G Herbo Has Transitioned From Wishing for a “Peace of Mind '' to Working to Attain It - "PTSD" Album Review

This Herb project is unlike any other. If you don’t get it, that’s okay… it wasn’t meant for you.

By Amaya Lorick

Raised on the Eastside of Chicago, rapper Herbert “G Herbo” Wright III gained national attention in 2012 when the video to his song “Kill Shit” featuring Chicago rapper turned music executive, Lil Bibby, went viral. Between 2014 and 2016, the 24-year-old, previously known as “Lil Herb,” released four mixtapes, dedicating two (Welcome to Fazoland, and Ballin Like I’m Kobe) to his close friends who lost their lives to gun violence. In September of 2017, G Herbo released his first studio album Humble Beast followed by two additional full length albums, Swervo (2018) and Still Swervin (2019). 

The drill-inspired artist has often been criticized for his “off-beat” verses. Now, less than a decade into his professional career, PTSD may have shocked some listeners with its relaxed flows. In February 2019, fans were excited for PTSD since Herb initially announced it was in the works shortly after his LP Still Swervin, which received many negative reviews.

In hopes to satisfy his demanding fans and put an end to commentary about various leaked tracks, G Herbo released five singles between August and December of 2019, which were later combined with additional songs to create Sessions (2019). Prior to the release of Sessions, fans were confused when the PTSD tour was announced before the album dropped but it was evident that the project would have to be released before the first leg. Sure enough, on January 31, 2020, the PTSD tour lineup was altered to accommodate a late-February release. 

On February 12, 2020, G Herbo previewed the PTSD single “In This Bitch”, which stands as one of the more vigorous tracks on the album, on Instagram Live hours before its official drop. The next day, Herb released the album artwork by Chicago local TeeJay Spencer and announced the project would drop on the 28th.

PTSD was released by Epic Records and Chicago indie label, Machine Entertainment Group with 14 tracks equating to 47 minutes. The album includes features by well-known artists such as A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Lil Uzi Vert, and 21 Savage. 

G Herbo surprises his listeners with three samples from early 2000’s rap music, also known as Hip Hop’s “Golden Age” beginning with his first song, “Intro”. Producer DJ Don Cannon sampled the iconic “Intro” track from Jay-Z’s fifth studio album The Dynasty - Roc La Familia 2000. The record parallels Hov’s track as it is also a broad guide to navigating the street presented in the form of a reflection. Like Jay-Z’s declaration, Herb doesn’t want to forget the traumatic past that shaped him but rather wants to continue to use it to fulfill his desired goals. This song encapsulates PTSD at its essence. 

Track number three, “Gangstas Cry” featuring BJ the Chicago Kid, serves as the most underrated song on the album. The slow, simple beat and chorus is straightforward enough to allow listeners who relate to Herb’s experience to understand his new ability to process his feelings. The importance of this track lies within his blatant confessions. Herb speaks on his past lean addiction and addresses using it as a coping mechanism to numb his emotional pain.

Considering its calm yet fast-paced tempo, special attention should be given to track number five, “Death Row”. The beat produced by DY Krazy is unlike any in G Herbo’s formal discography. The song’s placement within the album and catchy chorus captures the attention of  listeners who may have begun to lose interest in the project.

PTSD’s most popular track is named after the project. Having collaborated with Chance the Rapper, Juice WRLD, and Lil Uzi Vert before, Herb invites them back to paint a diverse and vivid story for his audience. G Herbo expresses how his excitement for his level of success is hindered due to the loss of his loved ones. While still unable to make sense of Juice WRLD’s unexpected passing, his lyrics of “I don’t belong. I see my past everywhere. Don’t stand too close to me. Eternal PTSD” punctures the slowly healing scab his fans have been attempting to mend. It is evident the success of this track derives from the heavy hearts of those still mourning the Chicago superstar.

While Chance the Rapper’s current sound is favored by fans of hip-hop/pop crossovers, the verse highlights an experience that is often overlooked. The story of the outsider that is still affected by the neighborhood crime while not being directly involved in it. Chance shares a childhood memory of having to suppress his feelings after witnessing someone being shot and killed with his mother. At that moment, both Chance and his mother were either unable or chose to not fathom the tragic event. This addresses the reality of the Chicago experience that includes growing up fast. The reality of being placed in situations your parents cannot assist you with and being forced to navigate the troubling experience on your own. 

As for Lil Uzi Vert’s contribution to the record… It was nothing special and does not add new content to the song. The verse was catchy and directs his fan base to the album itself.

Unlike previous projects where G Herbo can be heard defending his anxiety driven lifestyle, he seems to have a grip on his feelings. On Track 8, “By Any Means” featuring Atlanta native, 21 Savage, Herb begins his reflection with “I used to be trippin like a motherfucker. That’s cause I ain’t listen to a motherfucker.” While still young, G Herbo now sounds like a Vet in the rap game. 

Herb does his due diligence in his track “Feelings”' which samples Jadakiss’ “Still Feel Me”. On the track, G Herbo confesses that he longs for a better relationship with the mother of his child. Listeners observe a new sense of maturity within Herb as he acknowledges his life-commitment to her to a positive manner for the sake of their son, Yosohn.  

The project’s concluding track, “Intuition” featuring up and coming artists, Sonta and 2PRETTY, is an appropriate ending to PTSD because G Herbo redefines what it means to be a gangster. The outro, which samples Beanie Sigel’s “Feel It in the Air” is the final example of how Herb successfully demonstrates his ability to master old school classics with his witty flow. 

Chicago’s youth needed Herb to acknowledge his Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome to encourage them to confront the paranoia that convinces them to believe they are unable to relax. While G Herbo received positive reviews for his fun and catchy tracks “Pull Up”, “Swervo”, and his popular freestyled remix of Three 6 Mafia’s “Who Run It” in the past… they are almost depthless.

Diehard Chicago Herb fans have been asking for “Lil Herb” to return but we shouldn’t want him back. Herbert “G Herbo” Wright III is continuously evolving and it seems to be for the better. Not even a week after its debut, PTSD charted third on Apple Music behind Lil Baby and Bad Bunny with tracks that share his discomforting reality. If G Herbo is smart, he will continue to do just that.

Favorite Tracks

Intro

Death Row

Feelings

Listen to PTSD here:

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Revisiting Denzel Curry’s Long-Awaited Mix: '13LOOD IN + 13LOOD OUT' Mixtape Review

By Carter Fife

After almost a year of cryptic tweets and delayed release dates, last month Carol City rapper Denzel Curry finally released his new BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT MIX (stylized as ‘13LOOD IN + 13LOOD OUT MIXX’). Clocking in at around 13 minutes with approximately 8 tracks, BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT sees Curry at his finest after two of the busiest years of his career. Between two critically-acclaimed records, over four separate tour circuits, and numerous guest appearances on tracks such as Flying Lotus’ ‘Black Balloons Reprise’, many believed that Curry might have been inclined to take a breather in 2020. Despite this, Zxltron has graced fans with two separate projects this year, and it is only February.

BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT sees a true return to form for Denzel Curry as he finds himself rapping over abrasive 808-laden instrumentals. The aural register of this project is an interesting synthesis of Curry’s older styles: the mix has the intensity of his 13 EP, melodies that came from the TA13OO and ZUU chopping block, and dark lyrics that parallel his earliest work on the genre-defining Nostalgia 64. It is on these tracks that we are able to see Curry’s influence on the Florida rap scene, and though many artists that have been influenced by Curry’s style (XXXTentacion, Ski Mask the Slump God, Spaceghostpurrp, Xavier Wulf, etc.) have ended up eclipsing the rapper, that does not prevent him from consistently delivering high-quality projects and perfecting his craft. This newest project showcases this idea perfectly, with every track exploring different hip-hop styles while remaining part of a cohesive mix. The tracks compliment each other by blending into each other nicely, and by featuring Curry’s peers like Zillakami, SpaceGhostPurrp, and Xavier Wulf. 

Some cuts, like ‘WELCOME TO THE FUTURE’, are great windows into the hip-hop powerhouse that Denzel Curry has become while also nodding to his past works. The track effortlessly weaves between hard-hitting hip-hop percussion and spacious melodies where Curry sings “I could've ended my life with a .45, When I was high, I would feel like a low life, This was the vibe, I was havin' a whole time, Say, "Fuck a nine," had to grind to the bedtime”. BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT also gave fans the second “super-saiyan” track that Curry teased before releasing the former on 2018’s TA13OO while leaving the latter to dissolve into hip-hop mythology. ‘GOGETA’, as it is now known, carries Denzel’s signature combination of dark and dejected lyrics paired with anime and Pokemon references. This track is powerful and motivating, with the lyrics fading out as ‘Black Power’ gets drowned out by a pulsating bass signal.

This mix has a little something for every fan of Denzel Curry, but it is definitely meant for lovers of the intensity found in 2017’s 13 EP. Though BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT was shorter than some would have preferred, it will likely serve as the appetizer for whatever Curry has in store for us this year.

Favorite Tracks

EVIL TWIN

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

GOGETA

Rating: 9

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The Double-Edged Sword of Kaytranada: "BUBBA" Album Review

By Carter Fife

The year is 2016. It is June, and you and your friends are spending the summer days going to new places, eating at new restaurants, and making the most of the warm weather. You go out at night and misbehave without a care in the world. Life is simple, and the music is good, but what’s on rotation? If you were in my circle - it would certainly be a cornucopia of both commercial and strange music. On some days, we would play Travis Scott’s Rodeo, Kanye’s The Life of Pablo, Drake’s Views, and maybe even Chance’s Coloring Book if we were feeling like it. On others we would play Blank Banshee’s Blank Banshee 0, The Avalanches’ Wildflower, Anderson .Paak’s Malibu, and Toro Y Moi’s Samantha. No album, however, got as much airtime as Kaytranada’s first studio album, 99.9%.

I cannot even describe how much this album meant to me back then. I had just graduated high school, and I was in one of the best eras of my life. When people make memes about Summer ‘16 being the last time they felt happy, I understand exactly what they mean, even though I don’t think that it was all downhill from there (like Frank Ocean would say at the end of the summer on 2016’s Blonde). Kaytranada’s unique synthesis of electronic, dance, hip-hop, and funk music made for an album packed with simultaneously chill and hyped-up tracks like ‘GOT IT GOOD’ with Craig David, or the mega-hit ‘GLOWED UP’ with Anderson .Paak, who at that point was still relatively unknown. I hate to be cliché, but this was the soundtrack to my summer, and things never really went back to normal once I started college that fall. 

Since then I have tracked Kaytranada’s career like a borderline psychopath. In doing so I have inadvertently developed an eerily accurate ear for his production style, so when listening to a new album I can identify whether or not kaytranada worked on the record or not. My enthusiasm for the Montreal-DJ has made me into a bit of a know-it-all, but I don’t care. I could talk for hours about his unreleased tracks and where he played them, his infamous Boiler Room set and the various characters that weave in and out of the frame, and even the artists that were rumored to have been in the studio with him. For over three long years, I waited for a new record, devouring the handful of singles we were treated to as they were released. Eventually, in November of 2019, a new record was announced and shortly thereafter released. Finally Kaytranada’s sophomore album Bubba was here, and my expectations were sky-high. 

The Question: Could it live up to the hype, and reignite a youthful exuberance that had been waning since that fateful romantic summer of 2016?

The Answer: Kind of? Allow me to explain.

Bubba sees the return of Kaytranada doing what he does best - synthesizing electronic and funk together into fun bouncy club bangers. This time around, he has brought out many more friends than he did in 2016. This record features contributions from artists like Tinashe, Pharrell Williams, Mick Jenkins, Estelle, Vanjess, Masego, Kali Uchis, SiR, Goldlink, and Ari PenSmith. Clearly the budget for this record is enormous, but does this translate into good music? For the most part - yes it does. 

‘2 The Music’ is a classic intense Kaytranada dance track with an unconventional chord structure, a mix that sounds better than sex and more low frequencies than my Apple AirPods can handle. Mick Jenkins and Kali Uchis both do their thing on their respective tracks, lending their sing-rapping over Kaytranada’s production brilliance, and for the most part the album does not disappoint. For some reason, however, this album has me craving more. This is not so much due to my ravenous nature as a Kaytranada fan, but I feel that Bubba, while impressive and enjoyable, sees Kaytranada integrating more elements from R&B, dancehall and afrobeat styles of music than funk and hip-hop. This is not a bad thing by itself, but on a 17-track record like Bubba the repetition can negatively impact how ‘replayable’ some of the tracks become as they age. 

Take for example ‘Midsection’ featuring the GOAT Pharrell Williams. This song in a vacuum is enjoyable, as there is nothing wrong with it sonically and if I heard it at a party I would surely be excited. The structure of the song however features little variance despite the track being almost five minutes in length - an eternity for a dance track. The low-fidelity vocal melodies are fun but I have slowly noticed myself skipping this song more and more as it has come up when shuffling my music. The merits of the track, at least for me, quickly become circumstantial, and I am left looking at my individual track ratings that I allotted to the album last December (mostly 4 and 5 stars) with more and more confusion. I wish I could go back to when the album was new to me - a sentiment that I now hold for both of Kaytranada’s albums. 

It must be said that Kaytranada’s work on Bubba in perfecting his craft is apparent, as ‘The Worst In Me’ with Tinashe showcases just how much of an apex R&B powerhouse Kaytranada has become. There are other tracks just like this, though despite them exemplifying production expertise, they are far too similar to the sounds heard 3 years ago to make much of a lasting impact. Then there are other tracks that venture into new musical sounds, but are too repetitive to justify listening to for the song’s whole duration. ‘Puff Lah’ is a 2 minute track that continuously loops an eight second dance loop. It is enjoyable while it is on, but after a while the song changes and you can barely remember what the song sounded like despite its repetitiveness. 

Bubba is a great record, whose greatest flaw lies in that its innovations do not resonate with someone with my music tastes. There are certainly many enjoyable tracks that may not age as gracefully this time around, as compared to 2016’s 99.9%, but that is not to say the record was not worth the wait. Maybe it did not revive my youthful vigor, but instead it helped put things into perspective. To be 22, and to write about myself at 18 like I am 60 years old is frankly ridiculous. Kaytranada and I both have changed since the simple comforting summer days years ago, and to expect that this record would take us both back while mirroring 99% is both unfair and unrealistic. In many ways this album is a meditation on aging and the progression of an artist, as it both innovates from and recedes into previous musical styles already perfected by Kaytranada. I hope that this album ages well and enters my weekly rotation over the next three years, and I know that the next time Kaytranada releases music I will be eager to listen.

