Here we are again folks! At the end of another hip-hop year and WHAT a year it's been. Stellar efforts from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Roc Marciano, and Black Thought kept people talking, while more slept-on releases like Denzel Curry, Domo Genesis, Quelle Chris, and Meyhem Lauren rocked every bit as hard the aforementioned releases. We saw another crazy Griselda year with Conway, Benny, Gunn, Rome Streetz, and Armani delivering monstrous efforts to further show their dominance in the streets, while TDE made somewhat of a comeback with the aforementioned Kendrick (with his last TDE album) and Ab-Soul, while Dreamville gave us excellent albums from EARTHGANG and JID. Because this was such an enormous year of fantastic albums, this isn't the usual twenty-five best. This isn't even forty best. This is the FIFTY best albums of the year. Let's waste no time. Let's get to it!
50. Cordae
From A Bird's Eye View
Production: Hit-Boy, Raphael Saadiq, Jake One, Dem Jointz, Beat Butcha, Vinylz, Cardiak, Hollywood Cole, Boi-1nda, others
Guests: Stevie Wonder, Freddie Gibbs, Gunna, Lil Wayne, H.E.R., Lil Durk, Eminem, Roddy Rich
The DMV's Cordae first got his solo shine on away from his YBN crew with 2019's The Lost Boy with overall favorable results. Eventually more of a buzz came from guest appearances and such to where the anticipation for a second album started to grow. In early 2022, he dropped From A Bird's Eye View, and for the most part, expectations were met. Having a lyrical and musical maturity beyond his young years, he brings forth the likes of the iconic Stevie Wonder on his equally iconic harmonica on "Champagne Glasses" to Raphael Saadiq's excellent production on the smooth-sounding "Jean-Michel". He likewise cooperates with contemporaries like Lil Wayne, Lil Baby, and Freddie Gibbs and holds court with them. Cordae is a very talented young emcee with a classic album within him, and with From A Bird's Eye View, he shows he's another step closer to discovering just how great he can become.
49. Westside Gunn
Peace "FLY" God
Production: Madlib, Don Carrera, Conductor Williams, Daringer
Guests: Estee Nack, Stove God Cook$
Griselda had yet another stellar year as they continue to deliver crazy release after crazy release. The head honcho of the label was definitely among them. Buffalo's favorite son, Westside Gunn, dropped two high quality projects in 2022. The first one being his mixtape teaser for what would end up being 10, Peace "Fly" God. Although not a very long affair is this project, this was still an album filled with Gunn's all so familiar love affair with soulful production complete with wailing vocal loops from the likes of Madlib (his contribution on the cut "Horses On Sunset" puts this among the best non-single cuts all year), Conductor Williams, and relatively unknown producer, Don Carrera. His usual blend of aesthetic style mixed with street glory is on full display and the results had the "Flygod" giving us something of an appetizer for what was to come later. As for this in itself, another formidable release from one of the most intriguing emcees/businessmen/curators in hip-hop today
48. Che Noir
The Last Remnants EP
Production: 38 Spesh, Tricky Tripps, Fruition, others
Guests: Benny The Butcher, Ransom, Elcamino, 38 Spesh
Fresh off the dope Food For Thought album that got released earlier in the year, Buffalo's own Che Noir dropped The Last Remnants, which is said to be some loosies from the aforementioned album. This project, in some aspects, is either as dope as Food For Thought, or even better. Noir is quite the introspective emcee but also just as much a storyteller, and this TRUST emcee ranks among the best to represent modern day NYC hip-hop. With guests like Elcamino, Benny and her TRUST affiliates Ransom and 38 Spesh, Noir shines and shows her excellent pen game with precision. The results are a top to bottom dumb dope project from one of the reigning queens of Buffalo.
47. Snoop Dogg
Bacc On Death Row
Production: Hit-Boy, Nottz, Battlecat, Don Cannon, Soopafly, Hi-Tek, Bink!, others
Guests: Nas, T.I., Sleepy Brown, October London, Nate Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, The Game, Dababy, others
The legendary Snoop D-O-double G has had quite the prolific career. With his all time classic, Doggystyle, still serving as his flagship landmark, other albums such as Paid The Cost To Be The Boss, The Blue Carpet Treatment, R&G, and more recent releases like I Wanna Thank Me and 2021's From The Streets To The Suites exhibit his penchant for creating infectious cuts that are equally embraced by the radio, the clubs and the streets. In 2022, he came full circle as a businessman by purchasing the very label he debuted on, the infamous Deathrow Records. The first release from the new Deathrow was his own offering, the appropriately Bacc On Death Row. This is as fun of a Snoop album as you can imagine from the fifty-plus year old Long Beach icon. This also ranks among his most complete bodies of work as well, showing love to east coast melodies with the likes of Hi-Tek, Nottz, and Bink! to sonically contribute as well as appearances from the likes of Nas and Wiz Khalifa. He also brings things right back to his beloved west coast with the likes of legendary producer Battlecat, longtime Snoop affiliate Soopafly, and Grammy Award winning producer, the it-dude of the moment, Hit-Boy. This is truly one Snoop's most enjoyable albums to date and shows that the OG of LB is still the boss.
46. Smino
Luv 4 Rent
Production: Monte Booker, DJ Dahi, Kal Banx, Phoelix, Childish Major, others
Guests: J. Cole, Lil Uzi Vert, Phoelix, Lucky Daye, Fatman Scoop, others
The St. Louis-born, Chicago-raised Smino is among today's interesting and intriguing emcees. His ability to blend funk, soul, and melody within his style conjures up images of fellow emcees like Kendrick, Saba, and Chance The Rapper. His new album, Luv 4 Rent, is a unique yet excellently crafted effort that shows his versatility as an artist and writer. Cuts like "Ole Ass Kendrick", "Curtains", and "Garden Lady" shows off his talent to adapt to any type of element within the music and can evoke his own way and style into it. Although not quite an album one would necessarily define as "conventional", he's also not a "conventional" artist. He's multi-talented and knows what works for the season, and Luv 4 Rent is an album that will challenge your definition of what today's hip-hop is. This is definitely music you feel.
45. Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim
Duck CZN: Tiger Style
Production: Tha God Fahim, Nicholas Craven, Sahdugold
Guests: Juju Gotti, Your Old Droog
The ever enigmatic, yet tremendous, emcee Brooklyn's Mach-Hommy showed us in 2022 that he still is among the best of his craft with even the likes of Jay-Z paying attention to him. Among his multiple efforts this year, one of his standouts involved him and frequent collaborator, Tha God Fahim, Duck CZN: Tiger Style. There's always that great special chemistry between them that goes back since their post-Griselda days. Production here is excellent from Fahim as well as Sahdugold and the always crazy Nicholas craven. Hommy and Fahim are a great duo, regardless of if Fahim is rhyming or not, and anything from them together is almost a sureshot knockout.
44. Curren$y
The Drive-In Theater Pt. 2
Production: Thelonious Martin, Harry Fraud, Cookin Soul, others
Guests: Jade Angelle, Blu, Fendi P, Premo Rice, others
Earlier in 2022, New Orleans' own Curren$y delivered a gem of an album with often-time collaborator Alchemist for Continuance (see later), and as par for the course for Spitta, that wasn't the only project for the year. In fact, he dropped a surprise mixtape near year's end in the form of The Drive In Theater Pt. 2. Over mostly smooth and jazzy production from the likes of Thelonious Martin, Harry Fraud, and Cookin' Soul, Curren$y delivers his usual form of luxurious, yet street, rhymes in such laid-back form meshes well over this production. Curren$y is considered one of the underground's most beloved emcees, not to mention his CRAZY work ethic. While it lacks a certain charisma that previous works like the Pilot Talk series, Weekend At Bernie's, Covert Coup, and Hot August Nights, The Drive-In Theater Pt. 2 can easily be considered another win for Spitta.
43. Your Old Droog & Nicholas Craven
YOD Wave
Production: Nicholas Craven
Guests: Mach-Hommy, The Game, Tha God Fahim
We just talked about Mach-Hommy and Fahim, but another part of that crew is Your Old Droog. The Ukranian-American has among the most consistent work rates and quality output in the game. Among his best work this year is his collaboration with Canadian beatsmith Nicholas Craven for YOD Wave. Although an EP, this bangs top to bottom with some of the beats all year from Craven, and they mesh extremely well for Droog. His nasal-infused style and tactful, yet witty, lyricism still has people in astonishment that at one time people though this was Nas before Droog was physically revealed. Although looking back, it could be considered in the "what the hell were we thinking" pile, what's undisputed is Droog's tremendous mic talent and with Craven supplying him his often time hypnotic production, Droog's consistency continues.
42. Kid Abstrakt
Higher Vibration
Production: Phoniks, Emapea, Midan, others
Guests: N/A
Los Angeles native, Kid Abstrakt, is one that's under most people's radars, and honestly shouldn't be. With a throwback to west coast easy going acts such as People Under The Stars, Jurassic 5, and Pharcyde, Abstrakt is a very mellow emcee who's often times very PG with his his content and lyricism. In 2018, he delivered his debut, Daydreaming, complete with jazzy production and laid-back rhymes. He returned in 2020 with Jazzy Vibes, which was a tad more street sounding, but still heavy with jazzy production and easy going undertones. He returned in 2022 with his EP, Higher Vibration. Filled with more of the same themes of family, God, and trying just to make it in life through positivity and optimism, Abstrakt is definitely an emcee that one could listen to around their parents or children, as his PG stylings make his brand of hip-hop very comfortable yet still very legit.
