Welcome to the Rapid Fire Singles. In a pursuit to provide a well rounded view of Hip Hop/Rap and RnB, I thought it would be good if readers knew what my personal top ten songs of the moment are. So from today onwards and every Friday after, I will be posting my top ten songs of the week. Unlike the retailers I base my top ten on what I’m playing the most and also some of the songs may not be officially released as singles.

At the same time it would be good to know what you all are listening to!

1. Rick Ross featuring T Pain ~ The Boss
Not the first single to be released from Rick Ross’s sophomore album Trilla, however “The Boss” is being pushed as the lead single on the run up to the March 11th release of the album. Produced by J R Rotem this song shows different vibe to what Rick Ross is known for, as this is not the usual slow paced dirty south bass heavy beat. The mid tempo beat certainly has club starter written all over it with its haunting sample and well crafted chorus. I was beginning to hate seeing “featuring T Pain” on every other track these days but on this song T Pain delivers. Overall the track is a pleasant change to what currently being pushed in the mainstream for rap music.

2. Usher featuring Ludacris ~ Dat Gurl Right There
Recently a number of new Usher songs have been floating around and this one builds on the chemistry that Usher and Ludacris displayed on his smash hit “Yeah”. Initially the beat may sound a bit off key and aggressive to be an RnB song, but by the chorus its catchy-ness becomes clear. The song would seem to have a strong case for the first single for the upcoming album, but current trends in RnB would mean it will probably be just a club favourite. This track is actually my ringtone at the moment (did I just admit that).

3. The Dream ~ Falsetto
This is a bit of a personal favourite at the moment. I would be the first to admit that The Dream is not the best singer but it’s the way he constructs his songs and harmonizes which works for me. Both concept and delivery of this track is creatively different. The beat has a slight guitar rift which gives the song some edge however it’s the subject and lyrics that steals the show. Fellers if can relate to this song great, ladies if you can as well even better!

4. B.O.B Featuring Rick Ross and Juvenile ~ Haterz Everywhere (Remix)
Not sure where I first heard this song but its now on heavy rotation in the car. B.O.B is a little known (especially outside the US) rapper who is beginning to make waves with both the original and the remix of this track “Haterz Everywhere”. Admittedly it follows a similar pattern to the other dirty south rap songs (think Rocko’s “Umma do Me”), however the execution is top notch. Bass heavy, anthem chorus, three different rap flows, in other words overall its good track.

5. Ryan Leslie ~ Diamond Girl
This song has been around since late 2007, but only recently is getting major airplay in the US. So after being the man behind the scenes of Cassie’s success Ryan Leslie now comes to the forefront with a song to wet appetites before he releases his album. The song has happy electro beat (reminds me of a fruit machine) that encourages one to dance and the simply chorus grows on subconscious. Overall a pleasant change compared to the type of RnB being pushed at the moment.

6. Jay Sean ~ Stay
Taken from UK RnB artist Jay Sean’s upcoming album, My Own Way. “Stay” serves up a smooth, laid back slice of RnB. What benefits the track is that it keeps things simple by relying on solid production and good vocals from Jay Sean. The result is a great track that shows promising signs for the upcoming album. Don’t expect this song to light up the dance floor but don’t be suprised if you find yourself listening to it at home and then again when you’re in the car.

7. Flo Rida Featuring Timberland ~ Elevator
Slated to be the second single off Flo Rida’s debut album Mail On Sunday, “Elevator” looks to build on the momentum of his first single (Get Low featuring T Pain) which is riding high with 10 weeks at number one in the US charts. Timberland delivers an up tempo bass heavy track which has the same “all ladies go wild on the dance floor” appeal as “Get Low” has. Lyrically Flo Rida is in the same lane as on his first single. Actually you could look at this as “Get Low” part two with Timberland instead of T Pain and better production.

8. Teyana Taylor ~ Traffic Stop
New artist on Pharell William’s Star Trak record label Teyana Taylor is slowly working towards her goal of stardom. “Traffic Stop” is the b-side to her official first single “Google Me”. This song makes my top ten simply because I like the beat which is Neptunes produced. Not to say Teyana does’nt do the beat justice its just that the beat is the star of track.

9. Snoop Dogg featuring Lil Kim ~ Sensual Seduction (Remix)
This version of the song is the same as the original except for a verse from Lil Kim. What this does is give a female perspective (even though a bit x-rated) on the song and also breaks monotamy of the original. The good points of this song as before is its old school feel which makes it unique amongst what is currently in the charts.

10. Usher featuring Young Jeezy ~ Love In This Club
Recent press comments indicate that this will be Usher’s first single for his new album “Here I Stand”. Produced by Polow Da Don the song has a simple rythem but the effects and melody gives the track a uniqueness that we surely give it chart and club success. Usher’s vocals are to a high standard as usual and the rap by Young Jeezy is suitable for the subject matter.