OK, so I almost didn’t do this post, because I wrote so many damn album reviews for the Daily Campus this year. But that would leave The Life of Pablo uncovered, so here we are! If there’s an album you’re looking for that isn’t on this very short list, there’s a good chance you can find a full review on the DC website.
What follows are brief reviews of mainstream hip-hop albums that have released in the first half of this year. We’re bringing back review scores (out of 10) after they disappeared from Part II of 2015’s list because they’re fun to come up with and debate.
I’m going to do some other things at the end of this post, including highlighting some of the best rap songs of the year so far and giving out some made-up awards. But let’s stop all the pretense now and talk about some rap albums.
The Life of Pablo by Kanye West
I’ll admit it: I really did not think that The Life of Pablo would deliver on the hype. I doubted Mr. West. He didn’t seem very interested in making music any more, what with his burgeoning fashion career and all that. We all watched, on Twitter, this album come together in the span of just a month or so, as West constantly fiddled with the track list and the album title, seemingly unsure of his vision. He also ruffled quite a few public feathers with his unending tweet sprees, including one that ended with him calling Bill Cosby innocent. Sure.
What follows are brief reviews of mainstream hip-hop albums that have released in the first half of this year. We’re bringing back review scores (out of 10) after they disappeared from Part II of 2015’s list because they’re fun to come up with and debate.
I’m going to do some other things at the end of this post, including highlighting some of the best rap songs of the year so far and giving out some made-up awards. But let’s stop all the pretense now and talk about some rap albums.
The Life of Pablo by Kanye West
I’ll admit it: I really did not think that The Life of Pablo would deliver on the hype. I doubted Mr. West. He didn’t seem very interested in making music any more, what with his burgeoning fashion career and all that. We all watched, on Twitter, this album come together in the span of just a month or so, as West constantly fiddled with the track list and the album title, seemingly unsure of his vision. He also ruffled quite a few public feathers with his unending tweet sprees, including one that ended with him calling Bill Cosby innocent. Sure.
I was wrong. Again, West has overcome his doubters, delivering an extremely satisfying album that improves his career record to 7-0 (or 8-0, if we’re counting Watch the Throne). It’s becoming increasingly clear that West has left his clever lyricism in the past, but his performance on TLOP is so charismatic that we can overlook that. On tracks like “Feedback” and “Freestyle 4,” he’s a ball of energy, elevating subpar (and at times, frankly stupid) lyrics to far greater heights. When he slows down for more emotional cuts like “Ultralight Beam” and “FML,” he nails that too.
But what really shines on Pablo is the production, which again doesn’t feature West very often in the credits but displays his creative fingerprints. Flashes of his past albums appear – the airy soul of The College Dropout, the aggression of Yeezus – to help create an overall aesthetic that remains distinctly modern. This lends the instrumentals an agreeable diversity.
It’s just so much damn fun to listen to, and it appears to have re-ignited West’s desire to rap, as he’s hopped on a bunch of features in recent months. Here comes the clichéd reference to a lyric from the album, so shoehorned into this paragraph that it doesn’t even make sense, but I’ve come too far to stop now: this is a God dream.
