for the love of music
2022 gave us so many great albums, but what was the best? Beyonce's "Renaissance"? Kendrick Lamar's "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers"? Pusha T's "It's Almost Dry"? What about Steve Lacy's "Gemini Rights"? In today's special feature from StereoVision Miles and Spencer sit down and list their top 10 albums of 2022 as well as some honorable mentions:
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2022 was a fantastic year in music and gave us some incredible songs, but what was the best? Steve Lacy's "Bad Habit"? Denzel Curry's "Walkin"? Benny the Butcher and J. Cole on "Johnny P's Caddy? What about Omar Apollo's "Evergreen"? In today's special StereoVision feature Miles and Spencer sit down and give their top 20 songs of 2022 as well as some honorable mentions
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by Giovanni Recinos
The Geto Boys is a Houston hip-hop group that is most commonly recognized for their smash hit “Mind Playin Tricks on Me,” released in 1991. However, their true impact on hip-hop culture is often overlooked.
Geto Boys' music laid a lot of groundwork for sub-genres and common topics in hip-hop today such as: horrorcore, mental health topics and mafioso raps. While these topics are much more normalized in today’s hip-hop scene, at the time, Geto Boys were threatened by censorship for their detailed and hardcore lyricism. Despite these challenges, the Geto Boys would be the first to propel Southern artists into hip-hop conversations.
Courtesy of USA Today.
While the group had received many changes to its lineup over the years, the most notable members are Scarface, Bushwick Bill and Willie D. While those names may not click right away, you most likely have encountered all three of these rappers. Scarface, first known as Akshen, is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Scarface has offered features to many classic records by rappers including Freddie Gibbs, Jay-Z and Gang Starr. His often direct and dirty mafioso raps worked hand in hand with the adoption of his new stage name “Scarface,” which was inspired by the 1983 film. Most recently, Scarface was featured on part 1 of the Jeen-Yuhs documentary, listening to Kanye West’s “Family Business.”
Bushwick Bill on the other hand was immediately a breakthrough for the industry. Standing at 3 feet and 8 inches tall, “Little Billy” was often the most aggressively twisted lyrically and was notable for his often off-beat delivery. Though, Bill’s most recognizable appearance in hip-hop would probably be his appearance on Dr. Dre’s, The Chronic track “Stranded On Death Row” where Bushwick provided vocals for the intro and outro.
Last is Willie D or the “Gangsta of Love,” who’s lyrics were often regarded as extremely misogynistic, but he should also be noted for calling out the music industry's racist double standards. His most notable reference in hip-hop is probably on Ice Cube’s famous N.W.A. diss track, “No Vaseline.” On the track, Ice Cube quotes Willie D’s lyrics saying, “Willie D told me to let a ho be a ho, so.”
Though the Geto Boys would originally debut in 1988 with their project, Making Trouble. This album would flop, leading to a change in line-up and of content for the group. With the newly added Scarface and Willie D, their lyrics would shift towards more aggressively detailed lyrics about sex, murder and violence on their second project Grip it! On That Other Level. Though at this point, this was nothing new for the hip-hop genre, as N.W.A. was already going through censorship issues for “Fuck The Police” and their supposed “glorified gangsterism.” 2 Live Crew also had members arrested in 1990 for playing their album which was deemed as “obscene” and therefore banned in certain parts of Florida.
Courtesy of Columbus Calling.
The Geto Boys played their own role in the fight against censorship on their self-titled release, which contained both new and remixed tracks with the help of Rick Rubin. While the project was originally supposed to be distributed by Geffen Records, they refused to release the record stating, “I've never been frightened by a record before in my life, but for me the graphic details of the violence were really frightening. Finally we decided that we have a right as a private company to decide what kind of materials we want to be associated with, and this one, we decided, went too far.”
This project would later be released under WEA (now Warner Music) and would be the only WEA project to be released with an Explicit Content sticker along with this text, “Def American Recordings is opposed to censorship. Our manufacturer and distributor, however, do not condone or endorse the content of this recording, which they find violent, sexist, racist, and indecent.”
The Geto Boys would later call out the racism associated with these choices made by many of the music industry's distributors and manufacturers, as other albums with racist content towards minority groups were not given the same treatment. On their next project, We Can’t Be Stopped, they would call out the racism of the industry that they were being challenged by, arguing “It’s on the news every hour, why can’t I talk about it?” The choice to fight against the industry played a huge role in making music a place of free expression for many artists in the future such as: Tyler the Creator and Eminem.
Courtesy of Vulture
Springboarding off of the gruesome organized crime motifs of the Scarface movie, along with the creation of the mafioso genre often, the Geto Boys played a huge role in setting the foundation of many elements of contemporary rap. Their debut album, Making Trouble, had already used samples from the Scarface film, but what really made the Geto Boys usage of the film stand out was their track “Scarface.” This track solely featured rapper Scarface, who at this point in his career was named Akshen. After the release of this track, Akshen would officially become Scarface and would later drop his debut album, Mr. Scarface is Back.
This project would really push the mafia aesthetic further in ways that were not really done before in hip-hop. The album cover has obvious inspiration from the film with its use of aesthetics and extreme imagery such as shotguns and cocaine.
While rappers from New York pushed the growth of the genre to what it is today, the Geto Boys and Scarface were some of the first artists to go into topics such as detailed murder and violence. These extremities in juxtaposition with the money received from these criminal activities, would become a huge factor in some of the most critical Mafioso projects such as Raekwon’s, Only Built 4 Linx… or Kool G Rap and DJ Polo’s Live and Let Die. The latter of which both Bushwick Bill and Scarface would feature on, emphasizing their influence on these artists. Without the Geto Boys, it is reasonable to question where the careers of rappers such as Freddie Gibbs, Griselda and Pusha T would have landed topically.
“Flashes, I get flashes of Jason. Gimme a knife, a million lives I’m wasting,” said Bushwick Bill in 1989. Since then, the horrorcore genre has grown immensely popular, touching artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Eminem and Three 6 Mafia. The group wasn’t just referencing horror movies, but also pairing it with eerie beats, psychotic mindsets and detailed violent content.
One of their most iconic horrorcore tracks is the track “Chuckie” which samples the 1988 film, Child’s Play. This track features Bushwick Bill solely, with him playing on his noticeably short height, stating, “I told you size wasn’t shit, so I murdered your nieces.” The graphic details related to murder and the abstract stream-of-consciousness on the track would affect the genre heavily, with obvious influence on the writing styles of Eminem’s Slim Shady LP and Marshall Mathers LP.
While this was the case, Scarface’s duality in the horrorcore genre should also be recognized. While Scarface was detailing violence and murder, Scarface was also detailing a more reflective side, often detailing his paranoia and depressions that brought these horrors to his mind. This is best showcased on “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” where Scarface introduced a lot of mental health related topics to hip-hop and how they have brought out certain grim actions to his life. The Geto Boys overall did a ton for hip-hop and should be recognized for their influence on the trajectory of the genre. Rest in Peace Bushwick Bill.
Giovanni Recinos is a staff writer.
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By Luke Modugno
Flying houses and cars, mailing services powered by rockets, and widespread telepathy. These “Jetson-esque'' innovations represent just a few of the hilariously inaccurate predictions made in the 70’s regarding life in the 2020’s. While most of the educated guesses our temporal brothers and sisters wagered about contemporary life were miles off, they weren’t wrong about one. In fact, their prediction not only came true, but has become one of the biggest threats to all forms of original art today: artificial intelligence.
No, the robots from “Ex Machina” haven’t started curating art collections just yet. However, the recent advent of both AI-generated artwork and music has sent ripples through both industries.
“Galactic Archeology With Metal-Poor Stars” created by Wombo Dream AI
Thanks to Tik-Tok, Wombo Dream (available on iOS, and Android) has emerged as one of the most accessible forms of AI artwork. Simply by typing in phrases or keywords, Wombo will generate art using AI that combines the word prompts with elaborate murals made from preexisting images. Within seconds, Wombo’s AI is able to piece together intricacies in art that would take human artists hours or even days, even with specifically vague prompts like “Galactic Archeology With Metal-Poor Stars”
With billions of images available in an instant to an advanced AI such as the one behind Wombo, the sophistication of AI-generated artwork is startling, but nowhere near as alarming as the music it can create.
AI music’s vast capabilities span a comprehensive set of musical processes, including composition, performance, digital sound processing, and even interactive composition. Plenty of websites out there can emulate something similar to what Wombo presents, offering an AI that can produce millions of songs based on the users’ specifications. But music AI is far more intuitive, as it possesses the competency to react in real-time to a live, human performer. Utilized in this way, AI can replace entire live bands and orchestras by producing the same quality of music in less time, with less confusion and more harmony.
While less-advanced AIs use internet databases to power their machine learning, music AI use neural networks to mimic how the brain works when creating music. Essentially, if you throw bits of music at these AIs, they will learn its patterns and frequencies by repeated exposure to them. Perhaps one of the most unsettling examples of this technology is its utilization by one of the most musically-deprived fanbases in rap music: Playboi Carti fans. A simple YouTube search yields plenty of AI-generated Carti tracks, created with the application of this technology. Fans even created an EP for Carti using AI, titled DIGITAL BUTTERFLIES. The project uses Carti’s real voice, famous ad-libs, and even frequent Carti collaborator Pierre Bourne’s sound kit to craft a bouncy, psychedelic, six-track trap project, one nearly as polished as something Carti himself would create early on in his career.
Besides being decidedly creepy and soulless, this clearly presents a plethora of pressing issues for the music industry. From further blurring the already murky lines regarding posthumous music to opening even more avenues for artist exploitation, the mere presence of AI music in its current state can and will be an obstacle.
One way or the other, original art is about to become more scarce, whether we like it or not. Much in the same way we consume social media, art will have to be viewed with the eye of a skeptic.
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By Luke Modugno
Let’s take it back to last summer. The sun peeked over the clouds of spring, pandemic mandates were being lifted left and right, and the music industry was being set ablaze in Los Angeles. No, it wasn’t due to the record high temperatures or the arid Santa Ana winds emblematic of June in California. The music industry was brought to a grinding halt by a simple set of billboards that read “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” plastered over a pair of pastel stars with a phone number below.
