#armand hammer & the alchemist

[beatsforbrothels]

Armand Hammer - Resin [prod. The Alchemist]

[notchrisconcepts]

Billy Woods

[3-tearz]

MIKE

[idiotcoward]

Armand Hammer & The Alchemist - Haram

Armand Hammer is a fucking dream team of underground rap legends with Billy Woods and Elucid. This album is definitely one of their strongest. Especially considering that The Motherfucking Alchemist actually produced this record whos a legend himself.

This one is choke full of references to the rap scene. Probably my favorite is when Billy Woods says “Kendrick Lamar where you at??” This was during that huge gap after Damn where he disappeared. This feeling that the last great has left and that the scene is devolving. The apocalyptic aesthetic mirrors their political commentary about the end of the devolving nature of American society.

Basically this is two legendary rappers rapping over production from a legendary producer. Fucking LISTEN TO IT!

[therappundit]

Another groundbreaking 9/29.

Rome Streetz, Daniel Son & Wino Willy, Lil Wayne, Defcee & Messiah Musik, Mickey Diamond & Camoflauge Monk, Maxo, Scy Jimm, Roper Williams, Hemlock Ernst, Yo Gotti's label compilation, Cash Kidd, Jay Fizzle, Doley Bernays, Wrld Tour Mafia, of course Armand Hammer (the album is INCREDIBLY good), tons of singles, and more...imagine questioning the future of rap music? Have a great weekend, all. 🙏

[semena--mertvykh]

Something else out there in the dark - Reprise

Il a bien fallu que j'envoie ce mail, je ne pouvais pas repousser éternellement.

Avec l'hypertension, j'ai le blanc des yeux intégralement injecté de sang. Ce matin, en croisant dans la glace ce regard d'héroïne de film d'horreur, qui met mal-à-l'aise et qui fait détourner le regard - y compris le mien - je me suis rappelé cette expression, "Pleurer des larmes de sang".

(et à t'effondrer dans tous les recoins de ton chagrin comme çà, tu as l'impression que tu n'en sortiras jamais)

[omegaremix]

Omega Radio for May 27, 2024; #377.

Gang Starr ft. J. Cole: "Family And Loyalty"

Benny The Butcher & Armani Caesar: "Buffalo Kitchen Club"

Meyhem Lauren & Daringer ft. Conway The Machine: "Red Pesto"

NappyHIGH f. Raekwon + Westside Gunn: "From The Projects"

Prodigal Sunn ft. Killah Priest: "Vintage"

El Camino ft. Inspectah Deck: "Victory"

Headkrack ft. Method Man + Kool Keith: "Buckwild"

Kool Keith & Real Bad Man: "Fire And Ice" + Battle (ft. Ice-T)

Real Bad Man & Blu ft. C.L. Smooth: "The Golden Rule"

Real Bad Man & Blu ft. Planet Asia: "Hebrews"

Planet Asia & Apollo Brown: "Get The Dough Off" + "Peas And Onions"

Che Noir ft. Planet Asia: "Caps Lock"

Che Noir & Big Ghost Ltd. ft. Skyzoo + D-Styles: "Brilliance"

1982 ft. Skyzoo: "Summer In New York"

Roc Marciano X Pete Rock: "Chris Angel"

KRS-One: "The Beginning"

Da Beatminerz Ft. KRS-One + Smif-N-Wessun: "Seckle"

Prodigy & Big Daddy Kane + DJ Scratch: "You Don't Want It"

DJ Premier X Snoop Dogg: "Can U Dig That"

DJ Premier & Slick Rick & Li'l Wayne: "The Root Of All"

Apathy ft. DJ Premier: "Stop What Ya' Doin'"

Apathy ft. Celph Titled: "Todd McFarlane"

Celph Titled ft. Buckwild: "Wack Juice"

Curren$y ft. Boldy James + The Alchemist: "No Yeast"

Masta Ace & Marco Polo: "Richmond Hill" + "P.P.E."

Marv Won ft. Freeway: "Roc Nation"

Royce Da' 5-9 ft. Redman: "Royce & Reggie"

Homeboy Sandman: "Then We Broke Up"

Armand Hammer ft. El-P: "The Gods Must Be Crazy"

eLZhi & Oh No: "Fireballs"

SonnyJim & The Purist ft. MF Doom + Jay Electronica: "Barz Simpson"

Madlib: "REEKYOD"

Byron G ft. Domo Genesis & Evidence & The Whooligans: "Lord Steppington"

A.F.R.O.: "Good Morning, FRO"

Cypress Hill: "Bye Bye"

DJ Muggs X Crimeapple: "Camisas"

DJ Muggs ft. Cee-Lo Green: "Jokers Wild"

Billy Danze ft. Lady Lee: "Blessings And Prayers"

El Michels Affair & Black Thought: "I Would Never" + "Glorious Game"

AZ: "This Is Why"

Kool G Rap ft. 38 Spesh + AZ + General Vee: "Born Hustler"

Logic ft. AZ: "Carnival"

Living Legends f. Del The Funky Homosapien: "The Return"

Deluxe hip-hop, rap, living legends, and golden-era veterans; consecutives and combos-.

