cursedcandyroses

[cursedcandyroses]

CURSED CANDY ROSES PRESENTS: The 50 Best Projects Of 2018

     The final arc, the end of an era, and to be honest no one really cares including me. Tumblr is ending slowly but surely as am I with these year end long form explanations. Over the past three years I’ve done everything I can to keep up with the pulse of contemporary music, sifting through literally hundreds of projects a year to find the best 50 and change. This year I wanted to write on a hundred albums and maybe still might. But as the turnover rate of records hits astronomical rates I grow more and more tired of the same sounds. I started writing on another discarded Tumblr somewhere in retrospect about the early days of Odd Future, the greatness of “Blue Chips”, and my first piece is floating in the ethos about Mac Miller from years and years ago. Hip-Hop is in a territory of honestly insane acclaim with fortune to boot and I’ve never been happier with it. But pitting each album against each other and trying to choose who is objectively better while also working in other genres is tiring, even more so when a great album comes out every week. So this is the end. I’ll always write even if no one is watching because this medium of art (the music) is more important to me then any physical thing in this flaming Titanic of a world. More words on big picture ideas than individual albums is the goal for the time being, even with a broken laptop and library access as the only outlets for these words. Thanks for those who came to this looking for insight and discovery more than quick reactions to things like “Testing” being ranked higher than “Daytona” or my lauding of Noname and Kali Uchis as the futures of sound. This idea of a big EOY list was inspired by years of eye rolls at Complex and Rolling Stone, and the sighs of articles about people going above and beyond to bash over uplift. I created this page to point out connections between acts, and talk good rap over anything. All in all I hope you enjoy, and tell a friend about something you love today.

     With streaming being gamed by artists more and more every year, the ability to release multiple albums a year is easier then ever. So to make it so Roc Marciano isn’t on this list 3 times (because honestly he could have been), only one release will be shown per artist, unless they are in a group of multiple vocalists. Example: Royce made it on here for “Book Of Ryan” and not “PRhyme 2″ because PRhyme is a group with Royce as the only vocalist, where as Milo shows up on the 50 List for his solo record, and in the honorable mentions for his collab record with NY rapper Elucid. Also every year there’s an honorable mentions list of 9 records, but since it’s the last year, 19 will work just as well. 

66. Onyx Collective - Lower East Suite Pt. 3

65. Daedelus - Taut

64. Kasey Musgraves - Golden Hour

63. Sahbabii - Squidtastic

62. Chester Watson - Project 0

61. PNTHN - Potluck

60. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

59. RetcH - After The Verdict

58. Jerry Paper - Like A Baby

57. Kooley High - Never Come Down

56. Mac Ayers - Something To Feel

55. Nostrum Grocers - Nostrum Grocers

54. Valee - G.O.O.D. Job, You Found Me

53. Pusha T - Daytona

52. Jorja Smith - Lost & Found

51. Buddy - Harlan & Alondra

50. Phonte - No News Is Good News

Released: March 2nd via Foreign Exchange Records

Genre: Hip-Hop / R&B

With only his second solo album in a career spanning two decades with raps that give a perspective of someone old enough to understand his elders pitfalls and young enough to change himself for the better. Made for people with shit to do but need a wake up call, Tigallo paints an every man reality in the time it takes to get an oil change like the many he’s been famous for painting before. “Expensive Genes” and “Cry No More” are his best showings in years with the latter of this 2 song suite touching on how poor health habits took his father to soon, and keeps his mother and himself in the crosshairs. In hip-hops short lifespan we’re just now getting to see rappers with grey hair keep up with the times, which is easy for Phonte considering everything he’s done to create today’s sound.

Best Tracks: “Expensive Genes” & “Cry No More”

49. Patrick Paige II - Letters Of Irrelevance

Released: May 18th via Empire Records & Patrick Paige 29 LLC

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop / Jazz / R&B

Southern California has been a space of inspiration for artists spanning all forms of music, but for Patrick Paige it’s just another space for him to exist and live with his own thoughts. His time being a wallflower with the most exciting band in music has given Paige time to simmer and absorb the world around him. The record doesn’t come out swinging with G-Funk grooves and party ready bangers, rather a rendition of “Silent Night” and muted raps dedicated to his sister.  His confessional verses bring a safe feeling in the jazz and based album that has guest spots from fellow bass god Thundercat, band mate Syd, and southern rapper Kari Faux. Most of the record Patrick floats into his comfort zone, a musician aiming to create great songs more than create the next great star.

Best Tracks: “The Best Policy” & “Heart And Soul (Interlude)”

48. Open Mike Eagle - What Happens When I Try To Relax

Released: October 19th via Auto Reverse Records

Genre: Indie Rap

A veteran among the underground rap scene, Open Mike Eagle has done everything. Last year's spellbinding “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream” was a concept record dedicated to his childhood housing projects, and every record before it were breadcrumbs leading to this art rap masterwork. Now looking to be fully independent, Mike goes back to his bread and butter of records that are song based over idea based. Relationships with ghosts, accidentally joining a gang (maybe?), and fitting into casual conversations in casual places presented from the scope of the over thinking outcast who now has a voice that carries weight. The heaviest line coming by way of “Southside Eagle (‘93 Bulls)”, a woeful puddle of shameful self-reflection, on the first verse. “Trying to reach the black kids in a room full of whites” isn’t just a well placed bar, it’s the last piece of the puzzle Mike Eagle and his peer group is struggling to figure out. They rap at high levels, their beats are diverse yet distinct, and the content covers every sector of life.  Attempting to show new ways to do simple things in rap and within the business of rap is the next, and final stone to turn for Mike, and his self-funded release is a step towards solving that equation.

Best Track: “Southside Eagle (’93 Bulls)”

47. Nao - Saturn

Released: October 26th via RCA Records

Genre: R&B / Dance / Pop

In astrology every orbit of Saturn around the Earth, a person is born again. “Another Lifetime” is the mission statement for the next orbit around the world Nao plans on making the most of. The core of everything in this LP is about forgiveness of her past relationships, and an eager vision on what the future ones hold. Her voice soothes the way an old Kanye sample does, high pitched and piercing, but surrounded in a relieving love. Still looking to find her signature sound to couple with her recognizable vocals, she heads in the right direction with futuristic pop and R&B progressions. Along her path of self-discovery she lean forward on a high tempo record with SiR, and a Daniel Caesar penned track reminiscent of his biggest hits, reclaiming them as her own. Nao believes and sings like a woman inspired, with her new life written by, and among, the stars.

Best Tracks: “Make It Out Alive” & “Love Supreme”

46. Vince Staples - FM!

Released: November 2nd via Def Jam Recordings

Genre: West Coast Hip-Hop

A few weeks ago I wrote something great about this album, a not so great Miami trip, but with a very good reason which was to see Vince and Tyler The Creator live. Here’s a link to it, because trying to condense it for the purpose of this list would be unfair to this album and everything great Vince has done. Read here.

Best Tracks: “Run The Bands” & “Tweakin”

45. JPEGMAFIA - Veteran

Released: January 19th via Deathbomb Arc

Genre: Experimental Hip-Hop / Industrial

A life of bouncing around between New York, Alabama, across the ocean to Japan and Iraq, just to take roost in the rebellious melting pot that is Baltimore has shaped JPEGMAFIA into hip-hops critical darling. His sentiments against the government and Morrissey that are thrown around across the album carry the weight and diction of a sentient Reddit thread. Full of high pitch distortion you’ll only hear in a chop shop sit side by side with cryptic samples from Ol Dirty Bastard and superhero movies. “Veteran” sounds like a 3am trip down a Youtube hole of every rap act with an online cult fan base over the past decade with a hardcore punk twist. Not a direct child of any one act in rap or otherwise, and that alone puts him with rare characters. The shadow of other online outcasts turned stars like Danny Brown and Lil Ugly Mane is cast, but instead of being fully engulfed, Peggy screams his way into the conversation as an equal to these acts.

Best Tracks: “1539 N. Calvert” & “Baby I’m Bleeding”

Sounds Like: clipping.’s “Midcity”

44. 03 Greedo - God Level

Released: June 27th via Alamo Records

Genre: West Coast Hip-Hop

03 Greedo is more than just a rapper. A West Coast cult hero, now facing two decades locked away for drugs charges, with the ability to throw out 30 song projects worth every minute of air time isn’t something the internet churns up everyday. More Young Thug than West Coast kings like E-40 or Snoop, Greedo floated into the limelight with “street R&B” projects and Bay Area twists on southern trap sounds. Before jail stalled out this meteoric rise from the streets of LA, where he roamed homeless, Greedo was just hitting his stride. Working with Kenny Beats, ChaseTheMoney and, OXDB, as much as leaning on his own beats, was leading Greedo into uncharted territory. It’s impossible to explain what truthfulness sounds like on record. You can tell who is giving themselves in full versus who is trying to create a persona of something they want to be within the first few bars of a record. 03 is the gold standard of what truth sounds like in rap in 2018. An autobiography into his last weeks of freedom gives peaks into his past life that lead him here, and the fears about the next chapter of his life. Whatever is to come, whether it’s any configuration of the 2000 songs Greedo turned into the label, or his actual release on account of good behavior, we’ll be waiting on it.

Best Tracks: “Bacc To Jail” & “In My Feelings”

Sounds Like: Young Thug’s “Slime Season 2″

43. Trouble & Mike Will Made-It - Edgewood

Released: March 23rd via Interscope Records, EarDrummers Entertainment & Duct Tape Ent.

Genre: Street Rap / Trap

Real is rare in life or in rap, and with that in mind Trouble finds his niche. Bouncing in and out of prison, with another sentence approaching, the Atlanta street king makes use of his time. Guided by one of raps most talented producers, Trouble channels the unforgiving street life into music form. Not focused on telling stories or giving lectures, his sparse bars are mission statements on how to survive, and how to spend the time when things are OK. Mike Will’s ability to break the norm and experiment within typically trap sounds has always been underrated, just listening to the Drake assisted “Bring It Back” shows something that should never work. An awkward mixture of time signatures would be impossible for most, but Trouble isn’t held down by traditional rap rules. A man of the streets first and rapper second is what lead him to such an interesting lane in music, and it’s the one thing holding him back from being raps next big star from it’s most powerful city.

Best Tracks: “Come Thru” & “Knock It Down”

42. Payroll Giovanni & Cardo - Big Bossin’ Vol. 2

Released: January 26th via Def Jam Recordings

Genre: Hip-Hop

At the time if writing this Detroit is checking in at a crisp 27 degrees and St. Paul Minnesota at a nice 20 degrees. How Payroll Giovanni and Cardo make the perfect summer music is beyond me, but from January to today “Big Bossin’ Vol. 2”, the third in the series, is still in rotation in my car during the Florida heat that never seems to pass. Payroll’s hustler mentality translates on record seamlessly, giving nothing but game to people working to get like him. While Payroll motivates, Cardo orchestrates. The super producer has had his best commercial year to date started with the release of this record, but has only gotten better behind Drake’s “God’s Plan” and Kendrick’s “Big Shot”. His versatility to blend his go to trap style with G-Funk fits like a custom set of Cartier’s with Payroll’s vivid street tales.

Best Tracks: “5’s & 6’s” & “10 Years One Summer”

Sounds Like: DJ Quik’s “Safe & Sound”

41. Flatbush Zombies - Vacation In Hell

Released: April 6th via Glorious Dead Recordings

Genre: Hip-Hop

For yourself, or for the world? A question that goes much deeper then chord progressions and drum patterns, but still seeps it’s way into every artists path. The crossroads of making songs you want to make versus the songs for the masses has never mattered to Flatbush Zombies. On this latest record Meech, Juice, and Eric find a way to put the two sides together seamlessly. With more tracks that could fit in side by side with their contemporaries with “Vacation”, “Chunky” and “M. Bison” they still add their own signature twist with bars dedicated to drugs, questioning of American power structures, and their disdain with these said contemporaries. As the record progresses the shimmering party vibe comes in waves with moments of reflection on the path that took the crew to paradise. Meech pours his heart into a dedication for the late A$AP Yams, Zombie Juice opens up about the effect of his mother’s passing, while Eric throws his soul into the live instrumentation that guides their journey. Rarely does a group fire on all cylinders at the same time, and somehow over 70 minutes of airtime every verse projects an energy like it could be there last.

Best Tracks: “The Glory” & “YouAreMySunshine”

40. Brockhampton - Iridescence

Released: September 21st via RCA Records & Question Everything

Genre: Experimental Hip-Hop

Stripped down sonics are the status quo for emotionally raw records. Brockhampton though has never been a group focused on falling in line. Hip-hop’s first self proclaimed boy band has broken barriers time and again over their short career, with their newest record being their most abrasive to date. Swaying back and forth between soothing avant-garde string sections, punk rap aggression, and tracks of raw vocal distortion. Each member has grown into themselves since last years trilogy of albums, becoming more at one with themselves and each other. Centered around the ideas of self hatred and internal battles to survive within oneself isn’t a new idea, but for it to be presented as if the listener is being caught in the crossfire is one. Joba and Dom McLennon lead the charge with the most air time, using their moments in the front of the pack to provide the most impactful performances of the groups budding reign in rap.

Best Tracks: “Weight” & “Tape”

39. Royce Da 5’9 - Book Of Ryan

Released: May 4th via eOne Music & Heaven Studios

Genre: Hip-Hop

“Book Of Ryan” is more the what created the person and artists that is Detroit’s Royce Da 5’9, it works like most biblical chapters, a story that questions what our morals are and how we should live our lives. Every track is essential, even the clunky wanna-be anthem “Summer On Lock”, in that they show a piece of the MC we know and love. His feelings on his own addiction, family, and mental health flow seamlessly through every song. Meshing together the shortcomings of his father and how it lead to his son needing a school assignment to finally know his own dad on it’s own is a triumph, but bleeding in how his family’s pain lead to Royce’s brother being a cautionary tale vaults the album in to special territory. As the album closes you feel hope for 5’9, seeing where he came from makes this bright chapter of his life the first of many.

Best Tracks: “Boblo Boat” and “Power”

38. Gunna - Drip Season 3

Released: February 2nd via YSL Records

Genre: Hip-Hop / Trap

In what has been a breakout year for him and constant collaborator Lil Baby, Gunna has made a name for himself built off the back of a solid mixtape catalogue, including his crown jewel “Drip Season 3”, the embodiment of the 2018 Atlanta scene. The lineage of Atlanta trap stars runs strong through Gunna, with Thug and Hoodrich Pablo Juan being the source material to his own style. His autotune drenched run on flow slips between Metro Boomin and Richie Soufs ethereal beats perfectly, and works in sync with every act featured on the project. Lil Durk and him speak about the woes of fame (“Lies About You”), while Lil Uzi Vert and Young Jordan assist on the after party anthem “At The Hotel”. Gunna’s versatility has separated him from his contemporaries, and helped widen his reach across music, being featured on records with everyone from Amine to Mariah Carey. Every 12 months Atlanta churns out a new batch of ready made stars, with Gunna being the valedictorian of his class.

Best Tracks: “Top Off” & “Car Sick”

37. Maxo Kream - Punken

Released: January 12th via Kream Clicc & TSO

Genre: Hip-Hop / Trap

A statement album can come a few times in an artist’s life, but with every release since “Maxo 187” the Texas born trap star has made statements with his projects. The way Young Thug is acclaimed (though rightfully so) by people who pride themselves on indie music and Pitchfork subscriptions, Maxo receives this same acclaim from elder statesmen who think mumble rap is an accurate term for raps trap based upstarts. The first great record to be released this year Maxo Kream followed a tumultuous few years were prison time almost ended his career, and a hurricane nearly wiped out his family in Houston. Through these troubles Maxo has found solace in creating auto-biographical tracks like “Grannies” and “Work” while still fitting in hard street records that fit in any gym playlist. One of the last rappers following the blueprint TI and Young Jeezy laid out in the early 2000′s, Maxo creates his own street mythology by opening up and being unapologetically himself.

Best Tracks: “Roaches” & “Beyonce (Interlude)”

36. Freddie Gibbs, Curren$y & The Alchemist - Fetti

Released: October 31st via Empire Records, ESGN, Jet Life Recordings & ALC

Genre: Hip-Hop

Circling the rumor mills and hip-hop blogs for months upon months, it’s finally come to light. Curren$y, the most prolific rapper sans-Guwop, Freddie Gibbs, the most versatile working rapper, and The Alchemist, arguably the best active beat maker in hip-hop, have collabed together and separately for years. Dating back to when Curren$y and Alc added Freddie onto their classic “Covert Coup” project on “Socttie Pippens” the idea was born for a full tape. Going back and forth over the 9 track project in an attempt to out-kingpin the other, Gibbs delivers his best rapping since a fallacy based European imprisonment, with an inspired Spitta coming in to bat cleanup. No coke covered stone is left unturned as the co-conspirators live fast and get away faster with a backdrop full of dusty soul loops that would make RZA blush. Forced collab projects have luckily slowed the past 12 months, with a gem such as this being the lone few to hit the masses.

Best Tracks: “The Blow” & “Willie Lloyd”

35. 6lack - East Atlanta Love Letter

Released: September 14th via Interscope Records & LoveRenaissance

Genre: Trap Soul

6lack follows up his breakout debut album with an album length ode to the city he grew up in, and eventually became a star in. On his sophomore LP, the songs mesh as a soundtrack to a poorly lit corner of the strip club, where the drinks and women are used to numb the fresh heartbreak at hand. Expounding and refining his trap inspired R&B croons, 6lack uses his sophomore effort to work out the rough patches of his relationship. Between striving to grow as an artist, the goal is to grow as a man and father, with being the perfect lover for someone else as the biggest test. His own insecurities lead to both sides coming up short on the J. Cole assisted “Pretty Little Fears”, eventually ending things painfully on “Disconnect”. All hope isn’t lost for love though. On the closing track “Stan” he expresses how for him, love is sacrifice and all he wants is the same in return.

Best Tracks: “East Atlanta Love Letter” & “Disconnect”

34. Chris Crack - Just Gimme A Minute

Released: Self-Released November 11th

Genre: Psychedelic Hip-Hop

Chris Crack is pushing everything we know and care about in rap off a fucking bridge. Dropping projects every few months filled with song titles that double as fortune cookies phrases and songs indebted to the outlandish day-in-a-life style Cam’ron and 2 Chainz have perfected this century. The mini-album / EP / whateverthefuck-you-want-to-call-it trend that’s picked up steam over the past 12 months has hit hyper speed with Chris joining the minute-ish long song wave popularized (but not invented) by Tierra Whack earlier this year. Within this format Chris has created his best project to date, allowing crooning that should never leave the safety of your shower over samples that may or may not be credited properly to mesh together with top notch rapping. Staking a claim as raps ultimate love struck slacker, Chris does more in 27 minutes then his contemporaries could do in 2 hours.