9/10
Standouts: “Ultralight Beam,” “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” “Famous,” “FML,” “Wolves,” “Yeezy, Yeezy, 🐻 what's good? 😂😂👍🏻👍🏻 It's your boy Max B 😎, what's going on? 😉 Just checking ✔✔ in on you 😁 Appreciate the love and support ❤❤ The wave 🌊 is here 💪🏻 You a wavey 🌊 dude 😂 anyway, so you already know 💯 Ain't no ❌ problem, man, the game 🎤... You 🐻 already know how this game thing goes ⬆ Do your wave n***a 🌊 You got the official wave ©🌊© man Just, just doing you... 😆 Doing you 🙃, doing your wave 🌊🌊 And keep it loopy 🔄, I know you're going to keep it loopy🔁 man ✌🏻 Shoutout, 📣 just shout you out 📢 Hollering at you man, it's all love ❤❤❤ I appreciate the... the energy 🌟 And we here 👯, hit the town 🏪, we do something big 😮 We gonna make a big tsunami 🌊🌊 up in the joint 😂 You already know what it is, ahh 😀 Silver Surfer 🏄🏾🌊 Silver Surfer in the flesh 🏄🏾🌊 Silver surfer in the flesh Max B 😎 shoutout to Yeezy 🐻 What's good 👍🏻👍🏻, I see you 😏 It's love ❤❤ appreciate it 👍🏻 It's honor ✊🏻, appreciate it 🌊Ugh, wavey, baby, yeah 🌊”
But what really shines on Pablo is the production, which again doesn’t feature West very often in the credits but displays his creative fingerprints. Flashes of his past albums appear – the airy soul of The College Dropout, the aggression of Yeezus – to help create an overall aesthetic that remains distinctly modern. This lends the instrumentals an agreeable diversity.
It’s just so much damn fun to listen to, and it appears to have re-ignited West’s desire to rap, as he’s hopped on a bunch of features in recent months. Here comes the clichéd reference to a lyric from the album, so shoehorned into this paragraph that it doesn’t even make sense, but I’ve come too far to stop now: this is a God dream.
9/10
Standouts: “Ultralight Beam,” “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” “Famous,” “FML,” “Wolves,” “Yeezy, Yeezy, 🐻 what's good? 😂😂👍🏻👍🏻 It's your boy Max B 😎, what's going on? 😉 Just checking ✔✔ in on you 😁 Appreciate the love and support ❤❤ The wave 🌊 is here 💪🏻 You a wavey 🌊 dude 😂 anyway, so you already know 💯 Ain't no ❌ problem, man, the game 🎤... You 🐻 already know how this game thing goes ⬆ Do your wave n***a 🌊 You got the official wave ©🌊© man Just, just doing you... 😆 Doing you 🙃, doing your wave 🌊🌊 And keep it loopy 🔄, I know you're going to keep it loopy🔁 man ✌🏻 Shoutout, 📣 just shout you out 📢 Hollering at you man, it's all love ❤❤❤ I appreciate the... the energy 🌟 And we here 👯, hit the town 🏪, we do something big 😮 We gonna make a big tsunami 🌊🌊 up in the joint 😂 You already know what it is, ahh 😀 Silver Surfer 🏄🏾🌊 Silver Surfer in the flesh 🏄🏾🌊 Silver surfer in the flesh Max B 😎 shoutout to Yeezy 🐻 What's good 👍🏻👍🏻, I see you 😏 It's love ❤❤ appreciate it 👍🏻 It's honor ✊🏻, appreciate it 🌊Ugh, wavey, baby, yeah 🌊”
untitled. unmastered. by Kendrick Lamar
“Finally,” Kendrick Lamar probably exhaled, “I can relax.” After his last two albums worked tirelessly to adhere to narrative concepts, this obstructively-titled new project is quite the come down. As the presumptive creative runoff of last year’s excellent To Pimp a Butterfly, there weren’t the usual high expectations for untitled. unmastered., but Lamar still came through with an enjoyable EP.
The production here isn’t as impressively detailed as Butterfly, but there remain delicious remnants of that album’s jazzy influence. We know that Lamar never, ever takes a verse off, and that dedication makes this project feel like more than just a minor release. He remains a virtuosic technical rapper, switching flows, voices and rhyme schemes flawlessly at the drop of a hat. The thematic stakes are lower, but his professionalism is a constant.
While this is a polished and likable effort, it lacks a killer moment, or even an emotional gut punch. The eight tracks here, each unnamed, simply come and go without leaving much of a mark. Those who already count themselves as big Lamar fans will likely get much more out of this project than the rest of us will.
7/10
Standouts: “untitled 05 | 09.21.2014.”