[cetitan]

what's ur favorite band/singer & why

These days I'm one of those little c words who doesn't really have a favourite anything, until I do, & then I don't again. I think Bruce Springsteen has the cutest voice alive but I'm actually not as educated on him as I should be, given I named myself after him, Viagra Boys have been a recent and instant favourite as I feel they have a modern Oingo Boingo sound (who were definitely my favourite band in my teenage years) and Seb is a very talented vocalist, but only Welfare Jazz has really had any staying power front to back for me, as good as Sports and Cave World are. Neko Case gives name to my emotional foundations, beautiful voice, amazing lyricist. Townes Van Zandt, Moses Sumney, are heart aching, in different ways. I think I like my heart ached. These last 3 are all favourite contenders.

I don't have a good definition for what a favourite could be. I listen to Iglooghost and then to John Prine and then to Nick Drake, then to Courtney Barnett (when I'm a girl her music is how I'm a girl, maybe?) then to Xiu Xiu, Yves Tumor, Billy Woods, the Alchemist, Armand Hammer. There's too much. Here are my answers. You can ask again later if this didn't work out

[omegaradiowusb]

MAY 27, 2024 (#377)

Gang Starr ft. J. Cole: "Family And Loyalty"

Benny The Butcher & Armani Caesar: "Buffalo Kitchen Club"

Meyhem Lauren & Daringer ft. Conway The Machine: "Red Pesto"

NappyHIGH f. Raekwon + Westside Gunn: "From The Projects"

Prodigal Sunn ft. Killah Priest: "Vintage"

El Camino ft. Inspectah Deck: "Victory"

Headkrack ft. Method Man + Kool Keith: "Buckwild"

Kool Keith & Real Bad Man: "Fire And Ice" + Battle (ft. Ice-T)

Real Bad Man & Blu ft. C.L. Smooth: "The Golden Rule"

Real Bad Man & Blu ft. Planet Asia: "Hebrews"

Planet Asia & Apollo Brown: "Get The Dough Off" + "Peas And Onions"

Che Noir ft. Planet Asia: "Caps Lock"

Che Noir & Big Ghost Ltd. ft. Skyzoo + D-Styles: "Brilliance"

1982 ft. Skyzoo: "Summer In New York"

Roc Marciano X Pete Rock: "Chris Angel"

KRS-One: "The Beginning"

Hakim Green ft. KRS-One: "The Cypher"

Da Beatminerz Ft. KRS-One + Smif-N-Wessun: "Seckle"

Prodigy & Big Daddy Kane + DJ Scratch: "You Don't Want It"

DJ Premier X Snoop Dogg: "Can U Dig That"

DJ Premier & Slick Rick & Li'l Wayne: "The Root Of All"

Apathy ft. DJ Premier: "Stop What Ya' Doin'"

Apathy ft. Celph Titled: "Todd McFarlane"

Celph Titled ft. Buckwild: "Wack Juice"

Curren$y ft. Boldy James + The Alchemist: "No Yeast"

Masta Ace & Marco Polo: "Richmond Hill" + "P.P.E."

Marv Won ft. Freeway: "Roc Nation"

Royce Da' 5-9 ft. Redman: "Royce & Reggie"

Homeboy Sandman: "Then We Broke Up"

Armand Hammer ft. El-P: "The Gods Must Be Crazy"

eLZhi & Oh No: "Fireballs"

SonnyJim & The Purist ft. MF Doom + Jay Electronica: "Barz Simpson"

Madlib: "REEKYOD"

Byron G ft. Domo Genesis & Evidence & The Whooligans: "Lord Steppington"

A.F.R.O.: "Good Morning, FRO"

Cypress Hill: "Bye Bye"

DJ Muggs X Crimeapple: "Camisas"

DJ Muggs ft. Cee-Lo Green: "Jokers Wild"

Billy Danze ft. Lady Lee: "Blessings And Prayers"

El Michels Affair & Black Thought: "I Would Never" + "Glorious Game"

AZ: "This Is Why"

Kool G Rap ft. 38 Spesh + AZ + General Vee: "Born Hustler"

Logic ft. AZ: "Carnival"

Living Legends (Statik Selektah & Del The Funky Homosapien): "The Return"

Hip-hop, rap, and golden-era veterans finally return to Omega after a long absence from the airwaves. Three full hours of new, current, and favorite artists featuring legacy champions, producers, and crate-diggers with plenty of consecutives and multiple appearances to keep things going until the final round.

Our new Summer broadcasting season starts in two weeks. There's lots of new, current, and fresh sounds and artists everywhere lined up and ready to go. We might have some bonus shows coming up, and we're putting together a special deluxe tribute. Stay tuned in the coming weeks.

June 10, 2024 (Midnight EST): first Summer deluxe Omega.

June 24, 2024 (Midnight EST): deluxe Omega.

July 8, 2024 (Midnight EST): deluxe Omega.

July 22, 2024 (Midnight EST): deluxe Omega.

August 5, 2024 (Midnight EST): deluxe Omega.

August 19, 2024 (Midnight EST): final Summer deluxe Omega.