Best Tracks: “Turning Down Pussy Builds Character” & “Masturbate Before Making Decisions”

Sounds Like: Quasimoto “The Unseen”

33. J. Cole - K.O.D.

Released: April 20th via Interscope Records, Roc Nation & Dreamville Records

Genre: Hip-Hop / Conscious Hip-Hop

“Fuck J. Cole”. A statement, a mind state, and a preconceived notion all wrapped into a few words. Assumptions on who J. Cole is as a person are easy to make, he has purposely spent time out of the limelight and while doing so somehow became even more popular. Thousands of records and concert tickets have been sold, but in the back of Cole’s mind all he wants is to understand why “Fuck J. Cole” is such a go-to phrase at shows and within internet conversations. Taking the time to talk with today’s headlining class seems like a publicity stunt, but why would a borderline hermit want more attention? On and off record the North Carolina superstar tries to understand and provide a view into the youth culture that he once blew up from, but he’s now outgrown. Youthful woes about addiction, internet infatuation, and government skepticism over hi-hats rarely seen in Jermaine’s earlier work help to mold a time capsule of the pain and sound of 2018. College dorms and first cars were homes to burned CD’s filled with Cole’s Datpiff mixtapes and loose MP3′s a decade ago, and with the future in mind, Cole aims to keep this tradition alive.

Best Tracks: “Brackets” & “Friends”

Sounds Like: Ab-Soul’s “These Days…”

32. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Sex & Food

Released: April 6th via Jagjaguwar

Genre: Psychedelia / Funk

Sex and food are the fundamentals of all Earths animals, and humans are not excluded from this fact. Our most basic thoughts revolve around these ideals, with greed and self-destruction sitting just a few rows back. The Ruban Nielson lead rock experiment has spanned every genre across it’s near decade long existence, and for this adventure they look to the darkest timeline. Every record is more saddening then the last, as the lyrics look deeper and deeper into the character flaws that run true between all people, most prevalent through those of great power. “Chronos Feasts On His Children” is a metaphor for older generations attempt to keep power in their own hands, no matter how poorly suited they are. This is the soundtrack to our dystopian future, that as time passes seems more and more a reality.

Best Tracks: “How Many Zeros” & “Ministry Of Alienation”

31. MC Paul Barman - (((echo chamber)))

Released: May 18th via Mello Music Group

Genre: Art Rap

Chewed up and spat back out by fans and critics alike over a decade ago, Paul Barman looks to reclaim the time he was robbed of in the past years. The past decade has treated Barman well, with a growing family and role as a professor at the Bank Street College Of Education in New York City, but even in time away he looks to drum loops from MF DOOM and Questlove to release his thoughts. Takes on the failures of previous generations, classicism, and religion are shot out at a million words per minute, rapping like it’s a race to finish reading a textbook out loud that he wrote. Among these newspaper opinion think piece adjacent topics Paul aims to give insight on his own ancestry and race on the albums thesis statement “Youngman Speaks On Race”. Coming off less awkward and cringe worthy then a Macklemore track of the same topic does, this version still has those moments scattered throughout. His high brow word salad style of rapping about the miscues of society is easy to hate the way Vampire Weekend once was, but like the Ezra Koening led band, more time with the music shows it’s not intentional nose raising, rather it’s just a viewpoint we aren’t accustomed to being used for good yet.

Best Tracks: “Happy Holidays” & “Believe That”

30. A$AP Rocky - Testing

Released: May 25th via RCA Records, Polo Grounds Music & A$AP Worldwide

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

In an attempt to test sounds that lie outside the realm of hip-hops scope, the A$AP Mob leader in turn created just what he aimed for, one of the most divisive rap records in recent memory. Falling flat in terms of creating an overall experimental rap record, the textures and combination of features Rocky and his sprawling production team headed by Hector Delgado were some never seen before that only an artist of his stature could call together. FKA Twigs, Dev Hynes, Juicy J, Blocboy JB and Snoop Dogg have no reason to be on the same album together, but outside a detention center phone call from Kodak Black every artist is fit cozily among the ambitious LP. Returning to the altered Houston / Memphis sound he came in the game with on “Gunz N Butter” just to flip into a piano lead Lee Fields sampling street tale featuring assistance from French Montana and Frank Ocean on the standout “Brotha Man” is the beginning of one of the best album stretches this year that leads into the Lauryn Hill sampling outro. Unfortunately with his attempt to expand his soundscapes, Rocky shows up brightest as a rapper in tracks that show the Harlem bred MC dipping back into his old sounds and shedding the role of sonic ringmaster when side by side with Clams Casino (“Black Tux, White Collar”) or over more traditional southern hip-hop leaning sounds (“Gunz N Butter”, “OG Beeper”).

Best Tracks: “Purity” & “Brotha Man”

29. Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen

Released: June 8th via Headcount Records

Genre: Soul / Jazz

Kadhja Bonet is like no one music has ever seen before. A pulse of the future while indebted to sounds of the past, Bonet has no goals but to create raw beauty. High flying strings sections and cross dimensional baselines follow suit with her voice the way Snow White can get birds and squirrels to do her chores. The one woman effort sounds like a blaxploitation score guided by Curtis Mayfield, if Curtis Mayfield was some mystical forest nymph. The lyrics follow a life of self-discovery and realizations through emptiness, and her near-ambient style of singing matches the moods of her words and sounds to a tee.

Best Tracks: “Thoughts Around Tea” & “…”

Sounds Like: Parliament’s “First Things”

28. Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys

Released: April 27th via Republic Records

Genre: Alternative R&B / Alternative Hip-Hop

In a short career that spans only 2 proper LP’s and a mixtape, Post Malone has rocketed to the top of the musical universe. Maybe due to his short time among us or by label construction, we really don’t know what Post Malone is. A true child of the Lone Star State in his country tinged ballads and rhinestone get-ups, but also bathed within hip-hop production style and feature list, while also “singing” the ways alternative R&B acts like 6lack and Bryson Tiller make their names off. Using rap as a springboard into a pop career isn’t an original cheat code, nor is it disappearing anytime soon, but Post never was a true rapper. Not even in the sense of what a “real MC” is but stylistically he’s been more an alternative R&B artist like the aforementioned Bryson Tiller. Hip-Hop culture yes, hip-hop act….not so much. And with this sophomore LP Post doubles down on this fact. Melodies stronger than ever, and songwriting that has taken a step up to a level that garners the success he is receiving all while reaching more into production side of the musical spectrum. Pop Rap records like “Rich & Sad” seem at home by the cavernous “Jonestown Interlude”, while Swae Lee and Ty Dolla $ign come in from the rafters on the most enjoyable singles “Spoil My Night” and “Psycho”. Whatever Post Malone “is” or “isn’t” falls to wayside for once in turn he stakes his claim as exactly what he is, an artist.

Best Tracks: “Stay” and “92 Explorer”

27. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs

Released: November 30th via Columbia Records & Tan Cressida

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop / Lo-Fi

Stagnation is never an option for creators. After years showing his face only at spot dates and single digit verses officially released, Earl Sweatshirt comes back to the world with a new sound. Taking notes from leaders of a bubbling sect within New York’s underground in MIKE, Ka and Sixpress, Earls sound is messier and less structured than any previous release. The hazey abrasion relayed from the sample loops and intentionally poor vocal mixing transcribes the feeling of numbness, much in the way he attempted on “Solace”. The imperfections are purposeful, as are the raps. Quick verses mean only the essential phrases are being kept around. His fight against the pressure of being a child rap star that burdens him to this day and admitting his vices that he’s leaned on to combat waves of depression and anxieties either caused by or coinciding with his on again off again relationship with his parents. In an interview with The Vulture Earl talks about how he had made the album with the intent of bringing the finished product to his parents, one that lacks the cold rebellion against them in replacement of pride and admission of his mistakes, but his father was never able to hear that message. The passing of his acclaimed father, uncle and close friend Mac Miller in recent months makes the albums message stronger, and more heartbreaking. Even with the intention of getting to a place of comfort, life will never flow that easy. All we can do is try, and that’s what Earl sounds finally ready to do, nothing but try.

Best Tracks: “Viens” & “Azucar”

Sounds Like: Mike’s “By The Water” EP

26. Mac Miller - Swimming

Released: August 3rd via Warner Bros. Records & REMember Music

Genre: Hip-Hop / Funk / R&B

Nothing can be said about Mac Miller that hasn’t already been typed. An innovator, one of hip-hops great conduits, and for me personally, the reason I care so much about music. My first piece is somewhere on a forgotten Tumblr page talking about Mac’s move to LA in lead up to the June 18th madness that revealed new forms of Kanye, Cole and himself. On my wall still hangs the “Blue Slide Park” poster that turns the tracklist to a poem, and right next to it a stack of CD’s with every Mac release sprinkled in. “Faces” and “Live From Space” are untouchable works, mixed in an elite hip-hop discog. Now with some months behind us since his passing, “Swimming” is still a soul touching experience. His most honest and musically expansive work showed Mac looking to create a sound bigger then himself, and a message of working to get better. Thundercat hums, Jon Brion strings, and “them Steve Lacy chords” brought out something new and exciting even though the hurt is obvious in his lyrics. From those cringe Easy Mac tracks to now, he was a staple in our lives, releasing almost every year like clockwork with tours, features, production credits and videos to boot. Creating good things was all that he spoke of, with fame and greatness coming secondary, and that purity will last now in music for generations, most deeply though mine. Life changes, people are lost, but the energy he constantly spread will last forever.

Best Tracks: “2009” & “What’s The Use?”

25. Avantdale Bowling Club - Avantdale Bowling Club

Released: August 17th via Years Gone By

Genre: Jazz Rap

Lots of records of the past few years have had a hard focus on treating their records as therapy sessions or takes on societal woes. With his newest crew, Tom Scott takes it a step further. Inspired by fatherhood the New Zealand born MC, made famous from being apart of what can best be described as the Kiwi’s version of Odd Future (though predating the LA collective by a few years), works on acceptance of his troubled past along while trying to cope with the loss of close friends to substance abuse. The opening track shows Scott retracing his steps through life from his first steps to his first love with all the curve balls and missteps included. Progressing through the always powerful but never overpowering live jazz accompanying him, Scott aims to lay a new path for future generations, by giving all of himself in hope no one wishes to copy his actions.

Best Tracks: “F®iends” & “Pocket Lint”

Sounds Like: Kendrick Lamar’s “untitled, unmastered.”

24. Roc Marciano - Rosebudd’s Revenge 2: The Bitter Dose

Released: March 9th via Marci Enterpises

Genre: East Coast Hip-Hop

Roc Marciano has been in a different dimension all year. The rapper / producer dropped 3 rap albums, fully produced a record for Therman Munsin and an instrumental album over the past 12 months, with “RR2” being the highlight of his banner year. Dusty soul and blues samples, chopped by himself, Animoss, Don Cee and others, score the scenes the Long Island directs and stars in. Roc strives to give a first person view into an East Coast underworld filled with cheap hookers and fine powder, while being a ladies man himself at heart. Most rappers aim to show the dark sides of this life as a cautionary tale to young kids dreaming of hood fame, but Roc does the opposite. He’s proud to be the top dog in the life he depicts, and he relishes people bowing out knowing this game isn’t for the faint of heart. That’s what separates him from the rest of the industry. Marci’s hunger, his will to evolve and expand within his sound, all while winning head to head against anyone who steps on record with him, is what makes him who he is; a living legend.

Best Tracks: “Respected” & “Happy Endings”

23. Ravyn Lenae & Steve Lacy - Crush

Released: February 9th via Atlantic Records & Three Twenty Three

Genre: R&B / Neo-Soul

Simplicity is a key in life as much as it is in music. Within the few moments between national tours Ravyn Lenae came together with The Internet’s Swiss Army Knife Steve Lacy to sculpt the most enticing 17 minutes of music of any duo in years. The signature Lacy reverb heavy guitar riffs and drum loops lead 19-year old Lenae into crafting melodies and runs that are as refreshing as they are addicting. The songs center around different aspects of the whimsical puppy love that drives relationships, with abandonment of the concept of failure. With proper label backing and an already eager fan base, all one can do is hope that these two young stars take their place on top of the music world with more projects in the future.

Best Track: “Computer Love”

Sounds Like: Kelis’ “Tasty”

22. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter V

Released: September 28th via Universal Music Group, Republic Records & Young Money Entertainment

Genre: Hip-Hop

7 Years since “Tha Carter IV” and 4 years since it’s initial announcement Lil Wayne finally returns to the world with the last installment of his namesake album series. Luckily in the years since announcement the album has been updated with tracks being cut and added, and though tracks like “Start This Shit Off Right” and “Open Safe” sound like relics in today’s landscape (along with a very obvious “good kid, m.A.A.d. City” era Kendrick verse), the rest hasn’t aged a day. Hardcore fans who have kept track of Wayne’s sparse features along with recent “Dedication 6” and “6: Reloaded” mixtapes knew Wayne hasn’t missed a step, and if anything has added new tools to his arsenal. Reaching for a level of openness, that before only revealed itself in flashes over the years, shows a look into the psyche of a living legend across his career, and gives an explanation for why he didn’t want to leak the project into the ethos even when the ability to do so was always at hand. With this being the end of his label drama with Birdman and the amalgamation of every Carter album rolled into one slime covered package, what’s next for raps most influential figure is still left to be seen.

Best Tracks: “Mess” & “Dedicate”

21. Playboi Carti - Die Lit

Released: May 11th via Interscope Records & AWGE

Genre: Hip-Hop / Soundcloud Rap

Over the past decade evolution in hip-hop has come from the deepest crevices of the internet. Chief Keef grew from violent Chicago street life into Youtube and Datpiff stardom, Odd Future rose from a closet studio in LA to international fame via blogs, and SpaceGhostPurrp along with his RVIDXR KLVN crew spread like a virus through the south and Soundcloud. Along with SGP and contemporaries like Key! and Lil Uzi Vert, Carti helped create such a dedicated fan base through scattered singles, aesthetics and an unmatched potential. The content has always been purposely minimal (though this go he and Chief Keef give us the inter-sectional sex positive anthem we’ve been waiting for) in Carti’s music, and it never feels needed because he’s one of the best at creating tracks for congested concert venues with little security all while blowing headphones to dust. With Pi’erre Bourne kicking his early critics by molding the best produced album of 2018, though IndigoChildRick gave the beat of the year on “Lean 4 Real”, Carti has the space to give the most refined version of himself and the sub-genre he’s helped pioneer.

Best Tracks: “Lean 4 Real” & “Fell In Love”

20. Black Milk - FEVER

Released: February 23rd via Mass Appeal Records & Computer Ugly

Genre: Detroit Hip-Hop

The Detroit sound has been one of the few regional styles to remain intact even with the internet allowing genres to blend and sounds to be adopted unlike ever before. Mixing off kilter electronic music into the samples and drum patterns most rap artists would normally avoid, Black Milk has always been a flag bearer in keeping these textures alive. Detroiters pride themselves on lyrical potency and left-field flows, and Black is as indebted to this as any other local act. Dancing between live instruments like a coffee shop poet Black Milk talks about urban plights that have hit his home for generations from the view of someone who’s never trusted the authorities saying “this is normal”. Though he’s always been known as a producer first, his rapping takes a leap to a new level while threading together an endless stream of concepts ripped from the headlines and street corners.

Best Tracks: “Could It Be” & “DiVE”

19. Westside Gunn - Supreme Blientele

Released: June 22nd via Griselda Records

Genre: East Coast Hip-Hop

The darker side of the glitz and glamour rap portrays if you never leave the comfort of Billboard and Spotify playlists is something Westside Gunn and company are more than happy to serve. The samples are uncleared, the coke ain’t cut, and the artist at the center of it all is the most important man in underground hip-hop. With no help from Shady Records (surprise surprise) Westside continues to take it upon himself to run his empire with Conway and Benny by his side along with Busta Rhymes, Elzhi, and Roc Marciano in the wings ready to show the young guns how it’s done. As important as the verses are, the sample chops from the hands of Daringer among other legends (9th Wonder, Alchemist, Pete Rock) give the feeling of walking in the winter way too late, way too far from home. Given the torch years ago by Raekwon, one of the forefathers of today’s grimy underground sound that leaks from every move Griselda Records does, Westside Gunn follows up the acclaimed “FLYGOD” with an even darker sequel.

Best Tracks: “Brutus” & “Brossface Brippler”

Sounds Like: Prodigy’s “Return Of The Mac”

18. Black Thought - Streams Of Thought Vol. 1

Released: June 1st via Human Re Sources

Genre: Hip-Hop

It’s finally happening. Decades since The Roots debut album “Organix”, their leading voice steps out on his own. A quote from band mate and longtime friend Questlove from his “Questlove Supreme” podcast gave hint that this day was coming. “He wants to play in reindeer games”. Mind you this quote came from an interview with Scarface when the Southern legend spoke about after getting an exclusive sneak peek to the record that the rhymes were so good he had to leave the studio…”you better leave that man alone”, a quote from Brad Jordan himself. After years of rumors and whispers of a full solo LP that time and again was scrapped, the first of two EP’s was released and the wait was worth it. Curated by 9th Wonder and Khyrsis the Philly great fits everything he can over their sample chops. Rapsody and Styles P are the lone features, and as great as both verses were, Black Thought shows the difference between rappers, and whatever the hell he is, cause it sure isn’t human. Fans of lyrical miracle MC’s are given an early Christmas gift, but Thought isn’t a one trick pony. His takes on his dangerous childhood, foreign authors and historical politics never last more than a few bars leaving enough of himself on record to quench his patient fans but leave room for more to come.

Best Track: “Twofifteen”

17. Milo - Budding Ornithologists Are Weary Of Tired Analogies

Released: September 21st via Ruby Yacht

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop / Indie Rap

Art rap is everything and nothing all in one. Coined by Open Mike Eagle and spread among an underground community of artists looking to mystify themselves and their art in the ways of ancient writers while trying to push their ideals in ways never seen before. Milo has time and again proven himself as the flag bearer outside of OME himself. His vocabulary is as wide ranging as Kool Keith, he carries the diction of a foreign poet, all with the target audience of the creative black youth of the world. Reaching to spread messages about mental health (most notably on “Galahad In Goosedown”) and black power in near riddles while still adding touches of contemporary in ways he never did  before. He raps these riddles about everything with the hunger of a man with nothing but a coin filled hat and his word, and raps about nothing on a quest for something new and uninvited. On what may be his final project under his most famous moniker, Milo has stumbled onto the new gold standard for a generation of indie acts.

Best Tracks: “Nominy” & “Deposition Regarding The Green Horse”

16. Meek Mill - Championships

Released: November 30th via Atlantic Records & Maybach Music Group

Genre: Hip-Hop

Meek Mills music has been about duality since his breakout “Dreamchasers” mixtape. The street life that haunts him, and the opulence he’s always fantasized about. The life of the party, and the man in the corner. After a year documented by newspaper headlines Meek’s drive is at levels unseen since his cornrow adorning “Flamerz” days. The recipe remains the same (a myriad of producers and features with a central thought across of hardship and hedonism) but the ingredients are of a higher caliber. Cardi B, Jay-Z and 21 Savage steal the show when called upon, with their own agendas against the industry that they are trying to redefine. Hit records from Phil Collins and Lonnie Liston flipped into calls of black power, government critiques, and ear shattering club records all while Meek’s pen ascends to new heights is on the surface what “Championships” is. Deeper the record is a celebration of being on the other side of the beatings from life that shaped Mill into a man battle tested by the world, and into an artist with a new lease on life.

Best Tracks: “What’s Free” & “Oodles O Noodles Babies”

15. Key! & Kenny Beats - 777

Released: May 4th via Hello / D.O.T.S.

