Since its inception hip-hop has struggled to overcome misogyny in both its lyrics and in the way they depict women. But that doesn't mean that throughout its history feminism hasn't made its impact felt.
Pressure is Jeezy's best project in recent memory but it still didn't quite deliver on all the immense promise of its tracklisting and noteworthy features. A mix of standout and generic, skewing more in the direction of the latter. And he's just not as interesting of an orator as he once was.
I don't know what happened to the Slim Shady who could point out society's absurdities with nonchalant ease or rip apart hard rap beats like no other, but going off of this album, that guy is all but gone. I have to go back and listen to his old music just to get this bad taste out of my mouth.
While the dream pairing of Fabolous & Jadakiss didn't quite live up to the immense expectations, they did deliver a mostly satisfying project that's more Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana than Kanye and Hov. But ultimately they delivered in the area that mattered the most - the bars.
Wiz Khalifa's latest was somewhat of a mixed bag. While this was his best tape in years and a slight step back towards that Kush & OJ groove that everyone loved, he sounded lethargic throughout and lacking in that signature charisma that's carried him so far.
Yelawolf continues that same blending of genres present on Love Story, but this go around the music is decidedly more southern rock driven than country and noticeably angrier. Overall I think it was a smart choice of treading familiar ground while deviating enough to still be fresh, making Trial By Fire another solid step forward for him and it's unlike almost anything else out there.
4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is Big K.R.I.T.'s most ambitious project yet, and while it doesn't answer all of the criticisms people have of him, it is him at his absolute best and it's his most listenable, yet still deep, album yet. If this doesn't prove that he belongs in the conversation with the Kendricks and J. Coles of the world, then nothing will.
This joint project has been a long time coming but unfortunately it doesn't quite live up to it's potential. Instead of raising each other's level they instead fall back to their usual formulas on songs that sound more like past throwaways than fresh, new creations.
UK Drill is the fast rising new sound in British hip-hop that's built on the hostility and aggression found in drill music popularized by the likes of Chief Keef. It's not without it's challenges and naysayers but it's providing opportunities and changing the rap scene.
Lute delivered a really well executed project full of those relatable every man raps and earnest music now synonymous with J. Cole's label Dreamville. However, I'm still not convinced that Lute has enough charisma and personality as a rapper to really leave a mark on music.
Gemini was another generic Macklemore album despite being his first solo effort in years; full of some enjoyable moments of his signature churchy, feel good music but ultimately dragged down by his continued lack of subtlety or elevated artistry. Either you love his style by now or you don't, because that's all you're going to get.
Artists are continuing to line up to work with Apollo Brown and for good reason. His sampling is on another level and his lush, soulful production is exceptional as always. Anchovies isn't my favorite project of his but I'll take as much Apollo Brown production as I can get.
N.E.R.D's long awaited return isn't nearly as impactful protest music as they'd like you to believe but it is a wild ride nonetheless. On another note, it's taken nearly a decade for the rest of music to have even remotely caught up with their experimental sounds, so that's a testament to their vision in itself.
Big name collaborations are supposed to elevate each other's craft and this falls well short of doing that. Just another project that'll get lost in the current. I thinks it's time we start rethinking this whole 'collaboration' thing and only reserve it for truly special moments (Kendrick, J. Cole I'm looking at y'all).
No Dope on Sundays once again reinforced Cyhi The Prynce's immense ability as a lyricist but still left me with uncertainty about him as a true 'star' in hip-hop. Despite this, it's still a very good album and the fact that it finally saw the light of day is a big first step in the right direction.
I was more than ready to write off Jaden Smith but he utterly surprised me with a highly enjoyable project full of incredible production, surprising flow, and impressive versatility. It's often hard to take him seriously, but his music needs to be.
Cam'ron picks up right where he left off years ago, and while The Program doesn't bring anything particularly new to the table, it does show how much the game could do with a little more Cam'ron in it.
King Krule's latest is not an easy album by any measure; you can’t just throw it on and immediately be taken in, it’s meant to be sat with and slowly digested as its many idiosyncrasies slowly reveal themselves. But once I let go of my expectations of what an album is supposed to sound like, I couldn’t help but get pulled into his mad soundscapes of isolation, anxiety, and slightly out of tune instruments. It’s as much a work of art as it is an album, but for someone who loves the odd and experimental as much as I do, The OOZ was about as rich an album as I’ve heard all year.
I Still Am felt like a check list of song types lacking a lot of Yo Gotti's blunt charisma that elevated his past music above generic street fare. By far his weakest project in recent memory and not even a strip club anthem of the year like "Rack It Up" can spice up this bland assortment of music.
Mr. Davis is more of the same trap rap we've come to expect from Gucci Mane with a greater level of refinement and bigger name features. I appreciate the added sheen and there are a few stand out moments, but I prefer when he's left to his own devices and when his music is a bit rougher around the edges.
Rapsody delivered a jazzy, funky, soulful album full of incredible 'life music' and bars that match up with any MC in hip-hop, not just females. This is about as flawless an album execution since maybe To Pimp A Butterfly and I'm looking forward to picking this apart and vibing to it for the weeks to come. Damn she just made me rethink my best albums of the year.
A Boogie wit da Hoodie has created quite the buzz and many have crowned him the future of NY hip-hop. But if this generic mess of a debut is the best he has to offer then that future isn't looking so bright.
We talk about the possible demise of Rolling Stone as it's going up for sale for the first time since it's start in 1967. We talk about how we think they've lost their true identity as the counterculture bible and how they could possibly get it back. We finish things by talking about new albums we've been listening to like Jhené Aiko, Rapsody, Queens of the Stone Age, and the Foo Fighters.
Still Striving is a mindless, hard-hitting, turn-up mixtape that doesn't do anything to elevate A$AP Ferg's career but it will wash out the bad taste of his last album for a lot of his fans. The production is the real MVP here.