Trey and Abby kick off a new lifestyle podcast on R | U | NTRTND.
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By Trey Alessio Hip-hop blessed us with a ton of amazing albums this year, so let's celebrate with my annual top-10 list! I know I took last year off from dropping my list, but I was cooking up something cool. I'm back this year to celebrate rap music! (Reminder: this is based on what I like to call the “body of work,” which means I take into account everything from the quality of the music as a whole, the storytelling, the message, the cohesion, the production, the lyricism, the replay value, etc.) 10. Please Don't Cry - RapsodyCan we please give Rapsody her flowers? She consistently puts out solid rap albums, and I feel as though she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. Her lyricism is better than most rappers in the game today, and Please Don’t Cry just adds to her wonderful discography. This album feels like Rapsody is finally telling her life story on her terms. She can really do it all. She can open up and be vulnerable, but she can also spit bars and make fun songs too. My favorites include “Marlanna,” “Asteroids,” “Raw” and “Faith.” I really hope mainstream hip-hop shows Rapsody the love she deserves soon. 9. Soul Burger - Ab-SoulWe all heard the stories in between the Do What Thou Wilt. and Herbert albums about some of the dark times that Soul went through. He rapped about some of them on the opening track “9 Mile” of this album. Referencing the flow and beat from the final battle in the movie 8 Mile, Ab-Soul says, “I am broke. I am on fucking drugs. Don’t own shit. I’m paying rent for my baby’s mom. I take a 7.62 for Top Dawg. I did jump off a bridge on Del Amo Boulevard. I’m blessed but question why God would have mercy on a junkie. Biggest lie I ever told is that it ain’t about the money.” Contrary to him laying out some of his own faults, it feels like Soul is in a really good place. Ab-Soul has always been a wordsmith, but with his last few albums, he’s opened up and become more vulnerable, which has resulted in really good bodies of work. Soul Burger, which is a tribute to his friend Doeburger who passed away, adds to this trend. The vulnerability shows up in songs like “I, Myself & Me,” “Peace” and “The Sky Is Limitless.” But along with the deep, introspective songs, Soul gives us some bangers like “Crazier” with JID where both of them go off. Ab-Soul has been on a roll, and I’m here for it. 8. Angel Eyes - Kenny MasonWhile I didn’t find myself going back to Kenny Mason’s other project 9 from 2024, I think Kenny may have put drugs in Angel Eyes because I can’t stop listening. Short and sweet with this project only being 30 minutes across nine songs in its entirety, Kenny Mason has truly honed his sound with the perfect blend of rock and rap. He also does a great job of giving us a glimpse into his life in Atlanta. Kenny sprinkles mini skits at the beginning and end of most of these songs to subtly tell a cohesive story. He recently tweeted Angel Eyes is a project for anyone who’s lost someone or something close to them. This comes to fruition in a skit at the end of “Relief” where a girl leaves Kenny a voicemail and reveals his grandpa has passed away. As the project leads into the song “Hoodrat,” I believe the theme that’s being portrayed is something along the lines of how it’s easy to get caught up in the money, clout, fame, etc. and use that as a shield or a mask, but sometimes it’s too late and what’s really important (like family) is lost once the mask finally comes off. I really think Kenny Mason has a solid career ahead of him. Hop on the bandwagon while you can! 7. The Crossroads - CordaeWhile Cordae’s second album From a Bird’s Eye View didn’t hit quite like his debut The Lost Boy did for me, I was pleasantly surprised to see him bounce back with The Crossroads. Even with an A-list cast of features ranging from regulars like Anderson .Paak and Lil Wayne to Joey Bada$$ and even Juicy J, Cordae finds a way to tell us his story. For example, on “06 Dreamin’,” Cordae tells the story about his mom trying out for American Idol and Making the Band and ultimately not making it, which springboarded him to pursue a music career. I appreciate that glimpse into his story. It just feels like Cordae is a genuine dude who cares about his family and comes up with clever bars to tell us about his life. I dig his vibe, and I truly think if he continues on this trajectory, he could be one of the few from this generation of rappers to take the torch from the likes of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. 6. The Death of Slim Shady - EminemI’ll admit it: I’m a stan. I got into hip-hop music around the time of 8 Mile and Eminem’s classic song “Lose Yourself.” But after sub-par albums like Revival and Music To Be Murdered By (I actually really enjoyed Kamikaze, so don’t hate), I didn’t know where to set my expectations when Eminem announced The Death of Slim Shady. When I first pressed play, I was giddy with joy to hear the nostalgic, crazy, no-fucks-given, Slim Shady vibes throughout this project. If you know me, you know I love albums that tell a story. The Death of Slim Shady is Eminem’s first truly cohesive and conceptual album. Essentially, Slim Shady is trying to cancel Eminem by saying outlandish things about little people, the mentally disabled, transgenders and more. The majority of the album (the first 11 