March 31, 2016

A lot of important things happened in 2009: There was Australia’s first confirmed case of swine flu with a 33-year-old woman in Brisvegas. Tony Abbott became the Leader of the Opposition, a crucial step in his relentless quest to become Prime Minister. Greg Inglis kicked a field goal in the Melbourne Storm’s thrilling Grand Final victory against the Paramatta Eels. And squished somewhere in between, Sydney rap institution Halfway Crooks was born.

If you’re a Sydneysider who enjoys yelling along to Soulja Boy hooks and shaking your ass unapologetically, there’s a huge chance that you’re a regular patron at Halfway Crooks. Over the past seven years, DJ Levins and Captain Franco have delivered unprecedented bangers with their club nights – and while their venue of choice may have changed, the motto remains the same: hip-hop, lots of it, and very loud.

This Saturday, the lads will celebrate seven years in the game with a gargantuan soiree going down at Plan B Small Club, with guests including Joyride, JayTeeHazard, Flex Mami and more. To celebrate, we asked Levins and Franco to discuss their favourite hip-hop jam from every year since 2009 via Facebook chat – see the heated banter below, and head down to Plan B for a birthday blowout this Saturday. Details here:

2009

LEVINS: Okay, so the year Halfway Crooks started was 2007.
FRANCO: You mean 2009?
LEVINS: No it was 2008! We were both wrong!
FRANCO: …
LEVINS: No wait I was wrong. Twice. It was 2009. Okay, what was the biggest rap song of 2009? When Halfway Crooks started we didn’t really play many new songs. In fact, we had a discussion before that first party in which you said that we shouldn’t play any Southern stuff except Outkast!
FRANCO: LOL. Outkast tho, still the best.
LEVINS: If only we were talking about 2008, we could put their song Royal Flush as the best of the year.
FRANCO: Totally. I reckon the biggest song of 2009 was Exhibit C by Jay Electronica. But since we’re talking Crooks, it has to be Drake’s Best I Ever Had right? That still gets mad plays.
LEVINS: Jay Electronica gets eliminated because he never gets played at Crooks, or any nightclub anywhere. But I feel like Drake is gonna show up a lot in the next few years, and we’ve forgotten one very important song. Wasted by Gucci Mane and Plies came out this year.
FRANCO: Fuck. Okay, yes that is essential!
LEVINS: I played the hell out of that.
FRANCO: We still play the hell outta that!
LEVINS: Also the Young Money album came out in 2009, with Every Girl on it.
FRANCO: Wow that doesn’t feel that old. I don’t want to make this all about Drake, but what a crazy year he had in 2009. So Far Gone out at the start of the year, and by then end of the year he was already pretty much a superstar.
LEVINS: I’m looking through some old playlists and there’s a couple more 2009 bangers we forgot about. My Patna Dem by Rich Kidz and Money to Blow by Birdman featuring Lil’ Wayne and Drake. More fucking Drake! Maybe 2009 was his year.
FRANCO: Controversial statement, but every year since 2009 has kinda been his year.
LEVINS: I think I like Money to Blow and Every Girl more than Best I Ever Had.
FRANCO: Maybe this should just be non Drake songs.
LEVINS: Let’s give this one to Gucci, Wasted is still such a sick song.
FRANCO: I’ll give him that one, Wasted is an anthem.

WINNER: GUCCI MANE – WASTED FT. PLIES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qql0Yi4DxU

2010

LEVINS: Don’t worry, 2010 is way easier.
FRANCO: Hit me with what you got!
LEVINS: Here are the runner-ups… Big Boi and Yelawolf – You Ain’t No DJ.
FRANCO: Oooof.
LEVINS: DJ Khaled – All I Do Is Win.
FRANCO: YES.
LEVINS: Roscoe Dash and Travis Porter – All the Way Turnt Up.
FRANCO: YES!
LEVINS: Soulja Boy – Pretty Boy Swag.
FRANCO: No.
LEVINS: Those are just runners up, because really I think it just comes down to two huge tracks.
FRANCO: Can I guess one? B.M.F.?
LEVINS: Yep! B.M.F. by Rick Ross featuring Styles P.
FRANCO: Essential. Except for Styles P.
LEVINS: Man, nobody has ever heard his verse, don’t worry.
FRANCO: Ha! I bet I can guess number one then. Waka?
LEVINS: It has to be. Hard in the Paint by Waka Flocka Flame.
FRANCO: Tied with No Hands by Waka?
LEVINS: Right? There’s kinda no competition. We could just put all of Flockaveli as number one.
FRANCO: Talk about 4 great singles – Hard In The Paint, No Hands, O Let’s Do It, Grove Street Party.
LEVINS: I still play all those songs. Like in a row.
FRANCO: Haha. Okay, Waka wins 2010.

