Music Spotlight – Favorite Music of 2013: Part 2

Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home

Hold On, We’re Going Home is off of Drake’s third album Nothing Was the Same. Produced by Nineteen85 and Majid Jordan (who also features on the track), the song sizzles as a great upbeat pop crossover. It is the only song that solely features Drake singing and is also probably the most radio friendly, but it is just so catchy and inviting – you just want to get on the dance floor. Available for download: here

Ellie Goulding – Burn

Burn is off Ellie Goulding’s reissuing of her Halcyon album called Halcyon Days. It is produced by Greg Kurstin. Like all of Goulding’s work, the song succeeds on the strength and uniqueness of her voice. It also features an uplifting message of strength and empowerment when a lot of today’s pop music is just generic nonsense. Available for download: here

Haim – The Wire

The Wire is off Haim’s fantastic debut album Days Are Gone. It is produced by the Haim Sisters and Ariel Rechtshaid. The song capitalizes on the energy and vocal talent of all three sisters (who each have sections of the song, though Danielle is the lead), perfectly balancing both rock and pop ambitions. The track rocks, has an interesting narrative, and is (like the best pop songs) very catchy. Available for download: here

J. Cole – Power Trip

Power Trip, featuring Miguel and produced by J. Cole, is off Cole’s second studio album Born Sinner. It has a raw energy, maybe even bordering on angry. Cole definitely wants to prove that he belongs among the best in hip hop, and Power Trip is does that as one of the year’s best tracks in the genre. Miguel’s part is also really good, elevating the hook. Fans can continue to expect great things from Cole. Available for download: here

John Legend – We Loved It

We Loved It is a bonus track off of John Legend’s Love in the Future. Featuring Seal, it is produced by Kanye West and Jeff Bhasker. With Love in the Future, Legend set out to make a new kind of R&B album. This song accomplishes that. It is compellingly dark, yet soulful. Legend and Seal’s voices accompany each other very well (Seal especially invites the listener into the darkness). West and Bhasker’s beat features a great complexity and grandness, though also held back – as if one were looking at a faded masterpiece painting. Available for download: here

Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience, 2 of 2 (2013) – Review

Review: Following his highly commercially successful album The 20/20 Experience, Justin Timberlake decided to release more tracks from his recording time with Timbaland and J-Roc (Jerome Harmon) as his fourth studio album calling it The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (and he may have recorded some new stuff too).

Overall, the album sounds and feels a lot like its predecessor, which was expected, but on a track-by-track basis it is much weaker, as it seems clear that many of these songs were not quite album-quality leftovers from Timberlake’s initial 2013 release. And, the issues that plague The 20/20 Experience are also very apparent here as well. Namely, many of the tracks are just over-indulgent, over-long, and frankly boringly generic. Although, Amensia, one of the longer tracks on the album, is probably the best song on the album. It showcases Timberlake at both his sensual and pop-music best. The radio-friendly singles Take Back the Night and TKO also mark a large improvement on Suit & Tie, though neither is quite as strong as Mirrors.

Collaboration wise, the album again sees a pointless verse from Jay-Z and a song featuring Drake, who also really adds nothing. The album is again fully produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and J-Roc who work well together, but again many of the tracks just go on too long and/or feel/sound like leftovers.

The album is still probably a worthwhile endeavor for fans of Timberlake. For pop music fans, however, a wiser strategy might be to just cherry pick a few of the stronger tracks, as the album as a whole is weighed down great by all the bloated material. 2/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Amnesia – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

2)      Take Back the Night – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

3)      TKO – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

Available on: Digital Download

Drake – Nothing Was the Same (2013) – Review

Review: Drake is back with his third major label release Nothing Was the Same, following up the very good album Take Care and the hit-and-miss Thank Me Later.

