Ten Albums Hip-Hop Desperately Needs

These albums are not real.  In fact they are more than likely never to be real.  But as a hip-hop addict, some times I get tired of shooting that good shit right into my veins and like to fantasize what pure uncut amazing rap music would be like.  A little less than nine years ago Nas released Illmatic his debut album and from that day forward hip-hop was forever altered for the better.  These ten albums would have much the similar effect on hip-hop that Illmatic, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, It Takes a Nation, Straight Outta Compton, Low End Theory, and Enter the Wu-Tang had.  Good hip-hop took a bit of a hiatus in the aughts and with the absolute amazing turn around that it has made in the last few years it is time for a defining album of our generation.  These are the ten albums that hip-hop needs more than a nympho needs xhamster, in no particular order.

(Don’t get your hopes up, album artwork does NOT mean real, I made all the album covers)

Bill Woods the Scienze Guy

by Billy Woods & Scienze

Producer(s): King I Devine

Notable Features: Sene, Yasin Bey, Roc Marciano, Prodigy, & JohnNY. U

Single: The Kings of New York (Prod. By King I Devine)

While I am a firm believer in the fact that Joey Bada$$ is the king of New York (that’s right, fuck you Kendrick).  Billy Woods and Scienze are the best MC’s in the big apple.  This album would be more than perfect because Billy Woods’ hard hitting, angry, punchy delievery would mesh perfectly with his polar opposite, Scienze who is far happier than any struggling artist has any right to be.  Especially over an album fully produced by King I Devine, this match is fucking kismet.

Misunderstood Genius

by Blu & Earl Sweatshirt

Producer(s): Exile, Madlib, & Blu

Notable Features: Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, Jack Spade, Sene, Frank Ocean, & Casey Veggies

Single: Childhood Memories (Prod. Exile)

Beast coast for life.  I would just like that to be very clear on that fact.  I think the rap that comes from the west coast is far inferior to the East coast, as a whole.  But Earl Sweatshirt and Blu may be best rappers out right now.  They are definitely the best West Coast rappers but are often pushed to the side because rap fans fear lo-fi instrumentals and multi-syllabic lines.  I say they throw Kendrick on a track or two so he can defend his title but anyone who’s listened to these two MCs knows there will be no argument who the king of the west coast is.

Drug Addled

by Danny Brown & Curren$y

Producer(s): Various

Notable Features: Young Roddy, Juicy J, Trinidad James, A$AP Rocky, Flatbush Zombies, Chance the Rapper, Damian Marley, & Chief Keef

Single: Molly Trees ft. Flatbush Zombies & Damian Marley (Prod. By Cardo)

If there were ever two rappers who better exemplified the benefits of heavy drug use I don’t know who they are.  Curren$y’s ability to smoke pounds of weed and still be one of the dopest out is only rivaled by Danny Brown’s talent for avoiding the usually detrimental effect of the drug cocktail he has ingested over his short (maybe long… who knows?) career.

…Now Time For Hip-Hop

(Full Title: We’ve Taken Everything From You, Now Time For Hip-Hop)

by El-P, Action Bronson, Slug, Aesop Rock, Mac Miller & Wreckonize

Producer(s): Statik Selektor & El-P

Notable Features: Killer Mike, Brother Ali, Common, Talib Kweli, Yasin Bey, Logic, & Shabazz Palace

Single: Boom Bap & Gold Chains (Prod. El-P)

These are the six best white rappers out period (Logic isn’t REALLY white hence why he’s on the feature) and the two best producers, Eminiem doesn’t belong on this album and for SURE Macklemore doesn’t belong within 10 feet of this thing.  There are not seven white boys out there who are less racist… there aren’t don’t bother looking.  So why not have a little fun with it.  And throw a collection of the blackest rappers in the game on there just for fun.  With Statik Selektah and El-P producing the whole album and lead MCs like Action Bronson and Aesop Rock this would be the end of the “can white boys really rap” debate.  Guaranteed.

For Love & Villainy

by Toro Y Moi & Frank Ocean

Producer(s): Toro Y Moi, Frank Ocean, & Pharrell

Notable Features: The Weeknd

Single: Eclipse (Prod. By Toro Y Moi & Frank Ocean)

This one is pretty easy to see why it would be amazing.  People not worshipping at the shrine of Toro Y Moi and Frank Ocean are lost at sea that’s for damn sure.  This would be the best collaboration since Pete Rock and 9^th Wonder.

