Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2023...So Far

 It's that time again folks! We are halfway through 2023 and, so far, the hip-hop has been great (depending upon where you peep and what's being fed to you of course).  There have been a number of people that have labeled the first half of this year "trash", "garbage", "underwhelming", and overall just mostly negative.  With what's flooding our airwaves and being shoved down our throats, that's an arguable point.  However, there have been a number of excellent releases that, to no surprise, have flown under the radar and it's time we give them the props that are owed to them.  Who knows? Maybe one of these you'll be inspired to peep through whatever streaming service you have and give them some streams, repeated ones at that.  From Danny Brown and Larry June to Talib Kweli and Killer Mike, there have been releases that will continued to rotated and played throughout the entire rest of the year and possibly beyond.  With that said, let's go into the top 25 best albums (note: once we hit the 'Honorable Mentions' section, trust and believe, there are some on that list that will likely be included in the year-end Top 50 (W)Rap Up.  This is just the top 25 at this moment.)

25. Eto & Futurewave

Dead Poets

Production: Futurewave

Guests: Warlord Ironsheik, G4 Jag, DJ Backspin, Daniel Son, Tearz

Rochester' NY's Eto has been putting in work for quite some time, but ever since efforts such as his collab with DJ Muggs, Hell's Roof, Long Story Short, and his fantastic The Beauty of It, he's perked up more ears then before.  His latest effort is another collab, only this time with Toronto beatsmith, Futurewave, for Dead Poets.  Futurewave's dark boom-bap matches hand in hand with the gritty lyricism of Eto and easily makes another win for both cats.  Wave's past efforts with the likes of Rome Streetz and Boldy James demonstrated his penchant for murky, yet hard-hitting, production and Eto sounds hand in glove with this production.  Very dope examples include "My Poetry Deep", "City Broken" and "Poetry Is Dead", in which they all show why Eto has been as consistent and vigorous as anyone out of the NYC underground.  Hopefully, from Dead Poets, we will hear more work from these two together because this is a tandem that definitely works.

24. Conway The Machine & Jae Skeeze

Pain Provided Profit (EP)

Production: Graymatter, Real6, others

Guests: SK Da King, GooseByTheWay, 7XVETHEGENIUS

Officially expanding his wings beyond Griselda, Buffalo's own Conway The Machine established his own label in the form of Drumwork Music Group.  With a roster that includes the likes of GooseByTheWay, SK Da King, and the first lady of Drumwork, 7XVETHEGENIUS, Conway has his eyes on the up and comers.  Another of such is fellow Buffalo native, Jae Skeeze.  He and Machine delivered a collaborative EP entitled, Pain Provided Profit.  Handled sonically primarily by Graymatter, this album is a hard-hitter, with Machine and Skeeze ripping the mic over gritty boom-bap production that isn't far from the type of production you would hear from the Griselda camp.  Cuts like "Immaculate Reception", "Metallic 5's", and Promise are a few of the ill tracks on this seven track EP that shows why Skeeze belongs to work alongside one of the very dopest in the game currently (Skeeze himself has projects such as Authenticity Check and this year's Abolished Uncertainties that must make it to your ears as well) and with Conway driving the car, the passengers of this whip called Drumwork need to not be slept on.

23. Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim'

Notorious Dump Legends 2

Production: Tha God Fahim

Guests: Big Cheeko, others

We are already familiar with the legendary proficiency of Atlanta's Tha God Fahim and his workrate.  With over a hundred efforts to his credit in such a short time (this includes mixtapes, EPs, and full-length albums), Fahim may very well go down among the most prolific emcees of all time when it's all said and done.  One of several projects he has already delivered (trust me this isn't the last time you'll see Fahim on this list or on the Honorable Mentions list either) is one with frequent collaborator and fellow former Griselda associate, the ever-elusive Mach-Hommy, with Notorious Dump Legends 2.  This album is more concentrated on Mach on the mic than Fahim, as Fahim mostly dedicates himself behind the boards (don't ever sleep on his production skills), and Mach, as usual, delivers lyricism with such technical precision (it's time for a new solo joint Mach, just saying) over Fahim's very dope production.  Their past catalogs together include the Dollar Menu series, the DUCK CZN series, and this Notorious Dump Legends series. None have been underwhelming.  While we wait for more Hommy material this year, you can rest assured there's plenty more heat in the oven with Fahim. That's for sure.

22. RJ PAYNE

JIGSAW (EP)

Production: Cartune Beatz

Guests: N/A

Philly rhyme animal, and former B$F associate, RJ PAYNE, is nobody's rookie in this game.  Known very much for his blistering battling abilities, the former Reign Man from his 106 & Park Freestyle Friday segments has over thirty projects to his name between full-length albums, mixtapes and EPs.  Gaining acclaim mostly from his If Cocaine Could Talk series, PAYNE kept bubbling in the underground and developed his Leatherface series as well.  His collaborative effort with knocking Boston beatsmith, Stu Bangas, of 2022, My Life'z A Movie demonstrated his ability to be a vivid storyteller and writer, not just a bloodthirst battle rhymer.  This year, he presents his first of what could likely be a few efforts this year, JIGSAW.  Notoriously named after the heinous serial killer in the Saw movie franchise, he rips into the mic like the aforementioned villain over production provided by relative newcomer, Cartune Beatz (who has especially worked with Lloyd Banks throughout his COTI series). The dark imagery and production of this effort is among his best creations, and this could likely be another tremendous year of work for PAYNE.

