Evan's Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of 2022

Evan Chimes in with the millennial perspective...

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10. Joey Bada$$ - 2000

A silky-smooth sequel to his classic mixtape 1999, 2000 feels like a graduation of sorts from the backpacker era that birthed Joey. A busy and more experienced Joey effortlessly glides over boom-bap inspired, but yet jazzy and laid-back productions. As Joey flexes and self reflects throughout this project, he speaks to a generation that bridges the gap between boom-bap and auto tune.

9. Gunna - Drip Season 4

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. On DS4 Gunna seems to have fine-tuned his sound on his best produced project to date. Gunna floats from one catchy hook to another, and just when things are becoming too formulaic tracks like “livin wild” and “25k jacket” will give the listener a rockstar feel. 

8. Peezy - Only Built 4 Diamond Links

Peezy is a pioneer to Detroit’s new sound so its only right that he not only dropped one of the most recognized Detroit products this year but just a plain good project. His single “2 million up” was a viral hit on tiktok and the radio and its not hard to see why. His gritty mafioso type bars over groovy samples and banging Detroit style drums is a combination that can appeal to almost every listener. 

7. Lucki - Flawless Like Me

For years Lucki was a sound cloud legend. However, Flawless Like Me is such a well put together project it makes you wonder, could he have had mainstream success whenever he felt like it? Records like “Super Urus” and “Made My Day” give the listener a euphoric sound that Lucki is known for. But bangers like “Whitehouse” and cameos from Future also show Lucki’s growth and that he’s not only arrived to the mainstream 

6. Westside Gunn - 10

Westside Gunn’s 10th installment to his Hitler Wears Hermes series does not disappoint. The haunting instrumentals along with plenty of “boom boom boom!” adlibs never get old. Loaded with features you can expect some (or literally all) of Grizelda to make an appearance, as well as some pleasant surprises from Busta Rhymes, DJ Drama, and more. All in all, 10 feels like a drug-rich designer rap fever dream that the listener will not easily forget. 

5. Metro Boomin - Heroes & Villains

To get right to it Heroes and Villians is absolutely EPIC sounding. It’s almost cheating how Metro demands the best performances he can get out of 21 Savage, Future, and Travis Scott just to name a few. His incredible beats aren’t just limited to rappers either, solid vocal performances from The Weekend, John Legend, and even Morgan Freeman as a narrator help push this album to even higher heights. Heros and Villians sounds more like a cinematic masterpiece than a rap album. 

4. Babyface Ray - Face

While Detroit has always been a city that is important to hip-hop and music in general, its new wave is one of the most refreshing things to hit the industry in a long time. With that being said Babyface Ray is as refreshing as it gets and is the undisputed king of Detroit’s new scene. His album Face truly feels like his breakout moment and brilliantly showcases what he is capable of. In just 21 tracks Ray is able to tell his story, put the listener on game, and give us something to ride to. An excellent project from top to bottom.

3. Drake & 21 Savage - Her Loss

Drake has noticeably been trying to please everyone for a few projects now. While he’s incredibly good at it, his last few efforts have received mixed reviews at best. On Her Loss Drake ignores the audience and goes beast mode. Belittling “privileged rappers” and hilariously going out of his way to dis everyone “side bar Serena your husbands a groupie”. Meanwhile 21 Savage plays a supporting role but is no slouch, sharply delivering his trademark cold monotoned flow along with witty hard-hitting punchlines. The duo are able to find a middle ground for their respective contrasting styles over a crisply produced, mostly Memphis inspired soundtrack resulting in a few of the best verses of the year and a 10/10 project.

2. Push T - It's Almost Dry

Pusha T somehow continues to innovate while still talking about the same subject for the last two decades. It’s Almost Dry is simply a masterclass. A masterclass on rapping, a masterclass on production, a masterclass on song structure. Even with him slightly toning down the wordplay this time he is just still leagues ahead of most of his peers. It also doesn’t hurt that Kanye West and Pharell went half on a very charismatic production, and a Jay-Z feature to top everything off. It’s Almost Dry is an instant hip-hop classic and easily one of Pusha’s best efforts to date.

1. Future - I Never Liked You

Honestly, what more could you want from a hip-hop project in 2022? I Never Liked You checks every box and more. Future is certainly at the point in his career where he could just mail in his performances and his “hive” will approve of whatever he’s putting out. But this project is far from a mail-in, it is a shockingly motivated and visceral effort from the Atlanta vet. Out the gate Future sets the tone with the intense trap banger “712”, and the temperature only goes up from there. From rockstar ballots to love songs Future seriously gets in his bag and gets solid performances from a star-studded cast of features that he brings with him. In a year of hip-hop that was jam-packed to the brim, Future’s I Never Liked You shines above the rest.

Honorable Mentions

Kendrick Lamar - MM&TBS, Curren$y - Drive in theater 2, Kodak Black - Back for everything, Lil Durk - 7220, Quavo & Takeoff - Only built for infinity links, Freddie Gibbs - Soul Sold Separately