New York Hip-Hop Takes a Victory Lap with Beast Coast’s “Escape from New York” Collaborative Album

By Spencer Lobdell

Beast Coast is a rap supergroup formed in 2012 which has long been the gold standard of New York hip-hop, only rivaled by A$AP Mob when it comes to critical acclaim and fan love on the East Coast. The group is made up of members from Pro Era, Flatbush Zombies, and the Underachievers, totaling in 17 talented rappers and producers, all from Brooklyn, New York. While the Flatbush Zombies have gained a large cult following since the release of their excellent mixtapes D.R.U.G in 2012, Beast Coast’s most successful solo artist is undoubtedly Joey Bada$$. Joey has released nothing but great music from his classic mixtape 1999 in 2012 to his latest release All-Amerikkkan Badass in 2017.

Beast Coast took to social media to roll out their first collaborative album with every member flooding the feeds of followers to build hype. “Left Hand” was the first single to be released from the album and was well received by die hard Beast Coast fans and strangers to the group alike. The group followed with two more singles, “Coast/Clear” and “Snow In The Stadium”, before concluding their roll out with a 25-minute parody news show called “LSD 25”, a series that Flatbush Zombies’ fans were already familiar with. Finally, on May 24th the album was released alongside a limited edition vinyl other album merch.

The album opens with “It Ain’t Easy, It Ain’t Easy” and we are instantly smacked in the face by Zombie Juice’s confrontational voice and unique flow. The song sounds like it belongs on a Flatbush Zombies project as all three Zombies make an appearance on the seven-verse song.

The track is followed by “Left Hand” the first single off Escape From New York and the most easily digestible track on the project due to Meechy Darko’s catchy hook and eight high-energy verses.

The forth track on the album “Problems” contains my favorite instrumental on the album made by Pro Era producer Powers Pleasant. The song opens with one of the funniest quotables on the album from Meechy Darko (“Pussy so good, I pay another nigga's child support”). Pro Era rapper Nyck Caution steals the show though with his second verse about a girl he is currently having sex with.

Following is “Snow In The Stadium” which careers a heavy reggae influence, something we’ve heard in Joey’s music before due to his Caribbean heritage. The song goes from reggae-influenced to full reggae as soon as Meechy Darko hits his fantastic sung second verse.

“Distance” is another standout track and contains what I think to be Joey Bada$$’s best moment on the album with his hot first verse and smooth hook. Issa Gold also steps up and absolutely snaps on the second verse making the song that much better.

The album concludes beautifully with “Last Choir” which is home to one of Erick the Architect’s silkiest instrumental to date. The song could’ve easily fit on All-Amerikkan Badass and showcases some of the best bars on this project.

Initially on release, this project overwhelmed me. Packing nine extremely talented emcees into a 46 minutes project seemed near impossible and the track list with at least five artists on almost every song seemed crowded and deterred me. Upon listening more the project grew on me because of the palpable chemistry shared by all the artists on this project that can only be formed from years of collaboration.

With this being said, many verses on this project were unnecessary and seemed to only make the final mix to show fans how deep Beast Coast truly is. Die hard New York hip-hop fans will grab onto this project and refuse to let go for months while the average listener may write off all but a couple songs after first listen due to the sheer size and unfamiliarity of these tracks. If you aren’t already fans of any of these artists this album might feel like a confusing roller coaster with little to grab on to.

All-in-all, Beast Coast delivers what is promised with Escape From New York, an album packed with exceedingly talented lyricists and a patented sound that the Brooklyn natives have been working on for years.

Favorite Tracks:

Left Hand

Snow In The Stadium

Distance

Rating: 7

Listen to Escape From New York here:

Escape From New York, an album by Beast Coast, Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies on Spotify

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The Top 50 Hip-Hop Projects of 2018

By Spencer Lobdell

2018 was an excellent year in Hip-Hop. We had major artists drop exceptional albums (J. Cole, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, etc.). We had new artists release excellent debut projects (Tierra Whack, Jay Critch, Juice WRLD, etc.). Older veterans made comebacks (Lil Wayne, Pusha T, Royce da 5’9, etc.) We even had entertaining rap beefs (Drake v Push and Tory v Joyner). The music was plentiful and of high quality. The demand for hip-hop has grown exponentially in the last two years pushing the boundaries of the genre further than ever before in 2018. As a result, this year has been historic so the least we can do is look back and appreciate the best of the best from a great year.

