2016 is DONE. Thank goodness cause I took a lot of L's last year. But THIS year will be different. I hope so anyway...
Anyway here are some projects that didn't make my "Top 16 of 2016" but I still think deserve to be recognized cause all these artists showed some form of greatness in one way or another, whether they'd be old or new artists all these guys showed much potential or just pure awe inspiring moments like I said.
Anyway, let's get to the first honorable mention...
Written by Joseph Sanker II on 1/5/17:
- DJ Quik & Problem - Rosecrans EP
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| Cover Art for "Rosecrans EP" |
Legendary DJ/Producer/Rapper DJ Quik and new school west coast rapper Problem team up on a short but sweet EP that automatically transfers you to sunny southern California no matter where you are! Named after the famous major street in California Rosecrans has 6 tracks, totaling about 29 minutes. Rosecrans is a smooth, west coast flavored right that is built for playing your car's loud speakers.
All the features do their thing but a special highlight belongs to rapper "The Game" on the title track in which he delivers a guest verse that's filled with more swag, confidence and charisma than the entirety of his own album "1999" that he released in 2016. (No shots, just facts) and yeah. If you like music with elements of G-Funk, and that old school west coast flavored feel, then give this short EP a listen. It's very easy to get lost in the instrumentals on here if you are fan of albums like Dr. Dre's "the Chronic" and Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle" album, then I think it's safe to say you'll love this.
Quik has this great way of making fresh sounding G-Funk without making it sound dated. And that is what I think is the most important positive of this EP.
Favorite Track: Rosecrans (feat. The Game & Candace Boyd) (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to DJ Quik & Problem's "Rosecrans EP" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Cousin Stizz - Monda
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| Cover Art for "Monda" |
Cousin Stizz is a rapper from the Boston area. He had been making waves in 2015 but he didn't get on my radar until last year with his mixtape "Monda". Stizz has a very infectious flow and is a cool rapper to put your friends onto! His flow is lazy in a sense that it doesn't feel like he's trying to rap, but don't get it twisted. This man is RAPPING. Especially on the songs "500 Horses" (my favorite song on the tape), "Every Season" a very simple, yet catchy and oddly ominous track about believing in yourself. The hook on "Every Season" is as catchy as a cold in winter...matter of fact that seems to be one of Stizz's strong suits which is catchy hooks that's simple but not annoying in the way that Desiigner's "Panda" was annoying with the one word "Panda" being repeated over and over again.
As far as production goes, there really isn't much to write home about, typical trap inspired production that doesn't go too hard, but is pleasant to the ears. It is Stizz who shines the most on this mixtape however as his flows, lyrics and overall message is a great one (see the song "Big Fella" for Cousin Stizz's more conscious side. Stizz can flow with the best of them and if you know of a person who likes the modern rappers (such as the rappers on the xxl freshman list) then tell them to give this a shot cause they might enjoy it. I know the people who I showed "500 horses" seemed to enjoy it.
Favorite Track: 500 Horses (prod. Lil Rich) (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Cousin Stizz's "Monda" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Listen to Cousin Stizz's "Monda" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Mistah FAB - Son of a Pimp, Pt. 2
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| Cover Art for "Son of a Pimp, Pt. 2" |
Mistah FAB. Bay Area/West Coast legend has returned with his first album in over 4 years with "Son of a Pimp, Pt. 2" and he's not alone either. It baffles me how FAB has basically a lot of popular hip hop artists of today (Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Boosie Badazz, G-Eazy etc.) and still didn't receive any buzz outside of the region that he's in, which would be the Bay Area/Southern California.
Anywho Mistah FAB & Friends deliver a relatively consistent project that has a little bit of everything. From the signature west coast sound (see the song "Up Until Then") to bangers, to smoother more chick like anthems to be played for your lady or significant other.
Overall, the biggest downfall of this project I think is FAB himself. He is consistently outshined by his features and when he does spit sometimes, it makes me cringe, like when talks about "beating his meat" on "Up Until Then" which there is nothing wrong with, until Boosie drops some deep, inspirational verse and then you realize just how silly FAB's verse was. FAB's verse looked bad in comparison to Boosie's verse is what I'm saying.
But yeah, check this project out, it has a variety of sounds and you should find at least 1 song that you can take away from this project.
Favorite Track: Up Until Then (feat. IAMSU! & Boosie Badazz) (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Mistah FAB's "Son of a Pimp, Pt. 2" here.
