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wyattvsmusic · 1 year

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Westside Gunn - 10 ALBUM REVIEW

Around this time year, Westside Gunn vowed that his Hitler Wears Hermes mixtape/album series would end with two albums billed as one album: Side A (Sincerely Adolf) and Side B, both of which were some of the best of the entire series, especially Side B which I think is the best. 8 (technically 9) albums in one album series is a rarely done and especially at this level where every single one is great and memorable. Fast forward to this year, Westside appeared to have pivoted to new projects such as the Peace “Fly” God album with Stove God Cooks and Estee Nack and his upcoming Michelle Records album that he’s been teasing forever. A lot of the song snippets from the Michelle Records rollout are songs that appear on his latest album, 10, which he cut off the HWH part because of all this Kanye bullshit. As a Jew, I never took offense to the HWH title as it is clearly a twist on The Devil Wears Prada, which likens Hitler to the devil which is not antisemitic and Westside has never even rapped about Hitler on any of these 10 albums so it’s quite different than the bullshit that Kanye has been saying. Regardless, I don’t mind that he decided to end it at 10 even though he technically skipped 9 even though HWH8 was two separate albums. The way I see it, it’s called 10 because it’s been ten years since the first HWH and there was never an iPhone 9. While I do love this album, it does start off kind of shaky. I haven’t written my thoughts about AA Rashid in my previous Westside Gunn reviews but the man who speaks on most Westside Gunn album intros really got to me on this album intro and not in a bad way but just a simply funny way because this man makes zero fucking sense when he talks and it’s hilarious. He sounds like what dumb people think smart people sound like when they use big words and have no idea what they mean. He said “Not to be overtly ostentatious or express large abundance of sophistry / I will add my true sentiment regarding this sound / And I will express to you that this is, this is the enlightenment.” I’m not mad at it because he sounds great, he makes me laugh, and he always talks over great production but I really had to say something about it here. The first actual song is the song Flygod Jr, which is produced by Westside’s son and it’s a trap beat which heavily deviates from the Griselda sound. I think Conway and Benny sound great over trap beats but it doesn’t really work on this song. I think the production is pretty weak and Westside’s flow isn’t that great, not to mention the Doe Boy feature is pretty mediocre. Though it’s a rough start, he comes right back with Super Kick Party over a filthy Conductor Williams beat. Like many Westside albums, 10 has a very impressive list of guest features who all show up to rap as WSG brings the best out of the rappers he gets on his songs. He’s got A$AP Rocky who sounds good over some smooth boom bap production. The song Peppas is an instant favorite as it features incredible verses from Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, who rap over a beautiful yet grimy Conductor Williams beat who channels the No Fear Of Time sound. In my review of that album, I talked about how Talib really stepped it up in comparison to past albums and he really went in on Peppas. I loved the way he was rhyming and he had some killer bars like “Claimin' La Costra Nostra, we in love with the coca / They hit n****s with the R.I.C.O., AP comported in cola.” The song Science Class is another standout track as Westside recruits Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah over a pretty awesome sample. All three sound amazing over the repeating “we used to be good friends a long time ago” loop. In addition to Black Star, Westside Gunn gets another duo, Run The Jewels on the song Switches On Everything. El-P sets things off with a pretty awesome verse but Killer Mike took things to another level with an aggressive double-time flow over the drumless beat which brought even more excitement into the song. The only thing I didn’t like was the hook. Stove God Cooks, who is also on the song also flowed over the song in a way I’ve never heard him rap before. Stove God Cooks is featured on most tracks and has been all over the past 3 WSG releases too and has proven that he and Westside never miss when they link. He ended his verse with the killer line “Last shit I cooked would've got five Pyrexes in the Source.” I also loved on Shootouts In Soho when Stove casually sang “I can't answer the phone right now, I'm cookin' dope.” He also appears on the absolutely filthy BDP with features Rome Streetz, whose music I don’t love but he always comes through with a great verse. Both Stove God and Rome Streetz join Westside and many other Griselda members and affiliates for the 10-minute finale, Red Death. The beat is slow, menacing, and epic and works for every single rapper on the song. While everyone had a great verse, Benny set the bar very high and the only one to best him was Conway who finishes the song strong with his verse. Some verses are much better than others but Armani Caesar really came through. She doesn’t just stand out because she’s the only woman on the song but because she has a good rap voice, came with the right amount of aggression, her flow was great and she had some good bars. I loved her Top Boy reference in her verse. Jay Worthy’s verse was fine but he didn’t totally fit. I would’ve loved to hear Mach-Hommy and Boldy James on the song because they are on the label and they would’ve fit better. DJ Drama, who hosted the mixtape/album similar to HWH7 brought the correct energy to it and did a good job wrapping things up on Red Death and likening the HWH series to other iconic series. He said stuff like “We came Back to the Future to be the Terminators of the Matrix” and “No Mission is Impossible when you this Fast and Furious.” 10 is a very strong way to end the decade long annual series that propelled Westside Gunn to where he is now.