Genre: Hip-Hop / Soundcloud Rap

Key! over the past few years has been both the Ground 0 for today’s budding Soundcloud Rap scene and the favorite rapper to your favorite rapper, while never having a solo project that garnered this affection. Perfecting his style with guidance from 2018′s hottest beat maker Kenny Beats, the Atlanta rapper is finally seeing the flowers bloom. From super group Two-9, to affiliations with Awful Records, A$AP Mob and an artist of similar cult love, Reese LaFlare, Key! has been accepted and given the spotlight by artists he helped put on and influence, acts of gratitude rarely seen in the rap community. Key! has perfected his sub-3 minute song run time by putting together the best hooks in rap while filling the space in between with rap’s best adlibs and nonchalant bars about drugs, heartbreak, high fashion and everything in between. Nothing this year has been as enjoyable as the mosh pit inciting hooks from ATL’s unsung hero coming together with the speaker breaking drums and subs birthed from the Connecticut born DJ turned super producer, that has been promised as the first of many adventures.

Best Tracks: “Demolition 1 + 2” and “Kelly Price Freestyle”

14. Dirty Projectors - Lamp Lit Prose

Released: July 13th via Domino Recording Company

Genre: Experimental Pop / Indie Rock / Folk

Rarely do we ever just enjoy great music. Everything has a narrative, a deeper meaning, some large cultural significance. Somehow this album is both one with meaning and just plain great records. In the wake of Dirty Projectors becoming a solo act on last year’s self-titled album, the band has again been reshuffled and re-purposed. With the pain of a breakup from former band mate Amber Coffman left behind him, Dave Longstreth seeks to let the world know he’s happy. If “I Feel Energy” wasn’t enough of a mission statement on, the production leans away from cold electronica and into fuzzy horns and inviting string sections. The yin to the yang of last year’s heartbreak ridden record, and such a quick turn around from that album shows Dave wants to keep busy creating truthful sounds with a new look on the same damaged world.

Best Tracks: “I Feel Energy” & “You’re The One”

13. Noname - Room 25

Released: Self-Released September 14th 

Genre: Jazz Rap / Alternative Hip-Hop / Neo-Soul

Noname has been one of, if not the, best rapper alive for a while now. She’s run circles around everyone in her city from Chance The Rapper and Mick Jenkins and in her rare moments away from her hometown cohorts she’s done more then stand firm side by side with J. Cole, Kirk Knight and Smino. Now with more life lived the introspection and questioning resonates even farther then anything on “Telefone”. Her rhymes are poetry above all else, and the fact they’re delivered so elegantly while still cutting into the core of anyone willing to lend an ear. On the surface the words seem scattered and rambled, stream of thought like the near free-form sounding jazz used as a backdrop and the years she’s lived since her last release. But look deeper and the stories of life in a claustrophobic and unloving place reveal themselves. Noname goes many places, an unloving place, an empty place, a place looking to take her energy and give none in return. Her failed and blissful love stories come side by side, and sometimes in the same stanzas. Not until the closing record, “No Name”, is the core of everything Fatima’s artistic side stands for shown. Being a voice for those who had their own ripped away. The gone, the imprisoned, and the broken are finally given the chance to come forward and be heard, with their spirits flowing through Noname.

Best Tracks: “Don’t Forget About Me” & “No Name”

12. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

Released: November 30th via Polydor Records & Dirty Hit

Genre: Pop / Indie Rock / Electronic

This is the sound of the world as we know it and everything that will take the humanity out of it. Matt Haley and the 1975 want to be remembered as long as there is someone to remember them, and they take elements from records who have stood this test. Akin to renowned records like “In Rainbows” or “OK Computer” and “Blonde”, though with the conscious idea to sister these records in the process takes the feeling those albums created among fans out of it, the music is still great but with a grain of salt attached. Mixing the organic and more human sounds of folk music (“Be My Mistake”) into the robotic synths and drums of the future (the UK garage style “How To Draw / Petrichor”) gives a full spectrum of emotion that typical pop rock can’t. The title is a dead give away to the themes of the album, with Haley retelling stories from his own life along with one’s seen only by our eyes and our front view cameras. A look into the future of us, as much as the relationships in our past. It’s a season of Black Mirror narrated by a struggling addict, with he and his talented friends giving their two cents from time to time. The universal feelings of love or the failures that accompany it never grow old, and this record is built purposely to last with it.

Best Tracks: “Love It If We Made It” & “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)”

Sounds Like: Radiohead’s “In Rainbows”

11. Jacquees - 4275

Released: June 15th via Republic Records & Cash Money Records

Genre: R&B

The trap-soul movement coined by Bryson Tiller that spawns from early Drake and T-Pain being inventive half-rapper-half-singers and 100% hit makers has dampened a decade that should have seen a burst in R&B greatness. Instead pushed to the wayside for the aforementioned sub-genre, the radio ready steamy love sick anthems from 90’s and early 2000’s R&B acts stayed in those eras with few flares of success in recent times, with Jacquees acting as one of the few to permeate through. With “4275” Atlanta comes out to support their local songbird, with Jermaine Dupri giving a cosign on the intro and Young Thug playing star of the show on the already gleaming “Studio”. Jacq aims for the hearts of every woman by crooning about everything an R&B singer croons for; true love, consistency, and someone who will always fight for them no matter what. On a record that finds ways to sneak modern production textures in side by side with progressions and melodies of old, Jacquees finds himself at home as the king of R&B in 2018.

Best Tracks: “4275” & “I Know Better”

Sounds Like: Usher’s “8701”

10. Hermit And The Recluse - Orpheus vs. The Sirens

Released: August 18th via Charon Records

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop / Art Rap

The mythological being that is Orpheus is described as an unassuming lyre player and poet who charmed every living being, even rocks in some tales. Ka is similar in his normality (still working as a New York City firefighter by day) and his skill as an artist. An underground legend that, as every album has been released, seems to be more and more a creature of mythology. Soft spoken with a recognizable rasp in his breath, he molds into the dark and gloomy beats given to him by LA’s own Animoss like he was a bass in a Miles Davis backing track. The record works as a concept album, with each track being a tale ripped from the story books, with a central theme that fits in the dark world we live in and that Ka has already fought through. On the opening record we are introduced to Orpheus as he wishes to be apart of a ships crew to entertain them through rough waters. From research it’s known this was pulled from a tale which he plays the lyre to distract the crew from the sirens song which took aim to hypnotize the captain into crashing the ship. Ka wants to be our Orpheus, our poet on the rough seas of life. Using his personal failures and painful recollections to makes us feel safe from the sirens in our lives, weather it’s literal police sirens or the people who wish to see us fail. 

Best Tracks: “Atlas” & “The Punishment Of Sisyphus” 

9. Blood Orange - Negro Swan

Released: August 24th via Domino Recording Company

Genre: Alternative R&B / Psychedelic Soul

An album drenched in such a “fuck you attitude” comes with the idea of hardcore punk, grimey hip-hop, or experimental electronic music. Instead one of many Dev Hynes side projects focuses this go around to show out, instead of fit in. In his own way the British multi-instrumentalist finds ways to fit in outsiders to share their own truths within an album already leaking from the edges in such singular honesty. Hynes over this record tells stories of trauma and depression along the path that is the modern black experience, queer or otherwise. In reference to some parts of the record he described it as to be “an honest look at all the corners of black existence”. With interludes from transgender activist Janet Mock that drive this narrative along with sonic patchworks that’ll mesh Project Pat samples and that famous Dilla air horn (air horn, right?). The persona that is Blood Orange has over time been an artist sheltered away to publish his feelings with limited outside interference. Yet the more open to guests Hynes allows himself to be the more layered his new masterpiece becomes. It’s an effort for the music loving world to consume, and for a struggling soul to begin healing with.

Best Tracks: “Saint” & “Charcoal Baby”

Sounds Like: Prince’s “Sign ‘O The Times”

8. The Internet - Hive Mind

Released: July 20th via Columbia Records

Genre: Funk / R&B

From the opening seconds of the intro “Come Together��� you hear everything that is The Internet. Starting from Syd & Matt Martians love of early aughts R&B and hip-hop and psychedelics back in the early Odd Future days, the group has fluctuated lineups, and is now seemingly set on a 5-piece band where the original duo are joined by bassist Patrick Paige II, drummer Christopher Smith, and budding super producer / multi-instrumentalist Steve Lacey. The opening seconds of “Come Over” has the faint scatting of Syd, a rubbery bassline, light handclaps and horns and synth leads that could be dropped into a horror movie. All these pieces shouldn’t work as one, but with 5 artists with more ingenuity and talent in their fingertips then most bands can muster together for an LP. An album that oozes warmth, with lyrics equally inviting and soft, with sprinkles of social commentary bring a sound that is missing in the sonic folds of contemporary music. The lone feature being a spoken word soliloquy from the legendary southern poet Big Rube that delivers the topics crooned from Syd and Steve into a microcosm that focuses on self improvement, evolution and love. In under an hour The Internet creates something so pure within their sound that brings together a feeling as warm as a Thanksgiving dinner on your first break back from college, and as mindlessly fun as a car ride to nowhere with everyone you’ve ever loved.

Best Tracks: “It Gets Better (With Time)” & “Come Over”

7. Travi$ Scott - Astroworld

Released: August 3rd via Epic Records, Grand Hustle Records & Cactus Jack

Genre: Hip-Hop

A true child of his mentor Kanye West and his musical idol Kid Cudi, Travi$ has finally reached his apex. Travi$ for years has shown flashes of greatness as a producer and orchestrator of records much like the mixtape DJ’s that ran hip-hop for a generation in the early 2000’s, but as a rapper he’s almost always been the least exciting parts of his records. Yet a code has finally been cracked on this record where Travi$ realizes this for the first time and doesn’t force himself to be the star of the show, rather he becomes it by being the best auxiliary piece within this grand ensemble of rap heavyweights. Standing side by side with established powerhouses like Drake, Migos and Frank Ocean while giving opportunities (and show stealing moments) to up and comers Juice WRLD, Sheck Wes and Don Toliver. Scott manages to bring the best out every feature involved, while also curating a production team featuring a murderers row including Mike Dean, Hit-Boy, Cardo, Nineteen85 and Murda Beatz, where yet again Travi$ takes a backseat, as far as credits go. Though the cast and crew of this mainstream juggernaut seem disconnected outside a few variables, they all fit into this record whose title comes as an homage to the long destroyed Houston theme park of the same name that Travi$ loved as a child. Doing his hometown proud by giving nods to legends like the late DJ Skrew and Big Hawk while doing everything off record one could hope for including a festival and music videos showing a psychedelic view of everything making H-Town what it is. Through rap history rarely does an album encapsulate the sound of contemporary music while still leaving room for futuristic quirks that show what music can become as perfectly as “Astroworld” has done.

Best Tracks: “Carousel” & “Astrothunder”

6. Kali Uchis - Isolation

Released: April 6th via Universal Music Group, Virgin Records & Rinse Recordings

Genre: Psychedelic R&B / Pop / Bossa Nova / Funk

To those that knew of her, this is what was always expected. Kali Uchis went from an unknown commodity from DC, to an internet sensation via Tyler The Creator collaborations, and now to the future of pop music. Stagnation in traditional pop music has been pushed slightly with the Lorde’s and Charli XCX’s of the world, but even then they come back to tried and true radio smashing methods. Kali has the ability to be an international superstar, already being applauded in Latin America for her Spanish speaking records, only with America to break into. Though the archaic radio system hasn’t been as inviting she’s become a staple in playlists, and personal music collections across the US. With her debut record Uchis leans heavily on collaboration with different producers on each track naturally shining through whatever is thrown at her like the star she is. Her trance creating vocals and secretly sharp lyrics prove she’s a one of one, and the sonic textures that are as space age as they are organic can serve as reminders to Parliament-Funkadelic even with exclusion to the Bootsy Collins single. Kali’s Midas touch extends across genres, and with this stunning debut it can extend across time.

Best Tracks: “Your Teeth In My Neck” & “Tomorrow”

5. Saba - Care For Me

Released: April 5th via Saba PIVOT LLC

Genre: Hip-Hop

Death has been the common thread between every elite Chicago release over the past decade, and “Care For Me” is no different. Writing through the pain striving to make it to the other side, the album as a whole is a dive into Saba’s psyche as a young man doing his best to be his best within an environment that hardly leads to such a happy ending. The team of Saba, daedaePIVOT and Daoud creates blank pages for Saba to spill his poetic troubles into, while the soul of the project lies in the life of the late John Walt (birth name Walter Long). The late Walt is Saba’s cousin who acts as main character on the first half of highlight track “Prom / King” and who’s life force guides Saba to this day. A family member our protagonist isn’t the closest with, but given the chance comes through and eases him along a reluctant prom night. Mixed within his dark view of the world after the murder of Walter, are bars on the inequality in his hometown and country, puppy love turned heartbreak, and the insecurities that every person feels day by day. The weight felt with every passing moment on the compact project drags you deeper and deeper down the path of not just Saba’s journey, but a path of self reflection as well. In 42 minutes a lifetime of pain and therapeutic self-evaluation is wound together to create one of the most personal albums of a generation.

Best Tracks: “Busy / Sirens” & “Prom / King”

4. Busdriver - Electricity Is On Our Side

Released: June 8th via Temporary Whatever

Genre: Experimental Hip-Hop / Jazz Rap

As explained by former apprentice and young rap lord himself Milo, hip-hop is a genre run on electricity. Live instrumentation added latter, but based in turntablism, sampling and drum machines, it is one of the few genres that without these tools it would falter back into where it came from, jazz and live poetry. And it’s with those tools LA’s cookie-faced king builds his new record from. Busdriver is a rapper as eccentric as any the world has known, and one of the few carrying this persona on record. Drivers style on his most expansive LP equates to college level diction, coded self reflection, dick jokes, and homages to the legendary group Freestyle Fellowship that inspires him to this day brewed together with rapping from the angle of a scat jazz singer. Keeping consistent with these traits over the years, and even magnifying them on this record, has kept him as an underground legend with a mainstream breakthrough far from reach in a traditional system. Now in 2018 with an album of this caliber, where Busdriver relies on these core pieces of rap (live poetry, jazz, and electricity in raw sound or traditional production techniques) his one of a kind styles can be absorbed by the masses like he’s always deserved.

Best Tracks: “Me vs. Me” & “The Saboteur’s Mirror”

3. Mick Jenkins - Pieces Of A Man

Released: October 26th via Cinematic Music Group & Free Nation

Genre: Hip-Hop / Jazz Rap

Mick Jenkins is finally at peace. His musical style has varied over the past few years and projects but now with the perfect mix of unorthodox jazz and futuristic squeaks does he have the proper canvas to write his ever layered poetry on. With Gil-Scot Heron as the patron saint of this adventure in the psyche of society Mick takes jabs at the limited scope social media allows us to perceive each other and his deeply coded lyrics that go 3 layers deep it may seem like Mick is overthinking the way other great lyricists have, making research a priority to enjoy his art. Only after listening to the track “Understood”, is the theme of the album obvious though, that when you only understand pieces of anybody whether it’s someone you care about, someone you hate, or someone you know nothing about, you will get this predisposed idea on who they are. On this central track Mick talks about being an olive branch between the youth and the older generations that don’t want anything to do with them, and vice versa. Every day that goes by the question of what hip-hop is today versus what it was decades ago rages on in think pieces and Mick sees this as an opportunity. Using the rap game he’s entrenched in as a parable on how we act uneducated in an age of nothing but information when the want to become educated is the only piece we are missing.

Best Tracks: “Gwendolynn’s Apprehension” & “Reginald”

2. Smino - NØIR

Released: November 8th via Interscope Records, Downtown Records & Zero Fatigue

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop / R&B

We’ve all seen “ATL” right? And we all remember that scene where it’s Rashad, Ant and Uncle George are sitting around eating cereal arguing about cudy. THE cudy scene. That’s half the tracks on “NØIR” in 80 seconds. The slick talk of Ant and Rashad along with the familiarity of a family breakfast gone left in the most harmless way possible. The other half of the records are awe inspiring and head scratching by way of “Atlanta” (the TV show this time) episode where the world meets Marcus Miles and his invisible car. The St. Louis native for the second time in as many years put himself and his life on record in a way as true as any living rapper can. Delivered over the course of 18 tracks, works as a narrative much like “blkswn”, a normal night in the life of Smino & Friends, but instead is the soundtrack to after the club gets shut down rather than the pregame. Still in search of good food, great weed, and better women to share the experience with Smi croons, raps with guidance from form fitting production quirks, all while taking a hand at the boards himself. Outside his own beats the album is drenched in the styles of Monte Booker, Sango and THEMpeople, all working together like a round table of screenwriters making the best piece of cinema they can. Whether it’s the slick simplicity of The Cudy Scene or the surrealist absurdity of The Invisible Car Scene from “Atlanta”, Smi plays the wax that seals together the audio wine tip that tops any creative effort this year has had to offer.

Best Tracks: “Low Down Derrty Blues” & “Bam 2x”

1. Lupe Fiasco - DROGAS: Wave

Released: September 21st via 1st & 15th Entertainment

Genre: Conscious Hip-Hop

Lupe Fiasco has burned every bridge in the industry possible. Beefs with labels, rappers, publications and even his own fans have lead to Lupe being under the radar while delivering a landmark masterpiece of an album. An entire collegiate course could be taken on the layers within this album. “DROGAS: Wave” acts as a mix of the high concept within “Tetsuo & Youth” and the high level hip-hop fundamentals flaunted within “The Cool” with some of the best production in Fiasco’s entire discography. From jump it’s obvious nothing is being held back on the nearly 100 minute odyssey that takes the listener from the Middle Passage, to an underwater into a secret civilization, into tributes to Nas, Lupe’s favorite rapper. The first half of the 2nd installment in Lupe’s “DROGAS” series from track 1-9 tells the origin and many moving parts within the economy of slavery. A twist with this age old tale comes when storms sink the slave ships freeing those within into an underwater utopia where other slaves (known as Long Chains) controlling the weather live and give the option to stay below or return to land. The the second half of the record is where things become less clear. Is it supposed to tell Lupe journey as a slave on Atlantic Records the way the first half told of slaves being trafficked across the Atlantic, or is it the continuation of the story from the first half where the slaves reach American soil aiming to be great within their new found freedom through all the adversity living here brings. Tracks like “Alan Forever” and “Jonylah Forever” takes news paper headlines of untimely deaths of children into an alternate universe where they survive to be pillars for change in the world. Concepts aside, the pure musical prowess flexed again and again on his first fully independent release shows Fiasco’s gratitude towards the genre that shaped him. Immaculate flow on “Happy Timbuck2 Day” and callbacks to “The Cool” album cut “Hip-Hop Saved My Life” on “Stack That Cheese” grow the never ending reward case of side missions along the path of being a hip-hop great. Along the way comes a track fully rapped in Spanish, orchestral interludes, a sonic tribute to late Chicago DJ Timbuck2 that doubles as an ode t hip-hop as a whole, and production credits throughout leads to an eye opening revelation. There is no rapper ever, that has been able to do everything Lupe can do at level in which he does it. Now with full freedom and “DROGAS: Skull” on the horizon the potential for Lupe, and rap music as a whole continues to be limitless.

Best Tracks: “Alan Forever” & “Stack That Cheese”

Sounds Like: Deltron 3030′s “Deltron 3030″

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...And Now the Ramona Park News, Executive Produced by Vincent Staples

“Summertime 06″ was Vince giving a first person view of the world he grew up, with the mind state and fear based instincts of someone who was bred to either rule or perish, no in between. “Big Fish Theory” was Staples taking 10 steps back, and expanding from his birthplace to the world around him today and 1000 years in the future. Now with FM!, Vince comes back home to see the only thing that’s changed is his perspective on the place he grew up in with the recognition of an audience who does nothing but gain from his people's pain. 