41. Vince Staples
Ramona Park Broke My Heart
Production: Kenny Beats, DJ Dahi, DJ Mustard, Cardo, Tommy Parker, others
Guests: Ty Dollar $ign, DJ Mustard, Lil Baby
Long Beach rhymer, Vince Staples, is among the new generation emcees carrying the west in his own way. Albums such as Hell Can Wait, his full-length debut Summertime '06, his self-titled offering and The Big Fish Theory all revealed his talented writing abilities and storytelling knack. With Ramona Park Broke My Heart, Staples reaches more into his introspective bag and insightful lyricism on cuts like "DJ Quik", "The Blues", and "Mama's Boy". However, it's the phenomenal cut, "When Sparks Fly" that shows him at his absolute best describing a love affair between a gun and "her" owner in what could seriously be considered one of the best non-single cuts all year and definitely among the best of his career. Arguably his best and most complete work since Summertime '06, Ramona Park is a testament to his ability to bring you into his world and his complex nature effectively.
40. Ransom & V-DON
Chaos Is My Ladder
Production: V-DON
Guests: Lloyd Banks, Eto, 38 Spesh, J. Arrr, others
Jersey rhyme animal, Ransom, is another emcee that often delivers multiple projects a year. The TRUST affiliate is among the most prolific emcees going, and often times to tremendous results. Among his best works this year is the recently released effort with acclaimed producer VDON, Chaos Is My Ladder. VDON's brand of brooding boom-bap matches nicely with Ransom's no-nonsense style and his gifted pen game. This album is definitely up there with previous Ransom gems such as his Director's Cut series with Nicholas Craven, Heavy Is The Head, Se7en, and his recent collab with now-Griselda artist, Rome Streetz, Coup De Grace, and this nearly twenty year mic veteran is finally starting to get the respect he's been working hard for.
39. DJ Muggs & RIGZ
Gold
Production: DJ Muggs
Guests: Rome Streetz, Meyhem Lauren, Big Twins, Mooch, others
Of course no year would be complete with a Muggs project or two. We started the year with the legendary DJ/producer collaborating with NYC rapper, Rigz, with Gold. The underground emcee is part of a collective known as Da Cloth, and he and Muggs presented a surprising (although not so surprising simply because Muggs can bring some of the best out of anyone) knocker of a release. Whole most above the subterrain have minimal to no knowledge of Rigz or Da Cloth, Muggs shined a light on the talent of this young man, and that more eyes and ears need to pay attention to this collective. Filled with the grit and aggression of the streets of NY, much like he did with the likes of Eto and Hologram, Muggs has shined a light on this previously slept on emcee. After peeping this project, let's hope we get more projects from Da Cloth on a bigger level.
38. Saba
Few Good Things
Production: artist, daedaePIVOT, Phoelix, others
Guests: Krayzie Bone, 6LACK, Smino, Black Thought, G Herbo, others
Chicago emcee, and Pivot Gang member, Saba, presented one of the most compelling, melancholy, and complex albums of the past twenty years in 2019 with the otherwise INCREDIBLE Care For Me. His style has often been compared to the likes of Smino or Kendrick Lamar in terms of his melodic style, his ability to turn on and off his double time spitting, and his intimate honesty, as this was painfully apparent in Care For Me. He returns in 2022 with Few Good Things. Although not nearly as much of a soundtrack to anxiety, depression, and grief like Care For Me was, this is however a reflection of his humility and how he finds value in the little things in life and what self fulfillment looks like. With guests such as Smino, fellow Chicago native G Herbo, and legends Krayzie Bone and Black thought guesting, Saba continues to show his promise to the masses with triumphant albums like this. You gotta know his late cousin/best friend/fellow Pivot Gang member, John Walt, is smiling down heavily.
37. Ka
Languish Arts/Woeful Studies
Production: artist, AniMoss, Preservation
Guests: Chuck Strangers, Joi
Among hip-hop's most revered penmen is Brownsville's Ka. His style of wisdom and jewels disguised in cautionary stories and grim realities is as acclaimed as any other emcee you'll come across outta NYC. More of an elder statesman trying to school the young and lost more so than wanting to brag about how many robberies he can pull off or how many guns he blasts, he has written some of the game's most impressive efforts such as Grief Pedigree, Honor Killed The Samurai, Descendants Of Cain, and especially The Night's Gambit. This year, he seemingly dropped two albums at the same time with Languish Arts and Woeful Studies. Both albums are extremely similar in style and approach, and like most of his prior efforts, makes you feel you're sitting on a park bench in the winter cold and dense fog in New York writing down all the bleak and melancholy you're observing. It's hard to tell which is better, as this draws out like one continuous album instead of two separate albums, but regardless, Ka is a master of his craft and continues to show he's as poetic as he is insightful.
36. EARTHGANG
Ghetto Godz
Production: Olu, Phoelix, 1500 Or Nothin', STLN Drums, others
Guests: Musiq Soulchild, Cee-Lo, Nick Cannon, JID, J. Cole, Ari Lennox
Eccentric, yet tremendously talented, Atlanta duo, EARTHGANG dropped perhaps their most well-balanced effort to date, Ghetto Gods. With the theme of the album mostly centering on the issues of the Black community in often times unique approaches, Olu and WowGr8 deliver their brand of funk, jazz, soul, and overall eccentric musical inspirations. A little more stripped away than the more upbeat previous work, Mirrorland, this explores subjects such as poverty, socio-political issues, and mental health within the Black community. Honest, yet at times also very fun, EARTHGANG is a great reflection of modern Atlanta and they'll likely continue to keep elevating themselves.
35. Fly Anakin
Frank
Production: Madlib, artist, Evidence, Like, Lastnamedavid, Sycho Sid, Jay Versace, others
Guests: Big Kahuna OG, Nickelus F, henny L.O., others
The Mutant Academy is a crew based primarily out of the DMV area, and one of its founders is Fly Anakin. Although homie spits like he's a genuine New Yorker, Anakin has his own style nonetheless and delivered quite a dope effort in Frank. Tremendous production from in-house producer Sycho Sid and more veteran producers like Madlib, Evidence, and Like, Anakin does quite well over these excellent soundscapes. His penmanship isn't necessarily brilliant, but it doesn't need to be here. His ability to keep the listener engaged to his every rhyme. Here's to expecting more from him and the rest of his crew, in which much like the aforementioned Da Cloth, underground obscurity won't be in their long term, and more and more will get to know them and we will likely get more bangers like this one.
34. Boldy James & Nicholas Craven
Fair Exchange, No Robbery
Production: Nicholas Craven
Guests: Gue Wop
We've already covered Craven with his work with Droog on YOD Wave, however, his best work of the year was still to come. Craven's niche of hypnotic, often times drumless, production was mastered incredibly with arguably the in-demand emcee in the game today, Detroit's Boldy James, with Fair Exchange, No Robbery. It can be argued what is the best Boldy effort this year, with him shelving out numerous efforts this year alone, but truthfully, this album provides possibly the best argument. His brooding monotone and his street-filled lyrics over Craven's masterful production is on full display here in awesome fashion. You can easily add Craven to the list of producers Boldy has tremendous chemistry with such as Alchemist, Real Bad Man, and Jay Versace with this effort. As we wait with epic anticipation for his reported album with lost Dilla beats, Drug Dilla, as well as efforts with Alchemist, Harry Fraud, and VDON, this one is among the best collabs he's recently done.
33. Action Bronson
Cocodrillo Turbo
Production: artist, The Alchemist, Daringer, Roc Marciano, others
Guests: Conway The Machine, Roc Marciano, Hologram, Meyhem Lauren
Ah! The notable Queens emcee/chef/one-time AEW wrestler Action Bronson is an interesting artist. Building a respectable discography with dope efforts such as Dr. Lecter, his Blue Chips series, Rare Chandeliers, Mr. Wonderful, and Only For Dolphins, it was only right for him to present his 2022 offering in the form of Cocodrillo Turbo. His witty rhymes are once again prevalent here, but this is arguably his most focused project since Blue Chips 2. Over fantastic production mostly from frequent collaborator Alchemist and Griselda's go-to Daringer, Bronson's humor and wit are now more balanced with straight up concentrated lyricism. Nothing astounding or wheel reinventing, but it doesn't have to be with AB. One of the game's most beloved and comical emcees delivered another dope one that may be as tasty as his dishes.