One thing that stands out about Nothing Was the Same immediately: Drake is not interested in sounding like every other MC out there right now. Instead, he is crafting and refining his own unique sound, and Nothing Was the Same benefits greatly as a result. Hip hop has become agonizingly sonically monotonous. A lot of it is just plain boring. Meanwhile, Aubrey Graham has developed a wonderful musical chemistry with producer and writer Noah “40” Shebib giving his albums fluidity, which is definitely the case here. The whole album feels like a cohesive project, rather than a random amalgamation of tracks. It also helps that this album primarily features Drake alone. The only other verse on the album comes from Jay-Z (and really, it was unneeded). Graham has the confidence to stand alone and not rely on a plethora of pointless/useless collaborations with other MCs.

Other producers also give Nothing Was the Same some strong musical moments as well. Mike Zombie, DJ Dahi, Nineteen85, Majid Jordan, Hudson Mohawke, Boi-1da (another frequent collaborator of Drake’s), and Key Wane (who produces the great bonus track All Me) all provide good beats, which Graham and Shebib form to fit the album’s musical aesthetic. The beats overall have a very minimalistic, muted sound.

Drake’s music succeeds, however, more so on his ability to let the listener in (something that he takes heat for as well – being too sensitive) than the album’s musicality (which is also good, but not groundbreaking or amazing). Graham is accessible with intimate and real lyrics about his relatable insecurities – in addition to the typical boasts of wealth, women, and skills. The listener, much like with Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar’s work, feels like they are being invited into Graham’s inner most thoughts, which is compelling when most hip hop is just fake.

Nothing Was the Same feels and sounds like a Drake album, which is a good thing, as he is a very talented artists who is unafraid to be himself. While it does not ascend to the same ambitious or artistic heights as Kanye West’s Yeezus, it is still one of 2013’s best hip hop releases and well worth checking out. 4/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Started from the Bottom – Produced by Mike Zombie

2)      Hold On, We’re Going Home – Produced by Nineteen85 and Majid Jordan, featuring Majid Jordan

3)      Worst Behavior – Produced by DJ Dahi

Available on: Digital Download

The Weeknd – Kiss Land (2013) – Review

Review: The Weeknd took the modern R&B world by storm in 2011, releasing three brilliant mixtapes (which he then remasted and released together as Trilogy). He was probably the music artist of the year. Thus, anticipation for his first commercial release has been incredibly high (and by the same token, expectations have been impossibly high as well).

Kiss Land is musically different that The Weeknd’s past work. Abel Tesfaye this time works primarily with fellow Canadians producers DannyBoyStyles and Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville, and L.A. producer Silkky Johnson stops by for the wonderful title track. However, it is clear that Tesfaye is the main creative force behind the album. In addition to writing all the tracks, he also produces or co-produces every song. The sound overall does harken back to his mixtapes, as it too feels like a night of partying that has gone on too long leading to the weariness of the come-down. Yet, like each of his releases, there is a distinct sonic quality to it. This album is dark, almost without an ounce of hopefulness. It has a beauty to it as well however.

Lyrically, Tesfaye is to some extent still focused on the same thematic material that populated his mixtapes. He seems to long for a meaningful relationship, but only finds (or gives into) the shallowness of what night life offers (alcohol, drugs, women, and so on). There is a real sadness to his music, which his voice accompanies to such an affecting result for the listener. Pop music about failed relationships and pain seems to resonate to a much stronger degree than happy songs, and here Tesfaye is able to create a fully developed narrative of crushed hopes and emotional suffering.

Tesfaye is also not afraid to primarily stand alone as the sole voice on his record (which is a nice change for what we typically see in modern R&B and Hip Hop). Frequent collaborator Drake is the only featured guest, and his verse is brief (and on maybe the weakest song on the album).