     “FM!” came with short notice, and a short run time, but though 22 minutes zooms in and out and works as the watershed moment to solidify Vince Staples as less the lead Long Beach correspondent, instead the behind the scenes puppet master of the local news. Months back, on a nightmare trip to Miami I saw Tyler The Creator live with Taco and Vince as the openers. After Taco played an elite DJ set that went from lo-fi Knxwledge knockoffs to Lil Pump, Vince not only put on a show to out do the headliner, he meshed together all his past works, and maybe inadvertently his future work with his stage show. Surrounding a bullet proof vest wielding Vince were over a hundred rotating screens occasionally fizzing in and out with news anchors telling the troubles of the world today. Following these messages, came a small suite of album cuts fitting the theme of these news clips. Seeing Vince live was eye-opening, not just because it showed how deeply rooted Vince is to this art shit, but the fact that the fan base that embraced and helped break him does not give a flying fuck about that artistry or the new sounds that it breeds. Even after struggling to leave the venue just to see my Santa Fe behind the locked gates of a parking garage with no operating hours or emergency numbers attached, in the back of my mind the crowd still confused me. I’ve been to handfuls of concerts before, and never have the openers and headliners had such a directly connected audience, and never have I seen a less enthusiastic crowd when Vince touched the stage. Given, the Odd Future fans of old that still hold a beef against 2DopeBoyz and Steve Harvey for no reason other then Tyler told us to, are not one in the same with the very young pastel bearing audience a 2018 Tyler the Creator show brings in. After taking the wrong Uber to a hotel with zero reviews & one overpriced room left on the other side of town, a very embarrassing call home on why I wouldn’t be home that night, and many months passed, I saw the video for “FUN!”. A look into his Ramona Park neighborhood by way of a Google Maps camera, ending with a young and frightened white kid closing his laptop to run downstairs for dinner. A kid who fit the demographics of said 2018 Tyler The Creator shows to a tee.

     Artists like Nas, Biggie, Boosie, have had their careers defined by how great their storytelling is. Vince is another person who should be sworn into this exclusive club. Though he doesn't always focus on direct narratives the way they do, Vince can create an ethereal feeling within his records that makes him less a narrator, and more the director of the film that’s being told. This new vision of stepping out of the spotlight and letting the scenery tell the story makes hip-hops most popular crip (next to the Patron Saint of Long Beach himself) like few before him. Acting as the voice of the people most times comes not from the want to do so, but more it’s all they know. It’s an option to all artists, but best done unconsciously. An obligation forced on to artists today is one to be political and forcing these conversations to be had by people who are uninformed, misguided, or frankly are too twisted to be given a platform for these views. Again, Vince is none of these. Rather he’s a young man who sees what’s going on, knows why it’s going on, was once a part of the problem for survival, and now has the platform and mindset to push forward change for the better. 

     Bringing along Big Boy and his radio show cast to ease his new report along the way the stage screens did, with Staples being less the centerpiece and more the glue to hold the show together. In 11 tracks E-40, Ty Dolla $ign, Kamiyah, Kehlani, Jay Rock, Earl Sweatshirt (!!!!) and Tyga (??!!??) manage to show their faces, along with background vocals from other acts of the West Coast’s never ending pantheon of acts. Bars flowing with peanut gallery humor, gun talk, and remorse over window breaking bang alongside production almost entirely from producer of the year, Kenny Beats with co-producer credits coming from Cubeatz (co-credits on R.I.C.O., THat Part) and Hagler (co-credits on Trophies, Teenage Fever). Kenny has been omnipresent this year with his ear popping, high energy collabs with 03 Greedo, Rico Nasty, Key! and Zack Fox all while another album with ALLBLACK sits in the tuck for later this month. At first glance the crowded credits are overwhelming but with Vince having such a clear vision for his projects yet again, every cog rotates with ease. Collaboration and storytelling are the foundation rap was built on when it was all James Brown and disco samples 45 years ago in the Bronx, and in 2018 a kid from Long Beach can play puppet master behind a head rush of an LP with these same ideals and still sound like no one else. 

Best Tracks: “Don’t Get Chipped” & “Tweakin’”

Best Verse: “Run The Bands” Verse 2

Best Beat: “Relay”

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LIL WAYNE - THA CARTER (2004)

The last in the line of Wayne and Mannie Fresh doing full albums together was simultaneously the end and beginning of an era. Wayne became a bigger star of the back of “Go DJ”, a top 20 Hit (peaking at 14) and his skills had grown from being a corner boy with a pen, to a street vet with a full canvas. Tales surrounding his upbringing in New Orleans became more vivid than before, with skits to fill in blanks along the way. Jams for block parties mixed with street tragedies and a heightened sense of songwriting and word play cemented Wayne’s entry into the elite tier of Southern rappers at only the age of 22. Before the Cash Money takeover began in 1996, 5 year after being founded, with B.G.’s “Chopper City” the south was known for up and comers like Outkast, The Geto Boys, and a whole lot of party music radiating from 2 Live Crew and the varying DJ’s in Florida and Atlanta. Living for years in the shadow of Juvenile and The Big Tymers created a hunger to be more creative, for the punchlines to hit harder, for the flows to be tighter. The stretch of solo albums from “Tha Block Is Hot”, to “Lights Out” and ending with “500 Degreez” showed this growth, but with misteps along the way. He made it a mission from bar one to make this LP his special moment. Timeless in the production graced from Mannie Fresh, who was teetering towards traditional production and song structure, allowed Wayne to find a pocket and became a master within it. Nothing said within the 21 tracks is groundbreaking or original, but the perspective is. Not many acts before Wayne were eyebrow raising teen rappers that evolved and grew into staples of music. A career path more Stevie Wonder then Jay-Z or 2Pac, making Wayne’s namesake album a spiritual cousin of “Music Of My Mind”. Innovative and an interest to critics, while showing promise to raise the ceiling of whatever one could become. With another hit single on his resume and now a top to bottom body of work that not only represented who Lil Wayne was at the time, but what his home town meant to him.

Standout Tracks: Walk In, This Is The Carter, I Miss My Dawgs, Snitch 

Best Feature: Birdman “We Don’t”

Best Beats: Go DJ, On My Own, Snitch

Accolades: Double Platinum Certification

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Quick Review - Jay Rock - Redemption

GENRE: Hip-Hop

OVERALL: 7/10

PRODUCTION: 6/10

LYRICS: 7.5/10

FEATURES: 8/10

COHESIVENESS: 6/10

WORST TRACK: “Win”

BEST TRACKS: “The Bloodiest” & “Broke +-”

SOUNDS LIKE: ScHoolboy Q’s “Oxymoron”

IN A NUT SHELL: Jay Rock’s return to music after recovering from a motorcycle accident is one to satisfy  versus looking to come back with a bang. It checks all the boxes anyone looking to make a push out of the underground and into the mainstream consciousness, (the dumbed down radio friendly tracks, tracks to please Day Ones, and a few R&B/melodic hooks along the way), yet in doing this Jay Rock sacrifices what made him TDE’s secret weapon in the first place. The street tales are still present, but being coupled with repetitive production styles and hooks anybody interested in rap could repackage and improve on leads to a false start in the return of the Watt’s legend.

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The New, The Old, The Dusty (8/30/2018)

“Anime World” - Sahbabii

From The Album “Squidtastic” (2018)

Snippets and leaks are common place within today’s modern rap landscape, and very rarely do the fully formed songs ever capture the excitement that the 15 second clips provide. Yet after over a year of waiting, not only do fans get to hear a full version that sits above previous expectations of the leaked and heavily rumored “Anime World”, it comes packaged in an equally long awaited, and enjoyable project “Squidtastic” . The track is loaded with Asian themed references including Samurai Jack and Nujabes, but doesn't come off as corny or pretentious the way most artists deliver similar topics. Sahbabii is one of many newer Atlanta acts that appeared over the last few years that carry similar characteristics to Young Thug, but as each artist progresses and adds their own flare to the Thugger template, it’s become harder to argue Sahbabii isn’t the best of the pack.

“One” - Logic

From The Mixtape “Young Sinatra” (2011)

Days ago Logic announced the revival of his acclaimed “Young Sinatra” series with the date of September 28th being set for “the return of the boom bap to the Ratt Pack”. Looking back on the previous 3 Young Sinatra tapes, the opening track to the inaugural tape still feels like the mission statement for Logic up until his most recent run of official Def Jam albums. A Sinatra sample loop, and quick jabs about his upbringing and what he wishes to do within rap music are in retrospect simple base level acts, but they were the ground work for what was one of the best run of mixtapes this decade. This series of tapes was a breath of fresh air to be coupled with the Wale, Big K.R.I.T. and J. Cole, that has now lead to him being commercially at the forefront of raps reigning class.

“This Masquerade” by George Benson

From The Album “Breezin’” (1976)

A legend off smooth jazz and one of the best guitar players the world has seen, George Benson has recently gotten a boost by being called in by Damon Albarn to play on the lead single of The Gorillaz most recent LP “The Now Now”. Yet decades ago, on his Grammy winning album “Breezin” Benson delivers one of his hallmark tracks featuring an accompaniment swooning strings and piano (played by Jorge Dalto) that plays as the perfect sidekick to George’s easy going guitar playing. This single drove the popularity of the album and was the start of a multi-album run with producer Tommy LiPuma, that boosted Benson’s commercial success to new heights through the late 70′s.

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The New, The Old, The Dusty (3/12/18)

“NBAYOUNGBOAT” by Lil Yachty & NBA Youngboy

From The Album “Lil Boat 2″ (2018)

The lightning rod of most misguided hatred towards the new generation is the one and only red hair martuar Lil Yachty. After heavy critiques of his major label debut “Teenage Emotions” Yachty went back to work to create a sequel to the tape that brought him to the mainstream. A collab with the street artist NBA Youngboy is a mess on paper but in fruition is a high paced back and forth with one of the beats on the entire project. Yachty’s rapping ability is one of the most hated in all of contemporary rap, but being side by side with Youngboy leads Boat to putting together one of the best pure rap tracks in his discography.

“No Downtime” by Ka

From The Album “Grief Pedigree” (2012)

Besides being a close associate of underground staple Roc Marciano, Ka has flown under the radar, mostly on his own accord. Over the years the hype for the Brownsville wordsmith has risen, but no matter how many projects he creates, “Grief Pedigree” remains the cream of the crop. One of the many standouts one the 12 track LP is like many of his creations, a minimal yet menacing look into the dark corners of the street life the alleys and subway stations of New York City is filled with. Ka’s uncanny ability to speak in a normal conversational manner over soul samples while painting layered pictures of the world around him has always in my mind lead to a comparison to the late East Coast legend Guru. Ka has evolved since “Grief Pedigree”, but something always draws me back into it.

“Lazy Nina” by Greg Phillinganes

From The Album “Pulse” (1984)

Questlove has shown time and again that he is one of the most knowledgeable characters not just in hip-hop but in music as a whole. With the release of two podcast talking with the legendary keyboard player and songwriter Greg Phillinganes it led to a dive into his most notable solo work. “Lazy Nina” is a standout track on the 1984 album “Pulse”. The project as a whole features elements of funk, electronic, pop and R&B, but what makes “Lazy Nina” so different from the rest of the tracklist is the slower tempo in comparison to the high energy more and danceable grooves throughout. The hook is a look into the slow paced life of the mysterious Nina, who sounds more like a companion for Curren$y then the “Don't Stop Til You Get Enough” co-writer.

[cursedcandyroses]

Every Case For, And Against, Each Album Of The Year Nominee (2018 Edition)

The Album Of The Year award is the epitome of everything a recording artist strives for. The heralded (and heavily criticised) committee has been the standard for rewarding artists for six decades, and this year some all time greats are fighting for the top achievement. This year is particularly special with each album having a strong case to win, but there is a flip side to each coin.

Bruno Mars - “24k Magic”

Genre: Pop

Pro: The New King Of Pop

It’s fair to say Bruno Mars is arguably the biggest pop artist in the world. His male competitors for the Pop throne leave more to be desired, or just aren’t “Pop” enough to earn the title. Drake is a hip-hop act, Ed Sheeran has recently been critically chewed up and spit out, The Weeknd has only had a few years of true Billboard staying power with only 6 Top 10 singles against Bruno’s 9. (Nice). With “24k Magic” being a global smash with massive concert sales, album sales, singles domination, and a proven track record with the committee and the hearts of the people, even with such a large gap between full length projects.

Con: Hip-Hop’s Big Moment

Hip-Hop officially becoming the most popular genre of music in the world along with and influx of hip-hop related acts getting heavy nomination after decades of backlash for the shunning of the genre and its legitimacy. That along with the award show being held in New York City with Jay-Z receiving an Icon Award makes the night more and more skewed in favor on paper to rap music over Bruno’s pop / new jack swing filled LP.

Childish Gambino - “Awaken, My Love!”

Genre: R&B / Funk

Pro: Rewarding An Unrewarded Sound

Childish Gambino, aka the Renaissance man Donald Glover, is nominated a few times for one of the few true funk albums of the past decade. The album is soaked in influence and even song lyrics from Sly & The Family Stone along with Parliament-Funkadelic. These artists Gambino strives to encompass in his latest LP have for their whole careers fallen into the two most shunned categories in the multi-decade dynasty of the Grammys. Experimental and Black. Bootsy Collins (leader of Parliament) has 1 nomination, which turned into a win for his 2001 music video for the song “Weapon Of Choice” and George Clinton (creator of the Parliament-Funkadelic family tree) has 2 Grammy noms, one being as a short feature on Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly”. With a win for Donald, it can also be seen as a win for Sly, George and Bootsy that has been long overdue.

Con: Lack Of Grammy Experience

Earning your dues in the eyes of the committee will pay a large roll in the cases for other artists this year, which is a large flaw in Gambino’s case. The Grammy’s ever so rarely give an Album Of The Year award to a first time nominee in the Big 4 Categories (none this decade), especially one who’s lone album related nomination before this year was for Rap Album Of The Year with 2012′s “Because The Internet”.

Jay-Z - “4:44″

Genre: Hip-Hop

Pro: The Golden Veteran Theory

Everything is in line theoretically for Jay-Z to take home the top honor on Sunday. The Grammy’s left LA for New York City this year, the home of Hova himself. The committee has faced heat for not giving recognition to hip-hop since it’s inception, but neither of these things are as comparable to the Golden Veteran Theory. The Theory tells of whenever a Golden Veteran (an artists with the most albums, most nominations and has earliest year of first nomination) is up for Album Of The Year they have an almost a guarantee to win. Jay’s first nomination came in 1999, before any of the acts had even graduated high school. Jay also has 13 official solo albums, again, more then everyone nominated combined. As far as nominations go Jay has 72 compared to the other four nominees only tallying 68 together. Jay is the seasoned vet by miles, but if that will be enough will be decided early in the night when he faces Kendrick for Best Rap Album.

Con: Beyonce

For the first time in the history of the universe having Beyonce by his side may come back to bite Mr. Carter. Looking at this may take a tin foil hate but bare with me. With the inequality and double standards between men and women in entertainment being at the forefront of national news more and more every hour, how would it look for the Grammy committee to reward Jay for telling his side of the story in their highly publicized marital issues, while Beyonce lost to Adele’s snore-fest “25″ for her perspective? Criticism of “4:44″ has largely surrounded this concept, along with it being called Jigga “opening up and becoming emotionally vulnerable” at the ripe age of 48.

Kendrick Lamar - “DAMN.”

Genre: Hip Hop

Pro: The Artist Of The Year Argument

Kendrick has after over a decade of making music has had his breakout year on the commercial side of the success triangle. Having long been acclaimed by his peers and professional critics alike, Kendrick has finally reached chart breaking success with three Hot 100 singles and “DAMN.” being the third highest selling album of the year, highest out of each nominated album. Along with acclaim in every possible way, Kendrick has also secured deals with Reebok, named as co-executive producer for Marvel’s Black Panther soundtrack and sold out a multi-month country wide tour. The Year Of Kung Fu Kenny would receive a cherry on top by sweeping the Grammy’s, including the crown jewel itself.

Con: May Be Too Experimental

Though Jay-Z may have the “blackest” album of the 5 nominations, Kendrick definitely has the most complex. The album was admittedly created to be played backwards, presenting a different meaning depending on which way you decide to play it. That along with concepts of black Israelites, game breaking song structure, beat switches, obscure sample choices, and heavy political topics may have created to deep of a project for a voting body that has time and again shown a preference to simpler albums, proven best with Kendricks’ “To Pimp A Butterfly” (one of the highest acclaimed albums in music history) losing to Taylor Swift’s low risk low reward “1989″.

Lorde - “Melodrama”

Genre: Pop

Pro: The Future Of Pop Musics Progression

The dull, repetitive, cookie cutter structure that most pop songs are made in is as annoying and ear bleedingly painful as it has ever been. Lorde though has again pulled through the muck and slop of the genre to create something interesting and excited. Breathing new life into the genre with a loose concept album with songs smart enough to tickle the brain of a music vet, but infectious enough to play at full volume at a homecoming dance. Lorde took year between releases, but with a second highly received album, the hope is that it will inspired a quicker turnaround in production then the last go around to keep a high quality songwriter on the charts.

Con: The Weakest Overall Album Of The Group

Let’s be honest with ourselves, of the 5 albums one is not like the other. Though Lorde released an astounding project, it just isn’t in the same tier as the other nominees. Had the committee listened to the public or other critics as to what the best projects were, this spot would without a doubt be filled by a Thundercat, SZA, Drake, or Daniel Caesar. Though the when an oddball is among what seems to be obvious choices, they always are their for a big gold plated and gramophone shaped reason.

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CURSED CANDY ROSES PRESENTS: THE 50 BEST PROJECTS OF 2017

The most jam packed year of the decade has came and went with a crater of emotion left behind. The ever expanding Pandora’s Box that the internet has become has only seemed to scratch the surface of iit’s potential in the field of music. Every year the music world becomes smaller and smaller while albums become more grandiose. Streaming has lead to numbers being juiced extravagantly, allowing acts to sell minimal physical copies but still go Gold & Platinum. The Streaming Boom has also lead to acts we may have never heard of 20 years ago exploding into the limelight, and acts of yesterday having their 15 minutes expanded. In all honesty I could have made a list of 100 albums and it still wouldn’t have felt like enough. But 50 (plus some) will have to do. 

BEFORE WE GET STARTED: THE NEXT 9 

N*E*R*D - No One Ever Really Dies

Giraffage - Too Real

Moses Sumney - Aromanticism

Rex Orange County - Apricot Princess

Lil Peep - Come Over When You’re Sober

Bill Woods & Blockhead - Known Unknowns

RJ - Mr. LA

Joji - In Tongues

Amine - Good For You

Now to the real list

50: Overdoz. - 2008

Genre: Hip-Hop 

4 years since their last release, Overdoz sounds like they never took a day off. Party jams mixed in with two step love anthems and sprinkles of consciousness are the ingredients to one of the most energetic and top to bottom enjoyable west coast albums in recent memory. These elements mixed with a murders row of top tier producers (Hit-Boy, THC, Pharrell, Organized Noize) meld together for a kaleidoscope of sound and texture, the perfect kind to start and end a night out with.

