The Best Albums Of 2016

What's going on world!  Great to see you back with me again, and it is definitely that time again.  It's time to review the best hip-hop releases of this year.  Let's be honest folks.  This year, up until recently, has been somewhat stale.  There was a period during this year where a lot of material being released what just average or sub-par.  There were some here and there that showed greatness, but overall, on a consistent level, nothing was enormously substantial.  However, once August and September come around, the tide started to turn to where we started to get more and more blazing releases.  Then November comes comes around and MAN!!!  Releases from Common, Czarface, and others come out with CRAZY albums.  Of course hip-hop usually comes very much alive in the fourth quarter as it is, but December is when eveyone likes to get in that last minute rush to drop material, and what a December we've had (and it's not over yet).  Here's one thing you'll notice about this list: TDE put out the most exceptional material from one label/group this entire year.  More than any year prior, this has been a dominant year for them.  Without further ado, let's get this show started.

30. Masta Ace- The Falling Season

Legendary Juice Crew member Masta Ace, as of late, has put out some incredible material.  Yes, his earlier albums like Take A Look Around and Slaughtahouse were some good releases, it wasn't until he dropped Disposable Arts in 2001 where his career took a turn, in a very acclaimed fashion.  Deemed a classic, Disposable Arts reintroduced the art of the concept album in a narrative form, delivering one of the new millennium's most prized gems.  He followed it up with A Long Hot Summer, which was basically every bit as fantastic.  Since then, he's released bangers like his MF Doom-assisted MA DOOM: Son Of Yvonne, and his collaborated album with Ed O.G. and his group eMC (their album The Show was especially sizzling).  Now he gives us The Falling Season, which goes back to the conceptual album and this time, this takes us through his high school years.  Experiencing typical high school issues like girls, conflicts with parents, and being bullied, Ace holds well and in a game where the young are really trying to hold down the fort, artists like this thirty year vet show that they can still put it down.

29. J Dilla- The Diary

The late, great James "J Dilla" Yancey was, and is, a hip-hop treasure.  We've gone over just how much of an impact he's made for the culture.  Upon his earthly departure, he left us with a lot of fruitful gems to digest.  His latest is his long shelved solo album apart from his, then, group Slum Village, The Diary.  Completed while he was on MCA Records, this collection of cuts is vintage Dilla with dope yet surprising collaborations with the likes of Snoop and Kokane.  He also shares production credits with the likes of Hi-Tek, Madlib, Nottz, and Pete Rock, which was even more of a benefit.  It even contains the underground smash, "Fuck The Police", which heads had been clamoring to get their hands on for many years.  The more we hear Dilla, the more we miss him, but also the more we realize how amazing his talent of boardwork really was.  He also wasn't a bad lyricist either.  Let's face it, we can never get enough Dilla.

28. Statik Selektah & KXNG Crooked- StatikKXNG

One of the craziest lyricists to emerge from the west is the artist formerly known as Crooked I.  KXNG Crooked got up with Statik Selektah to create this beyond dope EP, StatikKXNG.  Statik's always on point production matches the lyrical ferocity of Crooked to the T.  From cuts like the Termanology-assisted "Let's Go" to "Lost A Fan", Crooked continues to show why he's one of the most feared lyricists on the planet (let's not forget he's still one-fourth of the notorious Slaughterhouse collective) and why Statik is one of the most sought after producers in rap today.

27. Mac Miller- The Devine Feminine

Over the last few years, we've seen an evolution of Mac Miller, both lyrically and as a man.  It's almost like his newfound sobriety has brought out his best work, and his latest offering, The Devine Feminine, is another example.  Following up his biggest album to date, GO:OD AM, he drops this ode to love and infatuation over some of the most mellow and melodic production of this entire year. Cuts like "Congratulations", "Dang!", and "God Is Fair, Sexy, Nasty" are examples of just how far we're continuing to see Mac Miller go within this game.  We have to thank Ariana Grande for this newfound embracing of genuine love and affection because he has created one of the best albums within his discography.

26. Flatbush Zombies- 3001: A Laced Odyssey

Proud members of the "Beast Coast" movement, along with A$AP Mob, Underachievers, and Pro Era, the Flatbush Zombies dropped a slept-on, yet acclaimed mixtape in BetterOffDead in 2013.  This year, they delivered their first official full-length album, 3001: A Laced Odyssey, and it literally further propels the talent that Erick Arc Elliot, Zombie Juice, and Meechy Darko possess.  Standout are quite a few with this album, including "Bounce" and "A Spike Lee Joint", and show that their mixtape of D.R.U.G.S. and BetterOffDead only previewed things to come for this unorthodox yet very talented trio.

25. Nyck Caution- Disguise The Limit

We've heard tremendous material over the last couple years from Pro Era's Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, and Kirk Knight to mostly great reviews and critical acclaim.  Next up to bat is Nyck Caution, and his debut mixtape, Disguise The Limit, handles the Pro Era aura very well.  One of the youngest of the crew, his young eyes meets his mature thoughts and he lets his pen cry on quite a few cuts on this release including "Baptize", "Show No Love", and "Basin".  There's a lot more to Caution's story, and we're looking forward to hearing more from him.

24. Kane West- The Life Of Pablo

Let the heat begin.  I can handle it, trust me.  The best way I can describe this album is a beautiful mess.  Kanye, in the very tumultuous personal year he has had, managed to scrape out his long overdue follow-up to Yeezus.  While this was a better project overall than the previously mentioned album, this is still fairly much considered an all-over-the-place album.  However, in the moments he hits, he hits HARD.  While it took forever seemingly to get a final tracklist from him, the standouts are very, very noticeable.  We see bits of "old Kanye" with flame cuts like "No More Partying In LA" and "FML" then he takes us to church with "Ultralight Beams" and presents one of the standout cuts from him in recent memory with "30 Hours".  This is another polarizing album from a polarizing fixture, but still remains as one of the year's best.

23. Dave East- Kairi Chanel

Harlem's Dave East has been on the lips of quite a number of people since his very impressive, Hate Me Now, a year ago.  Now he has delivered his latest offering Kairi Chanel, which is named after his daughter.  Once again displaying his lyrical prowess and considered to be among the new powerhouses of NYC hip-hop, this Nas-protege has standouts upon standouts on this mixtape such as "Keisha", the police brutality ode "Don't Shoot", and the simply bananas "It Was Written".  The new voice of Harlem is set to be a star, especially once his Def Jam debut hits hopefully in 2017.  

