This was truly an amazing year for hip-hop. Old-school artists coming back and making slapping records, new up in coming artists finding their groove, and artists in their prime coming out with more gold. But more importantly than the quality of the production and flows was the content. America is a mess right now. So is the world. But the many things that Trump's America has unveiled has been quite disturbing. More than maybe every, hip-hop and what it was created for is ever so needed. An art form that takes a look at reality, and speaks of the troubles of society with regards to race, religion, and the marginalized is so important right now. And some of my favorite artists stepped up to the plate and wasted no time to address these issues. They did it boldly, with craft and heart, and most importantly, they did it for the people.
I'm doing things a little bit differently this year. I'll drop the top 10, but I'm only gonna have a bit of commentary on the top 5. I've felt in the past that I was forcing my self to say things about all the albums, and this way you can just focus on the 5 that I think are the best this year has to offer. This year was packed with so many amazing albums, instead of spending months on figuring it out, I chopped out a lot that I didn't want to, so I'm going to have a pretty extensive honorable mention list. These are just eh albums.. these are incredible albums that I think are really worth listening to. As always, I'll follow this up with a 10 song playlist with my favorite tracks from each of these albums, and then maybe next week a bigger playlist with all of my favorite tracks from 2017. Let's get at it!
10. All Amerikkkan Badass - Joey Badass
7. 12 - A$AP Twelvyy
6. Crooked - Propoganda
Brother Ali is regarded as a Hip-hop legend by most and it has been 5 years since his last album release. It would be redundant and unnecessary to comment on Brother Ali’s engagement with social issues, spirituality, and faith, because as how I understand it, those are the essential elements of hip-hop. Brother Ali understands that his faith as a Muslim isn’t a part of his life, but is every part of his life, in that way you can see his faith and love for God in each of his songs. To me, this was an extremely worshipful album, each song focusing my attention on the eternal creator, and what surrendering to Him means. This is the kind of album that is worthy of a much longer post but there is really just one word that I can use to encapsulate what this album is: Beauty.
4. Your Eyez Only - J Cole
J cole is the kind of rapper that while listening to his music, makes you feel like you're sitting in a room with him. I really don’t know any other rapper currently or before that is able to personalize his music as well as he does. 4 your eyez only takes that to another level. Mass incarceration is among many of the issues that J cole has committed to tackle in his life, but it is one that is too real and close to home for him. The album doesn’t sugar coat the issues that young black men go through in America today, and it doesn’t look to provide a false sense of hope. Whenever I pop this album, I feel like I’m chilling at 2014 Forest Hills Drive, discussing the problems of today with Jermaine.
3. DAMN - Kendrick Lamar
Let’s just get it on paper, HUMBLE. Is the hardest, filthiest rager to ever be made. You can GTFO of here if you think otherwise. If this track were the only song on the album it still would have been on the list. Aside from that, DAMN fits into Kendrick Lamar’s catalog as another innovative, profound, creative work of art. Unlike TPAB, I don’t think DAMN is as focused and sharp. Kendrick’s soul is always imprinted on his projects, which is why he is my favorite rapper. His spirit is constantly changing, evolving, and responding to the world around it. The line repeated throughout the album emphasizes this season in K-dot’s life: Ain’t nobody praying for me. To be honest with y’all though, this is definitely my least favorite Kendrick Lamar Album. That doesn’t mean I hate it or think it’s bad, and I can’t really pinpoint it, but either way, when you’re the rap God, even my least favorite work of his will be number 3 in a year with amazing hip-hop.
2. Laila's Wisdom - Rapsody
It was extremely hard not give this album the number 1 spot. Depending on the day, it probably would be #1. To me, Laila’s Wisdom is flawless. It’s one of those albums where there isn't a single song that feels like it's there just to be there. I never feel my finger going towards the skip button, instead after each track finishes, I look forward to the next time I start the album over so I can hear each track again. Hip-hop has always needed more women in it. The wisdom, beauty and leadership that we miss out when rappers only refer to them as “bitches” makes hip-hop an incomplete art that gives us a lacking picture of the human experience.
1. 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time - Big K.R.I.T
The southern rapper really does it all in this album. It’s got bangers, 808’s, and that classic southernplaylisticadillacmuzik. If this album were to come out in a different time in my life, I’m not sure if it would hold the #1 spot. Surely it would be on the list, but what this album represents connects with me in such a deep and profound way that I haven’t experienced in many years. I was in my room working on something while giving this album it’s first listen through and the first track off the bat made me stop what I was doing and give the whole album listen through with my complete attention. It really struck a chord with me with where I’m at in life. There’s just so much darkness and terrible things happening. And as a critical pessimist, it’s hard for me to pretend like it’s all gonna be ok. My faith journey has led me to a place where I can be comfortably uncomfortable in the tension of living in this "in between." There’s complete darkness and there’s light. The light is 4ever, but we aren’t there yet, and actually we got a mighty long time till we get there. That’s what this album deals with, it’s that in between before God returns and all is restored. It’s realizing that we live in brokenness and have to deal with the darkness daily. Recently I’ve noticed just how much the American Evangelical church pretends like we are living in the day that we hope for, that we can just ignore the darkness because there’s hope. But for so many around the world, and in America right now, ignoring it isn’t an option. Big Krit gives us a way into the darkness. He poetically shows us what life is like in between, not being defeated by the darkness, but also not underestimating it.
Keep the lights on, front door locked
Cause the villains in the wilderness, lotta George Zimmermans
Damned with some innocence
So that mean he still out on the prowl for a black child
While the judge and jury crack smile, Lord
Keep the lights burning
Krit opens the album with album with these words, words that I have repeated over and over for the past weeks. It has become the theme song for this past year for me.
Yeah, my creator gave me the gift to create
And this mind of mine apply to our escape
In an atmosphere that wouldn't hold our weight
If I leave from here, I'll call when I'm safe
Knocking on the door, hoping someone answers
Yeah, I call that faithThis mouth of mine has turned down water for wine
I still recall that taste of bittersweet
Like when I realize you'll never be as perfect as the one that invented me
And the world full of temptations can make you feel so incomplete
Grow up to better than me, go farther than I can go
See farther than I can see
When my days draw to a close, breathe longer than I can breathe
And I'm fine with that
In the event that I decide to move forward what you've done
They can rewind it back
And I'm a proud parent now as I was a proud parent then
I saw you grow up to become the kind of king that I knew you'd always been
Indeed, there's a finish line for me, but for you, there's no end
So, perhaps, all that work that's been done was a win
And although my intentions were for good, it still brung us to a sin
But I'll pay for your mistakes as long as this world continues to spin
As this vessel of mine breaks down, I know you have never been
I'm sure as Multi is your home, hard times will come again
I set aside a book of rhymes that'll pave the way for now and then
I know "4eva is a Mighty Long Time", so where should we begin?
Peace brothers and sisters.
Honorable mentions (in no particular order):
Process - Sampha
blkswn - Smino
Syre - Jaden Smith
Triumph - Ronald Bruner
Everybody - Logic
Big Fish Theory - Vince Staples
Drunk - Thundercat
Flower Boy - Tyler the Creator
Ctrl - SZA
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