"No Lie" 2 Chainz ft. Drake

After early buzz surrounding Tyga and a heap of critical acclaim for Frank Ocean, it appears that the breakout hip-hop star of 2012 will actually be 2 Chainz, the Atlanta rapper who made a name for himself this year with his pronounced delivery and collaborations with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Kanye West. His own debut single as a lead artist, "No Lie," is an addictive brag track that recently hit #1 on the Billboard rap charts. It's not elegant, but 2 Chainz wins you over with his raw, in-your-face energy, chewing up the menacing beat in his leaden style. Drake is much more graceful delivering the catchy hook; unfortunately, his guest verse is full of unnecessarily misogynistic boasts of sexual conquest. B+