HUSTLE FAVS of 2020: Albums
Publications / Blogs / Media Outlets however they classify themselves are no stranger to ‘End of the Year’ lists; and while I normally stay away from my own ‘end of year’ rants and ‘best of’ lists mainly because it feels too much like homework to me. But if you’re reading this then you know 2020 has been quite the wild ride and I’m so goddam thankful and appreciative to be in good health and good spirits it’s only right I join in on the fun and list off a few of my favorite bodies of work that dropped this year.
My only criteria was if I thought the project slapped. No 5 mic criteria or ranking system; I didn’t open up an encyclepedia or do my googles on every project that was released and sift through half ass listens just to put something out I felt would bring closure to our year musically. This was simple; is the music good? did the rollout capture my attention? would I want to share this with a friend or stranger? for whatever the reason. There was no cap that I wanted
For consistency purposes I’ll try and give a brief ‘why this project made MY list’ blurb, and a few of my standout records from the project.
A WRITTEN TESTIMONY - JAY ELECTRONICA
Ghost of Soulja Slim
The Neverending Story
Fruits Of The Spirit
A.P.I.D.T.A
I think the window of peak anticipation on a Jay Elect project passed some time ago; but those who know understand the lyrical respect that he commands within our universe. I expected a complex album from a complex individual; and we got just that; however you look at the fact that he’s been able to essentially drop a rap duet with the GOAT; some view it as a crutch and easy way out; or the most Jay Electronica thing that Jay Elect could possibly do in having another emcee carry just as much weight. Others see it as the ultimate nod to ones pen to have Hov featured throughout his long awaited studio debut. All in all; well worthy of the Grammy nomination; we are always in for a treat when we hear the booming voice of Minister Farrakkauhn; well done, the hiatus was worth it.
RAP ‘N’ ROLL - DOM KENNEDY
Love Is Gangster
We Outta Here feat. TeeFLii
Raymond Washington
Saint Ermias
Life feat. 24hrs / Casey Veggies
I’m not sure if there is any one artist more deserving of their flowers while they can appreciate them than Dom Kennedy. A west coast staple and lowkey posterchild to rap independence; RAP’N’ROLL is undoubtedly my favorite solo release of his since THE YELLOW ALBUM. Most respects to how Dom + company runs their business; but I’ll save the thesis on leveraging Other Peoples Money for another time. Easy listening with powerful words; the spoken word flow may be an acquired tasted but I been rocking since ‘BEST AFTER BOBBY’ so we locked in.
AS THE WORLD TURNS - VON ALEXANDER
Positive Energy
Love
Light feat. Lucien Parker
For Whom the Bells Tolls
Tucked away in the hidden gem of the Midwest, is the rapper that should be in everybody’s personal rotation as we move into 2021; Milwaukee’s own Von Alexander released one of the most polished independent releases of the year in ‘AS THE WORLD TURNS’ it hosts the perfect blend of bounce, lyricism, and melodies and is the perfect starting point for you to get familiar with his catalog.
BURDEN OF PROOF - BENNY THE BUTCHER
Where Would I Go feat. Rick Ross
One Way Flight feat. Freddie Gibbs
Trade It All
War Paint feat. Westside Gunn
Legend
GRISELDA RECORDS is on a monumental run as far as rap collectives go. With every crew in Hip-Hop its important to be able to successfully do both of the following: 1) identify the best rapper of the crew 2) the best rapper drops the unquestioned best project out the crew. Benny did both with the release of ‘BURDEN OF PROOF’ solidifying himself as the #1 option for the hottest collective in the game. The marriage of nostalgic cocaine bars and passionate delivery make Benny an easy selection for my album of the year.
ALFREDO - FREDDIE GIBBS & THE ALCHEMIST
1985
Scottie Beam
Something to Rap About feat. Tyler the Creator
Babies & Fools feat. Conway the Machine
Freddie Gibbs in 2020 is Rap’s unanimous MVP; he seen his most commercial success to date, became a cultural icon simply by remaining the real n*gga his core following have always known him to be. Between inking a lucrative deal with Warner Records, single handedly getting DJ Akademiks the fuck outta here, he just seemed to turn every possible situation into a Freddie Gibbs W. His commentary was unmatched during the Jeezy v Gucci Mane versuz battle, the cyberbullying of LL Cool J is historic hip-hop humor. The ultimate icing on the cake is the GRAMMY nomination he and Alchemist deservingly received for ALFREDO. Gangsta Gibbs made himself rap royalty with his strongest release to date.
INCREDIBLE FEELING - MIKE REGAL
Incredible Feeling
Memory Lane
Celebration of Life
Originally from the Midwest; currently residing and creating on the West Coast; Mike Regal is a producer / rapper hybrid who’s mastered his own sound over the years. Consistent as an artist putting out a number of beat tapes as well as EP’s over the course of the year; INCREDIBLE FEELING easily held the most replay factor for me. If you had any love for the blog era circa 2010 - 2014 when the Cardo / Cool Kids sound was on top of the world then you’ll enjoy this tape from Mike Regal.
