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DEHH Staff Writer Picks: Top 10 Albums Of 2017

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Terrence Sage (@SageTerrence)

1. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
2. PRETTY GIRLS LIKE TRAP MUSIC – 2 Chainz
3. AT WHAT COST – GoldLink
4. BIG FISH THEORY – Vince Staples
5. SATURATION 2 – Brockhampton
6. ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADASS – Joey Bada$$
7. 7 DAYS – Krept & Konan
8. CTRL – SZA
9. THE NEVER STORY – J.I.D
10. 4 EVA IS A MIGHTY LONG TIME – Big Krit

This year sucked but we had music to fall back on, so that counts for something right? 2017 was
filled with solid projects across the board and allowed me to get outside of my comfort zone
thanks to the projects I’m listing and beyond that. Whether you played DAMN backwards or
forwards Kendrick Lamar delivered on another solid project with visuals steadily dropping as
the year went on with all of them touching on their respective subjects profoundly. 2 Chainz,
Big Krit, and J.I.D all receptively put on for the South this year in major ways across the board.
2 Chainz made us all understand Pretty Girls Like Trap Music and with his pink trap house we
got an album that goes all around Atlanta with an energy that only Chainz can call upon. Big
Krit’s album 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time was indeed a long time coming but both volumes to
the project let it be known that Krit had a lot left to say. I was actually very late to the J.I.D hype
train but better late than never because his debut The Never Story was one of the most
promising and best debuts of the year. The rest of my entries for Albums of the Year got creative
and personal as far as the artists go, Vince Staples with Big Fish Theory challenged listeners
with his distinct take and beat that paid off well in my opinion. Saturation 2 from the Boy Band
Brockhampton was the greatest part in their trilogy of albums and with At What Cost people FINALLY started paying attention to GoldLink!

Ashley Clayton (@onlyashleecee)

1. [4:44] – Jay-Z
2. Trip – Jhene Aiko
3. DAMN – Kendrick Lamar
4. SweetSexySavage – Kehlani
5. Pretty Girls Like Trap Music -2 Chainz
6. At What Cost – Goldlink
7. 4eva is a Mighty Long Time -Big Krit
8. Queen Elizabitch – CupcakKe
9. Ctrl – SZA
10. Captain California -Murs

Honorable Mention:

More Life – Drake
Flower Boy- Tyler The Creator
Rap Album Two – Jonwayne
Rapsody Laila’s Wisdom

Let’s call 2017 what it was. The year for women in music. Yes, men were making bangers but women were the true game changers here. Not only were we given an amazing gem of a track in Bodak Yellow by Cardi B but there were amazing albums released by quite a few talented women. Cupcakke gave us Queen Elizabitch this year an album that was as sexually explicit as it was feminist. Kehlani and Jhene Aiko both gave us albums that allowed us to walk through their hurt and experience recovery from heartbreaks. Jhene’s album in particular came out when no one expected but is definitely worth every bit of attention it garnered. Furthermore, SZA gave us some of the most popular R&B tracks of the year off of her debut album Ctrl like Doves in the Wind and The Weekend.

While women were the big hitters in music last year men were still making waves with music just as emotionally stimulating and vulnerable. Jay-Z gave us the gift of [4:44] an album that allowed us to see a more emotionally mature and grown man. He allowed us to see more Shawn Carter and less Jigga. Then we have Murs and Goldlink who both released albums that I honestly didn’t expect to love but have now been played more times in my household than anything else. We definitely can’t forget about Kendrick Lamar with his critically acclaimed album DAMN. Once again K.Dot showed us why he is one of the greatest storytellers of our generation.

Hip hop in 2017 reminded us that through every dark hour there is a bit of light. Each album on my list gives an insight into the artists mind and allowed us a deeper look at who they are. As we proceed with 2018 I’m hoping that artists continue this trend of letting us into who they are and not just club bangers. Turning up is great but providing mentally stimulating music is even better.

