Underrated Albums of 2014

What's happening folks! Before we get into the popping year that was 2014, let's lift one up for one of hip-hop's true icons.  The legendary Lovebug Starski passed last week.  The triple OG is considered one of the earliest innovators of the genre, being credited with coming up with the term "hip hop".  We salute this brotha who now sits with the Most High and we say thank you for helping to present this beautiful give of art and expression that we so value and live in every day.  Sincere condolences and sympathy to his family during this very difficult time.

The year of 2014 was a particularly incredible year of hip-hop.  ScHoolboy Q's major label debut, Oxymoron, officially established him as a star, while YG's My Krazy Life gave gangsta rap the much missed boost it needed.  Also, J. Cole dropped a career defining album in 2014 Forest Hills Drive near year's end.  Other releases by 50 Cent, Big K.R.I.T., Common, and Rick Ross were blaring in many a car deck from city to city.  However, the most acclaimed albums of the year never saw high chart rankings or were minimized by mainstream's consciousness, including one of the most impactful releases of the entire decade. With that being said, let's get into this fantastic list.

15. Pharoahe Monch

PTSD

Production: artist, Lee Stone, Marco Polo, Quelle Chris, others

Following up 2011's very dope W.A.R. album, he continues the war-esque series with P.T.S.D.  He had already through "war" conceptually with the music industry, now he's feeling the ill effects of it.  This album was based around a veteran who returned home and whose life became a downward spiral with addiction and paranoia.  Another innovative and thought-provoking release from one of the game's true lyrical monsters.

14. Skyzoo & Torae

Barrel Brothers

Production: DJ Premier, Antman Wonder, !llmind, Black Milk, Oh No, Khrysis, Jahlil Beats, others

Two of the most talented emcees to emerge from NYC throughout the decade has been Brooklyn's Skyzoo and Coney Island's Torae.  Sky's laid-back, scholarly flow mixed Torae's no holds barred, unfiltered style meshes like hand in glove with their flames debut collab album, Barrel Brothers.  The chemistry here is just impeccable track to track and over tracks from the likes of frequent Skyzoo collaborator !llmind, Oh No, Black Milk (their track with Random Axe "All In Together" is just unfairly dope), and the legendary Premier made for one of the most hard-hitting albums to come from NY that year.

13. DJ Quik

The Midnight Life

Production: artist

West coast legend DJ Quik is still bringing that Compton funk some twenty-three years after his influential debut album, Quik Is The Name.  In 2014, he dropped The Midnight Life and showed that he still had it and didn't lose a single step.  Considered one of the greatest emcee/producers ever, Quik reminded these young gunnas that he still is Way 2 Fonky.  He even reunited with protege Suga Free and his own son on a couple tracks.

12. Black Milk

If There's A Hell Below

Production: artist

Curtis Cross was on a roll.  From his promising debut, Sound Of The City, and his highly intriguing follow-up, Popular Demand, up to 2013's excellent, No Poison, No Paradise, Milk was gaining more and more momentum as an emcee and damn sure as a producer.  He delivered the follow up to Poison, If There's A Hell Below, which is a darker transition from his prior effort.  This is a bleak, intricate release, although the sparse, 80s sounding 'Detroit's New Dance Show" was a rather welcomed surprise that would normally come off sticking out like a sore thumb, but leave it to Milk to make it fit in place and make it work.  Arguably Black Milk's best effort to date.

11. Vince Staples

Hell Can Wait EP

Production: No I.D., DJ Infamous, others

Introducing Vince Staples, a highly dope young emcee from the LBC.  First heard with close friend Earl Sweatshirt on his album Doris, he got signed to Def Jam and he dropped his EP, Hell Can Wait.  Obviously talented and someone to keep your eyes peeled to, he gave heads a project that didn't even scratch the surface on how high he could go  While Summertime '06 became his career highlight, it drew from this very dope effort.

10. Cormega

Mega Philosophy

Production: Large Professor

Queensbridge's own Cormega is one of the underground's most acclaimed artists, despite initially being a part of The Firm and having his Def Jam debut shelved.  He never gave up, remembered his hustle game, and has been putting out standout and after standout since.  In 2014, he dropped Mega Philosophy, a gem of an album solely produced by another Queens legend, Large Professor.  Mega took it back to the basics and reminded people that he hasn't fallen off one iota.  Although being noted for it being free of profanity, this album still packed a wallop, as lyrically and conceptually, Mega is still as hungry as he was when he started in the nineties.

9. Dilated Peoples

Directors Of Photography

Production: Evidence, DJ Babu, The Alchemist, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, Oh No, Diamond, Jake One, others

When it was announced that Dilated Peoples would be reuniting for an album for the first time in eight years, heads rejoiced immediately, and rightfully so.  Their seventh album, Directors Of Photography, showed their world through their "lens" (partially taken from Ev's legit love of photography).  This album was easily among their best work, if not their overall best since their sophomore hallmark release, Expansion Team.  Sounding as fresh as ever and rejuvenated, DP's brought everything back in...well...focus.