Fav Tracks: Peppas, BDP, Science Class, Switches On Everything, Red Death

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therappundit · 2 years

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***Top 225 Rap Albums of 2021***

The Rap Pundit’s picks for the ”BEST” (a.k.a. My Favorite) Rap Albums of 2021

What more can I say about the year that’s been 2021 that hasn’t already been said? I have plenty of good things to say about the past 12 months, and I have plenty of bad things to say about 2021...but when it comes to the soundtrack, I have nothing but joy and appreciation for rap music in 2021. The talent pool continues to expand at a global scale, and it’s harder than ever to stay on top of all the quality rap releases each week, but at the end of the day, what a lovely problem to have to manage.

I wanted to drop my own list of the best rap albums of 2021 last week- let’s call that Version 1 - but simply too much great music dropped this year, it would be a crime to miss out on acknowledging all of my favorite releases in some capacity. SO BEHOLD, VERSION 2: 225 OF THE YEAR’S BEST DAMN RAP ALBUMS/EPs/MIXTAPES/WHATEVER (I don’t even know how most folks differentiate “a collection of songs” nowadays, my only criteria for inclusion on this list is that the project had to consist of at least 6 songs).

R.I.P. Drakeo the Ruler, Young Dolph, and so many other talented people that we lost this year. You, your families, your fans, your communities and society in general all deserved better...but so many will be forever grateful for the art that you shared during your all-too-brief time with us. 🙏

Now let’s get to it, because we have A LOT to cover..starting with the Top 10:

10. Disco! by MIKE

Very few artists could claim to be as impactful to the modern music landscape as MIKE. The gifted New York MC and producer has been every bit as influential to the suddenly packed lane of experimental underground rap artists as Earl Sweatshirt, and what was once called “lo-fi” or a “sub-genre” by many is now a driving creative force in rap music today, with peers such as Navy Blue, AKAI SOLO, Maassai, Mavi, Maxo and others now seated at the forefront of avant garde rap music.

Every MIKE release sounds like a dreamy, flowing exploration of whatever thoughts were going through his head at the moment his head hit the pillow. Dating back to his last album (2020′s Weight of the World), he has been very open about processing the loss of his mother, and while he continues down that path with Disco!, here we find him on the emotional rebound, heading down an increasingly bright tunnel where the dawn is almost within reach. Disco! is arguably the best sounding album of MIKE’s career, as he seems to be hitting new strides both as a song writer and a producer (a big s/o to MIKE’s equally gifted alter-ego behind the boards, DJ BlackPower).

9. Razor’s Edge by Rome Streetz & Futurewave

Picking the best Rome Streetz moment of 2021 feels a little like picking your favorite day of 2021, since he was feasting on the rap game since the ball dropped back in January. Releasing multiple strong-to-great projects and who-the-hell-knows how many fantastic feature verses (dude is an absolutely workhorse), I’m sure fans all have varying opinions on what his best release was this year, likely listing out project titles in a 1a, 1b, 1c etc. fashion. For me, Razor’s Edge has it all, and as 2021 draws to a close it remains one of my top ten favorite albums of the year.

A lot of fans mention Headcrack as the moment they became a Rome Streetz fan, a 2019 release also fully produced by Toronto’s Futurewave (a force in his own right, well on the way to elite status). That now feels like a stepping stone to Razor’s Edge. Both artists have continued to steadily sharpen their tools since then, which has made Razor a tightly woven, dark collection of cautionary tales and assessments of the booby-trap laced city of New York that Rome Streetz calls home. This album manages to recapture the throwback sentiments of old boom-bap NYC, while also sounding fresh and forward-thinking in every way possible.

8. Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler, the Creator

Surely a popular choice for rap AOTY, and with good reason. On Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, the Creator spotlights his skills as a MC and rap artist, but it’s mostly Tyler’s charisma and swagger that makes this album so special. It’s so clear that Tyler has his fanboy hat on as snug as possible over the course of the whole project, because from the DJ Drama inclusion to the sample choices to the loose, free spirit he has throughout Call Me, it seems that the primary creative force behind this album was a renewed love for rapping. It put an extra bounce in his step, and it’s contagious. It’s what makes him such a great figurehead for the mainstream-underground tug of war that’s happening in rap music at the moment. Tyler is a fantastic ambassador of quality music, either as a staunch representative of the underworld sewers where rappers “just spit bars”, or catchier, more radio ready fodder that sounds sunny enough to earn Pharrell’s blessing.

The time when I would not have been surprised to hear Tyler sample a Gravediggaz song has long since passed, so a single like “LUMBERJACK” was a curve ball that manages to dodge feeling like a reach for the underground rap accolades that former Odd Future teammate Earl Sweatshirt has lamped under for some time, but a culmination of Tyler’s journey from The Odd Future Tape up through Flower Boy and Igor, up to the present day. Tyler has always been a studio rat so it shouldn’t be a surprise that he is able to see where rap is trending, or that he is one of the most important voices within it. What does still need some time to get used to is Tyler consistently crushing rap verses the way he has been these past two years. Sure he’s important to the whole music biz, but when it comes to the future of mainstream rap music, right now he may just be the most important piece of the puzzle.

7. Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sides A & B by Westside Gunn

To honor the man himself, I will be viewing Hitler Wears Hermes 8 as a double-album (exactly as the artist intended, in spite of the separation of release dates between Side A and Side B). Viewed separately, HWH8 Side A and HWH8 Side B are strong contributions in their own right, but together they serve as yet another blunt instrument wielded by the Griselda army to pound their competition into submission.

As both the front man and loudest member of the growing Griselda empire, Westside Gunn hyped the release of the eighth (and final??) installment of his controversially titled mixtape series for over a year, and during that time the star power behind Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher has risen sharply...almost as sharply as the industry around them has taken notice. With rap music trending towards more traditionally underground rap aesthetics, and with peers taking notice and wanting to rub elbows with the Buffalo collective more and more often (imagine how absurd a 2 Chainz or Lil Wayne feature on a Griselda project would have seemed back in 2016), it would have been fairly straightforward to allow HWH8 to pass through on cruise control. Fortunately for fans, Westside Gunn has the spirit of a Finn Balor living inside of him: one part earnest worker, one part raging demon.

It’s fair to give a great deal of credit to Gunn for not only crafting and curating the final product, but for being the spark that keeps Griselda sounding as hungry as ever in spite of their underground-turned-sort-of-above-ground celebrity status. It’s fun to discuss preference between Side A and Side B, especially amongst longer standing Griselda stans, but here is how I would break down the differences: Side A feels more like Wu-Tang Forever if it was edited down into a single album, while Side B feels like Wu-Tanger Forever in it’s final two-disc form. To put it another way, I feel that Side A does a stronger job of showcasing the strengths and hunger of the Griselda family, while Side B shows that the hunger still exists within increasing exposure to mainstream shine.

HWH8: Side A & Side B feature Westside Gunn, Conway, and Benny delivering the hard-knuckled bars and hustler tales that they and their old co-signs do best, only now joined by fellow rising stars like Stove God Cook$, Larry June, Jay Worthy, Sauce Walka and recent Griselda signee Rome Streetz. Toss in previously outside-of-reach fully established artists like Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Jay Electronica and Tyler, the Creator, and you have a full project that placates any core listeners that are still uncomfortable with the idea of Griselda revamping their sound, with a healthy overdose of replay value. HWH8 proves that one key trait of all Griselda albums remains intact: featured guests from outside the crew need to meet Griselda on their own turf, it’s not the other way round. So JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar or Drake rapping alongside Westside Gunn over a Daringer beat? It hasn’t happened yet, but if it did, we wouldn’t be that surprised anymore.

6. Trapdoor by Defcee & Messiah Musik

A fourth quarter dark horse that seemed to come out of nowhere (except for those that have a history of working with both artists and already knew what they’re capable of), Chicago veteran MC Defcee and Baltimore’s Messiah Musik already shared many of the same peers, so it was probably only a matter of time before they dropped a project together....but I wonder if either party expected this?

The result of their union was Trapdoor, an album exploding with talent from top to bottom. From the writing to the rapping to the production (and I cannot express this enough - the writing and the production are both absolutely gripping throughout), Trapdoor has been steadily climbing my list of favorite music for weeks. A thoughtful album filled with life lessons without sounding the least bit preachy (please believe- this is a rare feat!), what Defcee & Messiah have achieved here is a powerful work of audio art that addresses so many of the hopes, fears, struggles, and successes of entering middle age at a time when the world feels like it is up in flames. Trapdoor walks right up to the line of bleak without losing hope, and looking back at these past two years, what can be easier to identify with than the struggles of trying to work, laugh and love our way through an increasingly claustrophobic way of life?