Best Tracks: “Last Kiss” & “House Party″

49: Syd Tha Kyd - Fin

Genre: R&B / Pop

The family tree that the Odd Future collective has spawned is like none other in music. Within the collective sat The Internet, a duo that has expanded into a full 5 man band, and within that crew is lead singer Syd. On her first solo effort, the songstress dips her toes into the sound of today’s sound with R&B and Rap infused production, with hook as infectious as the best Pop songs on the other side of the dial. Branching out from the jazz and neo-soul stylings of The Internet has given music fans a new artist to reinvent and evolve the mainstream sound of the day. 

Best Tracks: “Know” & “Nothin’ To Somethin’”

Sounds Like: Kehlani’s “You Should Be Here″

48: A$AP Mob - Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy

Genre: Hip-Hop

When the winter brings snow to your ankles and winds that’ll chap your lips, you know it’s time to layer up and get cozy. A$AP Mob has been the go-to New York rap crew over the past few years, but with this newest compilation they take a turn. With heavy contributions from their newest adoptee Playboi Carti, the Mob turns to sonic's that lean more Soundcloud then sample heavy. Tunes with Big Sean, Key!, Chief Keef and Quavo are balanced out by posse jams with Flatbush Zombies and Pro Era members, bringing everyone into a new space that the Mob keeps curating and molding as they go along. 

Best Tracks: “What Happens” & “Walk On Water”

47: Your Old Droog - Packs

Genre: East Coast Hip-Hop

The balance of keeping the grit and feeling of classic New York hip-hop and wanting to mix in a modern day playfulness and enginuity is type of duality New Yorkers have been reaching for since 50 Cent. Unlike 50, Droog has no want to be a mainstream star, but instead focuses on being the best at what he does. Storytelling, obscure references and punchlines that’ll bring chest pains (from either laughter or how hard they hit) are the specialties of one of hip-hops most talented underground stars.

Best Tracks: “Grandma Hips” & “White Rappers (A Good Guest)”

46: Ty Dolla $ign - Beach House 3

Genre: R&B / Hip-Hop

Every artist strives to find their sound exceed within it. For an artist like Ty Dolla $ign he is with every project experimenting and proving that he is one of the most talented and skilled artist in hip-hop. Though Ty has always been criticized for repetitive content of parties and drug use, like each “Beach House” instalment before this junior effort, Ty expands and dabbles into many forms of contemporary urban music. A sonic experience like no other crossover artist has been able to do, Ty again flexes a perfect duality of being a singles driven artist while still holding true artistic integrity. 

Best Tracks: “Don’t Judge Me” & “Message In A Bottle”

45: Dizzee Rascal - Raskit

Genre: Grime

With razor sharp precision, the veteran UK rapper has brought with him the best Grime record of the year. Over the past few years artists like Skepta and Stormzy have come from across the pond into our lives, but these artists would be nowhere without one of the godfathers of the genre. Nearly 15 years after his world-renowned “Boy In Da Corner” record, Dizzee improves upon that sound infusing modern production styles and a more palatable rapping style to restate his claim as the greatest Grime artist walking the earth

Best Tracks: “Ghost” & “Dummy (16 For The Juice)”

44: Freddie Gibbs - You Only Live 2wice

Genre: Hip-Hop

After being freed from an European prison on false rape charges Indiana’s finest gave the people signs of life. Saying that this project is just a little something to hold fans over until the release of his next Madlib collab, Gibbs held nothing back. Speaking on everything from the incarceration, street tales and the fears that come with fame and fatherhood. Everything from introspective, to car knocking anthems, Freddie reminds us that he is one of hip-hops ever morphing figures, unleashing his art over any beat he can get his hands on.

Best Tracks: “20 Karat Jesus” & “Crushed Glass”

43: Belly & Boi-1da - Mumble Rap

Genre: Hip-Hop

Boi-1da has been behind some of the biggest and best records of the past decade from Drake and Kendrick, to Lana Del Rey and Rihanna, and he has for the first time taken over the boards for a full album. This newest project Belly has put forth in his short career as a lead act, and not just a songwriter, shows the XO signee never taking a line off and making a statement that he is here to stay as a solo artist.

Best Tracks: “Lullaby” & “The Come Down Is Real”

42: Sonder - Into

Genre: R&B

Brent Faiyaz, the crooner responsible for vocals on Goldlink’s chart topping hit “Crew”, began his year off with an EP that catches the soul of the nighttime that ensues after the party's over. From the layered and airy production to his remorseful and woeful lyrics that cover the length of the project, Brent and the rest of Sonder create a realm of shadowy emotion that words can never properly describe, but a feeling all to real to everyone.

Best Track: “Lovely”

Sounds Like: JMSN’s “JMSN”

41: JMSN - Whatever Makes U Happy

Genre: Jazz / Soul

JMSN has steadily created one of the best discographies in music today, and that is due to his willingness to experiment and branch into different genres. With a vocal range and tone like no one working today, JMSN can try different production styles and never feel out of place. His latest offer catches the soul of jazz and R&B by mostly being recorded in one take, with an empty room, outside of him and an assortment of talented musicians. His woeful longings and poems dealing with the many levels of relationships is a further step in the direction of the type of artistry that JMSN aims to be a part of.

Best Tracks: “Drinkin’” & “Slowly”

Sounds Like: D’angelo’s “Voodoo”

40: Talib Kweli - Radio Silence

Genre: Hip-Hop

Talib Kweli has never missed a step lyrically. No one has been as consistent since the turn of the century as the Brooklyn native, and now 17 years into his solo career Kweli adds another gem to his discography. Speaking on the struggles of the African-American community in America has always been a strong suit of Kweli, but he has done it this time around with inclusion of artists that are far from his comfort zone with rappers like Rick Ross and Waka Flocka Flame. Whether accompanying their styles or his own, Talib always finds a way to shine and bring a crucial message to lovers of hip-hop.

Best Tracks: “All Of Us” & “She’s My Hero”

39: Migos - Culture

Genre: Hip-Hop

Time and time again the world has counted out the Migos. When the entered the consciousness with “Versace” they were a one-hit wonder. When they continued they were “just rapping fast about nothing”. Now, nearly 5 years later they are the biggest group in all of hip-hop, and most popular hip-hop group in over a decade. This newest project is a dive into the sound they helped create with production from artists like Metro Boomin and Zaytoven who helped create this modern trap sound. Quavo’s club ready hooks, Offset’s energy and aggression, and Takeoff’s killer verses all fall like puzzle pieces right into the ethereal and world renowned sound of modern day rap music. 

Best Tracks: “T-Shirt” & “Get Right Witcha”

38: Jay Worthy & The Alchemist - Fantasy Island

Genre: Hip-Hop

Jay Worthy is a name everyone should get more familiar with. Adopting the West Coast as a transient from Canada, Worthy has been apart of underground rap circles for years, and has reeled in colleagues such as Conway and $ha Hef for his latest endeavour. One of many group projects Worthy has been a piece of this year, none fit his blunted and laid back rapping style as well as this fully-Alchemist produced EP.

Best Track: “Miss You”

Sounds Like: Domo Genesis & The Alchemist’s “No Idols”

37: Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

Genre: Indie Rock / Lo-Fi

Mac Demarco’s yacht rock, even folk-esk at times, guitar strummings and singing push the vision of a scenic view from a boat in the middle of a lake to your mind. The breeze in your face, the smell of cold beer and new winter coats. For years Mac has created the aesthetic of the lovable slacker, but on his newest record something has changed. Instead of performing from the boat for the crowd to watch, these sounds feel closer and more intimate, becoming less of someone to marvel from afar, and more of someone you feel like a friend of.

Best Tracks: “Sister” & “On The Level”

36: J.I.D. - The Never Story

Genre: Hip-Hop

From the Atlanta collective known as Spillage Village to an artist under J. Cole’s Dreamville label, JID has been a part of some wonderful company. Being around great MC’s along with an energy and skill set that separate him from the bunch of traditional Atlanta artists, JID has pushed his name into the front of the pack of the new artists who ruled in 2017. Bars for days and an ear for production that’s as outlandish as he is makes for a perfect storm of an artist who still isn’t in his final form, but is a scary sight as is.

Best Tracks: “General” & “Hereditary”

Sounds Like: Vince Staples’ “Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2″

35: Majid Jordan - The Space Between

Genre: R&B / Synthpop

The Canadian duo has taken everything they have ever done and tinkered it and improved it into what is the perfect mission statement for the OVO Label outside of Drake. Everything from sleek late night two step anthems, to 80′s revival jams that beg to be screamed in your car. The duo brings in labelmates dvsn and PARTYNEXTDOOR, with the later playing a part in one of the most underrated grooves of the past year. Majid Jordan finds ways to improve and level up in ways no other R&B duo has done in years.

Best Tracks: “One I Want” & “Gave Your Love Away”

34: CyHi The Prynce - No Dope On Sundays

Genre: Hip-Hop

CyHi is one of the many artists who as a fan feared would be trapped by label politics into releasing astounding mixtapes and never putting together a true debut album. With “No Dope On Sundays” CyHi breaks through the paperwork and his drug dealing past into being able to look back on these times and give gems that everyone can appreciate. From black empowerment, advice to hustlers the world over, and becoming comfortable and accepting of religion in his life the G.O.O.D. Music signee puts together the sum of his mixtapes into a cohesive body of work that can be studied like scripture.

Best Tracks: “Nu Africa” & “Get Yo Money”

33: PeeWee Longway - The Blue M&M 3

Genre: Hip-Hop

Atlanta’s hip-hop scene has been around for over 2 decades, and has been at the forefront of the rap world for over half that time. The mainstream acts like Migos and Future are intertwined within the small city with lesser known acts like PeeWee Longway due to Atlanta truly being the biggest small town in the south. PeeWee has been apart of the rap scene for years rising alongside the Patron Saint of Georgia himself Gucci Mane. Years of sharpening his lightning fast flow and street themed lyrics have come to fruition on what is arguably the best project in his deep discography.

Best Tracks: “Creep” & “Rerocc”

32: Lorde - Melodrama

Genre: Pop

Pop music over time has become more and more formulaic. Sing like A, about B, over a beat a C BPM and a hit is born. Pop music hasn’t always been this disposable form of music, and at it’s root it’s about catchy songwriting that plays off as simple, but is secretly layered. This is the type of pop music Lorde has created yet again on her newest LP. She doesn't sing about anything out of the norm (love, parties, loneliness, etc) but it’s the way she sings about it. Her songwriting is as good as anyone in modern music, and far outpaces her pop counterparts.

Best Tracks: “Green Light” & “Supercut”

31: Brother Ali - All The Beauty In This Whole Life

Genre: Hip-Hop

Brother Ali has made a career on crafting stories straight from a diary, and would just as quickly tell you rap about the evils the world holds. For this project Ali leans on piano driven production by underground legend Ant, and with these beats digs into his softer side by gushing comfort and telling playfully cruel stories bookended together by hooks that play in your head for hours. Ali’s finest work to date would not be complete without the occasional flip into his famous sermons about the struggles of the minorities in a country that wishes nothing more than for you to fail, and how they set such a system of failure up.

Best Tracks: “Pray For Me” & “Out Of Here” 

30: Kelela - Take Me Apart

Genre: R&B / Electronic

Sounds of a living breathing world, clashing with synthetic bangs and swells that can be created by none other than an all-star cast of renowned artists create together a pocket for Kelela, an R&B songstress in the making. In her voice you hear to subtle hints of Solange and Janet Jackson, and like Jackson, at any moment Kelela can send out a rush of sound from her body that will make your heart stop and make you want to wail long. Subtle and powerful, heart ache and self-discovery, these dualities are attributes the singer seems to master to early in a career that is just beginning.

Best Tracks: “Frontline” & “Waitin’” 

29: FKJ - French Kiwi Juice

Genre: Fusion Jazz

Of all the albums that were released this year, none are more enjoyable than this electro-tropical project by the French multi-instrumentalist. Every beat takes you into a different garden of sounds and color, yet they all tie together as beautifully as a tropical paradise. Creating an album as pleasant and replayable as this with little vocals is a gift on it’s own, and this is a gift FKJ posses wholeheartedly.

Best Tracks: “Lying Together” & “Skyline”

28: Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory

Genre: Experimental Hip-Hop / Electronic

Vince Staples is the king of nihilism. His newest electronic based LP gives insight to a world we haven't reached yet, but will be at soon. Yet as observant of the negativity festering in the world as this project it is, it doubles as the background music at a house party only our great-grandkids will be able to speak about. Hip-Hop music at it’s core is electronic music with rhymes over top of it, and Vince stretches what we view as hip-hop into a world not as aggressive as Grime music, but more relaxed then electro-rap album like those made by Death Grips and Kanye West. Vince has shown he has no intent on slowing down his creative pushes whether it be gritty street tales or electronic tales of the drawbacks fame gives.

Best Tracks: “Big Fish” & “Love Can Be…”

Sounds Like: Outkast’s “Stankonia”

27: Dirty Projectors - Dirty Projectors

Genre: Indie Pop / Electronic

Experimentation is a trait of one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 21st century, and Dirty Projectors has enough of that to spare. Oozing with melodic vocal layerings, to the point you can’t tell if a computer program or a real person is singing, that glide seamlessly over pianos and electronic production, David Longstreth shows out yet again as a leading vocalist and main man behind a band that digs so deep that it seems outlandish.

Best Tracks: “Up In Hudson” & “Winner Take Nothing”

Sounds Like: Bon Iver’s “22, A Million”

26: Cosmo Pyke - Just Cosmo

Genre: Indie Rock / Anti-Pop

A teen and his guitar has been the starting tools of revolutions in music since the dawn of recorded music. And like those who came before him Cosmo Pyke brings with him a sound and style all his own. Acts from his home country of England have created music like his before and since the release of this debut EP, but Cosmo’s songwriting is bounds above the rest. Cherry tales of young love and typical slacker appeal meld into a pile of beautiful tunes showing a raw skill within the a star in the making.

Best Track: “Chronic Sunshine”

25: Rapsody - Laila’s Wisdom

Genre: Hip-Hop

From the intro with a flurry of choirs and keys into the outro with a haunting sample loop, Rapsody issues out a flurry of bars that challenge any active rapper. The leader of 9th Wonder's Jamla record label has been hard at work leveling up her skills to stand toe to toe with any and anyone that comes her way. Rapsody separates herself from the lip gloss and leathered up mold that most of today’s biggest female rappers tend to lean towards, and in that separation she fits in with the true emcees of the world rather than those on the quest for pop success. Even though bar for bar she is a problem, Rapsody took tracks like “Sassy” to speak on topics a male artist may not be able to properly deliver, another advantage for one of the Carolina’s finest artists.

Best Tracks: “Nobody” & “You Should Know”

24: Brockhampton - The Saturation Trilogy

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

This year rap was heralded as the new go-to genre for what makes up pop music. Streaming has revealed what we within the culture have already known, and with this new claim that rap is the new pop a boy band has come to the forefront of the genre. 2017 saw Brockhampton release 3 astounding albums with a loose concept surrounding the group’s dive into illegal crime and eventual imprisonment that is also loosely followed in their videos. Playing from the first instalment through to the third Ameer Vann, Kevin Abstract and Dom McLennon take the lead with the most time on record, but still making room for Matt Champion, Merlyn Wood, Joba and Bearface to shine and come into their own in front of eyes. Brockhampton took over the year with experimental production styles and an overload of witty auto-tuned soaked verses, giving a new view into what it means to be a hip-hop group.

Best Tracks: “GOLD”, “QUEER” & “BLEACH”

23: Wiki - No Mountains In Manhattan

Genre: East Coast Hip-Hop

New York City has done it’s best over the past decade to reclaim hip-hop music from it’s Southern counterpart, Atlanta. The City’s newest artists have tried their best to copy the sound, but most have failed. In the grimiest parts of the city though, is where artists like Wiki were born. Playing like a love letter to the city here the Ratking leader was born and raised, with at every turn and twist comes a yurp and freshly opened 40. A 16 track dive into the beauty of New York City gives a perspective that has been missing from hip-hop. No bitterness, no pleas for mainstream success, just the sonic version of Wiki’s toothless smile gleaming in the middle of Washington Square Park.

Best Tracks: “Mayor” and “Litt 15”

22: Sinjin Hawke: First Opus

Genre: Electronic 

A one time go to Kanye collaborator, Sinjin Hawke used reject beats and his futuristic vision to create a soundtrack of everyday life 200 years from now in an LP that could double as a score for a Ridley Scott film. Electronic music is the final frontier of music as an artform, and with one of the most ambitious and original compositions over the past decade Sinjin sets himself alongside other visionaries like Flying Lotus, Aphex Twin and Burial.

Best Tracks: “Shimmer” & “Flood Gates”

Sounds Like: Flying Lotus’ “Los Angeles”

21: Kamasi Washington - Harmony Of Difference

Genre: Jazz

Jazz music has been bastardized over decades into elevator music with little more then the occasional true jazz album to pierce the mold. Thanks to Flying Lotus and his Brainfeeder label jazz has been able to be reborn and re-envisioned thanks to the likes of the saxophonist Kamasi Washington. Constant intricate changes allow Washington to expand upon previous ideas revealed and hashed out in his groundbreak album “The Epic”. As each day passes Kamasi becomes more and more skilled along with each member of his ever expanding band. As long as time passes, Kamasi’s skill will grow, and so will his ambition to bring jazz back to greatness,

Best Track: “Truth”

Sounds Like: John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”

20: Milo - Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?!

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop

Entering into the dreamlike escapade crafted and materialized by the philosophy loving Milo can push away the casual fan. Milo has reared his head yet again coming off and tweaking the formula that crafted his acclaimed sophomore LP “So The Flies Don’t Come”. The beautiful instrumentals and hooks that play more as drunken chants real in a fan of hip-hop music, but the deeper you read into the verses the references and vocabulary are so obscure you wonder if you truly love it. The nose-to-the-sky feeling given off is one that can be to much for most, but pushing back against this can lead into loving a project that is one of a kind.

Best Tracks: “Sorcerer” & “Landscaping”

19: St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION

Genre: Alternative Pop 

St. Vincent’s newest endeavor takes a dive into the power of seduction in different facets of life. The seduction that power can cause in the eyes of other, to the seduction ability one has with someone they know so well. Coupled with her astounding mastery of guitar and different production styles allows a backdrop to the world of seduction within the coastal bubbles Clark resides. Nothing this year sounds like what has been crafted on this tight knit LP, mostly because no one can do what St. Vincent does.

Best Tracks: “Masseduction” & “Sugarboy”

Sounds Like: Prince’s “Under The Cherry Moon”

18: Drake - More Life

Genre: Hip-Hop / R&B

Drake has done his best to try and destroy being labeled anything more specific than an artist. Actor, singer, rapper, producer and tastemaker are all titles that can’t sum up Drake and his creativity. Labeling his newest endeavor a “playlist” and refusing to submit it to the Grammy’s is just another chapter in Drake pushing and bending what labels are. Featuring some of the best records in Drake’s catalog while putting on personal friends and musical inspirations like Sampha, Skepta, Kanye West, Jorja Smith and Giggs all in one verbose package is something that if someone proposed the idea a year ago no one would believe. The Canadian artist has once again melded R&B and Hip-Hop like only he can, while throwing in sprinkles of everything else that makes the 6 God who he is.

Best Tracks: “Free Smoke” & “Teenage Fever”

17: SZA - CTRL

Genre: R&B

Love lost and relationships broken will always be a topic in music. Beaten to death at times, but the greats can find ways to originally tell their story. Though speculation of who the album is about has pointed into some interesting places to raise the profile of the songs, the music speaks for itself. Each and every track is filled with cries of a woman trying to discover herself, and what she is worth.  A album wrapped in equal parts whimsical warmth and modern day R&B sound sets SZA on path to be another TDE powerhouse in mainstream and critical circles.