Listen to Mistah FAB's "Son of a Pimp, Pt. 2" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Phonte & Eric Roberson - Tigallerro
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| Cover Art for "Tigallerro" |
There's not much to say here, it's a nice pleasant listen to put on around anybody, whether it'd be your Grandmother, or your 4 year old daughter. None of the lyrics are explicit. Eric's singing and hooks are infectious and melodical. Phonte kicks some entertaining rhymes about relationships, women and the like. The project doesn't re-invent the wheel but sometimes you don't need to. This is a nice blend of hip hop and R&B and Phonte and Eric work well together. It's a smooth listen from start to finish and definitely should've been recognized more last year. But like all good music, I think at least someone will hear it, and in this case, that someone was me.
Favorite Track: Grow This Love (The hook is SO good on this song!)(Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Phonte & Eric Roberson's "Tigallerro" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Listen to Phonte & Eric Roberson's "Tigallerro" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Z-Ro - Drankin' & Drivin'
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| Cover Art for "Drankin' & Drivin'" |
If you enjoy soulful sing-rapping with southern fried beats the bump heavy in the car look no further than Z-Ro's "Drankin' & Drivin"
Favorite Track: Naked Headed Lover
Listen to Z-Ro's "Drankin' & Drivin'" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Probably the most slept on Jazz album of 2016. Robert Glasper makes a tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis who (fun fact!) I did a project presentation on in the 5th grade. This is a consistently relaxing listen and just something to put on in the background. I'll be honest, I don't remember much of this album but I do know that there is quality jazz music on here and if you're a fan of the genre than this project definitely deserves your attention. With features from rapper Phonte, Singer songwriter Erykah Badu and the legendary Stevie Wonder, it's a great medley of smooth soul dedicated to the memory of the late great Miles Davis.
Favorite Track: Miles Davis & Robert Glasper - Maiysha (So Long) [feat. Erykah Badu] (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Miles Davis & Robert Glasper's "Everything's Beautiful" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
This album is my favorite non-hip hop album of the year and the song "In Your Eyes (feat. Charlotte Day Wilson)" is one of my most replayed songs of 2016 (right behind Kendrick's "untitled 05"). This shit great. Smooth jazz that's a little more on the experimental side with the sudden instrumental switch-ups and features from newer artists such as rapper Mick Jenkins. This is also a very relaxing listen but the guest features on here that lend their vocals to BADBADNOTGOOD's production takes this album to another level for me. I'm glad I discovered these guys this year because apparently they have a very solid discography (which I need to get around to listening to) and yeah please please please give this album a listen. This shit is GREAT. Well, that one song is great, I forgot the other songs to be honest lol.
I'll say this right now. This man deserves J. Cole's spot. I have never seen such an underrated artist such as this go consistently overlooked. This is one of the BEST EP's released this in 2016. Easily top 5 EP's of 2016. The song "Strength & Weakness" is one of the BEST songs I've ever heard, in 2016 or otherwise that shit is amazing. Seriously go listen to "Strength & Weakness" off this EP it's SO good. Go to google.com, type in "oddisee strength and weakness" and click the first youtube link you see. But the reason I say he deserves J. Cole's spot is because Oddisee is actually intellectual and talks about complex subjects but is still relatable as well as being like able. All these praises for J. Cole being relatable and "deep" is something I just don't get. He's relatable sure, but where's the "deepness" that these Cole fans claim J. Cole has so much of? He has a song about "Foldin' Clothes" on his newest album for Christ's sake. Oddisee makes great sounding, accessible music that can easily be played on the radio. And, like J. Cole, he's also a producer, a dope one at that. Check out his beat tape that he released in 2016 along with his Alwasta EP called the "The Odd Tape" linked here. And yeah, Oddisee also barely curses in his songs, which, I think people underrate in MC's. It's way too easy to use curse words like "motherfucker" as a word filler or something like that, but if an MC barely curses and is dope but not trying to be preachy. It really speaks to the level of talent that that MC has. In fact, Oddisee's last full length album "The Good Fight" has no cursing on it and it's still a dope project with a message. J. Cole, I feel sometimes uses curse words or rather taboo words a little bit too frequently.