Before we get to the list I have to rant. While many may say my year end list is a month late, it is absolutely stupid that it is acceptable to drop a list like this at the end of November. Every year major publications miss excellent albums dropped in December because they jump the gun and race each other to drop their list, and as a result you won’t see an excellent Kodak Black album and a very good 21 Savage album on any other year end list.

For every project included on my list I selected three tracks to spotlight. I have compiled all these tracks onto a Spotify playlist that will be linked here:

This playlist is a the counterpart to my article "The Top 50 Hip-Hop Projects of 2018" on www.hottakehiphop.com. I picked 3 songs from each of my top 50 projects of the year and included them in this playlist. Hit play and enjoy the best 2018 had to offer.

Listen along as you read and get a taste of any album you might have not tapped into in 2018. Now without further ado, the top 50 hip-hop projects of 2018:

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50. Rolling Papers 2 by Wiz Khalifa

If you went into this album thinking it was going to live up to the OG Rolling Papers you clearlyhaven’t been paying attention. With that being said, Rolling Papers 2 served its purpose of providing Wiz fans with a handful of quality songs to smoke to all summer. While the album is far too long, the best tracks on this thing are really good and had excellent replay value in 2018.

Best Songs:

Rolling Papers 2

Hopeless Romantics (Feat. Swae Lee)

Fr Fr (Feat. Lil Skies)

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49. Harder Than Ever by Lil Baby

Harder than ever was the start to a breakout 2018 for Lil Baby. This tape is loaded with bangers and high-level features. While it’s safe to say that a Drake cosign is one of the best ways for any young artist to pop, with features from Lil Uzi Vert, Yung Thug, Gunna, and others, Lil Baby was bound to blow with or without his brand new whip with no keys.

Best Songs:

Exotic (Feat. Starlito)

Southside

Life Goes On (Feat. Gunna & Lil Uzi Vert)

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48. Life’s a Trip by Trippie Redd

If 2017 was the year that Trippie Redd moved from Soundcloud hero to mainstream artist than 2018 was the year he became a superstar. While this project feels less cohesive than his Love Letter series it also encompasses Trippie Redd at his absolute best. There are hits scattered throughout this tape and on “Missing My Idols” we hear Trippie rap the best he has since earlier SoundCloud releases. While they are cuts, Trippie reached a little too deep into his bag by including UKA UKA and Dark Knight Dummo on this tape which caused for the middle of the album to be a little boring for fans that have been following Trippie prior to 2018.

Best Songs:

Taking a Walk

Missing My Idols

Oomps Revenge

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47. Northsbest by Lil Mosey

While Seattle rapper Lil Mosey may have just turned 16, that didn’t keep him from releasing a project packed with some of the catchiest songs of the year. Mosey’s trendy dialect and youthful energy makes Northsbest one of the most fun albums of 2018 even if it lacks much context.

Best Songs:

Kamikaze

Noticed

Boof Pack

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46. Fetti by Freddie Gibbs, Curren$y, & The Alchemist

LA legend Freddie Gibbs continues to drop quality tape after quality tape without any mainstream recognition. On Fetti, Gibbs links up with OG LA producer The Alchemist and Young Money rapper Curren$y. No one does modern gangsta rap like Gibbs and his counterparts lift him to new enjoyable places on his latest project.

Best Songs:

Location Remote

The Blow

Saturday Night Special

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45. On the Rvn by Young Thug

2018 has been an emotional roller coaster for me when it comes to Young Thug. I was very disappointed by his labels collaborative album Slime Language when it came out in August. I was ready to give up on Thugger for 2018 until he dropped his surprise EP/album On the Rvn. On this tape Thug trades quantity for quality and delivers with six excellent tracks. On the final track “High” New York City based producer Stelios Phili chops up Elton Johns classic song “Rocket Man” into the most ambitious beat in recent memory. Thug’s vocals sweetly glide over the hypnotizing instrumental making for one of the best tracks of the year.