5. Half God by Wiki & Navy Blue

No artist on this list releases work as casually as Wiki, but the former Ratking standout will be hard pressed to keep a low profile after the reception to Half God. Joining forces with fellow underground workhorse Navy Blue (whose name will appear multiple times across many year-end lists, and rightfully so), Half God feels like the pinnacle of Wik’s (shockingly young!?) career thus far. Wiki has always leaned more towards the more experimental side, with a seemingly intentional desire to avoid doing what everyone else is doing, which serves both to strengthen his discography and distance his clout within social media circles; however, here on Half God we find a slightly more mature Wiki, better at drawing together his creative rhyme schemes into more straight forward songs than ever before.

Surely aided by some of the smoothest production he has ever had access to for a full length project, Half God feels like the moment when Wiki officially staked his claim as an official ambassador of New York City hip-hop...which he always has been, but with friends and sparring partners like MIKE, Earl Sweatshirt, and Navy Blue, maybe now his artistic achievements will be headlining galleries rather than simply being mentioned amongst them.

4. A Martyr’s Reward by Ka

Like clockwork, any time Ka releases new work it is bound to skyrocket into the conversation of the year’s best. A Martyr’s Reward offers nothing new to longstanding Ka fans except for a more stripped down version of Ka than we have heard in some time. While much of his recent albums have successfully worked around a pinned metaphor (not as a crutch, simply as a touchstone to help keep the momentum going), A Martyr’s Reward feels like Ka speaking as Ka, rather than a vessel used to filter and distribute the memories and life lessons preached by the mighty Brownsville MC.

Here we find Ka speaking some of the most candid thoughts of his career. Alongside ‘Ka: the survivor of Brooklyn streets’, we have ‘Ka: the under-appreciated fire fighter’, or ‘Ka: the abused black man in America’, all angles of he man’s perspective feel painstakingly thought out - with an emphasis on the pain, and the subsequent ability to rise above it. As always, Ka’s pen remains unparalleled, every rhyme wound tight as a ticking clock and every instrumental seemingly crafted to only brace themselves for his chosen words from song to song. So while A Martyr’s Reward certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel for Ka, with selections like the one below from “We Living/Martyr” (featuring the rising legend that is fellow MC/Producer Navy Blue), it is clear that Ka’s poetry on black history does so much more to inform the future, rather than dwell on it’s past.

“This proof I'm not duping, only solutions I ignite in my lab / Dumb nights, some nights won fights for my rights with a jab. If you ain’t got the brass to lock ass, go light smack / Appears somebody polluting my salute, nice to the flag. Till then they just dreaded heathens, can't pledge allegiance / Slave wealth built they grave wealth, there's no better grievance. Now the order's to abort us, instead of feed us / But if they bomb shit watch, in conflict, how quick they need us...”

3. Haram by Armand Hammer & The Alchemist

Not even a full year removed from the release of Haram, the incredible album that resulted from the union of billy woods, E L U C I D, and The Alchemist, it’s hard to imagine that there was a world that existed before all of their orbits became intertwined. While The Alchemist was no stranger to the work of Armand Hammer (he had even been a part of Moor Mother and billy’s impressive BRASS project that dropped in late 2020), many thought that the combination would prove to be solid, but not necessarily yield a final product that elevated the talent involved to new levels. Welp, they were wrong.

Hardcore Armand Hammer fans are devout when it comes to discussing their catalogue, so while I am not qualified to rank the collective or solo works of bill woods and E L U C I D, I can say with confidence that the musical chemistry showcased on Haram made it hard to believe that these three talents had never released a full length project together. The two fierce poets that comprise Armand Hammer sounded well at home sinking their teeth into Alchemist’s woozy loops and sample collages, leading to standout moments that revel in the juxtaposition of styles rather than the seamlessness. Lush backdrops draping cuts like “Falling out the Sky”, “Black Sunlight”, or “Stonefruit” prove not only that Armand Hammer’s machine-gunning streams of dark thoughts and social commentary sound well at home over Alchemist’s wavier production, but also that Al has so much more in his bag than he has shown us.

