DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz – Fuck You Know About Me
Masego feat. JID & Rapsody – Somethin’ Ain’t Right
Kipp Stone – Manic
Jazz Spastiks – Beats In the Sampler
MAVI – Thousand Miles
DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz – Fuck You Know About Me
Masego feat. JID & Rapsody – Somethin’ Ain’t Right
Kipp Stone – Manic
Jazz Spastiks – Beats In the Sampler
MAVI – Thousand Miles
Below are some of my favorite hip-hop highlights of 2020. Check the following playlists, albums, and videos for my personal recap of the year.
The Latest Playlist: 2020
*Track listing at bottom of post
Noteworthy 2020
Griselda Records
For hip-hop in 2020, the crown belongs to Griselda Records. Label founder Westside Gunn, brother Conway the Machine, and cousin Benny the Butcher have been creating plenty of buzz over the last few years, but in 2020 they made a statement. With 5 albums between the 3 of them, a debut album by their female counterpart Armani Cesar, and a Griselda-released mixtape from the tremendously productive Boldy James, 2020 has been Griselda’s most productive year to date.
Despite making a sudden splash on the scene, these emcees have been rapping for a long time. While the way they rap is characteristically unique in it’s graphic descriptions and hard-hitting punch lines, their music has a foundation in a classic style of hip-hop, garnering them no shortage of praise from hip-hop legends across the map.
Through expert storytelling, Griselda artists include explicit details of criminal activities, and while they don’t necessarily glorify the lifestyle, they are not in the least bit apologetic. They don’t shy away from rapping about the details of their lives before rap fame, the struggle they endured to get here today, or boasting on their success that could only have come from unwavering perseverance.
One of the most compelling stylistic features of Griselda artists is their footing in a Mafioso aesthetic. This theme runs through all label members, and is one of the notable characteristics that unify them as a collective. It is not surprising that Griselda has been referred to as “the next Wu-Tang Clan”, which has been recognized even by members of the Wu-Tang Clan themselves. This claim is not just an acknowledgement of success in 2020, but an understanding that Griselda is set to be an iconic generational influence on the culture.
Lo-Fi Lethargic Raps
Over the past 5-7 years there has been a growing sub-genre of hip-hop characterized by low-energy rapping over lo-fi, sample-central beats. Counter to stereotypical rap braggadocio, artists in this style write more genuinely introspective. Despite their lethargic leaning tone, they write in a way that is both deeply expressive and seemingly therapeutic. The consistent themes are self-reflection and social observation from an introverted perspective.
The beats can be easily digestible, or in many cases can break rhythmic norms, providing an embrace of dystopian aesthetic. This approach gives the artists flexibility to maintain a refreshing level of unpredictability. It may not be a coincidence that 2020 was such prolific year for this style of hip-hop, being a year defined by isolation, depression, and dystopia. As a point of reference, the most notable emcee in this style and debatably the originator of it is Earl Sweatshirt.
I often refer to this style of hip-hop as “the other mumble rap”. While this sounds nothing like the commonly referred to sub-genre of mumble rap, these artists undeniably rap in a way that could be described as mumbling, but are nonetheless far more articulate as lyricists. There have been about a dozen or more notable artists operating successfully within this style, and while there is a common thread connecting them all, each has their own unique stylistic contribution. Above are 6 projects within this style from 2020 that I recommend from Medhane, MIKE, Redveil, Demahjiae, Chester Watson, and Navy Blue.
Boldy James Banner Year
I’ve declined to explicitly choose an album of the year for 2020, but if any artist should be recognized for their productivity it would have to be Boldy James. This year James dropped 3 collaborative projects with The Alchemist, Sterling Toles, and Real Bad Man, as well as a mixtape released by none other than Griselda Records (The Versace Tape).
Boldy James has been on the scene for over a decade, but his presence has never been more prolific than it was in 2020. Between the 4 projects, Boldy generously delivered 47 tracks (not including features), easily making 2020 his banner year. Despite the abundance of production, he didn’t cut corners. There are almost no intros or skits, and The Price of Tea in China & Real Bad Boldy are legitimate contenders for album of the year.
Like other Griselda artists, Boldy is a great storyteller, and his laid back flow guides the listener through a mesmerizing tour of illicit struggle raps. Each project has a different producer and corresponding sound, demonstrating James’ versatility and ability to adapt without compromising his own style.
Check out other notable albums from: Apollo Brown & Che Noir, Armand Hammer, Clipping., Denzel Curry x Kenny Beats, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, R.A.P. Ferreira, Run The Jewels, Sa-Roc, and Statik Selektah.