While Kiss Land is not The Weeknd’s best release, it is still a wonderfully engrossing, emotive, and dense work. 4/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Kiss Land – Produced by Silkky Johnson

2)      Tears in the Rain – Produced by DannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, and Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville

3)      Love In the Sky – Produced by DannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, and Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville

Available on: Digital Downloand

A$AP Rocky – LoveLiveA$AP (2013) – Review

Review: LoveLiveA$AP is the first high profile and eagerly anticipated hip hop album of 2013, especially given the breakout success of A$AP Rocky’s first album/mixtape LiveLongA$AP and quality of the album’s singles (Goldie and Fuckin’ Problems).

The album is packed full of great featured artists (like ScHoolboy Q, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, Gunplay, among others) and hot producers (like Hit-Boy, T-Minus, Clams Casino, 40, Danger Mouse, Jim Jonsin, and Skrillex), but ultimately it is very top heavy. The singles are fantastic, and among the best hip hop records released in 2012. Plus, there are a few other great tracks: Long Live A$AP, PMW (All I Really Need), LVL, Jodye, and Ghetto Symphony. However, there rest of the album is underwhelming and disappointing – given the quality of LiveLongA$AP and expectations for this (his major label debut).

Musically, the album has the modern hip hop sound that has now seemingly become rather commonplace with the success (and maybe even overuse) of producers such as Hit-Boy, T-Minus, 40, and Clam Casino. That said, the beats do fit A$AP Rocky’s flow and style well and most of the best tracks come from those producers. I guess I was just hoping his album would be more sonically innovative, because that is what I expected.

A$AP Rocky does have a great flow, and lyrically he has a few interesting things to say – but there is nothing new or profound. Really, the album is at its best when the listener just zones out and lets it play in the background – which is not really a compliment, but at the same time I think that was its goal: to be something to just chill out with.

A$AP Rocky is one of the bright young talents in hip hop and there is some terrific stuff on LongLiveA$AP; it is just not on the same level as recent releases from other artists leading hip hop’s new sound as a complete album (LPs like Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, M.A.A.D. city, ScHoolboy Q’s Habits & Contradictions, or Danny Brown’s XXX, to name but a few). 3/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Goldie – Produced by Hit-Boy

2)      Fuckin’ Problems – Produced by 40, featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar

3)      Long Live A$AP – Produced by Jim Jonsin and Rico Love

Available on: CD and Digital Download

The Weeknd – Trilogy (2012) – Review

Review: Canadian artist The Weeknd (singer/producer Abel Tesfaye) exploded onto the R&B/pop scene in 2011 releasing three brilliant mixtapes: House of Balloons (probably the best album of 2011), Thursday and Echoes of Silence. Trilogy represents all three tapes plus three new bonus tracks combined and remastered.

If you followed music in 2011 (and are a fan of pop and/or R&B), you probably have already downloaded the three mixtapes for free from The Weeknd’s website (though, now they are no longer available there), or at least you should have. If you have, then Trilogy might not be necessary aside from the three bonus tracks, which are all good. The remasted mixtapes sound great, but are slightly different in some places as unlicensed samples (like Aaliyah’s Rock the Boat) have been dropped.

However, if you do not have The Weeknd’s three mixtapes then Trilogy is an absolute must-have. Meant as a trilogy, the three tapes make up a story about a somewhat tragic lifestyle of partying and then self-loathing in the wake of coming down. Trilogy’s complete three hours takes the listener on an emotionally taxing sonic journey, ripe with numb sadness, adulation, debauchery, and emotional release.

Musically, Trilogy is incredible. The Weeknd primarily works with Canadian producers Doc McKinney and Illangelo crafting a dense sonic experience. Drake and Juicy J (somewhat randomly) are the only featured artists.

The Weeknd (building off The-Dream’s sound a bit) was the breakthrough artist of 2011 (and probably the best artist of 2011 too). Trilogy is a brilliant work of art. 5/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Twenty Eight – Produced by Doc McKinney & Illangelo

2)      Valerie – Produced by Doc McKinney & Illangelo

3)      Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun) – Produced by Doc McKinney & Illangelo

Available on: CD and Digital Download

Kendick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d. city (2012) – Review

Review: Compton MC Kendrick Lamar seems to be hip hop’s latest contender for the crown of best rapper alive, and with Kendrick it does not feel like such a stretch (in fact, he probably is). Technically, he is flawless. Lyrically, he is thoughtful and a wonderful storyteller. Artistically, he weaves hip hop’s present and past together magnificently. His aesthetic is one of the best in the genre. With his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick has made 2012’s best hip hop album so far.

