We're roughly halfway through the year, so let's have a look-see at our favourite albums so far, shall we? Follow the template below.
1. Killer Mike - R.A.P. MusicI love this album. Killer Mike does his thing, opening the album with "Hardcore G ****, homie, I don't play around / Ain't **** sweet 'bout the peach, this Atlanta clown". This sets the tone for the entire album, being an unabashed showcase of the brashness of Mike and producer El-P. When the first song, Big Beast, is the worst song on the album, yet still is the best hip-hop single of the year, you know the album has to be legendary.
Best song: JoJo's Chillin'
2. Ab-Soul - Control SystemTop Dawg Entertainment, home of artists like Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock, has a secret weapon. His name is Ab-Soul. The first thing I will say about this album is that Soul's ear for beats is excellent. When I listen to each song, I feel that the beat is perfect for the song. The one song that shows this the most is "The Book of Soul". A tribute to his deceased girlfriend, the song's beat evokes the exact tone he was going for, and honestly, I don't think there's any other song that made me shed a tear (it was just a little one, bro, um, TITS!).
Best song: The Book of Soul
3. Nas - Life Is GoodThis album is the best of Nas' three Def Jam releases by far. He seems to be really focused on this project and not bending to the commercial will of his label bosses. This is also one of his most personal album, describing his problems with ex-wife Kelis. But, unlike someone like Eminem, Nas doesn't paint his ex-wife in a bad light. In an odd way, it feels like he's matured, and this is his tenth album. Main producers No I.D. and Salaam Remi do a great job behind the boards, and although there are a few missteps along the way ("Summer On Smash" mostly), this album is up there with Nas' best.
Best song: World's an Addiction (feat. Anthony Hamilton)
Honourable Mentions:
Frank Ocean - Channel ORANGE
Big K.R.I.T. - Live from the Underground
Large Professor - Professor @ Large