Courtesy of r/tylerthecreator on Reddit
After calling the number, you can hear Tyler, The Creator’s mother ranting about the trials and tribulations of raising her son. Thus began the concentrated frenzy of a rollout for Tyler’s latest classic record CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. Besides the genius production, intricate, vivid world-building and luxuriously braggadocious bars, the album’s succinct and memorable rollout was the unexpected recipient of heaps of praise from fans and industry execs alike.
Despite encapsulating fans in a universe brought to life by vivid lyrical images of Swiss lakes, music videos akin to fully-fledged Wes Anderson films, and accompanied by the launch of a luxury brand that just smells of opulence, Tyler, The Creator was simply trumped by a masked Kanye West as he began a rollout of his own. Seared into the very fabric of social media dialogue for months on end, the summer of 2021 was home to two of the most remarkable marketing campaigns the contemporary music industry has witnessed. The unmitigated and astounding success of both campaigns begs the question: what’s more important? The music, or the marketing?
Well, if you ask Kanye West, the answer is very simple: rollouts. A Billboard report from 2021 showed that between just two of the three listening parties Ye hosted for Donda in Atlanta, the rapper generated between $1.5 and $2.7 million. Additionally, the pure spectacle of the listening events drove his streaming numbers up 37% in just two weeks according to the same report. According to MRC data, that equates to $350,000 on top of whatever he took home from the listening events. Conversely, Donda recently reached one billion streams on Spotify which after both Spotify and his label take their piece of the pie, equates to less than $2.5 million net revenue in seven months.
Of course, we all understand marketing occupies a significant space in the selling process for any item, good, or service. However as it pertains to music, the marketing scheme can often directly contribute to the product overall. “[Tyler] creates these worlds that people are obsessed with,” said music marketer and artist coach Amber Horsburgh on the Trapital Podcast. “Everything from the teasers, to the passport on the cover, the billboards, music videos, everything he posted on Instagram, it was all from the same world. And that world was very different from the ones he built for ‘IGOR’ or ‘Flower Boy,’ so it became this really compelling artistic reinvention.”
Courtesy of Complex
Geniuses of the marketing game like Tyler or Kanye generate such compelling worlds and realms of artistic vision that their fans buy into the music with their ears and their wallets. At both of the Donda listening parties in Atlanta, Kanye was seen donning a baggy Yeezy Gap puffer jacket. Simply due to the iconic nature of the moment and performance, Yeezy Gap made $7 million overnight following the release of the jacket according to Yahoo Finance.
Similarly, Tyler’s new luxury line, GOLF le FLEUR*, accompanied the release of CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. While the financial data isn't available yet, if a $225 fur ushanka hat is selling out in minutes, it's safe to assume it was a massive success. Fueled by each respective rollout, fans not only wanted to passively spectate the universe created by Ye and Tyler, they wanted to be a part of it physically.
This is all to say at the end of the day, if the music is subpar, the spectacle of an album’s rollout will be unquestionably diminished. However, an effective campaign can make a listener have plenty of positive predispositions about a record, in turn upping the chances that an artist strongly resonates with a listener. “Your brand is way more than just your music,” states Puris Music Consulting’s website. “Your brand has to consist of everything from your name, your wardrobe, your messaging during your sets, your nonverbal communication from the stage, your album art, your community service platform, your story of why you are an artist and so on.”
Plenty of an artist’s focus in the modern music industry is or should be locked on branding correctly. Why? According to a study conducted by a marketing strategy consultancy group, 78% of anything you and I buy, as music consumers, isn’t about the content of what we are buying, it’s about how we feel about the content. Think about how artists are introduced to us. Oftentimes we view multiple pieces of branded content before hearing a second of sonic content. Whether it’s cover art, an artist’s profile on a streaming service, a concert set, or their social media presence, artists work just as hard on their music as their marketing agencies do on promoting their branded content.
Unless you’re a business savant and musical genius in an all-in-one package like Tyler or Ye, hiring a consulting or marketing agency is the most common, yet most costly strategy for upcoming artists. Thankfully, the most efficient form of marketing is free. According to Nielsen Holdings, 92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising. While artists with established and lengthy discographies are able to utilize word-of-mouth marketing more immediately, it’s not an impossibility for smaller artists. It’s proven that out-of-the-box ideas are more than capable of matching the efficacy of a fully-fledged campaign.
Look no further than Soulja Boy’s initial utilization of YouTube, which revolutionized music marketing for years. At the time an innovative strategy, Soulja was the first artist to successfully promote his music through the platform, sparking conversation industry-wide. Generating over half of a billion views (510 million), viewers were captivated by music’s integration into the internet. Shared hundreds of thousands of times and generating heaps of traditional media coverage, “Crank That” flew to the top of the charts. And considering a study conducted by Swedish researcher Guy Madison and Gunilla Schiölde found that repeated exposure to music categorically increases your enjoyment of it, regardless of its complexity or your “taste,” Soulja’s strategy has been copy and pasted by the entirety of the industry since.
Let’s be honest, we can all agree “Crank That” isn’t a musical masterpiece. But its promotion strategy, however, was nothing short of brilliance, allowing it to be one of the most successful smash hits of the 2000’s.
While potent and timely case studies, Tyler, Soulja, and Ye are far from the only successful campaigners. The music industry is constantly searching for innovative ways to captivate fans beyond the traditional product. In some ways, the money is talking just as loudly as the music is playing.
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By StereoVision Staff
As in most other aspects of life, each January serves as a type of cleansing for the music industry where fans get to look back and appreciate how their favorite artists elevated the previous year and changed their lives for the better. Potentially the most fun aspect of a new year in music is the potential for new break-out stars to burst onto the scene and change how we think about music. With the majority of the industry’s big dogs dropping in summer and fall, the first half of the year always acts as an exciting battleground for budding artists where anything is possible and creative innovation is rewarding leading to some of the most important music of the year. Our team decide to celebrate this annual energy by compiling some of the rising artists we’re most excited to watch grow throughout 2022. Additionally, we put together a playlist with some of our favorite songs from each artist, check it out on Spotify and Apple Music here:
Without further ado, please enjoy StereoVision’s artists to watch in 2022:
If you haven’t listened to Al Doms’ 2021 project “NEW DREAM”, then remove your head from the sand and listen to it right now. The Virginia rapper really had 2021 on his back for a minute - feeding fans with a healthy collection of bass-laden bangers with writing so good it will have you taking notes. Though he’s still a burgeoning artist, the momentum he’s picked up with that project + his “Mr. Perfect” freestyle has set him up to have an absolutely insane 2022. If the idea of Saba with a little southern flair perks your interest, then Al Doms needs to be on your radar this year. -Carter Fife
A prominent name in the underground rap scene for years, Charlotte rapper BIGBABYGUCCI is sure to make waves in 2022. From being sent to a group home in 8th grade, dropping out of college and multiple legal battles to now surpassing over 400,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Gucci is proof that a troubled past does not define you. There’s no doubting Gucci’s work ethic; he dropped 3 projects in 8 months in 2021, and already has kicked off 2022 with a bang with his newest release, Iridesense. Gucci’s versatility is unmatched, from being able to float over spacey beats to thriving over complex, hard-hitting, synth-heavy instrumentals frequently from Mike Dean co-signed producer, Fish. Now, BIGBABYGUCCI is currently on his first major US tour, the Yokohama Tour, supporting MadeinTYO and UnoTheActivist. Expect more quality from BIGBABYGUCCI and his newly founded record label, Better Temperatures, in 2022! -Matt Herin
A person who is doing a lot of jobs is very common to come by in the fast-paced world we currently live in. A person who is truly talented in many aspects is a lot rarer and deserves to be celebrated. David Sabastian falls into the latter category. He had one of the most slept-on albums of 2021 with features from Buddy, 070 Shake, Guapdad 4000, and a couple more household names. I kid you not that whenever a song comes up in my library I find myself having to play the whole album on loop before being able to move on with my day. He also apparently just released an audiobook under his own publishing company. Additionally, he is also the founder of the fire fashion brand Skidrow, which spreads awareness about those on Skid Row while simultaneously providing assistance. So he already has a solid footing within the world yet for some reason he is not considered mainstream. With two more projects coming out in 2022 if this man is not on your list you are tweaking. -CJ Allen
I sincerely do not think an artist's debut has ever impressed me like 454’s 2021 debut project 4 REAL, so in 2022 I know who I'm going to be watching closely. Rolling Stone called his music "cosmic", FADER called it "bliss", and now 454 even has the equally rare and well-deserved Frank Ocean cosign. Blending the best elements of pluggnb, hip-hop, and psychedelic, 454 is easily one of the most exciting new artists of the past year. With more music on the way soon, I can't wait for what he has in store in 2022. -Carter Fife
Underground hip-hop and it's innovative talents are the lifeblood of the overarching genre. One of the brightest revelations originating from underground hip-hop in recent memory has to be the Brooklyn-based Sage Elsesser, better known under his rap alias Navy Blue. Elsesser's rap origins can be traced back to his team-up with the underground collective sLUms. The groups clear willingness to collaborate has connected them to avant-garde minds such as Earl Sweatshirt, Pink Siifu, MAVI, Standing On The Corner and of course Elsesser. Elsesser has used these connections to his advantage, appearing on several Earl songs such as "The Mint" and "GHOST." Navy Blue's unique sound combines vivid strokes of Earl's intricate flow and wordplay, experimental production akin to The Alchemist or Black Noi$e, and a decidedly unique honesty and personability. Navy had a busy 2021, releasing his latest LP "Navy's Reprise," executively producing underground rapper Wiki's standout record "Half God," and appearing on the standout Alchemist track "Nobles" with Earl. With only 149,000 monthly Spotify listeners, Navy is definitely an artist to keep track of heading in 2022. -Luke Modugno