32. billy woods & Messiah Muzik
Church
Production: Messiah Muzik
Guests: ELUCID, Fat Ray, AKAI SOLO
Among the most fascinating emcees in the game today is NY native, billy woods. His discography contains some of the most exemplary efforts of the past decade with incredible works such as Today I Wrote Nothing, History Will Absolve Me, Hiding Place, Known Unknowns, and Anger Management. This doesn't even include his work with ELUCID as the powerful duo, Armand Hammer, who presented one of hip-hop's most exceptional releases with The Alchemist in HARAM. Seen as an astounding writer, billy woods' work ethic in bringing us in his chaotic sense a world and social structure gone mad, he delivers to us two unbelievable offerings. The first one was Aethiopes (see later), and the second was Church. This album was sonically orchestrated with frequent Armand Hammer collaborator Messiah Muzik and the results are grade A. Although a little more accessible in sound and content than the bleak and heady nature of Aethiopes, it doesn't make this album any less potent. Mr. Woods (or woods as he stylizes his name) is as left-brained as you can imagine on here, as he uniquely goes the introspective route on this release and shows more of a vulnerable side than we're overall used to from him. Sonically, Messiah Muzik brings perhaps his best overall work that we've seen from him and this album from woods stamped his flag as one of modern hip-hop's true greats.
31. Lloyd Banks
Course Of The Inevitable 2
Production: Cartune Beatz, Mr. Authentic, others
Guests: Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Dave East, Vado, Tony Yayo, Jadakiss
The Boy Wonder. The Punchline King. Whatever you refer to Lloyd Banks as, in these cases, they could very well be accurate. The former G-Unit soldier has only gotten better since his days with Fifty and with last year's first solo full-length offering in over a decade The Course Of The Inevitable, he showed he was back hungry and back razor sharp. Many said it was a return to "mixtape" Banks, who has been often times revered for his ferocity on the mic and with the pen. He follows up last year's offering with the sequel in Course Of The Inevitable 2. Not much changed here except Lloyd may be in his lyrical bag even more here. Over mostly menacing production from the previously unknown Cartune Beatz (from whom Banks got some of his best work from on COTI) and Mr. Authentic among others, the Queens native properly balances the hardcore of the streets with the occasional radio-sounding cut such as "Fell In Love". However, for the most part, Banks chokes you his ability to show why he's among the most prized emcees in the game, and why he was likely the MVP of G-Unit. Now that those days are behind him, expect more of this type of heat from Mr. Banks, if not even better, which based upon these last two offerings, may be hard to do in itself.
30. Little Simz
No Thank You
Production: Inflo
Guests: N/A
The UK's Little Simz has emerged as one of the single brightest stars from that part of the world and has presented some of the game's most acclaimed and revered albums such as the 2019 Mercury Prize winning, Grey Area, Stillness In Wonderland, and especially the 2022 Mercury Prize winning Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert. A few weeks away from the end of 2022, she dropped this year's offering in No Thank You. Raw and honest as always, this album is more of what we had heard from Sometimes...and then some. With mostly very layered production similar to what you would hear from the likes of thrilling albums like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Late Registration, or even Kendrick's most recent, Mr. Morale & The High Steppers, Simz is a little more about self-affirmation, vindication, and a confidence that was seemingly in discovery on most of her prior albums. A few of her cuts here like "X", "No Merci", and "Silhouette" are so filled with pride and self-evaluation that you continue to hear Simz' growth as a woman even moreso than an emcee. Choirs and dramatic soundscapes run this album enough for her to come away making the listener root for her and cuts like "Broken" are as vulnerable as it gets and it takes courage that be that self aware. With No Thank You, she's less has evolved from a young woman holding on to life's hurts and trying to find her way through and out of her complexes to showing strength, faith, and a rebirth of a woman who's not gonna stand for what the world and society dish out to her. This is another profound victory lap for this exceptional artist.
29. Logic
Vinyl Days
Production: artist, 6ix, Exile, Tae Beast, T-Minus
Guests: Royce Da 5'9", Blu, Like, DJ Premier, Action bronson, Curren$y, RZA, AZ, The Game, Russ, Wiz Khalifa
Logic is one polarizing emcee. The DMV native has been at times very heralded for his punchline lyricism, and other times, his CORNY punchline lyricism. Whatever the case, Logic is very talented and when at his best, among the best around. His major label debut in 2014, Under Pressure, was quite the dope debut and showed fans what they were in store for in the future. He followed it up with The Incredible True Story and it was overall as great of a sophomore offering. When you include the next album, Everybody, which definitely had more of a pop-esque feel to it, Logic was a very mentioned artist, mostly on the good side. However, releases such as Bobby Tarentino II, Supermarket, and Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind were met with very negative reviews and truthfully, rightfully so. He returned to form on No Pressure with arguably his best overall album since his his debut. Well, that was until this album dropped. Logic went back to his purely hip-hop roots with his own love letter to hip-hop, Vinyl Days. On this lengthy album, Logic took the gloves off here and lyrically went into his bag here. Over the most excellent boom-bap we've ever heard him spit over, this was one for the backpackers at heart and those that feel he wasn't worth the acclaim with some of his previous work. Logic gave a huge smack in the face those critics and presented the album we've been waiting for from him in spades. Although his quite numerous guests like Royce Da 5'9", Action Bronson, Blu, Russ, and several others, this feels almost like a compilation album. In any case, Logic knocked Vinyl Days out the park here and we can only hope his future projects will be searing.
28. Armani Ceaser
The Liz 2
Production: Camouflage Monk, Denny LeFlare, BEatking, Sovren, Daringer
Guests: Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, Kodak Black, others
While the first lady of Griselda is emcee/poet Keisha Plum (hopefully album soon), Armani Ceaser is the first woman of the camp to put out material to the masses. She debuted on the mainstream scene with her 2020 offering, The Liz, and it was clear the Buffalo-turned-NC resident was not here for games. With the clear sass of contemporaries such as Megan, Latto, and Saweetie, mixed the street diva approach such as Remy, Kim, and Foxy, and you have a young up-and-comer that's nothing to play with. She finally delivered the sequel to her debut in the form of The Liz 2. More focused and even sharper than her debut, Ceaser emerges as even more of a budding star than before. Although she mostly spits over some trademarked Griselda-esque sounds, she also has cuts for the radio and the strip clubs alike, and no folks, they don't miss. Equally talented in her spitting and even her singing vocals, Ceaser is a definite star blossoming and with this release, she'll be very easily mentioned as one of today's in-demand emcees.
27. Earl Sweatshirt
SICK!
Production: artist, The Alchemist, BlackNoi$e, Navy Blue, others
Guests: Zeelooperz, Armand Hammer
The ever enigmatic Earl Sweatshirt is truly a rare breed. The Cali native is such a near genius-level emcee and yet there's still an allusiveness about him. The former Odd Future cat has delivered some unbelievable efforts in past years such as Earl, Doris, the very dark I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside, Feet Of Clay, and especially the brilliant, avant-garde sounding tale of grief and self-exploration through it, Some Rap Songs. After rumors of a lost Alchemist-assisted album that we still have yet to find, as well as features on albums from the likes of Armand Hammer, Mach-Hommy, Boldy James, Wiki and Navy Blue, it was time for him to drop his 2022 offering in the form of SICK! The album starts with the moody Alchemist-blessed "Old Friend", and definitely picks up from there. Earl's pen game, much the likes of billy woods or Ka, need to be studied like a textbook at master craftsmanship writing at times. This is evident on cuts like "God Laughs", "Fire In The Hole", and "2010", in which we see Earl trying to organized his chaos and confusion in the midst of a crippling pandemic yet is more open in a more free way than we've seen him. Earl has crafted another unforgettable piece of music and will continue to make it onto your favorite rapper's favorite rapper's lists.
26. Freddie Gibbs
$$$ (Souls Sold Separately)
Production: The Alchemist, James Blake, DJ Paul, DJ Dahi, Hit-Boy, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Madlib, KAYTRANADA, Sevyn Thomas, others
Guests: DJ Paul, Kelly Price, Scarface, Jadakiss, Big Sean, Offset, Pusha-T, Rick Ross, Anderson.Paak, Raekwon, Moneybagg Yo, Schoolboy Q
What a year for ole Gangsta Gibbs. Between beefing with Benny The Butcher to getting beat up and having his supposed chain snatched to other potential gigs such as television roles and a possible, we stress that, R&B album, Gibbs has been in the news this year. However, we've mostly been clamoring for his major label debut, and we finally got it. The album, $$$ (Souls Sold Separately) is perhaps his most cohesive body of work since the exceptional, Bandana, and shows his undoubted star appeal. The Grammy Award-nominated emcee from Gary, IN had a bigger budget for this album, and it showed in the production from the likes of Alchemist, James Blake, Dahi, Hit-Boy and producer-in-crime Madlib. However, don't let the fact that this sounds like his most accessible album fool you. This is still Gibbs at his finest. Cuts like "Open Hearted", "Blackest In The Room", and Decoded" remind you of just how technically gifted of an emcee he is and how he can go off on the mic like not too many of his contemporaries can. While seen as more grandeur in nature in sound, Gibbs has nonetheless delivered another career-high achievement and if this is in fact his last supposed album, he went out on a damn high note.
