Uncle Tony's 2013 Top 15 Hip Hop Albums of The Year (Reviews Included) (#1 Danny Brown- Old)

[UncleTony]

Sharing my best of the best lists of 2013...starting with top hip albums of the year...there will be separate threads for MOTY and non hip hop AOTY...detailed reviews for anyone who wants to read them and who doesnt love seeing another list right....took a lot of time with these so all comments are welcome...click on the links that go to my blog for easier reading format or read on here....take your pick fam

#15 Earl Sweatshirt-Doris

http://hiptothegame.com/2013/12/20/15-album-of-the-year-earl-sweatshirt-doris/

Earl Sweatshirt’s entrance into the hip-hop world was an abnormal one, and it certainly created a flurry about the release of his 2013 debut studio album Doris. When Odd Future first stepped forward in the spotlight, a ton of attention circulated around Earl after many claimed him as the most lyrically gifted in the group, especially after the release of his cult classic Earl mixtape back in 2010. But right when OF blew up, Earl was nowhere to be found as he was sent to Samoa in boarding school exile until his behavioral problems were corrected. Upon his return, many wondered if the elusive teenage emcee would live up to the high expectations, and the hype that built around Doris was almost unfair for Earl to deal with.

At the end of 2012, some of our questions were answered when Earl released the lead single “Chum”, which was a highly introspective record that showcased Earl addressing his journalistic goldmine of a story and the serious issues he had faced over the last year. This was the most personal and direct Earl had ever been on a track, and the excitement behind Doris built up even more. The rape and serial killer shock values rhymes from Earl took a departure, and with the release of one single his growth as an artist was on display.

Doris as a whole is a bit jumbled, but the complexity of Earl’s rhyme schemes borders on masterful. The technical wordplay possessed by Earl is uncanny for someone his age and Doris is jam-packed with bars that will have you over at RapGenius trying to decipher his rhymes. While some may see that as a fault, Earl does stick to the themes of career pressures, drug use, and family issues as a base for the listeners to rely on in case they get lost in the mix. Songs such as the Frank Ocean featured “Sunday” and “Burgundy” explore these themes, while other tracks like “20 Wave Caps” and “Guild” feature Earl rapping his ass off with a disregard for an assigned subject matter.

Many of the tracks on Doris clock in at under 3 minutes, but Earl Sweatshirt is able to paint his dark poetic pictures within the time frame and his friends are along for the ride. Fellow Odd Future member Tyler the Creator, big brother of sorts to Earl, lends a chaotic yet guiding hand on “Whoa”and other guests such as Domo Genesis, Mac Miller, and Vince Staples all bring a welcomed variety to Earl’s repetitive yet effective delivery. Nevertheless, the production on Doris propels the darkness Earl’s rhymes ooze with and Earl himself deserves part of that credit as he goes under the moniker of randomblackdude when behind the boards. But Earl does bring some well-seasoned veterans to aide him in creating Doris’s dreary soundscape such as RZA and The Neptunes; not too shabby having those legends take part in the crafting of your debut LP.

Although it is ridiculous to term Doris as a comeback album, that is how it was treated and in that respect the project is a great success. We entered the project knowing that Earl Sweatshirt is a great lyricist and after one listen, it is clear he is that and even more. In a fitting analogy, Earl’s talent wasn’t just a hallucination from a few years back before he was sent away as Doris enhances the validity of Earl as the “MF-Doom” of Odd Future, an ever so popular comparison nowadays. Doris will probably be the shortest yet exhausting listen of your life if you aren’t prepared for the magnitude of rapping on display and it isn’t the “classic” some were expecting, a term that is overused in this era in my opinion. Nevertheless, it is a strong debut body of work that is a giant step in the right direction for Earl and his promising career.

 

[UncleTony]

#14 Album of The Year: Ghostface Killah- Twelve Reasons To Die

One member of the Wu Tang Clan who has certainly not fallen off in terms of work ethic in recent year is Ghostface Killah, as year after year he seems to be involved in multiple projects. However, Twelve Reasons to Die is one that is especially worthy of praise as it is one of the best concept albums to come out in 2013. While the crime-twisted plot of the project is short in duration, it is heavy in intricately woven mob-boss lyrics and well crafted with producers Adrian Younge and RZA at the helm.

