Anyway, here's my final list:
*(From Left to Right, In Ranking Order)*
Deacon the Villain & Sheisty Khrist/Niggaz With Latitude -
3
- There are not many albums being made in this day and age of that are able to stick so firmly to a singular concept and vision without sacrificing anything in the way of being fun and entertaining. Niggaz With Latitude is fun, deep, and cohesive a throwback to the early days of when new ideas and auteuristic concepts were being unfolded all the time.
Kno/Death Is Silent -
2
- See the above review for N.W.L as it mostly applies to this album, however Kno's sometimes lackluster rhyming skills and almost overly stringent focus on its concept (Death) keep this album from being as fun and entertaining as N.W.L.
Roc Marciano/Marcberg -
2
- Another throwback album but to a different era. Roc Marciano comes with the no-nonsense boom bap shit comparable to the level of Wu-Tang in its heyday. I think this album should be remembered as a classic, even though its lack of exposure is going to hurt it in the long run. Marcberg is every bit as good of an overall package as any singular Wu-Tang album.
Kendrick Lamar/
Overly Dedicated -
2
- This is that mellowhype type of shit, Kendrick's flow and demeanor are phenomenal, and the amount of depth packed into each of his rhymes is incredible. Kendrick is easily one of the deepest, most lyrically gifted artist to emerge in the past two or three years. Kendrick is constantly launching lyrical assault on every beat he's on, and somehow the somewhat laidback production makes his concentrated barrage go do down nice and smooth.
Skyzoo & Illmind/Live from the Tape Deck -
2
- Another album that deserves to be remembered as a classic, Skyzoo abandons his slow methodical approach for something more loud and aggressive. His rhymes are menacing, Illmind's production is near-flawless boom bap shit, and the album is pretty much devoid of flaws. However, it's relatively short length may detract it's value from some, but when a package is this concentrated that would be a rather unfair assessment.
Strong Arm Steady/In Search of Stoney Jackson -
2
- Like a blunted out west coast Wu-Tang featuring forever dope madlib production...One parts weed rap, the other intellectual make this album maybe the most re-playable of the year
Apollo Brown/The Reset -
2
- Somehow this album feels like both pure boom bap shit and pure soul, Apollo's meticulous flow makes for an ill delivery, and with the an album made up of mostly battle raps this is of utmost important. The production is extremely varied never settling on a certain tempo or sound, yet it still manages a level of cohesion that characterizes the greatest albums in hip-hop history.
Add-2/Tale of Two's City Vol.4 -
2
- Add-2 is probably the best pure rapper not named Common in Chicago. He can rap extremely fast, and slow it down to crawl when it needs to as well. Illmeel kills the production making for a mostly laidback, yet highly lyrically complex album. However, the uptempo, aggressive tracks might be the best on the album...SPARE NONE
Kanye West/MBDF -
2
- This is more than a good hip-hop album it's arguably the most transcendent, genre-hopping album ever produced in rap. What Kanye's album lacks in cohesion it makes up for in pure ambition. The themes of religious contemplation and moral ambiguity might be lost on some who belittle Kanye's lyrical skill, but are indeed present. I'd say MBDF has the highest highs of any album made this year, but it's simply not consistent enough and the constant presence of a motley of guest features makes it quite messy in places.
Thee Tom Hardy/Secret of the Green Magic-
1
- Tom just seems like he's having so much fun every time he spits, and his sense of humor is up there with the likes of Asher Roth and Das Racist. His effortless flow makes every song sound like it was freestyled, while maintaining a level of cleverness unseen in many other rappers. Whoever said 9th Wonder fell off hasn't listened to his work this year, as the cat simply kills it with hypnotic beats and a use of a much wider range of samples.