Jake Milgate (@milfence)

1. [4:44] – JAY-Z
2. IWASVERYBAD – IDK
3. ROME – Armand Hammer
4. Rap Album Two – Jonwayne
5. Atychiphobia: The Higher High – Gracy Hopkins
6. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
7. 4eva is a Mighty Long Time – Big K.R.I.T.
8. Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?! – Milo
9. Rosebudd’s Revenge – Roc Marciano
10. or more: the anxious – Mick Jenkins

Overall, this was another excellent year for hip-hop. Making my list was insanely difficult. But, somehow, I managed to trim down the insane amount of music I listened to into 10 projects. Mick Jenkins showed flashes of his vintage self and manifested it into a very eerie and moving EP/mixtape. Roc Marciano continues to provide his unique low-key, yet lavish, rhymes over relaxed pimptastic production. Milo is so goddamn poetic I could literally just listen to his voice on repeat. Fortunately there was so gorgeous production to go along with his words. Big K.R.I.T. dropped his greatest album yet. Period. Kendrick Lamar continues to surprise and bewilder me…and even with a trendier sounding album, he still absolutely kills it and provides his own unique take on it. Gracy Hopkins was the biggest surprise for me this year. Never heard of him prior to this album. This French-Canadian rapper provides unique insight into his personal self through 7 tracks all named after phobias. Very creative, and very focused. Excellent. Rap Album Two was easily the most emotional album I listened to this year. Absolutely heart-wrenching…a lot of the tracks hit home for me. He’s just as talented an MC as he is a producer. ROME is a dark, apocalyptic take on the current state of our society…and it absolutely floored me. ELUCID and Billy Woods are sharp-tongued as ever, and provide excellent, well-crafted lyrics over some very diabolical beats. IDK just keeps improving and improving every year and it’s been a thrill watching him rise to the top. This is his best work yet, lyrically and sonically. All types of sounds on this. Everyone can enjoy at least one track on here. Finally we have [4:44] by JAY-Z. I thoroughly enjoyed and replayed this album more than any hip-hop project this year…and this is coming from a guy who’s never been fond of JAY-Z. No I.D. knocked it out of the f*cking park with the production on this. But what was even more impressive was JAY-Z himself. He was much more personal than usual, and lyrically sharper than he’s been in years. He and No I.D. meshed perfectly and made a masterpiece.

I.S Jones (@isjonespoetry)

1. CTRL – SZA
2. Saturation II: Brockhampton
3. PALOMA BEACH: KOTA the friend
4. TEEN NIGHT AT THE EMPIRE: Latasha Alcindor
5. At what cost: GoldLink
6. scumfuck flower boy: Tyler, The Creator
7. Intimacy: Floreyyyyy
8. Pretty Girls Like Trap – 2 Chainz
9. DAMN: Kendrick Lamar
10. Big Fish Theory – Vince Staples


Tyler, The Creator has been banned from two different countries for his lyrics inciting violence. Feminist groups have mobilized against him, and yet I loved this album. Scum Fuck Flower boy is tender, sincere, and even a bit apologetic. It doesn’t negate the violence he’s incited between his fan base, but for a moment his actions are granted clarity. He incites violence because of his internal struggle with missed connections and unrequited love. He built a career on homophobic lyrics, perhaps, because he’s been trying to come out for years no one will believe in. This stunning, honest rebirth into Tyler’s interior landscape.

The soundtrack to my sordid love life, moments of doubt, insecurity, nostalgia, the audacity of youth is complemented with lonely electric riffs, synth beats, melancholic cymbals (in Drew Barrymore), SZA’s brilliant collection of sounds translates the story of a girl coming into her own, owning her sexual autonomy, remarking on how convoluted dating has become in the era of social media (a nod to the cover of broken electronics SZA sits in the foreground of).

My brother brought Brockampton into my life just when Saturation I dropped. After that I was hooked and tickled by their presentation: a collective of artists, which seemed to be pushing against toxic masculinity by just being themselves. How one’s music comes into the spotlight sets the tone for the rest of their career, and the All-American Boy Band from L.A. is it. Brockhampton’s confidence, irreverence, hyper beats, complimented with audacious lyrics (Why you always rap about bein’ gay? / ‘Cause not enough niggas rappin’ be gay). As a queer women, it felt good to see Kevin Abstract become accepted so quickly in a space that is dominated by the hetero-male narrative. Long life Brockhampton

 Not-so-newcomer to the rap game KOTA the Friend returns from “Palm Tree Liquor” with his sophomore album “Paloma Beach”. The Brooklyn-based, California-hearted rapper made me nostalgic for those long drives down the 405. KOTA effortlessly creates a dreamy landscape against the backdrop of isolation, depression, reflection on his career thus far. What I love about KOTA the Friend is his fans and how dedicated to seeing him succeed. I hope for a long and fruitful career for this rising star.