[beansonbread2]

BEANSONBREAD AWARDS 2023 - BEST ALBUM

AWARD NO.2 - BEST ALBUM OF 2023

PAST WINNERS

2022 > Jockstrap - ' I Love You Jennifer B' (see full list HERE)

2021 > Self Esteem - ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ (see full list HERE)

2020 > The Flaming Lips - ‘American Head’ (see full list HERE)

2019 > Self Esteem - ‘Compliments Please’ (see full list HERE)

2018 > Kero Kero Bonito - ‘Time ‘n’ Place’ (see full list HERE)

2017 > Richard Dawson - ‘Peasant’ (see full list HERE)

2016 > Blood Orange - ‘Freetown Sound’ (see full list HERE)

2015 > Holly Herndon - ‘Platform’ (see full list HERE)

2014 > FKA Twigs - ‘LP1′ (see full list HERE)

2013 > These New Puritans - ‘Field Of Reeds’ (see full list HERE)

2012 > Django Django - ‘Django Django’ (see full list HERE)

2011 > Shabazz Palaces - ‘Black Up’ (see full list HERE)

2010 > These New Puritans - ‘Hidden’ (see full list HERE)

2009 > Animal Collective - ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ (see full list HERE)

2008 > Wild Beasts - ‘Limbo, Panto’ (see full list HERE)

2007 > Animal Collective - ‘Strawberry Jam’ (see full list HERE)

2006 > Safetyword - ‘Man’s Name Is Legion’ (see full list HERE)

2005 > Animal Collective - ‘Feels’ (see full list HERE)

2004 > Devendra Banhart - ‘Rejoicing In The Hands’ / ‘Nino Rojo’

2003 > Dizzee Rascal - ‘Boy In Da Corner’

2002 > The Streets - ‘Original Pirate Material’

2001 > The Beta Band - ‘Hot Shots II’

2000 > Outkast - ‘Stankonia’

1999 > The Beta Band - ‘The Beta Band’

1998 > The Beta Band - ‘The Three EPs’

1997 > Radiohead - ‘OK Computer’

1996 > Beck - ‘Odelay’

—

THE RULES - No Re-issues, Live Albums, Compilations, or EPs.

—

SPECIAL MENTIONS for these things that don’t really live on the main lists.

Bulbils no.72 > 79

Bulbils ‘Map’

EP/64 'EP-64'

-

WORTH A MENTION (in no order) - A bunch of albums i enjoyed but didn’t quite make the final lists and others i just didn’t hear enough to be considered properly. 

Matmos / Eartheater / Tkay Maidza / Xiu Xiu / Ashnikko / Arthur Russell / Spellling / Cornelius / Liv.e / John Bence / Daniel Blumberg / Thy Slaughter / Two White Cranes / Billy Woods & Kenny Segal / L’Rain / Callum Easter / Cleo Sol / Holly Waxwing / Doon Kanda / DELUXE100 / ‘Barbie’ OST / Khan & Neek / Mui Zyn / Steady Holiday / Jamie Branch / Mitski / Mac DeMarco / Slowdive / Underscores / Armand Hammer / James Blake / Dutch Uncles / DJ Brittle / Slug / The Go! Team / Sofia Kourtesis / Kali Uchis / Sampha / Yussef Dayes / Unknown Mortal Orchestra / King Creosote / Niecy Blues / Lankum / The HIRS Collective / Alexia Avina / Altin Gun / Sulka / Spektral Quartet, Julia Holter & Alex Temple / L.T. Leif / Maria BC / Tom Rasmussen / Wednesday / Tim Hecker / HMLTD / Andrew Hung / Blonde Redhead / Frost Children / Heavy Lungs / Fire-Toolz / Jim Legxacy / Durand Jones / Clark / Teenage Fanclub / Galen Tipton / Feeble Little Horse / Grouptheraphy / Grian Chatten / Asake / Speakers Corner Quartet / George Clanton / PJ Harvey / Jonatan Leandoer96 / Fenne Lily / Terry / The Coral / Modern Nature / Snooper / Gabriels / Little Dragon / Being Dead / Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist / Noname / Overmono / Olivia Rodrigo / Nation Of Language / Caro / Irreversible Entanglements / Devendra Banhart / Say She She / The Streets / Vanishing Twin / BC Camplight / Ethan P. Flynn / Withered Hand / ThisisDA / Sarahsson / Blanck Mass / Jadu Heart / Hotel Lux / Emily Breeze / Chloe / Feather Beds / Margaret Glaspy / Nature Of Language / WaqWaq Kingdom / Bo en / Patten’ / David Holmes / Belle & Sebastian / Cloth / Phoenix / The Golden Dregs  / Julie Byrne

-

2023 RUNNERS UP (in no order)

Laurel Halo ‘Atlas’ 

Ryuichi Sakamoto ‘12’

John Cale ‘Mercy’

Felicita ‘Spalarkle’

Hyperdawn ‘Steady’

Moin ‘Paste’

Spencer Cullum ‘Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2’

MC Yallah ‘Yallah Beibe’

Alabaster DePlume ‘Come With Fierce Grace’ 

Kwes ‘Rye Lane’ OST

Bianca Scout ‘Heart Of The Anchoress’

James Yorkston, Nina Persson & The Second Hand Orchestra ‘The Great White Sea Eagle’ 

Sweet Baboo ‘The Wreckage’

ML Buch ‘Suntub’

RS Tangent ‘When A Worm Wears A Wig’

Blockhead ‘The Aux’

Martha Ffion ‘The Wringer’

Mark Jenkin ‘Enys Men’ OST

Yo La Tengo ‘This Stupid World’

Tennis ‘Pollen’

Bar Italia ‘The Twits’

Klein ‘Touched By An Angel’

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs ‘Land Of Sleeper’

David Brewis ‘The Soft Struggles’

Lorraine James ‘Gentle Confrontation’

Black Country, New Road ‘Live at Bush Hall’

Mandy, Indiana ‘I’ve Seen A Way’

Firestations ‘Thick Terrain’

Memotone ‘How Was Your Life?’ / ‘Illuminations Part I-III w/ Chris Yates’

Janelle Monae ‘The Age Of Pleasure’

Girl Ray ‘Prestige’ 

Vagabon ‘Sorry I Haven’t Called’

Gruff Rhys ‘The Almond And The Seahorse’

Yves Tumor ‘Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume..’