AmeriKKKan Revival

by Various

Producer(s): Various

Notable Features: Childish Gambino, Joey Bada$$, Frank Ocean, Earl Sweatshirt, Actual Proof, Chance the Rapper, Casey Veggies, Tyler the Creator, KYLE, Flatbush Zombies, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Logic, Action Bronson, Danny Brown, & Meek Mill

Single: New Era ft. Joey Bada$$, Chidish Gambino, Frank Ocean, Danny Brown, & Kendrick Lamar (Prod. By Cookin’ Soul)

From 2000-2009 Nelly was the highest grossing musical artist.  Sit with that shit for a second.  Since this decade has started, hip-hop has managed to flush the complete shit that was pop hip-hop out of its mind (yes the radio still plays trash 24/7, but if you’re still listening to the radio, you’re the one at fault).  This is AmeriKKKan Revival, the title of which is an homage to maybe one of the greatest rap albums of all time and it sports a roster of the names most responsible in the last 3-4 years for bringing about the return of amazing hip-hop.

Reunited

by Sir Michael Rocks, Heems, & Kool A.D.

Producer(s): Chuck Inglish

Notable Features: Big Baby Gandhi, Actual Proof, & Mickey Factz

Single: Murder, Drop Bombs, & Love Lines (Prod. By Chuck Inglish)

2012 saw the demise of two of the greatest hip-hop groups of all-time.  And this was before my dream of them collaborating could ever happen.  Heems, Kool AD, Chuck Inglish, and Sir Micheal Rocks have more in common than the fact that they were probably the last 4 MCs to throw out their beepers.  Heems, the genius, and Kool AD, the misunderstood poet, rapping over Chuck Inglish beats would be the eargasm that all us 90s kids have been waiting for.

No Fucks Given

by Death Grips & Kanye West

Producer(s): Death Grips, Kanye West, & TNGHT

Notable Features: Pusha T, Lupe Fiasco, Kid Cudi, & John Legend

Single: Police Batons (Prod. By TNGHT & Death Grips)

I want more Yeezus and not only do I want more Yeezus, I want Yeezs to be more Yeezusy.  I want distortion and noise and I want hardcore fuck the world lyrics.  Who is the most Yeezus-like artist out, Death Grips.  But Death Grips is too intense for the average listener and even those with a ear numb from years of abuse can only take a few listens of Death Grips.  And Kanye would tame down Death Grips while complimenting their genius with his.  Also TNGHT, if there’s anything Yeezus needed more of it was TNGHT.

Ignorance is Bliss

by Juicy J, Tyler the Creator, Trinidad James, & 2 Chainz

Producer(s): Various

Notable Features: A$AP Rocky, Danny Brown, Childish Gambino, & Riff Raff

Single: Strip Club Music & Cocaine Soundtracks (Prod. By Mike WILL Made It)

Everyone, and I do mean everyone does not fully comprehend the value, or the genius of ignorant rap music.  I am in no way saying that Riff Raff, 2 Chainz, or Trinidad James are in any way equivalent to Kendrick, Joey, or Blu.  But that’s the point you can’t compare someone making music like these guys to rappers making music meant to make you think.  I also think hip-hop heads tend to lump rappers like Juicy J, Trinidad James, and 2 Chainz in together with Drake, Tyga, and Nicki Minaj.  I don’t think that’s fair because while there is a reserved brilliance in intending to make bad music and succeeding there is nothing but failure in trying to make good music and instead releasing whatever the members of YMCMB continue to release.  Tyler the Creator is a much different beast than the other four on this album.  While his brilliance has never been disputed, neither has his ignorance, Tyler spends most of his time in the lime light portraying himself as a stupid teenager.  This album would in fact forever change the view of ignorant hip-hop and most importantly separate the genius that is Juicy J from the error of judgement that is Drake.

New York, New York

by Pro Era, World’s Fair, The Underachievers, Flatbush Zombies, & Phony Ppl

Producer(s): MF DOOM, Statik Selektah, Chuck Strangers, Kirk Knight, Erick Arc Elliott, Lee Bannon, & The Abstract

Notable Features: None

Single: New York, New York (Prod. By The Abstract)

Jay-Z may think he’s running New York City, but the fact is that NYC has been taken over by swarms of young black men.  Which sounds like a horror movie directed by D. W. Griffith but may be the best news I’ve gotten this entire decade.  These five crews have produced some of the best music to come out of New York since Illmatic.  And honestly with the stuff Pro Era has been releasing and with the recent releases of Bastards of the Party and BetterOffDEAD, Jay-Z, Nas, and all the old boy club members might want to start running scared.