 In 2017, it was hard to have a conversation about emerging women rappers without talking about Latasha Alcindor or L.A. There is a self-assurance in effortless ability to bob and weave between whole genres of music between the tracks. Sampling darling hits like “Flava In Ya Ear”, “Heads High” and other party classics, L.A.’s lyrical dexterity is simply unmatched. Sometimes I get discouraged that as time progresses the door for women to succeed in hip-hop is getting narrow every year, but miracles in the making happen. A hard-worker such as herself is the future of this genre. Don’t sleep or you’ll miss her. She’s a comet and we should be lucky to catch her on her flight.

I think I may speak for some when I said I didn’t expect an album of this caliber from a rapper who once named himself Tity Boi. “Pretty Girls Like Trap” is a culmination of 2 Chainz’s patience and learning. From casual club bangers, music suited for yacht and velvet-roped off lounges, 2 Chainz finally grew into a rapper even non-believers want to root for. I never thought I would care about a 2 Chainz album much less have it on repeat impressed by his growth.

Undoubtedly, GoldLink is a child of the game. Originating from D.C., a region not exactly known for its impact on hip hop, the rapper doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but created his own. “Future bounce” as the emerging rapper has coined it, is like “redefining music”. Staying true to his D.C. roots of go-go music and funk, I enjoyed “At What Cost” because every track was rich and firm in its delivery. “Crew” has become my theme song if I owned a red fur coat. I’m so delighted to welcome this new rapper to the fold.

While I’m not the first person to dub the name “Sunshine Rap”, I think it’s important that joy for the sake of joy can be appreciated in hip-hop. Yes, this genre is for those who struggled and sacrifice and overcame remarkable adversity to stand on the mountaintop, but sometimes I want that bubbly tenderness of summertime when I was a teenager going to the park with my friends. Sometimes I want good vibes and a light head. Sometimes I want that from hip-hop. Anthony Floreyyyy, or just Floreyyyy, is a 18 year old living Nevada, and while I’m excited to hear more about him, I’m enjoying the music.

Vince Staples’ Big Fish Theory is what happens when a kid grew up on a diet of funk, punk rock, disco, and finally got past the so-called “Golden Age of Rap”. His music makes me nostalgic for the roller-rink nights I never experienced as a child.

Finally, what is there left to say for the giant who walks among mortals? Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN allowed us a passport into a mind at war with itself. A palindrome album (a word, poem or body of work which make sense forwards and backwards) is the style Kendrick uses to give us a glimmer into the rap’s turmoil. Despite the conflict, rage, disillusion, there are moments of love and true self-discovery. Overeager fans dub this his “worst album”, but people don’t give Kendrick space to be a deeply flawed human, which is what he is. We love Kendrick because an exceptional story-teller. He has a vision only he can see and we should be honored that he let’s us along for the ride.

 

Vince Staples: “Big Fish Theory” [Album Review] by @MILFENCE

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Long Beach rapper, Vince Staples, has really made a name for himself, and has also carved out his own creative lane in hip-hop. Staples really caught peoples’ eyes with his EP, Hell Can Wait, and since then has gone on to release two critically acclaimed projects in his studio album, Summertime ’06, and his EP that followed, Prima Donna. His dark, interestingly different West-Coast sound, along with his unapologetic lyricism has really made Vince a “staple” in hip-hop. Now, Vince has presented us with a new studio album in Big Fish Theory. On the surface, the album is already vastly different from his last album, hosting only twelve tracks compared to Summertime ’06‘s twenty. A short tracklist can be a double-edged sword. While shorter albums tend to have more focused, quality tracks, there also leaves very little room for error. However, digging into Big Fish Theory was quite the trip. On Big Fish Theory, Vince expands on his unique sound and elaborates on concepts brought up on his last few projects.

There are many talking points to go off for this project. One of the first I would like to address is the title. Big Fish Theory can certainly be interpreted in many ways. One of the more talked about interpretations is the idea that a fish can only grow as big as it’s tank. Therefore, the tank is a metaphor for Long Beach/Ramona Park and the fish is a metaphor for Vince, or on a larger scale, African-Americans who are born into the projects and have very limited room to grow as people due to drugs, violence, etc. Another interpretation that I thought of while listening to this album is the idea that the “big fish” could be representing Vince, and the fact that he believes he is at the top of the food chain in hip-hop and life and general, and no matter what box you put him in, he will rise to the top and be the one running the show (or his own show for that matter). This theory would also align with the “Crabs In A Bucket” metaphor, which is also the first track on the album. “Crabs In A Bucket” refers to the action of crabs climbing over each other in a bucket to escape their demise, leaving other weaker crabs at the bottom. This is most likely how Vince sees himself coming from Ramona Park, or how he sees himself in hip-hop.