Favorite Tracks

2 The Music (Feat. Iman Omari)

Grey Area (Feat. Mick Jenkins)

The Worst in Me (Feat. Tinashe)

Rating: 7

Listen to BUBBA here:

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Classic Review: With Stunning, Sample-Heavy Production and Mythical Rhymes, 'Madvillainy' Forms Hip Hops Most Villainous Duo

By Luke Modugno

We’ve always been captivated by the archetype of the villain. Of course, we all love a gratifying hero’s journey, but a well executed, memorable villain becomes legend. In cinema, we have characters like Thanos, Darth Vader and the Joker. In rap music, it's MF DOOM and Madlib.

Both outcasts of hip-hop and thriving underground artists, the infamous duo teamed up in 2004 under their moniker “Madvillian” to release their cult classic Madvillainy. 

Although the 22 tracks of the project breeze by in under 50 minutes, Madvillainy’s razor edge rhymes and transcendent production makes for an album as iconic as DOOM’s metal mask.

In the years leading up to Madvillainy, DOOM and Madlib were on two completely different paths. Madlib saw success early in his career as his inherent knack for mixing obscure samples from every corner of the music world with hip-hop aesthetics was recognized. In 1999,  he was signed to Stones Throw Records. After his debut solo album The Unseen (released under the alias Quasimoto) was met with critical praise, Madlib was poised for a successful career as a producer. 

But DOOM’s path to success was anything but similar to Madlib’s. Under the name Zev Love X, DOOM formed the group KMD with his younger brother DJ Subroc and another rapper named Rodan. The group achieved minor commercial success in New York with singles “Peachfuzz,” and “Who Me?” But all of KMD’s potential was crushed when Subroc was struck by a car and while crossing the street, killing the 19-year-old. That same week, KMD was dropped from their label, partly due to their extremely controversial then upcoming project titled Black Bastards. DOOM was devastated and became nearly homeless for three years. He dropped off the radar and swore revenge on the industry that he believed ruined his life.

In 1997, a masked man started showing up at open mic events in Manhattan, stealing the show with clever rhyme schemes and mythical narratives that drew attention from the music industry. That masked man was of course MF DOOM, no longer under the name Zev Love X. DOOM continued to impress and was signed to Fondle ‘Em records in 1997 and two years later, released his debut studio album, Operation: Doomsday, to critical acclaim. DOOM didn’t stop there, releasing Take Me to Your Leader and Vaudeville Villain under aliases King Geedorah and Viktor Vaughn respectively. Both projects were successful ventures into world building, establishing DOOM’s untamed creative mind.

After his early run of success and wildly unique persona, DOOM grabbed the attention of Madlib and they began working together. 

As soon as the news broadcast cuts in on “The Illest Villains,” the listener is thrown into a fictitious realm, ruled by the Madvillain. 

“As luck would have it, one of America’s two most powerful villains of the next decade is turned loose to strike terror into the hearts of men/one of the worst of all was the Madvillian/ villains who possess supernatural abilities/villains who were the personification of carnage.” 

Throughout Madvillainy, Madlib’s visionary production paired with DOOM’s dark, deep voice and lyrical ability allows Madvillainy’s mythical world building to become a reality. Each track is a new scene of the movie, with DOOM’s villainous reign illustrated somewhere between reality and fiction. DOOM finds himself in situations rooted in reality (mental health struggles, drug addiction), while simultaneously acting as an imaginary nefarious villain, ruling his realm with an iron fist. 

The album plays on a “seminal connection that audience can relate their experiences to the villains and their dastardly doings,” as heard on “The Illest Villains.” The result is a one-of-a-kind project in hip-hop, that manifests a world of abstract antiheroism that feels as developed as the plot of a Marvel movie. 

Madvillainy sees both DOOM and Madlib at their most inventive. Often rapping in third person, DOOM develops his own character, stringing together clever bars about his villainous deeds and life as a “ruthless mass conqueror.” Yet we get moments of introspection peppered throughout tracks, concerning mental illness, drug addiction and bad habits that keep DOOM in a cycle of perpetual wrongdoings. By the end of the project, the masked man staring back at you on the cover of Madvillainy seems tangible, a real-life villain living in our world.

On the track “Rainbows,” DOOM warns the streets that he is watching, establishing himself as a threat lurking in the shadows. Behind Madlib production that sounds like it’s straight out of a Batman cartoon, the track is an example of the unparalleled expertise in scene setting. 

From playing the role of a disgruntled Viktor Vaughn, making a phone call to his girlfriend who cheated on him with DOOM on “Fancy Clown,” to rhyming about his kleptomania as a result of his rough childhood on “Curls,” Madvillainy is DOOM’s most cohesive lyrical performance in  his discography. 

Digging into the deepest caves and crevices of soul and jazz, Madlib produces the most imaginative beats of his illustrious career on Madvillainy. While working on the project, Madlib travelled to Brazil to hunt for loops he could utilize in samples. Sifting through mom-and-pop record shops in Sao Paulo, Madlib bought multiple crates of soul, jazz, Brazilian and Indian records. His unique sampling and use of audio clips from 1940’s movies like “Frankenstein” gives Madvillainy its inimitable quality of production. “Accordion” remains one of the most recognizable and unique beats in hip-hop history. The hard baselines that grace “Meat Grinder” represents the essence of Madvillainy; a godly and iconic rhyme scheme from DOOM and a multi-sample masterpiece of a beat that gives the project its grimey, ominous tone. With more stunning production on “Raid,” “All Caps,” and “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Madvillainy shows one of the best producers in hip-hop history in rare form. 

Madvillainy was received with rave reviews upon release and has stood the test of time as an undisputed underground rap classic.  

As the applause slowly fades on “Rhinestone Cowboy,” you slowly come back to reality after being utterly immersed in a fictional land created by DOOM and given life by Madlib. In contemporary hip-hop, Madvillainy sits on an island as an isolated work of perfection. Even Madlib’s later team-up with Freddie Gibbs on Pinata and Bandana doesn’t nearly reach the level of mastery and excellence of Madvillainy. As long as our society has a secret affinity for the villain, Madvillainy will continue to captivate hip-hop as the quintessential antihero of the genre.  

Favorite tracks: 

Meat Grinder 

All Caps 

Rhinestone Cowboy 

Rating: 10

Listen to Madvillainy here:

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2020 Preview: A Look Ahead at What Could Be a Legendary Year in Hip-Hop

By Luke Modugno

With 2010’s coming to a close last month, we leave behind a legendary 10 years of hip-hop. The genre grew leaps and bounds, becoming arguably the biggest category of music in the world. As we embark on the new journey of the next decade, 2020 seems to be shaping up as one of the best years in the recent history of hip-hop. Here are the albums we’re looking forward to, speculating about, dreaming of, and practically begging for.

Coming Soon: 

Drake 

For the first time since 2014, Drake had a relatively slow year, neglecting to release a new album in 2019. But Drizzy fans weren’t completely deprived. Day-one fans were treated to Care Package, a compilation of the 6 God’s greatest hits not on streaming platforms, and a two song EP titled The Best In The World Pack, celebrating the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship. Last year, Drake appeared to hint at an album slated for 2020 a few times. The first time was last April, when Drake revealed to his crowd in London that he aimed to return to England with new music in 2020. Additionally, in December, Drake made a surprise appearance at DaBaby’s show in Toronto, telling his hometown that 2020 was a target year for new music, “I’m going to go back to the crib and try to finish this album up so we can turn up in 2020,” Drake told the crowd before he exited the stage. On top of that, Drake and Future have been heavily teasing a follow up to their legendary joint project What a Time to be Alive. Last month, the duo released a new track titled “Life is Good,” with the pair emulating the success and chemistry they’ve formed over the years. And considering Drake was booed off stage at Camp Flog Gnaw 2019, we have to believe the Toronto native has something to say this year. It’s an exciting year to be a Drake fan, I’m expecting both a solo project and another collaboration album with Future in 2020. 

J. Cole

The head-honcho of Dreamville had a remarkable year in 2019, continuing his legendary run of features and exceeding expectations with the Dreamville compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III. Back in November of last year, Cole previewed a trailer for his upcoming project titled The Fall Off at Day N Vegas. The video, styled like a political campaign ad, shows Cole as the savior of America, during “these turbulent times,” and schedules the album to drop sometime in 2020. Considering the final track on Cole’s 2018 effort KOD was titled “1985 (Intro to ‘The Fall Off’),” the album is being speculated as a direct follow-up. The teaser for The Fall Off doesn’t feature the serious introspection featured on KOD, so Cole may be looking to go in a completely different direction for this project.

A$AP Rocky

2019 was a genuinely scary year for A$AP Rocky. After being arrested and accused of assault, at the time, it was unclear if Rocky would be coming home anytime soon. The situation caught the attention of President Donald Trump, as he stepped in and influenced Rocky’s release and return home. 2020 has been a positive contrast to last year for Rocky, as he seems in a good place. The New York native announced late last year that his album All Smiles is on the way. All Smiles will be Rocky’s first solo album since his 2018 LP Testing. As the title suggests, Testing was certainly an experimental venture, which split fans and critics alike on the quality of the project. Rocky released two new singles in 2018 and 2019, “Sundress” and “Babushka Boi,” it is unclear if either will make the album. It will be intriguing to see if Rocky continues his sonic tinkering, or if he reverts back to his old sound established in his earlier albums. Expect new music sometime in the first half of 2020. 

Joey Bada$$

Besides a group project with East Coast collective Beast Coast, Joey has been relatively quiet since the release of his second studio album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. Following the release of his classic debut mixtape 1999, rap fans have hung on Joey’s every word. Joey has shown a lot of maturity and development as an MC since then, developing his sound and subject matters to become a fairly undisputed top five rapper in the game at the moment. Last month, Joey confirmed new music is on the way, “JUST GETTIN’ A FEW MORE DUCKS LINED UP FO I START BUCKING THESE N****Z. WORLD NEED NEW BADA$$ & ITZ COMING#LP3.” During the Beast Coast tour in 2019, the Brooklyn rapper released a series of vlogs and on the first episode, Joey tells A$AP Rocky, “New album, almost done bro.” He further hinted at a new project in an Instagram post, “Might be a few album snippets in there,” referring to the vlog series. Expect new tunes from Joey very soon. 

Hopefuls (fingers crossed): 

Kendrick Lamar

We last heard the crowned king of West Coast hip-hop in 2018, when he curated and produced tracks for the Black Panther movie soundtrack. Since then, it’s been radio static on Kendrick’s end, with no singles, few features and no concrete plans for a new album. The good news: Kdot performed his last DAMN. show at Day N Vegas in November of last year, and with Kendrick headlining 12 festivals across Europe starting in June(Lollapalooza Stockholm, NOS Alive, etc.), there’s a good chance new music is on the way. Multiple reports have speculated that the album may have a heavy rock influence, something we saw glimpses of on DAMN. Former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde added fuel to the fire last month when he tweeted, “Did anyone not named Beyonce release better, more meaningful back-to-back albums last decade than Kendrick Lamar? Are you interested to know that I hear from several friends that recording on the new album may finally be done? And that he’s pulling in more rock sounds this time?” With 1,041 days passing since the release of DAMN.,this has been the longest running wait for a Kendrick album since the time between good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly, making it seem like a lock that Kendrick drops in 2020.

JID

Cole’s label partner at Dreamville has been making some noise the past two years. After impressing listeners with lightning quick raps and witty punchlines with his debut album The Never Story and turning heads in 2018 with his sophomore album DiCaprio 2, JID has as much potential as any rapper in the game. JID has tweeted multiple times over the past few months hinting at a new album this year, however in an interview with Revolt, the 28-year-old spoke on his recent writers block, “My grandmother just passed,” J.I.D told REVOLT TV. “I haven’t been able to write a verse since. Everything has been blank, which is weird.” Legendary producer NO I.D. is reportedly a large part of the album. Considering it's been 2 years since a solo project from JID, I see it likely we will get an album from him later in the year.

Lil Uzi Vert 

Perhaps one of the most anticipated artists in 2020, Uzi has kept fans waiting for almost two years for his upcoming project titled Eternal Atake. From threatening to quit music to making a diss track against his own label Generation Now, Lil Uzi had a very trying year in 2019. However, Uzi has been positive on Twitter as of late. After releasing a single from the album, “Futsal Shuffle 2020,” Uzi has been teasing Eternal Atake heavily, suggesting it’s 16 songs, saying it “slaps way harder” than Luv is Rage and hinting at Tyler, The Creator’s production involvement on the album. In addition, Uzi has constantly compared 2020 to his break out year of 2016, saying it will be “2016 part 2.” During that year, Uzi was a XXL freshman, gave one of the most iconic freestyle cyphers, and dropped two albums in Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World and The Perfect LUV Tape. Considering the delays on the album, the expectations for Eternal Atake are sky high. If we learned anything from last year, we know Uzi is a terribly unpredictable artist, so nothing is really concrete until the album arrives on streaming services. 

Playboi Carti

Incredibly, Playboi Carti has had more songs leaked than songs in the entirety of his discography (125 leaked, 34 released). Despite this, Carti’s supposedly upcoming album Whole Lotta Red is still one of the most coveted potential drops of 2020. In October of last year, Carti posted on Instagram, captioning the post “red incoming.” Since the announcement, heaps of leaks have surfaced, including songs, potential tracklists, album artwork and some possible features. Even Drake posted about the album on Instagram, captioning the post “Nobody:   Me: Somebody play Whole Lotta Red.” Considering it's been nearly two years since Die Lit, Carti will most likely feel the pressure to drop this year. Whether he will or not, is still a mystery. 

Pipe Dreams: 

Kanye West

The past few years have been a rollercoaster ride for Ye. From his constant donning of the MAGA hat and his head scratching slavery comments in 2018, to a steady batch of delays on his now released album JESUS IS KING, Kanye was back to being one the most hated figures in pop culture. Although JESUS IS KING got very mixed reviews, Kanye is supposedly planning a JESUS IS KING sequel. Last November, Ye tweeted a picture of him and Dr. Dre in the studio with the caption, “Ye and Dre Jesus is King Part II coming soon.” Before you get too excited, let's pump the brakes on the hype train for Jesus is King Part II. Kanye and Dre are infamously known for torturing their fans with delays, postponements and scrapping albums all together. Dr. Dre’s highly anticipated solo album Detox has been delayed for nearly two decades. Kanye has a slew of unreleased projects that were scrapped and later leaked, including Yandhi, So Help Me God, TurboGrafx16, Donda’s Boy and more. Don’t expect this album anytime soon. 

Isaiah Rashad

It’s been 1,265 painful days since the release of Isaiah Rashad’s last solo LP The Sun’s Tirade. With two terrific projects under his belt, TDE’s most reserved member has potential to be a household name in hip-hop. In June of last year, Isaiah took to an Instagram livestream where he announced the title of his upcoming album to be The House is Burning. He also claimed the album will be “as tight as Aquemini.” Since then, there has been no update on a release date of any kind. With Zay constantly previewing new music on his Instagram (Including songs with JID and Zacari), an album is presumably coming this year. TDE tends to spread out the release dates of their albums, and with Reason, ScHoolboy Q and possibly Kendrick Lamar dropping this year, we could possibly expect The House is Burning in the second half of 2020. But due to how tight-lipped TDE is about their upcoming projects, we can’t be sure new Zay music is coming this year. 