21. Tha God Fahim

Iron Bull (EP)

Production: artist, Camouflage Monk, Nicholas Craven, Sahdugold, others

Guests: Mach-Hommy, Your Old Droog, Jay Nice

As was noted earlier, Fahim will be on this list and the HM list more than once.  This is another example of how consistent his material is and how much of a workhorse he is.  Earlier this year, Fahim dropped four projects in four weeks.  Each were quality heat with its own unique sounds based upon the producer he would work with for each individual project.  We earlier showcased his collab with Mach-Hommy.  He also dropped his Iron Bull effort.  At nine tracks, it's practically almost an EP, but regardless of this fact, not one cut on here come up short on dopeness.  With production work from the likes of frequent collaborators Camouflage Monk, Sahudugold and Nicholas Craven, along with own boardwork, this project is Fahim at his finest.  When one mentions his best work throughout his ENTIRE discography, titles such as TGIF, Dreams Of Medina, The Tragedy of Shogun, and his Muggs-collaboration, Dump Assassins among the best he's delivered, but this brief project must be considered within the top fifteen (out of over a hundred folks).  Fahim's workrate is becoming that of legend, and he's not even in his forties yet.  Cuts like "Let's Make A Deal", "Turbulent Nights", and "The Ladder" are all excellent cuts with Fahim (and guests) in straight hunger mode.  How much longer are people gonna sleep on the "Dump Gawd"?

20. Recognize Ali

Back To Mecca II

Production: Anu El, Hobogoblin, Giallo Point, Sibbs Roc

Guests: N/A

In the deep trenches of the underground lies Ghanaian emcee Recognize Ali.  Critically acclaimed for projects such as Allah's Favorite, Guerilla Dynasty with aforementioned producer Stu Bangas (the sequel that dropped earlier this year is every bit has rugged as the first), his collaboration with former Wu-Tang beatsmith/affiliate Bronze Nazareth, Seasons Of The Se7en, and the first Back II Mecca, this highly skilled emcee dropped the sequel to Back II Mecca with Back II Mecca 2, and MAN was this a legit banger.  Cueing up hard rocking early to mid-nineties NYC classics such as Enta Da Stage, Ready To Die, Illmatic, and The Infamous, Ali dropped an album that lovers of that time period will gladly appreciate and rejoice over.  Just like the first of the series, the album was primarily produced by Qiallo Point and this young emcee EATS this album's production.  With his pen game talented and his vocal stylings and delivery quite reminiscent of a young Krumbsnatcha, Recognize Ali has a tour de force on his hands here with cuts like "Moonwalk", "Duck Down" and "What U Need" as highlights on a damn near non-miss project.  Do yourself a favor: don't sleep!

19. Larry June & The Alchemist

The Great Escape

Production: The Alchemist

Guests: Jay Worthy, Slum Village, Big Sean, Action Bronson, Boldy James, Ty Dolla $ign, Evidence, Joey Bada$$, Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y

Cali native, Larry June, has become one of the most talked about emcees flourishing currently in hip-hop.  His laid-back and calm delivery mixed with his good pen game has become quite in demand.  His discography of impressive outings includes the Harry Fraud-collaborated Keep Going, Orange Print, the collab with frequent collaborating emcee, Jay Worthy, 2 Peaz In A Pod, and his own 2022 offering Spaceships On The Blade, all of which shows his talent is great detail.  However, when word got out that he would be having a full-length project with the legendary Uncle Al himself, The Alchemist, heads immediately knew this would take him next level. With The Great Escape, we see it. Alchemist, himself, is widely, and rightfully so, considered one of the game's all-time best producers, having compelled a collaborative discography that's among the best ever, having efforts with the likes of both members of Mobb Deep (R.I.P. Bandana P), Armand Hammer, Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Freddie Gibbs, Evidence (as Step Brothers), Oh No (as Gangrene), and last year's incredible album with Roc Marciano, The Elephant Man's Bones.  On this, their first official album together, LJ floats and glides over Al's brilliant production that perfectly appeals to the delivery and stylings LJ brings forth with subject matter mostly relegated to luxury cars, suites, how to be a millionaire, and the art of the grind.  Standouts like "Margie's Candy House", "Left No Evidence" with the aforementioned Evidence, the Slum Village-assisted "Orange Village", and "89 Earthquake" are all met with mostly jazzy production almost similar to The Elephant Man's Bones only not quite as dark but definitely elegant.  Make no mistake about it folks, The Great Escape is another huge win for Uncle Al and further shows the talents of Larry June and how we may have just discovered another big time producer/emcee duo that could be a force to be reckoned with on this album. 

18. 7XVETHEGENIUS & DJ Green Lantern

The Genius Tape

Production: DJ Green Lantern

Guests: Conway The Machine, T.F., Rome Streetz, Che Noir

Buffalo's aforementioned first lady of Drumwork, 7XVETHEGENIUS, has bubbled in the local Buffalo area for almost a decade now on the low.  With her and Skeeze being the first one officially signed to Drumwork, the chances of her elevating her career to higher levels improved, and with efforts such as the Self 7XVE series, Thy Will Be Done, and 7XVe Is Love, heads kept wanting to hear more from this young lady.  While we wait on her forthcoming Death Of Deuce album, as well as her work on the upcoming Drumwork compilation album, she dropped a mixtape with famed NYC DJ/producer, DJ Green Lantern with The Genius Tape.  Lantern is among the most underrated producers out here and has been for quite some time.  He shows off his dope boardwork all over this album, with Genius dropping heavy bars that explore everything from love to hustling to betrayal and survival.  Cuts like the Conway-assisted "Brainstroming", the bumping "Biddy Mason", and the Che Noir/Rome Streetz-assisted "Neck Protected" all highlight her penchant for witty rhymes that also go right at your throat with purpose and without frills.  Often to compared to other lyrical femme fatales like Che Noir and Rapsody, 7XVETHEGENIUS is not one to be played with on the mic, and between her storytelling abilities, her shit talking, and just overall highly impressive pen game, one can only imagine how crazy Death Of Deuce will be if The Genius Tape is just an inkling of what's to come.