22. Elzhi- Lead Poison

Hard times happen to us all.  With artists, it usually leads to some rather compelling work.  In the case of one of the nastiest lyricists from the D, Elzhi, it definitely benefited him.  Not seen since his tribute to Nas' Illmatic, Elmatic, he went through death and depression for a period of time.  While we're glad he emerged with a newfound appreciation of life as a human being, we're just as happy to hear him spitting again, and with Lead Poison, we get all he had been going through.  His most personal body of work to date, Elzhi has emerged from the dark clouds of his life with tracks like "Two 16s", "Friendzone", and the deeply poignant "February" to show that with all he's endured, he still has a story to tell.

21. Joe Budden- Rage & The Machine

Jersey Joe is back at it again.  A year removed from what many felt was the album of his career with All Love Lost, he remerges with another powerhouse album with Rage & The Machine.  Nowhere near as personal or intimate as his prior album, he goes back to shit talking and letting lyrics take front stage along with the very consistent and knocking production from AraabMuzik.  Rediscovering his lyrical fire that got him into being one-fourth of Slaughterhouse, this album is one of the most complete albums you'll find within his discography with cuts like "By Law", the Jay-Z salute "I Gotta Ask", and "Idols".  Without a doubt, we need more albums like this from this polarizing individual.  

20. Torae- Entitled

Coney Island's own Torae is one of the game's most vicious and passionate emcees, and based on his latest endeavor, Entitled, nothing has changed.  Never taking any shorts lyrically, Torae brings fire on every cut as if it's last time spitting.  Easily blending in with other blazing albums from him like Double Barrel, For The Record, and his fantastic collaboration album with Skyzoo, Barrel Brothers, cuts like "Coney Island's Finest", "Clap Shit Up", and "Let 'Em Know" are exemplary cuts that show that Torae needs to be mentioned a lot more along the elite emcees currently repping NYC and hip-hop as a whole.  With boardwork from the likes of Pete Rock, Apollo Brown, and Premo, this album will heat up your winter.

19. Royce 5'9"- Layers

One of the most complete emcees in the entire game is Royce 5'9".  Proudly hailing from the D, Royce has been known for obliterating mics and crafting very dope albums over the decade and some change he's been doing this.  This Bad Meets Evil/Slaughterhouse member dropped his latest album, Layers, to acclaim from everyone who had the good fortune of peeping this release.  Flirting with different styles on this album, he also continues to let us more in into who Ryan Montgomery is, not just as an emcee but as a human being.  Balancing personal with shit talking, Royce has made some of the best music of his career since going sober, and with cuts like "Gotta Know" and "Off", it's clear Royce is still very much a feared, yet respected, emcee.

18. Lloyd Banks- All Or Nothing: Live It Up

The youngest in charge within the G-Unit camp is Lloyd Banks.  Seen as the most talented overall member of the crew, we've heard substantial projects from Banks such as his Halloween Havoc mixtape series.  This year, he dropped what has to be considered the best work of his career in All Or Nothing: Live It Up, which shows Banks going back to the hungry, raw young Queens emcee that had the world at attention.  In short, there's no shortage of heat on this mixtape. None.  This is front to back a playthrough release.  Rhyming over some of the most hard hitting beats you'll hear all year from relatively unknown producers (Save for Ty Knitty-formerly of Infamous Mobb fame), Banks got the chip on his shoulder back with cuts like "Insomniac", "Price Of Life", and "Pledge Of Allegiance" and the result is nothing less than incredible.

17. Havoc & The Alchemist- The Silent Partner

What would a year-end countdown list be without some sort of contribution from Allan The Chemist or without Mobb Deep in some sort of way?  This year comes in the form of both of them, with Havoc collaborating with the longtime Mobb producer Alchemist for The Silent Partner.  In 2013, Al and Prodigy came together for the very impressive Albert Einstein, and previously came together for the even better Return Of The Mac.  Now it's Hollywood Hav's turn, and he does every bit as great of a job.  Over some of Al's most brooding production to date, Havoc keeps the same grimy nature that has made him and his partner P legends in the game.  With guests contributing such as P himself, Method Man, and Cormega on the AMAZING "Hear Me Now", Havoc holds his lyrical own and Alchemist continues to amaze and impress as one of hip-hop's most gifted producers.

16. The Game- 1992

Bompton in the house, as Jayceon Taylor brought the heat for yet another year with 1992, which is the follow-up to his instant classic Documentary 2/2.5 from last year.  With this album, he goes back to a turning point year for him, which is when he discovered his passion for hip-hop, but also the time when the gang lifestyle was calling him.  Arguably the best album cover all year, this album also ranks among one of The Game's best, which is saying something considering he already has one of the most consistent and impressive discographies in all of hip-hop to this day.  there's no filler material on here, as Bongo (who was responsible for a great deal of fire on The Documentary 2/2.5) delivers the production goods on this sick album.  From "Grew Up On Wu-Tang" to "However Do You Want It", and "The Soundtrack", 1992 is another victory for The Game and shows his momentum isn't slowing down anytime soon.

15. Chance The Rapper- Coloring Book

The most surprising breakout act of 2016 is Chance The Rapper, a promising emcee from Chicago that has been putting out highly acclaimed material for a few years now.  Attracting the attention of the likes of fellow Chi-town native Kanye West, Chance appeared on West's aforementioned The Life Of Pablo on the all-star gospel fest "Ultralight Beam".  Now we have Chance's this mixtape, Coloring Book, which is a FAR cry from his previous mixtape, especially the most recent Acid Rap.  This mixture of hood-hop and early Sunday morning service, Coloring Book showed his star appeal with this triumphant release.  With the majority of the mixtape delving into subjects like God, spirituality, and overcoming dark moments, this was arguably the most upbeat and positive albums all year, and it was right on time.  Cuts like "Angels", "Blessings", and "Finish Line/Drown" featuring T-Pain and Kirk Franklin make it accessible for not just the Jesus seekers, but the ones who just want some positivity in their lives musically, and Chance spoke to all of the above.  Not to mention he made history for being the first unsigned artist to be nominated for a Grammy, much less at least four.  A new star is here folks.