Sleaford Mods ‘UK GRIM’

Podcasts ‘Podcasts’

Noah Radley ‘Devoid Of A Contact Or Contextual Clues’

Deerhoof ‘Miracle-Level’

H Hawkline ‘Milk For Flowers’

Mary Lattimore ‘Goodbye, Hotel Arkada’

Jessie Ware ‘That! Feels Good!’

Feist ‘Multitudes’

Weird Wave ‘Lost Map Presents Weird Wave’

Blur ‘The Ballad Of Darren’

Avalon Emerson ‘& The Charm’

Roisin Murphy ‘Hit Parade’

Actress ‘LXXXVIII’

Amy May Ellis ‘Over Ling And Bell’

Jam City ‘Jam City Presents EFM’

King Krule ‘Space Heavy’

Peter Brewis ‘Blowdry Colossus’

Amaarae ‘Fountain Baby’

Death’s Dynamic Shroud ‘After Angel’ / ‘Keys To The Gate’ / ‘Midnight Tangerine’ / ‘Transcendence Bot’

This Is The Kit ‘Careful Of Your Keepers’

Decisive Pink ‘Ticket To Fame’

Travis Scott ‘UTOPIA’

James Holden ‘Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities’

Willie J Healey ‘Bunny’

CHAI ‘CHAI’

James Ferraro ‘Concerto For Strings’

Sufjan Stevens ‘Javelin’

Shabazz Palaces ‘Robed In Rareness’

Bas Jan ‘Back To The Swamp’

Free Love ‘Inside’

John Medeski ‘The Curse’ OST

Brother May ‘Pattern With Force’

Langkamer ‘The Noon And Midnight Manual’

Uh ‘Humanus’

Patten ‘Mirage FM’

-

MY TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2023

50. Robbie & Mona ‘Tusky’

49. Lonnie Holley ‘Oh Me Oh My’

48. MF Tomlinson ‘We Are Still Wild Horses’

47. Oliver Coates ‘Aftersun’ OST

46. Joanne Robertson ‘Blue Car’

45. Yeule ‘Softscars’

44. Lil Yachty ‘Let’s Start Here’

43. Robin Allender ‘Underground River’

42. PinkPantheress ‘Heaven Knows’

41. ANOHNI & The Johnsons ‘My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross’

40. Joanna Sternberg ‘I’ve Got Me’

39. Bonnie Prince Billy ‘Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You’

38. Andre 3000 ‘New Blue Sun’

37. Kinlaw ‘WELD’

36. Memotone ‘Tollard’

35. Cleo Sol ‘Gold’

34. Mun Sing ‘Inflatable Gravestone’

33. Dorian Electra ‘Fanfare’

32. Bar Italia ‘Tracey Denim’

31. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom ‘Reset In Dub’

30. Kara Jackson ‘Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?’

29. Avey Tare ‘7s’

28. Kate NV ‘WOW’

27. Kelela ‘Raven’

26. Danny Brown ‘Quaranta’

25. Jessy Lanza ‘Love Hallucination’

24. 100 gecs ‘10,000 gecs’

23. Christopher Bear & Daniel Rossen ‘Past Lives’ OST

22. Quade ‘Nacre’

21. Django Django ‘Off Planet’

20. Tirzah ‘trip9love…???’

19. Nourished By Time ‘Erotic Probiotic 2’

18. Das Koolies ‘DK.01’

17. Jockstrap ‘I <3UQTINVU’

16. Lana Del Rey ‘Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’

15. Fever Ray ‘Radical Romantics’

14. Hannah Diamond ‘Perfect Picture’

13. Water From Your Eyes ‘Everyone’s Crushed’

12. Rozi Plain ‘Prize’

11. Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’

10. Yaeji ‘With A Hammer’

9. Pozi ‘Smiling Pools’

8. Animal Collective ‘Isn’t It Now?’

7. Slauson Malone 1 ‘Excelsior’

6. Steve Mason ‘Brothers & Sisters’

5. The Lemon Twigs ‘Everything Harmony’

4. Oneohtrix Point Never ‘Again’

3. Caroline Polachek ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’

2. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown ‘Scaring The Hoes’

1. Squid ‘O Monolith’

[thegothicarchitecture]

Track Reviews (Aug 22 -> 29)

Best

Armand Hammer, billy woods, E L U C I D, JPEGMAFIA - Woke Up and Asked Siri How I'm Gonna Die

As somebody who enjoys JPEGMAFIA's production immensely this song is an absolute treat. JPEGMAFIA handles production while E L U C I D and billy woods take the center stage with lyrics and delivery.