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

D Smoke Distinguishes Himself and Drops Jaws With His First Studio Album “Black Habits”

By Colson O’Connor

 Inglewood native Daniel Farris, commonly known as rapper ‘D Smoke’, had one hell of a year with his seemingly-overnight success. When looking at his background, it is not much of a surprise that he became this successful, it was only a matter of time. His family is full of talented gospel singers in the Inglewood area and his younger brother, R&B singer SiR, is signed to Top Dawg Entertainment. D Smoke has been working hard on his craft for a long time and that earned him his well-deserved spot on the popular new Netflix competition show Rhythm + Flow. He passed through all of the challenges on the show with flying colors and gave the audience absolutely stunning performances they will never forget. D Smoke went on to win the show and set the bar extremely high for all contestants to come.

D Smoke was very strategic when it came to the lead up and release to this album. Ahead of release he dropped two singles called “Fly” and “No Commas”, along with new music videos for each of them. After that, he went to social media to increase hype by revealing the release date and track list as while as posting pictures relating to the album. These tactics seemed to have paid off big time for him because Black Habits is doing numbers. 

Black Habits, D Smoke’s first official studio album, dropped on February 7th, 2020. The album runs just over an hour long, at about 62 minutes, and was published by WoodWorks Records. Although D Smoke on his own is already incredible, Ari Lennox, Snoop Dogg, and more are featured on this album and are a lot of what brought this beautiful piece together.  

Morning Prayer is the lead track for this project. It is mostly composed of a mother and her children going through a prayer before going to school, finishing with a couple of lines from D Smoke. These few lines hint at the upcoming topics he discusses later in the album, like racism and bullying. 

Smoke takes a stand in the second song called “Bullies”, where he raps hard with a killer flow. This tough hook will give you a good idea of the tone in the track:  

“So fuck y'all bullies We act like we ain't, but us all, bullies Never settlin' for subpar, bullies Don't make a nigga knock the rust off, bullies” 

This song is a statement and it’s dope to see him start the album this way because it lets you know he’s not about to take bullshit from anyone. 

The third track, “No Commas”, has got to be the hardest track on the album. D Smoke attacks bar after bar and snaps for two crazy verses. As if those verses weren’t great enough, he put the icing on the cake with the outro by bouncing back and forth between speaking English and Spanish. This skill really adds a third-dimension to the heavy-hitting cut. 

Ever since the tracklist was released and I saw Snoop Dogg, my excitement for the album shot through the roof. The two California natives pay homage over a bass-heavy beat for the song titled “Gaspar Yanga”. D Smoke raps for most of it, leading up to Snoop’s fire chorus, giving the track a major west coast feel that is bound to have you bouncing in the whip. 

On the fifth track of the album, “Top of the Morning”, D Smoke presents a great morning-time perspective and outlook on life. Smoke really takes a step back and reminds himself of how we should be attacking the day that lies ahead of us. This song will leave you two-stepping while grinding your daily hustle.  

Sitting at number ten on the tracklist is “Fallin”, a song about Smoke’s relationship with a girl. He opens up about his feelings in such a real and honest way, and he crushes the analogies, blending the feelings and bars so fluidly. There are three clever verses on this track and D bodies every single one of them.  

The east side and the west side come together to create a masterpiece in “Real Body”, the 12th track on Black Habits. D Smoke and the acclaimed Dreamville singer Ari Lennox go back to back singing sensual verses. It is a bit of a slower track, however, the arrangement of the drums add so much drive that you can’t help but rock your head and sing along. 

D Smoke linked with his brother SiR, who is also an immensely talented singer/songwriter, to collaborate  “Closer to God”. My favorite part of this song is the instrumentation. Going along with the idea of furthering their relationship with God, the two used pianos and a church organ to successfully create a very spiritual beat.

The final (and also my favorite) piece on the album is titled “Black Habits II”. The execution of this song is phenomenal. The message behind this song is super powerful, it has a flawless, jazzy beat, and the wordplay is extremely sharp. In every line throughout the intro, chorus, and first verse D Smoke uses the word black. Shining a light on his feelings toward racism, he cleverly adds this twist to make the lines hit so much harder. 

Thanks to Rhythm + Flow, bilingual rapper D Smoke has finally started to receive the clout he deserves. He has done nothing but keep us constantly entertained and his new album Black Habits is a major turning point for his career. We should expect to see even more growth from the Inglewood rapper in future projects. 

Favorite Tracks

Gasper Yanga (Ft. Snoop Dogg)

Fallin’

Black Habits II

Rating: 7.5

Listen to Black Habits here:

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“UNLOCKED” Dishes out an Air-Tight Blend of Boom-Bap and Experimental Hip-Hop Featuring Some of Kenny Beats’ and Denzel Curry’s Most Daring Performances

By Owen Tait

Ever since the exponential growth of the underground hip-hop scene on streaming platforms such as SoundCloud, many rappers have struggled to maintain a reliable, consistent run in the limelight. Not the case for Floridian artist Denzel Curry. Ever since his breakout single “Ultimate” took the internet by storm in 2015, the Carol City native has seemingly perfected and reinvented his sound multiple times. His 2018 release Ta13oo spiraled into the dark depths of Curry’s persona, boasting sinister, unrelenting tracks such as “Clout Cobain,” “Percs,” and “Vengeance,” featuring experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA and City Morgue member Zillakami. 2019’s Zuu was a triumphant ode to his city, and 2020’s 13lood In + 13lood Out reinforced the darker themes he explored in previous projects. 

Now, not even a month later, Curry has teamed up with underground producer Kenny Beats, whose collaborations range from 03 Greedo to Rico Nasty to Dominic Fike, to release an eight track EP titled “UNLOCKED.” The project marks the duo’s first official collaboration over streaming services, but the two had worked together on Kenny Beats’ signature YouTube series “The Cave” the previous year. In addition to the EP, the two released a highly entertaining animated film to accompany the project. The short was visually thrilling and absolutely hilarious, but luckily, the album functions just as well without it.

The project’s opening track is mainly instrumental, featuring an unsettling, vintage vocal sample that narrates over the majority of the cut. However, in the last leg of the track, the beat switches to a villainous boom-bap anthem, and glitchy vocal samples introduce Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats as the main antagonists. Kenny Beats keeps his mean streak hot on “Take_it_Back_v2,” a clunky, hard as nails cut on which Denzel reveals his true motives: to finish his competition. Lines such as “I don't got candy but I'll turn your head to Gushers, sucka / When you see the barrel better pucker” allow him to perfectly balance his goofier persona with darker content. Furthermore, the choppy flows and heavy percussion serve as an ode to old school boom-bap, an aesthetic that remains prevalent throughout the rest of the record.

One particular method Kenny uses to pull off this aesthetic is by making many of instrumentals’ melodies very subtle, putting emphasis on the thumping percussion and creating more rigid, brash drumlines similar to the ones present in much of old-school hip-hop. Additionally, the abundance of chopped interludes and pitched vocals call back to old methods of sampling found in projects such as Madvillainy; however, Kenny Beats manages to throw experimental twists into the equation, making every unexpected quirk and sample a welcome surprise. Tracks such as “‘Cosmic’.m4a” and “So.Incredible.pkg” exemplify this spectacularly and carry a super fresh sound as a result. And Kenny isn’t the only one making callbacks on this project: tracks such as “DIET_” and the aforementioned “‘Cosmic’.m4a” feature Denzel sporting boisterous inflections reminiscent of rappers such as DMX and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and aside from the obvious comparisons, he’s the most animated he’s sounded in a long time.

Occasionally, Kenny and Denzel return to the current wave of underground rap, crafting minimalist, nocturnal bangers with in-your-face bass and and haunting melodies. The track “Lay_Up.m4a” incorporates a chunky west coast bassline and some of Denzel’s hardest bars on the project. It’s certainly a good detour from the rest of the album’s sound, and the same goes for the penultimate interlude, a trippy instrumental with numerous beat switches and a funky bassline throughout. On the track, Kenny combines elements of acid jazz with chopped versions of Denzel’s vocals from other cuts on the project. Overall, it makes for a tight, satisfying journey, and it perfectly transitions into the anthemic final track, “‘Cosmic’.m4a.”

With UNLOCKED, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats come through with an EP that has very few flaws. Its tracklist is airtight at just under 18 minutes, the instrumentals are a near-perfect blend of modern experimental hip-hop and old-school boom-bap, and Denzel’s vocal deliveries are as dynamic as ever. However, as I experienced multiple times during my first listen, listeners may scoff at some of Denzel’s punchlines or find them extremely corny. While bars such as “Harry Potter clip filled with deadly ass hollows” are certainly clever, lines such as “Doctor buggin out like Flick versus Hopper” don’t hold up as well, and others such as “Captain Planet / I'm on my packin' cannons to crack Atlantis” don’t even make much sense to begin with. Hell, even the line about Gushers mentioned earlier could be seen as too goofy to take seriously.

Despite this issue that may turn some listeners off, I found the EP as a whole very enjoyable. The off-the-wall production, flighty interludes, and aggressive flows and vocal performances from Denzel Curry make for an entertaining ride. Furthermore, at under 20 minutes, the project flies by with no problem, increasing replay value and giving fans a set of enticing tracks to hold them over until Denzel’s next full length project. Earlier, I discussed the longevity problem that many new artists face in today’s industry, but if Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats continue to put out work this consistent, I can’t see them fading out anytime soon.

Favorite Tracks

Take_it_Back_v2

DIET_

‘Cosmic’.m4a

Rating: 8

Listen to UNLOCKED here:

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Lil Tjay Perfomrs His Debut Album "True 2 Myself" at the Novo in Downtown Los Angeles

By Spencer Lobdell

Photo by Owen Markham

Confetti rained down as Lil Tjay looped the chorus to his smash hit “F.N” one last time for a rowdy crowd of screaming fans. As the 18-year-old finished, he took a moment, looked at his fans with admiration, and smiled. The moment felt grand and triumphant and at that moment it was impossible to not feel overwhelmingly happy for the young artist.

While this moment was incredibly special, his whole performance on Friday, February 7th was inspired. The show was part of the True 2 Myself Tour and took place at the Novo in Downtown Los Angeles. Tjay is currently on the road with Big Havi and Kid Laroi who both did a great job at getting the crowd loose, excited, and ready to turn up for the New York rapper.

Photo by Owen Markham

When Tjay finally came on stage after an hour-long DJ set the crowd absolutely lost it. He was wearing a custom Kobe Bryant jersey and later paid tribute with a 24-second moment of silence. Opening with “Goat,” Lil Tjay had the Novo jumping from the start. After the intro, his vocals cut through the instrumental showcasing the Novo’s perfect sound mixing as he sang “No one can stop me I feel like the greatest.” As an 18-year-old playing for a packed crowd of screaming fans in downtown LA, I don’t doubt for one second that Tjay really did feel like the greatest in that moment and time.

The rest of the show kept the same energy as he played more than half of the songs off his debut album True 2 Myself as well as a couple old songs and all the songs he’s released since the album. Fans sang and danced along with unparalleled spirit motivating Tjay to continue to sing every line even when it was apparent that he was out of breath and needed a break.

Everything about the show was magical until a rude fan threw something at Tjay during his  performance of “Go In” during the encore. Tjay stopped the song, pointed out the unwanted fan, and sent a member of his team into the crowd to remove him and rough him up a little. The fan tried to escape at which point Tjay said to let him go but continued to mock him until he was out of the venue. The altercation was uncomfortable and was a strange ending to what otherwise was an excellent show. Concert goers, DON’T BE STUPID AND PISS THE ARTIST OFF, NO ONE WINS IN THAT SITUATION.

All-in-all, the 18-year-old hit maker put on a killer performance at the Novo in LA giving fans everything they could’ve asked for and more. He sang, rapped, and danced his heart without ever having to sacrifice quality for energy. If you get a chance, go see Lil Tjay on the True 2 Myself tour, you won’t regret it!

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Brent Faiyaz Shows Why He’s One of the Most Exciting Voices in R&B on His New Album 'Fuck the World'

By Miles Hagan

Brent Faiyaz is an artist that has been generating buzz for all the right reasons his entire career. The majority of his success and fame has come from impressive features on other artists' work, and strong word of mouth by his more dedicated listeners. Many people were unaware for months that he was the one who lent his angelic vocals to Goldlink’s 2016 hit “Crew”. That chorus sounds just as good today as it did the first time I heard it, and I know I’m not alone in that sentiment. The last we heard from Brent was back in 2017 with his project Sonder Son, which really impressed listeners. As he has grown in popularity throughout the years we have patiently waited for what we would hear next from the DMV singer. When he announced that the title of his upcoming project would be F**k the World, fans were confused and intrigued as it is an interesting title for someone who is so beloved and makes such beautiful music.

Faiyaz does a great job of creating a general “vibe” with his music and F**k the World is no exception. The production across the board is very consistent on this album. He picks and chooses moments to let his voice be the main focus of the track, and at the same time is able to realize when the excellent production deserves to be the star. “Clouded” needs to be talked about and is the clear standout track from the project at least from a sonic standpoint. This is disappointing in a way because it also happens to be one of the shortest songs. The production in the background is initially minimal and very spacey. As we hear Faiyaz’s vocals become stronger and the track really starts taking shape the beats get stronger and by the end it almost sounds triumphant. This song like many others has lyrics that people may feel starkly contrasts the words he is actually saying. Brent’s mentality towards relationships has been described by many as “toxic”, and while that maybe true his undeniable talent lets him get away with some of it. As the album progresses the reasoning for the title begins to make more and more sense. Brent, whether he is dealing with women or haters in and outside of the music industry, seems to have developed a mentality that he is gonna get his by any means. Men lie, women lie, but the numbers don't and that is all he is concerned with and is not afraid to let you know it too. 

“Been Away” and the title track showcase something that may be real talent for Brent if he implements out more consistently. The choruses on these two songs are absolute ear candy and will be stuck in your head all day. For my mother's sake I won’t type of what he says on “F**k the World”, but it is one of the most interesting and creative hooks i've heard all year. Overall songs like this and many of the other enjoyable tracks from the album sound like more polished versions of some of the songs on Sonder Son. The project does not overstay its welcome with an abrupt 27 minute run time, so there is also not a lot of time to waste. He gives himself 10 songs to wow us and does so plenty. The runs on “Bluffin” deserve to be talked about, and the phrase “You must be bluffin or you just don’t care” is a sentiment almost anyone can understand. This is also one of the only tracks with a very distinguishable drum pattern which is interesting for an album being released in 2020.  