14. Royce 5'9"- Tabernacle: Trust The Shooter

Earlier we reviewed Royce's Layers, which showed us more personal images of Detroit's finest.  Before that, as in a week earlier, Royce dropped an EP teaser, Tabernacle: Trust The Shooter.  In many aspects, this EP was even crazier than Layers.  While there were two cuts that were on both releases ("Wait" and the haunting yet powerful "Tabernacle"), there were other cuts like "Black History", "Which Is Cool", and "Rap On Steroids" which are just ferocious and easily is among the most fire releases Royce has delivered to this day.  The thought is obviously "What kind of full-length would this have been?"  In any case, this is power-packed and highly flammable.

13. De La Soul- And The Anonymous Nobody

The legendary De La Soul returned to the stage, or should I say the booth, after twelve years with their Kickstarter crowd-funded album, And The Anonymous Nobody.  This Grammy-nominated album (their first ever) was highly anticipated, and the result was a very De La album: full of unexpected surprises and different sounds.  While not the boom bap previous albums like The Grind Date and Stakes Is High are, this still has a very vanguard appeal and shows how far to the left these three highly revered emcees still are.  With guests ranging from Usher, 2 Chainz, and Snoop Dogg to Talking Heads front man David Byrne, this album is an acquired taste but for those willing to give this a chance will realize that this is a special album, and show that after thirty years, De La still know how to push boundaries and artistic envelopes.  As far as they're concerned, stakes are still high.

12. Oddisee- Alwasta

Fresh off his simply excellent album from 2015, The Good Fight, Mello Music's Oddisee emerged this year with a surprise EP titled Alwasta, which is definitely more somber and possibly more intimate than The Good Fight.  However, Oddisee's ability to present stories that everyone can relate to all around shows his blue collar approach to giving people stuff we can all feel.  Among the best producers you've always slept on, Oddisee brings some more of his best with tracks like "Lifting Shadows", "Slow Groove" and "Asked About You", and while we eagerly await his next solo offering, we can vibe out to this equally impressive follow up EP to one of last year's most pleasant surprises.

11. Ka- Honor Killed The Samurai

Among the shadowy, fog-laced streets of Brownsville comes seasoned vet Ka with yet another fantastic collection of gritty street life mixed with priceless mental jewels with Honor Killed The 

Samurai.  Approaching the album with a "samurai" mentality, we get blessed with occasional samples of kung-fu masters spitting gems to students, which is somewhat the point of what Ka is doing to the masses.  Known for very dark and percussion-less production, his whispering-like style is remarkable and tracks like "$", "Mourn At Night", and "Destined" are so wrapped with brooding, after-midnight type auras, mixed with his amazing storytelling abilities, you feel you're sitting on the same cold park benches with him.

10. Rapsody- Crown

What can we say for NC's residential lyrical queen, Rapsody?  From her highly acclaimed mixtape such as Thank H.E.R. Later and She Got Game to her debut full length album, The Idea Of Beautiful, and her show stealing verse on Kendrick's "Complexion", Marlena Evans has star written all over her stars.  The newly signed Roc Nation artist dropped her very delightful EP, Crown, at a very important time with the current age we're in.  Empowering both Black women and men alike, this practically flawless EP is just another example of why Rapsody is clearly one of the brightest stars next to fully blow.  When Dr. Dre AND Jay-Z proclaim her status as their favorite female emcee, how does one argue?

9. Isaiah Rashad- The Sun's Tirade

Tennessee's TDE representative, Isaiah Rashad, dropped a damn impressive debut EP in 2014 with Cilvia Demo.  Heads saw how talented this kid was, and knew he was in the company of greatness.  The question was "Could he hold his own with a debut full-length?"  The answer is a resounding yes in the form of The Sun's Tirade.  Deeply personal and vivid, this prodigious debut from Zay is the type of debut that legacies start to build upon, with tracks like "4 The Squall", "Free Lunch", and "B-Day".  Tackling subjects like suicide, depression and heavy drug usage, this debut is just that intriguing to get to know a little more about the South's newest critically acclaimed star.

8. ScHoolboy Q- The Blank Face LP

Staying the mighty awesome TDE for a second, ScHoolboy Q officially tasted stardom two years ago with his platinum album, Oxymoron.  The Grammy nominated album delivered heat after heat and we knew this would only be the beginning.  The album has been heralded as one of the best major label debuts in years, and rightfully so.  This year, he followed that up with perhaps an even better effort with The Blank Face LP.  Even more gritty, the Hoover Crip balances catchy radio hits with vivid tales of street life and drugs.  Way too many standouts on this one, ScHoolboy Q delivers in so many ways on this album and highly deserves to be mentioned in Album Of The Year talks with any publication or from any fan of TDE.  He may not be the thinking druggie like Ab-Soul, the conflicted poet like Kendrick, or the introverted hustla like Jay Rock, but his nitch is simple: the no-frills gangsta that gives a fuck what anyone thinks.  One should expect another Grammy nod for this outstanding release.

7. Apollo Brown & Skyzoo- The Easy Truth

What do you get when you put one of the game's most technically gifted emcees with one of the game's hottest in-demand producers?  You get The Easy Truth, which is the name of the debut collaborative effort between Skyzoo and Apollo Brown.  This is just pure boom-bap hip-hop.  No frills, plain and simple.  Both guys known for widely acclaimed projects before this one, both cats have presented one of the most complete projects all year and with cuts like "Visionary Riches", "Couple Dollars", and "Jordans & A Gold Chain", clearly an album that we'll still be discussing years later.  Detailing hardships with trying to make it in hip-hop, Sky painted a dazzling picture of the struggle and the smoke and mirrors associated with the business.  With Apollo providing is brand of phenomenal board work, this is nothing short of stunning.