Best Tracks: “Garden” & “Broken Clocks”

16: Oddisee - The Iceberg

Genre: Hip-Hop

As far as underground hip-hop goes in 2017, and to the sub-genre as a whole, rarely will you come across a talent who values songwriting and hooks as much as they care about being a master of lyrics and experimentation. That is where Oddisee comes in. He has made conscious decisions to avoid crossing into the mainstream, mainly because he doesn't have the want to be famous. “The Iceberg” tells a message the world needs to hear, a message of acceptance and growing up in a damaged world. No other artist has checked off as many boxes as Oddisee, and all his talents are shown to a new level across this newest LP.  

Best Tracks: “Built By Pictures” & “Want To Be”

15: Sampha - Process

Genre: Soul / Electronic 

There is beauty in the simple things. A breezy morning, rain as you go to bed. The beautiful simple things. After a hiatus in the wake of the death of his mother Sampha returned with tear welling songs and ballads that remind you how beautiful minimalism and simplicity can be. One of the most gut wrenching tracks somes in the form a piano ballad dedicated to the love his late mother had given him, and as his pain wells out the gorgeous voice that sounds like none other begs to be repeated again and again.

Best Tracks: “Blood On Me” & “Kora Sings”

Sounds Like: James Blake’s “Overgrown”

14: Thundercat - Drunk

Genre: Psychedelic Jazz

An entry into the mind of the world renowned bassist, “Drunk” plays like a jazzed out Frank Zappa project, with themes varying from a love song about his cat to his love of anime and the city of Tokyo. A sonic expansion from his previous album “Apocalypse”  Thundercat tag teams through the album with his label head and close friend Flying Lotus weaving deeper and deeper into the trenches of this jazz filled paradise. As the album turns from waking up joyously hungover, into returning to the same bottle again, the album title resonates hard into the closing tracks. Drunken journeys into one’s own mind along with a meddling ADHD odyssey is challenging his previous album as some of the most important work in modern jazz, and slowly grows into the victour.

Best Tracks: “Uh Uh” & “Show You The Way”

13: Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Genre: Hip-Hop

The best active rapper out right now is the Compton-bred MC, and though this album cemented a portion of Kendrick’s attributes that he’s always lacked in (album sales & streams) it is still a questionable project by Lamar’s standards. Thought “FEAR” and “DUCKWORTH” are some of the best tracks Kendrick has ever released, the project will not live on through the overall make-up. The concept of the record and the conspiracy theories that circled around it along with astronomical sales will keep this album in West Coast loar. Don’t be confused, this is a very good project with everything you could ever ask from a single artist to meld into one body of work, yet by Kendricks standard, it is a dip in the wrong direction.

Best Tracks: “FEAR.” & “XXX.”

12: The Alchemist & Budgie - The Good Book Vol. 2

Genre: Instrumental Hip-Hop / Underground Hip-Hop

As music evolves more technologically and in structure, gospel music becomes more and more interesting in today’s world. Religion is a tongue and cheek topic for most, but the music when done right is astounding regardless of message. Give these records to the legendary producer Alchemist and the equally exciting and underrated Budgie, along with their Rolodex of super skilled friends, the ceiling is non-existent. A two disc 96 minute odyssey into underground hip-hop weaved together by samples from a lost time in musical history is one of (if not the) best producer lead albums of the past decade.

Best Tracks: “No Mystery God” & “In-N-Out”

Sounds Like: The Avalanches “Wildflower”

11: Tennyson - Uh Oh!

Genre: Electronic

The brother / sister duo has returned with another EP highlighted by the sounds of a futuristic city like nothing you can see in film. A dream world filled with bird chirps, high paced drums, and the clanging together of whatever you can find in the depths of your production software. Limited singing gives way for one to long for the calming voice to return to give another layer of beauty to an already overloaded roster of sound and audio color that is a part of a spearheaded movement of dense and upbeat electronic compositions.

Best Track: “Pegasus.exe”

10: Lil Uzi Vert - Luv Is Rage 2

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

You will not find a more fun album to blast at full volume then the newest edition to Lil Uzi Vert’s newest venture. “Luv Is Rage 2” was in purgatory for months by Don Cannon, DJ Drama, and Altantic Records due to the success of the smash lead single “XO Tour Llif3”, and once released the hundred of thousands within the internet community that birthed Uzi went wild, sending the album straight to #1. A sonic carnival, lead by the shoulder rolling ringmaster himself with lyrics of love lost, youthful energy and a dangerous amount of drug use, is a project that will be looked back as a seminal release from this generation of SoundCloud birthed artists, and possibly this era of music in general. 

Best Tracks: “Neon Guts” & “The Way Life Goes”

9: Big K.R.I.T. - 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time

Genre: Southern Hip-Hop

The great return of Big K.R.I.T. years in the making. A double disc dive into the duality of K.R.I.T’s musical ventures exemplifies his versatility in a way the major label system never properly handled. The first side shows the mainstream crossover ability that always had shown glimpses over his career, while also showing an aggressive and hungry delivery to be considered one of the generation's greats. On the flip side of the album, we are shown into Justin Scott’s (K.R.I.T.’s real name) way of thinking. An inclusion of live instruments and a deeper message accompanied with a dive into the psyche of K.R.I.T. as a man in his past and today. The return of the Southern star show’s a rebirth of a career that belongs to be put next to today's and all of history's greats.

Best Tracks: “The Light” & “Mixed Messages”

Sounds Like: Outkast’s “ATLiens”

8: Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop

Chicago is never out of the news for long, whether it be tales of murder and destruction, or the flip side featuring political change and community outreach. Somewhere in the middle Open Mike Eagle sits doodling a satiristic world to describe it all. An ode to the Robert Taylor projects where Eagle grew up in, along with over 20,000 other people, Mike speaks of himself in many mythical ways whether it be a hero within the building, or the homes themselves. The two features Eagle allowed into his brick and mortar universe were standouts, especially the early verse from the show stealing Sammus. Conceptually it is one of a kind, proving again Open Mike Eagle and the underground which he meddles in, is a land of opportunity.

Best Tracks: “Legendary Iron Hood” & “Happy Wasteland Day”

Sounds Like: Aesop Rock’s “Labor Days”

7: Future - HNDRXX

Genre: Hip-Hop / R&B 

Future has reached the point in his career where he can sit back and watch the world spin around him. Every new artist has a piece of Future in their DNA, and Future could live of his major records and the occasional feature for life. Yet he took the creative risk of making a full R&B album, a project that does have rapping but to a minimal amount in the same vein as early Drake. The soul splitting auto tune melodies speaking possibly of his ex relationships with Ciara and the wife of Scottie Pippen, and the drugs to mellow the pain of lost love and past memories. “Dirty Sprite 2” was an angry and hungry Future, attacking the world, while “HNDRXX” comes off as the yang to DS2’s ying, and shows range but a living legend.  

Best Tracks: “My Collection” & “Solo” 

Sounds Like: Drake’s “Take Care”

6: Jay-Z - 4:44

Genre: Hip-Hop

The President of Hip-Hop himself, Jay-Z shows a further evolution in an already storied discography. Jay has been personal in the past, but never in such an intimate setting. Done in the span of a few weeks with the legendary No ID, these sessions gave us the final product of the most personal a mainstream artist, especially of Jay’s stature. Bringing to light secrets and public questions of Hov’s relationships with his wife Beyonce, tips on building a fortune, his parents, and on-again-off-again little brother Kanye, to finally give his side of each story. The persona of the corner boy turned CEO has almost never shown any vulnerability, and all these decades later these internal feelings finally see the light in the form of a golden standard in late career work.

Best Tracks: “Marcy Me” & “Family Feud”

Sounds Like: Nas’ “Life Is Good”

5: King Krule - The OOZ

Genre: Alternative

King Krule has revealed himself from his self-induced seclusion and has gone back into his most popular musical identity, taking a break from the dubstep and hip-hop laced corners of the internet he took shelter in. On his 70 minute plunge into the mucky bowels of London, Archy brings with him equal parts angst, longing and hazy production to tell tales of relationships and isolation, but mostly focusing on painting a Greek tragedy with words and guitars. Feeling and emotion personified via a hissing and empty void in between each vocal wail, reminding us how raw uncut emotion is the underlying factor in all great art, and Archy Marshall slops and gushes emotion in layers like no other act can.

Best Tracks: “Dum Surfer” & “Biscuit Town”

4: Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 3

Genere: Alternative Hip-Hop

Killer Mike and El-P are the best hip-hop duo since Outkast. With their third project the best group in rap music solidifies themselves yet again as the inventive and aggressive showboaters they are, with a more intense dive into El-P’s synth filled world. El and Mike touch on the capitalistic and ever changing world we are in, playing into the dystopian sci-fi tropes the group has separately gone into many times before. Their first project was an introduction, the second project was the group talking more of the world around them, and with this third time around, the tag team becomes more aggressive than ever while mixing in the best parts of everything they have ever done across thier individually storied careers. 

Best Tracks: “Call Ticketron” & “Everybody Stay Calm”

3: Tyler The Creator - Scum Fuck Flower Boy

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

With his 5th full length solo project Tyler has solidified himself as one of, if not the, most influential artist of this generation. In a class with the Kendricks, Coles, K.R.I.T.’s, and Drakes of the world, Tyler has found a way to stand alone. This self produced masterpiece is Tyler's musical dreams and ambitions personified and laced with beautiful guest features that fit in ways that bring to mind more of a band then a solo album with features. Yet as beautiful as the music sounds, the lyrics are focused on loneliness, acceptance, paranoia and depression. Since the beginning Ty has had albums based in an original narrative about a boy speaking with his therapist and the events surrounding it, and to break the mold a whole new layer of vulnerability was added. 2018 was a year that showed Tyler gaining a TV show, a new shoe line, a store in Los Angeles, another sold out self-produced festival, and this 14 track artwork shows us again how important originality is. Nothing can, or will stop Tyler.

Best Tracks: “See You Again” & “Pothole”

2: Daniel Caesar - Freudian

Genre: Soul

Production can be replicated. Lyrics can be replicated. A voice though,  can almost never be replicated. The range Caesar flexes across the 10 track debut LP is breathtaking in ways words cannot describe. Daniels music puts you in a state of mind, a flashback into the worst part of any relationship, but with a sprinkle of hope at the end. From sensual duets, to songs of longing a lyrical range to complement his vocal range is apparent and beautiful. Caesars gospel background comes as no surprise with the amount of soul and pain he can easily place into each run. Leading a pack of young soul and R&B artists, Caesar has a future ahead like none we have ever seen. 

Best Tracks: “We Find Love” & “Get You”

1: Smino - Blkswn

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

40 years since hip-hop was founded in New York City the genre has expanded musically from scratched up James Brown records into inclusion of every instrument and production style under the sun. And yet evolution is still eternally coming. Monte Booker, who produced on 16 of the 18 tracks has sculpted an ever tweaking and twitching paradise for Smino to fit his elastic flow and wordplay into every crevice of the intricate electronic based beats. Vocal layering and ad-libs used in ways rare to find in any genre add depth to records instead of being used as corny catch phrases like most utilize them for. Tales of drunken nights and lost lives spoken with Smino’s unique drawl and vocal tone recieve a kind of depth and playfulness combined that gives way to comparisons to Chicago MC’s Saba and Chance The Rapper .The St. Louis scene hasn’t seen much talent since the early aughts when Nelly ruled the world with a platinum fist, but now the city (along with new home Chicago) can claim the innovative minds Smino and Monte Booker.  

Best Tracks: “Father Son, Holy Smoke” & “B Role”

[cursedcandyroses]

The Dull & The Daunting: The Missteps Of The Year’s Biggest And Most Recognized Albums

Going to an art exhibit isn’t for everyone. Hours in half empty rooms with splatter paintings worth millions with no food allowed isn’t an ideal weekend for most people. Even if the art is something as grand and obtuse as a Salvador Dali piece, something beautiful yet understandable, it won’t appeal to the masses. Albums can be the same way. Well executed songwriting is nothing without production to boot, and some of the most infectious melodies are worthless without lyrics to fill them. Some of these projects will gain critical acclaim and spots on year end lists, and deservingly so to some. Yet to most, these are novelty projects. Fun for the moment, but will it hold up and have value as time progresses? Only time will tell.

Roc Marciano - Rosebudd’s Revenge

Roc Marciano is an immaculate rapper. One of the best lyricist and story tellers working today, and with every release rises in the rankings. With his newest endeavor though, Roc Marciano flops in the same ways great lyricists of old have done. Poor beat selection can only get you so far in hip-hop. The worst part about all this is, is that the beats aren’t even that bad. Their OK. but when you are rapping as good as Roc, OK isn’t enough. Scarce drums and questionable mixing of the vocals (though seemingly on purpose) make this the equivalent of a history lecture from the oldest professor on campus. As well as the content is, the delivery is unbearable to most.

Young Nudy - Nudy Land

Atlanta has been the breeding ground of the biggest names in hip-hop for over a decade, and that’s caused by a new artist popping up by the moment. Constantly mixing in fresh blood with the old brings youth and experimentation to the scene. Though not every experiment goes right. Young Nudy is a blood relative of 21 Savage, and like 21 has a love of working in large with one producer. A large chunk of the tape is produced by Playboi Carti’s go to beatmaker Pi’erre Bourne. The problem is Young Nudy is really really bad at rapping. But Playboi Carti is too, the difference is Carti has unmatched charisma regardless of how disinterested he sounds. And while 21 also has his deadpan delivery, he can actually rap well through punchlines that are menacing or straight up hilarious. This project would more worthwhile as an instrumental LP, but props to Nudy for at least having a good ear.

Joyner Lucas - 508-507-2209

This project is the kind of body of work 45+ year old rap fans relish for. The production is modern enough to excite them, and Joyner does nothing but rap. And rap. And rap. And rap even more. The ability to rap fast is one that is overvalued in today’s hip-hop culture because, let’s be honest, it sounds cool. But doing it one and off for over 80 (EIGHTY FUCKING) minutes with the occasional relief of poorly done auto-tune trap style records, is tiresome to say the least. Joyner does carry a loose concept through the project, which is easy when you have an hour and a half to do it. If you dig through landfill for long enough you’re bound to find something of value I suppose.

Father John Misty - Pure Comedy

In movies and TV there will always be the trope of the hipster douchebag. Beard, flannel, large vinyl collection filled with obscure jazz and folk records. That is not Father John Misty. Another classic trope is the guy at a party who is way overdressed. Picture a brown jacket with elbow pads, smoking a pipe (indoors I might add) with his hair slicked back secretly fuming in the corner because no one in the room seems to understand the importance of philosophy by Descartes is and no one has complimented his jacket. This is not Father John Misty. But if you mash the two together and sprinkle in a very poorly copied Stephen Colbert you get the sound of “Pure Comedy”. A period piece that reflects the thoughts of your douchey Massachusetts residing uncle in a Trump ran America, cleverly written, but a bit beaten to beyond the point of no return.

Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked At Me

“A Crow Looked At Me” is one of the most gut wrenching pieces of music I personally have ever heard. It’s a tight concept album telling a story that is to good to give away, so go listen to it. That is if you can bear to deal with 40+ straight minutes of an acoustic guitar and whiny, occasionally offbeat, singing. What pushes you through the first listen is the story itself being told, with zero redeeming qualities outside of the that. This whole album sounds like the thrown out demos of early Bon Iver, and as tearful this album may make you, this could have been left in the woods to never be played and i’d never think i was missing anything.

Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel

Charli XCX has made a career off of anthemic pop songs that get stuck in your head no matter how hard you try. And the reason you hate having it stuck in your head is because the songs are annoyingly bad. This project is full of overdone electronic beats, much of the same that Charli has turned towards through her career. To her credit these songs don’t sound like anyone else, and the melodies are still as infectious as he last few hits, but the emptiness within the melodies, and the mind numbing thump of the production is enough to make you beg for mercy no more then a few tracks in.

[cursedcandyroses]

Best Album Covers Of 2017

A year that has been highly politicized, and as divisive of a 12 months we’ve ever had has come to a close. A rage from the older generation towards the younger artists has been reciprocated via diss songs and videos, and the occasional twitter rant. Outside of the music and rants though, the artistic vision of artists old, and mostly new, has expanded out ten fold, creating more jaw dropping and thought provoking album art that has ever been seen before. Technology has allowed higher quality editing and photography allowing for a vision to come from the mind of an artist into a more detailed look then ever before, and these are some of the best works to come from this year.

15: Freddie Gibbs - You Only Live 2wice

Freddie Gibbs has been to hell and back over the past few years. Being stuck in a European prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and being separated from his family all while home in America the hip-hop world was waiting for him to take over the game off the back of his astounding collab “Pinata”. The cover and title shows Gibbs believes he’s been given a second chance at life, and a second chance to give his art to the world.

14: Migos - Culture

The Migos took fulfilled their destiny of becoming to biggest group form Atlanta, and in all of hip-hop this year, and it was all thanks to this album. A seminal album for the group features the esteemed trio surrounded by what they see most important, and representative of the culture surrounding them in the game, and their personal hub of Southern Hip-Hop.

13: Meek Mill - Wins & Loses

The Trials and Tribulations of Meek Mill can be a movie series that would make 30 For 30 buy the rights to it. From jail, to a deal with Rick Ross and his MMG empire, to the loss of Lil Snupe, and so on and so forth Meek has seen and been through the ringer. A true look into his past few years Meek reveals what means the most to him, positive and negative.

12: Billy Woods & Blockhead - Known Unknowns

Reminiscent of the gritty New York streets both these famed underground Goliaths came from, this piece of art give a backdrop for the murky, dark, and at times evil sounding raps coming from the jaws of a true lyricist.

11: Lil B - Black Ken

The BasedGod has blessed us with the infamous “Black Ken” project that has been teased to the masses for years and years. Playing on the classic posters and magazine Barbie advertisements for the toys in the past, Lil B makes himself the star of the show. Lil B never taken himself to seriously, and becoming a cartoon playboy is one of the newest frontiers The BasedGod looks to travel through. 

10: Lil Yachty - Teenage Emotions

The self-proclaimed King Of The Teens wants the world to know he understands you. The emotional range of a young person is as broad as an spectrum imaginable, and regardless of that the braided weirdo himself wants to remind you no matter what, there is always some here to love you. 

9: Goldlink - At What Cost

An oil painting destined to be hung up in the home of every street king in America, or the poster for the next “Menace II Society”-esk film. The album holds a story of a rollercoaster of a night in the DC club scene, and each aspect is represented, from the cars to the burning of the world around him in hatred. 

8: Thundercat - Drunk

The funk and R&B whirlwind Thundercat curates with his musicianship is one of a kind, and so is the visual art he puts forth surrounding the music. A twist on the classic Columbia records album covers of decades past gives Thundercat an otherwise blank template to voice his hidden comedic ideals in the oddest way possible. Nose deep in water, maybe a metaphor for being drunk, with the trancelike angry eyes peaking from the top could be again, another metaphor for how he is when drunk, or something deeper. 

7: Father John Misty - Pure Comedy

Political albums were a dime a dozen this year, thought Father John MIsty found a way to push the chaos of an entire nation, and world, into one image. From cow sacrifices, to striving for space travel, the world as we know it is up for a satirical envisioning just like the politics Misty so aptly despises. 

