1/7/19
9:00 PM
2018 was a big year for rap fans and enthusiasts, from releases by aged veterans holding their crowns as well as up-and-coming artists on the rise. This year was definitely a historic mark for hiphop heads, from albums we’ve been expecting, the albums we were not expecting, to albums we’ve let down by, (talking to you Nas,)
To sum up the year the best way that I know how, here’s a list of my personal favorite Hip Hop and Rap albums of 2018.
10. Tha Carter V: Lil Wayne / Invasion of Privacy: Cardi B
lighter flick, inhale-
Of course we know that this means that Weezy F. Baby is indeed free, and he’s back with the fifth volume of the long lived and awaited Tha Carter series. After the triumphant resolution to his personal and musical ventures, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. delivers what seems to be his most mature and complete album to date. The four-year wait was well worth the while, as Wayne comes out of his dreaded chain of subpar releases. And it was probably best for everyone as early 2010’s was such a disappointing era of the “Best Rapper Alive’s” career, but truly in the case of Tha Carter V, Lil Wayne’s legacy is upheld by a solid album that makes you proud to ask the question, “You hear the new weezy album yet?”
2018 was huge for Cardi, her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy put Cardi on the map not only as one of the most successful female rappers, but also as one of the most notable musicians in history as it conquered the airwaves and the charts across the world. The raw energy and hype of Cardi’s music honestly just makes you want to move, her story as a former stripper working for ones to making millions only adds to the genuine nature of her music. Invasion of Privacy is probably one of, if not the funnest album of this year, and no matter how irritated you are of “Bodak Yellow,” … It really doesn’t matter because Cardi don’t dance now.
She make money moves.
9. iridescence: BROCKHAMPTON
Adhering to their latest album title, BROCKHAMPTON defies all pre-existing formulas of music and creates what seems to be a hodgepodge of sound, with more than ten current members and a few more within their past, each individual brings their own light to the record. BROCKHAMPTON continues to be a melting pot of cultural and musical backgrounds which make for a new wave of unidentifiable. The self proclaimed boy-band takes the listener on a roller coaster ride for the ears, where you have no idea where you are or where you are going. From raps to ballads(?), each track is incomparable from the previous and the next.
8. FM!: Vince Staples
Name me one other rapper right now who cares less than Vince Staples. Probably one of the realest rappers on this list, the North Long Beach native kicks fun at pretty much everyone and anyone, dropping what seems to be a summertime album— in the dead of winter… I’ll wait.
The 22 minute album does itself justice despite the short length, hopping from less serious matters to gang violence and death on the West coast in a matter of seconds.The album also featured a number notable artists like Earl Sweatshirt, Tyga, Jay Rock, but most importantly, E-40.
E-40 is in this album.
Oh, and also the beats are fire.
7. YSIV: Logic
Let’s forget about Logic’s ability to manipulate his flow and deliver quick, witty lines while still managing to pack in content for just a second, the fact that he managed to feature all the living members of the Wu-Tang Clan is logically madness. The second album by Logic to drop this year, YSIV felt like an evolution of his music as well as a returning point where he breaks away from the repetitive and perhaps even preachy nature of his message to step back to a more defiant and boisterous mindset. As a continuation of the Young Sinatra mixtape, the record successfully constructs a mix between jazzy elements and boom bap that puts Bobby Tarantino as one of the finest in the game.
6. Swimming: Mac Miller
Mac’s curtain call. I don’t know how to feel as I write about this album, as I listen to these songs, I wonder about the emotions that were involved in the makings of this album.
Incredibly relevant, forever peaceful, lyrics so written that the mind doesn’t sway from reality, coming a far way from where Mac started 11 years ago, seeing all that the musician and the man Malcolm McCormick has done and how many he’s influenced, this album means a lot.
Thanks, swim easy.