6. Danny Brown- Atrocity Exhibition

One of the most interesting fixtures in hip-hop is Detroit representative Danny Brown.  His very unorthodox style is seen as an acquired taste for some, but the self-proclaimed hip-hop rock star dropped what has to be considered the best effort of his career with Atrocity Exhibition.  If there was such a thing as a hip-hop punk album, this might be it.  Clearly a psychedelic trip from an avid drug user, this album also comes out as borderline brilliant.  Grim in some aspects, cleverly strategized in others, this is an album that will define Danny Brown for many years to come.  With stunning cuts like "Lost", "Rolling Stone" and the Black Milk-produced knocking posse cut with Earl Sweatshirt, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-Soul "Really Doe", this easily outdoes any album before it, but you have to wonder how much deeper into his own abyss will he fall.

5. Ab-Soul- DWTW (Do What Thou Wilt)

TDE's lonely stoner AB-Soul has been the most anticipated emcee to drop a new album this year that's not named Kendrick.  All eyes were on him to follow-up what was a slightly disappointing album in 2014's These Days..., and boy did he deliver with DWTW.  Unquestionably his best album since 2012's Control System, DWTW is part ode to women, part deep angst thinker with clear chips on his shoulder.  In any event, this album is basically breathtaking and has been in serious talks of being the best of the year.  With cuts like the amazing "D.R.U.G.S.", "Invocation", and "Threatening Nature", it's not hard to see why.  His best lyrical effort in years and over some of the best production he may have ever rhymed over, Soulo has hit a new career benchmark.

4. A Tribe Called Quest- We Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service

In what was undeniably the year's biggest story, we got anew, yet final, album from one of hip-hop's most beloved and legendary groups, A Tribe Called Quest.  After the saddening and unfortunate passing of member Phife Dawg, heads basically knew Tribe was gone as well with him.  Known for delivering some of the most timeless albums of any era within hip-hop, this was just the great news the culture needed, and it didn't disappoint whatsoever.  The remaining members of Q-Tip, Jairobi White, and honorary members Consequence and Busta Rhymes, gave us a swan song to always remember with We Got IT From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service.  Exciting collaborations with guests such as Elton John, Jack White, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Taleb Kweli, and Andre 3000 made the album even more intriguing, and with cuts like "Conrad Tokyo", "Killing Season", and "Kids", this album sounded like a vintage Tribe album, only with a 2016 twist.  Even though it's bittersweet (don't trip, we did get some Phife verses posthumously), we rejoice in the final curtain call of a group that defined perseverance and greatness.  Take a bow guys, you deserve it.

3. J. Cole- 4 Your Eyez Only

If there's one person in hip-hop that has had a historic past couple of years, it's been NC native J. Cole.  Making history as the only hip-hop artist to go triple platinum with no guest features with 2014's 2014 Forest Hills Drive, Cole became one of the most important voices this generation.  Willing to abandon stardom in order to make honest, personal music became his agenda and his mission, and he greatly continued it with 4 Your Eyez Only.  Perhaps even more poignant than before, he tackles subjects such as prejudice, marriage, fatherhood, and self conflict to such honesty and openness on cuts like "The Neighbors", "She's Mine", and the wonderful title track.  Can he repeat the same magic as he did with Forest Hills Drive?  Time will tell, but don't bet against him.

2. Kendrick Lamar- Untitled, Unmastered

After a career defining 2015 with one of music's modern masterpieces, To Pimp A Butterfly, the Grammy Award winner dropped a surprise collection of unfinished cuts and demos appropriately entitled Untitled Unmastered.  Heads had been begging for an album full of performances with what were unreleased cuts assumedly from To Pimp A Butterfly.  Top Dawg granted the request, and it was simply astonishing.  For unfinished cuts, cutting room floor cuts, and demos, these tracks were easily some of the best hip-hop moments of the year.  It's scary to think that these unfinished, unmastered cuts were better than the majority of cuts we heard all year long that were mastered and released.  Do yourself a favor: just push play and let King Kendrick take you away with his brilliance.  

1. Common- Black America Again

Stunning.  Beautiful. Wonderful.  These are just a few of the adjectives to describe Common's latest album, Black America Again.  Not since his seminal classic BE in 2005 have we heard Common sound this good over some of the most breathtaking production of his career, provided primarily by Kareem Riggins, Robert Glaspar, and Frank Dukes.  In this age of Donald Trump running the show, police killing Blacks, and society at large being manipulated, this album couldn't have come at a better time.  Common clearly wanted to present the strength of our community through love and honesty.  He celebrates the beauty of the Black woman with cuts like "Red Wine" and "The Day The Women Took Over", while empowering the Black community as a whole with the unreal title track with music icon Stevie Wonder and the staggering "Letter To The Free", but also presents a GORGEOUS tear-jerker with gospel star Tasha Cobbs "Little Chicago Boy", which is an ode to his deceased father, Pops Lynn.  This may arguably be the most important album within his entire celebrated discography, and that's saying something considering the aforementioned BE, and classics like Like Water For Chocolate and Resurrection.  There wasn't another album that spoke to us as a whole for healing, communication, and empowerment quite like Black America Again this year.  In much the same mold as To Pimp A Butterfly, this album is not just a reminder of how exceptional of a talent Common is, but also speaks to how today's world can greatly influence stellar work while calling for artists and Black people alike to step up and know their worth.  An instant classic, Common has made us raise our fists in the air with pride with this extraordinary piece of work.

Honorable Mentions

Aesop Rock- The Impossible Kid

Yasiin Bey- Dec. 99th

Murs & 9th Wonder- Brighter Daze

D.I.T.C.- D.I.T.C. Studios

Logic- Bobby Tarentino (mixtape)

Czarface- A Fistful Of Peril

Reks- The Greatest X

Ras Kass- Intellectual Property: SOI2 (mixtape)

Noname- Telefone

Vince Staples- Prima Donna

A$AP Ferg- Always Strive & Prosper

Atmosphere- Fishing Blues

Various Artists- The Hamilton Mixtape

Homeboy Sandman- Kindness For Weakness

Jeezy- Trap Or Die 3

T.I.- Us Or Else

Termanology- More Politics

Mr. Lif- Don't Look Down

Tech N9ne- The Storm

Kevin Gates- Islah

Smoke DZA & Pete Rock- Don't Smoke Rock

Mick Jenkins- The Healing Component

Westside Gunn- FLYGOD

Blueprint- Vigilante Justice

Ugly Heroes- Everything In Between

As you can see, this has been a year of polarizing hip-hop.  When the music was good, it was great, and in the cases of Common, Cole, and Tribe, new instant classics have been presented for our ears.  While this may not have been as extensive of a crazy year as say 2014 and 2015, artists made a last ditch effort to help 2016 be a excellent year for hip-hop.  We also have seen how these things work.  The year is not over, as The Lox's first full length studio album in seventeen years, Filthy America...It's Beautiful will drop on the sixteenth of December, and could VERY easily be added onto the Honorable Mentions list simply because of being a late entry.  Also don't be surprised if we see other surprise albums drop as well.  Next year, expect potentially new landmark releases from Kendrick, Nas, the reunited Pete Rock & CL Smooth, and the HIGHLY anticipated Run The Jewels album, RTJ3, among many, many others.  While I'm almost certain to get heat over some on this list, please remember, IT'S MY LIST.  You can have your own and no one will get mad, trust me.  However, do me one favor, if your favorite album or albums didn't make the Top 30, at least look to see if it made it onto the Honorable Mentions before bitching, which means, although it wasn't in constant and consistent rotation doesn't mean it wasn't a good album.  Nothing wack makes my list, believe that.  With that, I'm gone.  Hope to see you again in 2017, or sooner if situations warrant.

The Painful Exhibition Of Social Ignorance

What's going on people?!  Good to have you back riding with me again.  Good as usual to be back with you guys and ladies.  This week, for a change, there's no list, there's no best of's, or anything like that.  This week, the hip-hop community, and the Black community as a whole, took a damaging and embarrassing look at the times we're in when we saw the debacle that was the Lil' Wayne interview from Nightline a couple of nights ago.  In an age where this country has seen its most blatant and pronounced racism in many decades, Dewayne Michael Carter set us back many years with the amount of surprising, yet unfortunately not shocking, ignorance he displayed.  The interviewer questioned him about the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and he didn't even know what the movement was or what it was about.  He proceeded to state that he didn't relate to it and isn't connected to it.  Further proclaiming "his life mattered, especially to his bitches".  The suffering continued as he started to verbally go towards the interviewer, as seemingly he started getting rattled by the whole questioning of #BlackLivesMatter, then proceeds to pull out his red bandana, indicating his Blood gang ties, even referring to himself as a "gangbanger".  Appalling as this scene was, he ended the interview unapologetic, still more focused on his riches and his "bitches" and not the concerns and needs of his own community.

Being a media professional for the last twelve years, there could be the possibility that the interview was edited for content so there's always that chance that there's more than what we saw, especially considering the fact that he's an educated guy who obtained his B.A. in Psychology.  However, it behooves many that as a young Black man in AmeriKKKa (no I'm not changing this lettering), he seems very oblivious to anything socially relevant, as long as he continues to increase his net worth, which last year was totaled at $150 million.  He apologized the next day, stating the interviewer had highly irritated him by asking him if he would find offense if someone labels his daughter, Reginae, as a "bitch" or Ho", like he refers to women in his lyrics and he didn't give any thought into anything else the interviewer asked.  Seriously, folks, that's the answer and excuse he gave.

This, in tow, brings another point up.  Last year, I wrote a somewhat controversial piece regarding the disconnect between today's hip-hop and the nineties, which was more about the millennial and the older generations.  One thing I pointed out was the lack of respect, not just in hip-hop but within the Black community period.  We all remember the harrowing incident involving Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.  Virtually the entire Black America was outraged, shocked, and disbelief over the cold blooded nature of the shooting of an unarmed Black kid.  When rapper Young Thug was asked about the protests and marches that came as a result, he stated that he didn't have anything to do with that.  He just wanted to get his riches and stay "Iced out".  This, people, is the problem and then some.  While this obviously doesn't apply to all our young Black kids and adults, there are those who absolutely make us look terrible, especially when presented across an already biased media.  He and Wayne aren't the only ones in the hip-hop industry that mirror this ridiculously offensive mind state.  While people like Jeezy and Grammy Award-winning producer 9th Wonder have come to the aid of Wayne, stating that he's misunderstood or that he's a entertainer only, how many more excuses are we going to have to stomach?  This is deeper than artists like Vince Staples, Lil' Yachty or Lil' Uzi Vert claiming old school hip-hop is irrelavant or boring, this has to do with some of these same young cats and artists like Wayne that idolize their riches and fame more than the plaguing problems within our community.  What's interesting and even more polarizing about him is the fact that he doesn't even feel racism in AmeriKKKa exists.  When he was very young, he was shot and was practically left for dead.  It turns out it was a White cop that saved his life when a Black cop apparently did little to nothing.  On top of this startling fact, he has a ton of White followers, a LOT.  So it's obvious to him that in his world there's no racism, as he doesn't experience it or has had no defining racist moment.  I grew up in a Catholic school institution, and it was 90% White.  While I didn't experience a whole grandeur of racism, please believe I wasn't immune to it either, as I would get classic stereotypes and very racially insensitive jokes pointed in my direction or some of the other few Black kids.  I've also been stopped, taken out of my car, and been physically and verbally harrassed by cops before.  If Wayne has never had his racist moment, please be assured, he will at some point.  Then, and only then perhaps, will his viewpoint change, maybe.

In the meantime, we as a Black community can not continue to just sit back and allow these entertainers or the like just rest on their own pedestals (although most of which we have created for them) and not hold them accountable for their passive and nonchalant attitudes towards crucial stuff going on within our community.  In the most damning election period we've come across in quite a few generations, there already is a lose-lose situation going on with Clinton and Trump.  The last thing we need is for us to perpetuate the image that has already been made out for us by racist, condemning, hate fueled bigoted people.  The excuse, "They're just entertainers" and "What do you expect from people that make the kind of music they make" is a very piss poor copout and needs to be reexamined.  Earlier this year, former Geto Boy Willie D put out a scathing dis cut towards Don lemon, Charles Barkley, and others called "Coon".  Several weeks ago, he delivered the equally potent follow up "Coon II", which targeted Steve Harvey and Michael Jordan.  Chances are, he'll release "Coon III", and one has to believe that Dewayne Carter will be on that list.  If he's not on Willie's list, he's definitely on mine.