When is an artist can effortlessly move with the smoothness of a seasoned veteran on their first shit you know that they’re doing what they were born to do. This is absolutely the case with the London-based singer Nippa. I’ll never forget seeing the situation video for the first time while waiting to board a plane in LAX and the obsession it instantly instilled in me. Nippa carries the same cool mystic as a Brent Faiyaz while differentiating himself by making more frequent call back to a mid-2000s aesthetic. Everything from his crystal clear runs to his subtle yet prevalent London accent results in an obvious superstar in the making. -Spencer Lobdell
2022 will be a big year for Onlybino. This past year he gained our attention with “Butterfly Doors” and a feature on midwxst’s deluxe tape. Surrounded by a youthful circle including sgpwes, xhuloo0, and surge, he showcases his talents alongside the next wave of artists ready to break into the public eye. Now a part of the star-studded roster of Field Trip Records led by Zack Bia, he has the tools to become one of the biggest artists to come out of the underground scene. Bino covers such a diverse range of genres, it's difficult to categorize him into just one; his recent Youtube uploads feature hyperpop rap, drum, and bass, rnb, etc. This multi-genre ability gives him an advantage that will keep his sound fresh and unique. With a successful music video to “Butterfly Doors” produced by No Soap, led by Elan Bia, we hope to see more collaborations between the two in the future of Bino’s career. It looks like he’s on the right path coming into this year, and we can’t wait to see what Onlybino has in store for us in 2022! -Q Hollomand
The bubbling hip-hop scene in Seattle is something all fans need to take note of and at the forefront of it all is 2oopaid Tk, a gifted artist with a knack for addicting melodies and a style like no other. Vocally, the Seattle spitter is gifted with a mesmerizing rasp that is reminiscent of Shordie Shordie but is paired with a high-energy delivery to truly make his music sound like no one else in the game. Tk has dropped solid projects in both of the past two years while also collaborating with lots of young artists in the new hip-hop hotbed that is Seattle Washington. 2oopaid has already built a faithful fandom in the 206 and with no signs of slowing down, 2022 looks to be the year that 2oopaid could see massive success. -Spencer Lobdell
Alright so I’m going to be honest, apparently Jany Green has been that guy for a minute now with his single “Little” from 2020 having an astounding 11 million streams on Spotify. He also has a song produced by Kenny Beats on his EP Lost In Love. However, I still believe he is underrated enough to be put on the lists of artists to watch. His aforementioned EP is an automatic vibe. It has the capability to put you in a fire mood to dance all your problems away no matter what went wrong with your day. I believe with my whole heart that he is one Tik Tok away from being sent into the superstar stratosphere. He is also from Alaska, which is normal yet obscure enough to add to his star-studded story. Everyone should be impatiently waiting to see what he has coming out this year. -CJ Allen
TaliHendrix is a very new rapper with only 13 tracks on his current SoundCloud. I found him off pure coincidence as I was listening to a Summrs station on SoundCloud. His biggest song, “league” came on and I was drawn in by the familiar beat tag and 808’s. the song happened to be produced by 30NICKK, one of the biggest underground producers right now, and frequent SlayWorld collaborator (artists who used to be in or associated with Slay include: KanKan, Summrs, Yeat, Autumn). After hearing “League” I was very impressed by his rapping ability and delivery on Nickk’s beat, as they can be tricky to find a flow and one’s own voice on. I am extremely interested to see what Tali can do in the future and I bet if he keeps going, he will be linking with big names in the underground rap game soon. -Drew Jenkins
Tony Shhnow is set up to have a huge 2022. Coming out of last year releasing 7 mixtapes/albums and countless music videos, Tony shows us what kind of work ethic it takes to grow as an artist. Tony Shhnow is truly an artist who can get on any beat. He combines OG ATL rap with RnB, plugg, and soul music, making for a unique underground artist with none like him. He leads his peers when it comes to exploring new sounds and “going back in time” to older subgenres and reviving them with a new updated style. Tony Shhnow can REALLY RAP, and with a keen ear, you will be able to pick up bars that are relatable and thoughtful. The heavy use of samples gives a vintage vibe to his music that is refreshing when paired with his modern-day subject matter. With two music videos already released just 2 weeks into 2022, we can expect a lot of content and progression coming from Tony. We can’t wait to see and hear what he has in store for us! -Q Hollomand
Chris Patrick is a must-watch going into 2022. The artist, born and raised in New Jersey, shook up the music industry in 2020 with the release of his first studio album, From The Heart, Vol. 2. His versatility, heartfelt lyricism, and well-articulated emotions are reminiscent of a new-age J. Cole, which is not a commendation I would give to just anybody. He can out-rap your favorite rapper, then turn around and float on a slow, melodic track, leaving you questioning if Spotify just started playing some random radio. Since his bag is so deep, he keeps himself outside any box while simultaneously proving his unlimited potential. -Colson O’Connor
Who do you really know making bops out of Oklahoma? You probably are unaware of anyone major. Hopefully in the coming year that is going to change as O2worldwide serves as your chance to see what the panhandle state has to offer. Due to a lack of words, the best way I can describe them is just INSANE. Since they are so fresh it can be a struggle to identify the members, but every time you find one, you are blessed with fresh and inspiring music. So far the singular artists I have been able to identify outside of the 3 albums dropped under O2worldwide are Casper Sage and the founder Ombachi. Both have an automatic and smooth flow. They have the same energy as OFWGKTA as an amazing group of people producing just as amazing music. I put my whole life on this when I say, THEY ARE GOING TO BE HUGE! -CJ Allen
This may be the deepest cut on the list, but sitting at 10 monthly listeners is one of my favorite artists of 2021, Yelizaveta. With only a handful of tracks released (and only one on DSPs), this is probably a little bit of an early pick - but when you find good music, you share it right? “Ricarda” is a perfect synthesis of ethereal electronic experimentation and pop perfection, and Yelizaveta’s vocals are so hypnotic you’ll probably add this to every playlist in your roster. With more music lined up for 2022, this may be your last chance to claim your “early fan” award. -Carter Fife
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Although 2021 seriously left something to be desired, the music that was released this year did not. Our favorite musicians put us in their backpacks and create worlds for us to live in while disease, hate, and ignorance plagued ours. From some of the most celebrated artists of our generation dropping new albums (Tyler, the Creator, Kanye West, Drake) to exciting newcomers making a serious claim for the throne (Baby Keem, Don Toliver, Yeat), 2021 was jam-packed with exciting releases and excellent music. Without further ado, the StereoVision team is proud to present out top 30 albums of 2021:
30. Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay
I’ll be real with you - I love weird shit that isn’t afraid to build worlds, push music forward, and most importantly, take risks. Luckily, Magdalena Bay was able to check all of those boxes with their debut album Mercurial World - an album equally concerned with existential terror, time, space, and crafting insanely-detailed indie-pop anthems for our enjoyment. It would be impossible to boil down everything I love about this record in the few sentences allotted to me, but this album truly is a modern pop masterpiece that somehow balances a careful love for pop’s past, present, and future. Take tracks like “Hysterical Us”, “Dawning Of The Season” or “Secrets (Your Fire)” - do those songs not sound like they were written in the year 3000? Whether or not you have a strong affinity for pop music, Magdalena Bay’s Mercurial World stands alone amongst the pile of new releases we got this year. -Carter Fife
Favorite Tracks:
Hysterical Us, Secrets (Your Fire), & Prophecy
29. Navy’s Reprise by Navy Blue
The budding voice of the underground, Navy Blue’s consistent output of refreshingly personal raps over avant-garde production continues with Navy’s Reprise. Behind the boards or using his pen, Navy puts his oozing talent on full display here. Quickly becoming one of the most talented acts in rap music, Navy Blue is a name to remember going into 2022. -Luke Modugno
Favorite Tracks:
My Whole Life, Not a Lot to Fear, & Suite 11
28. Do it for demon by sahbabii
For an artist who prefers to stay out of the spotlight, the release of this album reminded us of his talents, and put him at the center of attention once again. Sahbabii perfected his sound on this album, giving us a new version of himself while also sticking to his roots that are reminiscent of his 2018 tape, Squidtastic. Songs like “Dickalasionship” and “Crosswalk” were flooded with lines that made me laugh at how unexpected yet hard they were at the same time. It’s moments like these that make a project memorable and shareable with friends; Sahbabii kept an upbeat and hopeful vibe throughout the project, celebrating the life of his late childhood friend, ‘Demon Child’, for whom the album is dedicated to. This pleasant listen is light on the ears and is easy for you to zone out to, just appreciating the melodies and ambient vocals. -Q Hollomand
Favorite Tracks:
I see, Crosswalkk & Bread Head
27. 1 Night I Took Acid by Bigbabygucci
BigBabyGucci truly used his 2021 release to evolve from SoundCloud rapper to overall musician and mogul and the experienced ear can tell by simply listening. There is so much to say about this artist and this album. For those unaware, BigBabyGucci is tearing up the underground with his barrage of albums and versatility on different beats. On this album, Gucci takes a step back from the grunge, dark beats he had on his previous tape Assume the Worst and makes this one much livelier and inviting. He incorporates dancehall beats and makes his music more personal with song intros and a banger with Coldhart. All in all, be on the lookout for Gucci, he is only getting started. -Drew Jenkins
Favorite Tracks:
Hotel California, Tuesday, & Before Us
26. Cinema by The Marias
Cinema is the long-awaited debut record from LA-based indie rock group The Marías, a record that seamlessly pulls influences from indie rock to ethereal pop, classical, and latin music. Tracks like “Hush” and “Calling U Back” are hard-hitting and perfectly-polished bangers that somehow fit on virtually every playlist, and tracks like “Spin Me Around” will make you feel like you’re literally floating above your body. Their sound is hypnotic, and whether they’re delivering you a seductive and downtempo bilingual groove like “Little by Little”, or a transcendental wall of dream-like sound on “All I Really Want Is You”, every second is a perfectly polished moment from one of LA’s most promising acts. -Carter Fife
