For the past several years, I've been pleased with hip hop's continued evolution, watching the younger generation take over the mantle while putting their own stamp on the genre - less concerned with "bars" and more focused on mood and melody. It was nice to see them come into their own, while still leaving room for the rap purists (AKA: old-heads) to have their own space for applying fresh ideas to traditional approaches. In 2022 however, Gen Z seems to have retreated a bit, with nobody really emerging to move the genre forward. Even highly anticipated releases from the likes of Lil Baby, Roddy Rich, Nav, Metro Boomin' and the much ballyhooed Sofaygo, failed to grab my attention - making for one of the weakest showings in recent memory. I haven't done the math, but I would place the average age of the artists on my top 10 list this year to be somewhere in the late 30's, a far cry from what I would have clocked a couple of years ago. Some might call it a return to form, with conventional artists (including an indomitable 49 year old from Queens) stepping in to fill the void, reminding us once again of the timeless appeal of well-crafted beats & rhymes.
(click on the album title to see a video)
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10. Sick! - Earl Sweatshirt
"Cover me, I'm going in" Earl Sweatshirt raps on the title track to Sick!, a glorious showcase for his slippery, off-kilter rhyme schemes that beg you to throw convention to the wind and dive into the deep end. Earl's never been a linear artist, so you're asked to twist and turn a bit as you listen to Sick!'s constantly evolving beats that rise & fall like sound waves before settling into an unexpected groove. The rewards for sticking with him are plentiful however. At the end of the 10 tracks (clocking in at a brisk 24 minutes) you're likely to ask yourself "what just happened?" before pressing play and dipping back in for another lap.
9. Kiss The Ring - Rome Streetz
It's been a minute since I've heard a rapper as instantly captivating as Rome Streetz, a 36 Brooklyn-by-way-of-Queens MC who seems to have been created in a lab to carry on the tradition of New York's greatest lyricists. Channeling luminaries such as Prodigy and Big L, Rome deploys a liquid flow, built around dense, intricate wordplay - an approach that blends perfectly with his Griselda crew's murky, multi-layered production. Fair warning, repeated spins are required to fully appreciate all of Rome's punchlines and street sermons. This is headphone music, made for those who long for an unapologetic return to a specific NYC true school era aesthetic.
8. $oul $old $eparately - Freddie Gibbs
Over the past several years, Freddie Gibbs has quietly established himself as one hip hop's most prolific artists. Across impressive albums like Fetti, Alfredo and 2020's immaculate Bandana, he's demonstrated a consistent ability to match wits with some of the most celebrated collaborators and producers of our day, fitting in seamlessly with an endless variety of soundscapes. On $oul $old $eparately, he continues his hot streak, leveraging his gift for nimble, dexterous wordplay to slide in and out of a wide variety of luxurious soundscapes with the greatest of ease. More impressively, he does so while dispensing hard-won wisdom that he's acquired along his far-reaching journey, chronicling his unlikely and somewhat bumpy rise from also-ran to A-List rapper at the tender age of 40.
7. Cheat Codes - Danger Mouse & Black Thought
On Cheat Codes, Black Thought and Danger Mouse come together as a formidable duo to elevate each others work as master craftsmen without feeling the need to stray into experimental territory. Immune to the whims of trap beats and mumble rap, Thought and Danger Mouse deliver 12 immersive tracks that are as sturdy as they are straightforward. To my ears, Thought sounds more engaging here than on his previous solo efforts, the more tightly wound Streams Of Thought series. His knotty, erudite rhymes seem to pair more organically with Danger Mouse's soulful loops and well-curated samples - providing a little more room to breathe. For many Gen Xers who've long held up Black Thought as a beacon of lyrical supremacy, it can be argued that this is the solo project we've been waiting for since the beginning.
6. Ramona Park Broke My Heart - Vince Staples
Vince Staples - For an MC who for so long has come off as dispassionate and ornery, Vince Staples' sounds downright earnest on Ramona Park Broke My Heart. Don't get me wrong, no one would describe this album as upbeat. It's a contemplative, clear-eyed look at a childhood lost to the streets and an adult hood disillusioned by fame & fortune. It's a cautionary tale set to a rich soundtrack that comes off as surprisingly accessible while still staying true to its modern-day Cali gangsta rap roots.