25. Cormega
The Realness 2
Production: The Alchemist, Havoc, Sha Money XL, Large Professor, Harry Fraud, STREETRUNNER, others
Guests: Havoc, Lloyd Banks
Queensbridge's own Cormega has been known to have a fairly excellent discography to go along with his insightful and honest street narratives. His debut album, Testament, was initially shelved by Def Jam but Mega ended up regaining the masters to it and fans were elated to hear how major of an album that remained to be. What ended up being his debut retail album was The Realness, which knocked every bit as hard as Testament and people were able to truly hear what Mega Montana had to offer the game. The former Firm member was laser focused and had a decent chip on shoulder with industry turmoil and friendship fallouts heavy on him. Follow up albums like The True Meaning, Legal Hustle, Born & Raised, and the Large Professor-produced Mega Philosophy further showed the Mega to be an importantg piece of NY hip-hop. Nearly a decade after Mega Philosophy comes the sequel to The Realness with The Realness 2. Minimal are his odes to guns, drugs, revenge, and beefs and way more included are odes to being wise and just general elder statesman gems that the younger generation needs to especially pay attention to. It's always excellent to hear a man mature and grow old with wisdom, especially on the mic, and Mega has done that. He even reunited with his once friend-turned-enemy-turned friend again, Nas, on the bangin' Alchemist-crafted cut "Glorious". Top to bottom, this is not only a very worthy sequel to an already fantastic "debut", but it may even better just in terms of gems and pearls that even older cats can learn from and shows it's always cool to grown and mature.
24. billy woods & Preservation
Aethiopes
Production: Preservation
Guests: ELUCID, Quelle Chris, Boldy James, Denmark Vessey, El-P, Breeze Brewin, others
Earlier, we covered the profound dopeness that was billy woods' second contribution to 2022, Church. However, his first offering, Aethiopes, edges the two albums out in every single way. This album isn't as accessible sonically as Church is, and with Preservation's atmospheric production, it's actually very brooding and filled with woods' usual content of a fucked up society, the illuminati, governmental control, and overall the decay of humankind in such honest and poetic fashion. The pen game of billy woods is damn near unmatched in today's subterranean hip-hop other than possibly the likes of Ka, Roc Marci, or his Armand Hammer partner ELUCID and it shows in incredible fashion here. Easily among his top albums ever, Aethiopes is another example of why billy woods is low key one of the most brilliant and penmanship heavy emcees walking the planet today.
23. Quelle Chris
DEATHFAME
Production: artist, Chris Keyz, Knxwledge
Guests: Cavalier, Pink Siifu, Denmark Veessy, Navy Blue, others
One of hip-hop's most eccentric, yet absolutely talented, emcees out here is Detroit's Quelle Chris. His unique pen game is only matched with his quirky views on society and his life in general. However more times than not, there's a method to his madness, and albums like Innocent Country, Innocent Country 2, Guns, Niggas Is Men, Ghost At The Finish Line, and his collabo album with his Wife, the incomparable Jean Grae, Everything's Fine, Chris returns with another tremendous addition to his already impressive discography, DEATHFAME. With Chris, frequent production collaborator Chris Keyz, and Knxwledge providing the soundscapes here, DEATHFAME tackles mostly the ups and downs of success and failures. Definitely a cohesive and well put together effort, it peaks with the fabulous collab cut with Pink Siifu and MoRuf, "The Sky Is Blue Because The Sunset Is Red", in which all these emcees deliver great bars over a hypnotic piano loop provided by Chris and Knxwledge. Quite possibly among the top two or three projects of his career, Quelle Chris is among the most intriguing emcees to emerge from the D and with DEATHFAME, although its aesthetically very challenging and complex, it opens up Chris in a way that provides us with his commentary of how simplicity is often times the road less traveled.
22. Ab-Soul
Herbert
Production: DJ Premier, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Boi-1nda, Beach Noi$e, Hit-Boy, DJ Dahi, others
Guests: Jhene Aiko, SiR, Punch, Big Sean, Russ, Joey Bada$$, Lance Skiiwalker, Zacari
Seen as the "introspective thinker" of the TDE camp, Herbert Stevens IV, otherwise Ab-Soul, is a complex yet extremely talented emcee that highly assists in making TDE be such a revered household presence in hip-hop. His latest effort comes in the form of Herbert, a painfully honest album that reflects upon life, grappling with stardom, and self-awareness with brutal frankness. Gone are the historical, spiritual, and socio-political references typically accounted for in his raps, and included are moments of despair, optimism at points, and his ability and need to progress more with his life. This may be none more evident than the cut "Do Better", which was recorded before an admitted suicide attempt in 2021. While we are all very glad the attempt didn't succeed, it also gave him a newfound fire with very dope cuts like "Bucket", "Moonshooter", and "FOMF", while hammering down on the Preemo-powered "Gotta Rap". Although Control System remains his most revered piece of work (which contains arguably the most emotionally jarring tribute cut one can imagine in "The Book Of Soul"), Herbert fits right in with the rest of his overall bumping discography. While we are fans of Ab-Soul, let's keep hoping the man behind Ab-Soul keeps seeking peace he so desperately is trying to find.
21. Apollo Brown & Philmore Greene
Cost Of Living
Production: Apollo Brown
Guests: Evidence, Rashid Hadee
When one mentions impeccable and undefeated producers in hip-hop right now, it's hard to not include Detroit's Apollo Brown in the conversation. For over a decade, Apollo has been supplying heat with his brand of soulful samples and thumping percussion, very similar in approach to the likes of 9th Wonder, and he has collaborated with the likes of O.C., Guilty Simpson, Planet Asia, Joell Ortiz, Che Noir, Journalist, Skyzoo, and Locksmith for overall blistering efforts. Of course his own compilation albums of Grandeur and Sincerely Detroit remain in rotation as well with being phenomenal efforts themselves. This time around, he assists up-and-coming Chicago emcee, Philmore Green, with Cost Of Living. This is a rather moody, somber, and melancholy effort that painfully illustrates the pressures and hardships of modern-day life over some of the most flawless Apollo production heard to date. Greene's minimal optimism coupled with Apollo's unbelievable makes this a big win for both. Cuts like "Steep Life", "Free" and "Nice To Meet You" are some examples of how excellent of a pen game Greene has and how Apollo needs TODAY to be mentioned among the best producers of the past decade and beyond. This is a top to bottom feeler and serves among the best Apollo projects ever.
20. Meyhem Lauren & Daringer
Black Vladimir
Production: Daringer
Guests: Conway The Machine, Action Bronson, Westside Gunn, Elcamino, Flee Lord, Hologram
Queens shooter, Meyhem Lauren, is known for his collaborations with the likes mostly with Action Bronson and Hologram, but also frequently guests efforts within the Griselda camp. His efforts with DJ Muggs, Gems From The Equinox and Members Only, as well as the very dope collab with veteran producer, Buckwild, Silk Pyramids, were all flammable efforts for the tough-talking Lauren, but it's his latest collaborative effort that may be his best effort yet. He gets assisted by Griselda's go-to producer, Daringer, for Black Vladimir. Daringer's brand of grimy, atmospheric, mid-90s noir-style production lines up perfectly with Lauren's style of hustling, luxurious fly shit, and gunplay all throughout this album. His Freeway-sounding vocals set off cuts like "Nigerian Vegetables", the Conway-assisted "Red Pesto", and "Chicken Chinese", and instantly puts you in the nostalgia of the thugged-out nineties just like Griselda has done and done so very well. This musical marriage of Meyhem and Daringer needs to continue as Black Vladimir is as rugged and screwfaced of an album as you can get from Lauren.
19. Awon, Seb Zilner, & ANTITHESIS
Seven Pt. III
Production: Seb Zilner, ANTITHESIS
Guests: N/A
VA emcee Awon has been acclaimed in the underground for many years. His efforts with producer Phiniks, such as Return To The Golden Era, are pretty widely revered for their simplistic approach to their style of boom-bap. Nothing complicated, just beats and rhymes. No gimmicks or anything. This year, Awon was responsible for two efforts: one of which was Infinite Wisdom (pretty dope album there as well), but perhaps his better album of the two is the EP Seven Pt. III. He gets assistance from producer Seb Zilner and pianist ANTHITHESIS for what makes out to be quite the enjoyable listen. Awon's sharp lyricism over engaging, melodic production. Not conscious. Not gangsta. Just good ole fashion rhyming from this talented VA rhymer, and you can sleep if you want to. This album has more intelligence with it than most of your run of the mill hip-hop dominating today's landscape.
18. Domo Genesis & Evidence
Intros, Outros, & Interludes
Production: Evidence
Guests: Boldy James, Navy Blue, Remy Banks
Former Odd Future member, Domo Genesis, has a fairly dope discography. The talented Cali native has acclaimed projects such as his fantastic collab album with The Alchemist, No Idols, as well as his debut full-length album, Genesis, and other mixtapes. His latest offering comes in the form of another collaboration. This time with emcee/producer Evidence for Intros, Outros, and Interludes. As we know from his work with his former Dilated Peoples group, Evidence is as strong on the boards as he on the mic, maybe even moreso. His production work on this album is among the best boardwork he's done in his career. His use of chopped up samples, somewhat psychedelic overtures, and neck-snapping boom-bap has always been impressive and combining this with Domo's dope pen game makes for wonderful results. Genesis is clearly an emcee that has had his growing pains in his career and his life and he observes it all through his own unique lens with tremendous focus. While his previous works were still pretty much him finding out who he is, he's made much larger steps in the direction he sees with this album. Domo and Evidence presented a knocker with this one.