This is a really good album. Brent Faiyaz is one of the most interesting people in the industry and is finally beginning to get the mainstream appeal that he deserves. While in the broader landscape of music this is a very impressive album, for Brent this seems like he’s just further perfecting the sound he has been using his entire career. This is no knock on him, more so just a reason to be excited for what else is to come with the evolution of him as a person and musician. Lyrically people are beginning to take notice of what Faiyaz is saying, and while it may not always be the easiest to support, a guarantee is that it will be witty, relatable, and sound gorgeous if he's the one articulating it. He is near the top when it comes to male R&B and deservingly so. It seems as if he is only scratching the surface of just how amazing he could be and I am very excited to see what he brings us next.

Favorite Tracks:

Clouded

Been Away

Bluffin

Rating: 8

Listen to F**k the World here:

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Key Glock Executes Excellent Trap Music on His Tough New Album 'Yellow Tape'

By Spencer Lobdell

Memphis emcee Key Glock came out the womb flexing.

Growing up with an absent father and incarcerated mother, Key Glock was hardened at a young age and endured calamity that no child should have to endure. As a young man with little guidance, Glock was frequently getting in trouble and sites music as his biggest distraction from his upsetting upbringing. Protege of fellow Memphis emcee Young Dolph, he burst onto the scene in 2017 after releasing his debut mixtape Glock Season under Dolph’s label Paper Route Empire. In 2019, the two teamed up for their collaborative mixtape Dumb and Dumber which peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200.

Less than a year after Dumb and Dumber, Mr. Glock has returned to the forefront of underground hip-hop with the release of his 16-track solo album, Yellow Tape. The album was released on January 31st, 2020 and contains no features.

The album starts with the cinematic intro “1997” where Glock flexes his difficult youth, while simultaneously drawing attention to the fact that the young emcee is only 22. He does so with an assault of braggadocious trap bars about ignoring women and buying expensive jewelry. While it might seem like these topics have been rapped about a thousand times before, right from the title track you can tell that Key Glock isn’t just a trapper adding to a saturated pool of indulgence and mediocracy but rather something fresh and new that is worth listening to.

“1997” effortless transitions into my favorite song on the album, “Dough”. On the track Glock exclusively raps about his one and only true love: money. The track is infectious and successfully makes you feel rich yourself. On the chorus we see Glock interpolate the opening lines from Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s 1992 classic, “Nuthin’ But A G Thang,” an ambitious idea that Glock pulls off extremely well.

The third song, “Word On The Street” showcases another one of the album’s strengths, Glock’s selection of beats. This specific BandPlay produced instrumental features what sounds like a pitched down horn playing a looping melodic line throughout the whole song giving the track a 1920s feel well Glock assaults listeners with bars that in contrast to the instrumental, fit perfectly in the 2020 landscape. Key Glock’s selection of unique beats keeps the album interesting and is another thing that makes this project shine brighter than most trap releases.

The seventh song, “Look At They Face” has the most mainstream appeal out of all the tracks on the album due to Glock’s absolutely addicting hook (“Yeah, I heard them niggas hating 'cause I'm up now/I been makin' plays all day, yup, touchdown/I remember them days I used to pray for a bustdown/Now look at they face, look at they face, yeah, they on hush now”). Track like this show that Glock has serious star potential and should alert all fans that he might be in for a massive 2020.

Just as the title suggest, the tenth track “Flyest Highest Coolest Smoothest” flexes some of the best flows on the album as Glock smoothly delivers some of the coolest bars on the tape (“Same lil' nigga, big pistol, in the field blow like a whistle/Dope dealer, go-getter, boy, you just a broke nigga”).

The album ends with “1 of 1” where Glock finally gives us more context about his upbringing, fleshing out his character and allowing us to understand why he’s a cold-hearted, money-hungry, gangsta. The fact that he waited until the last track to tell us about his mother who was incarcerated his entire upbringing or about his troubles in school growing up show that Glock wanted you to be enticed by his artistry before allowing you to fully know who he is, a nice strategy that is consistent with the self-portrait he painted on Yellow Tape.

Overall, Yellow Tape is one of the most exciting trap releases to drop in recent memory. Key Glock successfully finds a way to make music that is the same as a lot of what’s currently being made without sounding stale or boring. Glock is focused on mastering his craft. No gimmicks needed, he’s simply making some of the best trap music out. The bars are hard yet calculated, the beats are unique and kick like crazy, and his voice reeks of authenticity. Do not let this project fly under the radar, Yellow Tape is the best trap release of 2020 so far, maybe the best release period.

Favorite Tracks

Dough

Look At They Face

Flyest Highest Coolest Smoothest

Rating: 8

Listen to Yellow Tape here:

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Hook Gets Hyphy on Sophomore Album 'Crashed My Car'

By Kaila Cherry

Taken from Hook’s Twitter, @ilyhook

My admiration for Hook began on Twitter. In late September, a video circulated of a girl with braided buns all over her head, a grey windbreaker,  dark sunglasses, and tennis shoes holding a mic as she stood in front of a green screen. The beat dropped and the scene shifted. Directed and edited by the photographer Hassan, Hook is multiplied, flipped around, and transported to all kinds of places through the magic of editing. All of this occurs while Hooks indignantly raps, “Get yo mans, sis/ He a fan sis/ I’m out of hand, sis/ Get my bands rich.” I was watching the music video for the song “Stand It” the single from the rapper’s then-upcoming EP entitled I Love You, Hook. Her deep voice, repetitive flow, and boisterous lyrics enthralled me. I knew immediately that I loved Hook. 

Music video for “Stand It” Produced by 2thousan9 x swvsh

Hook reached two significant milestones recently. On January 23rd, the young rapper turned 21 years old. On the same day she dropped her second album, Crashed My Car. Crashed My Car is the follow up to Hook’s first album Bully, released in the middle of 2019. Bully showcases Hook as the boss that you don’t want to mess with. She asserts herself as the most powerful entity on the playground, not afraid to get into a fight or like multiple boys at once. On the album, the listener is to leave with the idea that life is a game and Hook is winning. 

Hook maintains the same braggadocious energy on her sophomore project. Crashed My Car is a collaborative album with lyrics by Hook and production from Los Angeles based producer Nedarb. The power of this duo presents itself right from the beginning. The first song on Crashed My Car, “Wanna Be,” sets the chaotic and psychedelic soundscape for the entire album. “Wanna Be” opens with Hook hyperventilating and sniffling as car horns blare. She dials a phone number while cursing. A 911 dispatcher dryly asks Hook what her emergency is. In no time she responds “I fucking just crashed my car!” She mumbles more expletives before the dispatcher asks her where she is located. “Riverside, California” she stutters. The dispatcher asks for her name. “I’m Hook, bitch!” she replies, then laughs in a very kitschy, animated way. The beat trickles in, building on itself slowly. 

The beat does not drop until 50 seconds into the track. After this, the bass gets boosted, the ad libs are everywhere, and punchy, lasar-like sound effects are littered throughout. Hook spits bars about how girls want to be her and men want to date her. In this sense, everyone seems to want a piece of Hook; whether it be her fashion sense, her rap ability, her money, or a combination of all three. Nedarb’s spacey production on the track “Wanna Be” overwhelms the ears with sound. This auditory clustering, however, does not lead to sloppiness or headaches. Instead, the cacophony that Hook and Nedarb create on “Wanna Be” reinforces their experimental take on rap music. In what is perceived to be a very male dominated profession, Hook, not only as a woman but also a performer and a young person, is unlike anyone in the industry today. It is only fitting that she reflects her refreshing uniqueness not only socially but sonically as well. 

Cover art and tracklist for Crashed My Car

What follows “Wanna Be” is an exciting collection of catchy, clever, and hyphy songs that can turn even the most boring of places into a party. Hook’s bashful attitude shines through on the rowdy tracks “Fall in Luh” and “Wcgaf.” “Fall in Luh” creates its chaos less from the beat but from Hook’s own voice. Hook layers her verses over each other coupled with adlibs and  heavy breathing. She embraces her allure on the chorus with the lyrics, “He still fall in love/He still fall in love/I see him every month/But he still fall in love.” In this way, Hook tells us that no one can tie her down, that she is not afraid to play the field just like the boys do. “Wcgaf” is an abbreviation for the phrase “We could give a fuck,” which dominates the chorus. The beat is classically west coast, perfect for the proud Inland Empire native. Hook’s verses are bold. At one point in the track she declares her talent with the lines “You don’t like Hook? Bitch I’m curious/ You don’t like Hook? Bitch are you delirious?” And she’s right. 

Tracks like “Fall in Luh” and “Wcgaf” are supplemented by songs that are more subdued but just as vibrant. “Yes Man” has a melody that sounds like it should be coming out of an ice cream truck. It is sweet and jaunty and pairs well with Hook’s straightforward flow. Even on her calmer tracks Hook does not skimp on the boisterous lyricism, spitting lines like “I think I love my hubby and his best man” and “You a slut too, who you shaming?” In the outro to “Yes Man,” the beat fades out, leaving only the ice cream melody and Hook’s vocals for consumption. In this outro, Hook allows herself to be vulnerable even if just for a single minute. She reflects on a past love, calling him “best friend” and expressing her inability to let him go, to tell him “no.” Amidst all the chaos on Crashed My Car, “Yes Man,” especially during the outro, provides grounding to a project that can at times feel overwhelming and all over the place. 

Crashed My Car is not only strong in regards to Hook’s rap prowess and Nedarb’s slick production but in regards to the features as well. Rappers Almighty Suspect, Lerado, and most notably Zack Fox all lend a verse on tracks across the album. Almighty Suspect matches Hook’s blowhard energy on “Onion,” Lerado keeps it smooth on the spooky track “Awesome,” and Zack Fox brings absolute absurdity to the title track “Crashed My Car.” These features compliment Hook but do not overpower her, a testament to her ability to command the attention of anyone who comes across her music. It is hard not to let a lyric like  “I just sent a dick pic to his main lady/She left me on read now Imma kill myself (fuck!)” (said by Zack Fox, obviously) to outshine you, but Hook doesn't. No matter who else is on her projects, they are her projects. That sort of control of not only an album, but one’s image and artistry, is seldom found in the music industry today. Yet, Hook embodies such capability. 

To begin both a new year and a new decade with an album as fun as Crashed My Car has been absolutely delightful. Hook is such an important emerging artist. She is confident, she speaks her mind, and she talks her shit. She does not care what you think of her. She likes smoking weed and flirting with every cute boy she sees. Hook rejects being put into a box. Hook is not the “female” version of xyz. Hook is the female Hook. Crashed My Car is a reclamation of rap music as a form of expression for female confidence and desire in a time where the role of women in the development of hip hop has been unacknowledged by contemporary rappers and fans alike. Hook is altering the modern image of rap music one crazy, bass boosted, off the wall  track at a time. 

Favorite Tracks:

Wanna Be

Fall in Luh

Boohoo

Rating: 8

Listen to Crashed My Car here:

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Mac Miller's Posthumous Album 'Circles' Completes His Career

By Luke Modugno

In 2018, the music world lost a monumentally talented individual. Pittsburgh rapper, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Mac Miller had just released his magnum-opus and Grammy-nominated album, Swimming, when he died of a drug overdose at the age of 26.

Like other late artists, the Miller estate was left with heaps of unreleased music from Mac and fans desperate to hear it. 

Posthumous albums are a delicate and tricky concept. The family was tasked with honoring Miller’s artistic vision, which can be immensely difficult to navigate in a classy and sonically gratifying way. With that being said, Circles is one of the most complete and honoring posthumous projects to date. 

Prior to his death, Miller worked closely with composer and producer Jon Brion on various songs — tracks that became the foundation of Circles. Following Miller's death, Brion was committed to finishing the project that Miller had started. 

Conceptually, Circles is the completion of a paradox created by Swimming.

“My God, it go on and on / Just like a circle I go back where I’m from,” Mac rapped on the closing track of Swimming titled, “So It Goes.” 

Swimming preaches growth, perseverance and being an actively positive force in your own mental health. Narratively, Circles is more of a cry for help, as Mac seems to fall into the same habits he swam away from in his previous project. 

“I cannot be changed, no / trust me I’ve tried / I just end up right at the start of the line / drawing circles,” harmonizes Miller during the title intro track on “Circles.” 

Musically, the album is breath-takingly gorgeous, each track evident of an elegant blend of Miller’s lofi, jazzy production and Brion’s grandiose mastery as a producer. Circles greatly benefits from Brion’s presence, as it breaks up the sonic monotony of Mac’s favoring for sleepy funk beats that oversaturated Swimming. 

Since the release of GO:OD AM and his musical renaissance as an artist, Mac has been attempting to bridge the sizable gap between through-and-through hip-hop and the visceral, spacey world of jazz. 

Circles sees Miller blend the two genres the most successfully. He seems to be comfortable in his own skin as a producer, as he finally did on Swimming.

Tracks “Blue World” and “Complicated” bring the jazz-inspired beats that graced and brightened the Swimming tracklist, like “Ladders,” “Small Worlds,” “What’s the Use?"

The project also infuses a hint of indie-folk, with “Hand Me Downs” and “Hands,” experimenting with Miller’s vocal range and singing voice. The lead single from the project, “Good News,” is an undisputed highlight of Circles. From the plucky guitar and slow drums, to Mac’s heartbreaking lyrics regarding how others perceived his tiring mental state, the track is a clear standout. Although meant to be a sonic and conceptual foil to Swimming, certain tracks bring the same lofi, sleepy mood that defined the latter, such as “Woods” and “Surf.”

Although Circles sounds dazzling, the project takes few risks sonically, generally following the same song structure and overall production established by Swimming, with only a few moments that truly break the mold in “Everybody,” “Hand me Downs” and  “Complicated.”

The album concludes with the morbid “Once a Day”:

“It never really mattered what I had to say / I just keep waiting for another open door to come up soon / Don’t keep it all in your head / the only place you know nobody ever can see.” 

It’s a truly painful end to a career that blessed the lives of millions, and an album that will surely do the same. Unfortunately, Miller won’t be able to build on the success of this album. The artistic vision and mind that provided one of the best discographies in contemporary hip-hop is gone. Fans of Mac should be beyond pleased with this, presumably, final entry to his catalog. 

Yes, the album completes a cycle of depression, but Mac was still trying to find a way forward, a way out of the circle. 

For that reason, Circles is a genuinely beautiful work of art. Expect it mentioned among the top albums of 2020 at the end of the year.

Favorite tracks:

Circles

Blue World

Good News

Rating: 8.5

Listen to Circles here:

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Lil Wayne Makes a Great Addition to His Legendary Discography With His New Album “Funeral”

By Spencer Lobdell

Few names carry the same weight in the rap game as Dwayne Carter. From potentially the best mixtape catalog of all time, to his classic Carter album series, there isn’t much that Weezy F. Baby hasn’t done in his 20+ year career. Everybody and their grandmother has at least one Lil Wayne song they can rap in its entirety. Not only did Weezy have one of the most dominant solo careers of all-time but the prolific rapper also launched the career of other rap legends like Drake and Nicki Minaj. With all these lofty accolades and legendary achievements, fans shared common concerns going into a 2020 Lil Wayne album: What else can Wayne even do? Do we really need more music from him, and more importantly, do we want it?