The conceptual framework behind the album (based off the comic book of the same name) plays off Ghostface Killah’s known personaTony Starks. He acts as an enforcer for the DeLuca crime family, but is later murdered by his former employees for striking out on his own. Tony Starks is eventually revived as Ghostface Killah and is thirsty for revenge. Ghostface Killah is famous for being one of the most colorful storytellers rap has ever seen, and his presence as the main character in what could be a Quentin Taratino script is fitting.

Adrian Younge’s live band creates the backdrop for Ghostface Killah’s crime-infused tales and they do a good job of setting the scene without overpowering his vocals. The tag team between Younge and executive producer RZAmade a great match as the experimental psychedelic soul production with gospel overtones still manages to be grounded in a Wu Gambino influenced sound filled with plenty of grimy bass lines. In terms of other Wu Tang Clan appearances, group members Masta Killa, U-God, Cappadonna, and Inspectah Deck all lend a hand. Although none of them stand out in particular, their roles can be best described as narrators commenting on the progression of the plot of Tony Starks and his wild chase for revenge.

Twelve Reasons To Die is also a slave to its greatest strength as there is not one song on here that stands out on its own. The entertaining and blood-filled story is intricately woven to the point that you need to listen to album as a whole in order to fully appreciate it. Nevertheless, once the last song ends the listener is left wondering if Ghostface and Younge fulfilled the lofty potential of such an ambitious undertaking. At this stage of his career, I would say Ghostface certainly succeeded in his part of this fine release, and for someone not familiar working within the rap genre, Adrian Younge and his band sounded right at home. The confidence between the duo comes together to provide a satisfying result and an album in which all Wu Tang fans can relish in.

 

[UncleTony]

#13 Album Of The Year: A$AP Ferg- Trap Lord

http://hiptothegame.com/2013/12/27/13-album-of-the-year-aap-ferg-trap-lord/

I can honestly say that going into 2013, A$AP Rocky was the only member of the A$AP Mob that I ever gave a chance musically. But as it turns out, fellow group member A$AP Ferg created an album in Trap Lord that rivals Rocky’s as one of the best releases of 2013. I had the privilege of seeing A$AP Ferg perform live as an opener to Juicy J and I was instantly drawn to his energy, even though I was unfamiliar with the songs he was performing. It is this quality and Ferg’s eccentric flows that make Trap Lord such a strong body of work.

The album starts off with a bang as the opener “Let It Go” features Ferg spitting recklessly about violence and women over a hazy yet hard hitting beat, but right off the bat you can tell this listen is going to be one crazy ride. Next up we have an ode to the Jamaican dancehall musician Shabba Ranks as “Shabba” features A$AP Ferg and A$AP Rocky going back and forth with some outrageous lines that result in straight-comedy. The other main single on the album “Work (Remix)” succeeds in the same way as Ferg’s cadence and versatility shines on the posse cut featuring Rocky, French Montana, and ScHoolboy Q.

However, there are more strong points on the album that showcase A$AP Ferg’s multi-dimensional talent with “Hood Pope” and “Cocaine Castles” being prime examples. On these songs, Ferg surprises us as he sings with a strong melody about his bleak surroundings and the dark side to the excess of drugs and violence around him. Although Ferg does succeed with the turn up and heavy trap influence songs, the tracks that display musical variety is what solidifies Trap Lord as a well-rounded body of work.

The dark, rugged, and gritty production on the album is intense and used masterfully by Ferg, as well as the guest features choices. For example, on “Lord” we hear legendary group Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony use their fast flows and they sound natural over a haunting beat, rapping in a manner which will pleasantly force you to hit the repeat button over and over again. Hell, Ferg was even able to manage getting B-Real of Cypress Hill and Onyx on the same track “fukk Out My Face.” That’s an accomplishment right there and although most of the guests provide strong appearances, Ferg shows on songs like “Fergivicious” and “Didn’t Wanna Do That” that he doesn’t need any help and is capable of holding his own with personal lyrics that shine based off their brutal yet heartfelt honesty.

Although there are some missteps on Trap Lord such as “Dump Dump” and “Make A Scene”, there are more than enough well-thought out bangers and self-reflective street tales that make Trap Lord an exciting debut for A$AP Ferg. Ferg was able to balance ignorance and drug/sex/violence-filled bliss with an out of left field style that resonated well over the fittingly eerie production. Many people are struggling to grasp whether the A$AP Mob represent New York based hip-hop or not; A$AP Ferg proved with Trap Lord that the lines can be blurred and the results can be refreshing and successful.