The anticipation for good kid, m.A.A.d city has been immense, both from fans that loved Section.80 (his first studio album, and one of the best of 2011) and those intrigued by his signing with Dr. Dre and his string of great singles released in 2012 (The Recipe, Swimming Pools [Drank] and Compton). A song potentially slated to be on the album leaked in early 2012 called Cartoons & Cereal setting the mood for what good kid, m.A.A.d city would be like – the song is brilliant, as is the finished album.

good kid, m.A.A.d city plays as an introspective story following Kendrick’s journey through adolescence growing up in Compton (with the dangers, influences and culture the city encompasses), detailing the choices he made. It is an enthralling story that draws the listener in. Kendrick is not just boasting or rapping about wealth and the things that come with it, he is telling his fans about something real, something important, something we can care about and not just frivolous. And yet, he is still able to touch on many of the typical genre topics. He talks about how he survived the streets, the allure and pitfalls of chasing women, making money (though, there seems to be a negative connotation to what the cost of ‘making it’ is). In many ways the album is a love letter to Compton and warning to the youth still struggling to get through the day in the city (maybe best stated in Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst).

Musically, the album is like nothing else in hip hop. It references the West Coast sound that Kendrick grew up on (including appearances by MC Eiht and Dr. Dre), while also having the raw energy and anger of one of his main influences Tupac. But, Kendrick combines this with a very modern sound. He is very cognizant of where the genre has been and where it is going, and his place in it. His TDE/Black Hippy crew makes their mark on the album too with great production from Terrace Martin, Sounwave, and THC and a bitter (but poignant) verse from Jay Rock. Kendrick also has strong production from notable producers Pharrell, Just Blaze, T-Minus and Hit-Boy, and a guest verse from Drake.

Expectations for good kid, m.A.A.d were incredibly high, and Kendrick has delivered a classic album. It is a must for fans of hip hop. 5/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Swimming Pools (Drank) Extended Version – Produced by T-Minus

2)      m.A.A.d city – Produced by Sounwave and THC, featuring MC Eiht

3)      Backseat Freestyle – Produced Hit-Boy

Available on CD and Digital Download

Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t (2012) – Review

Review: Rick Ross is having a great 2012. His mixtape Rich Forever is solid. His Maybach Music posse album Self Made: Vol. 2 has some good stuff on it. And, his fifth solo album, God Forgives, I Don’t, is probably his best album to date. Like Teflon Don and Deeper Than Rap, this album is packed with guest appearances. Ross has his Maybach Music crewmates Wale, Stalley, Meek Mill, Omarion, as well as pop and hip hop’s biggest talents like Drake, Usher, Ne-Yo, Andre 3000, and Dr. Dre and Jay-Z on a good track entitled 3 Kings. Unlike Teflon Don however, Ross is not overshadowed by all the features. Here, Ross has some of his best rhymes and deliveries (building off the great work he did on Rich Forever). God Forgives, I Don’t also is excellently produced and really engaging musically. Ten Jesus Pieces has one of the best musical accompaniments of 2012. For Ross fans, this is an album very much worth picking up, and for commercial hip hop fans this also certainly worth checking out as it is one of the better releases this year. 3/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Ten Jesus Pieces – Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, featuring Stalley

2)      Pirates – Produced by Kenoe and Got Koke

3)      Diced Pineapples – Produced by Cardiak, featuring Wale and Drake

Available on CD and Digital Download

Essential Songs of 2012: Part 7 – Music Spotlight – August 2012

Artist: Dum Dum Girls Song: Lord Knows Producer(s):  N/A Featuring: N/A Album: End of Daze

