2020 is officially 17 days away now (sheesh). And with the labels shutting down for the holiday’s it’s safe to say we have all the music we’re gonna have in 2019, and the decade for that matter. With that said, let’s count down the best rap albums of the year. In no particular order, here’s our list of the best Hip-hop albums of 2019. Let’s build in the comments if you wanna debate.
1. Benny The Butcher: The Plugs I Met
Benny and the Griselda crew are pioneering the new wave of gritty NY street rap and ‘The Plugs I Met’ served to let everyone know that he was a force to be reckoned with. In collaboration with the beatsmith Alchemist — who provides the perfect backdrops for Benny’s storytelling — we get a deeper look into the world of the Butcher and the result is a nostalgic yet refreshing mix of hip-hop records from someone who’s bound to be a hip-hop superstar.
The Butcher coming n*gga!
2. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib: Bandana
3. Dreamville: Revenge of The Dreamers III
Dreamville caused a frenzy in January when they hosted an open studio session at Tree Sounds Studio in Atlanta, Ga. The result of these sessions was Revenge of the Dreamers III and the energy from the sessions spilled over into the album. The collaborations were things of dreams; To see J. Cole do a song with fellow North Carolina emcees Lute and DaBaby was magical and helps to highlight North Carolina’s burgeoning hip-hop scene and Wells Fargo still gets rotation in our playlist daily. ROTD3 was an excellent representation of hip-hop in 2019, all we need now is the deluxe edition.
4. YBN Cordae: The Lost Boy
Cordae’s Lost Boy is about as good of a debut album you can get. And for only 21 years old, he has the polish of a 30+-year-old veteran. Polish aside, YBN’s debut has some pretty solid records on there and the single with Anderson .Paak makes us hope that they have more records in the stash. Until then, give this album a spin. His lyricism, subject matter, and the off-kilter production make this an enjoyable album to listen to.
5. Rapsody: Eve
Eve is phenomenal. Even though the Grammy’s snubbed Rapsody’s latest album, what could be called her magnum opus (for now, at least), We at the Snobhop team have to give this album its props. The concept, Soul Council production, is nothing short of stellar and Rapsody’s pen is as sharp as ever. Something special’s going on in that Jamla building, and with Eve we know that the best is yet to come from Rapsody.
6. Little Brother: May The Lord Watch
In 2019, if you were to tell me that we’d be getting a Little Brother album I’d laugh in your face. But you know what? Good things come to those who wait and after a lengthy hiatus the beef was squashed and Little Brother dropped an album. May the Lord Watch brought back fan favorites like the UPN network skits and the grown man raps that the 25+ crowd can relate to. IF this is a sign of things to come from Little Brother, it’s a good sign and another bright spot in the year of our Lord, 2019.
7. DaBaby: Baby on Baby
This guy can rap. I mean really rap. And he’s charismatic, and his flow (whether you like it or not) is infectious. Baby on Baby had a slew of good records on there including Suge which was accompanied by the undeniably funny video shot by Reel Goats. DaBaby’s had one of the best rookie years in recent memory and his album KIRK is nothing to sleep on either. 2020 is slated to be his biggest year to date, but until then go back and listen to Baby On Baby. You won’t be disappointed.
8. Megan Thee Stallion: Fever
Megan is another emcee who’s had an incredible rookie year, and her project Fever birthed another fan favorite, Cash Sh*t (feat. DaBaby) that fans at the shows sing word for word. Culturally, Fever drives home the point that Summer 2019 was indeed a Hot Girl Summer, and her charisma behind the mic only helps to highlight her pen game.
9. Tyler the Creator: IGOR
Tyler continues to show us the depths of his musical talent with IGOR. Sonically It’s chaotic, but controlled and displays the shock that Tyler is known for but with a level of maturity that reflects where he is in his personal life. Riddled with Heartbreak, affirmations, etc. IGOR is a rollercoaster of a listen and one of the best albums from 2019.
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