The highlight here is billy woods' verse, which has some clever wordplay involving steak and raw meat and some equally inventive rhyme-schemes (e.g. "brain fog" and "chainsaw"). However, billy's verse is as descriptive and immersive as it is technically advanced (reminiscent of his work on Maps earlier this year), and this alone sets him apart from other rappers who only focus on technical ability. Good shit.

Meh

Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE - Sentry

Earl Sweatshirt comes back with a pretty standard song aping the minimalist charm of Some Rap Songs and Feet of Clay. The Alchemist beat contains a stripped down, repetitive loop not dissimilar to that on Shattered Dreams, but Earl's pen game leaves a lot of room for improvement.

I say this as a fervent Earl Sweatshirt defender, who loved every album and EP up through Feet of Clay, but his underwhelming return with SICK! left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I began noticing the cracks in his facade, as his esoteric style of rapping and the symbolism in his lyrics started to feel more lazy than despondent and reflective.

MIKE's verse felt more substantive upon the first few listens, but between the two rappers there are very few quotables or memorable moments on this cut. The full project has been released as an NFT, which also isn't the best look in 2023. Still I'll save my judgement until I hear the project in its entirety.

Jake the Underdog, Glitch Gum - FRIEND REQUEST

Glitch Gum's style of hyperpop infused pop punk is beginning to sound less novel and cutting edge and more like a rehash of 2000s pop punk. This song would fit snugly on an early Wonder Years record, as the synth lead and power chord guitar riffs are as saccharine as anything you'd hear off of Get Stoked on It!

If Glitch Gum wants to work within the confines of the genre that's not a bad idea on paper, I absolutely adore the Get Up Kids and Motion City Soundtrack and they have somewhat similar styles. The distinction for me is that Justin Pierre and Matt Pryor are much better lyricists. The nasal vocal affectation used and the cheeky lyrics consisting solely of video game references do absolutely nothing for me on this song. Maybe it'll do more for you.

Worst

N/A

[elogehakizimana]

BEST MUSIC 2023

Best Albums

Amaarae - Fountain Baby - (8.7)

Liv.e - Girl in the Half Pearl - (8.5)

Pangaea - Changing Channels - (8.5)

L’Rain - I Killed Your Dog - (8.5)

Sufjan Stevens - Javelin - (8.5)

billy woods / Kenny Segal - Maps - (8.5)

Sofia Kourtesis - Madres - (8.4)

MIKE - Burning Desire - (8.4)

Kelela - Raven - (8.4)

Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - (8.4)

Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings - (8.4)

Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews... - (8.4)

Yaeji - With A Hammer - (8.4)

Fever Ray - Radical Romantics - (8.4)

Joanna Sternberg - I’ve Got Me - (8.4)

Kara Jackson - Why Does the Earth... - (8.3)

Cash Cobain - Pretty Girls Love Slizzy - (8.3)

boygenius - the record - (8.3)

Wednesday - Rat Saw God - (8.3)

Samia - Honey - (8.3)

Billy Nomates - CACTI - (8.3)

Marina Herlop - Nekkuja - (8.3)

Titanic - Vidrio - (8.3)

Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good! - (8.3)

ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross - (8.3)

Jamila Woods - Water Made Us - (8.3)

Priya Ragu - Santhosam - (8.2)

Veeze - Ganger - (8.2)

Armand Hammer - We Buy Diabetic Test Strips - (8.2)

Asake - Work of Art - (8.2)

Buck Meek - Haunted Mountain - (8.1)

Maxo - Even God Has a Sense of Humor - (8.1)

Kali Uchis - Red Moon in Venus - (8.1)

Noname - Sundial - (8)

RAYE - My 21st Century Blues - (8)

U.S. Girls - Bless This Mess - (8)

Arooj Aftab / Vijay Iyer / Shahzad Ismaily - Love in Exile - (8)

Margo Price - Strays - (8)

RP Boo - Legacy Volume 2 - (8)

J Hus - Beautiful and Brutal Yard - (8)

Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist - Voir Dire - (8)

Victoria Monét - Jaguar II - (8)

Tirzah - trip9love…??? - (8)

Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (World War) - (8)

Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We - (8)

Yeule - Softscars - (8)

Jlin - Perspective EP - (8)

Sampha - Lahai - (8)

Ryuichi Sakamoto - 12 - (7.9)

Lonnie Holley - Oh Me Oh My - (7.9)

Best Tracks

Amaarae - Angels In Tibet

Julie Byrne - Moonless

billy woods / Kenny Segal - Soundcheck

The Murder Capitol - A Thousand Lives

Yaeji - Submerge FM

Pangaea - If

L'Rain - I Killed Your Dog

Jai Paul - So Long (Live)

Liv.e - Gardetto

Kelela - Raven

Fever Ray - Kandy

Amaarae - Princess Going Digital

Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings

J Hus - Who Told You

Yves Tumor - God Is a Circle

Amaarae - Counterfeit

Kara Jackson - rat

Sufjan Stevens - So You Are Tired

Sofia Kourtesis - Funkhaus

Amaarae - Desguise

Priya Ragu - Adalam Va!