The rollout to Lil Wayne’s newest offering Funeral was low-key, quick, and in sharp contrast to the drawn-out release of his last album The Carter V. Where The Carter V was delayed for months as hype rose to a near unobtainable level, many Wayne fans woke up on January 31st, 2020 without even knowing that Weezy dropped an album the night prior. This isn’t to say he kept it a secret, the New Orleans emcee posted about it on social media and mentioned it in multiple interviews prior to its release, the album really just flew under the radar.

Funeral, Lil Wayne’s 13th solo album, came out on January 31st, 2020. The project runs for an hour and 16 minutes and showcases features from Big Sean, Lil Baby, XXXTENTACION, Jay Rock, Takeoff, and more. The album was put out by Cash Money Records, a subdivision of Universal Music Group. 

The album’s intro “Funeral” is cinematic, epic, and does its job of getting you excited for the album. The song is at its best when Wayne is looping the same four bars while switching the flow making the same lines sound totally different. Wayne’s ability to switch flow while staying in the same rhyme scheme really gives this track the X-factor that Wayne has historically been known to provide. The vivid imagery and storytelling on the intro is also an exciting sign for the rest of the album (“My lil nigga just caught a body, he ecsatic/He cried tears of joy them got ‘em tatted”).

The flows continue on the second song “Mahogany”, an early standout on Funeral. On the track, Wayne locks into a hypnotic flow that doesn’t stop for three minutes. The song works so well thanks to the insanely smooth sampled instrumental that creates a perfect pocket for Weezy. The tempo switch at the end is a nice touch that is the cherry on top of this awesome track.

The fourth song on the album “I Do It” is definitely the focus track off of Funeral as it features both Big Sean and Lil Baby. Sean Don kicks the song off and wow is it good to hear his voice. His hook is classic Big Sean and we can only hope for an album sometime this year. Lil Baby sounds good on every instrumental he touches, but hearing him with Sean and Wayne elevates his status and makes his attention-demanding vocals sound that much better. With that being said, Wayne bodies both artists on this track which feels like the most important moment on this album. Weezy sounds so comfortable, authentic, and powerful on this verse showing doubters he is anything but washed.

The middle of the album falters a little bit and songs like “Stop Playin With Me”, “Clap For Em”, and “Not Me” could’ve easily been cut to make the album more concise and memorable. 

The album really gets going again once we hit the soulful “Harden”. The instrumental sounds like something Wayne would’ve rapped over in the Carter III era and it feels so good. What elevates the feeling is Wayne’s sharp bars that really make this song feel like a throwback.

“I Don’t Sleep” immediately follows and stunts one of my favorite verses on the album which comes from the most talented of the Migos, Takeoff. The best moment on the song is when Takeoff explains that he just isn’t himself without his massive wealth (“Me without the paper just like Tune without the lean/Or Phil without the rings, Snoop without the weed/AI without the sleeve, IG without the memes”).

While the song with XXXTENTACION falls extremely flat (Is X even on this song???), the following cut “Piano Trap” might just be the best track on the album. “Piano Trap” is a triumphant cut where Wayne reflects on his successes. Mannie Fresh handles the production and gifts us with an absolutely epic brass chorus featuring blaring horns and trumpets that scream victory lap. Halfway through the beat switches and Wayne snaps, turning back the clock and delivering a classic Weezy verse.

Lil Wayne is back and with 24 songs he answered all the concerns fans had going into this project. What else can Wayne even do? He can add to his already massive catalogue of hits and maybe even introduce himself to a younger generation of fans by collaborating with artists like Lil Baby and Takeoff. Do we really need more music from him, and more importantly, do we want it? Yes, and yes, Funeral proved that we always want new music from one of the best to ever do it.

While the album was a little too long and fell flat in the middle, the strong start and finish combined with numerous moments where Wayne sounds better than he has in years is enough for me to recommend this album to any and every rap fan in 2020 whether or not Lil Wayne is your cup of tea. If there’s anything the past couple years has taught us, it’s that we need to appreciate our legends while they’re still here. Join me in celebrating one of the most gifted rappers to ever grace a mic and stream Funeral.

Favorite Tracks:

Mahogany

I Don’t Sleep (Feat. Big Sean & Lil Baby)

Piano Trap

Rating: 7.5

Listen to Funeral here:

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Mick Jenkins’ Flows & Attitude Take the Spotlight on His Transitional EP “The Circus”

By Owen Tait

Over the past few years, Chicago native Mick Jenkins has made a successful lane for himself in the underground hip-hop scene, fusing spacey, lo-fi instrumentals with elements of jazz and introspective lyrics. With mellow hits like “Jazz” and “Vibe” leading his repertoire since 2014, longtime fans may have been pleasantly surprised to hear the tonal switch-up he executes on his most recent EP, “The Circus,” released under Cinematic Music Group.

Across the breezy nineteen minute runtime, Jenkins takes on a slightly harder-hitting set of instrumentals, delivering countless attitude-filled bars about the current state of the rap industry (likely the inspiration for the project’s title) and the expectations people hold him to—none of which he intends on meeting. With only seven tracks, minimal hooks, and a lone feature from Atlanta duo EarthGang, Jenkins’ flows and smooth rhyme schemes truly get a chance to shine. 

The intro track, ironically titled “Same Ol,’” opens with a rusty, filtered lead that sounds rundown and sinister, much like a twisted circus after sundown. Soon after, Jenkins aims intimidating lines about his status and power at his adversaries and doubters, dropping shots such as “Couldn't hold me back if they tried, I'm six-five / Steppin' twice your stride if I marched in place.” Jenkins understands his security in his lane, and uses it as power to silence those who question his permanence. As we get closer to the hook, Jenkins sounds hungrier than ever, and his deep, growled delivery compliments the freaky instrumental extremely well.

Veteran fans get a more recognizable sound on the tracks “Carefree” and “The Light,” the latter of which features EarthGang fresh off of their successful record Mirrorland. The former sounds exactly as the title implies, with reverberated keys and atmospheric guitars laid over a super chill drum beat. However, the lyrics seem to go in a different direction. The hook sees Jenkins reminiscing on the times he actually was carefree, contrasting them with his struggles with police violence and social pressure in the verses. It makes for an interesting dynamic, even if it does revert to the sound of his earlier material.

“The Light” is an interesting track in that it seems more like an EarthGang ballad than a Mick Jenkins cut, given that the duo takes not only the hook, but also two out of the track’s three verses. Both Doctor Dot and Johnny Venus give great poetic performances on both of their respective verses, but the airy hook carries an odd rhythm that doesn’t quite stick the landing, and it comes off as clunky and awkward. Jenkins also gives a decent performance on his verse, but overall, the chorus made this track a difficult one to come back to.

Luckily, the project’s pace picks right back up with a round of three subtle bangers titled “Flaunt,” “The Fit,” and “I’m Convinced.” All three of these tracks back Jenkins’ hungry, fed-up attitude from the opener, with “I’m Convinced” and “The Fit” making a point to feature more “in-your-face” production. Even more shots are thrown, and Jenkins manages to come across sounding more angry than bitter, which is to his benefit. Furthermore, these tracks all feature immaculate flows and hooks, making them the most well-rounded songs on the project. The spoken/sung hook on “The Fit” is likely the catchiest and most charismatic on the record, with Jenkins dropping asides such as “Needed paper, I got paper, need a stapler / I got habits, I got problems, got enablers” in between his more aggressive jabs. Meanwhile, “I’m Convinced” features some of Jenkins’ best wordplay on the project, with the second verse in particular being quite striking.

The final track, titled “Different Scales,” serves less as a traditionally-structured cut and more as a closing cypher, with Jenkins exposing betrayal and people who aren’t real with him over a laid-back, nocturnal, lo-fi beat. The narrative he tells on this track is certainly loose—meaning that there isn’t necessarily a definite “story” at all—but as Jenkins bounces from one topic to another via word association, it’s just as compelling as if there was one. It’s a fitting tonal end to the record and expertly combines Jenkins’ classic sound with the more aggressive mood found throughout the rest of the EP.

All in all, “The Circus” is an interesting piece of material from Mick Jenkins, to say the least. The production is less lush than that in his previous outings, and while it is certainly an intentional push for Jenkins to sound more hostile, it’s nothing to write home about. With that said, those who come into projects primarily for the production might be turned off by the instrumentals on here; it doesn’t sound too far off from the production found on most other independent rap albums.

However, those who are looking to hear Jenkins’ technical skills and charisma on the mic will certainly have a field day here: what personality many of the beats lack, Jenkins definitely makes up for. Long time fans will love bobbing their heads to the sleek flows and unpredictable rhyme schemes Jenkins brings to the table. In addition, new fans may enjoy the more aggressive sound that Jenkins embodies and even find these tracks more accessible than his previous, jazz-fused works (proving that the more mainstream instrumentals are not entirely a bad thing). 

This means that, even though this might not be the most conceptually or sonically thrilling project of the year, it serves as a great bridge between Jenkins’ older works and whatever he has planned next. Furthermore, I think there is an argument that there is something here for everyone, and if Jenkins is able to maintain this insistent and assertive on future projects, then I look forward to hearing them.

Favorite Tracks:

Same Ol’

The Fit

I’m Convinced

Rating: 7

Listen to The Circus here:

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YBN Cordae Kicks Off "The Lost Boy Tour" at the Fonda Theater in LA

By Spencer Lobdell

Photo by Owen Markham

Last June, YBN Cordae put on the show of a lifetime to around 150 people at the Crocodile in Seattle, Washington. I was lucky enough to have been in the small crowd as the emerging rapper performed the handful of songs he had out, multiple freestyles, and even some unreleased songs that were set to be on the rapper’s debut album (“Broke As Fuck” & “Thousand Words”). Cordae was personal, passionate, and connected with every person in the room that night. Last Monday (January 13th) I found myself at my second YBN Cordae concert but this one felt a little different. In contrast to the 150 people at the Crocodile, on this special night the young artist entertained a sold out crowd at the Fonda Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. Instead of performing a handful of singles, Cordae played the hits off his Grammy nominated debut album The Lost Boy. While much has changed over the past half year for Cordae, the passion that the kid from Raleigh performs with is as present as ever.

Photo by Owen Markham

The show got off to a good start with a performance from the elusive and somewhat mysterious emerging artist Lonr. While Lonr only has two songs out on streaming platforms, he managed to keep the crowd engaged while performing songs nobody had ever heard which is exceptionally hard to do.

The energy really picked up when 24kGoldn began to perform. Accompanied on stage by a sole guitarist, 24k’s set felt more like a rock show then a rap performance. On that night at the Fonda Theater the USC student didn’t appear to be a college kid at all, but rather an emerging star primed to blow. Frequent beat cuts on his guitar driven cut “City Of Angels” showcased Goldn’s  excellent singing voice and nailed home the fact that the kid’s a star.

Thanks to spirited performances from both openers, when Cordae finally did emerge from backstage, the whole place lost it. Right from the jump it was obvious that the young man’s allure and stage presence wasn’t a fluke last June but rather an authentic gift that will continue to serve him throughout his career.

Nearly every song was captivating as Cordae seamlessly rapped every word without a vocal track. He was aided by an awesome band consisting of a bassist, DJ, keyboard player, and drummer. The live arrangements of each track made the concert so much more engaging and made Cordae’s already exceptionally sharp pen appear that much more impressive.

Cordae effortlessly controlled the energy all night giving his fans a little of everything. The room would spend three minutes appreciating his excellent lyricism and vibing to a track like “Bad Idea” only to pivot on a dime and open some of the largest mosh pits I’ve ever seen for hype cuts like “Broke As Fuck”.

Although the concert was frequently referred to as “The Lost Boy Experience,” Cordae showed he didn’t forget about his day one fans by playing older cuts like his addicting “My Name Is” remix or his J. Cole response “Old Niggas” which ended up launching his career.

The show ended after Cordae brought up two separate fans to rap Anderson .Paak’s part in his hit “RNP”. While the second girl brought on stage clearly had more flow and stage presence than the guy that preceded her, both fans hit every bar resulting in a fun finale.

The performance YBN Cordae delivered at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles was easily worth twice the price of admission. Everything from the staging to the setlist was captivating and exactly what it needed to be. Keep in mind that this was also the first stop on the entire “Lost Boy Tour” meaning that we should only expect the show to get even tighter. Go see YBN Cordae now before you have to take out a second mortgage just to grab a nosebleed seat at the closest arena. 

Photo gallery by Owen markham:

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The Top 25 Hip-Hop/R&B Songs of 2019

By StereoVision Staff

With so much great music released this year it’s nearly impossible to pick just 25 songs to call the year’s best, but we tried anyway. Our team of writers and critics here at StereoVision spent the last two weeks of the year revisiting the years deep discography to make sure every song got it’s chance and we can put out a list we can feel confident in. All 25 songs were also compiled into a Spotify and Apple Music playlist which can be found here:

Listen along as you read and get a taste of any song you might have not tapped into in 2019. Now without further ado, the top 25 hip-hop/r&b songs of 2019:

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“Ballin” by mustard & roddy ricch

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Simply put, this was the song of the summer. It was everywhere, and I can say with the utmost confidence it still HITS every time. Roddy delivers in every way on this track. His flows and melodies go perfectly over Mustards beat. Anyone can get behind the songs message of celebrating your come up and basking in your glory after. “Ballin’” is the definition of a feel good song and will not only be on my summer playlist this year, but for many years to come. -Miles Hagan

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“Are we still friends?” by tyler, the creator

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“ARE WE STILL FRIENDS” may be the best song on the best album of this year. It encompasses everything that Tyler is trying to say and do on IGOR. He comes to terms with the tragic love story that has unfolded right in front of him and in the end, the only thing he has left to say is “Are we still friends?”. Tyler calls upon All Green and Pharell Williams and integrates them into the track masterfully. No one overstays their welcome, and it may even be such subtle contributions that on first listen some may not pick up on all the nuances that not only make this song a masterpiece, but the entire album. -Miles Hagan

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“Intro” by dababy

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There is a case to be made that no one had a better 2019 then DaBaby and although some may say his smash hit “Suge” was his climax, I believe “INTRO” was undoubtably his finest moment of the year. While most everybody enjoyed Baby On Baby, there was a common concern among rap fans that DaBaby was one dimensional and that his follow up would bring Baby hitting the same flows over the same type of beats rapping about the same subjects. Enter “INTRO”, a hard-hitting yet introspective cut where DaBaby juxtaposes his poor upbringing with his newfound success while simultaneously paying tribute to his deceased father and grandmother that passed during the rappers come up. With “INTRO” DaBaby doesn’t only perfectly introduce us to Kirk, the man who inspired his most recent album, he also shows that he is more than a rap super-star, he’s a multidimensional artist. -Spencer Lobdell