Best Songs:

Climax (Feat. 6lack)

Sin (Feat. Jaden Smith)

High (Feat. Elton John)

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44. Life of a Dark Rose by Lil Skies

Welcome to the rodeo Lil Skies. Skies was absolutely undeniable in 2018 and one of the best new artists of the year. This all started with Life of a Dark Rose, which is packed with cuts. There are few dull moments on this album and although Skies’s rapping can be repetitive and basic he does a great job of holding the listeners attention throughout the 41-minute project. Only time will tell if Skies will stick around in 2019.

Best Songs:

Welcome to the Rodeo

Lust

Nowadays (Feat. Landon Cube)

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43. Scorpion by Drake

As his career progresses it seems harder and harder for Drake to live up to expectations he set for himself with his first three albums. With this being said, Drake continues to crush the chart and make hits at rate no one in hip-hop ever has. Scorpion is a double album with the first disc being dedicated to Drake the rapper and second Drake the singer. This was a terrific idea and allows Scorpion to appeal to every Drake fan out there. The best moment on this album was four songs in when Drizzy snaps for 5 minutes of straight introspective bars in true Take Care fashion on “Emotionless.” While there were some real highs on this project, they came with lows and a saturated album that didn’t lie as long as it should’ve in 2018.

Best Songs:

Emotionless

Sandra’s Rose

Blue Tint

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42. Danny Womack by Don Toliver

Don’t know who Don Toliver is? Don’t worry, neither did the rest of the world until his feature on “Can’t Say” on Travis Scott’s Astroworld. The Houston Trap&B artist has an extremely unique sound that will cross over into the mainstream if he continues to drop music in 2019. His debut album Donny Womack is a perfect introduction to Don Toliver and is full of songs you’ll be excited to play for your friends.

Best Songs:

Diva

Issues

2 Lil Shorty

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41. A Love Letter to You 3 by Trippie Redd

Trippie Redd was everywhere in 2018 and the third installment of his A Love Letter To You Series was his best work of the year. The album opens with one of the catchiest songs of Trippie’s career with “Topanga.” The album is very solid throughout and a close second in the Love Letter To You series.

Best Tracks:

Topanga

Love Scars 3

1400/ 999 Freestyle (Feat. Juice WRLD)

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40. Victory Lap by Nipsey Hustle

Los Angeles OG Nipsey Hustle dropped the best album of his career in early 2018. Victory Lap sounds exactly like the name implies, a braggadocios victory lap around the rap game that Nipsey has been playing in for a decade. “Last Time That I Checc’d” with YG was probably the most improbable track of the year due to gang affiliations. While unexpected, it is probably the most gangsta track of the year and held in very high standards in the Los Angeles rap scene.

Best Songs:

Last Time That I Checc’d (Feat. YG)

Grinding All My Life

Double Up (Feat. Belly & Dom Kennedy

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39. Punken by Maxo Kream

Twelve days into 2018 Maxo Kream dropped Punken, the most cohesive project of his career. Maxo’s nonstop flow and brutally honest story telling makes “Grannies” an easy highlight of the album. The Houston native has his own flow and plenty of real life experiences to share, making Punken an extremely authentic and enjoyable listen.

Best Songs:

Grannies

Capeesh (Feat. Trippie Redd)

Bussdown

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38. November by SiR

TDE’s SiR opened 2018 with the extremely smart November. Sir’s sophomore project is jazzy, sophisticated, and different. His style is fresh and a breath of fresh air in a hip-hop industry saturate with trap. In the brilliant song “D’Evils” SiR’s relaxing layered singing beautifully lays on top of a cool reggae sample. There is a reason that fellow TDE members were pushing this album so hard in January – it’s dope.