5. ASTROWORLD: Travis Scott
As a salute to the departed amusement park, Travis Scott pays his homage to his hometown with his third official studio album. And dare I say that ASTROWORLD is the most complete and solid trap album in the history of trap, 17 tracks at 58 minutes and not one second is wasted. Travis Scott’s drive for excellence is pretty admirable to say the least— the amount of content he puts out, the execution, and the production level of each song is anything but lacking, combine all of that and his product is unparalleled in its genre. The album sweetens the deal also by straying away from typical trap instrumentation and sounds to incorporate acoustic guitar among many other unique layers. Plus when you find out Mike Dean, John Mayer, and Stevie Wonder all chipped in for this album, you can’t really help but to put your hands up and scream like a little kid in an amusement park, hats off to you Mr. Scott.
4. Daytona: Pusha T
Another quick look into the hard knock life of King Push— the Cocaine Cowboy. All of Pusha T's untapped potential is put on display in Daytona. From start to finish, the gritty but often soulful production assembled by Kanye West brings out the best in of both artists, complimenting and completing the record into what favors to be the best work of the rapper’s 26-year long career. When you take to Pusha T’s snappy vocals and rigid wording, ingesting this album seems like something we have been expecting from him for awhile; after a couple seasons of let downs and some works that didn’t quite take us to hip hop excellence, arriving at Daytona seems like the end of a long trip.
Sorry Drake, looks like at the end of the year, Pusha T’s album was just a little bit better.
3. KOD: J. Cole
Homonymously titled for Kids on Drugs, King Overdose, and Kill Our Demons, KOD is an album dedicated to shine light on addictions; from drugs to emotions to materialistic outlooks, Cole and his alter ego kiLL Edward— who personifies his past attractions toward unhealthy coping mechanisms and failures to keep stable— bounce off each other as to show that the endeavor to break away from addiction is a continuing one.
As one of rap’s most eminent poets and lyricists, J. Cole illustrates an image with his words in this album to take a shot at the recent surge of Soundcloud rappers, many of whom oftentimes popularize drugs, sex, and money and the chase for hedonistic lifestyles. The Dreamville founder meanwhile stays substantially real, balancing musical stimulation with his continuing message of spreading love and empowerment to those who listen to his music as he holds his title as one of the greats in his era.
2. DiCaprio 2: J.I.D.
J.I.D. made things a lot harder by dropping DiCaprio 2 near the end of the year, climbing on the roster as the best rookie artist to have come out this year and even seems to be one of the best rappers active just after his second studio album. An all-rounder when it comes to his music— the abundance of punchlines, skillful delivery, and devilish rhythmical elements build up each track of this record. A sucker punch to the unsuspecting listener, you begin to wonder how much Jiddy Jid has left in store in his future works as you get swept away by this sudden onslaught of genius.
Honorable Mentions:
Room 25: Noname- I reckon this album is what it’s like to walk into a jazz bar in the 80’s and be greeted by a poet on stage who sang along to the band, it’s a nice change of pace.
ye: Kanye West- Controversial to the ends of the Earth, everything that Yeezy does seems to be ironic, yet sincere to a degree.
Pieces of a Man: Mick Jenkins- Reminds you of J.Dilla. Haven’t listened all the way yet, real excited to though. Just realized that everyone on honorable mentions so far is from Chicago.
NOIR: Smino- Put lo-fi under high energy vocals, get Smino’s Noir.
i am> i was: 21 Savage- “I make muder music— killer n**** music.” - 21 Savage
1. Care For Me: Saba
Originally this album was placed a little lower, (around 4th or 5th) but after thinking about this list, Care For Me started creeping higher and higher until I eventually settled it as the number one album I’d recommend to anyone for hip hop in 2018. It’s thoughtful, regret, complete, hope, lonely, reflective, bittersweet, it’s personal. The moving point of this incredibly narrative album is centered around the abrupt end to Saba’s unexpected relationship that he had formed with his cousin, lapsed by his death.
More so than hip hop or rap, this is a story that needs to be heard.
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Thanks for reading,
Happy New Year and here’s to another good year of music.
-Erik.
Full Playlist of albums below: