2016 has been a highlight year for hip-hop, with releases from industry juggernauts like Drake, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar, as well as surprise takeovers from the likes of Desiigner’s Panda. With 170 albums released in 2016, there are some that were straight up trash, and some that are future classics. Here are the five best albums released in the last year.
5. Stoney – Post Malone
The song White Iverson was the first exposure to Post Malone most of us had, and it left a lasting impression. Stoney is Post’s debut studio album to prove to the world that he can play among the big boys like Drake and J. Cole.
I personally have an aversion to extremely long albums like Stoney, but the good thing is that the songs don’t sound the same. He experiments with country rap on Broken Whiskey Glass and Feeling Whitney, pop rap on Deja Vu and Feel, and classic rap on Money Made Me Do It and Congratulations. The album is long, but the songs are so different, it doesn’t bore you at all.
Post’s debut studio album squeezes all the momentum from his 2015 hit debut single White Iverson, and pushes out a lengthy 18-track record in his successful attempt to wow diehard listeners. The result is a tremendous record that, while didn’t live up to my (admittedly sky-high) expectations, is still one of the strongest of the year.
Standout Track: Money Made Me Do It (feat. 2 Chainz)
4. 4 Your Eyez Only – J. Cole
Cole blew up in popularity after 2014 Forest Hills Drive, an album that sold over three million copies and went triple platinum with no features. Cole’s late December release, 4 Your Eyez Only, is a brief, 10 track record that proves to the masses that he can once again produce a hit album… with no features.
The longer the album, the more space there is to get bored, and Cole leaves absolutely no room for boredom in this 44-minute album. The second track, Immortal, is the best song on the record, and arguably one of the best songs J. Cole has ever released, period. His flow and the beat on this track are a showcase of his production capabilities. The album also showcases Cole’s strength as a storyteller, a skill we learned he possessed on Forest Hills Drive. Cole doesn’t have anything new to prove to his listeners. 4YEO is a staple example of his confidence and exuberance as one of the industry’s leading rappers, and a tremendous Christmas present to hip hop fans.
Standout Track: Immortal
3. Bird in The Trap Sing McKnight – Travi$ Scott
Houston rapper Travis Scott’s sophomore album, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight is his newest release since Rodeo in 2015, and continues Scott’s unique auto tune-heavy style. The all-lowercase tracklist is filled with A-list features like Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Young Thug and Quavo, and it is his best project yet.
The tracks are so consistent, there isn’t a single song I would skip on this album, unlike Scott’s 2015 release Rodeo. The vibe through the entire album is constant, but Scott mixes the sounds and mood enough that each song is uniquely exciting. In my opinion, the persistent energy is a direct product of Scott’s impeccable production most evident on through the late night and goosebumps. The entire record is a long showcase of digitized and retro sounds, and the production quality is what makes this album great. The lyrics aren’t the best, but rap music isn’t just about the lyrics. Scott sacrificed lyrical quality for production quality, and it resulted in one of the best albums of the year.
Standout Tracks: ‘through the late night’
2. Awaken My Love – Childish Gambino
After a tremendous year with his critically acclaimed TV show Atlanta, being cast in the new Spider Man and Star Wars movies, and becoming a dad, Childish Gambino has ended his three year hiatus in music with his new album, Awaken, My Love!.
It’s been a funky year for Gambino with all the other events in his life, and it translates into this album. With songs like Zombies, Boogieman, and Me and Your Mama, Gambino gives regular hip hop listeners a tremendously captivating trip to a world of funk inspired straight out of the 70s. Combined with Gambino’s great voice, you get an album that will be a classic in the future. Gambino is working with the same producer that worked with him on his 2013 Grammy nominated album Because the Internet, and the quality is just as good. Awaken, My Love! stands to be Gambino’s best project yet and the funk driven style is a turn from the his typical rap history. I think if anyone needed a new beginning for their music career, it’s him, and if this is the new road for Childish Gambino, I’m ready for what’s to come in the future.
Standout Track: Redbone (but give California a try)
1. Malibu – Anderson .Paak
I’ve been listening to music forever, and I cannot think of a single album as great as Anderson .Paak’s second studio album, Malibu. I don’t know another album where I can pick a song at random and it will blow me away. I can partly contribute this to the unique sound of .Paak’s voice, but that’s only the beginning. Anderson .Paak has worked hard on this album, and it shows.
Each song on Malibu is used to build a certain emotional feeling towards .Paak. On Heart Don’t Stand a Chance, we learn about the girl that Paak is referring to in most of the album. It’s a revealing look into the crazy and wild relationship with her. In Am I Wrong we learn about his outwardly “carpe diem” view on life, and in Celebrate he sings about going through his life trying to live to the fullest. There is a fine line in getting the balance between lyrics and production, and he has mastered it. Anderson .Paak is one of the happiest rappers I know, among the leagues of D.R.A.M, and it radiates through the entire album. Malibu is a work of art; a product of hard work from .Paak, his producers, and a touch of unique voice makes for the best album of 2016.
*If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend watching his NPR Tiny Desk Concert. It’s really good.
Standout Track: Your Prime
Honorable Mentions:
The Life Of Pablo – Kanye West
One of Kanye West’s worst albums is still a contender for best albums of 2016; that’s how good of a rapper he is. Unfortunately, the unfinished nature of the album took a hit on the quality, and while there are some good songs, it just isn’t enough to be a top contender.
Standout Track: Famous
Views – Drake
The second half of this album shouldn’t even exist. The first half is some of the best music I’ve heard from Drake in a long time, but the exuberance of the former half doesn’t make up for the trash that make up the latter ten tracks.
Standout Track: Keep The Family Close
Konnichiwa – Skepta
Grime is a genre of rap that is pretty unknown in the US, but England rapper Skepta has almost perfected the style in his May release, Konnichiwa. Sadly, the contenders in North America still trump this record. He’s got a lot to go before he can compete with the likes of J. Cole and Travis Scott, but it’s a good album nonetheless.
Standout Track: Shutdown
