Top 30 Albums of 2016

We made it, folks. The top 30 albums/mixtapes/projects of 2016. What a year. I thank you deeply for being here with me, and enjoy!

 

 
 

30) A$AP Mob – Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends

Fav Tracks: ‘Young N*gga Living,’ ‘Telephone Calls,’ ‘Crazy Brazy,’ ‘Nasty’s World’ & ‘Put That on My Set’

 

29) Pete Rock & Smoke DZA – Don’t Smoke Rock

Fav Tracks: ‘Dusk 2 Dusk,’ ‘Until Then,’ ‘Milestone,’ ‘Hold the Drums’ & ‘Black Superhero Car’

 

28) Saba – Bucket List Project

Fav Tracks: ‘Church/Liquor Store,’ ‘MOST,’ ‘Bucket List,’ ‘Symmetry’ & ‘GPS’

 

27) Denzel Curry – Imperial

Fav Tracks: ‘ULT,’ ‘Zenith,’ ‘Story: No Title,’ ‘Knotty Head’ & ‘If Tomorrow’s Not Here’

 

26) Mac Miller – The Devine Feminine

Fav Tracks: ‘Congratulations,’ ‘Dang!,’ ‘We,’ ‘My Favorite Part’ & ‘God is Fair, Sexy Nasty’

 

 

25) Flatbush Zombies – 3001: A Laced Odyssey

Fav Tracks: ‘Bounce,’ ‘Your Favorite Rap Song,’ ‘Trade-off, ‘This is It’ & ‘A Spike Lee Joint’

 

24) Travis Scott – Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
Fav Tracks: ‘Pick Up the Phone,’ ‘Goosebumps,’ ‘Sweet Sweet,’ ‘The Ends ‘ & ‘Through the Late Night’

 

23) Westside Gunn – FLYGOD
Fav Tracks: ‘Mr. T,’ ‘Dudley Boyz,’ ‘Vivian at the Art Basel,’ ’50 in Zenith’ & ‘Bodies on Fairfax’

 

22) Tall Black Guy – Let’s Take a Trip
Fav Tracks: ‘I Will Never Know,’ ‘Rocking From Beginning to End,’ ‘Peace and Love,’ ‘This One is For the Ladies and Gents’ & ‘One Device, One Method, One Thing’

 

21) Joey Purp – iiiDrops

Fav Tracks: ‘Morning Sex,’ ‘Money & Bitches,’ ‘Cornerstore,’ ‘Escape’ & ‘Winners Circle’

 

 

20) Kevin Abstract – American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

Fav Tracks: ‘Miserable America,’ ‘Papercut,’ ‘Yellow,’ ‘Echo’ & ‘Empty’

 

19) Cousin Stizz – MONDA
Fav Tracks: ‘500 Horses,’ ‘Where I Came From,’ ‘Gain Green,’ ‘Every Season’ & ‘Wanted to Live’

 

18) Ab-Soul – Do What Thou Wilt.
Fav Tracks: ‘Lonely Soul/The Law Prelude,’ ‘YMF,’ ‘Portishead in the Morning/HER Wold,’ ‘Huey Knew THEN’ & ‘D.R.U.G.S.’

 

17) Bas – Too High to Riot

Fav Tracks: ‘Methylone,’ ‘Housewives,’ ‘Dopamine,’ ‘Penthouse’ & ‘Night Job’

 

16) Mick Jenkins – The Healing Component

Fav Tracks: ‘Spread Love,’ ‘Communicate,’ ‘Drowning,’ ‘Plugged’ & ‘The Healing Component’

 

 

15) D.R.A.M. – Big Baby D.R.A.M.
Fav Tracks: ‘Outta Sight/Dark Lavender Interlude,’ ‘Cute,’ ‘Broccoli,’ ‘Cash Machine’ & ‘Sweet VA Breeze’

 

14) NxWorries – Yes Lawd!

Fav Tracks: ‘Suede,’ ‘Lyk Dis,’ ‘Best One,’ ‘Link Up’ & ‘Another Time’

 

13) Solange – A Seat at the Table

Fav Tracks: ‘Mad,’ ‘Cranes in the Sky,’ ‘Don’t Touch My Hair,’ ‘Borderline’ & ‘Where Do We Go’

 

12) Kanye West – The Life of Pablo

Fav Tracks: ‘No More Parties in L.A.,’ ‘Real Friends,’ ‘Saint Pablo,’ ‘OG Wolves’ & ‘Ultralight Beam’

 

11) Kendrick Lamar – untitled unmastered
Fav Tracks: ‘untitled 05,’ ‘untitled 01,’ ‘untitled 03,’ ‘untitled 07’ & ‘untitled 08’

 

 

10) Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book

Fav Tracks: ‘Same Drugs,’ ‘Finish Line/Drown,’ ‘How Great,’ ‘Angels’ & ‘Summer Friends’

 

 

9) Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 3

Fav Tracks: ‘Legend Has It,’ ‘A Report to the Shareholders/Kill Your Masters,’ ‘Talk to Me,’ ‘2100’ & ‘Thursday in the Danger Room’

 

 

8) Isaiah Rashad – The Sun’s Tirade
Fav Tracks: ‘Park,’ ‘Free Lunch,’ ‘Stuck in the Mud,’ ‘Wat’s Wrong,’ ‘Tity and Dolla’

 

 

7) Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition

Fav Tracks: ‘Really Doe,’ ‘Lost,’ ‘Tell Me What I Don’t Know,’ ‘Hell For It’ & ‘Pneumonia’

 

 

6) Elzhi – Lead Poison

Fav Tracks: ‘The Healing Process,’ ‘Two 16s,’ ‘Keep Dreaming,’ ‘Cloud’ & ‘Egocentric’