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“Binz” by solange

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When I Get Home is my favorite album of the year. With so many phenomenal tracks, it was difficult to choose just one to add to this list. Once giving the project another listen, however,  I found myself utterly in love with “Binz.” “Binz” is an aspirational song. Solange dreams of luxury, but not in a way that is obnoxious or braggadocios. Her desire for opulence is driven by her socioeconomic context and the socioeconomic context of blackness in America. With clever lines like “Dollars never show up on CP time,” Solange subverts the narrative that blackness and poverty are a given all while rap-singing over a simple and melodic instrumental carried by groovy bass riffs and snares. -Kaila Cherry

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“Racks in the middle” by nipsey hussle (Feat. Roddy Ricch & Hit-boy)

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Released just over a month before the prolific LA rapper’s murder, “Racks In The Middle” is an extension of Nipsey Hussle’s excellent 2018 album Victory Lap and shows how happy Nip was during the last year of his life. On the track, Hussle raps about how good it feels to finally reap the benefits of years and years of hard work. Fellow Los Angeles native Roddy Ricch is featured and delivers one of the best hooks of the year that’ll having you hitting repeat over and over again if Nipsey’s motivational bars didn’t already do the trick. Rest in paradise Nipsey, the entire West Coast is still mourning your passing. -Spencer Lobdell

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“Orange soda”

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There seemed to be a shortage of A-list rap projects released in 2019, which gave talented underground artists a chance to shine through; Baby Keem was one of these artists, and he did not disappoint. “ORANGE SODA,” a single for his album DIE FOR MY BITCH, was one of the catchiest songs of the year, and it only foreshadowed how great the rest of his project would turn out to be. -Owen Tait

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“Down Bad” by Dreamville

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J. Cole, the mastermind behind Dreamville’s ROTD3 project, decided to organize one of the most collaborative hip hop albums of all time. No song represents that album like “Down Bad”, a track with an original hard-hitting beat that features hot takes from many popular and up-and-coming artists such as JID, Bas, EarthGang, and Young Nudy. When you hear the song come on, you have no choice but to go crazy. -Colson O’Connor

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“Make it better” by anderson .paak (feat. smokey robinson)

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While there were multiple songs off Anderson .Paak’s excellent 2019 offering Ventura that could’ve been selected, “Make It Better” edged out the others simply because of how good it feels. On this beautiful love song the soulful rapper recruits music legend Smokey Robinson to help him craft a track about lovers who have fallen out of love but are determined to reignite the spark they once shared. Anderson’s vocals are absolutely to die for as he rides one feel-good melody after another on the way to a musical masterpiece. The instrumental, which was aided by legendary producer The Alchemist, is just as impressive as the production team uses a stringed orchestra beautifully to create a modern symphony that is equal parts fun and brilliant. If you haven’t already, you need to hear this cut. -Spencer Lobdell

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“Proud of u” by earthgang (feat. young thug)

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“Proud Of U” is with out a doubt one of the most fun songs to drop in 2019. On the upbeat cut the three Atlanta MCs profess their gratitude for the women in their lives that make everything work. All three artists bring an unparalleled energy to this track and Doctur Dot’s third verse breakdown is one of my favorite moments in hip-hop this year. If you didn’t listen to this song in 2019, start the decade off right with this banger. -Spencer Lobdell

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“off my feet / westside rider anthem” by Matt Martians

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Definitely a tough call, but I think this track has to be my favorite of the year. Matt Martians is an industry staple - he is a famed hip-hop producer, songwriter, and has been a member of groups like Odd Future and The Internet. “Off My Feet” begins as an off-kilter descent into classic keyboard heaven, complete with pounding vintage drums and Martian’s soulful and alien vocals. The track evolves into “Westside Rider Anthem”, a much shorter and almost self-aware tangent from the original track. It is almost as if the first half is like a blissful dream, and the other is the process of waking up and rejoining reality. This track has been the soundtrack to my summer and fall this year, and I will be sure to keep it in heavy rotation for years to come. -Carter Fife

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“Crime Pays” by freddie gibbs & madlib

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On the third single for their excellent 2019 collab album Bandana, Freddie Gibbs spits his classic cocaine bars over a soulful Madlib beat that tastefully samples “Free Spirits” a 1979 song by Walt Barr. It is impossible to listen to this track and not be catapulted back to 2014 when the duo released their fantastic album Piñata. With a number of smart callbacks by Gibbs, the song seems to exist in its own world that we are allowed to visit for just over three minutes. Freddie ending the song with an A$AP Rocky and Jeezy diss is really the cherry on top of an excellent song. -Spencer Lobdell

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“holy terrain” by fka twigs (Feat. future)

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After four years of absence from the music scene, FKA twigs came back swinging with her second studio album MAGDALENE, released in November. In the weeks leading up to the release of the project, twigs dropped holy terrain as a single in conjunction with a music video. The video to the track is as mystical as it is demanding, the perfect companion piece to a song that exemplifies these same qualities. On holy terrain, twigs sings beautifully about wanting a man who will be able to take her in all her glory without feeling scared or threatened by her power. The addition of Future as the male voice makes the track all the more fascinating. Known for his trippy drug-induced raps, twigs encourages Future to delve into himself for a rare moment of self reflection. -Kaila Cherry

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“sugar” by brockhampton

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A soft guitar ballad with a melancholy twist. Throw on expertly-layered vocals, infectious refrains, and the boyband’s trademark vocal-pitching—this track was guaranteed to be a hit. “GINGER,” the titular track of their most recent album, was also a contender for this spot. -Owen Tait

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“That’s life” by 88-keys (Feat. Mac miller & sia)

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No song has impacted me on an emotional level this year quite like “That’s Life” by 88-Keys. This song was released under a year after Mac’s tragic death and he seems to offer us words of closure on both verses. Sia sings the beautiful bridge and 88-Keys responsible for the tear-jerking, piano-anchored instrumental. Mac uses the first verse to tell us about the struggles that he faced with his mom and drugs while growing up while on the second verse he offers advice to anyone going through something similar. This song seemed to be a message from Mac telling us to move on, he’s alright now and we should be to. -Spencer Lobdell

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“Save Room for us” by tinashe (Feat. makj)

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Found on Songs For You (Tinashe’s long-awaited return to R&B), “Save Room For Us” is an anthem for unrequited love. The infectiously catchy harmonies pared with her vocal ability and the bouncy mixing makes this song an easy highlight on the record. The layers of vocals truly make this a return to form for Tinashe. My first experience hearing this was while whipping down the I-5 at 2 AM. The look on my face must have been priceless. -Carter Fife

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“Sanguine paradise” by lil uzi vert

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After a long hiatus due to an ongoing feud with his record label, fans would’ve been happy with any music from Lil Uzi Vert. Fans didn’t just get any music from Lil Uzi Vert but rather an epic anthem that simply sounds like 2019. On “Sanguine Paradise”, we hear Uzi spit classic Uzi bars and melodies over a horn driven instrumental that is right in his wheel house. Let’s all say a quick prayer that we get Eternal Atake in 2020. -Spencer Lobdell

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“WHAT to do?” by jackboys

This was a late release, but after hearing this song once, it’s clear that it’s one of the best pieces of music to be put out this calendar year. This collaboration between Travis and Don Toliver is “CAN’T SAY”, one of the standouts on ASTROWORLD, on steroids. The beat is dark and moody, and it sounds like Travis back in the same state of mind he was back on Rodeo and Days Before Rodeo. Don Toliver steals the shows with an absolutely captivating hook. While the actual lyrics have no choice but to take a backseat to the stellar production by Jenius and London Cyr there is not wasted words on the entire track. The best way to understand why this is one of the songs of the year is to do yourself a favor and play the track. -Miles Hagan

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“Almeda” by solange

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Now answered is the fated question: what would a song with producer powerhouse Pharrell, R&B icons Solange and The-Dream, and rising hip-hop star Playboi Carti sound like? The track is incredible, with Solange’s lyrics about her pride in her heritage weaving in an out of Pharrell’s larger-than-life production. Playboi Carti’s baby rap vocals are also joined by the rap debut of Metro Boomin, to end the track before you know what hit you. I will never forget getting lost in the Kelso Sand Dunes with a close friend while this song blasted out of her Bluetooth speaker. -Carter Fife

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“psycho” by Slowthai & denzel curry

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This track was a single that fully lived up to its name, as “Psycho” saw UK rapper slowthai and Miami native Denzel Curry team up for an absolute nightmare of a banger. The two complement each other to perfection, dishing out gruesome punchlines over hyper-aggressive flows. Meanwhile, the beat is otherworldly, featuring an off-kilter string sample and massive 808s that will surely inspire moshpits upon listening. -Owen Tait

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“Jesus is the one (I got depression) by zack fox & kenny beats

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The creation of “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” began as a joke between comedian Zack Fox and producer Kenny Beats. Spawned on Kenny Beat’s Youtube show The Cave, the song was intended to simply be a tongue and cheek “meme” track. The song subsequently blew up on the app TikTok and spread to Twitter. Very quickly, “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” went from being a one off track to being one of the most popular songs Kenny Beats has ever made. On a “post 9/11 pre Whitney Houston death type beat,” Zack Fox raps about loving God, his diamonds actually being rhinestones, driving his car into white-owned businesses, mental illness, and many other things. The song is totally random, but not absurd. Fox’s delivery is strong, the production is great, and the lyrics are hilarious. “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” describes the zeitgeist of 2019 in such a fun way, making it a perfect track to round out the decade. -Kaila Cherry

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“Monte Carlo” by toro y moi (Feat. wet)

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Toro Y Moi’s most recent LP, Outer Peace, was far more bright and funky than his work in previous years, but on “Monte Carlo” he offers a classic dreamlike and ethereal cut. Sounding both retro and futuristic at the same time, Chaz’s vocal production is unparalleled, and his lyrics about returning to a simpler time will resonate with even the most stone-hearted of listeners. It is on tracks like these that Chaz’s immense skill really shines through. I listened to this constantly during my first weeks after moving to LA, and the lines about PDX and OAK made me simultaneously homesick, and hopeful for what would be the best year of my life. -Carter Fife

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“Sacrifices” by Dreamville

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The Dreamville team didn't disappoint this year with their collaborative effort Revenge of the Dreamers III. “Sacrifices” comes at the very end of the project, and no other song could have served as a more fitting conclusion. EARTHGANG and J. Cole represent Dreamville and deliver some of their most honest verse in recent memory. Each artist reflects on the sacrifices they have made in their life to get to where they are today. It is beautiful to see such talented lyricists not only paint a picture but capture the emotions of loving something or someone so much that you really might contemplate sacrificing anything. Saba and Smino come in as guest verse and seamless flow over a beat that seems like it was handmade for everyone included. This song perfectly displays what Revenge of the Dreamers was at its peak; a collection of some of the most talented rappers and producers in music right coming together to make captivating music. -Miles Hagan

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“Silent Ride” by Boogie

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Boogie’s Everythings For Sale was one of the most impressive releases of 2019 and “Silent Ride” is without a doubt the best song on the album. On “Silent Ride” Boogie locks into a hypnotizing flow over one of the most interesting instrumentals of the year. The way that he draws on the emotions of listeners and uses pathos in his music is one thing that makes Boogie exceptionally unique and enjoyable to listen to. The Compton emcee shows exactly why he has cosigns from greats like Kendrick Lamar and Eminem on “Silent Ride”, simply put, he’s an excellent rapper. -Spencer Lobdell

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“Racecar” by Deaton chris anthony (feat. Clairo & coco & clair clair)

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Released as one of the few singles for DCA’s debut record BO Y, “RACECAR” features an enthusiasm previously unseen from the melancholic emcee. The guest features do a great job lending their energy on DCA’s nostalgic production, and simply: the song is just a banger. The percussion and synths pair well together to make a track that is unlike anything else released this year. Whenever anyone asks for indie-pop artists to be on the lookout for, DCA is the first one I mention. -Carter Fife

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“A lot on ur plate” by father

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In June, Father dropped “A lot on ur plate” on Twitter, where it remained the only place to stream the track until August. This was inconvenient for me because I was obsessed with the song. Father raps melodically over a dreamy Meltycannon beat. Father is known for his hypersexual approach to music, with many of his songs towing the line between suggestive and overly vulgar. On “A lot on ur plate,” Father is able to deliver blunt lines such as “Eat on that bitch like an edible” and “I know you got a lot on your plate but I still wanna take you to dinner and put dick in your tummy” with sensuality and sensitivity.  His flow is tighter than ever before but not difficult to follow. Not to mention the chorus is extremely catchy, too. -Kaila Cherry

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The Top 25 Hip-Hop/R&B Albums of 2019

By StereoVision Staff

Welcome to StereoVision’s top 25 hip-hop/r&b albums of 2019. The past twelve months have been filled with highly anticipated releases that exceeded expectations, debut albums that catapulted unknown artists into stardom, and experimental projects that pushed boundaries and continued to move us towards a world where music can no longer be described by genre. With so much great music constantly being released, it can be hard to keep up and sometimes exceptional albums go overlooked. That’s where we come in. Over the last two weeks on 2019, our team of writers and critic here at StereoVision have been revisiting 2019’s deep discography and making sure that our readers won’t enter the new decade having missed out on one of the best projects of the year. For each album selected in our year-end list, our team selected three standout tracks from the record which were compiled into a playlist which you can find here:

Listen along as you read and get a taste of any project you might have not tapped into in 2019. Now without further ado, the top 25 hip-hop/r&b projects of 2019:

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25. Please Excuse ME For Being AntiSocial by Roddy Ricch

Release Date: December 6th

Record Label: Atlantic Records

At the beginning of December, LA’s golden child released his debut album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial and solidified his spot as one of the top emerging emcees rapping. After dropping potentially the song of the year in “Ballin” with DJ Mustard, Roddy Ricch continued to ride his momentum into his first real album creating a project that is packed with hits without ever sacrificing cohesion or the flow. The album clearly showcases everything fans love about Roddy: His vivid story telling that instantly transports listeners to South Central Los Angeles upon pressing play (“Intro”), his ear for hit melodies and cool California vernacular (“The Box”), and his piercing singing voice that always flexes perfect pitch (“High Fashion”). The cherry on top of this excellent offering is masterfully crafted transitions that allow each song to seamlessly flow into the next making the entire album feel complete. Omitting only Baby Keem, there is no new artist I’m more excited to hear music from in 2020 than Roddy Ricch. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

The Box

High Fashion (Feat. Mustard)

Bacc Seat (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)