Favorite Tracks:
All I Really Want Is You, Calling U Back, & Little By Little
25. Van goghs left ear by zelooperz
Though it might be shallow if you are looking for an album to bump while cruising and want heads to turn immediately, Zelooperz has blessed you. Each track has an insane beat that matches a voice that could only come from Detroit. Crash bandicoot samples to ones that will make you research a blind opera singer Zelooperz brought the range to this album. He even took advantage of his vocal prowess by singing which only added another layer of complexity. -CJ Allen
Favorite Tracks:
Bash Bandicoon, Essential Worker, & Don’t Leave
24. Still Over It by Summer Walker
The energy that Summer Walker carried into her second studio album was undeniably that of a star. Her debut album Over It established her as a force in the industry, and she took it a step farther on Still Over It. There are moments where this project feels straight out of the early 2000’s in the best way possible, but it is backed by a very modern bounce. She never shies away from her experiences, positive or negative, and makes it all sound incredible. The lyrics are cutthroat and empowering at the same time. On a track like “No Love”, she and SZA make it apparent just how quickly they will cut off all emotional contact once they feel mistreated. Songs like this don't feel like heartbreak anthems, but rather they feel like the product of putting yourself first and understanding personal needs. Summer has one of the best voices in the industry, and she is able to float over slow sexy ballads like “Unloyal '' with Ari Lennox as well as bouncy club records like “Dat Right There” with Pharell. With Still Over It, she sent a very clear message to the next man that tries to play with her. -Miles Hagan
Favorite Tracks:
No Love, Switch A N***a Out, & Toxic
23. sixtape 2 by blxst & bino rideaux
At this point, there’s no denying that Blxst and Bino Rideaux are the West coast’s most dangerous duo. With one joint project under their belt (2019’s Sixtape) and a handful of excellent tracks, the LA duo was already aiming for the afro-mentioned title before solidifying their claim with Sixtape 2, the infectious 12-track project that was the undisputed soundtrack of the summer in Los Angeles. The project is as bouncy as it gets and Blxst’s ear-worm melodies perfectly complement Bino’s mesmerizing flow. On songs like “One of Them Ones” the duo is able to inspire and communicate confidence in a similar way to that of their mentor Nipsey Hussle well making that confidence as accessible as ever. Songs like “Program” and “Stressful” are obvious standouts in both artists’ discography due to an absurd amount of replayability. All-in-all, Blxst and Bino did it again and crafted one of the most fun projects of the year. -Spencer Lobdell
Favorite Tracks:
Program, One of Them Ones, Stressful
22. Right Now by willie Jones
If there is one album you must listen to that may be outside of your usual music taste, it has to be this one. Willie Jones killed his album debut and personally ignited a flame in me that is now constantly searching for the next country star. Even though the album involves a mixture of many styles, that will allow even the most intense country hater a chance to enjoy it. There is no doubt that this is a unique country album. It will be evident once Willie’s baritone voice transports you to the backroads of some wheat field. -CJ Allen
Favorite Tracks:
Down for it, Trainwreck, & Back Porch
21. epiphany by ka$hdami
epiphany: the epitome of a plugg album. This 17-song album truly brought plugg music to a broader audience, making Dami one of the first artists in a while to have more mainstream success in this subgenre of rap. The progressive production, paired with a direct vocal delivery by Dami makes for a euphoric listen; each song having its own ear candy that makes you go back for another song. This album solidified Ka$hdami as a staple in the underground youth culture. His rise this year is linked to countless songs going viral on Tik Tok, but in a cool way, avoiding his songs being ‘ruined’ by the app’s abilities to sometimes do so. Features from SSGKobe, BabySantana, Riovaz, and more do not disappoint, making this album a star-studded collection that unites the underground scene. -Q Hollomand
Favorite Tracks:
Reparations, Wake Up, & Receipts
20. to hell with it by pinkpantheress
Pinkpantheress shows out on her first album. In an online age where everyone has heard almost everything, pinkpantheress homage to an expired British music scene and homey sounding garage beats stands out from the overall mainstream crowd. The sound feels familiar but not repetitive. Pinkpantheress’ lyrics are also a vital part of her sound; songs centered around love, emotions, slight existential crises’, and mental health hit a soft spot for today’s generation. pinkpantheress is this generations artist, and tiktok was only her vessel. I see many good things to come from this artist, and I hope they keep pushing forward with whatever sound they find. -Drew Jenkins
Favorite Tracks:
nineteen, passion, & break it off
19. This Thing of Ours Vol. 1 & 2 by the alchemist
Very few artists have reached the legendary status that Alchemist has obtained in his career. He is a testament to consistency and always cultivating new relationships in the industry. His genius on This Thing of Ours is in his subtlety. These are not concept albums yet they feel undeniably cohesive. The album feels like we are listening to old vinyls we didn't know we had, in a dusty attic, and having the time of our lives for about 30 minutes. From Earl Sweatshirt, to MAVI, to Zeloopeerz, everyone shines and sounds perfectly at home. While there is no consistent subject matter from song to song, there are no wasted bars from anyone, and that intentionality keeps the listener focused. On a project where every song is a moment we are left asking, “How did Al do it again?” -Miles Hagan
Favorite Tracks:
TV Dinners, Loose Change, 6 Five Heartbeats
18. USEE4YOURSELF by idk
There are many words that you can use to describe IDK, but luckily radio-silent is not one of them. Having released a project every year we’ve known him, few hip-hop artists have developed their style and sound as quickly as IDK. USEE4YOURSELF is a reflection of this, because it doesn’t just feel like a yearly release at this point. A conceptual album tracing IDK’s troubled relationship with love and traditional masculinity to his childhood, USEE4YOURSELF is a heartfelt and vulnerable meditation on intimacy and self-reflection. Aurally, the album is packed to the brim with bangers, and with Mike Dean helming most of the production, perhaps hip-hop has it’s newest dynamic duo. Tracks like “Pradadabang” with Young Thug and “Peloton” are decorated with forward-thinking mixes and writing that effortlessly moves IDK into a lane of his own. It’s hard to summarize this record in a few sentences, but take it from me - USEE4YOURSELF is one of the strongest releases this year, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting what IDK does next. -Carter Fife
Favorite Tracks:
Puerto Rico, Pradadabang, & Shoot My Shot
17. BO JACKSON BY BOLDY JAMES AND THE ALCHEMIST
Hip-hop has always been about collaboration, and nothing elevates the genre quite like when a producer and emcee have undeniable chemistry. Detroit's own Boldy James and the legendary Alchemist linked up once again this year for a follow-up to their 2020 masterpiece The Price of Tea in China, with Bo Jackson. This time around, the duo brought a seriously upgraded guest list, including Freddie Gibbs, Earl Sweatshirt, Benny The Butcher, Roc Marciano, and Curren$y. A pairing of artists who just can't quite seem to miss, Bo Jackson was one of the best projects hip-hop's underground scene had to offer in 2021. -Luke Modugno
Favorite Tracks:
Brickmile to Montana, Fake Flowers, & Turpentine
16. Sometimes I might be introvert by Little Simz
Meaningful introspection is something that can be a confusingly-difficult learned skill for artists. This is not the case for the UK’s rising rap star Little Simz and her fourth studio album. Production and unmitigated honesty are the strong points here, as Simz contemplates her journey of self-discovery under the limelight. -Luke Modugno
Favorite Tracks:
Miss Understood, Two Worlds Apart, & Woman
15. WEIGHT OF THE WORLD BY MAXO KREAM
When you have Tyler the Creator, A$AP Rocky, Freddie Gibbs, and more well-known heavy hitters on a project and don’t lose your own spotlight, you know you’ve made something special. Maxo Kream has been a prominent artist, but this album felt different. Once you have heard the song that tells the story of his brother a new tone is added to the album. Maxo was even able to make a bop about the words he’s been hearing from his haters. Talented storytelling and an overall level of wittiness helped create a masterpiece. -CJ Allen
Favorite Tracks:
They Say, Trips, & Believe
14. TWOFR 2
Although Kalan.FrFr has been a familiar name in Los Angeles since 2018, the Roc Nation artist really established himself as one of the most exciting rising artists on the West Coast with the spring release of TwoFr 2. The 13-track project was so exciting to music fans everywhere because it’s got a little bit of everything. From undeniable bangers (“Look at Me” & “Scorin”) to emotional cuts (“Never Lose You” & “Run Away”), on TwoFr 2 Kalan asserted himself as a versatile artist that is excited to push the boundaries of LA hip-hop and innovate at every turn. -Spencer Lobdell
Favorite Tracks:
Look At Me, Big Dog, Never Lose You
13. THE LIFE OF PI’ERRE 5 BY PI’ERRE BOURNE
Pi’erre did nothing but deliver on his 5th edition of the TLOP series, this one being the standout amongst the five. What made this album such a relief was Pi’erre’s choice to include fan-favorite leaks; songs like ‘Switchin’ Lanes’ ft. Playboi Carti and ‘Drunk and Nasty’ ft. Sharc made the final cut. The signature Pi’erre production on every beat and his nonchalant, but catchy vocals create a mind-numbing effect on the listener. Every song transitions into the next one, making each listen feel like a new experience(I think that “Groceries” into “Butterfly” is the best transition). Pi’erre is finally getting the recognition he deserves as a vocalist as he continues to display his simple, yet intricate production. -Q Hollomand
Favorite Tracks:
Butterfly, YNS, & Drunk and Nasty
12. CERTIFIED LOVER BOY BY DRAKE
From the moment Drake shaved a heart in his hair the music world was waiting for Certified Lover Boy. After some leaked versions, clothing line drops, and renting out Dodger Stadium for a date night, debatably the biggest rapper in the world dropped his latest project. Drake sounds as hungry as ever on “Knife Talk '' and “No Friends in the Industry ''. These tracks are high energy and filled with high hats, and the latter provided us with one of the best 21 Savage features of the year. Then, two songs later, we get “Pipe Down” and “Get Along Better”, over lush production and with lyrics that undeniably live up to the persona he has created. All of this while still giving us an epic intro and heartfelt outro, one-liners that will be captions for years to come, and everything else we have come to expect from The Boy. Drake and 40 were able to curate an amazing list of guest features and some of the most influential producers in hip-hop. While it was going to be nearly impossible for the album to live up to the hype that was built for it before release, Certified Lover Boy was still able to capture some of the best moments of the year. -Miles Hagan
