10. Little Simz – NO THANK YOU
The unique Little Simz, who belongs among our favorite rappers, kicks off the top ten. Rapper from the United Kingdom released her studio debut, A Curious Tale of Trials and Persons, in 2015 and has released one great project after another since then. Her penultimate album, Sometimes I Might Be Introverted, from 2021, was a spectacular, fascinating work. Last year, she released the album No Thank You. The new album is on the shorter side, so the tracks are more squeezed together and more intense. Rapper released her wrath, argues about mental health or music industry. Quite a few tracks on the album are over 4 minutes, so the artist is able to put together robust lyrical expressions. Simz once again proved her unique talent and released one of the best albums of the year.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
9. billy woods & Messiah Musik – Church
We didn’t expect this. billy woods gave us the album Aethiopes last year, which was completely produced by DJ Preservation, and you will see it on our list. billy probably thought that one perfect album per year was not enough, so he released the album Church, produced by Messiah Musik. The album is very immersive, with creative loops, billy’s distinctive rap, and abstract lyrics that will make you think. billy woods is one of the best rappers ever, and it seems that he is just not able to make a misstep. Album guests are E L U C I D, AKAI SOLO, Fielded, and Fat Ray.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
8. YUNGMORPHEUS & Theravada – Up Against The Wall; A Degree Of Lunacy
Both artists appeared on our list more than once. However, their collaborative masterpiece, Up Against The Wall: A Degree Of Lunacy, blew us away last year. YUNGMORPHEUS dominates behind the mic, and Theravada works magic on the beats. The album has just around 20 minutes but has amazing music ideas for at least another three projects. The album is an absolute necessity for everybody.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
7. MIKE – Beware of the Monkey
The talented rapper and producer released the album Beware of the Monkey last year, which he produced entirely himself under the pseudonym dj blackpower. Once again, we can expect unique beats full of great samples and infinite resources of creative ideas. MIKE is very personal behind the mic, and he unleashes a whole range of emotions and opens the door to his world.
Support the artist: Bandcamp
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
6. Earl Sweatshirt – Sick!
We think that there is no need to introduce a rapper like Earl Sweatshirt, one of the most consistent rappers on the scene, who has returned three years after his last release of Feet of Clay and is now delivering Sick!. Originally, the artist’s plan was completely different, but then the COVID pandemic hit and shook the whole world, so Earl pivoted and came out with the album that reflects his feelings and state of mind during those times. Sick! is a step in a new direction; the rapper uses a lot of trap productions but still manages to come up with innovative ideas and holds to his personal style. Now we would like to get that promised album with Alchemist. Please.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
5. Rome Streetz – Kiss The Ring
The album Kiss The Ring was curated by Westside Gunn, and he made sure that it was one of the most anticipated albums of last year. As Streetz said himself, Kiss The Ring is his next phase. The album contains all of the amazing ingredients that make us love rappers so much, but they are all turned up to eleven this time. Production has been taken care of by many talented producers: Camouflage Monk, Conductor Williams, Daringer, The Alchemist, Denny Laflare, DJ Green Lanter, and Sadhugod & Sovren. The guests are Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Conway, Boldy James, Armani Caesar and Stove God Cook$. Kiss The Ring is a brilliant example of what hardcore atmospheric rap from New York should look like in 2022, and without any hiccups, the album positions itself in between the best albums ever released by Griselda.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
4. Quelle Chris – Deathfame
Deathfame is a really unique project that stands on the solid ground of precise productions supported by abstract hip-hop sounds with the flavors of lo-fi melodies and soulful melancholy. Quelle’s lyrics are still very personal and full of slightly comedic moments. The album definitely belongs in between the most interesting projects by the artist. It is full of psychedelic and hypnotic beats that might be difficult to get through but are ultimately very rewarding. For a better experience, let us give you this advice: listen to the album without any stops from start to finish so you can get the full, unique experience. This album is a real masterpiece.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
3. Ka – Languish Arts/Woeful Studies
Ka belongs among the best rappers of all time. He already manages to give us eight projects, each with a unique concept. In the middle of September last year, the rapper released his ninth album, Languish Arts, and tenth album, Woeful Studies, which were only available on his own website. After a month, albums were finally released on all the streaming services, so everybody could listen to them. Albums are once again flawless; Ka raps calmly against a backdrop of minimalistic beats and his very well written lyrics. This time, Ka does not take us to ancient Greece or feudal Japan but takes us straight to his neighborhood. The album contains 20 tracks and features Chuck Strangers, Joi, and GoneToHeaven, and it is a must-have for any rap fan.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
2. Roc Marciano & The Alchemist – The Elephant Man’s Bones
The joint project of rapper Roc Marciano and producer Alchemist was without a doubt the most anticipated album of the last year. It is therefore not surprising that the album takes home a silver medal from us. Roc Marcinao has never released a bad album and is one of the scene’s most consistent artists, constantly redefining genre and being the most influential artist on an underground scene. Father of neo boom bap sound collaborated with Alchemist, a producer who has been releasing amazing projects one after the other over the last few years. The album Elephant Man’s Bones is huge, original, dark, and creative. You can feel that these two are the best on the current scene, and rightfully so. The Elephant Man’s Bones is a future classic.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
1. billy woods & DJ Preservation – Aethiopes
Here we are, at the end of the list. The title of the best rap album of 2022 belongs to Aethiopes. From start to finish, rapper billy woods and producer Preservation delivered a flawless album. Each of billy’s verses has its place, and each of the used instruments evokes an emotion. As the name of the project suggests (the term Aethiopes is an enchanting European name for people from Africa) and the cover of the album suggests (a painting by Dutch artist Rembrandt), in his complex and stimulating lyrics, rapper talks about the past and the present, about his personal experiences but also comprehensive themes. billy paints delicate apocalyptic paintings with his words that reflect capitalistic inhuman behavior, slavery, hundreds of years of European colonialism, or even gentrification. Almost every sentence has the potential to get stuck in your head, and you will think about it for hours. Preservation delivered not just the best productions of his career but also perfectly tuned out every single bit of the album, and let’s not forget about the pallet of amazing guests who gave their best. Aethiopes is the album about which we will be writing in history books, and you definitely cannot miss it.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