But enough about the concepts and theories. Let’s talk about this music. Because it’s some of Vince’s best.

The next talking point I’d like to address is the production…….because it’s pretty insane. Majority of it is handled by LA producer, Zack Sekoff and boy did he handle it well. Sekoff’s mix of electronic, house influence fits perfectly with Vince’s tone, and brings the LA flavor of his music to life. And I mean LIFE. Sekoff’s instrumentals are vibrant and full of energy. Get familiar with this guy and check out his remix of Thundercat‘s, “Them Changes”.

Right? Pretty damn good. Two of my favorites on this album “Homage” and “Party People” were produced by Sekoff. Two other beats on this album I feel I need to point out are the one’s on “Samo” and “Yeah Right” (yes, we’ll talk about the Kendrick verse in a second, hold your horses). “Samo” and “Yeah Right” are produced by Sophie, an electronic producer out of London. I had no idea who this dude was before this album, but from the bottom of my heart I thank him for blessing us with these bangers. These beats are border-line industrial level hard, and will more than likely ruin your subs if you turn the volume up too loud.

I also wanna discuss Vince’s subject matter on this project, which seems to follow suit from his recent project, Prima Donna. Vince talks about the struggles of being a celebrity, a culture he is not used to being apart of. “Party People” in particular highlights this. Vince discusses his own anxiety on this song, something he is much more aware of because of his sobriety and upbringing. This is expressed in the lyric: “How I’m supposed to have a good time when death & destruction’s all I see?” It’s an interesting combination of emotions, considering the track’s high energy and party appeal. However, Vince isn’t afraid to express some braggadocio, like on the track “Yeah Right”. On this track, Vince mocks the common tropes of modern day hip-hop (cars, jewelry, etc). A potent guest verse from Kendrick Lamar also helps get the point across. He viciously ends his verse with:

“I said, nigga, yeah right, I don’t fair fight but I bear fight, lookin for my next roadkill for the headlight, hangin on my last four kills for the highlights, my life, hiii life, high five, bye-bye.”

Big Fish Theory was quite the thrill ride. Featuring some of of the most unique production I’ve heard all year, along with Vince Staples’ unapologetic and honest lyricism, Big Fish Theory makes for one of the most creative West-Coast hip-hop albums I’ve ever heard.

 

Grade: A-

Vince Staples And Danny Brown To Join Tour With Gorillaz

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gorillaz tour

Being featured on an album is one thing, but joining a tour generates a whole new level of excitement. Danny Brown and Vince Staples are joining Gorillaz in their latest tour for their latest album, Humanz. Vince Staples was featured on “Ascension,” which was first released as a single for Humanz. Danny Brown was also featured on the album alongside Kelela in the track “Submission.”

This news increases the magnitude of this tour, as Gorillaz haven’t graced any venues in the colonies for seven years, meaning there are a lot of happy Yankees snatching up tickets. Danny and Vince will be opening for the virtual band on certain North American tour dates, and also for the Demon Dayz Festival in England. According to Pitchfork, Vince will first join the tour on July 10 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, then Danny will rendezvous with the whole crew on July 17 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Hey, that’s near me! Maybe all this big news is turning me wild, but Vince’s upcoming album Big Fish Theory is scheduled to release on June 23, so do you think maybe he’ll do any new stuff on this tour?

Although this will be an international marathon of a tour, Gorillaz posted a list of North American tour dates because they know many Americans are intimidated by anything across the Atlantic. Help yourself to a full list of tour dates on the official website.

Vince Staples Drops “Big Fish” Music Video + Album Release Date?

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Image result for vince staples big fish

A while back, Long Beach rapper, Vince Staples, announced the title of his upcoming LP: Big Fish Theory. A few days ago, Staples tweeted out “Friday 12 AM” (May 19th) along with the cover art for the presumed project. We of course assume this to be the release date of his project. Today, Staples released a new song entitled “Big Fish”, along with a music video. The video depicts Staples stranded on a boat, rapping alongside a bouncy, West-Coast flavored beat. You can even hear Juicy J on the hook.

