The world didn’t end last week. If it had, though, at least we would have gone out with a good soundtrack.
2012 was the best year for hip-hop in recent memory, with dozens of promising debut records, career-redefining turnarounds from veteran MCs, and – rarest of all – major-label joints from underground cats that lived up to the artists’ early promise. Not since OutKast’s last record has the widely-acknowledged best album of the year also been one of its best-selling ones. Everyone from old-school purists to art-rap hipsters – even mainstreamers who only listen to rap on Top 40 radio – can appreciate something on this list.
But y’all want me to get to the point already. Well then, to quote Trinidad James, “lemme give yo’ ass a checklist:”
25. 2 Chainz – “Based On A T.R.U. Story” (Def Jam)
“Drinking champagne on an airplane.” “Bury me inside the Gucci store.” “She got a big booty, so I call her ‘big booty’.” Say what you will about The Artist Formerly Known As Tity Boi, it’s impossible to deny that 2 Chainz was the most-quoted MC of 2012. A surprisingly consistent album laced with psycho-circus beats by Mike Will Made It, DJ Mustard, and Bangladesh, “Based On A T.R.U. Story” found the Hair Weave Killa taking over from Lil’ Wayne as hip-hop’s new clown prince. No lie.
24. Open Mike Eagle – “4NML HSPTL” (Fake Four Inc.)
LA’s Hellfyre Club has been on fire recently, with crew members Nocando, Busdriver, and Intuition all dropping worthy LPs. Open Mike Eagle, the group’s most self-aware and soft-spoken member, might have released the best album of the bunch this year with this collection of neurotic electro-rap jams that shout out everything from G.I. Joe’s Cobra Commander and Aqua Teen Hunger Force to nerd-rockers They Might Be Giants and Weezer. On previous releases, Mike Eagle tended to sound a bit too relaxed, but on “4NML HSPTL” he’s in beast mode, delivering pissed-off art-hop rants against student debt and rappers covering up their “back pack pasts” alongside an all-star cast of featured MCs including Has-Lo, Nocando, and an especially manic Danny Brown.
23. Rapsody – “The Idea of Beautiful” (Jamla)
Nicki Minaj, for better or worse, has made 2012 perhaps the most visible year for female MCs since the glory days of Monie Love and Ms. Melodie. Rapsody, 9th Wonder’s newest protégé, might not have much crossover appeal to fans of the Harajuku Barbie, but true-school heads should all appreciate her debut LP, which is filled with the kind of nostalgic backpack jams that Little Brother and Common used to come out with on the regular. While many new-school female MCs seem to prioritize an outrageous personal style over lyricism or mic technique, Rapsody keeps it real without any gimmicks or stunts.
22. G.O.O.D. Music – “Cruel Summer” (G.O.O.D. / Def Jam)
The more Kanye West achieves, the more he needs to outdo himself on his next project. Hot on the heels of ‘Ye and Jay-Z’s grandiose magnum opus “Watch The Throne,” this soundtrack to a seven-screen epic about swagged-out Arabian car thieves (or something) takes things to another level with ostentatious club-rap beats and lyrics about envying Mitt Romney’s tax rate. “Cruel Summer” plays like a who’s-who of 2012’s breakout stars, from Big Sean to 2 Chainz to Hit-Boy, and Kanye’s own verses prove he’s still the smartest asshole in the room.
21. Mr. MFN eXquire – “Power & Passion” (Universal Republic) / “The Man In The High Castle” (Self-released)
Signed to Universal in 2012’s wave of major labels looking for the next A$AP Mob, Mr. MFN eXquire (now rocking a less obscene nickname) may drop back to the indies soon – especially after leaking his own “The Man In The High Castle” project for free, against his label’s orders. Whatever happens to him, eX has used his major-label budget to make a couple of 2012’s most engaging tapes, showcasing rock-solid production from El-P and others, and undeniable singles including ‘The Message Pts. 1&2’ and the Gucci Mane-featuring ‘Telephuck.’
20. Chief Keef – “Finally Rich” (GBE/Interscope)
Chicago’s most swagged-out juvenile delinquent had that shit I did like in 2012, with probably the hardest record a rapper’s ever made in their grandma’s house. While the G.O.O.D. Music remix of ‘I Don’t Like’ (not nearly as brutally efficient as the version on “Finally Rich”) put Keef on the map, his debut LP shows a softer side to drill music’s flagbearer. Sing-along-able tracks like ‘Kay Kay’ and ‘Love Sosa’ reveal that deep down, the Chief might just be another good kid in America’s maadest city, while ‘Laughing to the Bank’ is the kind of insouciant assholery that only a teenager could pull off. The last-minute guest features are good on average – for every weed-rap-by-numbers Wiz Khalifa verse, we get a revitalized 50 Cent and a thug-motivated Jeezy.