WINNER: WAKA FLOCKA FLAME – HARD IN DA PAINT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkkC9cK8Hz0

2011

LEVINS: Alright, 2011. Anything off the top of your head for this year? I have a pretty good idea what my number one is and fucking Drake is in it again.
FRANCO: It has to be Blow My High by Kendrick Lamar.
LEVINS: Oh shit yeah that was a big song for us. But is it as big as DJ Khaled with Lil’ Wayne, Rick Ross & Drake – I’m On One?
FRANCO: I would say it’s bigger for me. I’m On One is so huge, but Blow My High for me was a pinnacle moment in rap for me.
LEVINS: It’s jazzy AF. That’s why you like it.
FRANCO: U kno.
LEVINS: Is it bigger than 6 Foot 7 Foot, Shake N Fries, Ballin, Round of Applause and Who Da Neighbours?
FRANCO: Bigger than all those for me still.
LEVINS: What about Spend It by 2 Chainz?
FRANCO: Oh shit. Okay, that one’s very important.
LEVINS: And we’re forgetting something even more important that Tity Boi. 2011 was the year a very important collaboration album was released, and I’m not talking about Watch The fuckin’ Throne because fuck that album.
FRANCO: LOLOLOLOL.
LEVINS: I’m talking about Ferrari Boyz by Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame!
FRANCO: Oh, fuck of course!
LEVINS: But we already gave 2009 to Gucci and 2010 to Waka. So even though the sum of them together really makes them deserve this spot, plus we rinsed the fuck out of that record, plus I don’t think that album was a hit anywhere outside of ATL besides at Halfway Crooks – are we gonna give 2011 to Kendrick?
FRANCO. Tru. Yep. Pls.
LEVINS: Okay, fuck you. You win. Kendrick gets 2011.

WINNER: KENDRICK LAMAR – BLOW MY HIGH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4bm7hqu_GE

2012

FRANCO: 2012. A couple that jump out right away. Schoolboy Q & A$AP Rocky – Hands On The Wheel and Future – Same Damn Time.
LEVINS: We got really into Young Thug that year.
FRANCO: Yeah. That was all you. I remember when you played it for me and i was like ‘WTF is this’, then listened again and was like ‘OMG this is the best.’
LEVINS: Ca$h Out released Cashin’ Out too. 2012 was a great year for melodic yung rap from Atlanta, and I think the pinnacle of that is Future’s album Pluto. My favourite, most played song from that album is Turn On the Lights, with that sick Mike Will Made It beat. He produced so many big songs that year.
FRANCO: Don’t forget Travis Porter’s From Day 1 album dropped too. You can’t deny how many songs off that we still play all the time.
LEVINS: Oh shit with Ayy Ladies on it. That album predates most of the Mustard stuff too.
FRANCO: So many great jams.
LEVINS: It’s a great album, and it pains me to say it, but I think Future is gonna win 2012. Sorry Travis Porter.
FRANCO: Those guys never get a break.
LEVINS: Maybe we can just promise not to give Rae Sremmurd an award in 2014. Travvy P deserve better than Rae. What’s your favourite song off Pluto? Turn On the Lights?
FRANCO: Yeah, and Straight Up.
LEVINS: Choose one, dog!
FRANCO: Turn On the Lights. 100%.

WINNER: FUTURE – TURN ON THE LIGHTS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIrhcTkHX_A

2013

LEVINS: The immediate banger is Future again. Bugatti, with Ace Hood. The best chorus but not one memorable verse. Even on that massive remix with everyone on it, nothing compares to Future’s chorus!
FRANCO: Hahaha. I never cared for those crazy all star remixes, but that chorus is hands down the biggest of the year.
LEVINS: The A$AP album came out that year. Oh shit so did the Migos tape! Thats fuckin important. I always liked Hannah Montana more than Versace.
FRANCO: Nothing Was the Same came out this year as well.
LEVINS: Fuck. Fucking Drake.
FRANCO: Speaking of Drake: Pop That came out in 2013 too. Literally the worst mix/master in the history of #1 rap hits but it still rivals Bugatti. I actually hate playing Pop That these days, it hurts my ears how bad the mix is.
LEVINS: Man lots of big albums came out this year. Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. That 2 Chainz album that only you and me liked.
FRANCO: BOATS II ruled!
LEVINS: Yooooo I just figured it out: Rich Homie Quan – Type of Way. That song will be perfect forever. The best ad-libs. “DON’T LOOK LIKE THAT! I KNOW YOU DO!”
FRANCO: But it can’t compare to Bugatti I don’t think though, do you? Bugatti is a history books song. The worst verses, but that beat comes on and the club melts.
LEVINS: Yeah but it’s just a good hook. Type of Way comes on and all the good people in the club light up. Nobody shit loves that song. UEONO would be in the running too if Rick Ross wasn’t a massive creep on it. I think Rich Homie Quan wins this round.
FRANCO: Okay, I’ll give it to ya.

WINNER: RICH HOMIE QUAN – TYPE OF WAY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KKbdErJkiY

2014

FRANCO: 2014 was the year I made 12 mixtapes.
LEVINS: So you’re the expert.
FRANCO: So much music came out this year! It was an intense period of my life.
LEVINS: Best album of this year was YG.
FRANCO: Hands down. My Krazy Life.
LEVINS: Your krazy year.
FRANCO: Totally. My wife was so angry at me in 2014.
LEVINS: We Dem Boyz came out this year. Another song with a great hook and no good verses.
FRANCO: What about No Type by Rae Sremmurd?
LEVINS: Man we made a promise to Travis Porter in 2012. We can’t let them down.
FRANCO: I know. Wait, I’ve got it!
LEVINS: Oh fuck! I think we both got it. Because there’s no competition.
FRANCO: T.I. & Young Thug – About The Money. RIGHT?!
LEVINS: Ha! The only competition is from himself! About the Money definitely gets second place, after another Young Thug track: Lifestyle.
FRANCO: Oh my God. How did I miss that? Of course! And you know what? That’s the one song that didn’t make any of my 12 mixtapes that year, which I regret so fucking much.
LEVINS: Well now we can make it back up to them. Rich Gang, you win best of 2014.
FRANCO: Wow, Rich Homie Quan is really doing pretty good in this.
LEVINS: And Drake is doing terribly. Suck shit Drake.
FRANCO: I kinda feel like Drake is in a league of his own TBH. Like he has about 10 great songs every year.
LEVINS: A league of sadness and despair.

WINNER: RICH GANG – LIFESTYLE FT. YOUNG THUG & RICH HOMIE QUAN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGt_JGHYEO4

2015

LEVINS: I already know what the best of 2015 is for me, even without consulting any old playlists.
FRANCO: It was just a year ago.
LEVINS: Oh wait I was certain it was gonna be Future, but maybe he wins best album of 2015. Because Fetty Wap.
FRANCO: Yeh i was thinking Fetty. Not Trap Queen though, as that came out in 2014. It just didn’t blow up till like 9 months later.
LEVINS: It’s gotta be 679 right? I’ve heard that song a million times and I’m still not sick of it. Unless we just put Sorry by Bieber as the best of 2015 to piss people off?
FRANCO: Ha, no. I mean yes, but no. It’s not a rap song. Planez is also not rap but very goatly.
LEVINS: Fetty wins 2015 then.
FRANCO: It was his year for sure.

WINNER: FETTY WAP – 679 FT. REMY BOYZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzz4Z-O7710

2016

LEVINS: Okay, now for the hardest part. We have to predict what the best song of 2016 will be.
FRANCO: Wow, that is really tough. How about Rihanna featuring Drake on Work?
LEVINS: Ha, finally Drake gets a shot. With one of his worst verses ever.
FRANCO: Him and the accents. I have a love hate relationship with them, it’s endearing for about five listens and then annoying.
LEVINS: What about Low Life by Future and The Weeknd?
FRANCO: It’s good, but I don’t know if it’s an anthem.
LEVINS: Yeah it’s a pretty fucked up anthem haha.
FRANCO: Hit prediction – Don’t Mind by Kent Jones.
LEVINS: Yeah, we slept hard on that one though – you know it came out in July last year? They only just made it a single.
FRANCO: Fuck, I totally didn’t.
LEVINS: Let’s give this one to Rihanna, there’s no girls in our list at all!
FRANCO: Let’s give it to Rihanna and call it a night. I’m tired.
LEVINS: This was fun. I wanna commend you for not trying to sneak any J Cole on there.
FRANCO: I ALMOST DID!
LEVINS: I’m looking forward to dropping all of these bangers before you get a chance to on Saturday night.
FRANCO: That’s okay, I’m playing an all J Cole set.