That's all for now folks, but while we are on the awareness of the Black community during these times, the legendary Common drops his eleventh album, Black America Again, on November 4th, and based upon the early leaks of the album, this could be the most defining album of his career since his landmark album of 2005, BE.  Peep the INCREDIBLE title track featuring vocals from the iconic Stevie Wonder and bass by Esperanza Spaulding.  Until next time, fists up, and DON'T FORGET TO VOTE.

The House That Puffy Built: The Best From Bad Boy

What's up folks?!  I know I said that we had concluded the label salutes, but it had occurred to me that there was one last very prominent label I left off the list.  Towards it's downward slide, it became more known for R&B than hip-hop, but at its peak, it was every bit as strong as any other label around.  It produced an icon and generated many stars, and behind it all was an ambitious visionary from Harlem that still stands as one of the most powerful figures in music and entertainment.  Without further ado, let's get into the best to come from Bad Boy Entertainment.

15. Machine Gun Kelly- Lace Up

Straight outta Cleveland comes a young, brash, yet talented young caucasian emcee this side of Eminem.  Okay, maybe he's not quite that lyrically crazy, but make no mistake about it, he's dope, very dope.  His Bad Boy debut, Lace Up, was a promising debut that was filled with decent to dope cuts.  One of which became the theme to John Cena for his Wrestlemania match against The Rock at Wrestlemania 28, "Invincible".  His rapid-fire delivery and story-telling abilities were on display here and he represented.  Admirable effort by Cleveland's newest hitmaker.

14. Ma$e- Double Up

Harlem's own Mason Betha (OKA M-A-dollar sign-E) had delivered a commercial smash of a debut with Harlem World (see later), but the pressure was on to duplicate the success of his debut.  His answer was in the form of Double Up, which had much of the same elements that made Harlem World such a hit.  This was evidenced from the first single, "Get Ready", which featured Blackstreet crooning over an excellent Shalimar sample of "Night To Remember".  From there, cuts like the posse cut "From Scratch"(or as many would call it "24 Hours To Live Pt. 2"), "Blood Is Thicker", and the searing "Make Me Cry" showed that Mase's debut was no one-hit wonder.  

13. Craig Mack- Project: Funk Da World

Poor Craig Mack.  This Long Island representative was dope, and his debut was almost top to bottom excellent.  The majority of the debut, Project: Funk Da World, was handled by close Bad Boy affiliate Easy Mo Bee.  From his jump off debut single, the sizzling "Flava In Your Ear", we knew he was a dope cat.  On top of that, the classic remix featuring LL Cool J (in a show stealing verse), Busta Rhymes, Rampage, and label-mate Biggie Smalls was KILLING the airwaves.  Although damn near impossible to follow, he did it with bangers like "Get Down" and "Making' Moves With Puff".  This debut was sadly greatly overshadowed by Biggie's landmark debut (see later), thus he became lost in the shuffle.  

12. P. Diddy & The Bad Boy Family- The Saga Continues

In 2001, Diddy dropped his third album, The Saga Continues, which was his second group album after his fantastic debut, No Way Out (see later).  Although lacking some of the more epic cuts like his debut, this album still had hits a plenty.  Clearly, he had the formula for the radio, as cuts like "Bad Boy For Life" and "Let's Get It" stayed on the radio consistently.  Expanding his sound than on his prior two albums (the sophomore album Forever didn't fare as well critically), it was more hit than miss, and cuts like "Diddy", "Blast Off", and "If You Want This Money" were more than capable of holding down this overall great album.  Seen just as much as a compilation album, Diddy delivered the goods on this commercially accessible treat.

11. Eightball & MJG- Living Legends

A pioneering act from the South was Memphis' Eightball & MJG.  Known for southern staples like On Top Of The World and In Our Lifetime, they got down with Diddy's Bad Boy South brand, and their debut, Living Legends, continued to solidify their labels as two of the fathers of the southern sound.  This album was filled with anthems for both longtime fans and new fans alike.  Cuts like the riotous "Don't Want Drama", the anthemic "Don't Make Me", and the insane "We Do It" made this album among the best in their entire discography.  Living legends indeed.

10. G-Dep- Child Of The Ghetto

Harlem's G-Dep was known for his appearances on Diddy's aforementioned The Saga Continues album, and then came the sizzling "Special Delivery".  Just like that, anticipation grew for his debut, Child Of The Ghetto.  Raw and personal, this album had bits of definite promise.  Who could front on the incredible remake of Eric B. & Rakim's "Microphone Fiend" with "Doe Fiend" or the cut "Everyday"?  While not quite as commercially or critically accepted as others on this list, G-Dep had a debut that should still be mentioned as a considerable part of the label's success during that particular time period.

9. Notorious B.I.G.- Born Again

This album was met with a lot of mixed opinions, reviews, and viewpoints.  Released nearly three years after his death, the album served as a point of combining unreleased verses with current emcees at that time such as Nas, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and Ice Cube.  Most cuts were fairly respectable and matched his intensity and exceptional talent.  Case in point: the insane first single, the Eminem-annihilated "Dead Wrong".  Another case: the phenomenal "Come On Muthafuckas" with Sadat X.  This had a lot more hits than misses, but one could only wonder if any of the collaborations on the album would've taken off the ground had he been alive to be apart of the project.  In any case, Biggie was overall represented very well, and this was the last excellent posthumous album with Biggie's name on it.

8. Ma$e- Harlem World

Bad Boy's golden boy around '98 was Harlem's Mason Betha, also known as Ma$e.  Previously known as Murda Made when he was in a crew known as Children Of The Corn (which featured Herb McGruff, Cam'ron, Big L, and Bloodshed), he abandoned his hood cat appeal for a more commercially acceptable sound, which included flashy suits, money talk, and chasing hos.  First appearing on his classic track with Diddy "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", the buzz was high for his debut, and it did reach every level of expectation.  Like it or not, this album had hits, a lot of them.  While many hardcore backpackers frown upon such cuts as his first single "Feel So Good" and the 112-assisted "Jealous Guy", there were also cuts like "Wanna Hurt Ma$e", "Niggas Wanna Act", and the dramatic "24 Hours To Live" featuring The Lox and DMX that also turned heads.  This was commercially a certified hit, as it sold upwards of four million units, which made it one of the most successful debuts of that time period, and Bad Boy officially crowned their new star post-Biggie.