BAMBII - Slip Slide

Cah Cobain - So Fire

Rema - Smooth Criminal

Priya Ragu - Black Goose

Sampha - Only

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar - The Hillbillies

Kali Uchis - I Wish you Roses

boygenius - Cool About It

Joanna Sternberg - I’ve Got Me

Fabiana Palladino - I Care

Jorja Smith - She Feels

James Blake - Fall Back

Billy Nomates - same gun

Mitski - Heaven

RP Boo - B.O.T.O

Marina Herlop - Busa

Victoria Monét - Alright

Earl Sweatshirt - Making The Band (Danity Kane)

Tinashe - Talk To Me Nice

Alex Lahey - You’ll Never Get Your Money Back

Buck Meek - Haunted Mountain

billy woods / Kenny Segal - Year Zero

Margo Price - County Road

Jamila Woods - Bugs

Titanic - Anónima

MIKE - African Sex Freak Fantasy

 Marina Herlop - Cosset

Sequence - Healing Sounds

Samia - Kill Her Freak Out

Line Of The Year

“it's not like you love me, I know you don't love me” -  Amaarae

[therappundit]

*The Best of the Bestest!: The Rap Pundit’s Picks For The Finest Rap Projects of 2022

*Just a list of MY favorite favorites from a year filled with a lot of damn good music.  

What else needs to be said at this point?  You have probably seen at least a dozen “Best of” lists by now, with many of the same albums cluttered near the top....but this is THE Rap Pundit’s list, so you know you’re bound to find more gems than chalk.

In a historically deep year for rap music (a topic worth profiling in the future), the headline story was probably the numerous side stories.  Be it the explosion of great music coming from areas that had a previously under-reported wealth of talent (especially Wisconsin and Florida), the underground scene getting more high profile exposure than it has in years (artists like billy woods, Fatboi Sharif and Lungs/Lonesword being shouted-out by numerous mainstream outlets!?), sample-driven drill officially becoming the preferred drill-flavor (at least on the east coast, shout-out Shawny Binladen, Four50, Big YaYa and the YTB), and of course the simply inescapable rise of club music’s influence on rap right now (Bandmanrill is clearly the master of this lane, but this style isn’t going away anytime soon)….if you couldn’t find something you loved in 2022, you might not actually like rap music.

But the proof is in the pudding, let’s get into it.  Here are my personal picks for the most impressive albums/mixtapes/EPs/projects/whatever of 2022…

***High Honors***:  Beware of the Monkey by MIKE, Motion Not Emotion by DB.Boutabag, Playing With Fire by ShooterGang Kony, Crack Music 2 by Skilla Baby, Beyond Belief by 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud, Gold Bricks by ElCamino, and Formal Intro by dp0mmy [+about 100 more that I plan to shout-out on future posts!]