2. TV62 by Bruiser Brigade

A straight up FLEX tape. No, not the obnoxious out-of-touch DJ, I’m talkin’ a straight up show of power, a flex of talent. Not since Odd Future has there been a collective of under-the-radar, raw talent to put on a showcase like what Bruiser Brigade did in 2021. The truth is if you put any one of their releases from the past 12 months into this slot, I would not argue. But for my money’s worth, if you had only one hour to be convinced that the Brigade is not to be f’d with, I would tell you to listen to TV62.

At opening bell of 2021 you may have considered Bruiser Brigade to be only a vaguely established force consisting of Danny Brown and a line-up of lesser known, local co-signs....but heading into 2022, you better know the names of MCs J.U.S., Fat Ray, Bruiser Wolf, ZelooperZ, and Quentin Ahmad DaGod. Although it doesn’t stop there, because the crew has a huge arsenal of gloriously dusty (sometimes even bouncy - I mean the Detroit influence is pulsing within every Bruiser Brigade project thus far) production, courtesy of sharp talent like Black Noi$e, Skywlkr, Raphy, Playa Haze, HOLLY, Gulley and more. There simply isn’t a better “no skips” project that dropped this year, you really need to let this one play out, and then argue over which tracks are the best (spoiler alert: there is no wrong answer). The raw demo feel seems intentional, especially when you consider the Wu-Tang Clan homages that are present on a good portion of TV62. Danny and the rest of the Brigade would likely call this a collection of loosies rather than an official group album, but nevertheless, TV62 is the official arrival of a fully realized group of must-watch artists. Is it possible that Detroit has become the 37th Chamber?

1. Pray For Haiti by Mach-Hommy

Imagine you never heard of Mach-Hommy before hearing this album. Imagine being completely caught off guard by the flow, the confidence, the unpredictable paths taken mid-verse, the sudden bursting into song or Haitian Creole, while listening to Pray For Haiti for the first time. I imagine you would be blown away. Even being familiar with his catalogue, many were blown away by what was probably the most “accessible” project in Mach’s discography.

The album that officially elevated Mach from mysterious underground shadow figure to slightly more mainstream mysterious underground shadow figure, here on Pray For Haiti we find Mach-Hommy at his most controlled and confident, at times sliding over tracks with a swagger that could only be described as Hov-esque. While comparing Mach to Shawn Carter may sound absurd (or maybe worse yet, double-stanning for both artists!), they each have a knack for saying so much with brevity. Mach doesn’t need to weave a complicated verse about the advice that JAY-Z gave him...his station in life right now is best summed up by simply referencing that he spoke to Hov, but he’s not going to tell us any more about the conversation. Pray For Haiti works so well thanks to Mach-Hommy’s expertise at deciding what cards he shows us, and what additional cards he may have handy...but is probably going to hold onto until we meet again.

The album also works thanks to a number of other factors, such as the star making turns of next generation Griselda allies like Nicholas Craven and Conductor Williams, and of course the reliable guiding hand of Westside Gunn. Mach and Westside reconnecting at the start of 2021 was almost as big of a story as the success of Pray For Haiti, so much so that the threat of future work between Mach-Hommy and the Griselda camp feels as potent as the strongest moments on Haiti. Many fans of the artists involved didn’t actually believe that the album was dropping, right up until the moment that it actually dropped. Once it did, many were surprised at how seamless the pieces fit together...but not Westside and Mach. Both men value art and their contributions to the genre, they take the responsibility of putting music into the world very seriously, and when the type of musical chemistry they have exists, it shouldn’t be such a surprise that they can crank out a great rap album after relatively brief time spent in the studio once again.

To them, not much has changed. But to us? Mach-Hommy was just interviewed in GQ magazine....so yeah, a helluva lot has changed. Lucky us.