FLAMES BOND - Official Video
THE PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA - BOLDY JAMES
Carruth
Grey October feat. Evidence
Belvedere
Bernadines
I’m a big fan of ‘hand-to-hand’ transaction rap. When an artist can vividly paint pictures of the routes and muscle memory reactions that come with the lifestyle like Boldy James does; that is quite the execution. Boldy has put on for Detroit street culture for years it seems 2020 is the year he begins to receive his deserving flowers. He also recently inked a deal with Griselda Records so this should just be an indicator of more fire to come.
KING’S DISEASE - NAS
King’s Disease
Ultra Black feat. Hit-Boy
All Bad feat. Anderson .Paak
The Definition feat. Brucie B
Nas’s career will forever be connected and compared to Jay-Z’s; I think he’s without a doubt his most formidable opponent and although Jay seems to have a comfortable lead; the latest release from Nasir in my opinion the response to Jay Z’s 4:44 album. Such a mature body of work where we don’t see our legend step too far outside of his comfort zone. The album sounds just like album Cincere from Belly would release; and with features from Uncle Charlie, the legendary Brucie B, and the Commission will put you in a really good mood remnecint of that golden era.
DETROIT 2 - BIG SEAN
Body Language feat. Ty Dolla $ign
Harder Than My Demons
Guard Your Heart feat. Anderson .Paak
Friday Night Cypher feat. ALL OF DETROIT (Not really but kinda type sh*t)
Still I Rise feat. Dom Kennedy
I’ve actually had quite a bit of discussion with the homies around Sean’s latest release; DETROIT 2 is actually the follow up to his highly acclaimed DETROIT mixtape and his 5th studio release. I personally think it is his best body of work; which is not easy to do when you’ve invested the amount of time into the craft as Sean Don. A Grammy nomination for lead single featuring the late great Nipsey Hussle sets a different tone; I think we’re used to a catchy radio smash but this carries a more passionate and purposeful approach upon listen.
THE PANDEMIC PROJECT - TOBE NWIGWE
Journey
Make It Home feat. David Michael Wyatt
Try Jesus feat. Jabari Johnson
I was trying to describe Tobe Nwigwe to a friend; and I struggled in the most positive way possible. I was able to carve it down to this; Tobe is a visual musician; his art is to be seen just as much as it is to be heard. Tobe is an intentional artist; there is intention behind every lyric every bar, every aesthetic. Oh and the music is good. This project is a small sliver to what he and his team represent; get in tune with everything he’s got going on. Above all it just feels like the BLACK MUSIC we need right now.
PTSD - G HERBO
Gangstas Cry feat. BJ the Chicago Kid
Party in Heaven feat. Lil Durk
By Any Means feat. 21 Savage
Lawyer Fees feat. Polo G
High Speed
I didn’t get around to the deluxe version yet so if I’m missing out somebody let me know. I remember having a convo with Mikkey Halstead maybe back in 2013 / 2014 about Herb and he was so confident in his powerful storytelling skillset and it shows with PTSD. From a framing standpoint; becoming more of a storyteller of reality and lived experiences as opposed to ‘glorifying’ lifestyles that everybody isn’t cut out for brings insight and understanding which I think is a bold and boss move specifically from the young ‘Raq artist. Prayers all is well with his current legal situation as well.
DON’T LET IT GO TO YOUR HEAD - THE MIND
Gemini Sh*t
Black Aura
Craig
Something that I’m noticing as I’m putting this list together is that I’m growing to appreciate R&V music. Rhythm and Vibes. Its an evolving R&B sound that is really laid back but sonically interesting; all those things plus more are present in this project from theMIND.
UNGODLY HOUR - CHLOE x HALLE
Do It
Catch Up feat. Swae Lee
Don’t Make it Harder On Me
ROYL
They are royalty. No other way to put it. I know there is the Knowles family connection; but these two have been it seems waiting in the wing for the rest of the world to catch up to how they’d like to present their creativity. It’s a weird space but when you grow up a child / teen star or perceived protege its a space that needs to be handled with caution. Job well done; UNGODLY HOUR is the ripping of the band-aid. The two are GROWN with GROWN UP content; not in a sense of being risque but that there is no reason to look at their art through that ‘child star’ lens. They’re here and beyond a force to be reckoned with.
MAN ON THE MOON III - KID CUDI
Sept. 16
Void
Sad People
Kid Cudi has a cult following; he deserves it. But Cudi stans have overhyped his last few releases for me at least, and with this being the third installment to a legendary title I had steep expectations for MOTM III. This easily could’ve been two separate projects and there would be enough fire on both to be AOTY contenders. The Moon Man is officially back.