Expectations are high for Vince after coming off his last LP, Summertime ’06, and more recently his EP, Prima Donna, both of which received critical acclaim. I think it’s safe to say that everyone is excited to see what Vince Staples has in store for us. Friday couldn’t come sooner. Check out the music video below.

Who Cares? Shane George’s Favorites Of 2013

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The following lists are strictly ranked based on personal enjoyment. Nothing else.

Top 10 Hip Hop Albums of 2013

Because the Internet

10. Because the Internet – Childish Gambino

Admittedly, Because the Internet by Childish Gambino is his first release that I have actually enjoyed. I have failed to see the appeal to the actor/writer/comedian/rapper extraordinaire’s music but his December release has gotten plenty of spins. Since it has just come out this month, I have had a lot of trouble ranking it in my list. Last year, Big Boi’s Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors was ranked 5th on my list and in hindsight, that was a huge error. As a result, I am going to safely place this one at 10th because it is hard to contrast it with albums that I have had months to sit with.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Zealots of Stockholm”, “3005”, “Sweatpants”, “Shadows”, “WORDLSTAR”, “Pink Toes”, “Crawl”

DEHH Video Review

Indicud

9. Indicud – Kid Cudi

When I first heard this album, I was extremely underwhelmed. As a semi Kid Cudi stan, it was unfathomable to me to make a top ten list of albums for a year that did not include a Kid Cudi release (if he had released an album that year). After some time and research, Indicud really grew on me. The main problem with this album is that the low points are as rock bottom as the bottom of a well but there are some great high points. I was also lucky enough to see Cudder perform most of his album live when he came to Toronto and that really helped me appreciate the album more. Check out my Kid Cudi concert review here. To a certain degree, another flaw to this album was the production. However, this serves as a silver lining on my outlook on the album because Kid Cudi actually produced the album himself. This serves as great news for any music he releases in the future as he is sure to improve on his beat-making skills as time goes by.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Just What I Am”, “Immortal”, “Unfuckwittable”, “Lord of the Sad and Lonely”, “Brother”s, “Solo Dolo Pt. II”, “Young Lady”

DEHH Video Review

Yeezus

8. Yeezus – Kanye West

As much as I hate his antics of late, the infamous Kanye West’s discography has to be one of my favorites in all of hip hop. In 2008, he released 808s and Heartbreaks and it wouldn’t be until three years later that I actually came around to it. I was not going to let the same thing happen again with Yeezus. Upon first listen, I was impressed but had no intention to return to the self-proclaimed genius’s 2013 release, however, I made sure to give it a couple more spins a couple weeks later to really be able to take it in. Ignoring the obvious Death Grips influence, Yeezus is definitely a radical album that is sure to push the boundaries or hip hop, especially production-wise. Seeing his live show in Toronto definitely helped me appreciate this album even more.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Black Skinhead”, “New Slaves”, “Hold my Liquor”, “Bound 2”, “Guilt Trip”

DEHH Video Review

Wolf

7. Wolf – Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator’s Bastard completely blew me away when I had first heard it. Since then, I have become a huge Odd Future fan, mostly because I just love everything they represent. To their core, they’re a bunch of friends taking the rap world by storm and having so much fun doing it, all the while releasing some great music. His second album Goblin left me very unimpressed and my expectations for Wolf were very low. When I first heard it, however, there were a bunch of tracks that brought me back to Bastard. At the same time, he was still able to keep it fresh and original with top-notch production and a plethora of styles and tempos. Check out my concert review for Tyler, the Creator’s show in 2012 here.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Rusty”, “Pigs”, “Jamba”, “Tamale”, “Trashwang”, “Answer”, “Treehome95”, “Colossus”

DEHH Video Review

BetterOffDEAD

6. BetterOffDEAD – Flatbush Zombies

Flatbush Zombies really stepped up their game, especially if you compare their first release, D.R.U.G.S, to their most recent release, BetterOffDEAD. The consistently great production and variety of different sounding tracks really attracted me to this album. Admittedly, I am not a very huge fan of Juice, but Meech’s heavy and commanding verses in combination with The Architect’s relentless lyrical attacks more than make up for it. Add in some top-notch guest features and you have an album that gets the #6 spot on my list.