17. Westside Gunn
10
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist, Conductor Williams, Denny LeFlare, Pete Rock, RZA, Swizz Beats, Flygod Jr, others
Guests: Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Armani Ceaser, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Stove God Cook$, Rome Streetz, Jay Worthy, Busta Rhymes, Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Estee Nack, DJ Drama, Black Star, others
Label boss. Curator. Rapper. Businessman. Wrestling fixator. All these titles and more belong to Alvin "Westside Gunn" Worthy. The Buffalo emcee put the home of the Bills on the hip-hop in more wide fashion with the help of fellow Griselda-mates Conway and Benny. Over the years, he's assembled an array of talent such as Armani Ceaser, the MUCH in-demand Stove God Cook$, Compton's Jay Worthy, and heavy street favorites Rome Streetz and Boldy James. However, Gunn isn't done with the mic either. He has among the best discographies in all of hip-hop, and his latest offering is no different. Closing out his famed Hitler Wears Hermes mixtape series, he concludes it with the appropriately titled, 10, in reference to his tenth and last edition of the series. Does he end the series off in dope fashion? The answer is a profound yes! He starts with the down-south trap sounds of "Flygod Jr." with west coast artist, Doe Boy. This joint is special because this was crafted by his son of the same name, Flygod Jr. and shows Gunn's versatility over 808 traps. With the anticipation of his only known southern artist YNBilly on the horizon, this may be a good indicator of what to expect in terms of expanding Griselda south of the Mason-Dixon Line. From there, Gunn floats over knocking production from the likes of his in-house team of Camouflage Monk, Conductor Williams, Denny LeFlare, and Daringer. In terms of who he invites to this closeout, legends such as Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, Black Star, and Run The Jewels all show up and represent damn well. However, it's the closing pose cut, "Red Death" with practically the entire roster over a menacing Alchemist banger. It can be argued which Hitler Wears Hermes album is the best of the series. What can't be debated is that 10 has to be at least mentioned among the very best of them, if not THE best. It'll be interesting to see where the "flygod" goes next (hopefully we can get that Michelle Records project next year), but needless to say Gunn is among the cultural shifters of the past decade and anywhere he goes or anything he does, eyes will be on him, and you can bet it'll be crazy.
16. Curren$y & The Alchemist
Continuance
Production: The Alchemist
Guests: Babyface Ray, Havoc, Boldy James, Larry June, Styles P, Wiz Khalifa
Earlier, we shined a light on the New Orleans emcee's late entry mixtape, The Drive In Theater Pt. II. As dope as that project was, his earlier project of 2022 was even crazier. The former Cash Money emcee reunited with Alchemist to provide us with Continuance. Most likely an homage to their incredible Covert Coup album of 2010 and their equally acclaimed 2016 offering, The Carrollton Heist, this album reminds us of how magical they can be together (we also won't forget the incredible effort these two did with Freddie Gibbs for the effort Fetti either). Over some truly mesmerizing, melodic production from Uncle Al, Spitta is damn near flawless lyrically. He presents a presence of confident charisma over cuts like the jazzy "Kool & The Gang", "The Tonight Show", and "No Yeast", while also showing his impressive lyrical stylings over other great cuts like the Styles P-assisted "Whale Watching" and "the opener, "Half Moon Mornings". While Alchemist has been having the run of his career over these past few years, Curren$y continues to show versatility with his pen game. Basically put, Continuance exemplifies their chemistry (ahem!) once again and the result is another career benchmark in both guys careers.
15. Benny The Butcher
Tana Talk 4
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist
Guests: Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Diddy, J. Cole, 38 Spesh, Boldy James, Stove God Cook$
Out of the proverbial three-headed monster of Griselda (Gunn, Conway, Benny), it's been said Benny The Butcher may be the star of the bunch. With an appeal that puts him among NYC greats and legends such as Jay, Biggie, Nas, Prodigy, and Kool G, Benny's undeniable ability to bring you into his world of hustling and gunplay brings chills to those that have needed this type of gangsta shit since the nineties was done. His 2018 debut full-length album, Tana Talk 3 was heralded as this generation's Reasonable Doubt, and that's supremely high praise. From there, he's dropped knocking efforts such as The Plugs I Met, The Plugs I Met 2, his collab with Grammy winning producer extraordinaire Hit-Boy, Burden Of Proof, and Pyrex Picasso, along with other mixtapes and collab efforts. It was clear his star appeal was climbing steadily, but the streets were in need of the fourth installment of his Tana Talk series. The result was indeed Tana Talk 4, and much like his previous entry, this one shows a burgeoning legend. With Daringer and Alchemist manning the boards just like TT3, he blazes over cuts like "Back 2X" with Stove God, "Uncle Bun" with 38 Spesh, his DOPE unofficial sequel to Biggie's legendary "10 Crack Commandments", "Ten More Crack Commandments" (with a special appearance at the end ironically enough with Diddy speaking), and the lead single "Johnny P's Caddy" featuring a surprising appearance from J. Cole who blisters this cut himself. Whether it's moving bricks and pies or letting people know what happens when you cross him like an idiot, Benny scored big with this album. With his BSF/Griselda/Def Jam debut coming in 2023, the spotlight is on Benny to take Griselda and his BSF crew to new heights. However with Tana Talk 4, it's clear his building stardom hasn't changed what he does with a fork yet.
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14. Joey Bada$$
2000
Production: Chuck Strangers, Rahki, Kirk Knight, Statik Selektah, Sean C & LV, Cardiak, Mike WILL Made It, others
Guests: Diddy, Larry June, Chris Brown, Westside Gunn, others
It's been five years since we've had a whole full-length from Brooklyn's Joey Bada$$. His 2017 endeavor, All AmeriKKKan Bada$$, dropped to lots of acclaim and him being into more socio-political themes and a more expanded sound. However, the emcee/actor brought it back to the essence with the sequel to his breakout mixtape from a decade ago, 1999, 2000. Much like 1999 was a vivid look into the world and the life of a then seventeen year old talented rapper with the old soul of a nineties NYC rapper, 2000 has him more mature lyrically and content-wise but relating it to present day times. While we still see him living in the moment on cuts like the opening cut "The Baddest", the Westside Gunn-assisted "Brand New 911", and "Welcome Back" with Chris Brown on vocals. However, the Pro Era representative also shows his clear vulnerability on cuts like "Head High" and "Written In The Stars". The albums climaxes with the very tearful ode to best friend and fellow Pro Era founder, Capital Steez, "Survivor's Guilt", which also has him eulogizing his cousin/road manager and reveals just how much he still grieves both of their deaths in gutting fashion. While some tracks on here sound like they're meant for crossover appeal, others sound almost as powered for the streets as 1999. Mr. Bada$$ is a highly skilled emcee that, along with the likes of Griselda, Roc Marci, and Action Bronson, has brought back a certain aura for NYC hip-hop and 2000 shows him as an ever important voice in modern day NY hip-hop
13. Pusha T
It's Almost Dry
Production: Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, 88-Keyz, others
Guests: Pharrell, Kanye West, No Malice, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, others
As formerly one half of the duo Clipse, with brother (No)Malice, Pusha T has been knocking out dope effort after dope effort since his solo debut, My Name Is My Name. The now former President of Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music has been in the kitchen delivering more than potent follow-ups like King Push: Darkest Before Dawn, and especially the epic Grammy nominated offering, DAYTONA. After a four year absence, Pusha dropped his highly anticipated, It's Almost Dry. Mostly produced solely by Kanye and Pharrell, this album, while not breaking any new ground in his coke rap arena, has him coasting over arguably the best production of his solo career. Cuts like "Dreaming Of The Past", "Open Air", and the Jay-Z assisted, "Neck & Wrist" are classic Pusha and once again shows why he's among his generation's best, yet slightly underrated, emcees. While delivering an album an album that could match or even outdo DAYTONA would've been quite the feat for the average emcee, Pusha delivers a mighty blow with It's Almost Dry to where this definitely can be in the argument of Pusha's best album.
12. Phife Dawg
Forever
Production: J Dilla, Nottz, 9th Wonder, Khrysis, others
Guests: Q-Tip, Posdnous, Little Brother, Darien Brockington, Redman, Illa J, Rapsody, Lyric Jones, Busta Rhymes, Maseo, V-Rich, others
The hip-hop community was hurt and deeply saddened by the loss of one of its dopest emcees, Phife Dawg. The legendary "Five Foot Assassin" was the perfect supplemental emcee to Q-Tip in A Tribe Called Quest and this b-boy at heart was one of the best at his craft. Due to complications from Diabetes in 2016, his mic was put down for good. However, before he passed, he was in the process of completing his sophomore solo album in Forever. His debut, Ventilation: Da LP, was a dope effort and showed how much he could shine without Tip on the mic for a full album. With Forever, this posthumous album has him ripping up cuts like the Redman and Busta Rhymes assisted "Nutshell", "Only A Coward", and the ode to forgiveness from his lady "Sorry". Guests like Rapsody, Maseo of De La Soul, and Illa J also lend their hand in making these cuts fit the mold of the vision that Phife and business partner, DJ Rasta Root, had in mind. The tribute cuts of the previously released, "Dear Dilla" with Q-Tip doing the hook that ended up having him tribute both Phife and Dilla and "2 Live Forever" with Posdnous of De La Soul, Little Brother, and Darien Brockington both signify how much Phife meant to everyone he touched, whether as a friend or a fan. Malik Taylor was an emcee's emcee. The type that was about no gimmicks, just a pad, a pen, and a mic. If this is the only posthumous project we get from him, we will always respect and appreciate his gift to us and both he and Tribe will live on...well...forever!