Artist: Dusted Song: Cut Them Free Producer(s): Leon Taheny Featuring: N/A Album: Total Dust

Artist: Ellie Goulding Song: Anything Could Happen Producer(s): Ellie Goulding and Jim Elliot Featuring: N/A Album: Halcyon

Artist: J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T. and Kendrick Lamar Song: They Ready Producer(s): J. Cole Featuring: N/A Album: DJ Khaled’s Kiss the Ring

Artist: Kendrick Lamar Song: Swimming Pools (Drank) Producer(s): T-Minus Featuring: N/A Album: Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City

Artist: Nas Song: Loco-Motive Producer(s): No I.D. Featuring: Large Professor Album: Life is Good

Artist: Reks Song: The Jones’ Producer(s): Numonics Featuring: N/A Album: Rebelutionary

Artist: Rick Ross Song: Diced Pineapples Producer(s): Cardiak Featuring: Wale and Drake Album: God Forgives, I Don’t

Artist: Talib Kweli Song: Push Thru Producer(s): S1 Featuring: Kendrick Lamar and Curren$y Album: Prisoner of Conscious

Artist: The xx Song: Chained Producer(s): Jamie xx Featuring: N/A Album: Coexist

Essential Songs of 2012: Part 5 – Music Spotlight – July 2012

Artist: Beach House Song: Myth Producer(s):  Beach House and Chris Coady Featuring: N/A Album: Bloom

Artist: Bloc Party Song: Octopus Producer(s): Alex Newport Featuring: N/A Album: Four

Artist: Childish Gambino Song: Unnecessary Producer(s): Childish Gambino Featuring: ScHoolboy Q & Ab-Soul Album: Royalty

Artist: Dirty Projectors Song: Dance for You Producer(s): Dave Longstreth Featuring: N/A Album: Swing Lo Magellan

Artist: Ellie Goulding Song: Hanging On (Active Child cover) Producer(s): N/A Featuring: Tinie Tempah Album: N/A

Artist: Frank Ocean Song: Pyramids Producer(s): Malay Featuring: N/A Album: channel ORANGE

Artist: French Montana Song: Pop That Producer(s): Lee Beats Featuring: Rick Ross, Drake & Lil Wayne Album: Excuse My French

Artist: Passion Pit Song: I’ll Be Alright Producer(s): Michael Angelakos and Chris Zane Featuring: N/A Album: Gossamer

Artist: Porcelain Raft Song: Drifting In and Out Producer(s): Mauro Remiddi Featuring: N/A Album: Strange Weekend

Artist: Woods Song: Cali in a Cup Producer(s): N/A Featuring: N/A Album: Bend Beyond

Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 2 Mixtape (2012) – Review

Review: The Philly MC Meek Mill, member of Rick Ross’s MMG, is one of MTV’s 2012 Ten Hottest MCs, along with other MMG members Ross and Wale. Though, personally, I am very surprised to see him there, especially with his latest mixtape Dreamchasers 2, the follow up to a fairly weak Dreamchasers Mixtape. Much of Dreamchasers 2 is mixtape quality street bangers. Musically, the album is not very interesting, as most of the beats are generic throwaways. Though, Jahlil Beats, Cardiak, KeY Wane, and Beat Billionaire provide some decent stuff – but again, mixtape quality. Normally, this would be fine, but many of today’s best new artists in hip hop put out mixtapes that are better than most other artists’ albums, and thus there is a high bar to strive for, and this tape is nowhere near as good. Not to mention, Meek Mill is often overshadowed by his many guests. Big Sean, Wale, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake all outshine him on the tape. It is not to say Meek Mill is bad, as that is not the case. Dreamchasers 2 is just disappointing because Meek Mill is supposedly one of the hottest MCs right now, and fans of his music know he can put out great tracks like Tupac Back. This mixtape is fine for fans of MMG and Meek Mill, but certainly not a must for fans of hip hop in general. 2/5