17. Meyhem Lauren

Champagne For Breakfast

Production: DJ Muggs, Madlib

Guests: Hologram

Queens veteran, Meyhem Lauren, has been putting in serious work for nearly two decades in the underground, but it's been over the past decade where Lauren has become notable amongst his contemporaries.  His Freeway-esque delivery mixed with his content of hustling-meets-luxurious fly shit has been acclaimed during this period, as he has worked with the likes of the Griselda camp, DJ Muggs, good friend and fellow Queens native Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, and Hologram.  Albums such as Gems From The Equinox, the Buckwild-produced Silk Pyramids, Nickel Plated Wordplay, and 2022's collaboration with Griselda in-house production extraordinaire, Daringer, Black Vladmir displayed his unique blend of gritty street tales and living the extravagant lifestyle filled with shrimp, caviar, and the finest wine.  In 2023, he gets production help from not just the aforementioned DJ Muggs, but this time production genius, Madlib, for Champagne For Breakfast.  While Black Vladmir had very dark, sinister production that Daringer can deliver so well, Champagne For Breakfast isn't as dark or atmospheric, but it does mix the jazzy and left-brained stylings of Madlib with the brooding, yet thumping, style of Muggs to make it come off as effective as Kanye and Pharrell did for Pusha T's fantastic offering of 2022, It's Almost Dry.  From the likes of "Wild Salmon" to the CRAZY "One Of Them Ones", Meyhem delivers another prize with Champagne For Breakfast, and it'll be interesting to see who he collabs with next, as we continue to see the rise of this luxurious gangsta.

16. The Alchemist

Flying High (EP)

Production: The Alchemist

Guests: Larry June, Jay Worthy, T.F., Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, Boldy James, billy woods, Sideshow

The almighty Uncle Al has already been featured on this list with his collab album with Larry June with The Great Escape, but Al himself delivered an equally tremendous four track EP called Flying High.  From the onset, the billy woods/Earl Sweatshirt collab, "RIP Tracy" is a melodic slow groove that shows how much Earl and woods need to do way more stuff together, while Al leans into one of the grandest boom-bap offerings Al has done all year with west coast talent, T.F. and Detroit's offering to Griselda, Boldy James, eating on "Trouble Man".  It gets better with the stunning collab between MIKE and Sideshow on the hypnotic "Bless" and the Larry June/Jay Worthy beauty "Midnight Oil", that even has Al himself spitting the rare verse and shows that the old Mudfoot (during his Whooliganz days) still got that penchant of effective spitting.  While we wait to see what else the evil scientist has up his sleeve musically, Alchemist has already delivered outstanding goods to LJ and the rumored albums with Earl Sweatshirt and Vince Staples could possibly see the light of day.  Alchemist is one hundred percent among the true modern legends of hip-hop production with his brilliant sample usage and his unique sear for creating immaculate sounds from the most left-brained places, and his ability to construct the perfect style of production for whomever he works with is second to none.  This EP, Flying High, could be the first of a series that continues to show that Al belongs in the place alongside the likes of Dre, RZA, Marley, and Preemo.

15. Tyler, The Creator

Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale

Production: artist, Madlib, Pharrell Williams, Jay Versace

Guests: Lil Uzi Vert, Pharrell, A$AP Rocky, Vince Staples, Domo Genesis, Lil Wayne, DJ Drama, others

One of 2021's best efforts was Tyler, The Creator's surprise sixth album, Call Me When You Get Lost.  The Cali native delivered what many people have argued was the best album of his career, and presented him in more of a mature, yet hungry, emcee than we've heard from him in quite some time.  It was less about shock value and more about honesty and poignant storytelling along with a great pen ability.  Not to mention his boardwork was among the best he's done on any of his projects.  Earlier this year, he dropped what's subsequently a deluxe edition of this fantastic album with Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale, which contains several new cuts and all perfectly go in tune with the rest of the album.  With cuts like "Sorry Not Sorry", "Dog Tooth", the reworking of John Legend's "Heaven"" with "Heaven To Me" and especially the amazing Madlib-crafted "What A Day' are all cuts that continue to show how boundary pushing Tyler can be, sonically, thematically, and lyrically. Examining his conflicts between his stardom and being down to earth, as well loving his lush living while also struggling to find or maintain love, Tyler continues to show his complexities in such excellently artistic fashion. The fact that these cutting room floor cuts is wild, as these and others including "Everything Must Go" and the A$AP Rocky-assisted "Wharf talk" are tremendously put together cuts that further show the incredible talent Tyler possesses.  While the Grammy Award-winning emcee has been thoroughly delivering in quality these past few years especially (Flower Boy up to this point was his crowning jewel), CMIYGL is the memorable of them all, and The Estate Sale further exemplifies this as this could be a hard effort to top from him, but never, ever underestimate the brilliance of this man.