6: Smokepurrp - Deadstar

The new strain of punk-rap artists coming from the depths of the internet reveals their influences on their sleeve. The South Florida rapper and songwriter pays homage to one of the most hated figures in entertainment history by recreating an infamous G.G. Allin photo from the shock rockers funeral. The world once hated G.G., and now artists like Purrp are allowing the world to treat them as the hip-hop punching bag of the moment, and striving in that moment.

5: Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

Eagle’s newest endeavour gave an insight into the surrealist vision OME once saw his apartment building in. Building upon this idea and the album title, Eagle turned himself, among others, into literal brick bodied people, reminding us of the intense art rap aesthetic that Eagle is seen as the founder of.

4: Warhol.ss - Where’s Warhol?

An artist birthed from Soundcloud is a dime a dozen in frequency, but nearly every one of them has the same artistic view of themselves. Warhol.ss though can put together, at least in his album art, a new view of himself and his music that no one can copy. Warhol.ss fits in the crowd musically, but at the same time something draws us to search for him.

3: Young Dolph - Bulletproof

Young Dolph has had a rollercoaster of a year. But as one who has always strived no matter the struggle, Dolph took the negative of being shot at with dozens upon dozens of rounds of ammo to create the greatest visual middle finger in modern hip-hop, with an eccentrically titled tracklist to match.

2: Logic - Everybody

Logic has, and will most likely always be, a divisive figure in hip-hop for a multitude of reasons, but one thing no one can argue is that he knows what he wants to display. A view of a futuristic society like the one Logic dreams of on his newest endeavor, also holds Easter Eggs to the at one time hidden features across the project. Looking throughout the cover will show KIller Mike, J. Cole, Khalid, and Juicy J to name a few, along with a few other secret contributors to the production and conceptualization of the project.  

1: Two-9 - FRVR

The debauchery that takes place from the beginning of Two-9′s long awaited debut is one for the ages. The Atlanta hip-hop collective have gone from larger then life hit makers to pocket sized figurines, just to be adorned on their cover art. In a style of music where the largest critique is everyone sounding alike, the crew comes together to standout with an artistic vision like none other.

[cursedcandyroses]

Who To Watch In 2018

Every few years music takes a turn. This past year with giants like Drake, Kanye, J. Cole, Adele, and Beyonce taking time off has, along with a a streaming boom and pop music being more top heavy than ever has allowed unknown and new artists to slide into our lives. 2018 will be a year of reemergence of sleeping giants in mainstream and underground hip-hop, while bubbling artists look to jump off after setting the ground work over the past 12 months. 

Mac Miller

From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Genre: Hip-Hop, R&B

For the first time in a decade Mac Miller has hidden from the world and released no solo work. A well deserved break that has followed since the terrorist attack at girlfriend Ariana Grande’s concert earlier this year, and after a dive into R&B that showed yet another level in the Pittsburgh artist’s vision of himself. Mac has never done the same album twice, and rarely has even covered the same themes in more than a few songs since his evolution into a more serious rapper in his work post-”Blue Slide Park”. If it’s a new pure rap album, more R&B, a dip into acid jazz, or country music, Mac has the talent and creative prowess to create something worthwhile.

Trippie Redd

From: Canton, Ohio

Genre: Hip-Hop

Hip-Hop music has become harder and harder to truly define in the past few years. With the term “mumble rap” being pushed onto any and every new artist from Soundcloud, whereas Punk Rap would fit better, every new artist is either swept under the rug or pushed into superstardom in days. None are like Trippie Redd though. His emotional moans and screams laced within well structured songs have caught the attention of major artists like Travi$ Scott, DRAM, and Drake, along with internet hits like those i'm his “Love Scars” song series and “In Too Deep”. Releasing two mixtapes, a myriad of videos and features with the previously mentioned DRAM and Travi$, whenever Trippie decides to put an official body of work forward, it is without a doubt he will be among the leaders of his generation's acts. 

Cardi B

From: The Bronx, New York City, New York

Genre: Hip-Hop

A hit single is hard to come by. A national SMASH is even harder. Cardi B took over 2017 in every way, and now the pressure is on for her to deliver an album with just as much appeal and swagger of “Bodak Yellow”. But can she actually come through with another hit, or even a quality body of work? History say….nothing. Never has there been an artist like Cardi. Someone coming from the streets and clubs of New York, into viral fame via Instagram and Twitter videos, and making a number one smash out of a remix, is something we have never seen. Viral hits? Yes. Non-rappers turned into household names in hip-hop culture? Yes. All in one? Never.  Cardi has already made history, and will continue to do so, or at least strive to.

Freddie Gibbs

From: Gary, Indiana

Genre: Hip-Hop

The time has come. The time has come for Freddie Gibbs to once again take over the world with his talent. “Pinata” is one of the best hip-hop albums of the decade, and was received critically as such. Now with Freddie released from prison, with a solo workout that shows that the time off didn’t weaken his skills, and with Madlib on his usual tear of underground productions, the follow up in the MadGibbs discography, “Bandana”, is poised to be another juggernaut of an album. Freddie Gibbs has been an artist with the ability to bend and mold to whatever production style he is given, whether it be ethereal trap beats or sample heavy boom bap production. Nothing can stop Gangsta Gibbs from staking his claim yet again as one the best rappers alive. 

Earl Sweatshirt

From: Los Angeles, California 

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop

The story of the Odd Future family tree is as interesting as any musical groups story in modern times. Earl’s next studio album follows his widely heralded sophomore break into the underground, and the details are few and far between. Some speculate it’ll be a full on collab with producer Knxweldge, while others believe it could be an angrier dive into the grimy world created on “I Don’t Like Shit...I Don’t Go Outside”. No singles or verses have come from Sweatshirt, but a heavy production year (in which Earl laced underground lyricists Wiki, Mach-Hommy and Denmark Vessey) has also created the idea of a self-produced album, putting Earl into a class all his own with underground greats like Oddisee and DOOM.

Creek Boyz

From: Baltimore, Maryland 

Genre: Hip-Hop

The Baltimore based crew set the internet and the hip-hop world on fire with a single like none other this year. “With My Team” managed to be a party anthem with a perfect intertwining theme of  survival in a world and city against you. Baltimore over the past decade has been a hub of violence and racial inequality, all while having no one to speak for it in music. Creek Boyz deal with 300 Entertainment could turn into the push the group needs to enter the collective conscious of music, though with the track record 300 has made for itself, it’s best to keep our hopes low.

Jorja Smith

From: Walsall, England

Genre: R&B, Pop

The UK has been a hotbed for talent this past year, and Jorja Smith is a star among stars. An EP, a feature with Kali Uchis and Drake, and a few singles into her career Smith is already the most exciting singer in music. “On My Mind” is one of the most irresistible jams to come out this year, and that coupled with well shot videos and tweets confirming a full length project is in the works leads to believe that the coming year will be owned by the UK songstress. The internet has shrunk the world to which an artist like Jorja can release a few singles on Soundcloud, and within months become the focal point of the future for pop and R&B music.

Ski Mask The Slump God

From: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Genre: Hip-Hop

The underground scene over the past few years has taken a split into two completely different directions. The traditional “underground sound” consisting of lyrically dense and experimental hip-hop like the likes of Busdriver and Aesop Rock is on one side while the other is a drug induced ragger which birthed the likes of XXXTentacion, Pouya, Ghostemane and UnoTheActivist. Somewhere in the middle lies Ski Mask The Slump God. With the beats and energy of the Soundcloud guys, and the lyrical showboating and experimentation as the other side of the split. Ski mask can rap, but the scene in which he came from has lead many to doubt and dismiss him as a fad. With music in the works with Timbaland, Busta Rhymes, and singles out with A$AP Ferg, it just shows how serious people take Ski Mask, which in the coming months might be something we won’t have a choice to do.

Swae Lee & Slim Jimmi

From: Tupelo, Mississippi 

Genre: Hip-Hop

Solo albums were promised, and never fulfilled, but in return the party boy duo rode the wave of their sophomore release, “SremmLife 2″ , into the beginning of 2017. The duo's single “Black Beatles” was pushed by a viral internet challenge into the #1 spot on the billboard singles chart, along with Swae Lee breaking off to give hooks to another smash hit with French Montana in the form of “Unforgettable” and the moderately successful Ty Dolla $ign cut “Don’t Judge Me”. Though a quiet year for Swae’s partner in crime Slim Jxmmi has lead to just as much excitement as the prolific year Swae conjured up. Solo projects and possibly the third installment of the SremmLife saga is in the works to make for another huge Sremm filled year. 

[cursedcandyroses]

My 5th Birthday Present To Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’“The Heist”

A gift like this isn’t something you wrap up all nice and neatly in the way some poor bastard working in a JCPenney’s around Christmas time would prefer to do it. This is one of those big gifts your parents drunkenly set up overnight in the backyard, slapped a bow on it, and the next morning said “Hey, go get your sister we have something cool for her”. My gift to “The Heist” is something that isn’t given often. It’s the gift of perspective, the gift of a defense, the gift of an explanation that may sway the still-salty Hip-Hop traditionalist inside of all of us. A gift that will be presented with dignity, grace, and by giving all the projects bed-time-story-book-level equivalents . “The Heist” rightfully won the Grammy for the best Hip-Hop album at the 2014 Grammy’s. Yeah, the Grammy they won over Jay-Z, Kanye, Kendrick and Drake. An album that came out in 2012 and became every soccer mom’s entrance into a world they stand out in (like Macklemore in most Hip-Hop events not attended by execs) Besides how strange is was that the award was given out in 2014, but thanks to the Olympics and the odd Grammy rules made it that way so we’re gonna sit down and like it. This was the year the little Seattle duo should have been honored to even be mentioned in the same breath as artists so many leagues above them. But there was a method behind the impending madness.

THE QUALITY TALK

Now as far as quality of the overall album, the only project nominated that year that was worse than “The Heist” was Jay-Z’s beautifully produced coconut of an album we call “Magna Carta Holy Grail”. Now since we’re on quality Kendrick’s “good kid, m.A.A.d. city” is in a different universe compared to “The Heist”. As far as other nominees went “Yeezus” was seen as one of the most polarizing albums since Kanye’s last experiment, 2008′s “808′s & Heartbreak”, yet was still critically acclaimed, and Drake’s “Nothing Was The Same” was seen as containing some of Drake’s best work to date. The win here goes to Kendrick, but Macklemore and company are no slouch. 

Round 1 Elimination: “Magna Carta Holy Grail”

THE POLITICAL TALK

Now we all know Kanye’s history with the Grammy’s, and that is something he may never be truly forgiven for in White America and the Committee’s eyes. If “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” can’t win Album Of The Year while being one of the most raved about albums of ALL TIME, do you really think they’re going to give an award to something like “Yeezus” an album comparable to a silverback gorilla when woken from a very wonderful nap featuring a grand dream only to see that his shoes are being eaten by the weaklings of the jungle. As powerful as an enraged sneakerhead ape may be, it is again no match for the crushing strength of the Grammy Committee and its voters, which in this scenario we’re gonna picture as the Justice League if the Justice League was made up of guys who looked like Mitch McConnell and former winners.

Round 2 Elimination: “Yeezus”

THE REALLY BIG NUMBERS TALK

Now the Grammy’s have claimed for years in statements and in the description of what makes an “Album Of The Year” ( “ ..honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position.”) that sales have no influence on the future winner. Yet looking back at past winners of “Best Rap Album Of The Year” up until that year over 65% of the winners either had higher first week & total sales for the time leading to the award being given or more top 10 singles in comparison to it’s competitors. Oddly enough “The Heist” had the lowest first week sales of all the nominees with only 78k compared to 658k (Drake), 528k (Jay-Z), 370k (Kanye) and 242k (Kendrick). As far as singles went is where something strange happens. Kendrick had no Billboard Top 10 Hits, yet 3 singles moved into the Billboard Hip-Hop Top 10. 

*SIDEBAR: DIFFERENTIATING THE BILLBOARD CHARTS*

For those unknowing of the difference between the different types of Billboard Charts here’s a quick breakdown.

Every genre of music has their own individual chart, making it easier for artists to compare themselves to their contemporaries. R&B songs will be put against R&B, jazz against jazz etc. Now there is the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. This chart is a comprehensive ranking of songs regardless of genre, to see who has the most popular songs whether it is a hip-hop record or a rock record. A key thing to realize is that just because you have the most popular hip-hop song, that doesn’t mean you have the most popular song over the entire span of music. For example Migos could hold the #1 spot on the Hip-Hop/R&B charts because it is the highest selling and highest played hip-hop song, but the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 could be a song by Justin Bieber. Now back to our regularly scheduled bedtime story. 

Yet compared to Drake and Macklemore, Kendrick was left in the dust. This is the part in the story where our hometown hero, picture Bruce Lee mixed with the great Achilles but way cooler and travels the globe in a balancing out level uncool mini-van, becomes stagnant in the battle for the hallowed Grammy, and by forces against his powers falls to the wayside.Young Kung Fu Kenny has failed himself, yet made his hometown so proud. So now the only competition Macklemore faces is the Lightskin Megalodon in a Raptors jersey we know as Aubrey “Drake” Graham. Drake peaked with his (at the time) second highest charting single behind “Best I Ever Had” (which peaked at #2) with what has become a staple wedding song in “Hold On, We’re Going Home” a track that peaked on the Billboard Charts at #4. Not only did Drizzy hit the Top 10 with the Majid Jordan assisted track, he also hit #6 on the Billboard Charts with the anthem “Started From The Bottom”. Both monstrous and inescapable songs during this time period. Yet the international outreach wasn’t really there. North America loves Drake, yet as far as international chart rankings “Hold On” peaked in the Top 10 in 9 countries. Now this is the part were most people wished they had had a warning before hearing. So here it is; shit’s about to get soul crushing. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis hit the Top 10 in over 20 countries with TWO different singles. Yes, those white boys took Hip-Hop across the globe with “Can’t Hold Us” and “Thrift Shop” (the later of which hit number 1, the absolute peak position, in TWELVE non-North American countries.) You couldn’t even avoid the annoyingly toxicating horns of “Thrift Shop” in Lebanon, a country Drake hit number 2 in which makes me wonder if Lebanon is either a) the ultimate hypebeasts of American music or b) a country of questionable taste, yet i again digress. The Drake-alodon (yeah that’s what we’re going with) has finally met it’s match.The only duo on Earth that, against all odds, can defeat any who stand in it’s way. Mack & Ryan are the Sam & Dean Winchester of this fabulous tale (and to those who have never watched “Supernatural” and don’t get this reference, like, what the fuck guys come on). Thought just mortals in a battle against beings much more powerful than them, they find a way to take down all in their path, though they aren’t motivated in the same “save world” type way most heroes have, it’s more in the “family business” type way. Forging their musical careers in the most ironic way possible, by literally starting from the bottom with no chance of ever making it this far, the tag team has found a way to come out victorious. 

Round 3 Eliminations (The Double Wammy Round): “good kid, m.A.A.d. city” & “Nothing Was The Same”

THE X-FACTOR TALK

Now yes Drake was pummeled thanks to the powers of a European and Pacific terrestrial radio fanbase, but by the grace of Wayne Gretzky Drake is given a second wind. Now we get a smidge serious and look into what led Macklemore here, in a less-then-story-book-level way. Another field Sir Mac crossed that Drake could not, is a message. “The Heist” was a vehicle carrying tales of pain from addiction, ideologies of equality, and being true to oneself over beats that didn’t fit the typical Hip-Hop mold. Though yes Kanye screamed in hopes of being accepted, and Kendrick crafted a story that comes to life to often, they didn’t meet the previous qualifications. Drake and Jay boasted their way threw their tracks with only glimpses into anything more than opulence and success, a characteristic Macklemore rarely touched, and heavily spoke down upon on tracks. A humble, conscious, loveable loser is a storyline the mainstream public can relate to more than a prodigy like Kendrick, a wealthy businessman (and a business, MAN) like Jay, an angry and disgruntled creative like Kanye, or an innovative powerhouse like Drake. That was the X-factor in what has become one of the most controversial Grammy moments in Hip-Hop history. A factor Macklemore and Ryan Lewis may or may not have intentionally used to leverage their way into the hearts and radios of America, and the world. Though the Drake-alodon seemed to have caught our heros by surprise by lashing back once again, they knew far to well to grow comfortable with success. With a final blow to the monsters impeccable beard, the monster was sent flying into the stars, not to be viewed again (at least for a few years anyway). Our heroes have finally reached the pinnacle, with their competitors left deep in the their dust. Now holding the Grammy in their hand, they feel as if they have finally done it. They have reached what they have dreamt of their whole lives, in a moment they’d never give up. At least Ryan wouldn’t want to give up, because within hours Sir Mac is sending a carrier pigeon to The Chosen One, a young Kung Fu Kenny to apologize about not helping him out. 

Final Round Elimination: “Nothing Was The Same” (for real this time)

Now back to reality, where I tuck “The Heist” back into my CD holder and tuck it away for a while until i build up the want to listen to it again, which may or may not ever come back. By all official and unofficial qualifications the indie duo outshined its competitors in numerous ways. Don’t get me wrong “good kid m.A.A.d. city” is an album my GRANDCHILDREN will be given as a birthday present, probably more than once. But “The Heist” crossed international barriers and at the end of the day showed Hip-Hop to parts of the globe the Kendrick’s and Drake’s of the world have only just begun crossing into. Macklemore isn’t the best version of Hip-Hop i personally want the world to see, but he isn’t the worst. An indie artist who crafted legendary crossover songs is still an artist very much who gives props to his backpacker influences and inspirations such as The Hieroglyphics, Talib Kweli, Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang Clan. The duo of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis earned the Award of Best Hip-Hop album in 2014 by filling nearly every box, and leave a bigger check mark then their competitors. It isn’t groundbreaking work, it isn’t life changing work, but it is work that deserved the Grammy that night in January.

[cursedcandyroses]

The Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame

*a monthly write up choosing three members of the Hip-Hop Community that have helped to evolve the genre, created music of high quality, helped widen the reach of the genre, or used their platform in the genre to help improve the world around them in and out of Hip-Hop*

This Month’s Inductees

Mike Dean

From: Houston, Texas

Life: March 1st 1965-

Role In Hip-Hop: Producer / Engineer 

Associated Acts: Kanye West, Scarface, Beyonce, Tha Dogg Pound, Travi$ Scott, Z-Ro, Selena, Desiigner, Pimp C, Do Or Die, 2 Chainz, Jay-Z, Vic Mensa, Big Sean, Kid Cudi

Biggest Influence On Hip-Hop: Production style that helped form the sound of early Houston hip-hop and Southern Hip-Hop as a whole

Most Famous Work: Heavy production on classic albums by The Geto Boys and Kanye West

Sean “Slug” Daley

From: Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Life: September 7th, 1972-

Role In Hip-Hop: Rapper / Label Head

Associated Acts: Ant, Brother Ali, Aesop Rock, Eyedea, I Self Divine, Sab The Artist, Murs, Dilated Peoples, Evidence, DJ Abilities 

Biggest Influence On Hip-Hop: Being a leader in the underground hip-hop scene through being an outstanding story teller and founding Rhymesayers Entertainment 

Most Famous Work: His albums “God Loves Ugly” and “When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold” with producer Ant as Atmosphere

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter

From: Brooklyn, New York City, New York

Life: December 4th, 1969-

Role In Hip-Hop: Rapper / Label Head / Philanthropist  

Associated Acts: Kanye West, Beyonce, R. Kelly, Jaz-O, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, Just Blaze, No ID, Freeway, J. Cole, Vic Mensa, Swizz Beatz, Justin Timberlake, Linkin Park, Rihanna

Biggest Influence On Hip-Hop: After setting records with sales, and reaching critical acclaim numerous times, Jay-Z was and is a trailblazer for the post-rap career in business. He has been a co-founder or partial owner with Roc-A-Fella Records, Tidal, The Brooklyn Nets NBA franchise, and Roc Nation Sports.

