Except for the songs that made my Top 20 songs of 2006 and the representative tracks from my Top 20 Albums of 2006, these are the rest of the best indie and indie-minded hip hop tracks of 2006. To be eligible, a song needed to be included on an album released in the United States between December 1, 2005 and November 30, 2006.

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1. Dr. Octagon “Trees” The Return of Dr. Octagon (OCD)

2. The Coup “I Love Boosters!” Pick A Bigger Weapon (Anti-/Epitaph)

3. Mr. Lif “Washitup” Mo’ Mega (Definitive Jux)

4. Jurassic 5 “Baby Please” Feedback (Interscope)

5. Soul Position “Hand-Me Downs” Things Go Better With RJ and Al (Rhymesayers)

6. Black Ice “Front Page” The Death of Willie Lynch (Koch)

7. Psalm One “The Nine” The Death of Frequent Flyer (Rhymesayers)

8. Hi-Tek featuring The Willie Cotrell Band, Ghostface Killah and Pretty Ugly “Josephine” Hi-Teknology, Vol. 2 (Babygrande)

9. Aceyalone accompanied by RJD2 “Caged Birds” Magnificent City (Project Blowed)

10. Spank Rock “Bump” YoYoYoYoYo (Big Dada)

11. The Roots “In the Music” Game Theory (Def Jam)

12. Rhymefest “Get Down” Blue Collar (Allido/J Records)

13. Lupe Fiasco featuring Sarah Green “Real” Food & Liquor (Atlantic)

14. The Coup “MindFuck (A New Equation)” Pick A Bigger Weapon (Anti-/Epitaph)

15. Dilated Peoples featuring Talib Kweli “Kindness for Weakness” 20/20 (Capitol)

16. Black Ice “The Real” The Death of Willie Lynch (Koch)

17. De La Soul “Respect” The Impossible Mission: TV Series, Part 1 (Red Lion Entertainment)

18. Mr. Lif featuring Murs “Murs Iz My Manager” Mo’ Mega (Definitive Jux)

19. Spank Rock “Sweet Talk” YoYoYoYoYo (Big Dada)

20. Soul Position “I Need My Minutes” Things Go Better With RJ and Al (Rhymesayers)

21. Aceyalone accompanied by RJD2 “High Lights” Magnificent City (Project Blowed)