14. Statik Selektah

 Round Trip

Production: artist

Guests: Posdnous, Joey bada$$, Conway The MAchine, Benny The Butcher, Ab-Soul, redveil, Nems, Termanology, Stove God Cook$, Symba, Wu-Tang Clan, Elzhi, Boldy James, Rome Streetz, others

Veteran Boston DJ/Producer, Statik Selektah, is among the most respected figures in hip-hop yet also among the most underrated producers as well.  Despite contributions on offerings from the likes of AZ, IDK, Termanology, Ill Bill, Ransom, collab albums with Bun B and Paul Wall and especially his excellent work on Joey Bada$$'s wonderful 2022 offering, 2000, many feel he still doesn't get his just due for how very good he is behind the boards.  Aiming to change that, he dropped his tenth album, Round Trip, and the results are as great or better than most of his other projects that include impressive outings such as What Goes Around, Lucky 7, and Population Control, and that's not including his MANY collaborative projects with the likes of Termanology, Kota The Friend, Bun B, Paul Wall, and CJ Fly.  The album starts in very somber fashion with the title track that's subsequently a Trugoy The Dove eulogy from his thirty-plus year partner in rhyme Posdnous over melancholy keys and a beautiful yet gloomy aura, as we still are in disbelief over Plug 2's untimely passing.  From there, performances from the likes of Benny, Conway, Ransom, Bun B, Millyz, Joey Bada$$, Rome Streetz, Symba, and members of the Wu-Tang Clan are among the many highlights on this album.  As with most Statik Selektah projects, posse cuts are the rule, and most over jazzy boom-bap type production, thus making cuts such as "Can't Stop", "Unpredictable", "Different League", and the aforementioned title track definite standouts. Statik Selektah commemorates his tenth release with a victory lap of an album that will be considered quite high on his already impressive discography.

13. Skyzoo & The Other Guys

The Mind Of A Saint

Production: The Other Guys

Guests: N/A

There aren't too many in hip-hop that has the type of undefeated discography Brooklyn native Skyzoo possesses. From his mixtape beginnings to his first EP with Grammy Award winning beat genius, 9th Wonder, for Cloud 9 to his debut full-length, The Salvation, and other subsequent releases such as Music For My Friends, In Celebration Of Us, and 2021's All The Brilliant Things (not to mention his multiple EPs, mixtapes, and collab efforts with the likes of Apollo Brown, !llmind, and Pete Rock), Skyzoo is among the most consistent and prolific emcees of the past couple decades.  He continues his winning streak with The Mind Of A Saint.  The Crown Heights dweller is a thinking man's emcee, in which every solo album has a central point or theme.  With Music For My Friends, the focus was on his childhood growing up in Brooklyn, whereas In Celebration Of Us was a close examination of his community in the times of struggle and adversity and the beauty of overcoming.  He goes further with this project, as he adapts the character of Franklin Saint from the famed FX show, Snowfall. He imagines himself as the character if he was an emcee on the come up and does so in such Ingenius fashion.  With production help from relative newcomers, The Other Guys, he effortlessly glides over they type of production he's accustomed to: jazzy boom-bap with moments of clever sampling and melodies.  Cuts like "Straight Drop", "Bodies", "Views From The Valley", and especially the production highlight of the album, the spectacular "Apologies In Order", Sky fully embodies the mind of the hustling anti-hero of Snowfall in unbelievable fashion.  With The Mind Of A Saint, Skyzoo not only continues to show why he's your favorite emcee's favorite emcee, but he's also a thinker and one that values his artistic and lyrical longevity.  Nearly two decades min, as he mentioned on the track from All The Brilliant Things, "Bodega Flowers", it's time to start giving him his.

12. Teflon

2 Sides to a Story

Production: DJ Premier, Jazimoto

Guests: M.O.P., others

Whenever you're associated with Brownsville legends, M.O.P. as long as Teflon has, you're arguably considered another member of them virtually.  The Brooklyn hard rock possesses the same forceful, no holds barred delivery Fame and Danz do and hits you in the face every time he spits.  It's been around twenty-five years since we last heard a full [project from Tef in the form of '98's My Will.  While decent, it didn't live up to the potential it should've.  However, heads were in very high anticipation of his sophomore album, Contraband, as it was stated he would be signing with DJ Premier's Year Round Records and would exclusively handle the effort's production.  Unfortunately, the album never surfaced, and we all were left with a 'what if' within us concerning how disrespectfully crazy of an album that would've been, especially a few of the cuts that leaked or released.  After supposedly leaving the game for many years, Teflon returns with his first album since My Will, 2 Sides to A Story.  Half of the album was handled by Preemo, but the other half was handled by relatively unknown, yet very dope, producer, Jazimoto.  Needless to say, he still got it folks.  Not to mention he has assistance from his First family brothers on a few cuts on this hard-hitting release.  Starting off in SICK fashion comes the Preemo-powered, "Out The Gate", and from there, more thumping, pavement-quaking production and no-nonsense rhymes are the inescapable rule here.  We may never get the completed Contraband album (ironically the title track from that album is on this effort), but truthfully this is an ass kicker and Teflon had to remind us that he plays no games out here.