Formerly known as "YC The Cynic". Kemba is the new name of the former cynic and this is his first official project under his new name "Kemba". This dude is so dope, both in real life and behind the microphone. One thing I love about Kemba's music is that there always seems to be an over-arching theme to tie up the entire album and that's always great. Like I think the difference between a 9/10 album and a 10/10 album is something that can tie the whole entire album. Even if the songs have a similar theme and similar sounding beats, if there's no little key thing to really tie up the album and make it so that all the songs on the album are necessary and essential to the album then I think it should just stay at a 9 and not excel and step into the 10. Classic. Automatic album of the year category.
Kelechi dropped an album that was nice and pleasant. This album sounds good but I think Anthony Fantano has ruined me cause back in the day (and when I say back in the day I mean 4 no 5 years ago back in 2012 when I couldn't/didn't want to find my own music I would just look at his year end lists and listen to the top 10 from there) Little did I know that Death Grips (a band that I hardly consider hip hop anymore) would be his album of the year 2012 and that he would unfortunately get me hooked on the songs "The Fever" and "Bitch Please" and ever since then I've always liked my hip hop music to have a little bit of an edge to it (for lack of a better word) and Death Grips is edgy music central.
"Like" is a very enjoyable rapper (terrible rap name though) he doesn't have sort of head-y complex intellectual bars like a Lupe Fiasco, he isn't a gritty street rapper rapping about moving that work and grabbing the .44 and putting 2 in your dome like a Westside Gunn. No, Like has dope, laidback beats and smooth rhymes about being on the come up, watching people around him act different as he continues to gain more notoriety in the music world, sprinkled with relatable rhymes about playing mario kart like on the opening track "Mushroom Clouds" and yeah he's J. Cole if he had more charisma, charm and overall more personality and less corniness in his raps. One thing I'm suprised about rap in 2016 is that Anderson .Paak has been doing a lot of features on quality projects that didn't get a love in 2016. Big respect to .Paak for willing to do features for smaller, lesser known artists.
You know how I mentioned the new wave of rappers like Famous Dex and Rich The Kid? Well I'm about to eat my words cause the artist I'm about to mention next sounds like he's can fit right in with those guys. The thing I like about Sterling Hayes is simply his energy and delivery behind the mic. His delivery and flow on some of these trap beats almost sound like a parody of most rappers today, like he's taking the new wave flow of rappers like Lil Uzi Vert and Famous Dex and upping the delivery to an almost cartoonish level but in an endearing way that makes Sterling Hayes impossible to ignore behind the mic. When Sterling is on the mic, you know he's on the mic, he makes his presence known. Only problem is, dude is an average rapper. He's not really dope technically, but I'm drawn to his personality and delivery more so. But lyrically speaking this dude has a long way to go before he fuck with somebody like Joey Purp who I believe is the best out of the SaveMoney Crew at the moment. But yeah Sterling, for what it's worth has music that you play in your whip.
Correy Parks is very versatile and I mean that in the best way possible. It's amazing how he can ride a darker, slightly more grimier beat like "Rollin" and then sing rap on a song like "On Our Way" and then switch up and get on some trap production and rhyme well over it on the song "I Doubt It" and all the while having catchy hooks throughout all the different types of songs (like the catchy hook on "Got The Glow") it's great how Correy Parks is able to show what it means to be an up coming artist who's not on the trap wave coming out of a city like Columbus, Ohio, which is where he's from. The 4th track "Interlude" is probably the best skit I've heard in 2016. Everything about it is so true, from the "Trapaholics, flipaholics, mixtape volume 26" to the dude cursing Correy out for not wanting to work with for the simple fact that trap music is not really what he's about make. Seriously, best skit I've heard in 2016 that I think perfectly captures what it means to be an artist who's more of a Kanye West "Graduation" type and less of a 50 Cent "Curtis" type. (Bonus points if you understand what I'm referencing, by the way 2007 was 10 years ago. God, I feel old, even though I'm not even old lol).
I'm excited for Kevin Abstract and I'll tell you why. This man is like Post Malone if Post Malone was actually good and made music that was more than just for "vibes", I'm talking music that's both good sonically and something you can really sink your teeth and breakdown to find a deeper meaning like say Frank Ocean's latest project "Blonde". Kevin Abstract is technically a rapper, and his latest project can technically be classified as hip hop but he crosses over to so many other genres it's really not fair to classify him as the traditional beat and rhyme rapper.