100. VACABULAREE by Valee

99. The DogFather by Paco Panama

98. u be ight by QThree

97. Traumazine by Megan Thee Stallion

96. Metatron’s Cube by Aj Suede & Televangel

95. Spaceships on the Blade by Larry June

94. Scorpion Eyes by BandGang Lonnie Band$

93. Raw Extractions by Lukah

92. Marlowe 3 by Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham)

91. SNOFALL by Jeezy & DJ Drama

90. Tales Of A Yung Son by Four50

89. Ima Island Boy by Pros AP

88. WHERE ARE THE BUGS!? by Cise Greeny, Phiik & Lungs/LoneSword

87. Let’s Do A Drill by Asian Doll

86. GRIPTAPE by the grittiest, Raz Fresco, Eric Right

85. Triple Black Diamonds 2 by al.divino & Estee Nack

84. Where The Shooters Be by SleazyWorld Go

83. As Above So Below by VIP Skylark

82. ONLY BUILT 4 DIAMOND LINKS by Peezy

81. Deutsche Marks 3 by Willie The Kid & V Don

80. THE LIZ 2 by Armani Caesar

79. Wordly Ways by Archibald Slim

78. I NEVER LIKED YOU (Deluxe) by Future

77. MARTINELLI MAC-ELEV by Willyynova

76. Jungle Life by DCG BROTHERS (DCG Shun, DCG Bsavv)

75. FACE (Deluxe Edition) by Babyface Ray

74. What They Hittin 4 by Jay Worthy & DJ Muggs

73. Sedale Threat by Wrecking Crew (Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro & PremRock)

72. Dollar Menu 4 by Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim

71. On High Alert, Vol. 4 by Real Bad Man

70. EA Monster by Young Nudy

69. Back For Everything by Kodak Black

68. raja’s sun by iblss

67. BussaBrick Vol. 2: BussOne 101 by Chicken P

66. 2 Headed Goat by 1100 Himself & Mitchell

65. The I&I by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

64. COTI 2:  The Course of the Inevitable 2 by Lloyd Banks

63. The Broadcast by Fil Jackson

62. The 13 Tape 2 by Jugg Harden

61. HTR Vol. 1: The Legend of Tawny Tone by Koncept Jack$on

60. MEMPHIS MASSACRE III *or* CRUNKSTAR [I still can’t make up my mind!?] by Duke Deuce

59. BEFORE SHIT GOT WEIRD by The Cool Kids

58. ENDLESS by evrymN

57. 25 Features, Vol. 2 by Los & Nutty

56. SLANG CASINO by YUNGMORPHEUS & Obijuan

55. Before The Winner Comes The Fall by Grunge Gallardo

54. Valley of Dry Bones by Stik Figa & Conductor Williams

53. Paint the City (Gangsta Grillz) by Icewear Vezzo & DJ Drama

52. Lost In Austin by kingdoughmane.

51. Gold by DJ Muggs & Rigz

50. Black Vladimir by Meyhem Lauren & Daringer

49. Dog$hit & Ammunition by WTM Milt

48. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts by Mavi

47. Metal Lung by Shrapknel (Curly Castro & Premrock)

46. Da Under Dog by MarijuanaXO

45. The Forever Story by JID

44. SHADOWSELF by Sleep Sinatra & Ohbliv

43. CHAINLINK by Phiik & Duro

42. $oul $old $eparately by Freddie Gibbs

41. Church by billy woods & Messiah Musik

40. RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART by Vince Staples

39. SOGW2: Estee Nack & The Order of the Golden Fleece by Estee Nack & Sadhugold

38. Blame Kansas by T.F, Roc Marciano & Mephux

37. Joe Fog by Errol Holden

36. ill be right back! by amani & robalu

35. LIVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Mikem Nahmir & The Fades Formation

34. The Elephant Man’s Bones by Roc Marciano & The Alchemist

33. Her Loss by Drake & 21 Savage

32. Frank by Fly Anakin

31. SOUTH CENTRAL by G Perico

30. Sewaside II by Mike Shabb

29. King’s Disease III by Nas & Hit-Boy

28. Cold Cuts by Wiki & Subjxct 5

27. Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition) by Denzel Curry

26. Intros, Outros & Interludes by Domo Genesis & Evidence

25. Few Good Things by Saba

24. BABYST5XNE GORILLAS by Baby Stone Gorillas

23. Fair Exchange No Robbery by Boldy James & Nicholas Craven

22. Continuous Improvement by Papo2oo4, DJ Lucas & Subjxct 5

21. Kiss The Ring by Rome Streetz

20. MOB by Babyface Ray

19. I Love Y.O.U. cuz Y.O.U. Ugle Vol.1 by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire

18. It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

17. Smoke Detector by Rich Jones

16. The Soufside Villain by Marco Plus

15. Tana Talk 4 by Benny The Butcher

14. Continuance by Curren$y & Alchemist

13. Cheat Codes by Black Thought & Danger Mouse

12. Languish Arts and Woeful Studies by Ka

11. Spirit Roaming by AKAI SOLO

Aaaaaaaaand now, my top ten...

10.  I Told Bessie by ELUCID

[A well-oiled machine of an album, I Told Bessie lurches along from one ear-grabbing soundscape to another, each gifted contributor putting their stamp on some precious reflection from ELUCID (all producers were in top form here, but Child Actor, Messiah Musik and Sebb were especially potent).  As one half of Armand Hammer, ELUCID has no trouble being a tour guide through his own stroll down memory lane.  He is a superior narrator that knows his way around a vast array of different styles of instrumentals, which means that Bessie never gets too dark or too bright, adding easy replay value to even the heavier moments of the album.]

9. Component System with the Auto Reverse by Open Mike Eagle

[Open Mike Eagle has circled around the epicenter of the underground rap scene for some time now, always a worthy contributor, albeit not one to necessarily be recognized during award season. That should change with his latest effort, a brilliant piece of nostalgia, personal reflection, and an earnest love for hip-hop.  Also, great writing aside, the beats on here are simply phenomenal.]

8. SICK! by Earl Sweatshirt

[Forgot that this dropped in 2022?  The first AOTY contender to drop is all too often the album ending up with the short end of the stick come December, and that seems to be the case with SICK!.  Less sonically aggressive than much of his previous work, Earl still manages to cram so much thoughtful writing into quick, fun-size doses.  The most effective music isn’t always the music that begs for our attention, and this feels like an album where the listener is fortunate just to catch Earl’s thoughts before they float away, to make room for more poignant passing thoughts.  Perhaps Earl’s best gift as an artist is his ability to leave fans wanting more.]

7. Bokleen World by Mike Shabb

[By now the buzz is just starting to nip at Mike Shabb's heels. The Montreal MC/producer was not on my radar before this year, but hot damn has he made an impact in 2022.  If it wasn’t his TWO great solo albums that he dropped, it was the acclaim from tastemakers like Westside Gunn, who got his production skills the attention they deserve.  More importantly, Shabb is coming out of Montreal, Canada, making him a representative of a scene that is starting to make waves well outside of the Canadian border.  I loved his release from earlier this year, but for me it was Bokleen World that showcased all of the many dimensions of an exciting young artist.]

6.  MOOR CHORES by Lord Kayso

[Another artist that I was completely unfamiliar with at this time last year, Brooklyn’s Lord Kayso is closing out this year as one of my favorite artists.  There’s something about his delivery and the way that he colors in his world that feels simultaneously intimate but distant, much like how a young Nas was portrayed as a writer’s-writer, watching events in his community unfold from a project window.  Kayso reflects on his world with a casual delivery that doesn’t seem to be emotionally affected in the moment, but the fact that he’s sharing these personal stories at all confirms that he’s a man with a great deal on his mind.]