11. Conway The Machine

Won't He Do It

Production: Daringer, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, JR Swiftz, Graymatter, Khrysis, Juicy J, others

Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Fabolous, GooseByTheWay, 7XVETHEGENIUS, Jae Skeeze, Dave East, Ransom, others

It wouldn't be a year if we didn't get at least one Conway project, and we already have the follow-up to his magnum opus from 2022's God Don't Make Mistakes in the form of Won't He Do It.  This also marks his first official album under his own Drumwork Music Group label, and this album definitely features artists from his label such as Jae Skeeze, 7XVETHEGENIUS and GooseByTheWay.  Aiming to deliver more universal appeal, he does go for more radio-sounding cuts such as "Kanye" and "Chosen" (both cuts done by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and supposedly finishing up an entire project with Conway), but also reminds the listener he's that Machine with menacing cuts such as the ominous collab with Ransom "Stab Out", "Tween Cross Tween", the Gunn-assisted "Brucifix", and "Flesh of My Flesh".  With every passing album, Conway continues to raise his game to new levels and shows why he's among the most in-demand emcees in the game.  While this doesn't quite have the jarring emotion and brutal honesty GDMM contained, WHDI still delivers in texture and lyricism. From gritty street narratives to ominously threatening talk to even when he gets personal in introspective, Conway continues to develop into a complete emcee across the board. Factor in that he has a new army behind him and what is supposedly a very busy year for him, Conway could very well own 2023.

10. Kid Abstrakt & Leo Low Pass

Still Dreaming

Production: Leo Low Pass

Guests: Tab One, Vsteeze, Awon, others

When we mention laid-back, feel good hip-hop artists, there aren't many we can name in these times of hip-hop.  However, one such artist is Cali native, Kid Abstrakt.  His brand of jazz rap mixed with wholesome views of God, family, and living life with purpose is a much-needed breath of fresh air.  His most recent projects of Jazzy Vibes, Daydreaming, and Higher Vibration EP are wonderful throwbacks to golden era hip-hop with captivating jazzy boom-bap soundscapes and a focus to just make good ol' fashioned hip-hop, complete with no images of guns, drugs, misogyny, sexual themes or even excessive foul language. He returns with his newest project, the sequel to 2017's aforementioned Daydreaming, Still Dreaming.  With producer, Leo Low Pass, the album is perfect for a good drive on a Sunday afternoon with the family. With cuts such as the Awon-assisted, "Flowers", "Keep it Jazzy", the title track, and "Beautiful Day", this will undoubtedly go over a lot of heads in this current climate of hip-hop, but those that are in need of some quality hip-hop that is void of any and all cliches currently flooding the game, or even some hip-hop that you can listen to around your parents and children, Still Dreaming is as great of a choice as you can get so far this year.  The nature of Abstrakt's music is the basic, yet super undervalued premise of our culture: authenticity, and Kid Abstrakt delivers once again with a beautiful project.

9. Lloyd Banks

Course Of The Inevitable 3: Pieces Of My Pain

Production: Cartune Beatz, V-DON, others

Over the past three years, former G-Unit soldier Lloyd Banks has enjoyed a revival of sorts of his career.  While he's still been putting in work through various mixtapes and guest appearances, it's been over a decade since we had a full length from the Queens native and the self-professed "Punchline King". However, that changed with 2021's Course Of The Inevitable, which was quite the tremendous reintroduction to people who may have forgotten how ridiculous he is with the pen and his bars.  He continued the momentum with its sequel the very next year with COTI2, and it literally picked up where the first one left off at with little to no stumbles.  He emerges in 2023 with the third, and possibly final, chapter of the COTI series entitled COTI3: Pieces Of My Pain.  As you can tell by the title, this album aims to get him more personal and honest, and he does just that.  Once again collaborating with up and coming beatsmith, Cartune Beatz, along with veteran underground producer V-DON and others, Banks takes us in deeper with demons he struggles with and subjects such as depression, anxiety, family, loss, and divorce all are in the forefront of this album, while tracks like the bumping "Movie Scenes", the Method Man-assisted "101 Razors", the Vado-asssited "LSD", and "Money Machine" are cuts that have plenty of rewindable bars from one of the best you'll find for that type of lyrical knack.  While cuts like "Voices" and "Opened Gates" show us just how much his mental health has been affected over these last several years, he delivers a softer blow with the touching ode to his daughter "Daddy's Little Girl" that shows that, in fact, there's more to the PLK than his tough guy talk and hustling ways.  If this is the last installment of the COTI series, it ends on a very high note as Banks is very much back in his zone with another shining example of why he arguably the most talented member of the G-Unit squad.

8. Maxo

Even God Has A Sense Of Humor

Production: Madlib, Karriem Riggins, Graymatter, Beat Butcha, Lastnamedavid, others

Guests: Pink Siifu, Liv.e, others

In an era and current climate where it's looked down upon to bear your soul and your vulnerabilities on digital platforms, and instead just pit in its place sex, guns, drugs, crime, misogyny, and misandry, artists like MIKE, Earl Sweatshirt, and Navi go against the artistic and personal grain and let the listener in to their sensitivities and heaviness.  Cali native, Maxo, is another emcee that explores mental health from an abstract yet highly introspective point of view.  His 2019 offering Lil Big Man showed his struggles with trying to make it big in the game yet having to sacrifice his own mental space in order to do so.  On this follow-up, Even God Has A Sense Of Humor, he somewhat keeps on that same trajectory, but finding a little more peace along his journey.  Over some jazzy yet very atmospheric and glistening production most of the project, Maxo still has moments of struggling with self-doubt and honestly it's quite bold to do.  Cuts like "48" with Pink Siifu, "What 4", and "Nuri" are all deeply personal tracks that show how he's not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve over some of the most stunning production you'll likely hear all year.  Other cuts like "Free", "Both handed", and the tremendous "Face Of Stone" go through emotions ranging from liberation and confidence to regretful and anxious and are done powerfully.  While many feel Even God Has A Sense Of Humor should've possessed more of the strengths that made Lil Big Man an understated musical diary, it still shows Maxo in a very human light, as he seeks to grasp a hold of who is, where's been, and where he's trying to get to, just like the rest of us.