Yeah, you made it - 10 down, only 115 more to go! 🙌

***Here Are The Rest of My Top 225***....

11. Don and Von by Tanya Morgan

12. Balens Cho (Hot Candles) by Mach-Hommy

13. WEIGHT OF THE WORLD by MAXO KREAM

14. Affable with Pointed Teeth by YUNGMORPHEUS & Eyedress

15. With The Shifts by Maassai

16. Death and the Magician by DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz

17. Van Goghs Left Ear by ZeLooperZ

18. Free Dem Boyz by 42 Dugg

19. True Sky by AKAI SOLO & Navy Blue

20. Double Down by Nappy Nina & J Words

21. Bo Jackson by Boldy James & The Alchemist

22. All The Brilliant Things by Skyzoo

23. TIME by Your Old Droog

24. Street Dream Team by Good Gas x Fki 1st x BandGang Lonnie Bands

25. Joyland by STIK FIGA & Conductor Williams

26. Splash Bandicoot by Rahiem Supreme x Al.divino

27. Navy’s Reprise by Navy Blue

28. Bigger Than Life Or Death by EST Gee

29. Spacebar by Your Old Droog

30. End of the Earth by Mavi

31. King’s Disease 2 by Nas & Hit-Boy

32. SZNZ by Mother Nature & BoatHouse

33. Unlearning Vol. 1 by Evidence

34. Wicked Man's Reprise by Sideshow

35. HAMMERABI by al.divino x Mr. Rose

36. Voice of the Heroes by Lil Durk & Lil Baby

37. I GOT BANDZ FOR THE MOONLANDIN' by Semiratruth

38. The House Is Burning by Isaiah Rashad

39. Dope Game Stupid by Bruiser Wolf

40. Hindsgiht by Breeze Brewin & Juggaknots

41. UNKind. by Jay NiCE, DooF & Sadhu Gold

42. Imaginary Everything by L’Orange & Namir Blade

43. DONDA by Kanye West

44. GUMBO’! by Pink Siifu

45. DIVINENATION by Sleeper Sinatra

46. Super Tecmo Bo by Boldy James & The Alchemist

47. Real Late by Peter Rosenberg (and Various Artists)

48. Stray From The Pack by J Scienide & Kev Brown

49. Smoke Sessions 3 by Lord Apex

50. the phantom of paradise. by Remy Banks

51. SERENITY by Tokyo Cigar (and Various Artists)

52. Charlie Pope by Dark Lo & V Don

53. GOD GOKU JAY-Z by J.U.S.

54. Little Robert Hutton by Curly Castro

55. telephone booth by NAH & Wiki

56. EGO by Guilty Simpson & Gensu Dean

57. The Part & Parcel by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

58. Michigan Boy Boat by Lil Yachty

59. C O T I (The Course of the Inevitable) by Lloyd Banks

60. KiltValee by Valee & KiltKarter

61. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

62. ENOUGH TO PLAGUE A SAINT by Body Bag Ben & J Scienide

63. WINNERTIME by Papo2oo4

64. Fiend Lives Matter by Rio Da Yung Og

65. The Fraud Department by Jim Jones & Harry Fraud

66. The Off-Season by J. Cole

67. Bigger Than Life Or Death Part 2 by EST Gee

68. A Stream of Consciousness by Jay NiCE & Machacha

69. Why Look Up, God’s In The Mirror by Lukah

70. Call Me When You're Outside by Steel Tipped Dove

71. The Truth Hurts by Drakeo the Ruler [R.I.P.!]

72. 1997 by Chester Watson

73. Unfuckwitable (Deluxe) by Babyface Ray

74. P.S. by Nolan The Ninja

75. The Prophecy Is My Present by Asun Eastwood & THETWINNING

76. Magneto Was Right: Issue #8 by Raz Fresco

77. For My Mama And Anyone Who Looks Like Her by McKinley Dixon

78. Blood Stained Pages by Pro Zay

79. The Lightwork EP by AKAI SOLO, YL & Roper Williams

80. En Route (Deluxe) by Mfn Melo & squeakPIVOT & Pivot Gang

81. The Pen for Whom The Words Moves by Teller Bank$

82. Motion by G.T.

83. BL2 by Aakeem Eshú

84. Phresh Waves by Rim

85. Like It Or Love It by Papo2oo4

86. Latrinalia by Rob Sonic

87. Genesis 1:27 by Rome Streetz & ANKHLEJOHN

88. East of MacVicar Ave by STIK FIGA & DJ Sean P

89. Can U Get Your Supervisor? by Lil Kydd

90. WINTER 2 by DJ Muggs & Various Artists

91. Do the Math by Medhane

92. Vince Staples by Vince Staples

93. Faygo Baby by Kipp Stone