songs or so) are mostly told through the perspective of Slim Shady. Then, on “Guilty Conscience 2,” we hear Eminem and Slim Shady going back-and-forth with Eminem ultimately killing off Slim Shady. After that, we get somber, introspective songs like “Temporary” and “Somebody Save Me.” Yes, this album has its flaws, but Eminem’s rapping abilities are still God-tier, and I thought the concept was fun and well-executed. The run from “Evil” to “Fuel” is insane, and I’m so happy we got an Eminem-JID collab. I’m excited to see what Eminem does next! 5. Dark Times - Vince StaplesI think it’s time we have a real conversation about Vince Staples. The run this man has been on from his self-titled album in 2021 to now has been incredible. Ramona Park Broke My Heart was one of my favorite albums from 2022, and Dark Times is now one of my favorites from 2024. While this album is only 35 minutes long across 13 tracks, Vince Staples has a lot to say. If I’m being honest, a lot of themes, tones, vibes, etc. are shared between Dark Times, Ramona Park Broke My Heart and Vince Staples, but something really stuck with me from this album that I think helped it stand on its own. On the final track “Why Won’t the Sun Come Out?,” a woman shares a dream-like experience she had. She said her body was the world. Her leg was a whirlpool, and people were going down this whirlpool and dying. But at the same time, in another part of her body, things were being born. She said she was the mother but also the murderer. She was everything. She lands on the idea that everything is exactly as it should be. That really stuck with me because I think it not only highlights themes from Dark Times, but also Ramona Park Broke My Heart and Vince Staples. Vince raps about some heavy stuff on this album, but I think it goes to show that with the bad comes the good. I think Vince recognizes a lot of things are out of his control in his life, and I think with him putting this skit at the end of the album, he’s telling us there will be dark times. But in that darkness, we must find the light. Everything is exactly as it should be, and even though times might be tough, life is still a beautiful thing. 4. Alligator Bites Never Heal - DoechiiTop Dawg at TDE tweeted that Doechii releasing Alligator Bites Never Heal gave him the same feeling that Kendrick Lamar did when he dropped Section 80, which is massive praise, but I think it’s valid. Doechii has promoted this project as a “mixtape,” but it’s 100% album-quality. I can honestly say that listening to Alligator Bites Never Heal was one of the most fun experiences I’ve had with a hip-hop project in a long time. Doechii showcased not only her incredible rapping abilities, but also her singing and artistic vision. My favorite songs include “Boom Bap,” “Nissan Altima” and “Denial Is a River,” but it’s honestly tough to narrow it down because this entire project has stayed in my rotation. Doechii has also been nominated for three GRAMMYs including Rap Album of the Year for Alligator Bites Never Heal. If I’m being real, out of all the nominations, I think she deserves to take this one home. She’s laid a solid foundation for herself moving forward, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the album if this is just the mixtape. 3. World Wide Whack - Tierra WhackYou know that meme where the upset guy is sitting on the left side of the bus and the happy guy is sitting on the right side? That’s the image that pops in my brain after listening to Tierra Whack’s album World Wide Whack. Tierra Whack is another underrated artist who doesn’t quite get the recognition she deserves. She’s insanely talented with solid rap skills, a great singing voice, an ability to create these fun, colorful worlds whenever she puts out projects and artistic vision like no other. I was blown away when a friend put me on to Whack World back in 2018. Ever since I watched the 15-minute visual album (with 15 minute-long songs), I’ve been desperately awaiting her debut album. World Wide Whack lived up to every expectation I had. The instrumentals were beautiful, and the lyrics were introspective and dark at times. I really appreciated Whack’s vulnerability with this album so much that I felt compelled to tweet her after I listened to the album to send her well wishes. Songs like “Numb,” “Difficult,” “Two Night” and “27 Club” highlight Whack’s battle with her demons while songs like “Chanel Pit,” “Shower Song” and “Invitation” fill in the painting with some color. It’s a beautiful and sneaky-cohesive album that’s remained in my rotation all year. If you haven’t given this album a chance, I implore you to give it a listen. 