These were probably my ten favorite (in no particular order):
Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels Danny Brown - Old Earl Sweatshirt - Doris Prodigy & The Alchemist - Albert Einstein Ka - The Night's Gambit Oddisee - The Beauty In All/Tangible Dream Pusha T - My Name Is My Name Quelle Chris - Ghost At The Finish Line Yancey Boys - Sunset Blvd. Black Milk - No Poison No Paradise
22. "it has been over looked" In response to Reply # 1
And it sucks because it really is a good album. A very good concept record where he executes two characters very well. His angsty over the top content gets annoying at times, but its a quality rap record and the production is fantastic.
I feel a little bit of people ignoring Wolf is how disappointing Goblin was and another part is many old heads who still control on line and the few rap mags are annoyed by the type of rap and audience he reps. But thats just conjecture on my part
I do think time will be more kind to Wolf than Doris, and I don't see Tyler, Earl, or Frank going anywhere soon.
2. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 0 Mon Dec-16-13 12:33 PM by spidey
Mine...no real order...except for numbers one and two...
1. EL-P/Killer Mike "Run The Jewels" 2. Oddisee "Tangible Dreams" Black Milk "No Poison, No Paradise" Exile "Zip Disks and Floppies" Marco Polo "Port Authority II: Directors Cut" J-Zone "Peter Pan Syndrome" Camp Lo and Pete Rock "80 Blocks to Tiffany's Pt. II" RJD2 "More Is Than Isn't" Shad "Flying Colors" Homeboy Sandman "Kool Herc: Fertile Crescent EP" and "All That I Hold Dear EP"
9. "their name hurts them" In response to Reply # 3
funny the first time you hear it, cool if you're a college frat boy, but otherwise, it's jus a bad name. every time i try and get people into them, as soon as i mention their name, people think they're a joke.
6. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 0
Didn't listen to alot of new stuff this year but My personal list is: 1.Killer Mike and El-P Run The Jewels 2. Jay-Z Magna Carta Holy Grail 3.Pusha T My Name Is My Name 4.Drake Nothing Was The Same (Personally switching out songs and re-sequencing helped it though) 5.7L And Esoteric and Inspektah Deck Czarface 6.Ghostface Killah Twelve Reasons To Die The Brown Tape 7.Tony Touch The Piecemaker 3 8.Eminem Marshall Mathers LP 2 Didn't Want to include these two, but for official albums that I've heard this year, this would bring me to 10. 9.Kanye West Yeezus 10.J Cole Born Sinner
Mixtapes: 1.Big K.R.I.T. King Remembered In Time 2.Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip The Abstract And The Dragon 3.Pete Rock and Camp Lo 80 Blocks From Tiffany's Part 2
7. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 0 Mon Dec-16-13 01:43 PM by justin_scott
in no order
chance - acid rap killer mike/el p - run the jewels jay z - mchg cult favorite - for madmen only armand hammer - half measures armand hammer - race music ka - night's gambit oddisee - the beauty in all oddisee - tangible dream quelle chris - ni**as is men quelle chris - ghost at the finish line denmark vessey - cult favorite denmark vessey - don't drink the kool aid prodigy - albert einstein billy woods - dour candy hellfyre club - dorner vs tookie milo - cavalcade stik figa/l'orange - the city under the city small pro/guilty simpson - highway robbery mndsgn - breatharian (if you consider this a hip hop album) fat joe - darkside 3 freddie gibbs - esgn brother ali - left in the deck willie the kid - masterpiece theatre drake - nothing was the same pete rock/camp lo - 80 blocks from tiffany's part 2 danny brown - old exile - zips discs and floppies shad - flying colours ghostface - 12 reasons to die (adrian young version) eminem - mmlp2 (no where near the best, but still a good album)
and there are at least 10-12 i can't remember right now
20. "those are my favorites" In response to Reply # 17
I listen to music on the way to work, during work, after work, once I'm home, etc etc. These records I've all heard all the way through several times plus bought if sold.
29. "my top 15" In response to Reply # 25 Tue Dec-17-13 02:37 PM by justin_scott
In order.
1. Chance - Acid Rap 2. Killer Mike/El P - Run the Jewels 3. Oddisee - The Beauty in All 4. Denmark Vessey - Don't Drink the Kool Aid 5. Oddisee - Tangible Dream 6. Billy Woods - Dour Candy 7. Cult Favorite - For Madmen Only 8. Jay Z - MCHG 9. Armand Hammer - Race Music 10. Prodigy/Alchemist - Albert Einstein 11. Quelle Chris - Ni**as is Men 12. Denmark Vessey - Cult Classic 13. Armand Hammer - Half Measures 14. Hellfyre Club - Dorner vs Tookie 15. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
10. "Haven't quite got an order yet, but here's 20, in sorta loose order" In response to Reply # 0
I might come back and refine this later:
Run the Jewels J-Zone - Peter Pan Syndrome Czarface Greenhouse - Bend But Don't Break Prodigy and Alchemist - Albert Einstein Durag Dynasty - 360 Waves Earl Sweatshirt - Doris Pusha T - My Name is My Name Armand Hammer - Race Music Statik Selektah - Extended Play Boldy James & Alchemist - My First Chemistry Set Black Milk - No Poison, No Paradise Camp Lo & Pete Rock - 80 Blocks to Tiffany's L'Orange & Stik Figa - City Under the City KA - Night's Gambit RA the Rugged Man - Legends Never Die Billy Woods & Blockhead - Dour Candy Planet Asia & Gensu Dean - Abrasions Ghostface & Adrian Younge - 12 Reasons to Die (Apollo Brown version) Hellfyre Club - Dorner Vs. Tookie
13. "Can I bitch about slideshows for a minute?" In response to Reply # 0
Not to get things off track but goddammit, what ever happened to making your shit readable? I can't get past the first entry on Spin's list and even if I could, I don't wanna click a button 40 fucking times anyway.