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24. foto by Kota the friend

Release Date: May 15th

Record Label: Independent

This spring, Kota the friend dropped the incredibly bright FOTO, an instant classic for his cult following and a wholesome introduction to the New York rapper to new listeners. Throughout the album’s hour long run time, Kota uses each song as a different memory painting an authentic self portrait and helping us understand who Kota the Friend truly is. This intimate connection he is able to make with listeners is undoubtably why the rising artist has such a dedicated fan base and why his stock continues to rise everyday. On FOTO Kota accomplishes exactly what he set out to achieve. He paints a picture of his life so vivid that I felt like I was there when Kota’s mom and his aunt Marcell saw their father at the dance studio for the first time in years. Kota beautifully creates a photo album that he can go back to and reference while still keeping the quality of his music and its mainstream appeal at an all-time high. Thank you to Kota The Friend for a summer soundtrack that I predict will still be getting played in years to come. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Songs:

Church

Hollywood

Alkaline

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23. Outer peace by toro y moi

Release Date: January 18th

Record Label: Carpark Records

Within the first few weeks of 2019, fans of Toro Y Moi were blessed with a new album from Chaz Bear himself. During the promotion for Outer Peace, Bear frequently mentioned how he was tired of making sad love songs, and on Outer Peace there is a clear shift from the pensive sadness of 2017’s Boo Boo into a emotional range that while being fun and optimistic, still has its moments of melancholy and doubt. At 10 tracks long, the Bay-Area native provides his fans with a diverse family of tracks, some low-fi and melodic like “New House” or “Monte Carlo” featuring Wet, others infectiously catchy and uplifting like “Freelance” and “Who Am I”. This was my favorite record of the year, and I have found myself revisiting these tracks almost constantly. The record is perfect for every occasion, so don’t be afraid to throw this on next time you get aux. You won’t regret it. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Law of the Universe

New House

Monte Carlo (Feat. Wet)

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22. Rap or go to the league by 2 Chainz

Release Date: March 1st

Record Label: Def Jam Records

Completely A&Red by LeBron James, Rap or Go to the League is a triumphant comeback for our favorite trapper, 2 Chainz. The album is conceptual and frequently draws parallels between rap and basketball while diving deeper into the troubling idea that the two occupations are two of the only viable options for underprivileged blacks to succeed in America. Chainz uses a polished pen to do so and flexes some of his most impressive verses since his come up on this project. With help from an impressive feature list including Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, Lil Wayne, E-40, Chance the Rapper, and many others, it should come as no surprise that Rap or Go to the League secured a spot on our list. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Money In The Way

Momma I Hit a Lick (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

I’m Not Crazy, Life Is (Feat. Chance The Rapper & Kodak Black)

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21. Perfect ten by Mustard

Release Date: June 28th

Record Label: Interscope Records

LA producer Mustard, formerly known as DJ Mustard, gave us everything we wanted and more in his third studio album Perfect 10. Aside from many features from hot artists like Roddy Ricch, Migos, and Nipsey Hussle, Mustard killed the execution on the production side. It is chock-full of anthems and there is so much bounce throughout the whole project that it’s almost impossible to sit still while bumping the album. His #1 song off of the album, “Ballin”, is now grammy nominated for best rap/sung performance. This turned out to be both Mustard and Roddy Ricch’s first ever grammy nomination, and it was definitely well-deserved. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks:

Baguettes in the Face (Feat. NAV, Playboi Carti, & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie)

Ballin’ (Feat. Roddy Ricch)

Perfect Ten (Feat. Nipsey Hussle)

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20. Fever by Megan Thee Stallion

Release Date: May 17th

Record Label: 300 Entertainment

Megan Thee Stallion is the “it girl” of 2019. This summer, Megan blew up with her mixtape Fever, ​released in May. ​Fever​ was the perfect project to kick off the summer, with Megan trading in her Tina Snow persona for a new one she deemed “Hot Girl Meg.” Hot Girl Meg was what she called a “college party girl,” and was the embodiment of sex appeal, independence, and a carefree attitude. On ​Fever​, Megan showed her range in being able to rap about anything from sensual lovemaking to robbing a man of everything he is worth. Truly an inspiration for the girls. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Cash Shit (Feat. DaBaby)

Best You Ever Had

Simon Says (Feat. Juicy J)

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19. The Life of pi’erre 4 by pi’erre bourne

Release Date: June 21st

Record Label: Interscope Records

The return of famed rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne has been long awaited. Since wrapping up 2018 with his collaborative record with fellow producer Cardo, many have been anxiously awaiting the fourth installment in the ‘The Life of Pi’erre’ saga. When the album finally dropped in June 2019, fans were not disappointed. TLOP 4 is a rollercoaster through contemporary hip-hop from the eyes of the man who has helped shape it. From forming the careers of artists like Young Nudy, Playboi Carti, and 6ix9ine, Pi’erre Bourne’s influence and expertise in modern hip-hop/trap synthesis cannot be understated. On his newest record Pi’erre constantly flexes his production skills and his songwriting abilities, delivering heartfelt and saccharine tracks like “Ballad” and “Racer” in one moment, and fast-paced bangers like “Routine” and “Speed Dial” the next. Each track is dense with expert engineering skills and tactics, while still being accessible enough to appeal to hip-hop fans both old and new. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Poof

Routine

Speed Dial

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18. baby on Baby by dababy

Release Date: March 1st

Record Label: Interscope Records

DaBaby shows the world that short men do in fact have rights with his infectious breakthrough project Baby on Baby which was the beginning of a dominant 2019 for the Charlotte newcomer. DaBaby does not take himself too seriously in his music or his visual aesthetic. His music videos are completely kitschy and absurd. He has posed as figures such as Scarface and Suge Knight, and even filmed a video that parodied sitcom television. DaBaby’s bars are hilarious and clever. But do not get it twisted: He is not one to mess with. He is tough as hell, and, as he spits in the track “Suge,” if given any disrespect he will “... beat your ass up all in front of your partners and children.” Baby on Baby is a refreshing project that is funny, surprisingly crude, and full of dope bangers prime for all your summer antics. —Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Suge

Pony

Carpet Burn

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17. assume form by James Blake

Release Date: January 18th

Record Label: Polydor Records

Ominous, hypnotic, and ultimately gorgeous, James Blake blends his signature downtempo sound with elements of rap and trip-hop on Assume Form. Blake’s vocal melodies soar over the album’s minimalist production, and the instrumentals show just how much he can make out of so little. Moments such as the climactic ending to “Barefoot in the Park” and James’ vocal cracks in “I’ll Come Too” are enough to conjure emotions on their own, and his candid lyrics only make these segments more potent. His arrangements are simply beautiful—even experimental at times—and the result is an extremely cohesive blend of alternative music and hip-hop. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks:

Mile High (Feat. Travis Scott & Metro Boomin)

Where’s the Catch (Feat. André 3000)

Don’t Miss It

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16. Everythings for sale by boogie

Release Date: January 25th

Record Label: Interscope Records

Compton MC Boogie made some major waves in 2018 when he received a huge Eminem cosign and an actual record deal from Shady Records. In January, the young rapper returned with his Shady Records debut Everythings For Sale and it did not disappoint. Over the 40-minute run time, Boogies honestly reflects on a broken relationship, new fame, and his current day to day life. Throughout the tape Boogie proves why Pitchfork called him one of the best young emcees in the country. The tape is exceptionally cohesive and if you immerse yourself in Boogie’s world and experiences you should find that 40-minutes will feel more like 20. Boogie’s lyricism is a perfect mix of cool California dialect and witty lines that emphasize his smart and reflective themes. He gives us up-beat bangers like the JID assisted “Soho” as well as introspective reflections like “Lolsmh” or “Whose Fault”. This album is complete, thought-provoking, and one of the best releases of the year. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Silent Ride

Soho (Feat. JID)

Live 95

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15. crash talk by schoolboy q

Release Date: April 26th

Record Label: Interscope Records

From a rap standpoint, Schoolboy Q has everything. Critical acclaim came to him with the Blank Face LP. He is a member of arguable the most respects collective in hip-hop in TDE. Yet his life outside of music has not been a walk in the park. On CrasH Talk Q looks at himself as a man and takes a step back to evaluate his own life and the people around him. This is the most relatable he has every sounded on any project. He does stay true to his hardened exterior on excellent cuts like “Numb Numb Juice”, on which he sound cut throat and motivated from the start. While this was the single released from the album, what is a more accurate representation of what makes CrasH Talk so quality is a song like “Black Folk”. Schoolboy strips away all ego and is just a man with many doubts and fears which he articulates over the ominous production in the background. This is what people want from artists when they release projects, not more of the same. This is an honest picture that Schoolboy painted for us of his life right now, he isn't a gangster or famous rapper, but a person just like you or me with doubts about himself, his carrer, and the world around him. While it may seem like a melancholy collection of music, Q finds a way to communicate these feelings in an interesting way and still come the conclusion that no person to ever walk this Earth is immune to what he, and a lot of us, are going through and that is perfectly okay. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Drunk (Feat. 6LACK)

Black Folk

Dangerous (Feat. Kid Cudi)

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14. flamagrama by flying lotus

Release Date: May 24th

Record Label: Warp Records

Very few names carry the weight that Flying Lotus’s does in music. A mysterious prodigy who masterfully meanders through genres like electronic, experimental, R&B, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, Lotus returns from a long hiatus to deliver ‘Flamagra’, a 27-track record that spends approximately an hour showcasing Lotus’s musical prowess. It is impossible to sum up this album in just one paragraph, but listening to this album is an experience very akin to Alice’s trip through Wonderland. While some tracks may not last as long as one might wish, they each leave lasting impressions that resonate within long after Flying Lotus transitions to another musical ideas. Featuring help from artists like Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Solange, David Lynch, Denzel Curry, and Anderson .Paak (just to name a few), Flamagra was certainly worth the wait. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Post Requisite

More (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

Land of Honey (Feat. Solange)

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13. The lost boy by ybn cordae

Release Date: July 26th

Record Label: Atlantic Records

Although he is only 22 years old, YBN Cordae managed to get two Grammy nominations on his debut studio album The Lost Boy: one for best rap album and the other for best rap song. YBN Cordae seemingly came out of nowhere and took the world by storm. He released his album in July and is already touring internationally with hundreds of thousands of fans screaming his lyrics. Cordae brings an original sound and flow to the table that is undeniably smooth. When you take that and pair it up with a couple features from incredibly successful artists such as Anderson .Paak and Chance the Rapper, it’s a no-brainer he was grammy nominated twice. The best part is, he is only just getting started, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for him in 2020. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks:

RNP (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

Broke As Fuck

We Gon Make It (Feat. Meek Mill)

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12. revenge of the dreamers iii by dreamville

Release Date: July 5th

Record Label: Interscope Records

This year J. Cole and the rest of his Dreamville team set out to create a rap album unlike anything we’ve seen before. With fear of regret not working with more artists in his career, Cole decided to host a 10-day rap camp. Golden ticket-like invites were sent out to over 100 artists and producers from all over the music genre spectrum. Not only was it the diversity of the artists that was so important, but the blend of popular and low-key artists is what made the project so special. It gave smaller artists a chance to finally get some recognition for their outstanding talent. A documentary was released along with the album, and it truly painted the picture of the competition that was created among themselves. In a situation like this, you don’t get put on the album by being passive. You gotta come with the heat and you must make the most of your opportunities as only the top songs will make the cut. This created a friendly and competitive energy, and they would feed off of each other to push themselves to bring out their best work. When discussing the top rap album of 2019, Revenge of the Dreamers III must be in the conversation. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks:

Under the Sun (Feat. J. Cole, Lute, & DaBaby)

Down Bad (Feat. JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG, & Young Nudy)

Sacrifices (Feat. EARTHGANG, J. Cole, Smino, & Saba)

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11. Angel’s pulse by blood orange

Release Date: July 12th

Record Label: Domino Recording Company

Following the release of his fourth studio album ​Negro Swan ​in 2018, Blood Orange kept the up his momentuem with the drop of his mixtape ​Angel’s Pulse i​ n July. Blood Orange is an incredibly multifaceted artist who, over the course of his decades long music career has created rock tracks, funk, R&B, indie pop, and even dabbled in a bit of hip hop and rap. ​Angel’s Pulse ​is nothing short of these influences with Blood Orange traversing through different musical styles and genres effortlessly throughout the course of the project. With his wonderfully smooth and funky production style coupled with his immaculate lyricism, ​Angel’s Pulse ​was undoubtedly one of the most refreshing and artistic projects of the year. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Dark & Handsome (Feat. Toro y Moi)

Benzo

Tuesday Feeling (Choose to Stay) (Feat. Tinashe)

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10. All My Heroes are cornballs by jpegmafia

Release Date: September 13th

Record Label: EQT Recordings

Rapper & experimental producer JPEGMAFIA follows up his captivatingly chaotic Veteran with an equally unpredictable and glitchy trip on All My Heroes Are Cornballs. Opting to incorporate sung hooks and melodic verses, JPEG’s delivery is more dynamic than ever, and the plunky synths and heavy chords he casts across the record compliment his characteristically unhinged drum patterns extremely well. Despite this instrumental shift in tone, JPEG’s lyrics are as aggressive and self-aware as ever, and he evens manages to shout his way through verses on tracks such as “PRONE!” and “Kenan Vs. Kel.” Overall, the album displays a larger range of what JPEGMAFIA is musically capable of, all while remaining compact, cryptic, and undeniably awesome. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks:

Kenan Vs. Kel

All My Heroes Are Cornballs

Thot Tactics

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9. Zuu by denzel curry

Release Date: May 31st

Record Label: Loma Vista Recordings

Coming off his most conceptual album to date (TA13OO), many wondered what direction Denzel would head next. The answer to that was obvious to Curry: he would go home. With ZUU, Denzel tastefully simplified his music showing us that sometimes the obvious answer can be the best answer with proper execution. ZUU is a short album with no skippable tracks. It’s abrasive and in-your-face without being inaccessible for less intense fans thanks to cuts like “WISH” and “SHAKE 88”. Songs like “BIRDZ”, “AUTOMATIC”, and “RICKY” provide long term Denzel fans with his unmatched flow and clever lyricism that they have grown to expect. All-in-all, Denzel made an excellent career decision and the result is a Miami masterpiece. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

WISH (Feat. Kiddo Marv)

SPEEDBOAT

CAROLMART (Feat. Ice Billion Berg)

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8. Bandana by freddie gibbs & madlib

Release Date: June 28th

Record Label: RCA Records

If it’s bars you’re looking for, look no further. Backed by lush, opulent instrumentals from legendary hip-hop producer Madlib, Freddie Gibbs flows effortlessly throughout the vast majority of Bandana’s runtime. The midwestern rapper tackles his past, his success, his wrongdoings, and an array of sociopolitical issues that truly allow his lyrical & storytelling abilities to shine. And while Gibbs is certainly capable of manning an album by himself, he is more than happy to add excellent features from his A-list friends, with Pusha T even turning in Complex’s “Rap Verse of the Year” on the sixth cut “Palmolive”. The power behind Gibbs’ words and his technical abilities were enough to make the album continue to grow on me throughout the year, and standout features from Gibbs’ colleagues solidified the project’s spot on my list. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks:

Palmolive (Feat. Pusha T & Killer Mike)