94. Rule of Thirds by Planet Asia & Evidence

95. A CONSTANT CONDENSATION by amani

96. Fat N*ggas Need Love Too by Bfb Da Packman

97. The Crashing Sound of How It Goes by Cities Aviv

98. Grace Park Legend (Deluxe) by Huey Briss & Nikobeats

99. Infinite Lawn by Mimz the Magnificent & Dunn

100. Stop Calling Art Content by Grafh

101. Built For Whatever by Tee Grizzley

102. Doe or Die 2 by AZ

103. Gooch is God & God is Everything by DrxQuinnx

104. Giovanni’s Way by Payroll Giovanni

105. Black Encyclopedia of the Air by Moor Mother

106. Fell Asleep Praying by Archibald Slim

107. BYAKUGAN! by Estee Nack

108. VIP by Pros Ap & V.I.

109. Vegas Vic by ZILLA ROCCA

110. If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed by Big Ghost Ltd. & Conway

111. $mokebreak EP by Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin

112. Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma by Topaz Jones

113. Forever 21 by EBK Young Joc

114. The Hour of Khrysis by Khrysis

116. No Cosign Just Cocaine 4 by Ty Farris

117. Super What? by CZARFACE & MF DOOM

118. The Color Blu(e) by Blu

119. N.O.A.H. by Quentin Ahmad DaGod

120. PortisHus by Hus Kingpin

121. 100 Miles & Walk-in by Rx Papi

122. Rx by Rasheed Chappell & Xp the Marxman

123. Panagnl4e, Vol. 3 by Los & Nutty

124. Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut by Kenny Mason

125. Elephant In The Room by Mick Jenkins

126. Free Rio by Peezy

127. Slaps & Hugs by Ayun Bassa & Jacob Rochester

128. Fire In Little Africa by Fire In Little Africa

129. Santa Barbara by Fat Ray

130. Hall Of Fame 2.0 by Polo G

131. Blacklight by Apollo Brown & Stalley

132. The Novelty of Standards by Jamal Gasol & Bass Reevez

133. Viktor by Jameel Na'imx & Mephux

134. GoFundMe Corvette by J.U.S

135. Borrowed Time by Dark Lo & Harry Fraud

136. 8WRLD by Sure Shot, of Dunbar

137. Load Bearing Crow’s Feet by Premrock

138. Narcotics Anonymous by WB Nutty

139. Punk by Young Thug

140. Keep Watching the Fly by Willie The Kid

141. The TrAppiEst Disco Music Ever! by Valee & AYOCHILLMANNN

142. Gangster Doodles: Gangster Music Vol. 2 by Various Artists

143. Lake Effect by Sango & Waldo

144. Beautifully Black by Lord Jah-Monte & Navy Blue

145. the Light Emitting Diamond Cutter Scriptures by R.A.P. Ferreira

146. The Tape Nobody Made by Ambassador Rick of The Opioid Era

147. Christina Shauntay’ by Backwood Sweetie

148. Ree Louis by Henny L.O.

149. Trapped Out, Vol. 1 by Guttafats

150. Book of Changes by Noveliss & Dixon Hill

151. A Train Grows In Brooklyn by Big Ghost Ltd. & Eddie Kaine

152. Krazy Man by Drego

153. DR. EV4L by Young Nudy

154. La Maquina by Conway the Machine

155. Richer Than I Ever Been by Rick Ross

156. Amongst Wolves by Smoovth & Giallo Point

157. Culture over Corporate,Volume 3 by Uptown XO

158. Certified Lover Boy by Drake

159. IT’S REMBLE by Remble

160. Same Energy by Bizzy Banks

161. War Zone by Fmb Dz

162. Untreated Trauma by Mozzy

163. B=MC2 by David Bars & Mono En Stereo

164. WORLD TOUR MAFIA OR DIE by World Tour Mafia

165. All Hail the King by Fashawn & Sir Veterano

166. Tha YOD Fahim by Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim

167. WORD? by Atmosphere

168. War On Drugs by Los

169. Thumbing Thru Foliage by YUNGMORPHEUS & ewonee

170. Purple Dawn 2 by Deziner Drugz

171. Budget Cuts 3: Still Broke by SeKwence & KillerKane

172. I Died For This!? by Grip

173. Ice Daddy by Gucci Mane

174. Slime Language 2 by Young Stoner Life [Various Artists]

175. Hidden Treasure by Knowledge The Pirate

176. Still Gangin by DaBoii & Slimmy B [SOB]

177. Wake Ups by Rigz

178. Legend Laws of Power by Vic Spencer & Supa Sounds

