The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of 2020

I didn't set out to make a more sober Top 10 albums list than usual for 2020, that's just how it worked out. This year the party anthems, trap beats and xanny bars were certainly refreshing in small doses, providing us with much needed moments of escapism. But at the end of the day, they just didn't have the necessary staying power. We clearly had more pressing troubles on our minds. So the records that rose to the top for me contained more gravitas, taking on a weightier, more serious tone. Below are my favorite albums of this trying and unusual year that was spent mostly indoors. They all made me think a little while bopping my head to the music during basement workouts, late night insomnia sessions and the occasional grocery store run. I'm glad 2020 is over but I'm happy I had these albums to keep me company on the longest days. As always, please enjoy and hit me back with your thoughts and comments.

10. LOGIC – No Pressure – Forever introspective, 30 year old Logic delivers the most mature record of his career on No Pressure, supposedly his last album as he stares down retirement and ponders the next chapter of his life. Over crafty, unchallenging production from No I.D., with lots of familiar samples and comforting grooves, the relentlessly upbeat rapper reflects on his years in the business as well as the challenges of fatherhood, maintaining one's mental health and living up to expectations. It's mostly easy listening and I mean that in the best possible way.

9. STATIK SELEKTAH – The Balancing Act – If you prefer your hip hop served straight - no chaser, no mumble rappers, no trap beats, no nonsense - then Statik Selektah has you covered. True school reigns supreme as the intrepid producer delivers a well-curated throwback to the days of "loops of funk over hard core beats". Meticulous soul samples, lively drums and elegant instrumentation are all on display on this aptly titled ode to beats, rhymes and life. An eclectic assemblage of dope MCs old and new, representing what could be a list of your favorite rapper's favorite rappers (including Nas, Benny The Butcher, Method Man, Jadakiss, Black Thought, Conway The Machine, Jack Harlow, Joey Bada$$, Marlon Craft and many others), show up and show out on this deft modern day mix tape. 

8. POLO G – The Goat – There’s progress on The Goat in comparison to 2019’s Die A Legend, but it’s subtle. Sure, there’s an occasional love song here, but Polo G is still mostly concerned with relaying somber, deeply personal anecdotes that recall his harsh Chi-town upbringing. The difference is, on The Goat, the formula is more finely tuned and his song-craft has improved noticeably. The production is polished, sophisticated and perfectly calibrated to elicit empathy…lots of slow-rolling 808s over gloomy keys and mournful guitars. What’s amazing about this album is that it somehow comes off as optimistic. With a voice this distinctive and a pair of albums this impressive under his belt, Polo G can’t help but look forward to a bright future.

7. BENNY THE BUTCHER – Burden Of Proof – Burden of Proof plays like a hard-won victory lap for Benny The Butcher, whose mainstream success has been a long time coming. Solely captained by superstar producer Hit-Boy, it’s brighter and more expansive than the Griselda crew’s typical soundscape. Despite its accessibility however, The Butcher’s signature coke bars and hood allegories remain intact. These are street anthems for gangstas with famous friends and expensive tastes. 

6. SALAAM REMI – Black On Purpose – If you complained that hip hop didn’t give you enough protest music in 2020 then you clearly weren't listening to Salaam Remi. There’s a palpable sense of urgency Black On Purpose in these songs that feel at once insurgent and celebratory - calling for social justice, self-reliance and the enduring power of Black love. There’s something for every mood, hood, age and taste profile here, as Remi skillfully glides across hip hop, reggae, gospel, classic R&B, world music and neo soul. On Black On Purpose, the legendary producer went deep into his bag to provide us with a vital collection of tracks to fuel whatever kind of good trouble we could conjure up. 