“Finally,” Kendrick Lamar probably exhaled, “I can relax.” After his last two albums worked tirelessly to adhere to narrative concepts, this obstructively-titled new project is quite the come down. As the presumptive creative runoff of last year’s excellent To Pimp a Butterfly, there weren’t the usual high expectations for untitled. unmastered., but Lamar still came through with an enjoyable EP.
The production here isn’t as impressively detailed as Butterfly, but there remain delicious remnants of that album’s jazzy influence. We know that Lamar never, ever takes a verse off, and that dedication makes this project feel like more than just a minor release. He remains a virtuosic technical rapper, switching flows, voices and rhyme schemes flawlessly at the drop of a hat. The thematic stakes are lower, but his professionalism is a constant.
While this is a polished and likable effort, it lacks a killer moment, or even an emotional gut punch. The eight tracks here, each unnamed, simply come and go without leaving much of a mark. Those who already count themselves as big Lamar fans will likely get much more out of this project than the rest of us will.
7/10
Standouts: “untitled 05 | 09.21.2014.”
Lil Boat by Lil Yachty
“Am I the only one who really care about cover art,” Lil Yachty raps in his guest spot on Chance the Rapper’s recent mixtape Coloring Book. Finally, someone said it.
Yachty is constantly zagging where other rappers zig, and in doing so he has created a wholly unique aesthetic unlike any other in hip-hop right now. He’s making “bubblegum trap,” in his own words. I’ve heard it called “nursery rap” on Reddit, and that’s not a bad label either. If that sounds unappealing, that’s totally fine. Many, many people find his style painfully dumb. I say it’s endearing.
Let’s get this out in the open: Lil Yachty is not a good rapper. He’s not a good singer either. He doesn’t seem entirely sure how to construct a song, if we’re being quite honest. But Lil Boat is one of those albums where the whole is unquestionably more than the sum of its parts. The music here is so damn delightful that you come off the ride and look forward to hopping right back on again. This guy, in his short career, has rapped over the Super Mario 64 file select screen track, the Rugrats theme song, and an ice cream truck. Remarkably, he sounds sure of himself every time. Yachty has an extremely distinct style, one that is undeniably his own, and this style is fully realized just a few months in the game. You may not be on the boat, but it’s hard not to be impressed when it sails by.
GOAT/10
Standouts: “Intro (Just Keep Swimming),” “Wanna Be Us,” “Minnesota (Remix),” “Good Day,” “Never Switch Up,” “One Night”
“Am I the only one who really care about cover art,” Lil Yachty raps in his guest spot on Chance the Rapper’s recent mixtape Coloring Book. Finally, someone said it.
Yachty is constantly zagging where other rappers zig, and in doing so he has created a wholly unique aesthetic unlike any other in hip-hop right now. He’s making “bubblegum trap,” in his own words. I’ve heard it called “nursery rap” on Reddit, and that’s not a bad label either. If that sounds unappealing, that’s totally fine. Many, many people find his style painfully dumb. I say it’s endearing.
Let’s get this out in the open: Lil Yachty is not a good rapper. He’s not a good singer either. He doesn’t seem entirely sure how to construct a song, if we’re being quite honest. But Lil Boat is one of those albums where the whole is unquestionably more than the sum of its parts. The music here is so damn delightful that you come off the ride and look forward to hopping right back on again. This guy, in his short career, has rapped over the Super Mario 64 file select screen track, the Rugrats theme song, and an ice cream truck. Remarkably, he sounds sure of himself every time. Yachty has an extremely distinct style, one that is undeniably his own, and this style is fully realized just a few months in the game. You may not be on the boat, but it’s hard not to be impressed when it sails by.
GOAT/10
Standouts: “Intro (Just Keep Swimming),” “Wanna Be Us,” “Minnesota (Remix),” “Good Day,” “Never Switch Up,” “One Night”
Views by Drake
I gave Views a “meh” response in a review written just a few days after its release, mentioning that I was disappointed but also that Drake albums always grow on me significantly. I regret to say that this has not been the case with Views.
