For hip hop, 2023 was a year of looking back. The genre reflected upon 50 years of existence by throwing itself a bunch of excellent parties throughout the year, including a rollicking celebration at Yankee Stadium back in August and a well-curated Grammy tribute in December. It was a well-deserved high-five for a music born out of the roughest of circumstances in the 70s and given very little chance of survival before going on to become a global force by the turn of the century.
But 2023 was also a year of much hand wringing, as we lamented the contemporary state of hip hop. Much was made of the genre's precipitous dip in popularity, given the lack of #1 albums and general slowing of sales momentum throughout the year. Many offered reasons why the genre seemed to be off its game, with opinions ranging from a lack of creativity, to the negative influence of social media, to the resurgence of rock and pop, to the a booming consumption of Latin X and Global music. All somewhat correct and worrisome for sure, but it's important to remember that we've been down this road before - in the early 90s after the demise of sampling, the mid-90s after the deaths of Biggie and Tupac and in mid-00s with the rise of auto tune and so-called mumble rap. Even I wrote a post back in 2008 titled "Hip Hop Is Dead" where I listed out multiple theories for why the genre had lost its way.
It turns out I was wrong then and I am sure that the worry warts are wrong now. As it has done for 50 years, hip hop will find a way to weather the storm. The music will survive, thrive, evolve and carry on. So before we look ahead to a bright future, let's look back on the final leg of that amazing 50 year journey. Here's the best of what 2023 had to offer.
Enjoy
Lamont
The Top 10
10. Motto - NF - Like a younger version of his idol, Eminem, NF yells, screams and kicks sand in the face of industry big wigs at an imaginary award show on this catchy pop/rap banger.
9. Ma Boy - Dreamville, JID & Lute - While his 2022 single "Surround Sound" was going bananas on TikTok, JID was busy in the studio with Lute and his Dreamville homies cooking up another scorcher.
8. June 22nd - Lil Tjay - Tjay gets his storytelling rap on, Slick Rick style, as he recounts in vivid detail what happened on the day he almost lost his life on June 22nd, 2022.
7. Players Club - Price & Symba - Backed by fellow Cali MC, Symba, Price drops a few gems about how how stay on the come up out here on the streets of LA, where the "strippers" are snatching chains outside the Players Club.
6. All My Life - Lil Durk (Ft. J. Cole) - On "All My Life" Durk croons solemnly, while J. Cole offers up one of his many candidates for "verse of the year" as part of a string of standout feature performances.
5. Namesake - Noname - In case you didn't know by now, Noname is not one to pull punches. Cross her at your own peril. The fact that she can rap her ass off is just an added bonus.
4. Wales - Kota The Fiend - More inspirational words from Kota straight from the "belly of the beast". With his smooth flow and choice rhymes, like "Genius bars quotin' from Okinawa to Hoboken / Therapist to people that's still healing from homes broken", it's easy to understand why many people, including myself, say they could listen to this man rap all day.
3. Evil Ways - Drake (Ft. J. Cole) - After getting cooked by J. Cole on "First Person Shooter" Drake comes back on "Evil Ways" to remind people that's he's still elite, as the 2 heavy weights trade effortless bars over an infinite rhyme pattern.
2. Sorry Not Sorry - Tyler, The Creator - Tyler takes stock of a lifetime of relationships with friends, family members, fans, girlfriends and even his ancestors, all of which went sideways for one reason or another. Clearly he's not sorry and more to the point, he has no regrets.
1. Scientists & Engineers - Killer Mike & Andre 3000 (Ft. Future & Eryn Allen Kane) - Somehow Killer Mike got Andre to put his flute down and join him in the studio for "Scientists & Engineers". It's a beautiful, laid back track where his collaborators add depth & dimension, but Andre's verse is otherwordly - making his refusal to drop a "real" album all the more frustrating.
