Before we get ahead of ourselves with the New Year, there's some clean up I have to do. I need to mention a few things I missed in 2011.

One of the biggest and coolest singles of last year came by way of a Gazmo the Great and Bruce Leroy collaboration titled "Stuupid." See below. It's a flashy beat; Gazmo's braggadocio lines are top-notch; and Bruce throws in some hustler-isms to cover all the bases.

Also dropping last month was the official video for "Match," from Jay Barz's new project, 420 Experienced. Again, YouTube it. It's a posse-cut featuring Barz, Tacoma's Partners In Crhyme and Humboldt's Potluck. It's a hip-hop, rock, stoner hybrid of a song. One thing's for certain, though: all MCs spit their verses tight and proper. It's got the type of energy and party vibe that most stoner songs miss.

Also, Rockwell Powers and DJ Phinisey, collaborators since 2010, put out a new track at kidsintheback.bandcamp.com titled "Higher." It's a free download, so go grab it. The beat is soothing, but has a rising presence almost like gospel music. That's damn near what this track is, too, but in a good way. Phinisey sings it church-style on the hook. His voice has a preacher-like wisdom and bravado. Rockwell (who, full disclosure, has contributed to the Volcano in the past under his real name, Zach Powers) has moved on from rocking battle-type party verses to speaking more maturely and substantially about life and the world. Powers' new raps reflect a heightened sense of politics and social justice that he's now in tune with. He's matured from an upcoming MC to a man who has experience. This reflects in Rockwell's nine-to-five work as well; he's become a force behind many large local political campaigns and has been an excellent community-journalist, shedding much needed light and knowledge on many local issues.

If ya need a dose of some gangster, go to YouTube and put in "Da Good, Da Bad, and Da Ugly" by Hadez Click Warlordz. This is a group consisting of Blaq Joker, Tak Patron and Lok Skywalker. It's a modern-day hip-hop Western. Within Hadez Click Warlordz Tak Patron and Lok Skywalker get a bit more lyrical than they do with their solo work. I hope to hear more from this crew in 2012.

LINK: More local hip-hop highlights from 2011