The most unknown entry on my list by far. I didn't even know about this project until I came across it's name and little description from a reddit user. Jeremiah Jae is a rapper and PBDY is a producer and they come to together on this project as "JP Moregun" you know like the super rich person and companies? Anyway, PBDY on here shines more as a producer here than Jeremiah does as a rapper. Jeremiah comes from that MF DOOM, Earl Sweatshirt style of rapping where he's monotone in his delivery so his lyrics take center stage. The problem I have with Jeremiah on this project is that Jeremiah is that technically skilled, lyrically on as an MC to really hold my interest on his lyrics. Sure, his lyrics are vivid as they tell a sort of film noir story with all types of seedy imagery sprinkled throughout the lyrics like "JP on a name plate covered in dirt" (off of the track "Street Signs") or "Blowin smoke while they check off names" (off of the track "Holy Matrimony") and that's nice but none of his lyrics can really draw you in unless you are listening intently and explicitly only to his album. Which, I get you're technically supposed to do with any album, but I prefer for the rapper to have lyrics that I can zoom in in passing and be like "whoa this guy is kickin dope rhymes, let me tune in" and I never get that feeling from Jeremiah Jae on this project not once.
However, it is excellently produced by PBDY as each beat feels fresh, unique and most of all vintage. This really does give me an old school 1950's noir detective feel. The cover art and title of this project is very appropriate and the beats on this project lend this project the ultimate cohesion. But once again, I harp back to Jeremiah's delivery, I think I just don't like it, that would explain why I never really was a fan of his raps on here. Cause without being lyrically insane like a MF DOOM or Earl Sweatshirt coupled with a monotone delivery, I quickly lose interest. Sure, Jae is descriptive but it wasn't enough for me to really consider putting it on my "best of" end of the year list for 2016. What really makes this project for me is PBDY's production coupled with Jeremiah's flow over his beats with the occasional rhyme here and there that I think is dope. That delivery though, either add more emotion or up your pen game Jae cause it wasn't doing anything for me on this one.
Still all around solid project though, it's short at only 11 tracks and like I said the production is top notch on here. Check this out if you're looking for something different along the lines of a Madvillainy or even enjoy some of Earl's earlier work like on "Doris" or his self titled mixtape.
Favorite Track: Street Signs (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Jeremiah Jae's & PBDY's (AKA JP Moregun) "JP Morgun" here.
That's it for my honorable mentions! Tune in next time when I bring you my best projects of 2016 as well as my best songs of 2016.
As always, keep it Hip Hop
- Joe
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016
Listen to Z-Ro's "Drankin' & Drivin'" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Miles Davis & Robert Glasper - Everything's Beautiful
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| Cover Art for "Everything's Beautiful" |
Probably the most slept on Jazz album of 2016. Robert Glasper makes a tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis who (fun fact!) I did a project presentation on in the 5th grade. This is a consistently relaxing listen and just something to put on in the background. I'll be honest, I don't remember much of this album but I do know that there is quality jazz music on here and if you're a fan of the genre than this project definitely deserves your attention. With features from rapper Phonte, Singer songwriter Erykah Badu and the legendary Stevie Wonder, it's a great medley of smooth soul dedicated to the memory of the late great Miles Davis.
Favorite Track: Miles Davis & Robert Glasper - Maiysha (So Long) [feat. Erykah Badu] (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Miles Davis & Robert Glasper's "Everything's Beautiful" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- BADBADNOTGOOD - IV
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| Cover Art for "IV" |
Favorite Track: In Your Eyes (feat. Charlotte Day Wilson) [LIVE VERSION CAUSE IT'S SO GOOD AND I JUST DISCOVERED IT OMG!!!!] (Click on song name to play song)
- Oddisee - Alwasta EP
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| Cover Art for "Alwasta EP" |
Take for example, J. Cole's "Black Friday" freestyle/song that he released in 2015 in tandem with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar who ALSO dropped a freestyle/song of the same name (Kendrick also has the superior of the 2 freestyles, no shots just facts. Listen to J. Cole's [Linked Here] and THEN listen to Kendrick's [Linked Here] and you tell me who had the better freestyle.). I feel like J. Cole says "nigga" too many times in the first verse of his freestyle. Like seriously listen and count how many times he says it. It gets better in his second verse but that 1st verse just turns me off. I have no problem with use of the word "nigga" but the way Cole used it in this song was just lazy to me. It was almost as if he was using "nigga" as a period rather than a way to add to his verse.
Anyway, Oddisee is dope and doesn't have one bad or whack project. Check this EP if you like artists like Kendrick Lamar, Mick Jenkins, J. Cole, Isaiah Rashad etc.