179. Coup De Grace by Rome Streetz & Ransom

180. American Cheese by DJ Muggs & Hologram

181. SODA CLUB by YL

182. No Days Off by Lando Bando & The Hip Hop Lab

183. When The Black Hand Touches You by Lukah

184. In The Beginning The Was Kaos by Kaos the Baker & Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon

185. Call Me G.T. by G.T.

186. Starshooter by Shooter Gang KONY

187. Bad For Press by Van Buren Records

188. Why So Slick 4 by Four50

189. Rockstar Lifestyle by WTM DaeMoney

190. Wikipedia (Deluxe) by Shawny Binladen

191. Bin Reaper 2 by Babytron

192. Still Stoned On Ocean by Curren$y

193. ROGUE RAPS by O Dawg & Wavy Da Ghawd

194. Bushido by Mello Music Group [Various Artists]

195. New Man by Saga Asad & August Fanon

196. The Cook Up by Kmoneybeats

197. Se7en by Ransom

198. 4NEM by Chief Keef

199. Hey Tony by Tony Seltzer

200. Standing On Business by Skilla Baby

201. I Can’t Make This Shit Up by Shaudy Kash

202. Rookie Of The Year by Lil Eazzyy

203. Secret Wars by Raz Fresco & Dibia$e

204. Famili 2 by RU$H & JayNiCE

205. The Quiet Life 2 by Fresh Daily

206. Dum and Dummer 2 by Young Dolph [R.I.P.!] & Key Glock

207. Gold Mouf by Lute

208. Soul Trap by Tree

209. Not Dead yet! by Lou From Paradise

210. Play 2 Win by G Perico

211. Just Because 2 by Damjonboi

212. Good Product by Koncept Jack$on & Bane Capital

214. Wreckage Manner by Styles P & Havoc

215. Welcome To Beecher by YSR Gramz

216. Dirty Designer by dj lucas, subjxct & Papo2oo4

217. Heavy Is The Head by Ransom & Big Ghost Ltd

218. Xenophon by Theravada

219. HOFFA by Dave East & Harry Fraud

220. Heatin’ Up by Li Heat

221. Gzus Haze by Gzus Piece & Jae Haze

222. Pressure by Big Jade

222. My Name is 2 by 2

223. Clan Virus 2 by BlueBucksClan

224. Block Work by Milano Constantine & Dj Swet

225. Like Yay by Big Yavo

***Honorable Mentions (all of these artists released great work in 2021 that deserves more recognition...but I felt that a list of 225 albums was already a bit much) - in no particular order***:

Best rap albums: harvey_dug, Key Glock, Starker & Al.Divino, CRIMEAPPLE, Dt Blanco, Sauce Walka, FLEE, Skunkz, Kareem Idris & Ohbliv, Ralfy The Plug, Baby Keem, UFO Fev, Cise Greeny, YOUNG SLO-BE, DijahSB, Dave, Quadry, tony tone, Elcamino, Papoose, RU$H, Lucki, LPB Poody, Jae Skeese, Cee Gee, Rxk Nephew, Bobby Fishscale, Pharoahe Monch & Th1rt3en, VRN Hayes, Tony Shhnow, LordMobb, Pooh Sheisty, Recognize Ali, Flee Lord, Curren$y (he’s already on the above list but the 40 other dope tapes that he dropped this year also warrant another shout-out), Plex Diamonds, Monday Night & Russo Beats, Big Scarr, Cash Kidd, All-star Jr., Agallah, Larry June, Young Dolph, Sidestreet Capo & Shooterz Musik, Wrecking Crew, EkillaOffDaBlock, Surf Gang, Wavy Da Gawd, Blaq Kush / URBVN ARCHITECTS, Kai Fortyfive, Flee Lord, Planet Asia (he had several dope releases), Big Twins, Styles P, Ponae, Duke Deuce, Solemn Brigham, NA$TY, CRUZIN, Lewis Parker, Marv Won, CEO Trayle, aasir, Zaytoven, Tedy Andreas, Roadrunner Glockboyz, T.F, Xanman, Udababy, Trapland Pat, god’s kitchen 1984, Saga, Don Perrion, Nuk, Marcellus, Young Crazy, Neek The Exotic & Large Professor, NAPPYNAPPA, G Herbo, CHASETHEMONEY, Dat Boi Vic, Teejayx6 & Lex Luger, Lil CJ KASINO, Rollin Ajay, Tafia, Beneficience, K.J., Toney Boi, Baby Money, Bronze Nazareth, 22gz, Migos, Bobby Sessions, D Smoke, BVNGS, YN Jay, Mickey Factz, KrispyLife Kidd, Bub Rock, Daboii, Mirtaw, Moneybagg Yo, doof & NCL-TM, MoneyMonk, D Flowers & Deebaby, Fatboi Sharif, Fatboyshaun & Trox, and many, many more...

If you made it this far you’re a hero and a hip-hop head of fine taste. Thanks & peace to all. 🙏