8. Step Brothers

Lord Steppington

Production: artist

After being on several projects together, Dilated People's Evidence and emcee/producer extraordinaire The Alchemist delivered their much talked about debut, Lord Steppington.  It goes without saying that their chemistry was on point, as the two emcee-producers delivered a project that's very lax in content and just an album filled with witty bars and an overall enjoyable album.  Don't get It confused however, this isn't a fun and games album, as you can tell they took this album seriously and this tag team needs to have more championship collabs in their future.

7. Isaiah Rashad

Cilvia Demo

Production: Sounwave, Black Metaphor, Antydote, Danny Dee, others

One album that people somewhat missed and they really shouldn't have whatsoever was Isaiah Rashad's debut EP, Cilvia Demo.  This new TDE signee at the time from Tennessee was a highly talented young cat who's transparency was poignant and at times jarring.  From suicidal thoughts to addiction to beefing with his father, this was a project that has people arguing that this may have been the best album from the TDE camp that year, and in most cases, that's a strong argument.  Top Dawg had a new star in the making.

6. Rapsody
Beauty & The Beast
Production: 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Eric G., others

Throughout the decade, we had seen Snow Hill's finest really see her buzz and her notoriety increase with efforts such as Thank H.E.R. Later, She Got Game, The Idea Of Beautiful, and The Black Mamba.  She continued her acclaim with Beauty & The Beast, a ten track (thirteen if you include the three bonus cuts) firestarter that has Rap being her charming, yet in control and focused self on this project.  Lyrical as ever and reminding everybody that she's more than just a "female rapper", Rap's rep only grew bigger.

5. Damani Nkosi
Thoughtful King
Production: Warryn Campbell, others

One album that was arguably the most acclaimed album you never even peeped in 2014 was from former Snoop-affiliate Damani Nkosi.  Previously having worked with the likes of Kurupt, The Clipse, and the aforementioned Snoop, Nkosi delivered the simply fantastic Thoughtful King.  Naming the album after the translation of his name, he displays how thoughtful he is lyrically and conceptually.  Over some of the most relaxing, jazzy, soulful tracks you'll hear in hip-hop, this was grown folk hip-hop in its fullness: classy, honest, introspective, and even free of profanity.

4. Mobb Deep
The Infamous Mobb Deep
Production:  Havoc, !llmind, KAYTRANADA, Boi-1nda, The Alchemist, others

Twenty years after the album that put them among hip-hop's consciousness, The Infamous, Hav and P brought back a sound that was somewhat reminiscent of their legendary second album,The Infamous, with The Infamous Mobb Deep.  Definitely their best overall effort since Murda Muzik in '98, they sounded like two veterans showing and proving that they were still among the best duos in hip-hop's history and with searing cuts like "My Block" and "Dirt", these QB kids reminded us they still had us shook off the realness.

3. PRhyme
PRhyme
Production: DJ Premier, Adrien Younge

Anytime one of the game's legendary producers and one of the game's most complete emcees would get together in DJ Premier and Royce 5'9", we were in for something unequivocally knocking, and with cuts like "Shake This" and "Boom", we were naturally in full sweat when the announcement came that they would do a full collab project together.  Calling themselves PRhyme, their self-titled debut EP was one of the most magical and naturally gifted works of the decade. Using samples compiled by producer/composer Adrien Younge, Preem and Royce scorched every single track. We even had Preem bless us with a MUCH overdue rhyme.  Not to mention Royce alongside guests such as Black Thought, Common, Logic, and ScHoolboy Q over Preemo tracks were nothing short of momentous.

2. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
Pinata
Production: Madlib

A lot of us remember the hallmark moment that was Madvillainy and the practically just as amazing Champion Sound.  The common element with both classics was west coast legendary producer Madlib.  This year, he assisted red hot Indiana emcee Freddie Gibbs with the anticipated Pinata.  We knew we were in for something special when we first "Thuggin'", as it sounded like Gibbs naturally belonged over Madliberator's production.  The rest of the album followed suit, as this easily got mentioned with the two aforementioned epic efforts.  Gibbs' star power hit a new high and Madlib continued to reveal his importance to hip-hop production.

1. Run The Jewels
RTJ2
Production: El-P

When Killer Mike and El-P got together to officially become Run The Jewels, it was met with a huge sense of intrigue.  Coming off El-P's excellent work on Mike's R.A.P. Music album, their self-titled debut was incredible and showed their infectious chemistry.  However, the gloves came off and they didn't play nice on their masterful sophomore album RTJ2.  This was one of the most explosive releases in many years and arguably the most in-your-face album of the decade up to this point.  Social and political commentary by the truckloads, Mike and El-P officially declared themselves unfuckwittable.

Honorable Mentions

Ghostface Killah- 36 Seasons

Bishop Nehru & MF DOOM- NehruvianDOOM

Azaelia Banks- Broke With Expensive Taste

Open Mike Eagle- Dark Comedy

Various Artists- Shady XV

Mick Jenkins- The Water(s)

Tech N9ne- Strangeulation

Flying Lotus- You're Dead!

The Underachievers- The Cellar Door

Joe Budden- Some Love Lost

This was a super strong year of quality hip-hop and a bunch of time tested releases saw the light of day to bless our ears.  With each passing year, releases were getting stronger and stronger and with he previously mentioned projects and honorable mentions, this was possibly the best year up to this point.  We were almost halfway done with the year, and the best was still yet to come.  Until next time.