Favorite Track: Strength & Weakness (duh) (click song name to play song)
- Kemba - Negus
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| Cover Art for "Negus" |
This album is not a 10 however, the production isn't very memorable and I feel at times it's very easy to tune out Kemba. Frank Drake's production leaves alot to be desired but I feel like Kemba is on his A game lyrically on this one. Kemba is here to talk about the social injustices that have been plaguing the United States for the past few years or so, mainly racism, police brutality and what it means to be a black person living in a country that shown time and time again that it has a problem with the color of your skin. Kemba isn't necessarily in your face with these topics like say Kendrick Lamar's "The Blacker the Berry" but he definitely does a sort of tone in his voice that gives me the feeling of "you know I'm right, you just don't want to admit it"and it gives this album some much needed flavor and charisma that I think was missing from the production.
Another thing I liked about this album was the little voice interludes/skits where a teacher tries to get a group of black toddlers to say that basically being black is bad, but they refuse. At the end of the album it leads to a very poignant message about self love and believing in yourself no matter what goes on around and more importantly to NOT sell out your people for a few riches.
I really encourage everybody, not just music fans to give this a listen, if only for the message, sure, musically it can improve but I haven't seen somebody take a more calm, level-headed approach on these social injustice topics in a while. I feel like this is a very notable project in this rapper's discography.
Along with being dope, I'm glad he's being recognized now. Kendrick Lamar just recently told people at a concert to "remember his name" [Link to video of Kendrick Lamar shouting out Kemba here] and on top of that Kemba has this DOPE ass story about meeting legendary queens rapper Nas [Link to story here] and on TOP of all that, I THINK he had the best radio freestyle of the year 2016 when he went on Hot97's Peter Rosenberg's show. [Link to freestyle here too].
Do NOT sleep on this dude. You heard it here first (or 2nd or 3rd) lol.
Favorite Track: Caesar's Rise (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Kemba's "Negus" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Listen to Kemba's "Negus" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Kelechi - Before The Quarter
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| Cover Art for "Before The Quarter" |
I reference Anthony and Death Grips because even though technically Kelechi's project was good. I still find "Before The Quarter" forgettable. I liked his singing, his upbeat more gospel influenced production was good. It's nice, kinda poppy and upbeat. But the biggest thing that holds Kelechi back on this project is his music just doesn't have staying power. I listened to his album, and I couldn't find myself to care. But the reason he's on my honorable mentions list is because I can relate to a lot of what he says especially on the song "Immigrant Son" and his message overall is a positive one and I, for one, think hip hop needs more of this and less artists like Famous Dex or Rich The Kid or whatever person that is popular nowadays.
Listen to Kelechi if you like music like Chance The Rapper, Saba, Joey Purp, Brian Fresco, Drake, Kanye West etc.
Favorite Track: Immigrant Son (feat. Ikey, Phay & Ezzie) (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Kelechi's "Before The Quarter" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Listen to Kelechi's "Before The Quarter" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Like - Songs Made While High
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| Cover Art for "Songs Made While High" |
Unlike Kelechi, Like's music has staying power in a good way. Take for example, the song "Leanin" which is my favorite song on this project. It's simple, but catchy in and that description is 100% spot on when you're listening to this project. Like simply has production that captures my ear more, and on top of that, "Songs Made While High" keeps a very mellow, laidback, jazz influenced tone throughout so it makes for great background music but don't be surprised if you find yourself singing along to one of Like's hooks on here. Dude has a knack for hooks and that is a great thing cause alot of rappers seem to struggle with memorable hooks now a days.
Listen to "Songs Made While High" if you enjoy laidback hip hop projects with still a positive message with lyrics like Saba's "Bucket List Project" or even Mac Miller's "The Devine Feminine" to an extent.
Favorite Track: Leanin' (Warning: Super Catchy, will make you want to replay song) (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Like's "Songs Made While High" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Listen to Like's "Songs Made While High" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Sterling Hayes - antidepressant
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| Cover Art for "antidepressant" |
However, it's one song on this project that makes me see greatness in this guy and this song is also what made me realize what I enjoy about this artist. That is the 9th track entitled "Burden". I don't know if he was drunk on that track (I think he was cause no other track sounds like "Burden") And when I heard the brutal honesty in his voice, talking about the bullshit that comes from being an up and coming artist and even making a direct reference to Chance The Rapper and complaining about how people are always about Chance through him when he's an artist himself, from the same crew that Chance is also in funnily enough. I just have to link the song "Burden" here and have you listen for yourself. If you don't like "Burden" you probably might like the rest of the album cause "Burden" is NOT a good representation of the project. But "Burden" is what showed me a flash of greatness in Sterling.