KEEP EVERYTHING FOR YOUR SELF - JERREAU
Too Deep For Intro
Ride Death feat. Kaine
Blended Family
JOY feat. BJ the Chicago Kid
Honestly one of my favorite artists at the moment; very introspective and well deserving of the LeBron co-sign Jerreau formerly of the Greater Than Club collective solidifies himself with his sophomore solo release KEYS. Smooth listen all the way through with a collection of witty caption worthy bars throughout the project. Freshly released visuals for both JOY and DRIES let me know that he’s not letting up on pushing KEYS. More people should know about Jerreau and this album.
LEWIS STREET - J.COLE
The Climb Back
Lion King on Ice
The timing of this two-pack, right at the height of the George Floyd unrest; is arguable the biggest Hip-Hop moment of the year. While Hip-Hop are not expected to be the voice of social justice anytime a heavyweight can bring light to reality and social consciousness is a plus. Drake seemed to steer clear, while Kendrick chose silence; Cole addressed accountability with vulnerability after being called out by NoName. One of the best lyricist of this generation.
THE OUTRUNNERS - CURREN$Y & HARRY FRAUD
Quicksand feat. Trippie Redd
Vintage Haze feat. Larry June
1 Luv (Roll the Credits)
Curren$y dropped off a slew of projects this year; I think he had 6 hit streaming services in 2020. The Outrunners with long time collaborator Harry Fraud is what stood out most to me but I’m sure you wouldn’t be disappointed if you press play on any of the other drops.
WAITING [EP]- HANANI
Sunset
Can’t recall exactly where I was at but I do recall using the SHAZAAM app for the first time when Sunset was playing. His entire WAITING EP was refreshing; short, may even find yourself letting it ride out for 2-3 times before even noticing.
DON FELIPE FILES [EP] - REGGIE BONDS
Manuscript
Technicality + Skill; Reggie Bonds is one of the sharper knives in the drawer. He doesn’t release as often as he did in years past but the music still hits. Not many rappers truly make music reflective of the times and their experiences like Bonds. You can hear the journeys in the music; he released an distributed an album this year as well; if you don’t grab that; listen to this.
NO LOVE LOST (Deluxe) - BLXST
No Love Lost
Gang Slide
Got It All feat. Dom Kennedy
I seen this cat is affiliated with RED BULL Records; I’ve known them to be involved in the music space but not in this capacity to my understanding. A rapper / singer hybrid who legitimately has one of the most complete projects of anybody on this list; it’ll be interesting what kind of push RB can put behind him. The body of work is definitely there.
FROM THE ASHES, WE RISE - TRU WEST
Perspectives feat. Von Alexander / Renz Young
For the Culture feat. J-Lamo / Mudy / MoCity
Had to show the city some love. I don’t know much about Tru West but here’s what I’ve put together in my mind thus far. She’s a visionary; more of an executive producer crafting songs and bringing them to life. I also just love how involved L.I.T (Leaders Igniting Transformation) was in this entire release. Very Black; very Milwaukee. There’s a unique story in the layers of this release. I caught the PERSPECTIVES record at the end of a film ‘The Heartland’ that is based in Milwaukee and directed by a MKE native; the placement is what made me check out the rest of the project.
EVERYTHING - KOTA THE FRIEND
Summerhouse
I first got put on Kota by a homie on his FOTO campaign. I just like the sound. EVERYTHING was the follow up and this did not disappoint either. I think I appreciate his attention to detail; just check the layers and symbols on his cover art'; and how he just has this skill to utilize his voice as an instrument that adds to his range as an artist.
CRUISE USA - LARRY JUNE
Orange Juice wit Dom feat. Dom Kennedy
Organic Love
Still Learning feat Herm Lewis
Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. It’s a mantra. Larry June seems to live by it; he has been the unquestioned hardest working man in the rap business all 2020 dropping something like 7 projects this year in the middle of a pandemic and no body got tired of the Organic Juice Gawd. Consistency was key; CRUISE USA just was the project that got the most spins from June. I’m no stan; I respect the work ethic and his success is a tip of the hat to Curren$y who is also on this list but is underappreciated as a pioneer to this game.
REST IN PARADISE…
I think it was Jim Jones or maybe Fabolous who declared RAPPERS being under attack more than ever in these times or something about being a rap artist is one of the most dangerous lines of work for a lot of different reasons. I want to continue thinking that isn’t true but we have to acknowledge in 2020 its extremely eerie that Pop Smoke, King Von, and Juice WRLD who all were without a doubt on a trajectory to influential stardom and Mac, who passed in 2019 was already at that level. Mo3, a Dallas native who linked with Boosie’s imprint was putting together a helluva run himself. RIP to the fallen; continue streaming their projects to keep their name and legacy alive.
CIRCLES - MAC MILLER
LEGENDS NEVER DIE - Juice WRLD
MEET THE WOO 2 | SHOOT FOR THE STARS, AIM FOR THE MOON - POP SMOKE
WELCOME TO O BLOCK - KING VON
MO3