Editor’s Essential Tracks:

1)      Take U Home – Produced by Beat Billionaire, featuring Wale and Big Sean

2)      Flexing – Produced by Jahlil Beats

3)      Burn – Produced by Jahlil Beats, featuring Big Sean

Available on Digital Download

Rick Ross – Rich Forever Mixtape (2012) – Review

Rick Ross – Rich Forever

With his upcoming fifth studio album God Forgives, I Don’t delayed, Miami MC Rick Ross dropped a new mixtape – Rich Forever – as a preview of what we can expect. Essentially, it is a series of street bangers featuring Ross, his MMG cohorts and friends. And with a voice like Ross’s, why not make street bangers – but at the same time, I liked the more sonically soulful work he was doing in the past (stuff like Usual Suspects and Rich off Cocaine off Deeper Than Rap, or his verse on Kanye West’s Devil in a New Dress). Among the many guests, NaS by far shines, dropping an excellent verse. Wale, Meek Mill and Drake contribute good stuff too. The tape also has a few of hip hop’s most talked about up-and-comers: French Montana, 2 Chains, and Future. Lyrically, Ross sticks to his character’s usual topics: money, drugs, cars, fashion, girls, being rich, selling drugs, being wealthy, and so on and so forth. And yet, a credit to Ross, his character is so well crafted that it still has not become tired and shabby (at least not for me). Rich Forever is probably not going to win Ross new fans, but for those who like what he does it is a good holdover until God Forgive, I Don’t. 3/5

Editor’s Essential Tracks:

1)      Triple Beam Dreams – Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, featuring NaS

2)      Holy Ghost – Produced by Lil’ Lody, featuring Diddy

3)      Yella Diamonds – Produced by Beat Billionaire

Available on Digital Download

LeapBackBlog 2011 Music Awards – Part 1: Ten Essential Albums

Music in 2011 saw the further domination of hip hop and indie rock as the principal forms of ‘good’ music. Forms of electronic music have also taken up a much more mainstream appeal in recent years, and there is certainly evidence of this in what was great in music in 2011. Here are my ten favorite albums of the year.

Part 2: Ten Essential Songs (Singles)

Part 3: Ten More Essential Songs (Deep Cuts)

Albums:

Artist: Beyonce Album: 4 Essential Tracks: I Care, I Miss You, Party, Rather Die Young, and Countdown Why It Made the List: Beyonce has been on top of the pop R&B genre since she became a solo artist. 4 feels much more like a personal album, filled with meaningful tracks and not just poppy stuff for the top 40. While it may not have the singles to dominate the charts and radio, it is her most complete and enjoyable effort of her career to date. Plus, the video for Countdown very well might be my favorite of the year. Available: Here

Artist: Childish Gambino Album: Camp Essential Tracks: Outside, Bonfire, All the Shine, Heartbeat, and You See Me Why It Made the List: Childish Gambino announced himself to the world in 2011; both with his EP featuring Freaks and Geeks and his first commercial release Camp. I liked Donald Glover as a rapper coming into the album, but it completely blew me away – both with fantastic production and real lyrics, while still maintaining the humor. Camp is an album you can listen to all the way through and enjoy every track, no matter how many times you have listened to it, which is very rare these days. Available: Here

Artist: Drake Album: Take Care Essential Tracks: Headlines, Crew Love, Marvins Room, Under Ground Kings, and Lord Knows Why It Made the List: Drake has a very unique sound – a good thing in a genre that is filled with artists that sound the same. The album has a lot of features but they all work well with Drake and do not overshadow him. The production on the album by 40 and T-Minus is fantastic as well. Drake is not afraid to gets his emotions across in his music, and Take Care is moody and personal. It is his best release to date. Available: Here