Flat Tummy Tea

Giannis (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

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7. Mirrorland by earthgang

Release Date: September 6th

Record Label: Interscope Records

BREAKOUT ALBUM! That is the only way that Mirrorland can and should be described. Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot put the rap game on notice that they are a force to be reckoned with and maybe the best duo in rap right now. Mirrorland sounds exactly like them, and it is incredible to see these young artists make their major label debut and not compromise. Instead they use it to get a host of guest features that simply lift the album to a completely different level. Young Thug on “Proud of U” brings an energy that perfectly matches EARTHGANG, and it seems like the three Atlanta rappers have been spitting together for years. As the album slows down the group calls upon Kehlani to deliver a seductive smooth verse on “Trippin”. Mirrorland perfectly displays the versatility of the group. The first half of the project gives audiences the energy and flows that caught the attention of people early on in their careers, but the second half where they slow their storytelling ability and emotion makes the project so great. They should get praise for getting T-Pain to deliver on of his best contributions to a song in a very long time. It all come to a fitting conclusion on “Wings”, where the boys reflect on where they came from and where they want to go. If Mirrorland is any indication, they have a very bright future. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Tequila (Feat. T-Pain)

Trippin (Feat. Kehlani)

Wings

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6. Die For my bitch by baby keem

Release Date: July 19th

Record Label: Independent

If you tapped into Baby Keem’s Die For My Bitch in 2019 you witnessed history. On my personal favorite album of the year, fans witnessed an artist with an unmatched ceiling come into his own and deliver his first excellent body of work. The LA artist showed significant growth since his last project highlighting his aggressive rise to inevitable stardom. The tape sacrifices unity and cohesion to instead display Keem’s wide variety of sounds and styles that he is proficient in, a great decision for an upcoming rapper looking to catch the attention of unfamiliar fans. While “ORANGE SODA” was one of the most fun hip-hop moments of the year and introduced the world to Keem’s sharp flow and one-of-a-kind vocabulary, some fans might not have realized that Keem’s entire album is equally as captivating and entertaining. All the claims I made throughout 2019 saying that Keem was a superstar were confirmed in November when I went to his show in Los Angeles and was treated with one of the most electric live performances I’ve ever been to. There’s a reason that A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar were spotted at his shows on the Die For My Bitch tour. There’s a reason he was photographed having lunch with Jay-Z this past winter. There’s a reason that Drake called Die For My Bitch the best album of 2019 along with Young Thug’s So Much Fun. On the second track “Honest” the LA artist raps “Baby Keem, shit I’m chosen” and after one listen through Die For My Bitch, it’s hard not to believe him. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

ROCKSTAR P

ORANGE SODA

APOLOGIZE

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5. When I get home by solange

Release Date: March 1st

Record Label: Columbia Records

Solange Knowles’ radical album When I Get Home is easily the most artistic project of the year. When I Get Home is not easy to explain, to start, what exactly is the genre? Is it hip-hop, as suggested by features with prominent rap artists Playboi Carti and Gucci Mane? Is it soul? R&B? Further, what is the “home” that Solange is referring to? Is this place literal or figurative? Solange manages to answer all of these questions throughout the course of the album. When I Get Home is an iconographic representation of the black experience in the most celebratory sense. Solange embraces her black womanhood and embraces Houston, Texas. The project radiates warmth and familiarity. It creates a home within itself. When I Get Home is wholly inviting, sonically stunning, and lyrically beautiful album that I cannot help but come back to when I am in need of empathy, of comfort, of a place to call home. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Almeda (Feat. Playboi Carti)

My Skin My Logo (Feat. Gucci Mane)

Binz

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4. BUBBA by kaytranada

Release Date: December 13th

Record Label: RCA Records

It has been over three long years since the Montreal prodigy Kaytranada released his debut LP 99.9%, a funk-laden electronic record complete with over a dozen guest appearances (including names like hip-hop favorite Anderson .Paak and jazz legend Karriem Riggins). BUBBA, Kaytranada’s recently released sophomore album, is another example of masterful and intentional dance/hip-hop/funk synthesis. On tracks like “10%” with Kali Uchis and “Grey Area” with Mick Jenkins, fans are treated to a signature style of electronic that urges the listeners to lean forward, and lay back simultaneously. Not every track is played safety to Kaytranada’s strong suits however, as certain dancehall-inspired tracks like “Go Dj” and “Vex Oh” show signs of risk-taking that pays off as the record becomes more familiar. It was a long wait for BUBBA, but after hearing Kaytranada collaborate with industry heavyweights like Tinashe and Pharrell, it is safe to say that fans will be satiated for a while. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

2 The Music (Feat. Iman Omari)

Puff Lah

The Worst In Me (Feat. Tinashe)

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3. Ventura by Anderson .paak

Release Date: April 11th

Record Label: Interscope Records

Anderson .Paak’s Ventura showcases everything we love about the soulful California native. Said to be a counter-part to his prior album Oxnard which was released five months earlier, Ventura showcases Paak in his ideal environment being authentically himself. It is musically unmatched and conceptually rich. It’s both sexy (“Jet Black”) and politically charged (“King James”) but always in moderation to keep it tasteful. Ventura is an album that proved it’s enduring replay value by getting better everyday since it’s release in early April. With Ventura Anderson truly created timeless music as I foresee songs like “Make It Better” and “What Can We Do” staying in my musical rotation until I can no longer hear. Well we all would like to be, no one is quite as smooth as .Paak. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Make It Better (Feat. Smokey Robinson)

King James

Jet Black (Feat. Brandy)

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2. So Much fun by young thug

Release Date: August 16th

Record Label: Atlantic Records

Does Young Thug Speak English? I think he answered that question with 2018’s Slime Language. The album title speaks for itself. So much of what makes So Much Fun great can really be seen through the way Thugger has talked about the project both before and after the release. There is no concept, no real goal or take-away, rather it is just Thug having a good time making music that will make his fans have a good time listening to. What we received was once again a version of the Atlanta rapper we were not accustomed to. “What’s the Move” and “Hop off a Jet” have a crisp beautiful island sound of production that captures the listener's ear instantly. The features across the board do not disappoint and help carry the project. So Much Fun also features what may be one of the most popular songs this year with “Hot” and its remix. Thug’s protegé, Gunna, shines on this effort and his verse on “Diamonds”on the deluxe version of the album needs to be talked about. What can really be taken away from this album is how it fits into the landscape of 2019. Hip-Hop has lost a lot of great talent recently because of the drug culture that artists like Young Thug and Future were a large part of creating. Thugger seems to be moving away from those narratives, or at least doing his best. There is a way to be this same well respects talented performer without the use of such detrimental lyrics, and its seems like Thug may have caught on to that. So Much Fun is a breath of fresh air, with an artist at the peak of his powers creating a vibe of positivity. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Hot (Feat. Gunna)

What’s The Move (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert)

Big Tipper (Feat. Lil Keed)

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1. igor by tyler, the creator

Release Date: May 17th

Record Label: Columbia Records

In a time where it feels like so many creatives are doing things for popularity or to be the next big meme, an artist who goes against expectations to make a beautiful piece of art that is entirely authentic is invaluable. This is exactly the feat Tyler, the Creator accomplishes on IGOR. This project comes on the heels of his most successful mainstream record yet, Flower Boy. Expectations were high and everyone was wondering what was next for the 28 year old rapper. If Flower Boy was his most honest album, on IGOR he tells the best story. The entire album plays like a movie not navigated by lyrics, but by stellar productions. Songs like “I THINK” and “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” are so incredible because they capture the feeling of falling for someone despite your best efforts almost entirely through the way the track sounds. Throughout, it seems Tyler’s character IGOR is trying to find out what is next the same way we all are and it is beautiful. Tyler still has tracks where he flexes his skills as an emcee. “A BOY IS A GUN” has bars from front to back, but he never overstays his welcome. Gone are the days of him trying to shock the world with every bar that comes out his mouth, now he is focused and precise with everything that he touches. That is what makes IGOR album of the year. There is nothing else that came out this year that sounds anything like it, and Tyler is an artist that is still hungry to get better, and that deserves to be celebrated. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

EARFQUAKE

A BOY IS A GUN*

ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?

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King Dre Brings the Energy in Spokane, Washington

By Spencer Lobdell

It was a cold Saturday night in Washington as a crowd of local hip-hop fans packed into the Cracker Building, a small venue near downtown Spokane. Local promoter Young Neves was throwing a show that featured some of the best emerging artists in Eastern Washington and the line up was full of exciting names such as Wanderers, Jiggy Jared, and Roley Ratchet. While everyone that performed is currently making waves in the local hip-hop scene in Washington, no artist is hotter than the charismatic King Dre. Dre recently dropped the knocking single “Off the Boat (Freestyle)” and is still riding momentum from his summertime hit “This Ain’t A Swisher” with 02 Huncho. With two tapes in the near future and a patented sound, KD seems primed to blow and everyone in the Cracker Building that night knew it.

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While all performers that night were greeted by applause, you could tell who everyone really bought a ticket for by the eruption that followed the first three piano notes to Dre’s opening song “Scuba”. As his homies filed on stage to dance and generate energy, Dre spit the menacing hook to one of the more popular songs off his 2019 mixtape Phase 2. As the room swung back and forth with each knock of the bass, Dre paused and admired the crowd he was largely responsible for. “I don’t make music for other people,” Dre told me after the show concluded. “It definitely helps when they like it though,” he said with a smile.

With lots of new music on the way, it’s impossible to not be excited to see what 2020 holds for King Dre. “Man oh man boy, I got like 50 songs in the vault that y’all need to hear!” The first of the three scheduled releases came earlier today, December 30th, in the form of the four song EP ACTIVATED which you can stream on Dre’s Soundcloud here. The Turn Me Up tape can be expected during the first few weeks of the new decade and is filled with strictly bangers to throw on at the next function. After that, Dre plans to release a more lyrical, introspective tape called Deep End which will feature rising rapper CFN Trezzy who also made an appearance at the Cracker Building during Dre’s set.

King Dre is THE artist to watch out for on the east side of Washington. Motivated by his brother who use to rap before being killed in Northern California, Dre is determined to make a name for himself in 2020. After watching KD grow all of 2019, it’s clear he’s a remarkably fast learner. Combine that with all the time he’s recently spent in the studio and performing and you have a recipe for an artist with a high chance of having a very successful 2020.

Check out some photos from the show below (Photos by Spencer Lobdell):

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Baby Keem's Historic Show at the Roxy in LA

By Carter Fife

Photo by Rodney Campos

On November 20th in West Hollywood, Baby Keem walks onstage and is greeted by a packed crowd of fans. Despite his relatively unknown status as a hip-hop artist, Baby Keem is quickly proving himself to be one of the most disruptive and energetic forces in rap music. This is his first tour, playing only six sold-out shows in major US cities, and if you missed out on getting tickets from his website earlier that Fall, good luck getting one under 3x retail.

Photo by Rodney Campos

With only two records under his belt, the 19 year old rapper performed with an unparalleled energy that has been missing from the live shows of his peers. One moment the crowd is swelling, yelling ‘I Am 50-Cent!ʼ with the same confident tone that Keem carries on “MOSHPIT”. The next, a fan is brought on-stage, and later Keem excitedly tells the crowd that they are his day one fans - a true honor to those who recognize the star-potential in hi music and persona.

The actual experience of being in the audience reminded me of smaller punk shows, in which the crowd is almost exclusively comprised of hardcore fans who know every lyric and key-change. As we all danced and attempted to mirror Keemʼs vitality, I found myself inches away from various celebrities, such as the bedroom-pop icon Cuco, and Odd Futureʼs Taco. We were all there with similar intentions, attempting to remain present and enjoy the moment as much as possible.

The days of small shows are numbered for Keem because even though he only had two records of material to pull from, every song felt like a hit. Every song was welcomed from the fans like an unexpected encore, from the breakout hit “ORANGE SODA”, to the slower ballad “BULLIES”, to the truly iconic “Baby Keem”. I look forward to seeing where his career takes him, and since the show he has gained accolades from Spotify, Billboard, and even had a chance to meet Jay-Z a few days ago. When I see him next it could either be at the Oracle or at The Forum, but I know that wherever it is the show is going to be incredible.

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Live Performance Review: ILLENIUMS's Electric, Sold-Out, Staples Center Show

By Spencer Lobdell

There wasn’t an open seat in LA’s Staples Center on December 7th. The energy and excitement were palpable as 20,000 people anxiously awaited for a performance from their shared idol. In contrast to normal rave attire, the majority of the concert-goers wore different styles of baseball jerseys, all of which read “ILLENIUM” in big letters on the back, a trend that has become a staple to the San Francisco DJ’s fan base. The anxious excitement instantly turned to pure joy and the lights dimmed and a slow guitar riff echoed eloquently through the stadium. As the spotlight turned on revealing ILLENIUM standing center stage with his beautiful Fender Telecaster, the building erupted with screams which powerfully communicated that he was far more than just a DJ to majority of the people in attendance.

Photo By Jeff Yumi

Nicholas Miller, more commonly known as ILLENIUM, began taking music seriously in 2012 after seeing Bassnectar perform at Red Rocks. In 2013, he moved to Colorado and began releasing free projects full of exciting remixes and promising singles. In 2016 he released his debut album Ashes and began to establish himself as one of the most prolific EDM DJs of the decade. Last August, ILLENIUM delighted fans with the release of his third studio album Ascend. Due to bangers like “In Your Arms (With X Ambassadors)’ and “Good Things Fall Apart (With Jon Bellion)” Ascend became the DJs first record to reach number one on the Billboard top dance/electronic album chart. Through releasing compelling music, cool merch, and maintaining a personal relationship with fans, ILLENIUM slowly built an army of dedicated listeners who will always have his back.

ILLENIUM’s live performance for a sold-out Staples Center was nothing short of electric. The charismatic DJ performed for nearly two hours playing all of his hits without ever missing a beat making it nearly impossible to stop dancing. While I expected excellent lighting, I was far from prepared for the hundreds of lasers and epileptic strobe lights that turned the area into the best party I have ever attended. This all goes without mentioning the fire cannons that were used multiple times during the show. The massive flames were equally cool and terrifying delivering a wave of heat throughout the area upon use.

The visuals that ILLENIUM had projected on the three giant screens were mesmerizing and kept the audience 100 percent engaged the entire time. From stunning landscapes to beautifully detailed rotating objects, the awe-inspiring visuals made it so a deaf person would’ve left the venue satisfied.

Overall, ILLENIUM put on one of the most exciting EDM shows I’ve ever been to and exposed me to one of the most dedicated fan bases I’ve seen in action. While his recordings are special, listeners cannot fully understand the sheer power of his music until it is experienced live. ILLENIUM looks so natural on stage and every one of his songs sounds better when it’s backed by the thousands of screaming fans proving that he was truly born to perform.

Photo Gallery By Jeff Yumi:

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