Favorite Tracks:
Papi’s Home, Fair Trade, Pipe Down
11. UNTOURABLE ALBUM BY MEN I TRUST
Released amidst a global pandemic, the aptly-titled Untourable Album is the newest release from the dream-pop powerhouse Men I Trust. Though the world has turned upside down since their last project Oncle Jazz dropped in 2019, Men I Trust put their best foot forward by returning with a fairly-sized collection of new tracks. Seamlessly blending elements of dream-pop with jazz and indie rock, Untourable Album is the perfect album to get lost in when you need a break from 2021’s chaos. From the record’s delectable downtempo basslines to Emmanuelle Proulx’s dulcet vocals, this year Men I Trust came through with an album that sounds like they never left. -Carter Fife
Favorite Tracks:
Tree Among Shrubs, Sugar, & Oh Dove
10. UP 2 ME BY YEat
Yeat’s parade truly is a marvel to behold on Up 2 Më. Yeat starts to perfect the gloomy and eerie sound he is going for (like on '“Swërved It”) and begins to experiment with his sound on the last two tracks of the album. Yeat shows continual progression and adaption to an ever-expanding rage music scene along with him beginning to compete with his previous self. Yeat notoriously limits his features to friends and confidants, and on this tape, he only has a feature with his label partner and good friend Septmebersrich. This ability to control a song without having multiple voices or people truly goes to show how groundbreaking Yeat is for not just the underground but hip-hop in general. The way he goes about distorting his voice, and how he is getting more into the production side of his music, we will be seeing a lot greater things from this young artist. -Drew Jenkins
Favorite Tracks:
morning mudd, money so big, & told ya
9. MICHIGAN BOAT BOY BY LIL YACHTY
Lil Yachty's Michigan boy boat mixtape was his only tape in the year 2021. With this, he shows his versatility and genuine connections in hip-hop by creating a mixtape that attempts to encapsulate the niche underground Detroit/Flint rap music scene. This mixtape was a surprise to many avid hip-hop listeners, Lil Boat and Detroit music fans alike. This was not a total commercial stunt as Yachty has had multiple songs with Tee Grizzley and Sada Baby in his past years of being a mainstream rapper. The scene, rampant with notorious Hitmakers like a BabyTron, Rio da Young OG, and the previously mentioned Sada Baby en-captures a grimy but flavorful stab at what it looks like to be a lyrical rapper in today’s hip-hop. Historically, his music is quite contradictory to a Michigan style of rap, which made fans skeptical but also hungrily await what the MC was cooking up. -Drew Jenkins
Favorite Tracks:
Never Did Coke, Final Form, & Concrete Goonies
8. VINCE STAPLES BY VINCE STAPLES
It is fitting that his self-titled album is his most personal. Vince Staples is one of the most complex figures that music has to offer. While he is loved by the masses for his slick comedic timing and unrelenting honesty, there are parts of himself and his life that he clearly keeps away from the public eye. He slightly pulls the curtain back on this album, but in the most Vince way possible. He paints pictures with his lyrics and the tone is perfectly set from the opening track “ARE YOU WITH THAT”, where he is honest about how he moves and the things he comes from, but makes it very clear that this life is not for everyone. There is not a bad song on this album. The entire tape is produced by Kenny Beats and he shows his full range. Vince has never rapped over a stripped-back beat like “TAKE ME HOME”, but he sounds like a match made in heaven next to the beautiful singing of Foushee. If you still want to question if he’s really about that life, there are also songs like “LIL FADE” and “MHM” to reassure you. -Miles Hagan
Favorite Tracks:
Law of Averages, Sundown Town, Taking Trips
7. AN EVENING WITH SILK SONIC BY Silk Sonic
Since the announcement of this collaborative tape, we knew exactly what we were going to get: a masterpiece, plain and simple. Paak and Bruno complement each other incredibly well, with Paak shining lyrically and Bruno crafting hooks that get stuck in your head like gorilla glue. After listening to a track like “Smokin Out the Window,” there’s really only one valid conclusion a listener can come to: Silk Sonic is a duo sent to us by the music gods. -Luke Modugno
Favorite Tracks:
Smokin Out The Window, Fly As Me, 777
6. LIFE OF A DON BY DON TOLIVER
There’s no feeling as gratifying as seeing someone reach their true potential. From the first time I pressed play on Don’s 2018 mixtape Donny Womack it was obvious that the Texas artist could be incredible but after an underwhelming follow-up project (Heaven or Hell) I was unsure what the future held for the Cactus Jack artist. I’m so happy to say that with the release of Life of a Don this year, Don Toliver has finally become the artist I always knew he could be. From top to bottom, the 16-track album is packed with biting flows, a psychedelic aesthetic, undeniable range, and everything fans love about Don. In my opinion, no album had better beat selection than Life of a Don in 2021, and when you combine that with Don’s killer vocals and a feature list containing Baby Keem, Travis Scott, SoFaygo, and Kali Uchis, it’s clear to see why this is one of the best albums of the year. Well I don’t think that Life of a Don was the best album of 2021, I do think it was the album I pressed play on the most this year (and it’s not close). -Spencer Lobdell
Favorite Tracks:
Swangin’ on Westheimer, OUTERSPACE, Flocky Flocky
5. THE MELODIC BLUE BY BABY KEEM
From dropping one of the best albums of the year, to being featured on Kanye West’s Donda, to being brought out by Kendrick Lamar at Day N Vegas, Baby Keem made a serious claim for 2021’s MVP, an absurd feat at only 21 years old. The epitome of his explosive year was undoubtedly the release of The Melodic Blue, a project that was released in the same two-week period as Certified Lover Boy and Donda but still managed to command the moment. The Melodic Blue is undoubtedly this year’s most exciting body of work as Keem experimented with sounds throughout the whole album, taking necessary risks and delivering fans music that sounded like nothing they’d ever heard. Songs like “Family Ties” and “Vent” showcased Keem’s innate ability to make a crowd lose their mind whereas slower tracks like “16” and “Lost Souls” exemplified Keem’s ability to craft beautiful, genre-bending pieces of art. Nothing sounded like The Melodic Blue in 2021 and it absolutely deserves to be sitting with the big dogs in our top 5. -Spencer Lobdell
Favorite Tracks:
Scapegoats, Trademark USA, & 16
4. THE HOUSE IS BURNING BY ISAIAH RASHAD
“What am I supposed to do outside but get rich”. It is almost arrogant that despite Rashad being reluctant to embrace the spotlight his talent demands, he is aware that the second he does step outside it's over with. These are the first words Isaiah Rashad utters on The House is Burning. He may be the most self-aware figure we have in music, and may even argue that it is to a fault at times. That is what makes this one of the best albums of the year. Before its release, he went on a press run and spoke to multiple publications about his struggles with alcoholism and drug abuse, which landed him in rehab before he could release this project. All of this comes through on The House is Burning. This album is honest, vulnerable, and a celebration of taking life and the healing process a day at a time. This all culminated in some of the rawest music of the year. -Miles Hagan
Favorite Tracks:
RIP Young, Headshots (4r Da Locals), HB2U
3. WHOLE LOTTA RED BY PLAYBOI CARTI
It is with no doubt that I say that this album has changed the sound and aesthetic of rap more than any other album has. With countless false release dates, anxious fans, and entire album versions leaking to the internet, Carti finally brings us an already classic album that has ushered in a new era of hip-hop. Dropping on Christmas of 2020, its life in 2021 started out rocky, with the rap community split on the controversy of his new ‘vamp’ style and punk-themed music. Now, a year later, the album still feels as fresh and new as ever, with the majority of people now in positive favor of WLR. The standout production of F1lthy and Art Dealer bridges the gap between rock and hip-hop; the sharp synths and aggressive drums bring a new addicting sound to the genre. Whole Lotta Red’s influence on pop culture will continue to play out over the next few years, solidifying it as 2021’s best album. -Q Hollomand
Favorite Tracks:
Stop Breathing, Control, & Over
2. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST BY TYLER, THE CREATOR
Which genius concept would you rather see fleshed out by one of our generation's best: an album all about traveling the world released during a global pandemic, or a heartbreaking yet morally-confusing story about being involved in a passionate love triangle? How about both, but we disguise it in a DJ Drama-produced Gangsta Grillz mixtape to give every level of fan a different theme to latch onto? This is exactly what Tyler, the Creator did with his sixth studio album Call Me if you Get Lost, a project that is undoubtedly my album of the year and honestly probably the best album I’ve heard since Mac Miller dropped Swimming in 2018. Despite being on repeat for the entire year, the album continued to take on new meaning as 2021 progressed and although I’m sure I’ve spun the record over 100 times this year, something tells me that this album still has more to teach me about myself and the world around me. -Spencer Lobdell
Favorite Tracks:
Sweet / I Thought You Wanted to Dance, Safari, Massa
1. DONDA BY KANYE WEST
Albums that possess the ability to command the attention of pop culture are truly legendary. Whenever Kanye West has new music to share, of course we are willing to lend an ear, but this time was decidedly different. With an album rollout that completely defined social media dialogue for months, Donda's musical content matched the unparalleled hype generated by its marketing strategy. Concretely pivoting from the religiously-centered JESUS IS KING, Ye takes center stage as he struggles with the absence of his mother, divorce, and passing of close friends. With a whopping 32 songs over 2 hours, Ye makes yet another solid entry to his already stacked catalog of classic records. -Luke Modugno
Favorite Tracks:
24, Believe What I Say, & Come to Life
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Although 2021 seriously left something to be desired, the music that was released this year did not. Our favorite musicians put us in their backpacks and create worlds for us to live in while disease, hate, and ignorance plagued ours. From some of the most celebrated artists of our generation dropping new albums (Tyler, the Creator, Kanye West, Drake) to exciting newcomers making a serious claim for the throne (Baby Keem, Don Toliver, Yeat), 2021 was jam-packed with exciting releases and excellent music. Today our team is celebrating some of our favorite songs that kept us going through a difficult year. If you’d like to listen to these tracks, go grab our playlist on Spotify or Apple Music at the link below:
Without further ado, StereoVision’s favorite songs of 2021:
What more can you expect from a Baby Keem record than what is already present on “family ties?” Two exceptional Keem verses, two beat switches, a vicious Kendrick Lamar feature, and the two rappers trading bars to end off the song. Keem displays his full skillset as a rapper on this track, as his word play, flow and rhyme-schemes were intricate enough to draw praise from both Tyler, The Creator and Vince Staples on Twitter. All-in-all, "family ties'' is a brilliant union of exceptional rappers destined to cross paths many more times in the future. -Luke Modugno