19. Frank Ocean – “channel ORANGE” (Def Jam)
Enough’s been written online about Frank Ocean’s honesty, his bravery, and his appropriateness as a role model for our times that folks forget to talk about the songs on “channel ORANGE” themselves. But they’re incredible songs – some of the most forward-thinking R&B since Timbaland was producing for Aaliyah. Though some have criticized Ocean for his somewhat limited voice, it fits perfectly over epic, cinematic future bass&B instrumentals like ‘Pyramids.’ Perhaps “channel ORANGE”‘s greatest achievement – since this is a hip-hop blog after all – is showcasing one of André 3000’s quietly brilliant, disappointingly rare verses on the album’s concluding statement ‘Pink Matter.’
18. Freddie Gibbs – “Baby Face Killa” (CTE)
Since linking up with Jeezy’s Corporate Thugz Entertainment in 2011, Gangsta Gibbs has smoothed out his “midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik” on a more Southern playalistic tip. “Baby Face Killa” proves that the pride of Gary, Indiana is still pound-for-pound the most versatile MC in the game right now, demonstrating every one of his many flows over screwed-up crunk beats that will, like his CEO before him, make the dope boys go crazy.
17. Ab-Soul – “Control System” (Top Dawg)
If Kendrick Lamar is the Black Hippy crew’s youthful idealist, Jay Rock the world-weary street soldier, and ScHoolboy Q the wild-eyed rock star, Ab-Soul is the mastermind standing in the shadows, sizing up everyone’s next move. The LA rapper’s “Control System” LP is a paranoid trip through conspiracy theories, dystopian ghetto snapshots, and the kind of fuck-the-world anthems that celebrate balling out when you know your back’s against the wall. On the brilliant ‘Terrorist Threats,’ featuring a laser-focused Danny Brown verse, Ab-Soul lyrically dissects the new world order and concludes that he might as well form his own secret society. Hip-hop’s morbid fascination with global conspiracies is widespread, and Internet MCs are quick to claim cult membership for anyone they deem to have sold out (“they say he gettin’ money, must be Illuminati”). On that level, “Control System” succeeds at metaphorically transforming Illuminati theories into a dogged celebration of the underground, even as Ab-Soul and his crew are set to blow up in 2013.
16. Gunplay – “601 & Snort” / “Bogota Rich” (Maybach Music Group)
Don’t go to sleep – Gunplay will come and get you. After years on the sidelines as part of Rick Ross’ Triple C’s clique, Gunplay’s 2012 mixtapes showcased the Miami rapper’s transformation into Jupiter Jack Daniels, the human L.A. Riot, rap’s larger-than-life boogeyman. Even without the dreads, comparisons to classic Busta Rhymes would be in order – on tracks like ‘Jump Out,’ ‘Bible on the Dash,’ and the N.W.A.-raw ‘Take This,’ Gunplay’s devil-may-care delivery and vicious sense of humor channel Bussa Bus at his best. Anyone writing Gunplay off as a drug-fueled spectacle couldn’t be more wrong – there’s a method to his madness, and “Bogota Rich” and “601 & Snort” are full of the self-confidence that comes when an MC gives himself the freedom to take his music to the extreme.
15. Sean Price – “Mic Tyson” (Duck Down)
Sean Price is not a nice guy. When he named his newest album he wasn’t thinking of the pudgy, Phil Collins-singing Tyson of The Hangover fame but the old-school Iron Mike known for chomping ears and terrifying generations of Super Punch-Out! players. On his first solo LP in five years, the Boot Camp Clik MC is just as liable to go Michael as ever – anyone looking for rap with R&B features, dance instructions, references to “swag” or emotional vulnerability should find another album to listen to. But if you’re looking for another dose of the Brownsville bully boom-bap beatdowns that Ruck has made his trademark, then you won’t be disappointed. P!
14. GrandeMarshall – “800” (Mixtape)
Wiz Khalifa may have left his mixtape roots behind for a first-class flight to watered-down pop-rap superstardom, but PA’s GrandeMarshall has picked up his everyman-stoner rap torch and run a few laps already. The 18-year-old has crafted a hypnotizing experience with “800,” full of repurposed neo-soul beats and a mixture of weed talk, light-hearted disses, and surprisingly mature reflections of growing up and coming up. In a perfect world, GrandeMarshall will be front and center on the next XXL Freshmen cover instead of Kirko Bangz or whichever major-label nobody will inevitably end up in his place.