11. Rome Streetz
Kiss The Ring
Production: Daringer, Conductor Williams, Camouflage Monk, Denny LeFlare, The Alchemist, Sovren, Sahdugold, Green Lantern
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Armani Ceaser, Boldy James, Stove God Cook$
Queens-raised, Brooklyn bred underground phenom, Rome Streetz, has been an in-demand rapper for the better part of a decade now. With previous mixtape efforts like his Noize Candy series caused stirs in the streets, as well as other efforts like his debut, Streetz Keep Calling Me, it was his collaborative efforts with the likes of AHNKLEJOHN (Genesis 1:27), Futurewave (Razor's Edge), DJ Muggs (Death & The Magician), and Ransom (Coup De Grace) that made the heads anticipate more from him. When it was reported that Gunn had signed him to Griselda, it was off to the races, and his official Griselda debut, Kiss The Ring, was dropped, and GOTTDAMN did it deliver. With WSG as the curator as always, he gave Rome an album that was very Griselda-esque in nature, and that's a great thing. His brand of street narratives and gritty rhymes blend in perfectly with the land that made Gunn, Conway, and Benny. Blistering cuts like "Big Steppa", "Tyson Beckford", "Soulja Boy", and "In Too Deep" are among the best cuts Rome has ever presented to the masses with their menacing, chilling production mostly handled by the Griselda in-house team. While he and Armani are like a new aged Bonnie & Clyde on "Armed & Dangerous", he also describes the life of a hustla that didn't end well on the Alchemist-crafted "Long Story Short" and keeps you in suspense upon every word he spits. Pound for pound, Kiss The Ring is one of the hardest debuts in recent memory and Rome Streetz, if you didn't know who he was before, has arrived and formally invites you to know him because he's not going anywhere.
10. DJ Premier
Hip-Hop 50: Vol. 1
Production: artist
Guests: Joey Bada$$, Nas, Remy Ma, Rapsody, Lil Wayne, Slick Rick, Run The Jewels
Hip-Hop as a culture and an artform will be fifty years old come 2023, and as a salute to the culture, various producers and beatmakers will compile compilation EPs with guest artists to present their own love letters to hip-hop. The first to drop is the ever legendary DJ Premier. Anytime there's a Preemo project, the streets are immediately tuned in, and anticipation was definitely high after it was announced he was responsible for the first installment in the Hip-Hop 50 series. With Preemo's signature scratches and boom-bap, cuts from Joey Bada$$ ("Lettin' Off Steam") and longtime collaborator Nas ("Beat Breaks") sound custom made for them. Meanwhile, the b-girl aesthetics of the Remy Ma and Rapsody collab cut, "Remy Rap" is for the ladies that show the importance of how much they have contributed to this artform with Remy and Rapsody delivering sizzling bars. The remaining cuts with Run The Jewels ("Terrible 2s") and a surprising collab between Lil' Wayne and the timeless Slick Rick ("The Root Of All") both demonstrate Preem's ability to craft knocking production and it being enough to bring the beasts out of damn near everyone that touches the mic and attempts to glide the beat. DJ Premier is an icon of this game and he has set the bar with this first installment of Hip-Hop 50, that will see later installments from the likes of Hit-Boy, The-Dream, Swizz Beats, No I.D., and Mike WILL Made It. This will be a truly fun series to show how hip-hop has impacted every genre and sector of the world, and Preemo just gave heads a blueprint of the future of this series.
9. Roc Marciano & The Alchemist
The Elephant Man's Bones
Production: The Alchemist
Guests: Action Bronson, Ice-T, Boldy James, Knowledge The Pirate
Has there been anyone within the past decade that has brought NYC the type of underground resurgence that Roc Marciano has? He started the past decade in 2010 with his debut, Marcberg, and was immediately hailed as an instant classic with thumper after thumper, and his follow-up, Reloaded, was even harder, as people were comparing these two albums to the likes of Mobb Deep's classics, The Infamous and Hell On Earth in terms of thunderous breakout and the follow-up that made as much of an impact. From there, Marci has dropped fantastic efforts such as Marci Beaucoup, Rosebudd's Revenge, RR2: The Bitter Dose, his Muggs collab Kaos, Behold A Dark Horse, and Marcialago. However, anticipation was building as Uncle Al announced he was collaborating with him and it finally dropped with The Elephant Man's Bones. From tracks they've don e together such as Reloaded's "Flash Gordon" to the Greneburg EP with Alchemist and Oh No as Gangrene linked with Marci for a KNOCKOUT EP, one can kinda imagine the magic these two would have for a whole project, and the result is arguably Marci's project in years. Alchemist provided Marci with the production of his career (as Alan The Chemist tends to do with artists, ask the likes of Armand Hammer). Marci sounds as refreshed as we've ever heard him. He sounds even more cocky, yet deliberate and psychological, on here with cuts like "JJ Flash", "Deja Vu" the absolutely elegant sounding title track, and "Quantum Leap". His ability to be as vivid with his Ron O' Neal meets Nino Brown person a is at times fascinating when done right, not to mention his wit and humor on most tracks. Al's usage of 80s synth mixed with a snapping drum lick on the humorous assisting with Action Bronson, "Daddy Kane", is a fun cut that still has its undertones of Dolemite within it. Simply put, this album is special. Marci and Al is a union that hip-hop needs to have had a long time ago and the results of their first full album together is one that we'll be going back to over and over again these next few years for sure.
8. Lupe Fiasco
Drill Music In Zion
Production: Soundtrakk
Guests: Nayirah, Ayesha JAco
Lupe Fiasco is considered one of the best of his style of rap. His intelligent and insightful lyricism has been the catalyst for albums such as his classic debut, Food & Liquor, its equally incredible, The Cool, the exceptional Tetsuo & Youth, and the very engaging, yet slightly overlooked and heavy, DROGAS Wave. The Chi-town native also has had some efforts such as Lasers, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, and DROGAS Light that although ambitious enough to keep your eyes and ears on him, didn't fare up as well as the other aforementioned ones. However, earlier in the year, his producer Soundtrakk promised Lupe's next album would be "Illmatic-esque". Stating things like that means you have to have practically a new holy grail of hip-hop with this effort. With his eighth album, Drill Music In Zion, he's not incredibly far off. Fiasco spits conscious and at times cautionary rhymes over some of Soundtrakk's best produced work. With him tackling areas such as the sabotaging, from a cultural and artistic standpoint, of hip-hop, the trickery of consumerism, and the need for us as a people and a community to rise up from the facades of what we're faced with, he's a very needed voice and speaks with passion and a bit of pessimism. Cuts like "Ms. Mural", "Precious Things", "Naomi", and the closer "On Faux Nem" are so in tune with the dangers of commercialism and how certain styles of our artform are poisonous and likely contributing to the tragedies of our culture like a frustrated and concerned parent. Over mostly jazzy boom-bap and slick melodies, Soundtrakk gave Lupe a fitting musical backdrop for every single cut on this effort. Is this album the new Illmatic? I'd say not, but is it in the conversation for his best album ever? One could definitely make that argument. Gone are the themes and concepts of heady material that he's mostly been known for and now included are just him speaking from his heart and doing so in such brutally honest fashion. Definitely among the most important albums of the year, Lupe has constructed a phenomenal album needed for times as this.
7. Black Star
No Fear Of Time
Production: Madlib
Guests: N/A
One of hip-hop most treasured pure hip-hop albums possibly of all-time dropped in '98 when Brooklyn's Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey) and Talib Kweli came together as Black Star nd dropped Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star to universal acclaim and praise. For over two decades, heads wanted a follow-up to that magical album. Twenty-four years after their debut, they finally give us what we've been waiting for in the form of No Fear Of Time. Before we get started here, yes, this isn't solidly mixed as this was reportedly done on the road with Madlib and not much time to do proper mixing so it does sound...for lack of a better term bootleg at times. However, the spirit of this album, with the evil genius himself, Madlib, sonically crafting this effort, is as solid as it gets. Times have changed for both men within their professional and personal lives as this album is a little heavier in content and admittedly at times the chemistry is a tad off, or at least not as cleverly meshed as their debut, but with this being their first album in over twenty years, some slack may be needed to cut. The brilliant "Loop Digga" blessed them with some of his trademarked style of jazz meets avant-garde style production on cuts like "So Be It", "The Main Thing Is To Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing", and especially "Sweetheart, Sweethard, Sweettod" which are all as soulful as they are excellent backdrops for Black Star for these particular cuts. Those looking for a sequel of their debut will be disappointed, but as a stand alone album, this was a great return for two modern hip-hop legends and an equally legendary producer. Their brand of socio-political commentary and community uplifting is as poignant now as it ever was musically as well as off the mic. As excellent as this album is, imagine if this album were to have been crafted with more time?