Best Songs:

Something Foreign

D’Evils

Never Home

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37. I am > I Was by 21 Savage

21 Savage’s Christmas present to the world was his most complete album yet, I am > I was.  Throughout this album savage tries out new styles and flows without ever loosing the hard, ruthless, bloodthirsty 21 that we all fell in love with. The album opens with a heavy hitter and one of the best intros of the year in “a lot” with J. Cole. 21 exceeds expectations the entire tape and reminds why he blew in the first place.

Best Songs:

a lot (Feat. J. Cole)

All my friends (Feat. Post Malone)

can’t leave without it (Feat. Gunna & Lil Baby)

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36. Goodbye & Good Riddance by Juice WRLD

We love sad boy rap! Crash your whip! Take the percs! Juice WRLD had some kind of year. The first half of his debut album, Goodbye & Good Riddance, was the soundtrack to the beginning of 2018. It is an overly emotional break up album with some of the catchiest songs of the year. It’s impossible to not love juice’s passion filled voice and gliding melodies.

Best Songs:

Lucid Dreams

Black & White

Lean Wit Me

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35. Noir by Smino

In 2018 Smino continued to be authentically himself and carve out his own lane. He seamlessly switches between singing and rapping and has potentially the most unique style in the rap game right now. The second cut on the album “L.M.F”  is one of the best songs of the year and the album never slows down. Noir was one of the most fun and exciting projects of 2018.

Best Songs:

L.M.F

Klink

Z4L (Feat. Bari & Jay2)

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34. K.T.S.E by Teyana Taylor

The Kanye West produced K.T.S.E absolutely took Teyana Taylor’s music to places it had never been before. Throughout the 22 minutes, Teyana charms us with her beautiful vocals that couldn’t fit better with some of Kanye’s best instrumentals of the year. The album ends with the electrically sensual “WTP” where Taylor shows us just how much of a bad bitch she really is.

Best Songs:

Issues/Hold On

Hurry (Feat. Kanye Wesst)

WTP

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33. GOOD Job, You Found Me by Valee

In an industry full of impersonators and flow-biters it is a true rarity to find someone as unique as Valee. The newest member of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music has his own flow that has already been stolen and used by may A-List rappers on their hit records. While GOOD Job, You Found Me only has a play time of 14 minutes it absolutely has to be included on any year end hip-hop list. Valee occupies his own lane and leaves the listener begging for more.

Best Songs:

Miami (Feat. Pusha T)

Skinny

Shell

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32. East Atlanta Love Letter by 6lack

6LACK’s emotionally chilling sophomore album is beautiful and profound and is somewhat reminiscent of early releases from the weekend. Throughout the album 6LACK sings about women as evil temptations, an entertaining and provocative counter narrative to common hip-hop themes. 6LACK’s tone is almost one of warning and his experiences with women are earnest and easy to relate to.

Best Songs:

Loaded Gun

Pretty Little Fears (Feat. J. Cole)

Seasons (Feat. Khalid)

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31. Room 25 by Noname

Noname never disappoints. Her spoken poetry rap is so nice on the ears and her lyricism is second to none. Room 25 is beautiful, sophisticated, and badass all at the same time. Twice in the album’s excellent intro Noname spits, “Y’all really thought a bitch couldn’t rap?” If there was ever a doubt Room 25 silences it and proves Noname can rap and do much more.

Best Songs:

Self

Blaxploitation

Ace (Feat. Smino & Saba)

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30. Black Panther the Album by Various Artists

In 2018 Kendrick Lamar and friends released the best movie soundtrack put together in recent memory. Black Panther the Album has a star studded track list with songs from Kendrick Lamar, SZA, The Weekend, Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, and many others. This album holds your attention as good as anything on this list with the slew of featured artists and fantastic production.

