10. Westside Gunn – Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf (Side B)
We are opening our TOP 10 with Westside Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf (Side B). This album is a manifest of what neo boom bap is and just underlines Gunn’s domination. Not many artists have been able to do for the culture as much as a founder of Griselda Records. You can find 20 tracks on Side B. Westside Gunn is not always the alfa and omega, he works as more of a connecting part between the tracks and giving space to other rappers and producers who are using it to the fullest. Tell me on which album you can see Jay Electronica, 2 Chainz, Tyler, Mach-Hommy, Rome Streetz, Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Madlib, Alchemist or Nicholas Craven? Exactly, nowhere.
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9. Navy Blue – Navy’s Reprise
Navy’s Reprise is with its cleaner production, appealing beats and sharper rap rapper’s most easily accessible album to date. It’s not that difficult to find albums with soul samples and thoughtful lyrics that you can listen to every day. You can find some in between the biggest names on a scene or dig little deeper and find new exciting talents and Navy Blue is one of them, one that you should definitely start following. Navy’s Reprise is a follow up on artist’s unique project Song of Sage: Post Panic!, but here he slows down a little bit and takes a step back on abstractive themes and shows something little bit easier and softer. Despite all of that Navy’s stories are still very well worked through and his flow of thoughts is fascinating. Songs are still concerned about shadow of brutal history and vicious threaten of black communities in a past, but this time Navy tries to find a way how to heal from the past and not just analyze it.
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8. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – Haram
Duo Armand Hammer comprised from ELUCID and billy woods needs no introduction. Both artists are one of the most unique rappers in their genre and already have countless of perfect projects under their belt. Legendary Alchemist took care of production so expectation for this album was enormous and its announcement literally took our breath away. Project started forming itself before the album Shrines from 2020 but pandemic slowed the whole project down. So, lyrics of each track are way less political then on Shrines and there is not a single word about pandemic. Whole album feels like rappers put on something demonic and brought dark lyrics full of personal confessions and interesting thoughts that are intriguing enough to provoke you to think. Alchemist was asked to bring something new something different from his usual work but still keep his signature sound. And guess what he did it better then excellent. Word “Haram” is a designation for everything forbidden and that’s exactly how the album feels. You feel like you just opened the pandora box and it’s evil just devoured you, but you will feel intrigued and fascinated.
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7. Planet Asia & Evidence – Rule of Thirds
Planet Asia brought the best classical hip-hop sound of the last year. If you feel like current scene is full of the same sounding projects, this album is an exception. Each of the tracks has its own place on this really relaxed album. You can find guests like Domo Genesis and Rome Streetz. Planet Asia doesn’t need any support the album is mainly build on his skills. Rapper was always busy with releasing music even when it wasn’t cool to release couple of projects per year. This project even might be his best work up to date. Rule of Thirds is a gem produced by Evidence so you can expect beats of top quality.
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6. DJ Muggs & Crimeapple – Cartagena
Crimeapple, rapper from New Jersey, and legendary producer DJ Muggs teamed up on an album Cartagena, in our opinion the sixth best album of the year. Both artists already worked together on album Medallo. Cartagena will suck you into the vortex of infamous Colombian city and won’t let go. Artists were authentically recording their album in Cartagena so you can feel the genius loci of the city. You can feel from Crimeapple’s voice that he is very hungry, and he knows what he is talking about. He fluently changes from English to Spanish which is just adding to the atmosphere and uniqueness of the whole project.
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5. Boldy James & The Alchemist – Bo Jackson
We open our TOP 5 with already legendary duo. Boldy James took a step out of his comfort zone and is rapping with little bit of a more enthusiasm than usual. Praying praise on Alchemist’s production is pretty much normal at this point. Al pushed the instruments and beats aren’t as spacious as on a TPOTIC and it seems like Boldy grew since The Prince of Tea in China. Alchemists’ production is as good as on an album Alfredo. On a top of it all the guests take the album on a next level with lyrical masters like Roc Marciano, Benny The Butcher, Freddie Gibbs and Earl is Bo Jackson another victory for the Boldy’s and Al’s discography and in a same moment one of the best albums of the last year. These two are simply too talented to create something what would be average.
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4. Rome Streetz & DJ Muggs – Death & The Magician
DJ Muggs is in his best on this album with more than twenty years of experience, legend from Cypress Hill delivered again and collaboration with Rome Streetz is definitely the best work of both artists from the last year with which Streetz just reconcile his status of one of the best current rappers. He comments on current state of New York underground and the way he puts words together is just breath taking. Death & The Magician is one of the best albums of the last few years and if you are looking for a “street project” there is not many projects that can compete with this.
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3. Ka – A Martyr’s Reward
Ka is one of the best artists of the last decade and A Martyr’s Reward is definitely one of the best projects of the last year. Immersive tracks are much more movie-like on this album. Ka continues to talk about his problematic past and in a same moment is a voice for those who cannot speak for themself and hopes that he can bring as many people as possible back on a right path. Ka goes with very calm almost monotone sounding delivery of his lines that perfectly fits to send the message of his complex written lyrics. He also continues to do his own production and uses very minimalistic approach to it. Mainly uses ambient drums in a background and complicated piano melodies. A Martyr’s Reward probably will not bring any new mainstream audience to Ka but certifis Ka as one of the most exceptional voices on a hip-hop underground scene.
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2. Evidence – Unlearning Vol. 1
Silver medal took foster child from Rhymesayers, member of Dilated Peoples and Step Brothers, producer and rapper Evidence. He made his fourth studio album. Evidence left ,,Weather” trilogy behind him and took a little bit of a different direction. Thought behind Unlearning is in simplicity, efficiency and authenticity. Rapper invited several talented producers and every beat lives its own life and the whole album is absolutely amazing from beginning to end. Evidence is an amazing lyricist who has charisma to give away and still have too much. Album has a dimmer mood but is finished with a look to the brighter tomorrows to which Evidence is definitely walking towards.
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1. Mach-Hommy – Pray For Haiti
Pray for Haiti is the dreamy project for people who can appreciate immersive lyrics. Mach-Hommy goes through huge range of topics and his monotone flows and delivery carried us away. This project is the most mature and ambitious Mach’s album, it is longer than his previous work and it’s much more straightforward. Production is excellent. In his first project since 2016 HBO (Haitian Body Odor) under Griselda Records Mach proves that he has same lyrical skills maybe even better than other members of the label. Collaboration between the Mach and Westside Gunn feels very organic, and you can find Gunn’s handprints all over the project. Their cooperation feels very natural and everything on an album has its exact place and meaning. Mach-Hommy brought best album of the last year and exhausting testimony that is concerned not just problems of Haiti.
Translated from Czech by Rado.