7. The Lox- Money, Power, & Respect

From Yonkers, NY came three young, hungry grimy kids named Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P named The Warlox.  After getting up with Diddy, they became The Lox, and they first got their shine on the touching Biggie dedication, "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" and the mega smash "All About The Benjamins" with Diddy and Lil' Kim.  Along with another collaboration cut with Jenifer Lopez, the hype was very much building for their debut, Money, Power, & Respect.  Out the gate, they hit us with the catchy "If You Think I'm Jiggy", but followed that up with the now classic title track with Kim and DMX that made this album official.  There were definitely bangers on here such as "The Heist", "Everybody Wanna Rat", and the sick Swizz Beats-crafted "All For The Love" that satisfied street heads, and overall it was a definite listening experience.  Although they went all the way back to their gritty origins once they went to Ruff Ryders with their epic sophomore album, We Are The Streets, we did get a taste of their trio power.  They unquestionably put the game on notice that they were here.  This platinum debut showed people Bad Boy was handling things.

6. Black Rob- The Black Rob Report

How do you follow up a huge debut success like Life Story?  Well, Black Rob attempted to do so with his highly anticipated sophomore album, The Black Rob Report.  Although not as big as his debut, this was formidable in its own right.  Arguably the most slept-on album to get released from the label that was simply dope, this album had knockers like "Star In The Hood", "You Know Who Killed Him", and "Fire In The Hole" that maintained the street appeal Bad Boy was needing at that time, as The Lox left the label, G-Dep was quiet, and Shyne was incarcerated.  Perhaps the last true rugged release from the label, Black Rob presented a very decent follow up to his incredible debut and needs to be in the conversation of best albums of '05.

5. Shyne- Shyne

Was there a more controversial star in the rap game in 2000 than this enigmatic cat than this Belize born Brooklynite named Shyne?  Obviously, once you heard this cat, the resemblance to Biggie in his voice and rhyme style is beyond scary.  Most thought they were hearing Biggie resurrected, but it was really Jamal Burroughs.  While not as lyrically blistering as the late icon, we couldn't get past his voice.  Not to mention, his tales of drugs, crime, and intriguing story-telling abilities were similar as well.  We automatically deemed him a fraud from Diddy, but once his debut single "Bad Boyz" hit the streets, we stopped caring about that, as the cut was bananas.  He followed it up with the equally captivating "Bonnie & Shyne", and we knew his debut self-titled album was a monster.  Unfortunately, he was incarcerated during the release of his album due to the whole incident at the nightclub that Diddy was accused of assault with his then girlfriend, Jenifer Lopez.  Many deem this is as the best solo debut on that label since Biggie's Ready To Die and it's not hard to see why.  Other cuts like "The Hit" and "The Life" solidified that the streets were with Shyne and his fantastic debut album.

4. Puff Daddy & The Family- No Way Out

Reeling from the death of his signature artist, and close friend, Biggie Smalls, the artist then-known as Puff Daddy wanted to release an album with his Bad Boy family, primarily The Lox, Ma$e, and Black Rob, called No Way Out.  Say what you will about the fact that he introduced a new era that was highly commercialized and filled with designer clothes, expensive champagne, and the like, this debut album is considered a classic in many circles.  While the radio and dance floors were highly familiar with cuts like "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", "All About The Benjamins", and "Been Around The World", there were also epic cuts on there such as the Black Rob-solo cut "I Love You Baby", "Pain", and "Young G's".  Not to mention, the album had one of the most incredible openers with the fabulously dramatic Rocky-sampled "Victory" with an animated Busta Rhymes on the hook and a blistering posthumous Biggie verse.  This album was Diddy as his highest and stands as his best album to date.

3. Black Rob- Life Story

Straight from Brooklyn came a gritty cat named Robert Ross, aka Black Rob.  Shining on cuts with Faith Evans, Total, and his memorable performances on the aforementioned No Way Out, it was time for BR to drop his highly anticipated debut, Life Story.  He blessed us with his anthemic single, "Whoa", that spread like wildfire, but that was far from it as far as infectious cuts from the album.  While previously heard cuts like the fantastic and cinematic "I Love You Baby" and "I Dare You" from the Slam soundtrack are featured, new cuts like the sultry "Spanish Fly", the cautionary "You Don't Know Me", "PD World Tour", and "Jasmine" complete this amazing debut.  One could argue that this debut could fall in line with classic debuts during this time such as Beanie Sigel's The Truth, C-N-N's War Report and DMX's It's Dark & Hell Is Hot that made substantial impacts on the game as a whole.  The production was unbelievable, and his penchant for telling gripping narratives was highly commendable, plus who could front on his rendition of Slick Rick's "Children Story" with "Thug Story"?  This album showed that Bad Boy had it's new gritty street star that would've made Biggie proud.

2. Notorious B.I.G.- Life After Death

The great Biggie Smalls.  After delivering one of the stellar debuts of all-time with Ready To Die, heads worldwide were ready for the follow-up album, Life After Death.  Unfortunately, we all know how events would play out, as he would never live to see the fruits of his incredible labor work.  This album solidified Biggie as a hip-hop martyr, dying just trying to bring peace to an ugly hip-hop world.  While the album isn't all the way dark with cuts like the extremely haunting "You're Nobody (Till Somebody Kills You)", "My Downfall", and "Somebody Gotta Die".  There are also highly infectious cuts like "Mo Money, Mo Problems", "Hypnotize", and "The World Is Filled" that will put asses on the floor quickly.  That's what Biggie specialized in better than practically anyone.  The ability to keep it gutter and sinister for the streets but can also bring the ladies to the floor and have them get down and sweat to his cuts as well.  One of the most renowned double albums in hip-hop history, this album sold upwards of ten million units and immortalized Christopher Wallace as an icon.