Best Songs:

Paramedic! (Feat. SOB X RBE)

Bloody Waters (Feat. Anderson .Paak & Ab-Soul)

Big Shot (Feat. Travis Scott)

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29. Hood Favorite by Jay Critch

2019 will be the year that all of New York embraces Jay Critch as their crown jewel. The up-and-coming Bronx rapper released his debut album in November and it is packed with hits. The third track “Ego” has one of the catchiest hooks of the year and is sure to see mainstream success in 2019. Jay Critch is the next big thing out of the east coast and Hood Favorite is just the beginning.

Best Songs:

Smutty

Ego

Try It (Feat. French Montana & Fabolous)

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28. Championship by Meek Mill

Meek has always rapped with tremendous passion, but Championship takes this passion and intensity to another level. Meek Mill’s life experience with the court system and jail makes his raps about a prison reform extremely convincing and valid. Championship is cohesive, has a purpose, and most importantly, it bangs.

Best Songs:

What’s Free (Feat. JAY-Z & Rick Ross)

Championships

Tic Tac Toe (Feat. Kodak Black)

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27. ? by XXXTENTACION

RIP X! ? is an eerie assortment of bold styles and passion filled lyrics that few could pull off. X grew immensely through the making of ? and it’s easy to see that if he just had more time the future was very bright. While a couple of songs on this thing miss pretty hard, majority show incredible foresight and an ear for many different styles. Besides just being unique, X proves over and over again on his sophomore album that he was a very talented MC when he decides to rap rap like he does on a number of joints on this album.

Best Songs:

Moonlight

The remedy for a broken heart

Infinity (Feat. Joey Bada$$)

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26. God Level by 03 Greedo

When it comes to underground raap in LA, no one is held in higher regards than 03 Greedo. God Level is easily Greedo’s best work and was released a months after being sentenced to 20 years in prison for gun and drug possession. The hour and forty minute album truly sounds like a glimpse into the future of rap and it’s a true shame that Greedo has such limited time left to record music to be released during his jail stint. Free 03!

Best Songs:

Blower (Feat. AD)

Dibiase

Conscience

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25. Veteran by JPEGMAFIA

Veteran is  frantic, weird, glitchy, and oh so good. JPEGMAFIA achieves something on this album that was only possible because it was entirely self produced. I won’t lie, more than once throughout this album I had to check and make sure my headphones weren’t spazzing out, but the more I listened the more I enjoyed these strange, grinding, futuristic instrumentals. Veteran is uniquely special and rooted in provocative political messages.

Best Songs:

1539 N. Calvert

Thug Tears

Macaulay Calkin

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24. Die Lit by Playboi Carti

The human instrument is back at it with a fun, exciting, and immensely cool 19-track album. Where Carti lacks as a lyricist, he makes up for through incredibly infectious rapping that seems to bounce back and forth with tremendous energy. The albums excellent playability should be attributed half to Carti and half to super producer Pi’erre Bourne who handles majority of the production on this project. Bourne’s beats sound like a mix of extremely expensive synths, retro video game sound effects, and booming 808s. This style couldn’t pair better with Carti’s style of rap and makes Die Lit an exceptional listen.

Best Songs:

Long Time

Shoota (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert)

Poke it Out (Feat. Nicki Minaj)

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23. Milky Way by Bas

Dreamville’s Bas reached new highs with his third studio album, Milky Way. Bas has always been an excellent MC who comes with profound lyrics while still maintaining a chill sound that never comes off as condescending. This thing is packed with great songs from the bouncing, high-energy single “Tribe” to the soothing “Purge” where Bas calmly snaps in back to back verses. Milky Way is extremely put together and one of the most professional albums of the year from cover to cover.

Best Songs:

Tribe (Feat. J. Cole)

Boca Raton (Feat. A$AP Ferg)

Fragrance (Feat. Correy C)

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22. Requiem by Thouxanban Faunni

The biggest mystery of 2018 is how Thouxanban Faunni failed to blow up for the second year in a row. The sound cloud legend dropped the best project of his career with Requiem yet still failed to achieve mainstream success. This project plays more like a playlist than an album but that is far from an issue with Faunni. I am perfectly fine with sacrificing context and cohesion for new wave trap bangers on every track. The best tracks on this tape double as some of the best tracks of the year. Faunni is the future of rap, tap in to Requiem before you’re late to the party.

