There was A LOT of music this year. There was A LOT of music the I liked this year. And still, I couldn't get to every project I wanted to give it's day in court. Hence the absence of stuff like "Drogas Wave," "DiCaprio 2," that Shad project, etc. I didn't have the time to listen to them. Even some of the projects on the below lists I admit I really should have given a few more listens to very really proper evaluation.

And regardless, I still had to invent a category to include projects that I loved and wanted to include.

So, here goes -

First, my top 30 EPs. My distinction of an EP involes a) being less then 25 minutes or b) being labeled an EP when released. And they are:

1. Black Thought – Stream of Thought Vol. 1
2. Black Thought – Stream of Thought Vol. 2
3. Homeboy Sandman & Edan – Humble Pi
4. $auce Heist & Jamal Gasol – Gasol Sauce
5. Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & Alchemist – Fetti
6. Freddie Gibbs – Freddie
7. The Alchemist – Bread
8. Nowaah the Flood & The Architect – Trill Life Mathematics
9. Curren$y – The Marina
10. Zilla Rocca – Hard Boiled EP
11. $auce Heist – Waza
12. Jamal Gasol – It’s a Dirty Game
13. Von Pea & The Other Guys – I’m Good Luv, Enjoy
14. Open Mike Eagle – What Happens When I Try To Relax
15. Rim – Ugandan Lunch Meat
16. Vince Staples – FM!
17. Jamal Gasol – Larry Davis Era
18. Big Kahuna OG – Kahuna Cartegena
19. Eto & Nicholas Craven – Valenti & Rizzuto
20. Jamal Gasol – The World Is Piff
21. CrimeApple & Cuns – Salud Y Playa
22. FalconCrest & Giallo Point – Red Rose Motel
23. Ras Beats – The High 5
24. Eto & Vinyl Villain – New Crack Era
25. The Alchemist – Lunch Meat
26. K. Burns & Vinyl Villain – Infamous Villains
27. Codenine & A1 Beatz - ELCIRCULOVICIOSO
28. Soul King – Dirty Boukman
29. Tha God Fahim – Dump Truck 7
30. Vinyl Villain – Heist Nostra


Next are my top 30 "in-between" projects, as in in-betwwen an EP and album. These run 25 to 29 minutes:

1. Da Buze Bruvaz – N***ativity
2. OC & PF Cuttin – Opium
3. Pusha T – DAYTONA
4. Apollo Brown & Locksmith – No Question
5. J-Live – Lose No Time
6. CrimeApple – Perfect 3
7. Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs
8. DJ Muggs – Dia Del Assasiento
9. $auce Heist – Sauce Monk Vol. 2
10. Jamal Gasol – Jimmy Jump’s Revenge
11. Milano Constantine – Attache Case
12. Iron Curtin – Hammer & Sickle
13. Nowaah the Flood & The Architect – Trill Life Mathematics 2
14. Monday Night – Wild & Mild
15. Nowaah the Flood – Private Stock
16. Jamal Gasol – True Stories
17. Kev Brown – Fill in the Blank
18. $auce Heist & DirtyDiggs – Diamond Dust Shoes
19. Q-Unique – Momentum
20. Chris Crack – Just Gimme a Minute
21. Action Bronson – White Bronco
22. Mach-Hommy – Bulletproof Luh
23. Al.davino & $auce Heist – BENGALBONEMARROW
24. Conway – Everybody is F.O.O.D. 2: Eat What U Kill
25. Codenine – Codex Leicester
26. Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim – Duck CZN: Chinese Arithmetic
27. Al.davino – SHORTFLY (ASILENTSHORTFILM)
28. Roddy Rod – Dunbar Clinic
29. The Grouch – The Tonite Show
30. Nas - NASIR

Here's my top 10 non hip-hop full length albums of the year:

1. Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth
2. The Du-Rites – Gamma Ray Jones
3. Leon Bridges – Good Thing
4. The Internet – Hive Mind
5. Nicolay and the Hot At Nights – Glaciers
6. Ben Pirani – How Do I Talk to My Brother?
7. Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer
8. Rhye – Blood
9. Jorja Smith – Lost & Found
10. Anderson. Paak – Oxnard

And finally, my top 40 hip-hop albums of the year:

1. Jean Grae and Quelle Chris – Everything's Fine
2. Phonte – No News Is Good News
3. Elzhi and Khrysis – Jericho Jackson
4. Roc Marciano – Behold a Dark Horse
5. Blueprint – Two Headed Monster
6. Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz – Mona Lisa
7. Marlowe
8. Evidence – Weather or Not
9. Murs – Strange Journey Into the Unimaginable
10. Hermit & The Recluse – Orpheus vs. The Sirens
11. Black Milk – Fever
12. CrimeApple & Big Ghost – Aguardiente
13. DJ Muggs & Roc Marciano – Kaos
14. Benny – Tana Talk 3
15. Masta Ace & Marco Polo – Breukelen Story
16. Chris Crack – Being Woke Ain’t Fun
17. Royce 5’9” – Book of Ryan
18. PRhyme – PRhyme 2
19. Czarface & MF DOOM - Czarface Meets Metal Face
20. Vic Spencer & Sonnyjim - Spencer For Hire
21. Dr. Octagon - Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation
22. Da Buze Bruvaz – Drinkin’ Beer Wit’ Prostitutez
23. Westside Gunn – Supreme Blientele
24. Dillon & Batsauce – On Their Way
25. Doppelgangaz – AAAAGGGHH
26. Damu the Fudgemunk & Flex Matthews – Dreams & Vibrations
27. Jay Rock – Redemption
28. Flatbush Zombies – Vacations in Hell
29. Mac Miller – Swimming
30. YG – Still Dangerous
31. Zilla Rocca – Future Former Rapper
32. Smoovth & Giallo Point – Medellin 2
33. A$ap Rocking – TESTING
34. Kev Brown – Homework
35. Codenine & Grubby Pawz – Auerbach’s Garden
36. Armand Hammer – Parafin
37. DJ Jazzy Jeff – M3
38. Planet Asia – Mansa Musa
39. Q-Unique – The Mechanic
40. J. Cole – K.O.D.