Notable Videos of 2020
Anderson .Paak feat. Jay Rock – Lockdown
Run The Jewels feat. Greg Nice & DJ Premier – Ooh LA LA
D Smoke feat. Jackie Gouche’ – Black Habits I
Spillage Village feat. EARTHGANG, JID, Jurdan Bryant, Mereba, Hollywood JB – End of Daze
Princess Nokia – Gemini
Royce Da 5’9″ on The L.A. Leakers
Benny The Butcher on The L.A. Leakers
Symba on The L.A. Leakers
The Latest Playlist 2020
Conway the Machine feat. DeJ Loaf – Fear Of God
Boldy James & Real Bad Man – Street Shit
serengeti – parisian romance
Evidence – Unlearning
MIKE – More Gifts
K.A.A.N. – Breakthrough
REASON feat. Rapsody – I Can Make It
Apollo Brown & Che Noir – Freedom
Black Thought feat. C.S. Armstrong & OSHUN – We Could Be Good
redveil – Campbell
Jack Harlow – Keep It Light
R.A.P. Ferreira – Mythical
$ilkMoney – Not the Cat Y’all Saw Yesterday
Statik Selektah feat. Bobby Sessions – Immortal
Sa-Roc – Gold Leaf
D Smoke – Rapture
Joell Ortiz & KXNG Crooked – Caddy Bump (LBC)
Grafh – Anonymous
clipping. – Say the Name
Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats – Pyro (leak 2019)
Knxwledge – Gangstallthetime
Benny the Butcher feat. DOM KENNEDY – Over The Limit
Meyhem Lauren & Harry Fraud – Yucca
Preservation feat. Roc Marciano – Medicine Drawer
Willie the Kid – Dirty Game
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – 1985
Chuuwee – Knocked Off
Chester Watson feat. Salami Rose Joe Louis – Atlantis
demahjiae – Divinity
Anderson .Paak – Lockdown
Benny the Butcher feat. Queen Naija – Thank God I Made It
Rapsody – Cleo
Blame One – The Word to Say
Saba feat. Noname – Church / Liquor Store
Tomppabeats – Far Away
Reks – System
Jericho Jackson – Self Made
Black Thought – State Prisoner
R.A.P. Ferreira feat. Mike Ladd – An Idea Is a Work of Art
Jinsang – Bliss
Spillage Village feat. EARTHGANG, JID, Jurdan Bryant, Mereba, & Hollywood JB – End of Daze
eLZhi – Hot Winter Cold Summer
Armani Caesar feat. Benny the Butcher – Simply Done
Sa-Roc – 40 And a Mule
Public Enemy feat. Nas, Rapsody, Black Thought, Jahi, YG & Questlove – Fight The Power: Remix 2020
Grafh feat. Conway the Machine – Pray
Sandpeople – Semaphore
Little Simz – Good for What
serengeti – company softball
Shabazz Palaces – An Echo from the Hosts That Profess Infinitum
Evidence feat. Styles P, Rapsody & Khrysis – Love Is a Funny Thing
Klaus Layer – Into a Sky
Elzhi – Two 16’s
$ilkMoney – Biscuits & Mouse Eggs, I Wanna Marry You
Westside Gunn feat. Freddie Gibbs & Roc Marciano – $500 Ounces
LeRoyce – A1 Since Day 1
Murs, 9th Wonder & The Soul Council feat. Rapsody & Rueben Vincent – High Noon
Apollo Brown & Che Noir – ’94
Medhane – Na Fr
HashFinger – Blue Picasso
Cro – Easy
Ivyleague 12 – Fakes
Markis Precise feat. Locksmith – Decisions
RoQy TyRaid – Barefoot Running
Mick Jenkins – The Fit
Isaiah Rashad – Dressed Like Rappers
7evenThirty & Gensu Dean – Generation Why
EARTHGANG – Missed Calls
lojii – Bananos
Samiyam – Italy
Rapsody – A Song About Nothing
IAMDDB – Trophy
DJ Muggs & Roc Marciano – Shit I’m On
Soulful Chemistry feat. ฬเןl – Sunday
L’Orange & Jeremiah Jae – Kicking Glass
Jurassic 5 – Sum of Us
Wax Tailor – Dragon Chasers
Rapsody feat. Anderson .Paak – OooWee
Roc Marciano – Power
Reks – Say Goodnight
L’Orange & Stik Figa feat. Open Mike Eagle & Mindsone – Decorated Silence
Ray West & OC – Ymi
MF DOOM feat. DJ Cucumber Slice – Rhymes Like Dimes
Reef the Lost Cauze – Thug Fantasy
Paper Tiger – First Track
Below are some of my favorite hip-hop highlights of 2019. Check the following playlists, albums, and videos for my personal run-down of the year.