Rounding Out The Top 25 (In Alpha Order)
Bops - Coi Leray
Butterfly Coupe - Kalan.FrFr (Ft. Quavo)
Dangerous Daringer - Sauce Walka & Conway The Machine
Eminent Domain - Skyzoo & The Other Guys
Endless Fashion - Lil Uzi Vert (Ft. Nicki Minaj)
Fukumean - Gunna
Gotta Slide - Sonny Digital
I'm Mad At Me - Trippie Redd & Lil Wayne
MVP - A Boogie With da Hoodie (Ft. G-Eazy)
Paint The Town Red - Doja Cat
Red Ruby Da Sleeze - Nicki Manaj
Roundz - Body Brown
Sittin On Top Of The World - Burna Boy
Sprinter - Dave & Central Cee
The Secret Recipe - Lil Yachty & J. Cole
Butterfly Coupe - Kalan.FrFr (Ft. Quavo)
Dangerous Daringer - Sauce Walka & Conway The Machine
Eminent Domain - Skyzoo & The Other Guys
Endless Fashion - Lil Uzi Vert (Ft. Nicki Minaj)
Fukumean - Gunna
Gotta Slide - Sonny Digital
I'm Mad At Me - Trippie Redd & Lil Wayne
MVP - A Boogie With da Hoodie (Ft. G-Eazy)
Paint The Town Red - Doja Cat
Red Ruby Da Sleeze - Nicki Manaj
Roundz - Body Brown
Sittin On Top Of The World - Burna Boy
Sprinter - Dave & Central Cee
The Secret Recipe - Lil Yachty & J. Cole
The Rest Of The Top 50 (In Alpha Order)
A Radical Interruption: Inside Out - Conquest
Asteroids - Rapsody
Anxiety - Sleepy Hallow (Ft. Doechii)
Back Flippin' - Luh Tyler
Back In Office - Saba & No ID
Be Alright - DD Osama
Birthday - Saweetie, YG & Tyga
Dandelion Root - Rexx Life Raj
Danger - Offset & JID
Do Something - Lady London & Jeremih
Faith - D2x
FE!N - Travis Scott (Ft. Playboi Carti)
Glorious Game - El Michels Affair & Black Thought (Ft. Kirby)
Kant Nobody - Lil Wayne (Ft. DMX)
Lottery - Latto (Ft. Lu Kala)
Minority Report - Ransom & Nicholas Craven (Ft. Talib Kweli & Raina Simone)
Money - Young Thug (Ft. Juice Wrld & Nicki Minaj)
Never Die - Nas (Ft. Lil Wayne)
Presha - 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
Princess Diana - Ice Spice & Nicki Minaj
Put It On The Floor Again - Latto (Ft. Cardi B)
Shaq & Kobe - Rick Ross & Meek Mill
The Goat - AZ
They Don't Love It - Jack Harolw
What I Roll Up In This? - 2% Reese
50 More That Just Missed The Cut
Activate - Rae Sremmurd (Ft. Future)
19 - Zio
4EVA - Kaytramine, Amine & Kaytranada (Ft. Pharrell Williams)
8AM In Charlotte - Drake
Barbie World - Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice
Careful - NF & Cordae
Cassava Bread - YungMorpheus & Fly Anakin
Cherry - Ruby Rose
College Girls - NLE Choppa
Cut You Off - Joyner Lucas & Youngboy Never Broke
DND - Leaf
Doomsday - Lyrical Lemonade, Juice Wrld & Cordae
First Person Shooter - Drake (Ft. J. Cole)
Flow - Jourden
Free JuJu - Mozzy
Gangster Boo - Ice Spice & Lil Tjay
Great Gatsby - Rod Wave
Hold Me - Quavo
Hustlers - Dave East (Ft. Tyga)
HVN On Earth - Lil Tecca & Kodak Black
Ice Cold Zel freestyle - Denzel Curry (Ft. IceColdBishop)
In Ha Mood - Ice Spice
Johhny Dang - That Mexican OT, Paul Wall & Drodi
Kapitol Denim - Lucki & Future
Lil Fish, Big Pond - Tobe Nwigwe
Marble Columns - Curren$y & Harry Fraud (Ft. Larry June)
Me First - Kari Faux
No Wish - Black Milk (Ft. Phonte & Raphael Saadiq)
Oh You Went - Young Thug (Ft. Drake)
Ouchies - Doja Cat
Passionate - Blxst
Patty Cake - Quavo & Takeoff
Pinot Noir - IDK, Jucee Froot & Saucy Santana)
Pronouns - Your Old Droog & Madlib
Ring Ring - Chase B & Travis Scott (Ft. Don Toliver, Quavo & Ty Doaa $ign)
Run It Up - Coi Leray
Running Late - Karrahboo
Sk8 - Nappy Roots
Slummer - Killer Mike
Solid As A Rock - Michael Christmas
Super Bowl - Conway The Machine & Sauce Walka (Ft. Juicy J)
The Hillbillies - Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
They Live - Ransom & Nicholas Craven
Try & See - Doe boy (Ft. Future, G Herbo & Roddy Ricch)
Two Sides - Nick Grant
White Caprice - Kari Faux & Gangsta Boo
Who Told You - J Hus (Ft. Drake)
Woppenheimer - Gucci Mane
WYO - Jelie
You Wish - Flyana Boss (Ft. Missy Elliott & Kaliii)
3 comments:
Salute for doing my homework for me as usual! For two days before you released the list, I was thinking.. what on earth is Lamont going to include in his list this year. It feels like a bit of an odd quiet year, with the exception of the 50th year celebrations which I thought were dope! But year after year, you unearth treats I missed throughout the year. Salute!
Also, I really appreciate the commentary/summary. It really resonates. I wonder if the genre took a bit of a sabbatical as it reflected on the past 50 years.. and is gearing up for the next wave. “Well daddy don’t you know that things go in cycles..”
Thank you for this. I have some new playlist material now especially with the top 50.
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