7. Killer Mike

Michael

Prodeuction: No I.D., Cool & Dre, Don Cannon, DJ Paul, Cory Mo, El-P, Beat Butcha, others

Guests: Cee-Lo, Andre 3000, Future, El-P, Young Thug, Future, Eryn Allen Kane, Jagged Edge, others

Longtime Outkast-affiliate, and half of another seminal duo, Run The Jewels, Killer Mike hasn't released a solo album since 2012's R.A.P. Music, which many considered an unofficial debut for Run The Jewels, as El-P provided sole production on the excellent project.  Since then, he and El-P have become arguably the most impactful duo of the 2010s, delivering four of the most memorable hip-hop albums to hit us this entire century so far.  As we wait for the next installment of RTJ, Killer Mike hands us his Michael, his most personal project to date and the results are outstanding.  Executive produced by Grammy Award-winning veteran producer, No I.D., Mike explodes over virtually every track here and sounds as rejuvenated as ever on cuts like the Young Thug-assisted "Run" (which features quite the intro from Dave Chappelle), Talk'n That Shit", and the El-P-assisted "Don't Let The Devil", which could all be bumped as high of decibels as one could imagine or at least enough to where possibly noise ordinance tickets would be given.  However, it's the more personal moments of this album that steal the show.  Cuts like the touching "Motherless", "High & Holy", and "Exit 9" that are filled with such personal and honest narratives that you literally take a trip inside the mind and heart of KM.  Of course, perhaps the biggest standout is the crazy collab with Future and a rare verse from Andre 3000 on the cut "Scientists & Engineers" (which features very nice vocals from Eryn Allen Kane who appears on a couple of tracks on this album).  With Michael, Killer Mike shows us every sector of what makes him who he is.  From the hustla to the family man to the ever-evolving man and artist, we see it all here.  This is easily contender for southern rap album of the year already and definitely the best solo album he's ever put out. A definite benchmark in the career, and life, of Michael Render.

6. Rome Streetz & Big Ghost LTD

Wasn't Built In A Day

Production: Big Ghost LTD

Guests: Conway The Machine, Method Man, others

One of the newest Griselda solders is underground notable Rome Streetz.  While making a buzz with his Noise Candy mixtape series, he started gaining more noise (pardon the pun) with other projects such as Streetz Keep Calling Me and his first collab with previously mentioned producer Futurewave, Headcrack, it was his collab album with the legendary DJ Muggs, Death & The Magician, that made people perk their ears up a little more to this NYC dweller.  From there, it was his collaborative efforts with underground heavyweights AHNKLEJOHN (Genesis 1:27) and Ransom (Coup De Grace), as well as another collab with Futurewave (Razor's Edge) that made his name go even harder in the streets.  Gunn signed him in 2022 and delivered his Griselda debut, Kiss The Ring, and the album became not only one of the best debuts in Griselda history critically, but one of the best full-length debut albums of the year.  Still riding off his momentum, he does another collaborative effort, this time with enigmatic producer, Big Ghost LTD for Wasn't Built In A Day.  Almost equally as sonically menacing and consistent as Kiss The Ring, this has Roman going for broke over BGLTD's trademark ominous, yet thumping, production.  Cuts like the Mobb Deep-sampled "Gem Drop", the Method Man-assisted P'z & Q'z", and the eerily banger with Conway, "Suicide" are as raw to the bone as you could ask for from Rome and fits the mold of how this album rolls along.  While it wasn't an easy task to follow up such a CRAZY album like Kiss The Ring, Wasn't Built In A Day was very damn close, and Rome Streetz keeps putting on impressive performance after impressive performance, no matter who he has behind the boards.

5. Black Thought & El Michels Affair

Glorious Game

Production: El Michels Affair

Guests: N/A

The legendary Philly rhyme savior, Black Thought, has had quite the past few years away from his Roots crew.  Aside from his three Streams Of Thought projects, in 2022, he presented one of the year's most fundamentally exquisite projects of this early decade with producer extraordinaire, Danger Mouse, for the priceless project, Cheat Codes.  Top to bottom, this combo delivered a slightly left-brained masterpiece that showed that the over decade long anticipation was worth the weight and then some.  Hoping to rival that amazing album is this year's effort with revered producer, Leon Michels, and his team/band, El Michels Affair, for Glorious Game.  Quite the personal venture with this project, Tariq goes in head and heart first into the deep end of the pool with tremendous autobiographical cuts such as "Hollow Way", "I'm Still Somehow", and the fantastic "The Weather", which all have him reconnecting to his years of adolescence to him as a fully grown man reminiscing on things that range from heartbreaking to frustrating yet all very relatable in some way.  The whole thing isn't all sadness and reflective, as he takes time to profess his infatuation for a lovely woman that he sees himself fancying over on "That Girl".  Over mostly soul-flavored live instrumentation with the occasional sample cleverly interjecting itself at time, Glorious Game is another big win for BT.  While we have no definitive idea when the next Roots album, End Game, will drop, as long as get to hear one of hip-hop's true GOATs on the mic, we will be very satisfied.