After many listens, the album remains shockingly flat. Views is like “The Hangover: Part 2,” hitting the exact same beats of Drake’s previous efforts but with far less gusto and originality. It has many of the characteristics that I can’t stand in rap records: excessive and unnecessary length, lifeless melodies and corny lyrics, just to name a few. I still enjoy it, somewhat, because this is Drake and I love Drake, but that obviously won’t hold true for many people.
There are definitely great moments here, but you need to trudge through a lot of slop to enjoy them. What a huge disappointment.
5/10
Standouts: “U With Me?,” “Feel No Ways,” “Weston Road Flows”
Onto the other stuff!
Here are some of the best songs of the year:
“Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” by Kanye West. It’s amazing that this song is so good, despite the presence of those wretched bars. You know the ones. The Young Metro drop is immaculate, and Kid Cudi helps cleanse himself with a gorgeous hook.
“Come and See Me” by PARTYNEXTDOOR, featuring Drake. A supremely effective late night cruiser from two of OVO’s very best emoters. The minimalistic beat from Drake’s right hand man Noah “40” Shebib delivers exactly the right ambiance.
“Wanna Be Us” by Lil Yachty, featuring Burberry Perry. I haven’t liked a song this much in a long, long time. You need to stay up out these streets if you can’t take the heat.
“Groovy Tony” by Schoolboy Q. We’ll see what Schoolboy’s Q latest LP brings to the table very soon, but if this is any indication, we’re in for something special. You can practically hear Q’s stank face through your headphones.
“Feel No Ways” by Drake. On an album of flaccid retreads, this was a snappy breath of fresh air. A brilliant sing-along track.
“40 Funk” by Post Malone. Post Malone is a master of melody creation, and this is one of his very best efforts.
“Smoke Break” by Chance the Rapper, featuring Future. This is one of those songs that evokes nostalgia the very first time you hear it. The instrumentation is sublime, especially those strings to begin the second verse, and the two rappers’ styles mash surprisingly well.
“Pick Up The Phone” by Travis Scott and Young Thug, featuring Quavo. The wait for this one release was totally worth it. Travis and Thug come together to deliver greatness once again. Thug’s verse, as nonsensical and unrelated as it may be, is awesome.
Here are some awards, delivered through the nonsensical framing device of a Q&A session between me and myself:
Q. What is the best album stretch of the year, so far?
A. Tracks 1-4 of The Life of Pablo: “Ultralight Beam” -> “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” -> “Pt. 2” -> “Famous.” A blissful run that contains moments of great rapping, great singing and great beatmaking. And dabbing. Also, the “bum bum bedum” outro of “Famous” is magical.
Q. Who has had the best verse of the year, so far?
A. Chance the Rapper, with his show-stopping turn on “Ultralight Beam,” which opens The Life of Pablo. At his best, Chance is a captivating performer, delivering lines in ways other rappers couldn’t dream of. His individual energy and creativity is simply overwhelming.
Q. What is the worst lyric of the year, so far?
A. “You toyin’ with it like Happy Meal,” said by Drake on “U With Me?”off Views. On its own, merely a bad line, but in the context of the album’s most actively emotional track, a complete and utter travesty.
Q. What is the best album of the year, so far?
A. This is tough. The best album I’ve heard is The Life of Pablo, but my personal favorite is Lil Boat. Something about Lil Yachty just makes me so happy.
Q. What’s the most exciting album to look forward to in the second half of the year?
A. In today’s music landscape of surprise releases and streaming services, it’s never clear at any time what albums are coming. Two exciting (and confirmed) releases are upcoming LPs from Schoolboy Q and Pusha T. One more we know for sure is Danny Brown’s next effort, which saw its bombastic first single release recently. Brown already has a classic under his belt with 2011’s XXX, and this single seems to follow that album’s stylistic path. This project should be a very good one.