24. "I'm really suprised at" In response to Reply # 0 Tue Dec-17-13 03:16 AM by astralblak
how much people seem to love Yeezus, Old and YRN. I mean I understand Migos. they're the new ig'nant club slapper royalty. But the other two are good rap albums at Best.
these list also remind me on shit i forgot to listen to: Oddisee, Travis Scott, that western Tink & Beautiful Lou mixtape, shit I'm even interested to hear what Master P dropped this year lol. there some others I'm spacing on as well
1.Acid Rap 2.No Poison No Paradise 3.Run The Jewels 4.Kismet 5.Sunday School II 6.Better Off Dead 7.Albert Einstein 8.Ghost At The Finish Line 9.Indigoism 10.Doris
11.Old 12.Wolf 13.ESGN 14.New Jet City (strangely being over looked as well) 15.Blue Chips 16.Marci Beaucoup 17.Bales 18.Summer's Knight 19.Casette 3 20.Yeezus / Trap Lord
28. "a lot of good releases, few great IMO" In response to Reply # 0
Left field rap seemed to rule the year too-
Cult Favorite>>>>>
Mid City by Clipping (in some kind of way this strikes me as the album Yeezus wanted to be) Trees and Truth by Mick Jenkins (don’t understand how this place is STILL sleeping on dude) Dour Candy NIM by Quelle Chris (In the minority, but I prefer NIM to Ghost by far. The highs are soooo much higher.) Night’s Gambit (grew on me big time once the weather turned) Bend Don’t Break- Illogic and Blueprint Cult Classic (not sure why exactly, but this album made me wish Mos Def released music more often. Random) No Poison No Paradise (production here is fantastic. Begged for a great emcee. Not that Black Milk is bad, I actually like his raps. But these beats deserved greatness) Armand Hammer (I prefer their solo work. Rap super duos rarely do it for me I guess.) Run the Jewels (see above) Flying Colors- I actually think TSOL was better though GNK by YC the Cynic (dude crafted an ALBUM and I appreciate that) Innanettape (I don’t get how anyone can put Chance over him) Bred- Zeroh (I still want him to just rap for 12-14 tracks. Just spit dude, stop singing or whatever we are calling that noise. Maybe he and Wayne should just form a duo or something. There are some gems on here though. ) The Milo tapes Indigoism Oliver the 2nd and Jermiah Jae- Rawhide Capture the Sun
Overall a lot of good releases, but honestly only one truly great album through and through imo (For Madmen Only). Which is slightly concerning because I don’t want to be a playlist guy.
And how did TDE not release anything this year? All that hype/momentum/praise off Good Kid, and not even a mixtape this year?
**I also have to mention my hands down discovery/late-pass of the year. “Women Revolution Tennis Shoes” by Skipp C00n and Mr Nick. Phenomenal album I discovered this year. Dude is rapping his @$$ off on this and the production is excellent. If it were released this year, #2 easy….
37. "C.A.R. might be a good starting place." In response to Reply # 35
For his recent output, which I feel is stronger than his earlier work, even though more traditional rap fans would say his earlier stuff is more "hip hop."
Family & Friends has some of his best songs (Flutes, The Whip) but the beats are a bit more indie rock sounding--in good ways and bad.
A personal favorite is Davis--his most left-field release. Very smudgy loose raps and beats by Matthewdavid.
Not sure about my favorites this year. Off the top of my head:
Serengeti - Kenny Dennis LP Young Fathers - Tape 2 Serengeti - Saal (this one is very indie rock sounding) Jeremiah Jae - Bad Jokes Also like much/most of the Zeroh album Bishop Nehru - Strictly Flows Chief & the Doomsday Device & Kinder - sic. Koreatown Oddity - No Health Insurance Ghostpoet - Some Say I So I Say Light
---- I check for: Serengeti, Zeroh, Open Mike Eagle, Jeremiah Jae, Moka Only.
32. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 0 Tue Dec-17-13 04:24 PM by simpsycho
Not a lot of hip-hop albums grabbed me this year but these are the ones that did:
Curren$y - New Jet City Dem Atlas - Charlie Brwn Kanye - Yeezus Mix Blood Majority - Mixed Blood Majority Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels The Uncluded - Hokey Fright The Underachievers - Indigoism Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2
34. "My 10 favorites (in alphabetical order)" In response to Reply # 0
Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap Charles Hamilton - Catholic Illuminati: Papal Infallibility Cult Favorite - For Madmen Only Drake - Nothing Was The Same Earl Sweatshirt - Doris Gucci Mane - World War 3: Lean Ka - The Night's Gambit Kanye West - Yeezus Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels Young Thug - 1017 Thug
Esteemed author of the celebrated, double-platinum post: "Drake - Wu-Tang Forever".
Pete Rock & Camp Lo- 80 blocks from Tiffany's 2 K_Os- Black on Blonde Durag Dynasty- 360 waves Natti- Still Motion Sivion- Group Therapy Slum Village- Evolution Heiroglyphics- The Kitchen First Light- Fallacy Fantasy Ohmega Watts- Pieces of a Dream Nametag & Nameless- For Namesake
A lot of entertaining hip-hop came out but I'm not sure how many great albums came out.
In the "ignorant rap" category there was a ton of stuff but not much that held up over the course of a project. I enjoyed a lot of stuff from Juicy J, Young Thug, Gucci and Migos but I can only stand that stuff for a few songs at a time. That music did seem more honest and realized than a lot of other rap I heard this year.
I thought the Ferg album was great. Great production, interesting guest spots, good replay value, felt like it had a beginning, middle and end.
Enjoyed the Drake and Yeezy albums more than I would admit to some people but I'm not even sure those can be categorized as hip-hop
Loved Chance's project. Loved Vic's too. Thought Earl's album was great. Need to give Underachievers and Flatbush Zombies another chance although they didn't have much that moved me the first go around.
Bronson was very very entertaining although it felt more like a comedy sketch than a music album
Need to listen to Ka again in the winter. Enjoyed it but I can only do so much of that sound at a time
Real random but I enjoyed the first two J. Cole EPs. Did not like the album
Disappointments:
Thought RTJ was very underwhelming given their past output. Saw the show and it made sense in that context. Best rap show I've seen in years. But Rap Music was so good that this was almost destined to be underwhelming. A little surprised at the critical admiration this one is getting
Thought Old was very very underwhelming. Not really going back to much on this one besides 25 Bucks. Very confused at the critical admiration this one is getting. Felt forced, although again, XXX was so good this was destined to be underwhelming.
New Jet City...sigh. Spitta's run was fun while he had it
Pusha should have been like a four song EP. Was happy to hear him spit hard on King Push, Numbers, Suicide, Nosetalgia, Pain. Rest of the album was garbage
44. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 0
At the end of today there is a stark contrast of TRYING to be different and BEING different. KanYe TRIES to hard, and his efforts are impotent and wack (to me). GURU (who successfully "experimented" with jazz) WAS different. Not because he WANTED to be. He just was.
That's why he could work with all those Jazz legends and the project came out nature and effortless. No one had to "forced" themselves to enjoy "Jazzmatazz" because of whom was behind the project. No one had to make up reasons and excuses as WHY it's dope, if it wasn't.
The songs WERE just dope.The music spoke for itself. Unlike "Yeeuz" where it's usually people explaining it's KanYE and here's why we should give it props "....." The actual music of Yeeuz comes 2nd because some people are more amore and fascinated by KanYe West as a "character" NOT as an artist.
47. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 44 Wed Dec-18-13 08:26 PM by spidey
Well said...times change though, characters are what sell, not really the music. It is what it is...the corporate takeover of the culture tells people if the person is cool, then no matter the content of the music, the music is adopted, accepted as cutting edge/great/cool....Sheep!
50. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 44
>At the end of today there is a stark contrast of TRYING to be >different and BEING different. KanYe TRIES to hard, and his >efforts are impotent and wack (to me). >GURU (who successfully "experimented" with jazz) WAS >different. >Not because he WANTED to be. He just was. > >That's why he could work with all those Jazz legends and the >project came out nature and effortless. No one had to "forced" >themselves to enjoy "Jazzmatazz" because of whom was behind >the project. No one had to make up reasons and excuses as WHY >it's dope, if it wasn't. > > >The songs WERE just dope.The music spoke for itself. Unlike >"Yeeuz" where it's usually people explaining it's KanYE and >here's why we should give it props "....." The actual music of >Yeeuz comes 2nd because some people are more amore and >fascinated by KanYe West as a "character" NOT as an artist.
How was Guru different? He did the solo joints because it wouldn't work on a Gang Starr album. He's an old head that probably grew up on Jazz. Those albums weren't different for Guru. Just fans of Gang Starr.
****************************************** Falcons, Braves, Bulldogs and Hawks
49. "RE: What were the best hip hop albums of 2013?" In response to Reply # 0
In no particular order
Ka- Nights Gambit Armand Hammer- Race Music billy woods- Dour Candy Open Mike Eagle- Sir Rockabye L'Orange & Stik Figa- The City Cult Favorite- For Madmen Only Quelle Chris- Niggas Is Men Killah Priest- PWOWR Roc Marciano- Pimpire Tree- Sunday School 2
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