4. billy woods & Kenny Segal

Maps

Production: Kenny Segal

Guests: ELUCID, Danny brown, Aesop Rock, Quelle Chris, Shrapknel, others

The incomparable billy woods has had a run within this past decade that very, very few have been truly able to rival in terms of consistency and quality.  From the bold, History Will Absolve Me, to the tremendous today, I wrote Nothing to his collabs with fellow left-brained write, ELUCID as Armand Hammer including Riot Muzik and the amazing collab with the almighty Uncle Al with HARAM, to last year's offerings of Church and Aethiopes, woods is in esteemed class of emcees that somehow still get relegated to underground status.  He reemerges in 2023 with the first solo offering from him this year.  He reunites with producer Kenny Segal, who constructed his gloomy yet ambitious Hiding Place, for Maps.  This album isn't as dark and atmospheric as the aforementioned Hiding Place, but is no less intriguing and uniquely wrapped.  The NY native brings forth a conceptual album that shows his different stories, emotions, thoughts, and situations while touring.  Segal's mixture of jazzy, bluesy, atmospheric, and avant-garde production elegantly serves as the backdrop  for the moody and occasionally apprehensive narratives and rhymes of woods.  Among the standouts on this practically flawless album are the repeatable "Paraquat", the celebratory-yet-cautious "NYC Tapwater", and the way "Face Time", and these are just a few cuts that exemplify the apocalyptic-yet-conscious and aware rhymes of the complex woods.  One of the best writers in all of hip-hop, woods and Segal hit another grand slam with Maps and as time goes by, we will realize and understand how much woods deserves to be studied, as his run right now is right now one of legend.

3. Danny Brown & JPEGMAFIA

Scaring The Hos Vol. 1

Production: JPEGMAFIA

Guests: N/A

Are there two more appropriate artists to work with each other than Baltimore's JPEGMAFIA and Detroit's Danny Brown?  While many have become very acquainted with the highly energetic and off the wall lyrical antics of Brown, cats are really just now starting to come into the left-field artistry of JPEGMAFIA, mainly due to albums from him such as Veteran, All My Heroes Are Cornballs, and LP!, all of which gathered an impressive following very similar to Brown during the early part of Brown's career with albums such as XXX, Old and especially his neurotic masterwork, Atrocity Exhibition.  These two quirky, albeit highly tremendous, artists have blended their talents together for one of hip-hop's best titles, Scaring The Hoes Vol. 1.  Folks, don't let the title scare you away and let it take you down the road of some sort of album-wide misogyny-laced (well, maybe some) comedy-type shit.  This is a masterclass in what's subsequently a fun mess.  Every track Peggy puts together is cleverly sampled with soul, funk, avant-garde and new wave music for Brown, especially, to go bonkers on, and that he does, with Peggy chiming in on a few tracks himself.  With tracks like the lead-off "Lean Beef Patty", "Orange Juice Jones", and the chaotic-sounding "Run The Jewels", Brown & Peggy present a frantic and frenzied masterpiece that will undoubtedly serve as new benchmarks for both artists.  It's without question Scaring The Hoes Vol. 1 won't be for everyone, but for those that get the artistic lane that both JPEG and Danny Brown possess, they get this that messy classic both men are more than capable of delivering, and they just so happen to bring their unique, distinctive worlds together for an album that's one of a kind.

2. Pink Siifu & Ahwlee are B. Cool-Aid

Leather Blvd.

Production: Ahwlee

Guests: Quelle Chris, Denmark Vessy, Ladybug Mecca, others

Underground favorite and Birmingham, AL native, Pink Siifu, has a very distinctive delivery and style that puts him as a standout within the southern hip-hop scene.  His Lil' Wayne-meets-Yasiin Bey style is one that put him on more of a bigger light with his excellent 2021 offering, Gumbo!.  With quite a discography on his hands (over two dozen projects in the past decade), it's perhaps his latest offering that may be his most ambitious.  Siifu gets back up with frequent production collaborator, Ahwlee, to become B. Cool-Aid, and their debut album, Leather Blvd., is as soulful and jazzy as it is ambitious.  Mellow and occasionally breezy, the sounds on this album resemble the type of album that could fit inside of an open mic night gathering or a jazz lounge, as the rich, yet lush, instrumentation of this album blends with Siifu's neo-soul rap and crooning to the point where you're just as captivated with his delivery and lyrics as much as you are from the very engaging production of Ahwlee.  This album also contains several guests that contribute greatly to this project such as Digable Planets' Ladybug Mecca (reunion album anyone?), Quelle Chris, Denmark Vessy, a spoken word piece from Outkast-affiliate Big Rube, and Butcher Brown, but fitting background assisted vocals from the likes of Lik.E, Akeema Zane, and Melanie Rose keep the soulful element that continuously makes the superb project float by in such blissful fashion.  Cuts like "Brandy, Aaliyah", "ChalkRoundIt", and "soundgood" are just so full of soul, they almost remind one of the likes of such classics as ATLiens, Aquemini, and Illadelph Halflife in terms of the ambience of this project.  Beyond question, Leather Blvd is a grown-folks hip-hop album that deserves all of the acclaim it's been getting and then some.  Pink Siifu and Ahwlee have devised an album that, in terms of high quality grown folks hip-hop, has set the bar very high for the year.