The Latest Playlist: 2019
*Track listing at bottom of post
Notable Albums of 2019
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Bandana
The most universally accepted rap album of 2019 was Bandana from Freddie Gibbs & Madlib. Legendary producer Madlib brings some of his finest work to this highly active Bandana instrumental. The samples are chosen brilliantly and blended masterfully, contributing layers of drama and grandeur to Freddie Gibbs’ tales of criminal lifestyle. Gibbs raps about life struggles through the lens of his experiences in illicit activities, primarily drug dealing. He provides generously detailed stories and references of past experiences with criminal activity, women, and law enforcement. Though he raps with the demeanor of an experienced member of organized crime, Gibbs doesn’t shy away from expressing his emotional state as he describes struggles he experiences as a result of his lifestyle. It is not at all lost in his message that his involvement in criminal activity is born out of a struggle to survive in an environment that doesn’t care if he succeeds, fails, lives, or dies. With outstanding production and heavy descriptive lyrics, Bandana is already considered a classic.
Billy Woods & Kenny Segal – Hiding Places
For years Billy Woods has been one of the most prolific emcees in the subgenre of abstract hip hop; 2019 was his banner year. Hiding Places represents a thoroughly developed and sophisticated Woods on the dark beats and crushing drums of his perfect producer counterpart: Kenny Segal. Hiding Places from Billy Woods & Kenny Segal is not an album for passive listening. Over the course of this project, Woods weaves in and out of fragmented thoughts, metaphor, memories and tangents. This is a deeply personal and emotional Woods, as he speaks passionately in heavy reflection of his childhood and life experiences. There is a fine line between rapping and spoken word, and Woods is constantly playing with that line. The overall aesthetic of this collaboration is dark, ominous, aggressive, and a bit uncomfortable. Hiding Places can be off-putting at first, but listening to this project in its entirety is a truly captivating experience. I also recommend checking out Billy Woods’ other 2019 release: Terror Management.
Kota the Friend – Foto
The album I listened to the most in 2019 was Foto from Kota the Friend. Kota the Friend has to be the most genuinely humble emcee out. Foto is not a complex album musically, conceptually, or otherwise, but it is a true gem for fans of boom bap conscious rap. Through mellow melodic delivery Kota speaks frankly about his life, relationships, and the importance of family. Kota is nearly void of rap braggadocio. The occasional boasting is done with a subtlety that points more towards a comfort in himself rather than any self-righteous arrogance. Foto is highly optimistic from front to back, and Kota speaks from a place of content and joy, consciously leaving hardships in his past. The beats are simple but solid. People looking for more innovative styles and sounds might find the album a bit repetitive, but I personally cant get enough of it.
Check out other Notable Albums from: Rapsody, Dreamville, EarthGang, Anderson .Paak, Mavi, Little Simz, YBN Cordae
Notable Videos of 2019
Freddie Gibbs – Fake Names
Little Simz – Venom
Tierra Whack – Unemployed
Tobe Nwigwe feat. Paul Wall – Juice
YBN Cordae feat. Aanderson .Paak – RNP
Boogie on Sway’s Universe
King Los on Power 106
Open Mike Eagle feat. Danny Brown – Unfiltered (Comedy Central/The New Negroes)
The Latest Playlist 2019
Little Simz – Venom
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Fake Names
Qari & Greenslime – Operation Hennessy
Rapsody – Serena
CRIMEAPPLE & DJ Skizz – Wet Dirt
YBN Cordae – Wintertime
Mach-Hommy feat. Tha God Fahim – Mozambique Drill
Flying Lotus – Andromeda
Tobe Nwigwe feat. Lanell Grant – Caged Birds
Anoyd & Statik Selektah – Purple
Kill Bill x Rav feat. Rekcahdam – Now you don’t
Kota the Friend – Sedona
Danny Brown – Best Life
Dreamville & JID feat. T.I. – Ladies, Ladies, Ladies
Kemba feat. Portugal, The Man – The Feels
MAVI – Love, Of Money
Maxo – Time
Medhane – Affirmation #1
Hemlock Ernst & Kenny Segal – Back at the House
Slowthai – Crack
Apollo Brown feat. Nolan The Ninja & Dopehead – Skimmin’
Homeboy Sandman – Step Inside
Your Old Droog – Train Love
Earl Sweatshirt – MTOMB
Billy Woods feat. Mach-Hommy – Windhoek
Rapsody – Cleo
EARTHGANG – Swivel
Tobe Nwigwe feat. Paul Wall – Juice
Ghostface Killah feat. Eamon – New World
Joell Ortiz – Screens