: KANYE WEST, "Gold Digger" featuring Jamie Foxx

Most underrated album
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: LUDACRIS, Red Light District
Cvere: LIL' WAYNE, "The Carter Vol. 2"
Mason Storm: PUBLIC ENEMY, New Whirl Odor

Best producer
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: PHARRELL
Cvere: KANYE WEST
Mason Storm: KANYE WEST

Best new artist
Cvere: YOUNG JEEZY
Mason Storm: THE GAME

Best hip-hop collaboration
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: THREE 6 MAFIA, "Stay Fly" featuring Eightball & MJG and Young Buck
Cvere: MIKE JONES, SLIM THUG & PAUL WALL, "Still Tippin'"
Mason Storm: AZ & C.L. SMOOTH, "Magic Hour"

Best hip-hop/R&B collaboration
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: USHER. LUDACRIS & LIL' JON, "Lovers & Friends"
Cvere: CASSIDY & MARY J. BLIGE, "I'm A Hustla"
Mason Storm: KANYE WEST, "Gold Digger" featuring Jamie Foxx

Best exit
Cvere: LIL' KIM (puts out her best album ever, then promptly goes to jail)
Mason Storm: JAY-Z (so far, staying retired)

Best comeback
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: RUN
Cvere: COMMON
Mason Storm: COMMON

Biggest sell-out
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: 50 CENT
Cvere: BLACK EYED PEAS
Mason Storm: EMINEM (Drug rehab? Reuniting with Kim? An iPod commercial?!)

Bust of the year
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: MASE
Cvere: SLIM THUG
Mason Storm: LIL' KIM (sent to jail)

Artist of the year
B.J. Maniac a.k.a. El Bandito: LUDACRIS (hardest workin' man in rap)
Cvere: KANYE WEST
Mason Storm: COMMON

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