So, it's about to be December (where did 2011 go?? Damn.) and I have a lot of year-end lists to write, so I decided to start off with the best albums. Some really great albums came out this year and I really should talk about them. My music taste has changed dramatically this year. I have started to only primarily listen to rap and R&B. I've warmed up to Chris Brown and Trey Songz, etc. I might think of more albums, because there's still December and the Gucci/V-Nasty album is coming out, as well as more Soulja Boy mixtape. [WARNING: Some of these albums came out in 2010, but had a lot of singles in 2011, so I'm including them in here like the Oscars]. LEGGO:
15.
Talk That Talk
Rihanna's new album recieved pretty bad reviews, but I think this is underrated. I mean, it just came out, but I've been listening to it a lot. I think the thing that carries this album is that it has a lot of amazing producers. Bangladesh ("A Milli", "6 Foot 7 Foot") made "Cockiness" a dirty jam and The-Dream had this hand on a couple of tracks. Chase & Status produced her dubby "Red Lipstick" which is about getting lipstick on a joint haha. Overall, this is a pretty good album.
14.
Ferrari Boyz
I always thought it was a little ambitious for Waka and Gucci to release their duo album on the same day that Watch the Throne, but whatever. I LOVE this album, however, it's like every other Waka and Gucci album: repetitive, uncreative beats and screaming nonsense. I really like the titular track and "So Many Things" which is an homage to Wiz Khalifa (Waka even says, "I'm smoking on reefa with Gucci and Wiz Khalifa" which is a shoutsout). It's good, but not great.
13.
Skate Boy
I toyed around with the idea of doing a separate list for the best mixtapes of the year, but I decided that I'll just include them because whatever, it's my blog. This is Soulja Boy's September/October mixtape and I like it a lot. Some of the best tracks are "Tear It Up" which is a solid, steady rap with a decent beat and "This One Right Here" which is heavy and very Atlanta. It's not his best mixtape (I'll talk about my favorite towards the top 5) but it's good.
12.
Finally Famous
If you're like me, you probably judged Big Sean by his lame single with Chris Brown, "My Last" which was such a smash hit even though it sucks. A month or two ago, I decided to give him another chance because I really liked "Marvin and Chardonnay" and I realized his debut album is pretty damn awesome. First of all, we finally have the "Thong Song" of the 2010s: "A$$ (Dance)." What a hilariously great song; it reminds me of old Ying Yang Twins songs. I really like his collabos with The-Dream ("Ghetto" from Dream's 1977) and the song "Live This Life" is really quite the jam. Overall, this album kills it.
11.
F.A.M.E.
Just like with Drake, it really pains me to say that I actually enjoy Chris Brown now. I really can't support a fucking criminal piece of shit. He should be in jail. Who does he think he is, beating the shit out of Rihanna and strutting around like he got away with it? He should be beaten just like how she got beaten. ANYWAY, that was my little rant about him . This album is pretty good, despite how awful the person who made it is. "Deuces" which is essentially an anthem for dumping lame people, is the album's magnum opus. The remix with Kanye and Andre 3000 is ridiculous. "Look At Me Now" was one of my summer jams because it was literally on the radio 1/4 songs. Chris Brown rapping is a little ridiculous though, he should stick to singing."Yeah 3x" is an obnoxious club anthem and is reminiscent of the essential Chris Brown sound-- much like "Run It." Honestly, this song is what I usually would expect from him, but the rest of the album drowns out this mediocrity. I really like "She Ain't You" despite how lame it is. Any song that references Lady Gaga songs are automatically awful, but this one is kind of an exception.
10.
The R.E.D. Album
As much as I love G-Unit, I never really liked The Game. I kind of think he talks a lot of shit and is only a so-so rapper. This album really won me over. There are so many great guest appearances. Any album with Big Boi, Lloyd, Young Jeezy, Dr. Dre, and the others is a guaranteed smash success. The hands down best track on this album is "Paramedics" featuring Jeezy. Really wish I could put into words how hard this song goes, but I honestly couldn't even. The matchup of these two really blows every other gangster rapper out of the water. I even like the song with Tyler, The Creator. "Red Nation" featuring Lil Wayne is the album's "main" song. I don't know how else to describe it, I just feel like it's the titular song but it isn't really. Anyway, this album kicks ass.
9.
Watch The Throne
I've said it before and I'll say it again, forever: this album is a 46 minute commercial for how great Jay-Z and Kanye West are. All of the songs are literally about nothing except money and cars and more money. Oh and clothes. Lots of very expensive clothes! Can you afford a $6000 jacket? Didn't think so! But Kanye can. It kind of makes me sick, but it also makes me want to have all of their money. Both these guys are hip hop heavyweights; they absolutely deserve all the recognition and respect in the world for the paths that they both paved for rappers today. Kanye West brought back 1960s soul to hip hop and Jay-Z has made some of the best rap and is generally one of the best lyricists of our generation. HOWEVER, they have both gotten mad soft and mediocre. Their rapping just isn't what it used to be. Kanye, unlike Jay-Z, was never a phenomenal rapper. He is, however, one of the best producers of all time. As hyperbolic as that sounds, it's absolutely true. This album has some extremely well produced tracks, which is not surprising at all. Some of my favorites are "No Church In The Wild" which features Frank Ocean from Odd Future and "Who Gon Stop Me" which samples a dubby Flux Pavilion song. Also, "Why I Love You" is ridiculous. I really love this album honestly, but like I said, these two make me sick. I believe they once were the best hip hop rapper/producer matchup in the game, but not so much anymore. Some of their early work (like from The Dynasty and The Blueprint) gives me chills, it's so good. This album just doesn't do it for me. It's still ridiculously good though. I just don't think it lived up to the hype.
