10. MADLIB x MEYHEM LAUREN x DJ MUGGS – Champagne For Breakfast
We open the top ten with a record we never dreamed of. Meyhem Lauren, DJ Muggs, and Madlib; can you believe it? The names themselves suggest the uniqueness of the whole project. The album has 15 different tracks, and the only two guests on the album are Action Bronson and Hologram. The chemistry of the trio is unbelievable, and you can feel the respect artists have for the craft of rap. The album offers a variety of different sounds while still being cohesively put together. Meyhem is exactly where we would expect him; he is strict, uncompromising, and nasty while being very smart and funny. We believe that every fan of the genre will love Champagne For Breakfast.
Support artists: Shop I, Shop II
9. YL – Don’t Feed The Pigeons
YL, one of New York’s most prominent voices, is one of our favorite artists. Few are as comfortable behind the mic and can flawlessly conquer any beat. Upon first listening to the album, two things immediately came to mind that are characteristic of the rapper’s entire discography: New York and looseness. Listening to the album, you float through New York as seamlessly as YL floats through each beat. The rapper’s lyrics are simple yet punchy and, first and foremost, authentic. Don’t Feed The Pigeons is a record that listens to itself, and one listen is definitely not enough. Much of the credit goes to the talented producers Jonboyice, Roper Williams, Junie, Look Damien!, zoomo, Dylvins, Grimm Doza, Eyedress, DVNT, Laron, and YUNGMORPHEUS. They provided the rapper with top-notch beats, full of lilting samples and fresh melodies. The diverse range of artists brought a variety of sounds, with the record featuring some punchy trap, for example. Of course, Starker makes a guest appearance on the album, and Ankhlejohn shares a great verse. Don’t Feed The Pigeons is an album that won’t fail to entertain. YL has put together an absolutely precise project that really listens to itself. Don’t forget to listen to Don’t Feed The Pigeons Deluxe where you will find fourteen new tracks. We have no idea how YL does it. RRR season.
Support the artist: Bandcamp
8. billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps
Rapper billy woods and producer Kenny Segal joined their talents once again, four years after their album Hiding Places, to deliver another masterpiece.ý Maps is definitely not another Hiding Places. The duo took a new direction and delivered a massive road-trip album. Artists described the album as “Maps is a story of the road, or roads, taken and untaken; of living the dream and dreaming of another life. It is an album about trying to find your way home, after making your home wherever you lay your head.“ billy woods connects heavy topics and the ease of day-to-day life with gentleness. His stories of travel, food, marijuana, and the souls of the places he visited are laced with humor and emotion and intertwined with relevant socio-political themes. If you will listen to the album, definitely listen to it with lyrics in your hands so you can catch all the nuance.
Kenny Segal definitely deserves a shout-out as well; he provided beats spiced up by jazz and hard drums, a thick sound that will surround you and not let go. The album features guest appearances from Danny Brown, E L U C I D, Shabaka Hutchins, Sam Herring (Future Islands), Quelle Chris, Aesop Rock, Benjamin Booker, and ShrapKnel. You can feel that the featured artists came to the table with a lot of respect and feeling humbled for the opportunity because every single one of them delivered amazing verses. Maps is another flawless gem in billy wood’s discography, certifying the fact that billy is one of the best rappers of all time.
Support artists: Bandcamp, Shop
7. phiik & Lungs – Another Planet 4
If phiik and Lungs don’t ring a bell, get ready for an absolutely extraordinary experience. Both rappers are two of the most unique rappers on the scene today. Their precise and perfectly accurate flows, crazy lyrics full of all sorts of references, sophisticated puns, and a good portion of absurdity will blow you away. It is necessary to mention the minimalistic production by LoneSword (Lungs), who produced the whole album. The album also features guest appearances by AKAI SOLO, Wavy Bagels, and Fatboi Sharif. Another Planet 4 is an experience like no other. This rap album is unlike anything that came out last year. It will make you rethink everything you knew about rap until now.