 

[neph27]

get a liberal arts education so you can write succinct album reviews on internet forums, brehs

 

[UncleTony]

get a liberal arts education so you can write succinct album reviews on internet forums, brehs

already got one breh lol...take it for what its worth just my interpretation on a dope year of hip hop music

 

[UncleTony]

#12 Album Of The Year: Jay Z- Magna Carta…Holy Grail



http://hiptothegame.com/2013/12/27/12-album-of-the-year-jay-z-magna-carta-holy-grail/

There were a ton of huge hip-hop releases in 2013, but Jay Z’s Magna Carta…Holy Grail took the social media world by storm as he released the album early and for free to Samsung users who downloaded the appropriate app. And musically, the project is somewhat of a return to form for Jay in terms of solo albums as I thought Blueprint 3 was subpar for the most part. We saw Jay Z and Kanye West work their magic on Watch The Throne, and Jay Z continues to ride that momentum with Magna Carta…Holy Grail.


At this stage of his career, we go into a Jay Z album fully expecting Hova’s classic rags-to-riches rhymes, anointing himself as a well-rounded hustler in a flow that is certified as legendary. While we do get plenty of this on the project, it is pleasant surprise that there are tracks on here such as “Oceans”, “Heaven” and “Jay Z Blue” that deal with the wider ranged themes of Black America’s contrasting history, the questioning of religion, and fear of fatherhood. The album does not have many rap features on it, and that is for the best because whether Jay Z is in boasting or self-reflecting mode, he still has plenty to say.

Production-wise, we continue to see the resurgence of Timbaland in 2013 after he re-entered the spotlight with Justin Timberlake in their The 20/20 Experience albums. Jay Z and Timbaland have had a strong working relationship for many years, but there is no hiding the fact that Timbaland had been in a rut recently. But he has his hands all over this project, and it paid off as Jay Z’s luxury raps fit perfectly over the Timbo-crafted “Picasso Baby”/”Tom Ford” production. And we can’t go further without mentioning the JT-assisted radio smash that is “Holy Grail,” which set the album off to quite a start. Nevertheless, the other producers on the album also deserve credit as relative newcomers Hit-Boy and Travis Scott contributed greatly, bringing their respective signature sounds to the table. And for me personally, I felt Boi-1da came with the hardest beat on the album on “fukkWithWithMeYouKnowIGotIt,” as the bass-heavy track showcases the curious yet undeniable chemistry between Jay Z and Rick Ross.

Even though Magna Carta…Holy Grail has a lot of positives to it, there are certainly some missteps on here that took the album out of my top 10. First off, Jay Z and Beyonce might make a good couple, but their collaboration “Part II (On The Run )” seems forced and is nowhere the caliber of their previous work together. Another disappointment on here is the star-studded “BBC” that has Jay Z on the same track as Nas, Pharrell, and Justin Timberlake. While the song is upbeat and has some appeal to it, it was frustrating to me that such a talented group of people couldn’t create something more meaningful.

Nevertheless, it is amazing that this is Jay Z’s 12th studio album and he is still as relevant as he was 15 years ago. While the music he is creating now is nowhere near as timeless as classics like Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint, Magna Carta….Holy Grail is an album that can be appreciated for more than the genius marketing behind it.

 

[flipn50]

great read, keep going

 

[dubsmith_nz]

Will check out your thoughts when I get some time, chur.

 

[Im Kemet Rocky & I like penis]

how tf did asap ferg get above earl sweatshirt?

 

[UncleTony]

how tf did asap ferg get above earl sweatshirt?

thought earl came through with a dope project but suffered from an unfair level of expectation as ppl thought dude was gonna come through with a "he's the next lyrical savior" type of record....on the other hand Trap Lord was originally just gonna be a mixtape but turned out to be an awesome project that surprised the fukk out of many ppl great mix of ignorant bangers and introspective melodic records over dope dark production...