8.
1977
Speaking of amazing producers, one of my favorites is Atlanta-based auto-tune and heavy synth enthusiast, Terius Nash aka The-Dream. You might know him from such super smash hits as "Umbrella" and "Single Ladies." He also wrote a lot of Beyonce's new album with Diplo. He's really a fantastic musician. His first mixtape, 1977, is really something else. The tracks that stand out are "Ghetto" featuring Big Sean (the mixtape's first single, great video that goes along with it) and "Wish You Were Mine." I hope he keeps making mixtapes, since he said he wasn't making anymore albums (wtf).
7.
Passion, Pain & Pleasure
Another R&B newcomer (kind of), Trey Songz put out his new album this year and it's really fantastic. The radio friendly singles, coupled with the heartfelt slow jams like "Can't Be Friends." Trigga follows the example of guys like Lloyd who do that type of fast singing/almost rapping. Turns out he's actually really good at rapping. This album is really something special.
6.
Ocean Mobb
I really think rappers read my mind when they decide to collaborate. Whoever thought Soulja Boy and Waka Flocka Flame would be a good match was a GENIUS. I love this mixtape so, so much. Can't say enough good things about it, just listen to it.
5.
Supreme
I've obviously recently discovered that Soulja Boy is an amazing rapper. In September, he released Supreme which is my favorite of his mixtapes. It's so great. My favorite song is "No More Holding On" which features a 1960s, Kanye-esque soul sample. I always tell people to listen to this song if they want to change their opinion about Soulja Boy. The beat, sample and his rhymes flow so perfectly into what I believe is his best song (besides Cold Summer). Other songs like "Different Girl" and "Go Hard"are solid reminders of Soulja Boy's raw, less-than-mature style. There are also retarded songs like "Left Cheek Right Cheek" and "Wanna 69" but that's to be expected, somewhat. He's a goon, but he's richer than God and he's actually a good rapper now, so whatever.
4.
4
I feel like I am legally obligated to include Beyonce's new super smash hit album on this list, but damn if this isn't amazing. She's so awesome; she's like the Diana Ross or Patti LaBelle of our generation. There are so many great jams on this album like "Countdown" and "End of Time" and "Run The World (Girls)." Even the slow jams are great like "1+1" and "I Care" and "I Was Here" (which I'm pretty sure I want to be played at my funeral). Andre 3000's (who I think is on every album on this list) guest appearance on "Party" makes Kanye West's disgusting "swag sauce" somehow right. B really knows the range of her voice and you can tell by so many songs on this album. It's so great.
3.
All I Want Is You
Miguel, an R&B newcomer, put out some really fantastic songs this year. My absolute favorite, "Sure Thing" is a slightly chopped and screwed, heartfelt ballad. "Quickie" is a well-produced hit about casual sex, while "All I Want Is You" featuring J. Cole is a passionate love song. There are some slow R&B jams, but that's to be expected. It's a well-rounded albums with songs that stand out and it should get more recognition than it did.
2.
Take Care
I had to put this at the top of the list, because it's really grew on me. It's so damn good. Drake is the most popular and best-selling artist right now and there's a reason.There are some really great songs on this album and it seems like Drizzy has finally grown up and grown into his own style. I have to say, as much as it pains me to do so, I like him a lot. I really like the radio hit "Headlines" and the newest single "Make Me Proud." The song with Rick Ross is amazing and the one. "Crew Love" with The Weeknd is the shining star of the album because of the ridiculous beat and slow, smooth voice of both of these Canadian crooners. It's an amazing album, good job, Drake.
1.
King of Hearts
I definitely saved the best for last. I never would have thought that I would be so obsessed and impressed with an R&B album until I heard this one. Lloyd is basically one of the strongest R&B singers out right now. I always just thought "Get It Shawty" was a pretty decent jam and I liked his chorus in "Bedrock" but this album knocked me on my ass. It came out of left field. I pretty much stumbled upon it, because I liked the second single, "Cupid" and decided to check out of the rest of the album. There isn't a song on this that doesn't completely impress me. The production, vocals and background instrumentals are so dynamic and unique on every track, it's such a treat listening to this album. There are a few radio smash hits like "Cupid" and "Lay It Down" which was the lead single. The song that stands out the most is "Dedication to My Ex" featuring Andre 3000. This is a perfect example of how Kanye brought soul back to hip hop. It's a soulful, hate song about betrayal that's been proclaimed as this year's "Fuck You" but it's so much better. Other great jams include "Be the One" which has Trey Songz and Young Jeezy. The bass breakdown in this song for Jeezy's verse is like opening a door to some serious rapping by this dude. It's absolutely perfect. "Bang!!!" is a hard hitting, bass-heavy jam buried deep in the album, sandwiched between the "Jigsaw" and "Be the One." I also like "Luv You Girl." Lloyd has perfected this certain type of fast, almost-rapping singing that's so prevalent in contemporary R&B and this album is an ode to it. If you want to hear really great pop R&B, get King of Hearts. It's probably some of the best music on the radio right now. So impressive. I also think Lloyd and Young Jeezy should exclusively make music together.