Tracks with four or five starts on my iTunes: “Death”, “222”, “Death 2”, “Nephilim”, “Regular and Complex (GNB)”, “Bliss”, “Live from Hell”, “Club Soda”

DEHH Video Review

Doris

5. Doris – Earl

After what felt like forever, Earl Sweatshirt finally released the follow up to his debut self-titled album. Doris really met the young Odd Future rapper’s huge expectations, in my opinion, after coming back from his highly publicized hiatus in Samoa. Earl really has a way with words as his rap verses can very well stand alone in a very poetic manner with or without a beat to accompany them. Similarly to Indicud, the low points on this album were very forgettable, but the songs that I enjoyed were some of my favorites of 2013. Once you can get past his monotone sounding voice, there is definitely a lot to like about Earl and Doris.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Centurion”, “Whoa”, “Sunday”, “Hive”, “Burgundy”, “Uncle Al”, “Chum”, “Guild”

DEHH Video Review

CZARFACE

4. CZARFACE – CZARFACE

Inspectah Deck from the legendary Wu Tang crew teamed up with 7L and Esoteric to form CZARFACE. 7L lays out some great beats for Esoteric and I.N.S. to absolutely ravage with their technically flawless verses. The album is filled with comic book references and surprisingly well-done hooks. Once the album starts, it never stops and it serves as the perfect definition of a “boom bap banger.”

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Poisonous Thoughts”, “Savagely Attack”, “Air ‘Em Out”, “Rock Beast”, “World War 4”

DEHH Video Review

Old

3. Old – Danny Brown

Danny Brown took the (internet) rap world by storm in 2012 with his release: XXX. He followed up with his highly anticipated album Old in the fourth quarter of 2013. The album was split into two separate parts, all the while sticking with an overall theme. Side A was more rap heavy and lyrical where Side B pleased his molly-loving rave fans. The album almost felt like two packaged into one, however, there was a strange sense of unity between the two sides. Packed with fun moments, deep concepts and numerous replayable tracks, Old easily cracked the top three of my favorite albums of 2013.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Smokin & Drinkin”, “Side B (Dope Song”), “Torture”, “Side A (Old)”, “Red 2 Go”, “Lonely”, “Clean Up”, “Wonderbread”, “Gremlins”, “Break It (Go)”

DEHH Video Review

Ghost in the Shell

2. Ghost in the Shell – Azizi Gibson

Ghost in the Shell by Brainfeeder rapper, Azizi Gibson, was easily my biggest surprise of 2013. The album was incredibly fun and appealed to me for so many reasons. I have explained most of the reasons of why I loved this album on my written review that was posted on the site earlier in the year. Look out for this guy in the future.

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: “Ghost in the Shell”, “Crunch Time”, “S.S.B. (100MPH)”, “PHC LA LA”, “Bass”, “Party Woman”, “Gold On Black”, “Burning Bridges”, “Last Kings (Outro”), “Good Morning Pimp”

Run The Jewels Cover

1. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels

Similarly to the Roots’ album, Undun,  in 2012, when I first heard Run the Jewels I instantly knew it would be my favorite album of the year. Killer Mike and El-P rap out of their goddamn minds on this album. On top of that, Producto’s beats bring the album together perfectly. Run the Jewels are all about making your favorite rapper seem like they make children’s music and having a lot of fun while doing it. After seeing them perform the album live at their show as well as hearing their recent track, I can’t really put into words how excited I am for their follow up to their debut album. Side Note: am I the only one that thinks that El-P outraps Killer Mike on this album?!

Tracks with four or five stars on my iTunes: Every. Single. Track.

DEHH Video Review

Honorable Mentions:

  • My Name is My Name – Pusha T
  • Stolen Youth – Vince Staples & Larry Fisherman
  • King Remembered in Time – Big KRIT
  • Watching Movies with the Sound Off – Mac Miller

Top 10 Hip Hop Verses of 2013

10. Whoa (2nd Verse) – Earl Feat. Tyler, the Creator

“Too pretentious, do pretend like he could lose with spitting
Steaming tubes of poop and twisted doobies full of euphemisms
Stupid, thought it up, jot it quick
Thaw it out, toss it right back like a vodka fifth”