Each Tyler, The Creator album seems to have a clear centerpiece, an encapsulation of the artistic headspace and emotional space the eccentric rapper is in at the time of the album’s creation. With his latest masterpiece record CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, that track happens to be "SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”. Much like the rest of this record, Tyler borrows from previous points in his artistic journey, as this track fuses elements of the sonic palette of IGOR and Flower Boy. Tyler recruits the help of the angel-voiced Brent Faiyaz for “SWEET,” who completely steals the limelight with a verse and vocals that simply melt in your ears. The track only gets better when it transitions to “I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE.” The song emits the same energy as the title, with reggae and samba production that makes for one of the best songs released this year. Fana Hues turns in a stunning feature on this track as well, fitting the sonic vision of the track entirely. "SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE" is just one of the endless things to praise about CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. -Luke Modugno
Kanye West, The Weeknd, and Lil Baby are all on a track and that should be enough for anyone to understand why this is here. Each super-star does exactly what they are supposed to and delivers on a deep level. Baby deliver a verse dedicated to the trenches that would motivate anyone to get up and go get it. The Weeknd sounds angelic over the spacious production and booming bass. Kanye delivers a heartfelt verse, but sound very far from broken. The entire song feels like a big budget film. -Miles Hagan
While multiple tracks off of Silk Sonic‘s debut album could make a case to be on this list, none can compete with “Smokin Out the Window,” the ultra-smooth track about a relationship gone bad. The first time we hear Anderson .Paak proclaim “This bitch got me paying her rent” at the beginning of the hook is undoubtedly one of the most memorable music moments of the year and the entire song is as addicting as a track can be. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Bruno Mars said that this was the first song him and Anderson ever wrote together which helps explain why the two artists quickly realized they’d need to do an entire album together. No one else in 2021 gave us the feeling that Silk Sonic did and “Smokin Out the Window” was this emotion in peak form. -Spencer Lobdell
Confessionary, brutally honest, yet dazzling tracks like "HB2U" is what made The House Is Burning well worth the five year wait for Isaiah Rashad fans. “HB2U’s” first half is a recollection of the lessons Zay has learned in his tumultuous time away from music: trusting in oneself to pull through even when it seems your life is collapsing around you. A tear-jerking celebration of a life renewed, “HB2U” takes a darker turn after a beat switch. After a brief pause, a hallucinogenic melody cuts in, “This ain’t as hard as it gets, but i'm still on drugs,” sings Zay in the closing seconds of the project. “HB2U’s” second half acts as a intimidating warning to Zay himself, to continue his progress in life, or lose it all again and succumb to his old ways. “Am I cheating myself, I'm imploding.” As a whole, the song is haunting, victorious, revealing, sobering, a masterpiece. -Luke Modugno
This is probably the most important song from IDK’s USEE4YOURSELF, as “Dog’s Don’t Lie” is the first track on the album to overtly explore IDK’s relationship with love, sex, and masculinity, and how it’s tied up in his own personality as a hip-hop artist. It’s a relatively laid-back track at first, with IDK’s rapping being initially fairly breezy as the song quickly picks up steam and indicates that maybe there’s more than meets the eye (there is). Though it’s not the most melodic or the hardest-hitting track on IDK’s latest, “Dog’s Don’t Lie” serves as a perfect introduction for both IDK and USEE4YOURSELF to the uninitiated. -Carter Fife
The vampire sounding pipe organ is very off-putting when you first listen to this song, but Yeat’s ability to fuse and control any “rage beat” truly shows his versatility and confidence when creating music. The beat, created by Outlit, truly is the masterpiece of this song, and should get the respect it deserves. As always, Yeat’s lyrics are bland, but go along with his aesthetic and culture creating one of the most enjoyable songs of the year. -Drew Jenkins
Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo was 2021 most surprising MVP candidate and it was in large part to the iconic street-hit “Wockesha”. The track opens with a Lil Wayne soundbite where he discusses his lean use before Moneybagg comes in and begins to develop the song-long metaphor where he compares lean to a woman he’s fallen in love with. The concept is genius and Moneybagg executes on every level (“My bitch don't like you, you've been fuckin' up my home/Relapsin' every time I try to leave you 'lone”). A September remix featuring two legends in Lil Wayne and Ashanti only strengthened the track's already-sturdy song-of-the-year case. -Spencer Lobdell
An upbeat song that joyfully covers the rough topic of overthinking love. It will take at least five listens while fully bobbing your head to finally understand the complexity of the song, which results in some important inner reflection. The fact that this song was able to hold its own if not be better than a remix made by Unknown Mortal Orchestra says it all. “Too Good” is without a doubt one of the best offerings of 2021 asserting Arlo Parks’ position as one of R&B’s most exciting newcomers. -CJ Allen
Arguably the most punk song on Whole Lotta Red, Carti gives us a high intensity song that makes you want to split through traffic and go crazy. Carti raps about how he’s not someone to mess with and having protection that he’s not afraid to use. The layered electric guitar melodies by co-producer Ojivolta creates a menacing atmosphere that is paired seamlessly with aggressive drums by other co-producer, F1lthy. The vibe this song encapsulates the direction of rap right now, with more of a focus on the performability of songs and the “rage” aspect to them. “On That Time” excels at both. -Q Hollomand
Despite being just over a minute long, Baby Keem’s “Scapegoats” is my favorite track of the year due to his prophetic message, celestial word choice, and absolutely disgusting flow that he locks in to for the duration of his single verse. There is so much to unpack in Keem’s writing and “Scapegoats'' seems to be the single moment on The Melodic Blue where the Vegas newcomer is writing from a perspective that is elevated in comparison to the present tense POV that he sees through for the majority of the project. On the track, Keem acknowledges his objective with his 2021 album while also alluding to a future project with a more serious story to tell (One day I’ll tell you how my life was unfortunate/For now I’ll tell you how fast these Porcshes get”). This track is everything I love about Baby Keem and when it comes on I can’t help but drop whatever I’m doing to go bar for bar with the exciting young artist. -Spencer Lobdell
Although the extensive Donda tracklist is littered with what will become timeless Kanye West songs, the definitive penultimate track “Come to Life” encapsulates the Donda era both sonically and philosophically. With a spine-tingling piano and roaring synth played by Tyler, The Creator gracing the background of the record, Kanye expresses his regret and sorrow in the face of losing his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, asking “Ever wish you had another life? I’ve been feelin’ low for so long.” Singing about how he wished he had listened closer to her dreams, aspirations, wants and needs, Kanye feels empty in her absence. “I'm free,” Ye sings repetitively in the closing seconds of the song. It's an expression we’ve heard from him before (“Ghost Town”). However, this time feels decidedly different. Kanye has overcome the death of his mother and the loss of his family. Somehow, someway, he has continually found peace in religion despite how low life tends to bring him. He’s willing to put his ego and pride aside for his family, a realization clearly years in the making. “Come to Life'' is vulnerable, despondent, telling, gorgeous. -Luke Modugno
While 2021 was the third year in a row in which we were deprived of an A$AP Rocky album, he did throw his fans a bone with the re-release of his iconic Live.Love.A$AP mixtape which showcased the psychedelic cloud-rap that exploded Rocky into the mainstream in 2010. The last track on the re-released mixtape was a new bonus song called “Sandman” that was first played at Yams Day in January of 2021. The song is produced by Clams Casino who produced 5 out of the 16 songs on Rocky’s 2010 mixtape making “Sandman” a perfect sonic match for this project's re-release. Rocky reuses some of his most iconic flows on the track well pulling a major influence from France in his writing making the track a perfect blend of old and new and creating a song that every A$AP Rocky fan should be able to thoroughly enjoy. -Spencer Lobdell
Tik Tok does not get to claim this song. Remble broke out in a huge way in 2021, with one of the most unique and refreshing flows hip-hop has heard in years. Lil Yachty has proven with his recent work that he is a force to be reckoned with in terms of his wordplay and flows. Combine these things with a beat that give them both plenty of space to work, and all this culminated to one of the most entertaining and replayable songs of the year. -Miles Hagan
At the risk of sounding overtly-contrarian, I was taken by surprise with Don Toliver’s newest album Life of a Don. Having not been super impressed with his previous projects, I was happily proven wrong with the introduction of bangers like this one. “5x” sounds like something you’d play on a late-night drive in your spaceship. It’s ambient, it’s downtempo (but also a banger?), and Don’s sometimes-whispery-sometimes-singing vocals are perfectly tuned to fit the atmospheric and ethereal feel of the song. While I have been a Don Toliver fan for a while, “5x” sees Don finally hitting his stride with a release that truly feels larger-than-life, a cinematic record perfect for an artist with his talent. -Carter Fife
This song seems to be a love ballad that lays out all there is to a complicated yet solid relationship. Goldlink manages to seamlessly communicate this all while also discussing the ability to stay independent and the wants that come with it. Flo Milli floats on a chorus that will be stuck in your head for months on end. All of this occurring over insane guitar plucking makes it a stand-out joint. -CJ Allen
“Steelo Flow” is one of Lancey’s higher-energy songs, and you can’t help but knock your head to the blaring 808. A spacious synth bass alongside echoing melodies from producer Jay Trench makes this song sound almost like you’re in an empty warehouse. The release of this song gave us a taste of what to expect on his subsequent tape, LIVE.EVIL. His tone and subject matter all flow cohesively together with the rest of his recent discography, giving his name a brand that is memorable and recognizable. -Q Hollomand
The title speaks for itself. There are very few songs this year that make you feel like the one this year like this one does. The bounce is infectious and Kalan delivers lyrics that show the confidence that got him signed by Roc Nation. This needs to be played in the car at high volumes with the windows down. -Miles Hagan
