Rapid Ric and Bun-B

Freestyle Kingz and Magno, Twanks or Swangs (regular speed)

Freestyle Kingz and Magno, Twanks or Swangs (chopped + screwed)

Killa Kyleon, Middlfngz and Bun B, Texas Dreams

Killa Kyleon, Middlfngz and Bun B, Texas Dreams (c+s)

Yung Redd and the Grit Boys, Don't Fuck With the 718 flow

Yung Redd and the Grit Boys, Don't Fuck With the 718 flow (c+s)

As promised, the next mixtape that made it onto my "Best Street Tapes of the Year" list came out of Houston, the city that has been making waves for a few years now. Besides Matt Sonzala, Rapid Ric might be the man most responsible for getting the music out to the rest of the country and exposing the rap world to just how deep the scene is.

These songs come off of an installation of one of the best series going, Whut It Dew 2, Ric's series dedicated to the Texas scene. What makes it invaluable is its focus on a city and its music, allowing the listener to go even deeper into the music. WID2 is hosted by the OG legend, the one, the only Bun-B, and one of the up-and-coming stars of the scene, Killer Kyleon. It seems like it was a while ago that Bun was the center of attention, although I guess that it was only this summer. It was nice to have the focus on one of the underappreciated legends of rap, a genre that indulges in the new thing, the new sound, the new single as much as any other. He is in good form here, sounding as energetic and dominant as he did in the UGK days.

-Go here and get another chance to grab the mix Rapid Ric did to celebrate the release of Bun's album, Trill. All of the man's greatest verses mixed up, The King of the Trill is an epic document of one of the greatest of all-time, like seeing a tape of all of Jordan's dunks and game-winning shots. Make sure to buy the man's album here, as free mixtapes don't put chrome on the Cadillac.

-Looking to grab some of the best albums of '05 that weren't as talked about? Go here for Sasha Frere-Jones' recommendations in the latest New Yorker. I love seeing a list that has the Clipse's We Got It For Cheap next to Natasha Bedingfield. For real, I would follow this guy to war if he said that was the thing to do.

-Great new look at The Stencil, as bols are putting on a new face for the new year. I'mma have to check out their recommendation for cheesesteaks in NYC, as the name Tony Luke's carries a lot weight around Pound for Pound. For the record, I will not go into this with an open mind, as I don't care how many rolls they have sent up from Sarcone's, it will never be the same. NYC can keep trying, but the shittiest cheese steak place in Philly kills the best NYC can offer. Get off of our dicks, the Sixth Borough is rising! Seriously, their other Philly recommendation for the opening of "Something Like Water" at 222 Gallery in Old City looks great. I'm going to try to stop by tomorrow night for the opening.

-More good news in the new year, as the murder charges against Gucci Mane have been dropped. So Lucky.

-Tomorrow we head to New Orleans to hear one of the rap's finest succeeding in the city's saddest year.