5. The Forever Story - JID
2022 will go down as the year that JID, one of Dreamville's other prodigious talents (besides that Jermaine guy from Fayetteville), finally established himself as a bona fide leading man. As a technical MC, JID's a force of nature - shape-shifting, rapid fire and uncannily clever. But perhaps due to his "alt" rapper status or because he's been buried inside of too many supergroup collectives, he's been easy to overlook. The Forever Story is undeniable however, soulful, autobiographical, and radiating with positive energy. It's a star turn that should make sure he never has to spend another moment in anybody else's shadow.
4. Melt My Eyez See Your Future - Denzel Curry
Denzel Curry is one of the most vivid rappers working in hip hop today. When listening to Melt My Eyez this past spring I often found myself slipping into a pensive mood. Stopping whatever I was doing to stare into space while letting his plaintive production and melodic flow wash over me. Standout tracks like "Walkin" and "The Ills" are perfect examples, intimate portraits from the mind of a thinking man's rapper, laced with beats that provide just enough thump to keep your head boppin'. It's a delicate balance that Curry pulls off with convincing aplomb.
3. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers - Kendrick Lamar
Five years is a long time to go without an artist as important as Kendrick Lamar. Dude practically disappeared during some of our most trying times. Offering zero perspective on the pandemic or the 2020 BLM movement. He mercifully returned in 2022, with an album that was ambitious, free-wheeling and wide-ranging, but more or less uninterested in solving the problems of the day. Instead, Kendrick was more focused on family, self-care and introspection, reminding us that he never intended to become hip hop's "savior" and asking us to stand by him even though he knew he was inevitably going to let us down. It's an uneven project - spiraling, combative and somewhat out of touch. It's still some of the most vital music that you will hear in this or any other year.
2. It's Almost Dry - Pusha T
On It's Almost Dry, Pusha T sticks to a proven formula, delivering cinematic coke bars that shine like diamonds when paired with high-gloss beats. To say that King Push is an elite tactician is an obvious understatement, but it's worth noting that on IAD he's never sounded better. His bars are lean, precise and whip smart. At 44, he sounds completely at ease, comfortable in his skin, but never lazy. And if you listen closely you can hear shades of humor, depth, and emotion that were scarcely present in his earlier work. It also helps that for this edition, Pusha splits the production duties between the 2 producers, Ye and Pharrell, who consistently bring out the best in him. Their work here is exquisite and the results speak for themselves.
1. King’s Disease III - Nas
We're 28+ years removed from Illmatic and Nas is still out here making some of the greatest rap music on the planet earth. Let that sink in for a moment. Nevermind TB12, if Lebron, wants to know what true longevity looks like, he should be studying Nas instead of Tom Brady. On KD3, the 49 year old sounds like a maestro who runs 10 miles a day and does a thousand sit ups while sipping on some sort of exotic tea that only he has access to. His lyrics, rhyme sequences and flow are dialed in like a mofo, making his gruff staccato delivery sound fresher than ever. Is it me, or is he getting better...faster, slicker and more energetic? He certainly seems to be having a lot more fun - looser, more playful and clearly unbothered. Either way you slice it, KD3 is an extraordinary accomplishment, with an enormous debt owed to Hit-boy, who's jazzy, invigorating, sample-driven production is simply mesmerizing. There's no precedent for what Nas is doing at this stage in his career, and while there is no longer any discussion about his greatness, I would not bet against the idea that we'll still be debating his relevance for many more years to come.
Honorable Mention (15 more to round out a Top 25)
- 2000 - Joey Bada$$
- Before Sh*T Got Weird - The Cool Kids
- Beyond Belief - 38 Spesh
- B.I.B.L.E. - Fivio Foreign
- D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape - Dreamville & J. Cole
- Drill Music In Zion - Lupe Fiasco
- Few Good Things - Saba
- God Don't Make Mistakes - Conway The Machine
- Herbert - Ab-Soul
- Her Loss - Drake & 21 Savage
- Learn 2 Swim - Redveil
- No Fear Of Time - Black Star
- Pain & Glory - Ransom
- Simple - IDK
- The Elephant Man's Bones - Roc Marciano & The Alchemist
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