Support artists: Bandcamp, Shop
6. Estee Nack – Nacksaw Jim Duggan
Estee Nack dominated 2023. Last year he released LIVE AT THE TABERNACKLE” (w/ Mike Shabb), “CHANGO MACHO: THE BOOK OF DREAMS” (w/ Starker), .357 (w/ Machacha), BRAP (w/ V Don), Gia… À La Carte (w/ Raz Fresco & Nicholas Craven) a Righteous (w/ Michaelangelo). We’ve written about each project, and each of them would no doubt make our list. Still, even we are most impressed with the Nacksaw Jim Duggan album, which Estee Nack released under the auspices of Griselda Records
We’ve already knew that Estee Nack is a first-class rapper who conquers every beat and simply can’t make a bad album. Nacksaw Jim Duggan is definitely a great album that no rap fan should miss. But what is Westside Gunn’s oversight, and why is this a pivotal moment in Nack’s career? Westside Gunn manages to masterfully sell the almost otherworldly and mythical aura that surrounds Estee Nack. The rapper takes on the image of legendary wrestler Jim Duggan, who also provided the album with a skit. In addition, Estee Nack returns to his Dominican roots, and the entire album is interspersed with many statements about the Dominican Republic, especially the drug trade there. The listener who hasn’t met Estee Nack before will immediately learn everything they need to know. Westside Gunn has thus very cleverly sold the world on a rapper that many mainstream listeners are not prepared for. However, if you’re intrigued by his music, you’ll believe you’ll discover many gems. COÑO!
Support the artist: Bandcamp
5. Larry June & The Alchemist – The Great Escape
We’re coming to an end. TOP 5 opens with an album we wouldn’t expect here. Larry June, a talent from San Francisco, has teamed up with The Alchemist to give us his best album yet. The album has real momentum; despite its very laid-back vibe and melodic sound, it has an epic feel. When listening to it, you feel like you’re listening to a big hit record from the nineties. The Alchemist has done a great job; the album is totally cohesive, each track builds perfectly on the previous one, and the beats are tailor-made for the rapper. Larry June describes his daily life and achievements, offers honest reflection, retrospective tracks, and tastefully motivating lyrics. Artists have shown the world how it’s done. The Great Escape is celebrating success with die-hard rap fans and mainstream listeners alike. The album has united several generations, and so many excellent music videos have been released for it that other artists could be envious. Good job, Larry.
Support artists: Shop I, Shop II
4. Theravada & zoomo – Waste Management
On the album Waste Management, Theravada & zoomo prove once again why they are among the best artists in their field. The title of the album is really appropriate, as you can feel a certain rawness in each track that could be compared to hard manual labor. Mechanicality squeaks from every beat, and sweat pours from Theravada’s verses. These things can only be achieved through perfect technical knowledge of the rap field and 100% commitment. Nothing extra goes to waste; every second is utilized and has a fixed purpose. They both give their best to their work and use every detail. zoomo recycles and recultivates old songs in his beats, which breathe new life thanks to sampling. Theravada is completely genuine, authentic, and often very funny in his lyrics, you simply get the feeling that he is not afraid to get dirty, he doesn’t get arrogant, and he approaches people with humility. Yet his rap is subtle and sophisticated, like the processes and activities required to manage waste from its creation to its final disposal. We must also praise the perfect cover of the album, which will reward anyone who tries to look for details in it. This is what it’s supposed to look like. Absolutely clean work; handling waste pays off. Xen is really that dead nice on zoomo beats.
Support artists: Bandcamp, Shop
3. YUNGMORPHEUS – From Whence It Came
YUNGMORPHEUS took a beautiful third place with his album From Whence It Came. YUNGMORPHEUS is not only one of our most beloved artists but also one of the biggest stars of contemporary rap. His rap style is completely unique; he makes music the way he wants to; he can release thought-provoking tracks and hard-hitting hits; and, as he confirmed to us at his show in Prague, his live performance is something you won’t forget. When we in the editorial team compiled the list, we were deciding between From Whence It Came, and The Chalice, and The Blade (w/ Real Bad Man). Yes, YUNGMORPHEUS released two albums last year that are just as good. Fascinating.
In the end, we decided to go for the solo album From Whence It Came, which has so many diverse tracks that you might not listen to anything else for the rest of this year. YUNGMORPHEUS combined both Miami and Los Angeles influences, bringing in some of today’s best producers and rappers and giving space to female vocalists on the album. From Whence It Came is an example of what a big, resonant, and quality contemporary rap album should sound like.