Most Famous Work: His albums "Reasonable Doubt”, “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album” 

[cursedcandyroses]

The Most Influential Artist Of The Decade: Pt.1 of An Overly Detailed Investigation Into Travi$ Scott

Drake, J. Cole, Wale, Kid Cudi. These were supposed to be the hands down leaders of hip-hop leading into the 2010′s. All these artists could rap, came with great production, full bodies of work, and had layers of emotion and relatability that the previous decade had little to none of. Kendrick and Big K.R.I.T. were barely on the radar, and Tyler The Creator dropping on Christmas of 2009 with his debut didn’t give much time for the “Leader Of The New School” title to fall onto him. Cole was with Jay-Z, Drake was with Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi was with Kanye, and Wale wasn’t quite with Rick Ross yet but it was over the horizon. Everything went according to plan for a few years. Drake’s 2010 label debut (”Thank Me Later”) came with chart topping hits, and his 2011 effort (”Take Care”) took him to a new level. Wale kept busy post 2009′s “Attention Deficit”. “More About Nothing” was astounding and 2011 brought us MMG’s “Self Made Vol. 1″ and Wale’s sophomore effort (his best major label release then and now) “Ambition”.

 J. Cole’s “Friday Night Lights” came, and with that one of the greatest mixtapes of all time, in 2010 amid frustrations with Roc Nation from withholding his eventual major debut “Cole World: Sideline Story”, which would come out in 2011. Then there was Kid Cudi, the GOOD Music signee and Kanye protege who in 2008 & 2009 dropped two game changing project, but with 2010 came his best and darkest work. The second instalment of the Man On The Moon series, “Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager”. This was a project that on it’s own is a creative masterpiece, but with it’s themes of depression and addiction came a look into darker subject matter than was once openly talked about in mainstream hip-hop. The world painted by Kid Cudi on “The Legend Of Mr. Rager” is one Travi$ Scott played in and became one with. 2012 was the year the world came to know Travi$ Scott, and it was on an album that was seen at the time to be the true coming out party for another Kanye protege. In many ways “Cruel Summer” was the album that best described that era as far as artists involved. 2 Chainz, fresh of “Based On A T.R.U. Story” had the midas touch. Kanye was riding high of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” and “Watch The Throne”, and a remix of Chief Keef’s “Dont Like” (when at the time Keef was the Drill Movement and hip-hop’s golden child). Surrounded by these stars was where Big Sean rose from behind the curtain to show up The Throne on the song of the year in “Clique” and everyone else who he was featured with. Sean was nothing more than a punchline heavy Detroit star who rode into the blogs hearts off his “Finally Famous” mixtapes and into Hip-Hop Folklore after allegations of Kanye using Sean as a ghostwriter on “Graduation”. Yet “Cruel Summer” was his showcase. Also on that album featured co-production on 3 tracks from a young Travi$ and a leading track called “Sin City” which was a beautiful glimpse into what Scott’s sound was. Along with that Travi$ scored a large majority of the Cruel Summer film, and began work on Kanye’s next solo project which was yet to be known of. 

 Talk was little, yet it was there, for the Houston native post-Summer. 2013 came an with it Travi$ was a member of probably the greatest XXL Freshman Class of all time, being featured alongside Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, ScHoolboy Q, and a slew of other future All-Stars. Even then Travi$ was a bit on an enigma and seen as one of the lower ranking members of the class. Shortly after the cover was revealed and the impressive freestyles were sent to the internet to see, Travi$ was featured on 2 tracks from another one of his mentors compilation’s T.I. and his Grand Hustle crew’s “G.D.O.D.”. These songs again flew under the radar, but a few weeks later “Owl Pharaoh” came. It received solid reviews, but the overall feel was Travi$ was a producer who rapped sometimes. The world had started to pigeon-hole him the same way they did Kanye over a decade earlier. Speaking of Kanye a few months later he came out with a lil project that deserves an article of it’s own, and has received a million of them since it’s release. “Yeezus” came and with it a million think pieces about electronic and industrial music in hip-hop, and the inspiration for such an album. Again, in the smaller corners of the internet, rumours began about how Kanye had used another one of his proteges extensively, and uncredited, on a solo album. Travi$ has spoken in before about being involved on every track that came from “Yeezus”, yet if you check the credits his name is there only three times. 

Now a counter to this theory is that “Travi$ was not, and may still not be, at a level to which he could created the production on “Yeezus””. Which is true, but involvement is involvement none the less, and with credits being given to so many other people, does it hurt to add Travi$’ name to the mix? With names like Daft Punk, Mike Dean, Arca, Hudson Mohawke, Sinjin Hawke, and Gesaffelstein coming in from the electronic world to aid Kanye on his creative left turn, how much could Travi$ really have done? Again, Travi$ has been pushed to the back of the crowd, forced to watch others shine. In the coming months Travi$ went on to meet a very crucial person in his development musically. Yet a month later another big light shined down on Scott in the form of Jay-Z’s “Crown” from his July 2013 release “Magna Carta Holy Grail”. It showed again Travi$’ hallmark sound to a wide audience, an album with a demographic Travi$ has heavily criticized, and had also criticized him. And the critiques would not get any better.  A chance show in South Carolina led to a friendship with another hip-hop enigma named Young Thug. Thug was at the time riding off the wave of his breakout mixtape, “1017 Thug”, and had been slowly evolving since his earliest project. His rapping style was becoming close to the sound we know it as today, but he seemed out of place on a lot of his production. The beats were still very much of the generation before him, an Atlanta trap sound that was more “Flockaveli” then “Culture”. As their friendship brewed hype for a collaboration was rising across blogs across the internet. After much silence from Travi$ on the musical spectrum, in July of 2014 a collaboration with Big Sean and Indie rockers The 1975 was released, revealing an even more menacing sounding Travi$ and production style. That coming August “Days Before Rodeo” was released, and with it came a new sound that wasn’t seen very much beforehand. Travi$ had immersed himself with Atlanta’s best up and coming producers and underground rap stars like FKi, OZ, PeeWee Longway, friend Young Thug and an a newly buzzing Atlanta producer named Metro Boomin. 

Metro had major placements with artists like Future, YG, and Migos, which were enough to get a buzz going for him. This was at a time for Metro before he produced all over Future’s “Monster”, before his albums with 21 Savage and NAV. His biggest songs were Future’s now Gold selling singles “I Won” and “Karate Chop” and co-production on iLoveMakonnen’s “Tuesday”. Metro was bred under the same school where guys like Mike Will Made-It, Zaytoven, Southside, Sonny Digital and TM-88 came from. The underground Atlanta and mixtape scene surrounding sites like Datpiff and LiveMixtapes was the playground at one point for all these beatmakers, and now Metro was on top of that same game. It has been debated whether the sound of “Days Before Rodeo” was just Metro Boomin’s skill meeting Travi$’ resources, or if it was Travi$ just finally coming into his desired sound.

(To Be Continued)

[cursedcandyroses]

Quick Review - Roc Marciano - Rosebudd’s Revenge

GENRE: Hip-Hop

OVERALL: 8/10

PRODUCTION: 8/10

LYRICS: 9.5/10

FEATURES: 10/10

COHESIVENESS: 9/10

WORST TRACK: “Better Know”

BEST TRACKS: “Marksmen” & “Here I Am”

SOUNDS LIKE: Ka’s ���Honor Killed The Samurai”

I have never heard a bad Roc Marciano verse. I’ve heard lines that may be just ok, but never a verse i walked away from unhappy. But if you're looking for an engaging overall experience this isn’t the album for you. This album is something for the people who loved the early works of Wu-Tang, people riding around a ghostly downtown in the late night, or fans of deciphering the layers within one of hip-hops most talented wordsmiths. How someone with a voice not traditionally menacing, has found a way to become the narrator of every city kids nightmare is something i’ll never understand. The voice of an average man, but a pen that is unmatched in so many aspects of hip-hop. Roc has his sound and he does it at a such a high consistency that he can live off it forever. “Rosebudd’s Revenge” is a storybook, where each song is a peak into the life of a street urchin thug. But that exact same sound he is king of is one of dusty soul and jazz records, with mild drums that bang around enough to create a more solid song structure and not much else. A sound that in the early 90′s would be heralded, early 2000′s would make him king of the underground, but in the late 2010′s it’s uninteresting. Uninteresting if it was a lesser MC that is. Roc Marciano is one of the few doing this gritty underground East Coast sound, along with guys like Ka, Mach Hommy and Conway. Though guys like Mach and Conway have beats that hit harder, while Ka and Roc play the role of the masked purse snatcher in the alley way, hidden in the shadows behind beats that belong as a backdrop to a black and white crime film. Lovers of lyrics will hang on to every menacing word, while the casual fan will be turned off after a few tracks. An album people of a past generation, and people looking to avoid the mainstream sound can become infatuated with for years to come. No one today can do what Roc does, but is it because it’s more of a challenge, or they would rather be a dime a dozen in the present then a king of the past. 

[cursedcandyroses]

The Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame

Q *a monthly write up choosing three members of the Hip-Hop Community that have helped to evolve the genre, created music of high quality, helped widen the reach of the genre, or used their platform in the genre to help improve the world around them in and out of Hip-Hop*

This Month's Inductees

James “J Dilla” Yancey 

From: Detroit, Michigan

Life: February 7th 1974 - February 10th 2006

Role In Hip-Hop: Producer / Rapper

Associated Acts: Madlib, Common, Slum Village, ?uestlove, De La Soul, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, J Rocc, Erykah Badu, D’angelo, MF Doom, Bilal, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Illa J

Biggest Influence On Hip-Hop: Production style

Most Famous Work: His final album “Donuts”

   J Dilla is to this day one of the greatest hip-hop producers who ever lived. A man who chopped samples like none other before, and that no one could replicate after. His hallmark unquantized drums added a feel and soul to records that hadn’t been seen to this degree beforehand. His talents were recognized at the time to any true fan of hip-hop, and music in general. Being a driving force behind the underground sound of the early 2000′s was one of the many fields Dilla dipped his toe into. Along with being a super producer (and occasionally lead vocalist on solo records) by working with stars like Ghostface Killah, Common, and The Roots, he always worked alongside underground MC’s from his hometown and across the country by being in groups like Jaylib, Slum Village, 1st Down, and The Ummah. An underground king, a mainstream game changer, and a man that has inspired generations of hip-hop artists like no one else could imagine. With his Moog synthesizer and MPC enshrined forever in the Smithsonian, it’s only right that Dilla’s life changing legacy is also recognized in the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame.

Cordozar “Snoop Dogg” Broadus Jr.

From: Long Beach, California 

Life: October 20th 1971-

Role In Hip-Hop: Rapper / Singer / Producer / Songwriter / Entrepreneur / Actor

Associated Acts: Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Pharrell, Charlie Wilson, Wiz Khalifa, 2Pac, DAM-Funk, Lil Bow Wow, Warren G, Major Lazer, Game, Devin The Dude, Nanci Fletcher, DJ Pooh, Tray Deee

Biggest Influence On Hip-Hop: Longevity 

Most Famous Work: His debut album “Doggystyle”

   The artists formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg, Snoop Lion and Snoopzilla came into the world of hip-hop alongside Dr. Dre with the opening verse to one of the greatest songs in all of hip-hop, “Nothin’ But A G Thang”. With the help of Dr. Dre, 2Pac and Death Row Records, Snoop became a household name and has stayed within our homes for nearly 25 years. With the ability to cruise over every beat ever given to him, Snoop has been able to evolve, experiment, and drop solid projects from the early 90′s to today. His entrepreneurship and overall business savvy has led to deals with Adidas, FIFA video games, and his own youth football league. Acting in movies like “The Wash”, “Soul Plane” and “Baby Boy” allowed for his famously smoked out likeness to be spread to even more demographics allowing him to be deep into every American consumers life. Snoop has stayed consistent and relevant longer then nearly every other living rapper, and with that has helped lay a blueprint for life between and after music.

Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi 

From: Cleveland, Ohio

Life: January 30th 1984-

Role In Hip-Hop: Rapper / Singer / Producer / Songwriter / Actor / Director 

Associated Acts: Kanye West, Plain Pat, Emile Haynie, King Chip, Dot Da Genius, Andre 3000, Travi$ Scott, Big Sean, Ratatat 

Biggest Influence On Hip-Hop: Popularizing sing-rapping and more emotional and introspective lyrical content 

Most Famous Work: His albums “Man On The Moon: End Of Day” & “Man On The Moon 2: The Legend Of Mr. Rager″

    Kid Cudi in recent years has been less of the prodigal son and more of the black sheep of the hip-hop family. With his off the wall experimentation and battles with addiction, depression, and mental illness Cudi’s career has played second fiddle to our hopes he keeps going. Yet his contributions are never to be forgotten. From his release of “A Kid Named Cudi” mixtape, Cudi has has changed the face of hip-hop. Being a main contributor to Kanye’s “808s & Heartbreak” and his own solo work has led to hip-hop evolving from hard raps and tough drug dealer personas in the mainstream and gave an idol to hip-hop fans who had deeper issues then money and drug dealing. His “Man On The Moon” albums are each masterpiece’s, his features (whether hums, hooks, or verses) are always spellbinding. And though highly criticized, his experimentation into rock music allowed him to become a trailblazer yet again. The modern soundscape of hip-hop would be drastically different, and hip-hop history would be forever changed for the worse if Scott Mescudi never came into our lives. 

[cursedcandyroses]

Still Striving: A$AP Ferg’s Struggle To Become A Household Name

Ferg was next up after Rocky. The hierarchy of A$AP Mob always had Ferg as the 2-man behind Facko, unfortunately the world had other ideas. Due to events that show that the heralded New York collective A$AP Mob may have some chinks in its ever talented armour. Proper promotion of anyone not named Rocky has always been more reliant on the quality of the music, which for most artists is more than enough. Yet the Mob has spoken of wanting to be the biggest and best crew in hip-hop. But to be the best and biggest, you need to have more then one person.  Ferg was next up after Rocky. After him Nast, Ant and Twelvyy were to be assumed though not maybe in that order. Ferg though, was supposed to be the next man up, and for a while everything was going according to plan

When the release of the Mob’s collaborative mixtape “Lord$ Never Worry” came in 2012 Ferg became a star.  Post “Lord$” Ferg released the massive singles “Shabba”, “Work”, and the “Work (Remix)” to lead up to the release of his hit debut album “Trap Lord”. From then on he went on tour, began pushing the singles “Hood Pope” and “Old English” along with a small chunk of features all in lead up to his mixtape 2014′s “Ferg Forever”, a tape meant to keep fans happy in between album releases. The “Ferg Forever” mixtape was a mixed bag of songs that varied between solid and meh, but it was enough to keep the fans happy. Then the well known death of A$AP Mob founder A$AP Yams shook the world, and the crew, to it’s core on January of 2015. This lead to a dark though creative dive from A$AP Rocky on his sophomore album “At.Long.Last.A$AP”. For Ferg  it wasn’t until November of that year that he would reemerged from the shadows with the back-breaking Future collab “New Level” , which was the beginning of the rollout for Ferg’s immaculate sophomore record “Always Strive And Prosper”.

 Though due to a rollout Ferg himself had come off as unhappy about in interviews, the 2016 record left little more than a blip on the hip-hop world’s radar. No one can predict if an album is going to be a hit or not, but “Always Strive” had all the making of being a commercial success. “New Level” received solid radio play, the tracklist was lined with features of respected artists, and popular newcomers. Ferg didn’t stray from his lyrically gritty background, yet still made records that could have crossed over into the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Yet no one could really expect that days later Beyonce and Drake would release their albums. “Lemonade” by Beyonce went on to be one of the most popular and talked about albums of the year, while Drake’s “Views” became a commercial juggernaut. Yet for the fans of hip-hop who stayed away from the mainstream monsters that were Bey & Drake, they also were stuck with an abundance of music from Royce Da 5′9 and Aesop Rock, also released within in weeks of Ferg.  To me, those four releases are the reason Ferg was swept under the rug in that April. The Empire State Building sized shadow they all cast was enough to keep A$AP Mob’s 2-man subdued. Ferg’s only saving grace through the rest of the year would have been the release of the collectives second project “Cozy Tapes Vol. 1″.  An album that wouldn’t come for until going through the process of delay’s in very A$AP fashion. In the six months between releases Ferg tried pushing singles with the Migos and French Montana, but to no success. The “Cozy Tapes” album was meant to be a tribute to A$AP Yams, which explains the features from young upstarts like Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and MadeinTYO. On Halloween of 2016 “Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends-” was released, and showed Rocky as the lead among the other disciples of Yams. This comes as no surprise, due to one of the main critiques of “Lord$ Never Worry” was the lack of Rocky. Now, with an abundance of Rocky, Ferg was again left behind. His big look came from the original tape, and now Rocky and A$AP Ant lead the charge. Ferg though, made the best of his moments. His verse on “Yamborghini High” and “Young Nigga Living” were some of the best on the whole tape. Ferg showed out, but was shadowed yet again. 

“Cozy Tapes” became critically acclaimed as the year winded down. April came again, this time with Ferg reemerging with a single. “East Coast”, featuring Remy Ma (fresh off coming out the victor in a beef with Nicki Minaj) with production from DJ Khalil. A song that is Ferg personified in every way. A hard nosed pitbull banger, with a fiery barrage of bars that show Ferg has reached a new apex. With his third album “Still Striving” coming on August 18th, right in the middle of A$AP Twelvyy’s debut and “Cozy Tapes Vol. 2″, Ferg is facing a crossroads. The project will be good, that’s almost a guarantee, but how the world will view it is a whole different thing. If it’s anything like the lead single, it’ll end up being a masterpiece in it’s own right. Radio interviews, a dual single with Rocky as the lead up to “Cozy Tapes Vol. 2″ and the month of August being dedicated to A$AP releases is already a better promo run then for his last solo release. When the year comes to a close this whole article may be meaningless due to Ferg’s ascension on the back of his 3rd major release, which is what as a Ferg fan I am hopeful for. Being second fiddle to one of hip-hop's brightest young stars is levels above where he is at now, which is in a kind of No-Man's Land to the casual rap fan. Uptown grit, crossover missteps, questionable promotional tactics, club bangers, fashion dreams, and respect from peers. All pieces of the puzzle that makes up the career of A$AP Ferg, one with already so many ups and downs in such a short time. The worst part of the mishandling of A$AP Ferg is those who were supposed to be after him. Twelvyy is now seemingly the 3rd man with his major label project to drop before "Still Striving”, but he is only one of two artists not named Ferg or Rocky to drop solo’s. A$AP TyY’s mixtape “Best Kept Secret” is over a year old, yet still a secret to most. Whether it’s on the part of the artists not making music, or the Mob not having a clear direction since the death of Yams, many questions are unanswered about the crew. Ferg’s “Still Striving” being a make or break album is an over and understatement all in one. August (the 18th to be exact) will be a telling month for him, and all fans like myself can do is hope for the recognition he deserves.