5. FREDDIE GIBBS & THE ALCHEMIST – Alfredo – By now it should be taken without push back that Freddie Gibbs is one of the most gifted MCs working in hip hop today. His captivating wordplay - cinematic, sardonic, agile, ironic - is nearly flawless. If you were worried that his grimy mafioso tales might prove to be too oppressive when paired with The Alchemist’s grimier beats, then Alfredo should have put your mind at ease. Sure, it’s dark, but never bleak. Gibbs is too nuanced for that, too cunning and clever to come off as one-note. When you are a master storyteller…anything is possible. 

4. BUSTA RHYMES – Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God – Is it possible that 48 year-old hall of famer Busta Rhymes has delivered the best album of his +30 year career with the explosive E.L.E. 2? That seems improbable but the answer is a resounding yes IMO. Over brilliant, sonically dazzling soundscapes from the likes of Nottz, Swizz Beats, DJ Premier, 9^th Wonder, Hi Tek and a dream squad of other producers, Busta reminds us once again that he is one of hip hop’s all time most vicious rhyme slayers. Acrobatic, energetic, enigmatic and, to those not intimately familiar with his work, undeniably prescient. 

3. D SMOKE - Black Habits – Despite winning first place on Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow in 2019, it’s safe to say that D Smoke was unheralded, if not unheard of before this impressive debut album. Well, that should not be a problem going forward. Black Habits is a thoroughly absorbing record from end to end, soulful, conscious and effortlessly lyrical. What's nice is that it’s an album that can be either challenging or easy to listen to, depending on your mood and level of engagement. There are definite shades of Kendrick Lamar and even Lupe Fiasco in Smoke’s brainy, elastic flows, but thanks to his immense talent (and cool ability to rap in Spanish), the Inglewood MC manages to avoid coming off as derivative. If this is the tip of the iceberg for what D Smoke is capable of, I can’t wait to hear what next he has in store for us.  

2. RUN THE JEWELS – RTJ4 – If Public Enemy, X-Clan and NWA still had the same energy, insight and ingenuity they had 30 years ago, they’d sound like Run The Jewels on RTJ4. This is pure fire with all the smoke. All guns blazing, middle fingers to the law and tireless aggression. Killer Mike and El-P pull no punches as they address the BLM moment of 2020 with cleared-eyed intelligence and righteous indignation. The beats are boisterous, the samples are surprising & delightful and the lyrics are decidedly on point. Check out the scintillating, Pharrell-assisted Ju$t, the neck-snapping Ooh La La (with an unexpected assist from DJ Premier and Greg Nice) or the hair-raising A Few Words For The Firing Squad for all the evidence you need. RTJ4 gave us a much needed shot in the arm in 2020…just when we needed it most. 

1. BIG SEAN – Detroit 2 – The maturation of Big Sean is on full display on this sprawling, fully-realized love letter to his hometown. Complete with heartfelt tributes to Detroit from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and Dave Chappelle, the record serves as an undeniable testimony to Sean’s spectacular, often underappreciated technical skill as an MC. Spurred on by stellar production from Hit-Boy and an impressive VIP list of features (including Young Thug, Travis Scott and Anderson Paak, among others), there are few misses across the album's 21 tracks. Standouts include Deep Reverence, a record that will have you missing Nipsey Hussle more than ever, the slippery Respect It with Young Thug, and the breathtaking posse cut Friday Night Cypher. With D2 Big Sean lays to rest any doubts as to whether or not he should be included amongst hip hops short list of elite artists.

The Rest Of The Top 25

• AMINE - Limbo
•  SAULT – Untitled (Black Is)
•  NAS – King’s Disease
• JAY ELECTRONICA – A Written Testimony
• POP SMOKE – Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon
• OPEN MIKE EAGLE – Anime, Trauma and Divorce
• A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE – Artist 2.0
• JUICE WRLD – Legends Never Die
• MAC MILLER - Circles
• T. Martin, R. Glasper, 9th Wonder & K. Washington - Dinner Party: Dessert
• LIL BABY - My Turn
• MEGAN THEE STALLION – Good News
• 21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN – Savage Mode II
• BLACK THOUGHT – Streams Of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Abel
• SPILLAGE VILLAGE - Spilligion