I haven't felt like I've gotten an artist's real, pure, unfiltered thoughts on track since I heard Kendrick Lamar's "u" back in 2015. Sterling Hayes has been the only one to recreate the same feeling I felt when I heard that "u" song off "To Pimp a Butterfly" and that's a great thing. Unfortunately, that feeling only lasts for one song and the rest just feels like generic, soundcloud "chill wave" "vibe" music. (At least the 2nd half of the record feels like that, the 1st is way more solid). There are some highlights on here like the song "Mathematics" has a cool beat that sounds like it was made by students with a couple pencils on a desk. (This video will help convey what I think the beat on "Mathematics" sounds like. Matter of fact, fuck it, here's the song "Mathematics" itself here.)
And my dude Joey Purp comes fucking through on the song "Ots" with his guest verse. I like flow he took on the song too. In fact, Joey has the best verse on the entire project. However, "Burden" is the best song on the project.
Favorite Track(s) cause I can't decide and I said why not both? So here's 2 links for ya ass: Ots (feat. Joey Purp) & Burden (Click on song name to play song)
- Sincerely Collins - The Legend of the Phoenix
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| Cover Art for "The Legend of the Phoenix" |
Sincerely Collins is a very talented artist in a lot of aspects. Let's start with his production. His piano driven, production mixed with his soul filled vocals are very layered, rich and full. I can tell that a lot of time and effort went into the production of each song on this project. Collins makes it so that every song is fully realized with a certain tone and mood set by the accompanying instrumentals on each track.
The subject matter he tackles lyrically is endearing, they range from the most intimate, personal details of his life to general moral principles that he thinks everyone should abide by. Take for example the track"Better Different Intro" my favorite track on the whole project. Collins takes you through his journey as an artist behind the music. Collins ponders on this introduction track "How can I make them listen?" and Collins packs this track with a lot of musical punch. The track "Better Different Intro" sounds like Collins is getting one chance to impress an entire audience and he's just pulling out all the stops to impress them. "Better Different Intro" truly stood above the rest of the tracks for me upon repeated listens of "The Legend of the Phoenix". The music is good technically, but I can't help but shake the feeling that Collins is trying a little too hard on this album. Collins is great no doubt, but he suffers from no having a lack of replay ability for me. Perhaps his music doesn't have that much of an appeal for me. But his music just didn't stick with me. I feel as if Collins was very meticulous on this project but he was meticulous to a fault in where, the music ended up sounding too clean and appealing. Like I said earlier I like my music with a certain type of inaccessibility in it (blame the inner hipster inside me) and Collins music on here is like "hey there's something on here for everyone!".
But Collins is a very talented artist who is very relatable when he gets personal. I love his production the most on this record and I hope he continues to evolve cause if he continues to improve from here. He can drop a classic in the next couple of projects. Honestly speaking.
Favorite Track: "Better Different Intro" (Click on song name to play song)
- Correy Parks - The Road Less Traveled
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| Cover Art for "The Road Less Traveled" |
But yeah, at only 8 tracks "The Road Less Traveled" is a great display of Park's abilities and versatilities as an MC. Able to ride and type of beat and make infectious hooks all while delivering lyrics with some substance in them is great. So why didn't this make my top of the year lists? Well, it's really because I haven't gone back to it, for you to make my "best of 2016" I gotta be bumping your entire project front to back and on this one I'm only really bumpin' one song which is "Rollin'" (Spoilers: It's my favorite track) but yeah. I feel like this project was just an appetizer for things to come for Mr. Parks. I got my eye out for whatever he puts out next.
Favorite Track: Rollin' (Click on song name to play song)
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Kevin Abstract - American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story
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| Cover Art for "American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story" |
On "American Boyfriend" Kevin Abstract manages to blend hip hop, indie pop, R&B and indie rock into one beautiful amalgamation of an album rooted in hip hop but branching and blossoming into all different types of musical genres.
