Top 10: 10-5
10.
The Throne Watch The Throne
Theres nothing like the hype that surrounds a Kanye album, and unlike MTDBF, this one managed to give me what I came for in regards to the production. Thats my Bitch channeled an era gone, and neither Kanye nor Hov really came correct writing-wise, but everything written was thematically relevant, if you can believe it. The gaudy, gauche, and wholly self-indulgent nature of royalty came across in everything that came out their mouths. Also to note, this shit does lose a spot for including the softest track in recent memory, aka Lift Off.
9.
Common The Dreamer/Believer
No I.D is an absolute beast on this release, and Common; he does well enough not to sound out of place. His actual subject matter & delivery didnt grab me for a majority of the album, and Sweet did reek of try hard, but his efforts along with No I.Ds production do come to their culmination in The Believer, a track so thematically cohesive, it almost places the album in this spot all on its lonesome.
8.
Zeroh - Awful Alterations
Zerohs one eccentric cat, and this release, albeit short is one entertaining extension of that eccentricity. Accompanied by aptly unconventional production, he goes in and out of sing song with a lyricism challenged only by the best.
7.
Danny Brown XXX
I didnt really see eye to eye with Dannys shit till XXX. Theres something about the honesty on this release along with his unabashed unconformity that really sat right with me this time around. The guy works better with a theme in mind, it seems.
6.
Quest The Reason: A Defense Mechanism
AS much as Ive been down on this guys recent output, this album was one amazing trip, especially when baked. Theres a density to his already dry delivered lyricism that can easily bore, but it along with this albums brooding production really left a lasting impression on me at the time, and continues to.
*5-1 are still being arranged.