 

 

5) Noname – Telefone

Fav Tracks: ‘Casket Pretty,’ ‘Diddy Bop,’ ‘Bye Bye Baby,’ ‘Yesterday’ & ‘Sunny Duet’

 

 

4) ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP
Fav Tracks: ‘JoHn Muir,’ ‘Tookie Knows II,’ ‘Neva Change,’ ‘Ride Out’ & ‘Groovy Tony/Eddie Kane’

 

 

3) Frank Ocean – Blonde
Fav Tracks: ‘Nights,’ ‘Seigfreid,’ ‘White Ferrari,’ ‘Solo’ & ‘Pink + White’

 

 

2) A Tribe Called Quest – We Got it From Here, Thank You 4 Your Service

Fav Tracks: ‘The Space Program,’ ‘Dis Generation,’ ‘Whateva Wil Be,’ ‘Conrad Tokyo’ & ‘The Killing Season’

 

 

1) Anderson .Paak – Malibu

Fav Tracks: All of them. Every single one. But, if I had to pick five, they would be: ‘The Season/Carry Me,’ ‘The Waters,’ ‘Am I Wrong,’ ‘Light Weight’ & ‘Room in Here’

 

Honorable Mention ( a little long, I know 🙂 )

Injury Reserve – Floss
YG – Still Brazy
Domo Genesis – Lost and Found
Oddisee – Alwasta EP
Ka – Honor Killed the Samurai
De La Soul – and the Anonymous Nobody…
J. Cole – 4 Your Eyez Only
The Weeknd – Starboy
Common – Black America Again
Skepta – Konnichiwa
Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid
Gucci Mane – Everybody’s Looking
Ivy Sole – Eden
Kemba – Negus
Maxo Kream – The Persona Tape
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Kembe X – Talk Back
Jamila Woods – HEAVN
DJ Khaled – Major Key
Frank Ocean – Endless
Vince Staples – Prima Donna EP
Kid Cudi – Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’
Clams Casino – 32 Levels
Young Thug – JEFFERY & Slime Season 3
Atmosphere – Fishing Blues
Meek Mill – DC4
Lushlife & CSLSX – Ritualize
JMSN – It is.
Dave East – Kairi Chanel
G Herbo – Strictly 4 My Fans
Boogie – Thirst 48 Pt. II
Nyck Caution – Disguise the Limit
CZARFACE – A Fistful of Peril
Apollo Brown & Skyzoo – The Easy Truth
Termanology – More Politics
Blakface & SeanWyze – This Time Ahead
April + Vista – Note to Self EP
clipping – Splendor & Misery
BJ the Chicago Kid – In My Mind
A-F-R-O & Marco Polo – A-F-R-O-P-O-L-O
Sap – Self Employed
Kilo Kish – Reflections in Real Time
Blu & Ray West – Crenshaw Jezebel
Like – Songs Made While High
The Underachievers – It Happened in Flatbush
Rome Fortune – Jerome Raheem Fortune
Smoke DZA – He Has Risen & George Kush da Button 2: Don’t Pass Trump the Blunt
Father – I’m a Piece of Shit
CJ Fly – Flytrap
Rihanna – Anti
Sir Michael Rocks – Part 2
Lance Skiiiwalker – Introverted Intuition
K.A.A.N. – Eclectic Audio EP
Calez – Baby
M.I.A. – A.I.M.
Ras Kass – Intellectual Property: SO12
Vic Mensa – There’s A Lot Going On
Kodak Black – Lil B.I.G. Pac
Royce da 5’9″ – Layers & Trust the Shooter
Carlos Niño – It’s All Happening
Brockhampton – All-American Trash
Jay IDK – Empty Bank
DJ Quik & Problem – Rosecrans EP
Reks – The Greatest X
Daye Jack – Surf the Web
Chuuwee & Trizz – AmeriKKa’s Most Blunted 2
Trapo – Shade Trees
Havoc & The Alchemist – Silent Partner
Black Party – Mango
Torae – Entitled
Jay Prince – Smile Good
Rapsody – Crown EP
Jerreau – Never How You Plan
Drake – Views
A$AP Ferg – Always Strive and Prosper
Fudge- Lady Parts
Ugly Heroes – Everything in Bewtween
Emanon – Dystopia
Thane – Topia
Dizzy Wright – Good Vibes and Wisdom EP
Tunjie Ige – Missed Calls
Vic Spencer – St. Gregory
Lloyd Banks – All or Nothin: Live it Up
Kevin Gates – Islah
Joey Fatt$ – I’ll Call You Tomorrow
Curren$y & The Alchemist – The Carrolton Heist
Roy Woods – Nocturnal
Santigold – 99 Cents
Robert Glasper Experiment – ArtScience
T.I. – Us or Else
Vic Shadez – Uncontaminated
Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto
Meyhem Lauren – Piatto D’Oro
Crooked I & Statik Selektah – STATIC KXNG
Kool Keith – Feature Magnetic
Lil Yachty – Lil Boat
Open Mike Eagle – Hella Personal Film Festival
Lance is a Genius – Lance is a Genius
Quelle Chris – Lullabies For the Broken Brain
Kweku Collins – Nat Love
theMIND – Summer Camp
The Slipmat Brothers & Penpals – Made For the Underground

 

 

images via Mac Miller, The Fader, Denzel Curry, Loma Vista Recordings, Ab-Soul, TDE, Solange, Columbia Records, Chance the Rapper, Run the Jewels Inc., Isaiah Rashad, Danny Brown, Warp Records, Elzhi, Noname, ScHoolboy Q, Interscope, Frank Ocean, Boys Don’t Cry, A Tribe Called Quest, Epic Records, Anderson. Paak & EMPIRE