1. Talib Kweli & Madlib

Liberation 2

Production: Madlib

Guests: Pink Siifu, Roc Marciano, Westside Gunn, Jessica Care Moore, Roy Ayers, Meshell Ndegeocello, Amani, Diani, Mac Miller, Q-Tip, Goapele, others

The last time we heard from Brooklyn's Talib Kweli and Cali's evil production genius, Madlib, was with Yasiin Bey as the reunited Black Star presented their two decades-plus anticipated follow up to their self titled debut album, No Fear Of Time. The album, although greatly welcomed, was criticized for being uninspiring and that the aura of the now near fifty-year olds wasn't the same it was in '98, albeit Madlib's very intricate production was adequate for the veteran Brooklynites.  Not to mention, the album was recorded on the road throughout the years and was barely mixed appropriately so while the album wasn't necessarily a critical flop (as there were sincerely excellent moments here), it served as an underwhelming platter of sorts to those that were anticipating another monument like their debut album.  In 2023, Kweli announced there was a sequel to his mixtape with Madlib, Liberation, entitled Liberation 2.  Just like No Fear Of Time, this album was released exclusively through Kweli's Luminary podcast company so only subscribers gained access to this.  With the lukewarm reception of No Fear Of Time, the question was would this suffer the critical fate as NFOT? The answer is a profound NO.  This is the best we've heard Talib Greene in many years, and Madlib delivered some of the best production we've heard from at least within this third decade of the 2000s.  Ever socio-political and conscious, Kweli shines brightly over gems like the wonderful Pink Siifu and Diani (his daughter who also shines on the cuts "Air Quotes" and "Assata's Code")-assisted "Ad Vice", the elegant "Wild Sweet Love", "the incredible tribute to the late, great Biz Markie with Q-Tip and former Lootpack member, WildChild, "One For Biz", and the fantastic collab with the late, great Mac Miller providing a posthumous verse "The Right To Love Us".  Musically, Madlib stays in his left-brained jazzy and soulfully experimental lane to exquisite results and Kweli is all day comfortable over these obscure samples and brilliant layering.  Whether it's about Black love, socio-political themes, the love and appreciation of soul and hip-hop, or educating the listener with pearls and jewels, Liberation 2 is head and shoulders above anything in 2023 as far as grown adult, no gimmick, no image hip-hop. In terms of where this stands within the quite dope discography of Kweli, that includes such great efforts such as Quality, Eardrum, The Beautiful Struggle, Prisoner Of Consciousness, Gutter Rainbows, and the most recent solo offering, Radio Silence, this is easily up there as any effort he's put out within his entire career, and that's saying a lot. While we've been accustomed to Madliberator blessing artists such as Freddie Gibbs, Westside Gunn, Planet Asia, Your Old Droog, and reportedly Mac Miller for his posthumous project, MacLib, Otis Jackson Jr supplied Kweli with production for an album that needs to be carefully studied and absorbed to fully appreciate the greatness of this project.  The challenge is can anything be a thematically, musically, and artistically better than this effort from these two legends?  The bar has been set.  Good luck folks!

Honorable Mentions

*= unofficial/leaked/bootleg release

Jay Worthy & Roc Marciano- Nothing's Bigger Than The Problem

Oddisee- To What End

Reuben Vincent- Love & War

Curren$y & Jermaine Dupri- For Motivational Purposes Only

Logic- College Park

Navy Blue- Ways Of Knowing

Hit-Boy- Surf Or Drown

Grafh & 38 Spesh- Art Of Words

Koncept Jack$on & Sahdugold- Draft Dodger

Tha God Fahim & Oh No- Berserko (EP)

38 Spesh- Gunsmoke (EP)

Tha God Fahim- Dump Gawd Reloaded

Chuck Strangers- The Boys & Girls (EP)

Tha God Fahim & Sahdugold- Dump Gawd: The Knocking Of Roll

Ransom & Nicholas Craven- Director's Cut 4

Ill Bill- Billy

Tha God Fahim & Mike Shabb- Rhyme Pays

Legendary Traxster- Chicago

Al-Doe & Spanish Ran- Holy City Zoo

Curren$y & Harry Fraud- Vices

Estee Nack- NACKsaw Jim Duggan

Che Noir & Big Ghost LTD- Noir Or Never

Jae Skeeze- Abolished Uncertainties

Royce Da 5'9"- The Heaven Experience (EP)

Tha God Fahim & Ru$h- Luxury Art

Tha God Fahim & Camouflage Monk- Dark Shogun Assassin (EP)

Hus Kingpin & SmooVth- Paid In Full EP

CRIMEAPPLE- El Cantante

Stove God Cook$ & Roc Marciano- If These Kitchen Walls Could Talk *

Vince Staples & The Alchemist- Untitled EP *

This year has been dragged for not producing enough stellar content and that's completely not the truth.  While midway in last year it was already believed that it was on track to be one of the best years this century in hip-hop, this year has still had a lot of excellent hip-hop that you'll likely have to turn the radio off in order to hear and feel.  We've always said the best hip-hop is the ones that often times, corporate AmeriKKKa doesn't want you to hear because it wouldn't make them any money.  With forthcoming albums including Benny's Def Jam debut (fully produced by Hit-Boy and Alchemist, oh BOY!), more stuff coming from Conway, Nas, Ludacris, T.I., Rick Ross, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Planet Asia, Rapsody, Noname, and (hopefully) the highly anticipated Griselda full-length debut from Stove God Cook$ (not to mention the much talked about reported Boldy James album, Drug Dilla, that has him flowing over unreleased Dilla beats), this year could end up being quite incredible by year's end.  If this year has been slow to you critics, just y'all wait.  The craziness is on the way!  Until December folks!