9. Nosetalgia (2nd Verse) – Pusha T Feat. Kendrick Lamar

“He said ‘Son, how come you think you could be my connect?’
I said ‘Pops, your ass is washed up with all due respect’
He said ‘Well nigga, then show me how it all makes sense’
Go figure, mothafucka, every verse is a brick
Your son dope, nigga”

8. Sea Legs (1st Verse) – Run the Jewels (Killer Mike and El-P)

“On the lam in a hatchback blasting some rap shit, trying not to slam into traffic
With my feet on the wheel and my hands through the moon roof laughing
Let’s crash this
See the truth from the womb is a fool-proof plan to be doomed while the damned do they dances
So I move through the room like an animal fooling a master
But I don’t got love for the hand with the food, matter fact I am drooling at that shit
I don’t only bite but I’m rabid”

7. Hive (3rd Verse) – Earl Feat. Vince Staples

“If this was ’88, I would have signed to Ruthless
’94, would’ve had them walking down Death Row
First is when the best go, hate is what the rest do
Voice inside my head told me: ‘Wet ’em if they test you’
So it’s Raging Waters season”

6. Rusty (2nd Verse) – Tyler, the Creator Feat. Domo Genesis & Earl

“I’m harder than DJ Khaled playing the fucking quiet game
The fuck am I saying? Tyler’s not even a violent name
About as threatening as stained windbreakers in hurricanes
But he rapes women, and spit wrong, like he hates dentists
God damn menace, 666 and he’s not finished
And my shit’s missing, he hates women but loves kittens
See y’all niggas tripping, man”

5. Just What I Am (2nd Verse) – Kid Cudi Feat. King Chip

“But I can’t fold, some poor soul got it way worse
We’re all troubled in a world of trouble
It’s scary to have a kid walk this Earth
I’m what you made God, fuck yes I’m so odd”

4. Death (2nd Verse) – Flatbush Zombies (Juice, Meech and The Architect)

“Dunk from the free throw since I was spewed from the womb
Survival of the fittest, I ate my twin in the womb
And due to Robin Givens, I may never jump the broom
And while you pay for pussy I was out in Paid Dues
Stage diving, turned a couple thousand people to my pool”

3. Rage Is Back – J. Period Feat. Black Thought

“You deaf, dumb, and blind
I’m emphasized like I’m underlined
My definition is: I’m undefined
Cause I’m one of a kind, at the top of the line
At the top of the food chain when it come to the rhyme
And I’m cynical cause I’m at the pinnacle
Jokers is ridiculous, they the ones I ridicule”

2. Bird’s Eye View (3rd Verse) – Statik Selektah Feat. Joey Bada$$, Raekwon & Black Thought

“Who lose? If you really ain’t nobody till somebody love you
I say you ain’t nobody till they speaking highly of you
And what I’m sure you wouldn’t want is any kind of trouble
Unless you got a crash dummy or a body double
You got a couple homies down to catch a ‘homi’ for you
Well Imma fold niggas into origami for you”

1. Poisonous Thoughts (3rd Verse) – CZARFACE Feat. Mr. Muthafuckin’ Exquire

“Liquor all over my liver I’m still sippin’ it
Grab it, guzzle it down like I don’t give a shit
That’s how I fight back like, ‘Life, take that’
Right to the heart that’s why that shit be burning my chest
I invested in all the shit they sell you in
‘You’s a little man’, ‘Sky’s the limit’ all that other shit
Blah blah blah, get a tad older then it’s evident
That you gon’ settle in whatever job can help you pay the rent
Jimmy Olsen and the Super Friends”

Honorable Mentions:

  • Fragile (1st & 2nd Verse) – Tech N9ne Feat. Kendrick Lamar

Top 5 Non-Hip Hop Albums of 2013

Correct me if I am wrong, but I really feel like hip hop fans are usually confined to the one genre. It can be the most refreshing thing in the world to find an album that you really enjoy from another genre. If this applies to you, try out any of my favorite non-hip hop releases from 2013 to start out if you want to try listening to something new.

5. AM – Arctic Monkeys

4. Anything in Return – Toro Y Moi

3. Overgrown – James Blake

2. Holy Fire – Foals

1. Love in the Future – John Legend

Honorable Mentions:

  • …Like Clockwork – Queens of the Stoneage
  • Black Radio 2 – The Robert Glasper Experiment

 

The opinions and views expressed here are the opinions of the designated author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or views of any of the individual members of Dead End Hip Hop.