13. Action Bronson – “Rare Chandeliers”
As our own Nazty Ned said so eloquently in his review of this tape in November,””Rare Chandeliers” will have you chuckling and choking on smoke, while you feel like an asshole.” “Rare Chandeliers” is grimey in every sense of the word, from the speaker-busting production (courtesy of The Alchemist), to Bronson’s casual dickishness on every track, to the blue-collar lyrics about food truck lunches, sponge baths and vomiting on the floor. Queens’ best-fed rapper has reason to be cocky as long as he keeps coming out with tapes like this one and this year’s also-dope “Blue Chips.”
12. Spoek Mathambo – “Father Creeper” (Sub Pop)
South Africa’s Spoek Mathambo has expanded his range since 2010’s excellent “Mshini Wam,” moving beyond that album’s squelching Afro-techno-rap to incorporate deeper beats as well as chaotic rock instrumentation. On “Father Creeper,” the multitalented artist raps, sings, chants, prays, and leads his band like a grungy, psychedelic Black Thought fronting an alternate-universe Roots crew. For those who say this doesn’t deserve to be on a best hip-hop album list, Spoek’s verses on ‘Put Some Red On It,’ an epic, twisted child-soldier family drama, should silence the haters.
11. Curren$y – “Priest Andretti” (Jet Life Recordings)
Curren$y Spitta has achieved a level of consistency on recent projects that other rappers should envy, regularly dropping blogger-approved stoner jewels, and “Priest Andretti” gives him the perfect backdrop for his affable luxury rap. Taking its name from the main character of “Superfly” and its samples from classic blaxploitation soundtracks, “Priest Andretti” features sumptuous production that compliments Spitta’s detail-obsessed lyrics like a gold pimp cane matches a mink suit. The tape’s retro aesthetic brings to mind Camp Lo’s classic “Uptown Saturday Night,” while tracks like the standout ‘Boss Dealings,’ ft. NYC lifers N.O.R.E. and Styles P, prove that classic East Coast Golden Age hip-hop can still be done well in the new millennium.
10. Bodega Bamz – “Strictly 4 My P.A.P.I.Z.” (Noisey/Tanboys/Fania)
Spanish Harlem’s Bamz might hang out in the bodega, but “Strictly 4 My P.A.P.I.Z.” is on some luxurious, second-half-of-Scarface shit. Rapping like ten overachieving French Montanas at the same damn time, the Tanboys crew chief has updated Big Pun’s barrio realism for the swagged-out 2010s over beats that would make Ricky Rozay grunt an appreciative “huh!” Featuring top-shelf guest appearances by Flatbush Zombies, A$AP Ferg, and other up-and-coming New Yorkers, “Strictly 4 My P.A.P.I.Z.” showcases Bamz enjoying his come-up while sounding hungrier than ever – maybe he should stock up on some extra Tastykakes and pork rinds next time he’s at the bodega.
9. ScHoolboy Q – “Habits & Contradictions” (Top Dawg)
Black Hippy’s most chaotic member’s second independent project makes as much of a case for major-label superstardom as Kendrick’s “section.80” did last year. Living up to its name, “Contradictions”‘ tracklist puts hardcore Crippin’ anthems (‘Raymond 1969’ and the snarling, ‘Niggas in Paris’-quoting ‘Nightmare on Figg St.’) alongside potential crossover club jams like ‘There He Go,’ ‘Druggys With Hoes Again,’ and the A$AP-featuring, Kid CuDi-sampling ‘Hands on the Wheel’ in a way that hasn’t been done since 50 first perfected the thug-in-da-club formula on “Get Rich or Die Tryin’.” Q has star power for days, a flow that jumps effortlessly from double-time to stilted, high-pitched threats, and some of the best producers around in his corner. This collection of tracks suggests even more successful experiments to come.
8. Joey Bada$$ – “1999” (Pro Era)
Joey Bada$$ is younger than Chief Keef, but he’s already a master of the dusty boom-bap sound that reached its peak popularity before he was even born. Over beats from J Dilla, Statik Selektah, and his own Pro Era crew that call to mind DJ Premier’s early ’90s hot streak, Bada$$ and a crew of like-minded classmates, including the late Capital STEEZ, make a convincing argument for bringing that real shit back ‘Fromdatomb$.’ In a year that’s given birth to dozens of obscure hip-hop subgenres, “1999” is the rare record that both OG backpackers and Mishka-rocking youngins can agree on.
7. Azealia Banks – “Fantasea” (Self-released)
Haters gonna hate on Azealia for her neon mermaid personal style, but play them any one of her hardbody rap tracks, from ‘Jumanji’ to the ubiquitous ‘212,’ and watch them shut the f**k up with a quickness. Azealia’s microphone skill is undeniable, and most of “Fantasea” features the Harlem MC outrapping Nicki Minaj over sleek house and moombahton-influenced beats that will pack dancefloors much faster than any of Harajuku Barbie’s grabs at Top 40 Dance Club play.
6. El-P – “Cancer 4 Cure” (Fat Possum)
It’s been a busy five years for El-P. The former Def Jux head has shut down his label, only to refocus himself on dozens of new projects with artists ranging from Killer Mike to Das Racist. His time outside of the insular Def Jux scene has made his production and flow more accessible since 2007’s “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead,” but no less uncompromising. Tracks like ‘For My Upstairs Neighbor (Mums the Word)’ still demonstrate El-Producto’s skill at crafting dystopian nightmare narratives, but the steadfast celebratory mood on some of the joints is new and unexpected – ‘Stay Down’ sounds almost like a remake of ‘Lose Yourself’ for backpacker types.
5. Roc Marciano – “Reloaded” (Decon)
In a year when seemingly every record had to be bigger, more expensive, and more bombastic than the last (looking at you, Kanye), Roc Marciano made one of the year’s most hypnotizing albums by keeping it simple. On “Reloaded,” the Long Island spitter slowed down his flow and stepped up his storytelling, blessing the record’s hazy, blunted beats with NYC street tales that are at once reflective and menacing.
4. Future – “Pluto” (A1/FreeBandz/Epic)
It was easy to dismiss Future at first. Didn’t he know Auto-Tune’s been dead at least since Weezy started making rock albums? But “Pluto” is more than worth a listen – tracks like ‘Turn on the Lights,’ ‘Magic,’ ‘You Deserve It,’ and ‘Neva End’ are mutant R&B anthems that are just as weird and emotionally resonant as anything else Future’s Dungeon Family bredrin have made. This is the kind of “808 & Heartbreak” music that Kanye only hinted at – the Autotune brings out all the cracks and rawness in Future’s voice, while the tracks bump in the club, thanks to some of Mike Will Made It’s best beats.
3. Nas – “Life Is Good” (Def Jam)
We all knew something was up when ‘Nasty’ dropped in late 2011. After years of half-baked collaborations and albums (like 2008’s “Untitled”) that started out with promising concepts but ended up watered-down by weak production and R&B features, the single found Nas spitting like a teenager again over boom-bap breaks, re-energized and confident in his middle age. When “Life Is Good” dropped in June, it lived up to that promise and more, finding Nas at once revisiting his classic Golden Age flow while speaking with new perspective and focus about some of the most mature themes of his career, including his divorce from Kelis and his struggle to raise his children right. As hip-hop enters its fourth decade, “Life Is Good” will hopefully set an example for other rap veterans on how to age gracefully.
2. Killer Mike – “R.A.P. Music” (Williams Street/Grand Hustle/Adult Swim)
Killer Mike has never been an MC to easily categorize, and his performances on the retro-futuristic “R.A.P. Music” are no exception. On the album’s El-P-produced twelve tracks, the Outkast colleague jumps back and forth from chain-snatching gangster talk (opening track ‘Big Beast’) to radical political theorizing (‘Untitled,’ ‘Reagan’) to the Slick Rick-esque storytelling of ‘JoJo’s Chillin’,’ all with a versatility that recalls the old days when rap was rap, before artists got boxed into limiting categories like ‘conscious,’ ‘gangsta,’ ‘political,’ etc. Much like Ice Cube in his prime, Schoolly D, or Tupac, Killer Mike has become a rapper who’ll run you for your jewels AND preach about the prison-industrial complex without any cognitive dissonance. What makes the album truly great, though, is how all of Mike’s lyrical stances fit in to the album’s overall message. As the undeniable title track proclaims, this album is a celebration of rap, in all its expressions, as the church and CNN of the streets, and as a life-saving form of self-expression.
1. Kendrick Lamar – “good kid, m.A.A.d city” (Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope)
Killer Mike and Nas’ records were both celebrations of hip-hop’s past and its continuing tradition. “good kid, m.A.A.d city” is the sound of hip-hop’s future. Kendrick’s major-label debut is even more than just a filterless collection of dope tracks, a tightly-composed concept album about temptation and redemption, or the best thing Dr. Dre has worked on this decade – it’s the story of a good kid, growing up young, gifted and black in the world hip-hop has helped to change over the last two decades. The comparisons to “Illmatic” are obvious, but “good kid” updates Nas’ coming-of-age story for the ’90s babies for whom hip-hop has always been pop music, telling how Kendrick and the homies would bump the new E-40 tape after school and dream of big ballin’ as rappers or robbers or however else. It’s the first major work of art to describe the moment when Nasty Nas went from being a dangerous young “rebel to America” to a role model for a new generation, and it’s realer and more poetic than any news report on explicit rap lyrics could ever be.
found this theme definitely engaging if we have some-more to study us about this theme greatfully post.