Ferg exceeded my expectations/Earl did not...both did their thing though only 2 spot difference

 

[UncleTony]

#11 Album Of The Year: Killah Priest- The Psychic World of Walter Reed
(Coli favorite)

http://hiptothegame.com/2013/12/28/...llah-priest-the-psychic-world-of-walter-reed/

Before Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet album impressed me at the last moment, Killah Priest’s magnum opus of a double album titled The Psychic World of Walter Reed had a spot in my top 10 albums of 2013. This would certainly take most people by surprise, but the fact KP released such an extensive body of work in this stage of his career was as mind blowing as some of the lyrical darts the Wu Tang affiliate hits the listener with.
Dating back to 1998 with his critically acclaimed album Heavy Mental, Killah Priest has been consistent in his rapping style with historical and religiously influenced lyrics that force you to listen closely line by line. So if you have the patience to absorb the complex subject matter in a project that is about a two-hour listen, it is pretty much a guarantee you will learn something or at least be inspired to do some research.

The production on both discs has New York street style influence while also having an outer space and transcendent feel to it; exactly matching the atmosphere Killah Priest creates in his story-driven lyricism. KP’s Wu Tang brothers have a strong presence on the album as strong features from RZA, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, and Raekwon give the project some validity for the less-informed Wu Tang fans.

The Psychic World of Walter Reed is the type of album that adheres to the underground hip-hop listeners who constantly plead for rap that is not watered down by mainstream songs with mindless hooks and empty lyrics. And to be honest, if you are not a Wu Tang diehard fan, this may be a tiring listening experience that you abandon within the first 7/8 songs. But there are 41 tracks on here and I would say at least 30 of them are solid tracks. There is no denying that percentage and it is clear Killah Priest was in a special zone in the studio as songs like New Reality, Ein Sof (Paradise), and Visionz are spiritual adventures within themselves. The main producers Jordan River Banks, St. Peter, and Kalisto deserve a ton of credit for creating a sound that was engaging throughout the long listen. Overall, if you are a fan of hardcore prophetic raps that deliver worldly messages over Wu Tang style beats, The Psychic World of Walter Reed experience will be a rewarding one for you.

 

[dunkman6]

 

[notorious8562]

11 seems low as hell for the album KP dropped.

 

[UncleTony]

#10 Album of The Year: A$AP Rocky- Long Live A$AP

http://hiptothegame.com/2013/12/29/10-album-of-the-year-aap-rocky-long-live-aap/


Although Long Live A$AP leaked back in 2012, the debut album from A$AP Rocky officially came out in 2013 as the A$AP movement gained notoriety in the hip-hop world. Rocky and the rest of the Mob have perfected the balancing act between creating a sound with heavy Houston influence yet maintaining a New York flair within their lyrics; this contrast was on full display in Rocky’s Live Love A$AP mixtape that has been deemed an underground classic by fans and critics alike.
In Long Live A$AP, A$AP Rocky is able to maintain the aspects of his mixtape that were compelling, and combine them with a more accessible sound that allows Rocky’s charismatic delivery to shine with a wider audience in attendance. Business-wise, this was the smartest move A$AP Rocky could have made and although tracks like hit singles “fukkin Problems” and “Wild For the Night” don’t exactly fit with the otherwise cohesive and captivating production, their placement on the album did nothing but elevate Rocky’s career and increase his fan base.

“fukkin Problems” features Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar and in 2013, that lineup is a match made in heaven sales-wise. Even though A$AP Rocky opens up the song, the track doesn’t feel like his own as Drake and his right-hand man producer 40 put the pieces together to create a radio smash with the best ignorant hook of the year. “Wild For The Night” is Rocky’s attempt at an EDM hit with the reggae style yet synth heavy production coming from Skrillex, and although Rocky’s flow suits the beat, the result is rather chaotic.

The other single choices such as “Goldie” and “Fashion Killa” are more desirable records that still resonate universally and have a mass appeal. “Goldie” is a Hit Boy production that was originally meant for Jay Z, but A$AP Rocky’s flow and braggadocio lyrics sound right at home over the high-energy club banger. “Fashion Killa” has Rocky rhyming about what he knows best; high-end fashion. Through his bravado he convincingly glorifies the high-end designer lifestyle, and this is something Rocky lives as not many rappers have embraced the fashion lifestyle (not business aka Kanye) as much as him since fellow Harlem rapper Cam’ron.