6. Denzel Curry
Melt My Eyez, See Your Future
Production: Robert Glaspar, Karreim Riggins, Thundercat, Kenny Beats, DJ Khalyl, Dot Da Genius, Kal Banx, Powers Pleasent, JPEGMAFIA, Cardo, others
Young Florida rapper, Denzel Curry, is primarily known for his energetic, rah-rah style raps much like most of today's generation of rappers. His infectious energy has bled over with occasional glimpses of transparency and honesty with dope albums such as his debut, Imperial, his collab with producer Kenny Beats Unlocked, Zuu, and especially his breakout album, TA1313OO. Psychedelic mixed with energetic trap is mostly the sound of young Curry. He wanted to mix it up a bit in 2022 and the resulting album, Melt My Eyez, See Your Future, is an effort most didn't see coming. Transparent, vulnerable, and self-aware, this album really has him expanding his artistry lyrically and musically. Aiming for more of an overall jazzy sound and lush arrangements within the production, Denzel goes full grown man with this album that also reflects his maturation as an artist. From the jump, he has Grammy Award-winning jazz composer/producer Robert Glaspar for the opener, "Melt Session #1" and we can already have a sense of the musical and lyrical direction he's trying to go towards. While other cuts like "Walking", "John Wayne", and T-Pain assisted "Troubles" don't stray far from his typical style and sound of rap, it's other cuts like the Saul Williams, Bridget Perez assisted "Mental", "The Worst", and "Angels" that are beautifully put together and so honest with his thoughts on these cuts that it almost sounds like a new beginning for Mr. Curry. Denzel Curry has made a career album with Melt My Eyez, See Your Future, and quite truthfully stands as his most ambitious work to date in every capacity.
5. Nas
King's Disease III
Production: Hit-Boy
Guests: N/A
As if this man needs an introduction. Nasir Jones has done it again folks. Like a fine wine, Nas gets better with age seemingly. The man that made the greatest rap album of existence in Illmatic makes it look easy nowadays. These last few years, since 2020 especially, has seen a career resurgence like we've never seen before for someone near fifty years of age. After the intriguing, yet admittedly very rushed, letdown that was the Kanye-crafted Nasir, he linked up with (at that time) Grammy nominated producer Hit-Boy to deliver 2020's King's Disease, and the album was a very promising return to the Nas of at least the Life Is Good days with overall very dope production. From there, he dropped the near-classic sequel King's Disease II in 2021 and was lyrically fully recharged and focus as we've heard from him in years over some of the best Hit-Boy production to date, only to follow that up with a surprise album around the holidays with Magic that was more stripped down but was equally as crazy. It was clear Nas was back and back with a vengeance. After winning the Grammy for King's Disease, both Nas and Hit-Boy absolutely knew they were on to something special. After KD2 and Magic, the anticipation was on for KD3, and guess what folks? They delivered in grand fashion. Nas and Hit-B oy presented King's Disease III in perhaps the most varied production of the series plus Magic. The always wise and painfully intelligent emcee spits like he's in his twenties again and damn near for the fun of it. Hit-Boy's sounds vary from slightly trap-esque sounds to boom-bap to west coast synths to soulful slickness, and Nasir sounds incredible over all of them. Take for instance his NASTY sampling of The Five Heartbeats "A Heart Is A House For Love" with Eddie King Jr squalling and put a snappy drum lick underneath (YES GOD!). Nas fit that production like hand-in-glove. Picture this all over the album. Nas has always been arguably the most gifted emcee of his or any generation, but KD3 reminds us that he hasn't let up one single bit, in fact, he's more dangerous than ever before as he's a ton more mature, a ton more wise, and a ton more sharp. Along with Hit-Boy, they may be the best emcee-producer pairing in all of hip-hop today.
4. Kendrick Lamar
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Production: artist, DJ Dahi, Black Noi$e, Sounwave, Bekon, Boi-1nda, The Alchemist, Pharrell Williams, DJ Khalyl, FnZ, others
Guests: Baby Keem, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah, BLXST, Sampha, Kodak Black, others
If there's one thing we can say about Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, it's that the Compton emcee is among the most gifted emcees with a pen possibly ever. His unique insight on the world and his own life is both courageous and engaging. From his excellent Section.80 mixtape to his major label debut, the unforgettable good kid, M.A.A.D. City, its follow-up, the breathtaking and jarring To Pimp A Butterfly, the phenomenal Untitled. Unmastered to the massive DAMN, Kendrick has been that reluctant star that's a generational talent. Anytime we hear of a full project from him on the way, the world pays very close attention. After five years since DAMN got released to the masses, he finally drops Mr. Morale & The High Steppers. This twenty track double release is a roller coaster of emotions more than any album he's done. Dealing with subjects like depression, anxiety, confronting trauma, and his own complexity, Kendrick has clearly gone through it on this effort. From the moment we get into the opener, "United In Grief", we are on a ride. With enjoyable cuts like "Die Hard", "Rich Spirit", and "Crown" that are dope bumpers in themselves, there are far other cuts that exhibit the stunning nature of his brilliant concepts combined with spitting his own type of diary on the mic. The cut, "We Cry Together" with actress Taylour Paige is startling. A depiction of an extremely toxic relationship that reaches cringy status but is reflective of so many relationships within our community behind closed doors. Also cuts like "Auntie Diaries" and "Mother I Sober" tackle homosexuality, homophobia, family secrets and how family tends to deal with all their issues in such sad and poisonous ways. These ways and these images helped shape Kendrick to the man he would end up becoming and prompting brutal self examinations within himself. Production is mostly soulful, occasionally jazzy, but with elements of trap, 808 synth, and funk, which Kendrick does amazingly well. His need to be a better partner to his woman (who does a great job narrating a portion of the album) and to his family has him tackling these hard truths. The acceptance of his flaws and faults is exhibited on the great cut "Savior", while other cuts like the engrossing "Count Me Out" sees him reaching into his confessional, yet proud, bag for anyone who doubts him in life. Kendrick's newest epic is definitely his most ambitious, but also is most intriguing. For Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, Kendrick is showing us what's in his raw, unfiltered mirror and although it's not for the faint of heart at times, from a concept level or a lyrical level, it's his most brave attempt at stripping everything down to where he's "nobody's savior", but he's as human as everyone else.
3. JID
The Forever Story
Production: Monte Booker, DJ Dahi, Thundercat, Khrysis, Childish Major, Cardiak, DJ Khalyl, KAYTRANADA, Hollywood Cole, Christo, BADBADNOTGOOD, Elite, others
Guests: Ari Lennox, Kenny Mason, Lil Wayne, 21 Savage, Baby Tate, Johnta Austin, EARTHGANG, Lil Durk, Yasiin Bey, others
Atlanta's JID is skilled. Very highly damn skilled. From his writing to his rapid-fire delivery, JID is arguably the most talented emcee on the roster of Dreamville who's name isn't Jermaine Cole. His debut album, The Never Story, was a very dope inkling into what we would be in for, and DiCaprio 2, was every bit as great and further displayed his ability to keep us in tune just thanks to his penmanship. With more and more people tuning in to JID and catching on to his burgeoning stardom. He went for the gusto with his 2022 offering, The Forever Story. A subsequent extension of The Never Story, this album is on another level. While slightly more in-depth and introspective, he still boasts a great deal of how he belongs in this game and brings humor, wit, honesty, and pride over some of the most ambitious, yet bumping, production of his career courtesy of the likes of Dahi, Monte Christo, Khrysis, and others that has him comfortably handling his business in styles ranging from melodic to rapid-fire to even him letting out some crooning vocals on the cut "Sistanem". Family is a big part of what makes up the man behind JID, and cuts like the aforementioned "Sistanem", Bruddanem", and "Kody Blu 31" are very reflecting of it. More vulnerable and personal than on albums past, he lets us in while being fearless about doing so. Other cuts like the surprising yet hot collab with Yasiin Bey, "Starz", the funky collab with labelmates EARTHGANG, "Can't Punk Me", and the sizzling "Raydar" are more examples of how JID is not only an excellent visionary, but how versatile of an artist and lyricist he can be. JID's ambition on The Forever Story is telling for the future, and shows how far he can go as an artist. As incredible as this album is, he's till scratching the surface on how amazing he's GONNA be.