This song starts off with elegant chords which imitating a Spanish guitar or classical harp. After about 30 seconds, the actual beat comes in and Gucci starts to go crazy. Gucci has always been great at making and organizing hooks, however; I believe he decided to really go in on this track. He goes on flaunting his money, ego, and lifestyle while also providing explanations for his drug use and attitude towards women. The abrupt ending of this song gives it even more of the snappy sound I believe Gucci is going for and truly makes this song a masterpiece in Gucci’s catalogue. -Drew Jenkins
Kenny Mason’s deadpan delivery has already made him a fan-favorite in the realm of upcoming hip-hop stars, and “Much Money” is proof that his signature style can even go toe-to-toe with some of the culture’s most decorated titans. Working with the surreal and melancholic sample Kenny Mason flows over, his rhythmic monotone steadily produces one of the year’s most slept-on bangers. By the time Freddie Gibbs starts rapping you know it’s already game over, as “Much Money” is quite literally a perfect showcase as to why Kenny Mason is the next artist to enter hip-hop’s stratosphere. For now, those who are lucky enough to be in the know and anticipate releases from Kenny know how important he is to the culture - and for that reason alone 2022 is sure to be an insane year for our hero. -Carter Fife
The Alchemist further cemented his legend status through a prolific 2021 in which he released nine excellent bodies of work. The likely epitome of these projects was his solo EP This Thing of Ours where he crafted some of his most impressive beats of the year and enlisted the best of the best to come and give words to the incredible music. Alchemist ends the project with the Earl Sweatshirt-assisted track “Loose Change” and delivers with one of the best songs of the year in just under two minutes. Earl absolutely floats over the mesmerizing horns and proves he still has one of the sharpest pens in the game with an insane hook showcasing some of the best wordplay I’ve heard in recent memory (“These niggas nickel and diming I'm giving 'em five, pretty penny, you my luckiest find”). -Spencer Lobdell
454 was one of my favorite new artists of 2021, and his debut album 4 REAL was quite frankly one of the most insane projects released this year. 4 REAL is decorated with high-octane insanity found at the crossroads of hip-hop, psychedelia, and even hyper-pop. Album-opener “Late Night” is a perfect example of this - fast paced electronic vocals and a booming beat so catchy you’ll find yourself having intrusive thoughts about knishes in no time. As “Late Night” progresses the vibe evolves - the pitch and tempo slow slightly, but none of that results in any lost energy from our hero. Already having received the stamp of approval from one Frank Ocean, 454 is definitely an artist to keep your eyes on next year. -Carter Fife
One of the only songs to almost bring me to tears this year. Last Day Out is a reminder to all that Rio and his constituents have been and will be a formidable force even with his upcoming time incarcerated. The song is an honest look into Rio’s situation where finances, the actions that led to his current state, and the loved ones he has to be separated from are all discussed in equal detail. -CJ Allen
Tinashe’s latest project 333 was simply incredible, and how better to convey that to you (the reader) than with the album opener “Let Go”. On this absolutely ethereal and hypnotic banger, Tinashe and Cee Lo Green join forces to deliver a cathartic emotional anthem that really doesn’t sound like anything I’ve ever heard before. Thundering bass signals find their home alongside the duo’s angelic vocals and nature/bird noises (?) on “Let Go” - and the result? A refreshingly forward-thinking approach to music that has me playing this song literally on repeat to this day. -Carter Fife
If you didn’t already know, Smino is a generational artist. There is no one alive that can make music like him and his November single “I Deserve” contains all the proof needed to legitimize that claim. Smino combines his wide range, impeccable vocal control, and insightful writing on the first confirmed single off his upcoming album Luv 4 Rent and it feels so damn good. “I Deserve” is an uplifting self-care anthem where Smi reminds you that you deserve to run up the check. -Spencer Lobdell
JPEGMAFIA is a wonderfully mixed bag, you never really know what you're going to get. His 2021 effort, "LP!" is no different, mixing the usual tones of his work such as industrial hip-hop and punk with hyper-pop and noise, Peggy always finds a way to out-avant-garde himself. However, as a hip-hop purist, I'll always be partial to an exquisitely chopped and looped sample that defines "HAZARD DUTY PAY!" Simply put, "HAZARD DUTY PAY!" is the best hip-hop beat I've heard in years. Combined with a Peggy verse that radiates unmitigated energy and angst, this track is head and shoulders above the rest of the pack in 2021. -Luke Modugno
Weiland’s sudden change to his musical career has skyrocketed him into almost mainstream success. “Heartstop”, the first single off his new project, shows his artistic progression and internal conflict, as his lyrics have always had an emotional side to them. On this track, he struggles with an ex-lover and drug abuse, while floating on a dream-like beat with Mike Dean-esque synths. Little less than midway through the song, there is a beat switch that packs a harder punch with the bass and at the end of the song, comes along strings and chords. When looked at this way, the song seems to symbolize life and mortality, all the while staying consistent to the human flaws Weiland himself has. -Drew Jenkins
This was one of the biggest moments in music this year. Tyler dropped a beautiful music video for the song before the album, but intentionally left off the YoungBoy feature. When Call Me If You Get Lost dropped and the world knew that he would be on the track everyone was amazed at how perfectly he sounded over the beautiful summery production. This song truly highlighted the amazing versatility and talent of Tyler and YoungBoy. -Miles Hagan
This pluggnb anthem comes from Dami’s Epiphany tape, and features indie artist Riovaz, and r&b artist D’mari Harris. This unexpected collaboration is one of the most unique tracks released this year. The production by fwthis1will and Milanezie, make this song standout from the pack, with a satisfying keyboard melody and smooth bells drifting throughout. Riovaz steps out of his traditional indie lane and shows us he’s capable of holding his own while rapping. D’mari Harris does his thing on the last verse, introducing himself to many who weren’t familiar with him yet. And once again, Dami delivers a new flow that shows us why he’s on top of the underground. -Q Hollomand
The only problem with the original version of this song was how short it was so Geeski gave us another verse and added Future and Yount Thug to the track. This song knocks from the instant you press play, and keeps its foot on the gas till the last bar. Future and Thug compliment Est Gee perfectly and each rapper sounds like they need a plate, and if you don’t give them one they will take it. -Miles Hagan
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Photo Courtesy of Roc Nation
If you’re tapped into Florida hip-hop, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Bobby Fishscale. The Quincy native has been making waves since he released “Hov Flow” in 2019 which sampled JAY-Z’s “Renegade” and boasted Bobby’s elevated artistry. A year later the rapper would sign to JAY-Z’s Roc Nation and watch as everything he mused over on his 2019 mixtape Big Fish began to manifest into reality.
This November, Bobby released an extremely polished 7-track EP titled The Evolution which showcases a wide array of star-studded features from Juicy J, Quavo, Zaytoven, Mozzy, and Kalan.FrFr. The project is Bobby’s second full EP release following his 2020 EP The Last Re-Up and mixtapes, Super Fishy, and Da Relapse, marking the artist’s continued journey in elevating both his sound and growth in his musical career - which first blossomed with a street hustle handing his tapes out of the trunk of his car in local Florida neighborhoods.
The project starts off hot with the addicting “Make It Snow” where Bobby flexes his innate knack for finding pockets in instrumentals and weaving perfect flows into the song’s fabric resulting in a bouncy track with high replay value.
The second track features Quavo and was accompanied by a great video directed by Ben Marc. In the video, Bobby and Quavo are seen running a fish market where they are hustling to maintain a business that provides for their families. The video switches swiftly from scenes in the market’s snowy freezer as both artists show off their ice, to sleek evening shots of Bobbyin front of one of his many custom classic cars. The music video gives fans a glimpse into life from the streets and tells the story of Bobby and Quavo’s long-held hustle holding it down for their family above all.
“When we created “Huncho Fishscale” it came naturally to both of us. He’s one of the coldest coming out of Florida right now, then we took it to the A to shoot the video. We kept it street. Salute Bobby.”
On the track, Bobby titles himself a certified trapper and it’s impossible not to believe him (“I could get em for Ja Morant and sell em for 24”). When I asked him what his favorite song on his new project was, Bobby pointed to the 6th track. “It’s gotta be Selling The Shit because of how close to that lifestyle I was.” The EP is a quick listen that I highly recommend for anyone who is interested in southern trap.
Bobby was also recently awarded the BMI R&B and Hip Hop Social Star Award just last year, joining previous winners such as the late Mac Miller, Machine Gun Kelly, Zendaya, Joey Bada$$, NLE Choppa, and more. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to ask Bobby a couple of questions about The Evolution and where he’ll go next in his young career. Our conversation, lightly edited for clarity, follows below:
Spencer Lobdell, StereoVision (SL): What did it feel like to get the keys to your city?
Bobby Fishscale (BF): Surreal. Where I grew up has had a huge impact on me as an artist you know. I grew up in the projects and saw a lot but it’s given me experience that got me to where I am today. I wouldn’t trade it for nothing. To be recognized by my hometown means a lot. I believe in remembering where you come from as you come up so to feel that same love back from my city was dope.
Photo Courtesy of Avery
SL: Besides Bobby Fishscale, who’s next up out of Florida?
BF: Lil Quezz, Bamm, Boston Richey PPurg, Trap Sosa, 3Jeezy, Jimbo, Bossman JD, Goldenboy, Tafia, Wigi World, Mookboy, KolyP… everybody.
SL: How did the deal with Roc Nation come about?
BF: My dad was a DJ that would hit up and play all the clubs here in Florida, so I grew up around music and always played around with it. A few years ago I sampled JAY-Z and Eminem’s “Renegade” and it just blew up. Hip hop blogs vibed with it and I told myself like, alright let’s cook up some more. I ended up putting together my first tape, Big Fish, a little later and then I started getting calls from all these labels. I wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction to my tape and it moved so fast. That was a real moment for me like, yo I really can take this music thing to the next level. Next thing you know, I’m signed with Roc.
SL: Who are some artists you’d really like to collaborate with in the next two years?
BF: Rod Wave, Kodak Black & Jay-Z.