Best Songs:

Fully Automatic Stick

Wide Awake

Xenon

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21. Tha Carter V by Lil Wayne

After years of waiting we finally received Tha Carter V in 2018 and it didn’t disappoint. Weezy is sharper than we’ve heard him in recent years and his punchlines are still top notch. “Mona Lisa” with Kendrick Lamar is a collab made in heaven where two top ten rappers of all time truly do their thing. Wayne is a legend and Tha Carter V proves that he is still extremely relevent in 2018.

Best Songs:

Don’t Cry (Feat. XXXTENTACION)

Let It Fly ( Feat. Travis Scott)

Mona Lisa (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

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20. Book of Ryan by Royce da 5’9

Royce da 5’9 has always been an incredible lyricist and Book Of Ryan is him flexing his gift. Throughout the hour-and-ten minute concept album Royce tells us his life story through a series of extremely entertaining personal anecdotes that reek of authenticity. You know an album is special when after one listen you feel like you personally know the artists and this is absolutely the case with Book of Ryan. This album is Royce at his most venerable which is Royce at his best.

Best Songs:

Caterpillar (Feat. Eminem & King Green)

Boblo Boat (Feat. J. Cole)

Summer on Lock (Feat. Pusha T, Jadakiss, Fabolous, & Agent Sasco)

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19. Lady Lady by Masego

If you are unfamiliar with Masego it’s time to wake up. He was born in Jamaica, plays the saxophone, and dropped one of the coolest albums of 2018. Masego transcends genres with his chill jazz-trap that can appeal to a wide variety of audiences. Lady Lady, his debut full length album is sophisticated, jazzy, and so so dope.

Best Songs:

Lavish Lullaby

Old Age (Feat. SiR)

Tadow (Feat. FKJ)

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18. Ye by Kanye West

Kanye West’s entire career has been filled by controversy and douch-baggery so it baffles me why people were surprised when 2018 was a shit show for Kanye in the media. If we can block out the media hell storm that is Kanye West, we are left with some really good music. While Ye only runs for 23 minutes you’ll need an hour to listen to this project because one listen won’t be enough. The album concludes with “Violent Crimes” a beautiful song dedicated to Kanye’s daughters that will go down as an all-time classic Kanye song.

Best Songs:

Wouldn’t Leave

Ghost Town

Violent Crimes

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17. DiCaprio 2 by JID

While people who say JID’s voice and flow sound like Kendrick Lamar are completely out of pocket, his talented is somewhat reminiscent of a young King Kunta. JID spazzes all over this tape with his classic fast flow and introspective lyrics. Bar for bar, few projects can keep up with DiCaprio 2 in 2018.

Best Songs:

Slick Talk

Off Da Zoinkys

Skrawberries (Feat. BJ The Chicago Kid)

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16. Astroworld by Travis Scott

While the truly unobtainable expectations and hype that Astroworld gained prior to its release took away from the project for some, we need to take it for what it is: a classic project from the production prodigy. Travis Scott delivers with his classic sound and gives us an hour of straight futuristic rap that doesn’t lose your attention once. Take a trip to Astroworld for some of the best production you’ll hear anywhere with equally as entertaining lyrics and features.

Best Songs:

STARGAZING

NO BYSTANDERS

YOSEMITE

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15. Testing by A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky is the definition of an icon. He is always years ahead of everyone else and practically decides what is trendy. On his latest project, Testing, Rocky experiments with lots of new sounds that aren’t really as outlandish as some seem to think. This album is refreshing and shows that Rocky’s creativity and uniqueness should never be questioned even when it seems he has done everything there is to do. “Praise The Lord” should be in the running for song of the year and “A$AP Forever” should win music video of the year hands down. Testing has fantastic replay value and was one of the best albums of 2018.

