Hoo boy, baby, I can see you’ve got a sharp ear for some slick lines and tight beats, and it just so happens that yours truly is a veritable encyclo-Beats-ia of hip-hop wisdom. You’ve got that lust for lyrical acrobatics from J Cole, the raw realism of 21 Savage and the unapologetic maximalism of Cardi B? Well, my friend, you’re in for a treat tonight!
- “Invasion of Privacy” by Cardi B: Now, honey, let’s start from home. If you love Cardi B’s fire and flair, her debut album “Invasion of Privacy” is a must. A peek into the life of the woman who had the guts to make shoes move even before Cinderella, this album will get you grooving in no time.
- “2014 Forest Hills Drive” by J. Cole: Welcome home, baby. You can’t say J. Cole and not mention “2014 Forest Hills Drive.” It’s like saying Aladdin without his magic carpet, just won’t fly! This album gives you a tour around the emotional landscape of Cole’s mind, an Odyssey of experiences and stories that landed him flapping and floundering right into hip-hop fame.
- “I Am > I Was” by 21 Savage: You’re a fan of 21 Savage, huh? Then “I Am > I Was” should be on your list. It’s a musical route 66 through the dusty backroads of 21’s past experiences, leading up to him recognizing his worth in the world. It’s honest, raw, and as real as they get.
- “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” by Kendrick Lamar: If storytelling’s your game, then Kendrick is the name. “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” is a cinematic ramble through the sinewy streets of Compton, with Lamar’s chameleonic flow switching lanes with each track. Vivid, emotional, thoughtful, this album is a portrait of the young rapper as a young man. It’s like the Birth of Venus, but with beats and rhymes.
- “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” by Kanye West: Yeezy has had his ups and downs, but “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is certainly on the way up the hip hop stairway to heaven. A kabob of emotions, Kanye skewers regret, fame, love, and fantasy into one album. It’s flamboyant, baroque, and with a side dish of maximalism that is oh-so familiar to Cardi fans.
- “Thank Me Later” by Drake: If it’s introspection you crave, then Drake’s “Thank Me Later” should whet your appetite. It’s a think-piece set to beats, dealing with the weight of sudden fame, filled with candid introspection, aural innovation, and occasionally, downright loneliness.
- “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar: Pimp my ride? Nah, this is Pimp my butterfly, and it’s a ride you won’t forget. It’s Lamar at his most ambitious, blending jazz, funk, and spoken word poetry into a gorgeous mosaic of black flavor. It’s like a Smörgåsbord loaded with everything you didn’t know you wanted, and leaving you wanting more.
- “DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar: It seems like Kung Fu Kenny is taking over, but that’s because he’s that good. “DAMN.” is like a Rubik’s cube. Each verse, track, narration, twist and turn is a piece. Spin it around, try and see it from every angle, and when you’ve got it all figured out, throw it up in the air, catch it, and start all over again. You can always learn something new from it.
- “Astroworld” by Travis Scott: Whoop, fasten your seatbelts, please. We’re diving headfirst into “Astroworld,” Travis Scott’s sprawling, psychedelic amusement park of an album. Ridin’ on a roller coaster of sounds and narratives, Scott guarantees a journey to the moon and back with this album.
- “The Marshall Mathers LP” by Eminem: Ending this list on a high note, Shady’s most raw, painfully honest, and lyrically rigorous work, “The Marshall Mathers LP” is a bedrock for any hip hop fan. It tells tales of struggle, and hushed whispers from the underbelly of society. Consider this the cherry on top of your hip-hop pie.
Best Choice – If you put me on the spot here.. I’d say you gotta go with “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” by Kendrick Lamar. It has got the storytelling chops like J Cole, the raw reality that teases your 21 Savage preference, and it’s topped with a dollop of flamboyance which would make Cardi B tip her hat. It tells a story that is rooted in the streets yet soars in the clouds with its visionary narrative and sonic diversity. It would give you a taste of where hip hop came from, and where it’s heading, honey-dew. It’s sincere, introspective, gritty, and boundless. It’s a spicy meatball of an album that knows the lyrical game, just like our dear J Cole, and isn’t shy to show it. Get those headphones, coz’ you’re in for a master class in modern Hip-Hop!