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West Album: Watch the Throne Essential Tracks: Niggas in Paris, Otis, Gotta Have It, Murder to Excellence, and Illest Motherfucker Alive Why It Made the List: Coming in to 2011, this was the most anticipated album for a lot of people (me included). It did not disappoint. The production on the album, first off, is brilliant and probably the best of the year (though The Weeknd’s trilogy is right there too). Kanye and Jay-Z cover all their bases lyrically, touching on politics, personal issues, lifestyle, art, having fun, and pretty much everything else. This is the best hip hop album of the year. Plus, the music video of Otis is so much fun. Available: Here

Artist: J. Cole Album: Cole World: The Sideline Story Essential Tracks: Lights Please, In the Morning, Nobody’s Perfect, God’s Gift, and Work Out Why It Made the List: J. Cole has been called the future of hip hop by many fans and pundits. His first commercial release lived up to the hype. It is not as flashy an album as a lot coming out in the genre, but it is solid all the way through and has a great ‘true hip hop’ feel to it –not so much of the pop hip hop sound that we have come to expect from most artists like J. Cole. His production ability also shines on the album. Available: Here

Artist: Kendrick Lamar Album: Section.80 Essential Tracks: Fuck Your Ethnicity, A.D.H.D., Ronald Regan Era (His Evil), Rigamortis, and HiiiPoWer Why It Made the List: Part of the hip hop group Black Hippy (with Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul), Kendrick Lamar had a huge 2011 – killing verses on Tech N9ne, Drake and Game’s albums, making a name for his crew and dropping one of the best albums of the year in Section.80. His flow and lyrics make him very relatable and relevant to today’s youth, while his musical ability endears him to lovers of the genre. Plus, HiiiPoWer is the best hip hop track of 2011. Available: Here

Artist: Pusha T Album: Fear of God II: Let Us Pray Essential Tracks: Changing of the Guards, Amen, Trouble on My Mind, My God, and I Still Wanna Why It Made the List: Pusha T, as a part of the duo Clipse, is already a well-known entity to genre fans, but with his Fear of God Mixtape and Fear of God II: Let Us Pray EP he has put himself in the upper echelon of solo artists as well. Teaming up with Kanye West seems to be a perfect match. His likely solo album in 2012 is among my most anticipated. Plus, Trouble on My Mind with The Neptunes producing and featuring Tyler, The Creator is one of the best collaboration of the year and has a great video. Available: Here

Artist: St. Vincent Album: Strange Mercy Essential Tracks: Cruel, Cheerleader, Strange Mercy, Dilettante, and Year of the Tiger Why It Made the List: There was a lot of great indie rock in 2011, but St. Vincent’s Strange Mercy was a step above the rest. Annie Clark’s art rock has so much substance to it, both musically and lyrically. Her sound is also fantastic. She has found a great balance between experimentalism and accessibility making this her most approachable album for those new to the genre.   Available: Here

Artist: Wale Album: Ambition Essential Tracks: Double M Genius, Miami Nights, Chain Music, Focused, and Ambition Why It Made the List: Wale had somewhat of a comeback year in 2011 (commercially at least, musically he never left) with early releases like 600 Benz and Bad Girls Club. Many of his fans were nervous that he would compromise his sound when he signed to Rick Ross’s MMG, but with the release of Ambition it is clear that Wale still brings the same fire to the mic and has maintained his lyrical integrity, be to a somewhat different style of beat. This is a very fun album with a lot of energy, yet introspective and personal. Available: Here

Artist: The Weeknd Album: House of Balloons Essential Tracks: High for This, House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls, Wicked Games, The Party & The After Party, and The Knowing Why It Made the List: The Weeknd with his 2011 Trilogy (including this album, Thursday and Echoes of Silence) is 2011’s best new artist (and probably the artist of the year). All three albums would have made this list; House of Balloons is just my favorite and the best album of the year. It has some of the best production creating the perfect sound to accompany Abel Tesfaye’s dark lyrics. It is tragic and beautiful. Plus, it is free. I cannot wait for his first commercial release slated for 2012. Available: Here