2. Black Thought & Danger Mouse
Cheat Codes
Production: Danger Mouse
Guests: Conway The Machine, Raekwon, Joey Badass, Russ, MF DOOM, A$AP Rocky, Run The Jewels, Kid Sister, others
Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, is seen as one of the most technical emcees on the planet. The longtime lead emcee of The Roots has been revered from everything from his penmanship and delivery to his his breath control on the mic, which is an underrated and underappreciated skill to have. Thought has never been known to not perfectly glide over a beat and make the cut shine instead of the track shining for him. Over the past few years, the Philly rhyme animal has been collaborating with producers such as 9th Wonder, Sean C & LV, and Salaam Remi for his dumb dope Streams Of Thought series. While we wait on the next Roots album in 2023, we were blessed with an album that had reportedly been a long time in the making and release. He got together with Grammy Award winning producer and half of Gnarls Barkley, Danger Mouse, to bring forth Cheat Codes. For the unaware or sleeping, Danger Mouse is a producer that has worked with the likes of artists ranging from Beck to Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Gorillaz to A$AP Rocky and the late, great MF DOOM for the simply tremendous, The Mouse & The Mask. In fact it's his first hip-hop album since '05 with the aforementioned Mouse & The Mask. Black Thought is a scientist over this eclectic, yet exquisite, production from Mouse. He technically constructs his lyricism to Mouse's varied sounds of 70s psychedelic, 80s synth, dusty drums, and moody production. Nothing extremely conceptual here, just Thought blazing cuts like "Sometimes", the title track, and "No Gold Teeth" and even with cohorts on this album such as Run The Jewels (can we please get an RTJ/Danger Mouse collab album PLEASE?), Conway The Machine, A$AP Rocky and Raekwon, he stands ten toes in with them to where he still reminds them who owns the track, in spite of great lyrical performances by each of the prior mentioned and more. There's even a cut that features a posthumous verse from MF DOOM as DangerDoom reunited on the dazzling "Belize" and the thought of BT and DOOM as a duo brings shivers and brings to mind "What would've happened if they would've done a whole project together?" The occasionally spooky, moody, dusty, psych production mixed with crispy drums and organ sounds of Mouse are the muse for Black Thought's intrinsic lyricism to produce a phenomenal album in Cheat Codes. This is hip-hop that belongs for both the purist and curious of the culture that extends beyond the current trends we see today.
1. Conway The Machine
God Don't Make Mistakes
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist, Hit-Boy, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Beat Butcha, Bink!, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, T.I. Novel, Jill Scott, Beanie Sigel, 7xvedagenius, Jae Skeeze, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, others
While Griselda has clearly had another stellar year of releases (see earlier for Benny, Armani, Rome, and Gunn), there was one effort that was the true standout above every other Griselda effort, and that distinction goes to Conway The Machine. The forty year old Buffalo native has progressively earned more and more of a following. Since his breakout mixtape, Reject 2, Conway has been on more and more radars. With other projects such as The Blakk Tape, Look What I've Become, Reject On Steroids, and the most recent full-length From King To A God, Conway has not only been evolving as a lyricist, but also as an overall artist. He finally hits his zenith with his Griselda/Shady 2022 offering, God Don't Make Mistakes. He promised this would be his best album, and boy does he live up to this statement. While still incorporating his threatening guntalk on cuts like the Beanie Sigel-assisted "Lock N Load", the obligatory WSG/Benny/Conway cut "John Woo Flick", and the very eerie Alchemist-blessed "Piano Love", it's the more introspective moments that are truly the calling card here. On the cut, "Stress", this cut is jarring just in terms of how in detail he goes of what causes his depression and how he deals with it all. Raw and very honest, Conway exposes his mind and heart in a manner that anyone could likely relate to. Similarly on "Guilty", he goes in just as honestly and with the melancholy title track, he goes into the day he got shot and nearly killed in what some have referred to as "The Cow Pt. 2", which is a cut on Gunn's Hitler Wears Hermes 4 and what was called the verse of his career and rightfully so. The frankness and emotion in this cut is wrenching, especially when his mother makes an appearance at the end of the cut. Other cuts such as the T.I.-assisted, Hit-Boy constructed "Wild Chapters", the surprising Jill Scott collaboration (she spits here y'all) "Chanel Pearls", and the damn menacing "Drumwork" featuring his artists 7XVETHEGENIUS and Jae Skeeze are all indicative of Conway's mixture of gunpowder and tears on this exceptional album. The most complete and defining album of his career, Conway has finally arrived with God Don't Make Mistakes and has this generational album to show for it.
Honorable Mentions
Conway The Machine & Big Ghost LTD- What Has Been Blessed Can't Be Cursed
Kool G. Rap- Last Of A Dying Breed
redveil- Learn 2 Swim
Black Soprano Family- Long Live DJ Shay
Czarface- Czarmageddon
Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim- Dollar Menu 4
Che Noir- Food For Thought
DJ Muggs & Jay Worthy- What They Hittin' 4?
Flee Lord- Prey For The Evil 3
RJ Payne & Stu Bangas- My Life Iz A Movie
RJ Payne- Beautiful Payne 4
RJ Payne- If Cocaine Could Talk 7
Ransom- No Rest For The Wicked
Nicholas Craven- Craven N3
V-DON- Better Than $$$
38 Spesh- 7 Shots
38 Spesh & Harry Fraud- Beyond Belief
RZA as Bobby Digital- Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu
Tha God Fahim & Your Old Droog- Wolf Of Wall Street 2: The American Dream
Jay Worthy & Harry Fraud- You Take The Credit, We'll Take The Check
Your Old Droog- YOD Stewart
Your Old Droog- The Shining
Your Old Droog- YODney Dangerfield
Your Old Droog- The YODfather
Smootvth & Machacha- Subcriminal Thoughts
AJ Suede & Televengel- Metatron's Cube
Elzhi & Georgia Anne Maldrow- Zhigeist
Tha God Fahim- 6 Ring Champ
IAMGAWD- Murder Castle
Elcamino & Camouflage Monk- Walk By Faith, Not By Sight
Prodigy- The Hegelian Dialectic: The Book Of Heroine
Jermiside- The Overview Effect
ELUCID- I Told Bessie
Nyce Da Future & Eto- Forever Mobbin
Apathy & Stu Bangas- King Of God, No Second
Open Mike Eagle- Component System With The Auto Reverse
MAVI- Laughing So Hard It Hurts
Marlowe- Marlowe 3
Sadistik & Kno- Bring Me Back When The World Is Cured
Boldy James & Futurewave- Mr. Ten08
Boldy James & Real Bad Man- Killing Nothing
Bun B & Statik Selektah- TrillStatik 2
Jeezy & DJ Drama- Snofall
Coast Contra- Apt. 505
Bloodmoney Perez & Messiah Muzik- Second Hand Accounts
ShrapKnel- Metal Lung
Vinnie Paz- Tortured In The Name of God's Unconditional Love
Tha Musalini & 9th Wonder- The Don & Eye
Tha Musalini & Khrysis- Pure IZM
Hus Kingpin; Bjorkingpin
Bun B & Cory Mo- Mo Trill
Termanology & Statik Selektah- Start 2 Finish
Rapper Big Pooh- To Dream In Color
MIKE- Beware Of The Monkey
Duke Deuce- Memphis Massacre 2
As a bonus, I've decided to include twenty of the best cuts of 2022. Whether singles or non-album cuts, these are cuts that, if you haven't peeped them already, you need to do so ASAP. Here we go...in no particular order!
1. Conway The Machine- "Stress" (production: Daringer)
2. Benny The Butcher feat. 38 Spesh- "Uncle Bun" (production: The Alchemist)
3. Nas- "Legit" (production: Hit-Boy)
4. Little Simz- "Broken" (Production: Inflo)
5. Westside Gunn feat. Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon- "Science Class" (production: Swizz Beats)
6. Curren$y & The Alchemist- "Kool & The Gang" (production: The Alchemist)
7. Earl Sweatshirt- "Old Friend" (production: The Alchemist)
8. Prodigy- "Walk Out" (production: DJ Premier)
9. Denzel Curry feat. Bridget Perez, Saul Williams- "Mental" (production: J Gramm & Mike Hector)
10. Benny The Butcher feat. Diddy- "Ten More Crack Commandments" (production: Daringer)
11. Joey Bada$$- "Survivor's Guilt" (production: Rahki)
12. Che Noir feat. 38 Spesh, Ransom- "Table For 3" (production: artist)
13. Conway The Machine- "God Don't Make Mistakes" (production: The Alchemist)
14. Armani Ceaser feat. Westside Gunn- "Paula Deen" (production: Camouflage Monk)
15. Rome Streetz- "Long Story Short" (production: The Alchemist)
16. Lupe Fiasco- "Ms. Mural" (production: Soundtrakk)
17. Quelle Chris feat. MoRuf, Pink Siifu- "The Sky Is Blue Because The Sunset Is Red" (production: artist & Knxwledge)
18. Vince Staples- "WHEN SPARKS FLY" (production: Frano)
19. Kendrick Lamar- "Count Me Out" (production: artist, Sounwave, & DJ Dahi)
20. billy woods & Preservation- "Remorseless" (production: Preservation)
As you can see (and hear), 2022 was one of the best years within past several. Incredible releases from several artists, and don't get it fooled, there were plenty of others that dropped excellent material that deserve to get heard. As for 2023, efforts from Skyzoo, Schoolboy Q, Rapsody, Che Noir, J. Cole, Oddisee, Meyhem Lauren, Curren$y and NUMEROUS projects from Boldy James leave plenty of room for 2023 to be every bit as flames as 2022 has been. Keep your ears to the streets and your eyes on the right sites to stay up to date on the latest and upcoming releases. Until next year folks!