Support the artist: Bandcamp, Shop
2. SadhuGold & Koncept Jack$on – Draft Dodger
And now we have to reveal the second place on our list. Draft Dodger by Koncept Jack$on and SadhuGold is undoubtedly one of the top albums of last year’s music scene. In a competition of over a thousand albums, this collaboration stands out with its masterful mix of futuristic hip-hop and innovative production. The album takes us into the varied adventures of Draft Dodger, a mysterious figure who evades Interpol while teetering on the brink of crooked financial gains. Draft Dodger isn’t just music; it’s an experience. SadhuGold’s ability to create clever samples and Koncept’s lyrics full of socio-political commentary add depth and originality to the album. With masterful production that holds your attention from start to finish, the Draft Dodger exceeds all expectations. This record is not just a musical masterpiece; it is a technical and creative peak. If you haven’t experienced this gem yet, it’s time to get it and remind everyone that hip hop is still full of life and creativity thanks to the existence of such masterpieces.
Support artists: Bandcamp, Shop
1. Obijuan & dylantheinfamous – APOXALYPSO [RAW & UNXUT]
It’s always a big task to choose only 100 albums. But choosing the best album was easy. It was as if that album had the essence of that year—something magical and unique. The year 2023 belonged to only one artist, and that was Bahamian rapper Obijuan. Last year, the rapper released BIMINI ROAD [RAW & UNXUT] (w/ no face), MANGROVE MAZE (w/ Wino Willy), XODEX GIGAS (w/ Argov), WAVONOMIXX (w/ Hooksarthur), PINKY RING PARLIAMENT (w/ Rahiem Supreme), BABYLON GARDEN (w/ Wino Willy) and CA$H4GOLD (w/ YUNGMORPHEUS). However, we were most impressed by XAONABO [RAW & UNXUT] (w/ dylantheinfamous) and APOXALYPSO [RAW & UNXUT] (w/ dylantheinfamous), the follow-ups to the artist’s GUANAHANI opus, which we detailed in our comprehensive article last year.
It wasn’t until a detailed analysis of the GUANAHANI album that fully revealed how unique and talented Obijuan is. It is therefore unbelievable that last year he released the second and third parts of a trilogy that is unparalleled in rap. APOXALYPSO [RAW & UNXUT] is a masterpiece that will take you to another world, bring you closer to the past of the Bahamas and expand your horizons. Obijuan is absolutely precise on every track, his rap style is inimitable, the flows are catchy and the lyrics are thought-provoking. Obijuan doesn’t create any didactic rap, the Bahamas is part of his body and soul, his rap is dope yet full of substance. dylantheinfamous, who produced the entire trilogy, deserves the highest praise. dylantheinfamous is the most interesting producer of our time and it is absolutely unbelievable that he is not from the Bahamas. The beats breathe Bahamian culture every second, the album is truly immersive, and you’ll hear countless samples of folk songs as well.
Obijuan takes you to his homeland, uncovering the nooks and crannies of his history and giving you a glimpse of life in a third-world country. The album carries with it a bloody history and resistance to imperialists and colonizers. In the maelstrom of current events, this makes it the most important rap album of our time, as it is both critical and skeptical of the imperialist appetites of the Western world and shows listeners how complex and diverse the world really is. APOXALYPSO [RAW & UNXUT] is not just a perfect, incredibly punchy, and entertaining album, but an artistic experience that can change your perception of reality once and for all. Ain’t no shit for the weak hearted nah mean.
Support artists: Bandcamp
CONCLUSION
We’ve wrapped up the 2023 rap year; it’s time to look ahead. The SudetyRaport team will continue to be a place where culture flourishes and where even those artists whose art the general public has not yet the slightest idea about will be given space. All of the artists in our TOP 100 have proven that rap has no boundaries and tells stories that matter. Rap is not a product or silly entertainment, but an art like any other, yet like no other. All of the artists on our list have proven that rap has many forms and can tell stories in incredibly powerful ways that people would never be able to hear without rap. We’d love for you to support as many of the artists on our list as you can, and if you can, support us, because, as Navy Blue would say, “It takes a lot to do this.”
We’ve shared our top list; now it’s your turn. Share your favorites on Instagram, and let us know where you agree with us and what you see differently.