1. Notorious B.I.G.- Ready To Die

In the summer of '94, the world was introduced to a young man named Christopher Wallace, a big six-foot plus, three hundred pound emcee who's tone and delivery were simply vicious.  This young Brooklynite was making rounds for his now legendary freestyle on the corner by his Bedstuy residence.  Before long, he was on cuts by Mary J. Blige and Super Cat, paving the way for his debut, Ready To Die.  Capped off with his anthemic rags-to-riches ode "Juicy", the album dropped, and to say we were floored was an understatement.  The streets were still reeling from the release earlier that year of Illmatic, and then we were hit with this almost as equal monster debut.  From the onset, the album started out bloody and brutal with cuts like "Machine Gun Funk" and "Gimme The Loot".  However, it was his smoother than butter second single "Big Poppa" that made the ladies fall for him, along with his third single, the remix for "One More Chance", which featured Mary J. Blige and a then relatively unknown Faith Evans that made the album sell upwards of four million units.  With other blazing cuts like the Premo-classic "Unbelievable", the tragic "Me & My Bitch", and the surreal closer "Suicidal Thoughts" (considered one of hip-hop's darkest moments on wax), a new star had emerged from Brooklyn, and remains as one of the game's landmark albums.  Along with Illmatic, the game would never be the same in the year of '94.

As you can see, Bad Boy had superb releases and at its highest point, it was every bit as potent as rival labels like Deathrow, Roc-A-Fella, and Ruff Ryders.  While their R&B roster such as Faith, Carl Thomas, Total, and 112 eventually outdid their fledging hip-hop roster, as emcees were dead, in jail, or just left for greener pastures, the hip-hop that did get released was some of the most important and crucial music to get released during that era, and some remain so to this day.  Sean "P-Diddy" Combs was a visionary, and love him or hate him, he founded a label that was just as critical in the success of  hip-hop as anyone.  Salutes to Bad Boy.  Until next time!

  

NetFlix & Hip-Hop

What's the word folks!  Hope everyone has had a great weekend and is ready to conquer a new week. I've been getting lots of love about my label salutes, and I promise there's one very credible and substantial label I left off that I'll mention and shoutout this week, but for right now, I'm diving into something that is all about hip-hop, but it involves the nation's most popular streaming tv/video service.

Speaking of conquering, how about the Netflix premier of Marvel's Luke Cage?  How impressive was that series?  It definitely met and surpassed expectations going into it, and all involved should pat themselves on the back for an amazing job.  While we all were floored by the storytelling aspect of Luke Cage and his struggles with Cottonmouth, Diamondback, the police, Moriah, and others, this series was undeniable and emphatically hip-hop.  Yes, we all noticed that we have a big, menacing-looking Black dude who donned a hoodie and had the abilities of quick healing, supernatural strength, and had impenetrable akin, but the score was ridiculous.  It was produced by vanguard producer Adrien Younge (responsible for Ghostface Killah's Twelve Reasons To Die and its sequel, plus member of PRhyme with DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9") and legendary producer Ali Shaheed Muhammed of A Tribe Called Quest fame.  The score was mostly very vintage- seventies soul sounding, but sometimes you would catch some Gangstarr and other blistering hip-hop within the series.  Hell, even the titles of each episode were Gangstarr song titles ("Just To Get A Rep", "Suckas Need Bodyguards", "You Know My Steez", etc.)  No wonder this reached all spans of Blacks, from the hip-hop heavy to the conscious.  However, this is not the only hip-hop flavored movie or documentary on the Flix.

A few months ago, Netflix presented The Breaks, A Nas-executive produced series that chronicled a young teen and his friends from the Bronx trying to come up and establish themselves within a fresh new genre of music called rap in the late seventies.  This series is without question an intriguing series in that we see the formation of hip-hop told in fiction story.  It had all the elements: rapping, partying, graffiti, and b-boying.  In fact, Mamoudou Athie played the iconic Grandmaster Flash, in which the kids of Ezekiel, Boo Boo, Ra-Ra, and Shaolin Fantastic are mentored under.  In fact, pioneers DJ Malibu and Kool Herc are represented in the series as well in a couple of episodes.  This is a series for the tried and true hip-hop lover, especially the ol' school heads, but it's also for the younger generation to see how hip-hop culture was established through the eyes of a fictional character.

Let's not forget about a couple of documentaries.  The first is the stellar look at underground hip-hop label, Stones Throw Records.  Entitled My Vinyl Weighs A Ton, this documentary highlights founder and creator Peanut Butter Wolf, and the vision he and his late partner in crime, Charizma, had for the label, especially in terms of authenticity and the notion of not changing an artist's creativity.  With interviews from the likes of heavyweights such as Kanye, Quest-Love, Common, and Taleb Kweli, the documentary highlights talent such as Madlib, MF Doom, Lootpack, and Mayer Hawthorne.  The segment dealing with J Dilla's passing is especially gripping.  For the underground enthusiast, this documentary is essential viewing and makes you salute more labels like Stones Throw.

Another documentary that is more accessible is The Art Of Noise, which is a look at the rise and fall of seminal Southern production group, Organized Noize.  Responsible for a breakthrough sound in the South, the production group known for bringing us Outkast and Goodie Mob documents their history from crafting music in high school to signing a multi-million dollar deal with Interscope, this is a vivid look into a time where the South were underdogs and came through to become the champions of hip-hop as it stands today (like it or not folks).

Also, don't sleep on a documentary called Fresh Dressed, which documents the rise in hip-hop fashion.  Giving props to the likes of fashion icon Dapper Dan to other designers such as the guys from Fubu, as well as Puffy Combs with Sean John and even the ones behind Cross Colors, this shows the evolution of where hip-hop fashion came from and how it eventually took over the world.  Let's not forget about the unapologetically hip-hop Dope, which had cameos galore from the likes of A$AP Rocky, Vince Staples, Casey Veggies, and Tyga in an extremely entertaining coming-of-age flick.

As you can see, there are several hip-hop series, movies, and documentaries that show the force of hip-hop in mainstream media, as if anyone needed any reminders.  Of course there are others we've seen including standup comedies from Katt Williams and Cedric The Entertainer, as well as a documentary of Jay-Z, Netflix has a lot of relevant hip-hop movies and documentaries to cater from the casual to the aficionado to the seasoned head.  While we wait for Time Is Illmatic and Beats, Rhymes, and Life (the Tribe Called Quest documentary), one can only imagine what other hip-hop centered pieces will get featured on Netflix, especially original productions.  Most are very informative while producing the ability to entertain, which is what movies and docs are supposed to do.  With these documentaries and series, they do their jobs well and then some.  Have fun checking out these and other titles that I may not have mentioned here.  Until next time, take it easy!