Best Songs:

A$AP Forever REMIX (Feat. Moby, T.I., & Kid Cudi)

Fukk Sleep (Feat. FKA twigs)

Praise The Lord (Feat. Skepta)

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14. Redemption by Jay Rock

Jay Rock has spent nearly a decade in the shadow of Kendrick Lamar, his childhood friend and fellow TDE member, and while Kdot’s Black Panther album was super dope, 2018 was finally Jay Rock’s year. Redemption is extremely gangsta well-being sophisticated and tasteful at the same time. It is impossible to not be reeled in and hooked by Jay Rock’s stories that are scattered throughout this project. Redemption is a fantastic album that will continue to get play time far beyond 2018.

Best Songs:

The Bloodiest

Knock It Off

WIN

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13. Oxnard by Anderson .Paak

Yes Lawd! Anderson .Paak talent is absolutely undeniable when you watch him play the drums and rap simultaneously all well constantly flashing the best teeth in the rap game in his infectious smile. While Oxnard feels slightly less cohesive than Malibu it is so fun and funky that no one in their right mind should care. Paak’s music is so tasteful and feels so good. You can hear the passion and thoughtfulness that goes into every bar he spits or sings. Oxnard is an essential installment to the masterpiece in progress that is Anderson .Paak’s discography.

Best Songs:

Tints (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Who R U?

Cheers (Feat. Q-Tip

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12. KOD by J. Cole

KOD is a perfect example of why J. Cole has been considered a top tier rapper for years. It is an album that overtly condemns drug use without ever coming off as preachy or condescending. He does this through very thoughtful rhetoric that is sympathetic and understanding of the complexities of addiction. Cole even employs an alter-ego, kiLL Edward, an addict who makes us feel the pain of addiction. KOD concludes with “1985” an extremely witty diss track named at an entire generation of new age rappers. 

Best Songs:

KOD

ATM

1985 – Intro to “The Fall Off”

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11. Memories Don’t Die by Tory Lanez

Tory Lanez dominated 2018 on every front. He dropped two exceptional albums, murdered radio freestyles left and right, and even won a rap beef with seasoned battle rapper Joyner Lucas. Memories Don’t Die bounces back and forth from stories and anecdotes from Tory’s life and pure hits. “Pieces” with 50 cent is the kind of song that you hear for the first time and instantly listen three more times because you are so shocked by the plot and exceptional story telling. It’s the best story-book rap song I’ve heard in years and 50’s intro and outro cements it as a legendary track that won’t be appreciated until years after release. Memories don’t die and neither will this album.

Best Songs:

Shooters

B.I.D

Pieces (Feat. 50 Cent)

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10. Vacation in Hell by Flatbush Zombies

Flatbush Zombies continue to be one of the most entertaining groups in rap in 2018. The New York trio’s sophomore album Vacation in Hell is packed with context, purpose, and bangers. All three zombies complement each other extremely well, from Meechy Darko’s head-turning verses sure to start mosh pits everywhere, to Zombie Juice’s witty and catchy hooks, to Erik the Architect’s perfect instrumentals. There is a tremendous sense of New York unity on this tape proving that the Beast Coast movement is far from over.

Best Songs:

Vacation (Feat. Joey Bada$$)

Headstone

U&I (Feat. Dia)

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9. Dying to Live by Kodak Black

While Kodak Black has released plenty of great music, Dying To Live proves that he is special. Kodak sounds wise beyond his years while still using the freshest dialect and coolest allusions. While many of us laugh it off when Kodak Black calls himself a scholar, I’m far more inclined to believe him after his brilliant XXXTENTACION tribute “Malcolm X.X.X.” where he compares X’s negative and violent perception in the media to that of the Nation of Islam. Dying To Live is fantastic the entire way through and gives people legitimist reason to believe he is a top tier rapper.

Best Songs:

Malcolm X.X.X.

Calling My Spirit

From The Cradle

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 8. Swimming by Mac Miller

RIP Mac Miller. Nobody could say what Mac did and make it sound so damn cool. He was a true legend and Swimming was his most mature project he put out. The album is jazzy and hip. It’s passion filled and a true masterpiece. On the third track “What’s the Use?” Thundercat drops the funkiest baseline of the year that makes it impossible to sit still. Swimming is beautiful and a vibe from cover to cover.