5. For All Debts Public and Private by Defcee & Boathouse

[Last year Defcee & Messiah Musik really surprised some folks (myself included) by dropping Trapdoor, one of the best albums of 2021, in December...so let that be a lesson to anyone that thinks they can finalize their annual Best Of lists by the time Thanksgiving wraps up.  That's a tough act to follow, but Defcee & Boathouse managed to strike in 2022 with another fantastic project in For All Debts Public and Private. An impressive list of some of the underground's finest join forces with Boathouses impactful backdrops and Defcee's revealing bars, all to create an album that is as thoughtful as it is prone to high levels of replay value.  When it comes to dissecting one's life and perspectives, I don't know if any MC's pen is touching Defcee at the moment.]

4. Deathfame by Quelle Chris

[Detroit's uber-talented virtuoso Quelle Chris has been accumulating one of the deepest catalogues in music for some time now, but Deathfame is truly one of his finest works top to bottom. An under-reported trend for Quelle is that he somehow finds a way to become more and more versatile as a producer with every album.  Never allowing his sense of humor to drown out his messages, and never being so devoid of humor that his messages come off as bitter, a great Quelle Chris album has become a most welcome tradition over these past few years....and I hope it continues!]

3.  Aethiopes by billy woods & Preservation

[Gonna keep it moving here…billy woods is just flat out the most prolific writer in rap music right now, Preservation is a genius and their chemistry is off the charts.  Add a handful of standout guest verses - EL-P, Boldy, Breeze and hot damn, Despot!? - and you have an AOTY worthy album.  Too many memorable quotes and verse of the year contenders to list, but for some reason there’s a special place in my heart for “trying to pay rent - but that’s not black empowerment, that’s you trying to pay rent”.]

2. 10 (a.k.a. HWH10) by Westside Gunn

[Maybe my favorite Westside Gunn project since FLYGOD, which for me (as a bit of a Griselda stan since 2015), is saying a lot.  Reminiscent of Kanye’s “anyone around, come to the studio right now!” energy during better times - his MBDTF G.O.O.D. Friday roll out - for the latest (last??) installment of his controversially titled music series, Gunn managed to pull together a somewhat surprising list of features for a mixtape of loose and FUN bar-fests over the most varied, ear-grabbing production that we have heard from the Griselda collective in a minute.  I’m not actually sure who was in the studio and who wasn’t, but when the outcome puts Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Doe Boy, Black Star, Busta and Rae & Ghost together on the same project, you get a straight-up dope tape that reminds me of why I fell in love with underground rap music in the first place.  Classic Soundbombing vibes, for me.]

1.  Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

[When it comes down to releasing new albums, no other rap artist needs to check as many boxes as Kendrick Lamar.  JAY-Z, J.Coke, Drake, you name it - none of them have to incorporate mainstream bangers, nuanced “conscious rap”, alternative choices, catchy lyrics, superior production, clear expression of ideas, and manage to touch the bar set by fans with incredibly high expectations for an artist that doesn’t release new music as often as his peers…but such is the life of anyone who is considered to have the highest ceiling in their field.  Yet with Mr. Morale, Kendrick unleashed the album that *he* wanted to release: a sprawling conversation piece that stumbles through dozens of sticky topics without digging his heels into any one stance for too long. 

 It’s the perfect expression of ideas from anyone that came out of the last few years of isolation with a creeping sense of doubt, mistrust for the information circling around him, and a general awkwardness for how to interact with the world once again.  I’m not sorry that many of the thoughts he shared on this album weren’t met as “correct” based on our expectations of what many of us want him to represent, but more importantly, Kendrick shouldn’t be sorry either.  Much like other prominent people of influence in the world today, we should be discussing the nuance of everything we’re told, and the great points often come from those exchanges - way moreso than the regurgitation of curated policy that is deemed acceptable by the loudest of audiences.  So yes, I believe Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to be hands-down the best rap album of 2022.  All messages aside, how anyone could miss the well-crafted delivery and high quality production that is easily the most engaging of any mainstream rap album in 2022, is still pretty surprising to me….but I suppose conflicted opinions are exactly what should come from a talented artist stewing in his own conflicted opinions in recent years.   Oh well, I guess even the best in their field can’t please everybody.]

Next stop....best songs. 👀

[gothwriterboy-things]

MELHORES ÁLBUNS DE 2021 QUE EU OUVI:

1 - Heaux Tales - Jazmine Sullivan

2 - Call Me If You Get Lost - Tyler, the Creator

3 - HEY WHAT - Low

4 - Fatigue - L'Rain

5 - Ignorance - The Weather Station

6 - Glow On - Turnstile

7 - New Long Leg - Dry Cleaning

8 - Valentine - Snail Mail

9 - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert - Little Simz

10 - Colourgrade - Tirzah

11 - I Know I’m Funny haha - Faye Webster

12 - Any Shape You Take - Indigo De Souza

13 - Haram - Armand Hammer and the Alchemist

14 - Seek Shelter – Iceage

15 - Home Video - Lucy Dacus

16 - An Overview on Phenomenal Nature - Cassandra Jenkins

17 - ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH - Spirit of the Beehive

18 - Let Me Do One More - Illuminati Hotties

19 - Kick iii - Arca

20 - I Don't Live Here Anymore - The War on Drugs

21 - Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

22 - Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice

23 - Whole Lotta Red - Playboi Carti

24 - Death of a Cheerleader - Pom Pom Squad

25 - An Evening with Silk Sonic - Silk Sonic