I gave Views a “meh” response in a review written just a few days after its release, mentioning that I was disappointed but also that Drake albums always grow on me significantly. I regret to say that this has not been the case with Views.
After many listens, the album remains shockingly flat. Views is like “The Hangover: Part 2,” hitting the exact same beats of Drake’s previous efforts but with far less gusto and originality. It has many of the characteristics that I can’t stand in rap records: excessive and unnecessary length, lifeless melodies and corny lyrics, just to name a few. I still enjoy it, somewhat, because this is Drake and I love Drake, but that obviously won’t hold true for many people.
There are definitely great moments here, but you need to trudge through a lot of slop to enjoy them. What a huge disappointment.
5/10
Standouts: “U With Me?,” “Feel No Ways,” “Weston Road Flows”
Onto the other stuff!
Here are some of the best songs of the year:
“Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” by Kanye West. It’s amazing that this song is so good, despite the presence of those wretched bars. You know the ones. The Young Metro drop is immaculate, and Kid Cudi helps cleanse himself with a gorgeous hook.
“Come and See Me” by PARTYNEXTDOOR, featuring Drake. A supremely effective late night cruiser from two of OVO’s very best emoters. The minimalistic beat from Drake’s right hand man Noah “40” Shebib delivers exactly the right ambiance.
“Wanna Be Us” by Lil Yachty, featuring Burberry Perry. I haven’t liked a song this much in a long, long time. You need to stay up out these streets if you can’t take the heat.
“Groovy Tony” by Schoolboy Q. We’ll see what Schoolboy’s Q latest LP brings to the table very soon, but if this is any indication, we’re in for something special. You can practically hear Q’s stank face through your headphones.
“Feel No Ways” by Drake. On an album of flaccid retreads, this was a snappy breath of fresh air. A brilliant sing-along track.
“40 Funk” by Post Malone. Post Malone is a master of melody creation, and this is one of his very best efforts.
“Smoke Break” by Chance the Rapper, featuring Future. This is one of those songs that evokes nostalgia the very first time you hear it. The instrumentation is sublime, especially those strings to begin the second verse, and the two rappers’ styles mash surprisingly well.
“Pick Up The Phone” by Travis Scott and Young Thug, featuring Quavo. The wait for this one release was totally worth it. Travis and Thug come together to deliver greatness once again. Thug’s verse, as nonsensical and unrelated as it may be, is awesome.
Here are some awards, delivered through the nonsensical framing device of a Q&A session between me and myself:
Q. What is the best album stretch of the year, so far?
A. Tracks 1-4 of The Life of Pablo: “Ultralight Beam” -> “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” -> “Pt. 2” -> “Famous.” A blissful run that contains moments of great rapping, great singing and great beatmaking. And dabbing. Also, the “bum bum bedum” outro of “Famous” is magical.
Q. Who has had the best verse of the year, so far?
A. Chance the Rapper, with his show-stopping turn on “Ultralight Beam,” which opens The Life of Pablo. At his best, Chance is a captivating performer, delivering lines in ways other rappers couldn’t dream of. His individual energy and creativity is simply overwhelming.
Q. What is the worst lyric of the year, so far?
A. “You toyin’ with it like Happy Meal,” said by Drake on “U With Me?”off Views. On its own, merely a bad line, but in the context of the album’s most actively emotional track, a complete and utter travesty.
Q. What is the best album of the year, so far?
A. This is tough. The best album I’ve heard is The Life of Pablo, but my personal favorite is Lil Boat. Something about Lil Yachty just makes me so happy.
Q. What’s the most exciting album to look forward to in the second half of the year?
A. In today’s music landscape of surprise releases and streaming services, it’s never clear at any time what albums are coming. Two exciting (and confirmed) releases are upcoming LPs from Schoolboy Q and Pusha T. One more we know for sure is Danny Brown’s next effort, which saw its bombastic first single release recently. Brown already has a classic under his belt with 2011’s XXX, and this single seems to follow that album’s stylistic path. This project should be a very good one.