SL: What does “The Evolution” mean to you?
BF: The Evolution is important to me. It’s a symbol of my growth and hustle so far as an artist. There’s a lot I’ve learned about myself, making music, and life since I first started making music and this project puts it all together. I’ve dealt with a lot growing up and now, to have a project where I get to collab with artists like Juicy J and Quavo is a big deal. It made me think of how far I’ve come and where I’m going - from my music just being a way to tell my story to now creating records that I know are going to be the next hit.
SL: Does The Evolution feel any different to you in comparison to your last three projects? If so, how?
BF: Yeah. This project I think is the most advanced in terms of sound and flow compared to my previous projects. Artists naturally grow in their own individual style as they continue to make music and so far, I feel like I’ve been able to experiment more on this EP. There’s some switch-up sonically that almost blends with another genre in “Rock Session” and we lean into Ink’s vocals a lot in “Own Eyes” to make an emotional track. It’s a pretty diverse range of sounds on The Evolution.
SL: Is there anything else you want people to know about this project?
BF: It’s out now on ALL PLATFORMS!
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Theophilus London Live at the 1720 Warehouse in LA // Photo by Jeff Yumi
On Wednesday, September 15th, I stood with fellow StereoVision co-founder Miles Hagan and our photographer Jeff Yumi behind 1720 Warehouse, a hidden treasure in the LA nightlife scene. Theophilus London had just concluded an electric performance and the three of us were still riding the live music high that we had been removed from for so long. We were waiting to talk to London, excited to pick the brain of someone who has been a part of so many great records, but he was nowhere to be found. After ten more minutes, we began to slowly accept the fact that he had cut early and wandered out to the venue’s floor. That’s where we found Theo, hiding in plain sight, making sure that every fan had a chance to talk to him before leaving the venue. This simple act of appreciation embodied the palpable connection that Theo builds with his fans, a connection that fueled his performance and made his show in LA one I won’t forget.
Theophilus London, prolific tastemaker, producer, songwriter, and performing artist is surrounded by extreme “if you know you know” energy. While the average music fan might not be familiar with his work, his name is mentioned in the same breath as Pharrell Williams, Devonte Hynes, and Kanye West amongst music heads everywhere due to his impressive songwriting catalog and unique sound that he’s pioneered in his own solo music. While waiting for the show to start we talked with people in the crowd about when they first started listening to London and their favorite tracks of his. To no surprise, the majority of those we talked to have been supporting Theo for seven or more years (2014 marked the release of his sophomore album Vibes) and nearly every person had different favorite songs - a trait that speaks volumes about the depth of his catalog and the overall quality of his work.
The show started around 9:30 with Parks, a multi-faceted creative with a smooth style kicking off the night with some hypnotizing bass solos and silky vocal accompaniment. Next to the stage came Annahstasia, a Nigerian-American singer-songwriter who captivated the audience for her entire set with just her beautiful voice and simple guitar strums. Her extremely powerful voice was only outdone by her songwriting which communicated complex and confusing emotions through easy-to-follow stories and intuitive realizations. We caught up with Annahstasia after her performance to ask her where she drew inspiration from for her impactful songwriting:
“Lately, I’ve been inspired by watching the outside from inside. Having a moment to step back and observe human behavior and (ask myself) why we do things. Everything’s just a big why right now.”
Theophilus London Live at the 1720 Warehouse in LA // Photo by Jeff Yumi
We were also happy to hear Annahstasia say that she’ll be dropping more music very soon, make sure to be on the lookout for that as it’s sure to be special.
Theophilus London arrived on stage just before 11PM walking out to his smash hit “Can’t Stop” which features Kanye West. From the moment he stepped on stage in his striking cowboy hat, he had the audience in the palm of his hand through his strong singing, infectious dancing, and brief stints where he managed to do both while DJing. After starting the show with a couple of his older fan favorites, London got into his excellent 2020 album Bebey with the fun, new-wave Caribbean sounds of “Only You,” “Marchin,” & “Cuba.” It was clear to me that old and new fans alike loved the new album as the entire crowd sang along in unison to most of the songs performed.
Around midnight Theo seemed to finish his setlist, but with everyone in the room having such a good time (including himself) he decided to continue playing and began taking crowd requests. Wedged in between these fan picks, London played some unreleased songs that have us extremely excited for the artist’s next release, a project titled Musa that we can expect in May.
All-in-all Theophilus London’s show in LA was the perfect reintroduction to live music - an inspiring performance in a spacious venue. While speaking with Theo after the show, he related the concert to a basketball player’s first game back after an injury saying that while he felt a little rusty, there’s no comparable feeling to getting to do what you love especially when it’s been taken away from you for so long.
Thanks for reading! Make sure to watch our vlog from the concert linked above and check out photos from the event below. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram to stay up on the hottest new music.
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By Luke Modugno
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
While most view music as a form of artistic expression, others use it as a means to an end. Kanye West’s latest studio album “Donda” is perhaps the most potent example of music as utility. Ye finds himself again at a low-point in his life with 27 beautifully cathartic, solace-seeking songs which see the 44-year-old confronting the death of his mother and a failed marriage with Kim Kardashian.
Since the death of his mother in 2007, Kanye has hardly had time to cope with her passing. Around the same time, Ye and his fiance Alexis Phifer split dramatically. About a year later, Kanye was thrusted into what was one of the most infamous periods in his career after interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the VMA’s. For the next several years, Ye fought an uphill battle to stay in the good graces of the public. Later entering into the fashion industry, meticulously building a multi-billion dollar business and returning to religion, Kanye’s life has been running at nothing short of lighting speed since his ascent to stardom.
Perhaps the fact that the pandemic forced everyone (yes, even Kanye West) to slow their lives to a staggering halt is why 2021 is the year we receive a cathartic tribute to Donda West, nearly 14 years after her passing.
Coming off what was widely considered Kanye’s weakest project, JESUS IS KING, Ye takes many of the gospel-inspired elements and fuses them with avant-garde trap-soul sound he honed in projects like “The Life of Pablo” and “Yeezus.” However, the project has influence from nearly every other album in Ye’s discography.
“New Again” sounds as celebratory and futuristic as something scraped off of 2007’s “Graduation.”
The guest appearance of Kid Cudi on the alluringly spacial “Moon” sounds like the sonic brother of “KIDS SEE GHOSTS.”
The visceral soundscapes employed on “God Breathed” are akin to many that can be found on both “The Life of Pablo” and “Yeezus.”
The track “Junya” with Playboi Carti represents a creative and somewhat stunning trap gospel fusion, a sonic direction that seems to guide much of “Donda.”
Duality has been a continual motif in Kanye’s music and “Donda” is no exception to the rule. During the first half of the project, Ye seems to be basking in sin. “I’ll be honest, we all liars/guess who’s going to jail tonight?” Ye sings on the second track featuring Jay-Z titled “Jail.” Donda's first twelve songs are reactionary, they paint a picture of a broken man who gave way to sin in the face of grief and despair. “I was out for self, I was up for sale but I couldn’t tell/Made the best tracks and still went off the rail” harmonizes Ye on “Hurricane.”
Sonically, the first twelve tracks on “Donda” are uptempo, energetic and boast some of the most notable guest appearances on the record. “Off the Grid” and “Junya” see Ye recruit Playboi Carti’s infectious trap intensity, while Baby Keem and Travis Scott deliver aggressive features on the trunk-rattling “Praise God.”
“Donda” noticeably pivots starting with track 11 titled “24.” The ever-impressive Sunday Service Choir joins Kanye as he mourns the passing of a close friend, Kobe Byrant. Kanye opened up about the shock of his sudden passing in an interview with GQ Magazine, “He was the basketball version of me, and I was the rap version of him,” West said. “We came up at the same time, together. Kobe was one of my best friends.” The grandiose organ requires a high-level signing performance which Kanye delivers. The track represents a paradigm shift of how Ye approaches the rest of “Donda.”
Instead of numbing his pain through sinful deeds, Kanye surrenders to Christ in order to heal himself following the string of traumatic events that have left an indelible scar on his soul. The shift in perspective also comes with a shift in the musicality, as gospel influence seeps into tracks like “Lord I Need You,” “Keep My Spirit Alive,” and the angelic closer “No Child Left Behind.”
Although the tracklist is littered with what will become timeless Kanye West songs, the definitive penultimate track “Come to Life” encapsulates the “Donda” era both sonically and philosophically.
With a spine-tingling piano and roaring synth played by Tyler, The Creator gracing the background of the record, Kanye expresses his regret and sorrow in the face of losing his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, asking “Ever wish you had another life? I’ve been feelin’ low for so long.” Singing about how he wished he had listened closer to her dreams, aspirations, wants, and needs, Kanye feels empty in her absence. “I'm free,” Ye sings repetitively in the closing seconds of the song. It's an expression we’ve heard from him before (“Ghost Town”). However, this time feels decidedly different. Kanye has overcome the death of his mother, best friend, and the loss of his family. Somehow, someway, he has continually found peace in religion despite how low life tends to bring him. He’s willing to put his ego and pride aside for his family, a realization clearly years in the making. “Come to Life'' is vulnerable, despondent, telling, gorgeous.
While mostly polished, Donda is not free of criticism. Ye’s latest project is by far his longest, clocking in at one hour and 48 minutes. At times, the album is bloated, insisting upon itself on multiple occasions. The outro of “God Breathed,” is dragged on far too long, while the remix versions of four of the tracks don’t offer much, simply extending Donda’s runtime. Additionally, the mix on plenty of songs sounds incomplete, including “Tell the Vision,” “Pure Souls,” and Kanye’s verse on “Hurricane.”
Donda is the acceptance of duality for Kanye. The conflicted Gemini, Kanye is willing to move past his former life, leaving behind the pain, hurt, and struggle of it in order to preserve the peace he has found through his family. “New me over the old me,” sings Ye on “24.” Somewhat unsurprisingly, Kanye West has produced brilliance yet again.
Junya pt. 2 (feat. Playboi Carti & Ty Dolla $ign)
Lord I Need You
Come to Life
Rating: 8.5
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