Nevertheless, when we delve deeper than the singles on Long Live A$AP, this is where we find the true highlights of the album. Rocky is not the best lyricist in the rap game, but he carries a melodic ambiance in his persona and it sounds best over hazy cloud rap style beats with dark undertones and haunting sample selections. This is perfected on songs such as “Suddenly”, “LVL” and album opener “Long Live A$AP”, which are well-executed extensions of the aura Rocky created on Live Love A$AP. A$AP Rocky, under the producer name Lord Flacko, executive produced the album and he did a good job of using big name producers such as T-Minus and Jim Jonsin in the correct way. Even with a bigger budget this time around, Rocky stayed true to the highly effective working relationships with previous collaborators such as Clams Casino. The biggest and best surprise we got production wise was from Hit Boy’s other beat on the album…the posse cut “1 Train”. Rocky brought together the best young rappers in the game to spit verses on the old-school 90’s underground inspired beat that is reminiscent of Wu Tang’s classic track “Triumph”. Kendrick Lamar, Action Bronson, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Joey Badass, and Big K.R.I.T all appear on the standout cut and each of them kill it on the cypher style beat.

The guest appearances on Long Live A$AP are not limited to “1 Train” as A$AP Rocky and ScHoolboy Q reconnect on “PMW”, showcasing their obvious chemistry that has been apparent since their fan-favorite “Brand New Guy” track that appeared on Live Love A$AP. A$AP Rocky also receives an inspired guest verse from Gunplay on “Ghetto Symphony” while Santigold sings on the hook of the indie pop-esque song “Hell”.

Through all of this, we see that A$AP Rocky’s greatest strength is his musical diversity and creating an environment that appeals to different kind of listeners with a variety of tastes. His production selection is inventive and Rocky chooses his guests wisely on a project that is unorthodox going by the typical standards of New York hip-hop. A$AP Rocky and the rest of the mob refuse to be bound by regional expectations and this is made clear on this project. While Long Live A$AP may not be fresh in people’s minds in terms of 2013 albums, it is a distinct body of work that deserves a spot in my top 10.

 

[UncleTony]

#9 Album Of The Year: Childish Gambino- Because The Internet

http://hiptothegame.com/2013/12/29/9-album-of-the-year-childish-gambino-because-the-internet/


I can be honest when I say that before this album, I was not that big a fan of Childish Gambino. Familiarity with his acting work on TV shows like Community did not equate to enjoyment of his debut album Camp, which was released back in 2011. While the project did have some positive moments, it was just flat out not that great of a rap album to me, feeling more like a side project of the creative Donald Golver rather than a hip-hop album by Childish Gambino.

Gambino has not been shy in showing that he constantly feels the pressure to fit in and be accepted as a legitimate rap artist. His public overthinking and worrying about this issue, along with overall self-esteem problems, ended up being successful promo for this album named Because the Internet. As the title suggests, the overarching theme of the project reflects Gambino’s thoughts on our present day digitalized society that is highly dependent on the online world. With the help of producer and composer on Community Ludwig Goransson, Glover is able to create his own flawed utopia that is limitless and void of any bounding restraints.


Similar to Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange album, Childish Gambino is able to weave through rap-focused songs and ambient melodic singing-based tracks with relative ease while never letting the music sound jumbled or inconsistent. His overall range as an artist is on full display with R&B influenced tracks like “Telgraph Ave” (heavily sampling Lloyd’s ‘Oakland’), and dizzying bar heavy songs such as “Sweatpants” seamlessly flowing back to back without losing a step in quality. While it is clear that Gambino’s rhymes and flows have matured, Gambino is at his best and consistently succeeds when singing on this project. Whether it is his appealing and catchy hook on “3005” or full out crooning falsetto-flexing performance on “Flight of the Navigator”, it becomes apparent that Gambino is much more than a “joke” rapper who relies on sometimes inept punchlines.

The sonic realm of Because The Internet continues to expand as the album closes with tracks such as the experimental “Zealots of Stockholm (Free Information)” and the Azealia Banks featured “Earth: The Oldest Computer”. While some might say Gambino is multitasking too much for his own good, the diversity and lack of predictability behind these records is what gives them their merit and greatest strength.

Even if Gambino is still struggling with acceptance in real life, musically his work is translating into records that seem absolutely carefree and possessing a hybridity that needs no approval. Besides the strong guest appearances from Chance The Rapper and Jhene Aiko, Gambino does not reach out for much help to achieve his vision. The risky ambition put forth by Gambino on the album is admirable and the sometimes spacy, sometimes jarring production follows suit, giving Glover a proper medium to allow his freedom of expression. While the typical definition of rapping may not be Gambino’s forte, Because The Internet is a body of work that uses the platform of hip-hop to create an engaging musical experiences for the listener that is the furthest thing from boring.