Take for example the opening track "Empty". It almost sounds like it's the opening of a musical on broadway with the single looped piano key playing and Kevin recounting life as a closeted bisexual black man in America and having a same-sex relationship as a teenager. The hook would get repetitive but Kevin manages to add subtle changes to each part of each song on "American Boyfriend" to keep the song from getting repetitive. In this case on the song "Empty" he manages to add additional background gospel-like background vocals to really increase the impact of the hook and it's a risk that pays off beautifully.
The sound then shifts again on the second track "Seventeen" where Kevin really lets his indie rock side show as he sings and raps over a constant guitar strumming in the background acting as the beat. The hook "do it all again" is sure to get stuck in your head the more you listen to it.
The problem I had with this project is that it really just appears to the sad, depressed teenager inside me. While the production on here is nice and varied, (hell it's some of the best production I've heard in all of 2016) the whole "Story" part of "American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story" never really manifests into anything. This album is more a collection of melancholy songs than anything else. It's not really a story.
I think Kevin should've paid more attention to being more personal on this album. The best, most hard hitting parts of this album is when Kevin mentions the struggles of not being a straight black man and the consequences of having people around him such as his parents who won't except his sexuality. Or his boyfriend's parents who hate not for his sexuality, but for the color of his skin. The songs "Papercut" or "Miserable America" best encapsulates this hard hitting honesty I'm talking about. Kevin is not a lyricist or technical rapper by any means. But he makes up for this by being brutally honest at times, and dipping into other genres of music like indie and R&B effortlessly while still keeping the music hip hop at its very core.
This album can either feel very long or very short depending on who you ask. I for one, thought it was very short and I actually had this in my top projects of 2016, but upon repeated listens there were more and more shit I found I didn't like about this project. It's still a good project, but Kevin still has some improving to do. I feel like Kevin could make a once in a lifetime hip hop project that literally no one else can make. Something almost like Danny Brown's "Atrocity Exhibition" but instead focusing more on his strengths on being versatile enough to cross over into different genres of music.
At first listen, it sounds like Kevin has made something great but after repeated listens it becomes clear that there are only flashes of greatness, like on "Miserable America" and the highs on this project become like mountain peaks while every thing else feels like the bottom of said mountain. Basically it's a little bit "oh wow that was nice!" and whole lot of "that was only ok."
Kevin also needs to work on his rapping and technical ability as a rapper if he's going to continue to have his music rooted in hip hop.
But if you take away anything from this dissertation on "American Boyfriend" is that Kevin has incredible amounts of potential and judging from this project, if he continues to work on his craft and perfect his sound he can make a record I think people will be talking about for years to come, this project, unfortunately, isn't it. Even though it is a decent record in and of itself.
Check this project out if you're into more of the experimental side of hip hop. In fact, if you're not even into hip hop and like more indie rock and indie pop, and R&B I say give this a listen too cause some parts of this record aren't even hip hop at all, and that's not a bad thing at all.
Favorite Track: Seventeen (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Kevin Abstract's "American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story" here.
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016:
- Jeremiah Jae & PBDY (JP Moregun) - JP Moregun
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| Cover Art for "JP Moregun" |
However, it is excellently produced by PBDY as each beat feels fresh, unique and most of all vintage. This really does give me an old school 1950's noir detective feel. The cover art and title of this project is very appropriate and the beats on this project lend this project the ultimate cohesion. But once again, I harp back to Jeremiah's delivery, I think I just don't like it, that would explain why I never really was a fan of his raps on here. Cause without being lyrically insane like a MF DOOM or Earl Sweatshirt coupled with a monotone delivery, I quickly lose interest. Sure, Jae is descriptive but it wasn't enough for me to really consider putting it on my "best of" end of the year list for 2016. What really makes this project for me is PBDY's production coupled with Jeremiah's flow over his beats with the occasional rhyme here and there that I think is dope. That delivery though, either add more emotion or up your pen game Jae cause it wasn't doing anything for me on this one.
Still all around solid project though, it's short at only 11 tracks and like I said the production is top notch on here. Check this out if you're looking for something different along the lines of a Madvillainy or even enjoy some of Earl's earlier work like on "Doris" or his self titled mixtape.
Favorite Track: Street Signs (Click on song name to play song)
Listen to Jeremiah Jae's & PBDY's (AKA JP Moregun) "JP Morgun" here.
That's it for my honorable mentions! Tune in next time when I bring you my best projects of 2016 as well as my best songs of 2016.
As always, keep it Hip Hop
- Joe
Written by Joseph Sanker II in 2016
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