Best Songs:

What’s the Use?

Self Care

2009

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7. Beerbongs & Bentlys by Post Malone

Post Malone has found his lane and he executes perfectly in it. Beerbongs & Bentlys is an hour of straight hits. There are close to no bad songs on this album and the production is so damn perfect for Post’s epic singing. The albums intro “Paranoid” sets the tone for the grand ballads that this album is packed with. Regardless of your opinion on Post, it’s impossible to discredit Beerbongs & Bentlys.

 Best Songs:

Paranoid

Rich & Sad

Better Now

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6. Whack World by Tierra Whack

15 songs. 15 minutes. Tierra Whack did it first, always remember that. Whack World is a look into the creative Philadelphia MC’s scattered brain. Although these 1-minute songs switch back and forth between moods and genres this project still feels extremely tight and together. The 15-minute visual album that you can find on YouTube enhances the album even further and is a pleasure to watch. This album is fun and silly without feeling corny or juvenile. Don’t forget the name Tierra Whack.

Best Songs:

Black Nails

Hungry Hippos

Pet Cemetery

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5. Kids See Ghosts by Kids See Ghosts

Kids See Ghost, super group made up of Kanye West and Kid Cudi, dropped their self-titled debut in 2018 and we can only pray that there will be more on the way. The 23-minute album is flawless from beginning to end with 7 songs that all sound immensely different in the best way. “Reborn” is epic and beautiful and another song of the year contender. Cudi’s hypnotizing voice floats through the hook in such an eloquent way that no one cares how many times it loops. We need a sequel in 2019.

Best Songs:

4th Dimension

Reborn

Cudi Montage

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4. Love Me Now by Tory Lanez

Love Me Now is the best album Tory Lanez has ever put out. It has everything you could want from the emotional intro “Why Don’t You Love Me” to one of the best pop-rap songs of the year “Ferris Wheel.” The features are enjoyable and add to the project. Tory may have had the best 2018 out of any artist and Love Me Now was the peak.

Best Songs:

Ferris Wheel (Feat. Trippie Redd)

The Run Off

You Thought Wrong

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3. Daytona by Pusha T

G.O.O.D Music president Pusha T is the unlikely hero (or villain) of 2018. First, he dropped his masterpiece, Daytona, a truly flawless album full of smart raps about selling drugs and making money. Next, he slayed raps Goliath when he destroyed drake with the best diss-track in years. Not only is Push excellent on Daytona but it is Kanye West the producer’s best album of the year. The instrumentals are unique, complex, and hit hard. Daytona is airtight and makes a very strong case for album of the year.

Best Songs:

If You Know You Know

The Games We Play

What Would Meek Do? (Feat. Kanye West)

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2. Care For Me by Saba

Care For Me beautifully describes what it’s like to be painfully lonely in the most connected age in history. Saba’s story telling throughout the project is emotional and compelling. Last year his cousin Walter was stabbed to death in Chicago and every bit of grief and pain that Saba felt comes through on this album. On the song “Prom / King” Saba dedicates seven and a half minutes of clever storytelling to dive into Walter and his relationship from the very beginning to the last days of his life. You can tell Saba poured his entire soul into this album and it truly pays off every time anyone anywhere hits play.

Best Songs:

Life

Logout (Feat. Chance the Rapper)

Prom / King

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1. TA13OO by Denzel Curry

Denzel Curry’s TA13OO is the rap album of the year. Everything about it was perfect. The three-week roll out was a genius way to digest a project where every song deserves a large amount of attention. Denzel’s out raps everyone on TA13OO and while aggressive rap is easily his forte, there are emotional and slow tracks on here that hit just as hard. Denzel’s rapping is hypnotizing and witty and the production never gets in the way. Picking just three songs to highlight on this project is near impossible and doesn’t do the album as a whole justice. TA13OO is the best rap project of 2018.

Best Songs:

Switch it Up

Clout Cobain

The Blackest Balloon

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