2. Chromakopia - Tyler, the CreatorTyler, the Creator has developed a level of artistry that I really admire. It’s crazy to think this is the same dude who made “Yonkers” back in 2011. The trajectory from Tyler’s troll-like, rebellious spirit on Goblin to his first real taste of critical-acclaim on Flower Boy to his pivot into pop music with IGOR to Call Me When You Get Lost and now Chromakopia has been amazing to see from a fan’s perspective. First, I want to talk about the rollout for Chromakopia. Tyler released a trailer with its title on a Wednesday, announced the album with its release date on a Thursday and let the hype build for less than two weeks. No fluff. Just a well-executed rollout with a perfect blend of mystery and letting the music speak for itself. He unveiled the vinyl and a couple videos (with gorgeous cinematography) along the way as well, but the artistic direction was consistent with each one. Each video started out in a desaturated state and then bursted into color by the end. That’s the perfect segue into the album because it begins with his mom (who appears many times on the album) saying, “You are the light. It’s not on you. It’s in you.” She goes on to tell Tyler not to dim his light for anyone. Throughout the 14 songs on the album, Tyler seems to take his mom’s words of wisdom to heart and begins to learn new things about himself. He eventually takes his mask off and feels comfortable becoming his true self. I’d like to go back to Tyler’s career trajectory again. We heard some rather homophobic lines throughout the Goblin album, heard him seemingly admit to his bisexuality on Flower Boy and IGOR, and now we’ve arrived at Chromakopia where he freely talks about his polygamous preferences and his sexuality amongst other things. Tyler has taken his mask off, found himself and shares his light with the world. Chromakopia is a beautiful album with a wide range of emotions and tones. My favorites from this album include “St. Chroma,” “Noid,” “Judge Judy,” “Take Your Mask Off” and “Thought I Was Dead.” There’s a fun cast of features on this project, but Tyler is always at the forefront. I think everyone can benefit from Tyler’s message on this album. 1. GNX - Kendrick LamarOut of nowhere on Friday, November 22, Kendrick blessed us with a surprise project called GNX. Upon the first few listens, it appears Kendrick is leaving Mr. Morale behind and hitting the streets with that hard shit on this one. Normally, we’re required to peel back many layers in order to fully understand and appreciate a Kendrick album, but I haven’t been able to pick out a true, cohesive story, which is totally fine. Not every album has to tell a story. I do pick up on a strong west coast vibe with this album, but I fail to pinpoint any overarching theme or message. I’ve also read the comparisons to 2Pac’s Makaveli album. I’ve heard the theories about GNX being a “mixtape” that will eventually lead to the “album.” I’ve seen the metadata that lists GNX as “CD1,” which obviously leads to speculation of a “CD2.” And while part of me wants to buy into that because this project definitely feels like a mixtape, I’m going to take GNX at face value and appreciate what it is until those theories may or may not come true. (Remember when DAMN. came out and theories of a rumored NATION album rang through the Twittersphere and then never came to fruition? Yeah. Me too.) I saw pgLang colleague Tanna Leone tweet, “Stream GNX for me. I always wanted bro to have more fun.” To me, GNX feels like a fun ode to LA. Kendrick capitalized on the sound that proved to be popular from “Not Like Us” and doubled down on those vibes for this project. I think it’s conceivable that Kendrick wanted to get out of his head, not overthink anything and create a fun album for LA. With that being said, on the first track “wacced out murals,” Kendrick even says, “This is not for lyricists. I swear it’s not the sentiments. Fuck a double entendre. I want y'all to feel this shit.” Maybe Kendrick is being literal. Maybe he didn’t want to make a deeply layered project with an overarching message. Despite all of that, we still get a great project with little bit of everything. “wacced out murals” feels like the perfect transition from the Drake beef into this project. “squabble up” feels like it’s going to be the hit. “luther” is the lovey-dovey song. “tv off” feels like it was made for his upcoming Super Bowl performance with multiple nods toward New Orleans and football. “reincarnated” and “heart pt. 6” are masterclass storytelling songs. “gloria” is a metaphor about his pen. Plus Kendrick put on a ton of up-and-coming LA rappers with guest spots all throughout GNX. I’m a Kendrick stan, but I’m objective enough to admit this isn’t my favorite Kendrick album, and even then, he puts out top-tier quality that’s better than the rest. Go ahead, and call me a Kendrick-glazer–I don’t care. I really think it’s time to have a conversation about Kendrick being the greatest of all-time. Honorable MentionsBetter Me Than You - Big SeanI remember seeing a video that Sean put out ahead of his album release where he just seemed tired. Better Me Than You leaked ahead of its official release, and I felt really bad for him because, based on this video, it looked like the leak was negatively affecting him. However, when the music finally came out, it actually felt like a breath of fresh air for Big Sean. Based on the music, it felt like he finally found peace. Along with the album, Sean revealed this diagram of sorts that lays out how pressure leads to clarity, which then makes one focus in order to find happiness. I thought it was a cool way to break it down. At first glance of the tracklist, it felt like we were going to go on this emotional journey with Big Sean. While this philosophic diagram may be the intention, it didn’t quite feel like Sean tapped into the full potential of this. I wish he would’ve leaned into exploring this thesis a little more, but nonetheless, Better Me Than You was still a really good album. It had a range of topics and tones from the upbeat tracks like “Yes” and “Precision” to more introspective tracks like “On Up” and “Boundaries.” I do think this album is a little bloated, which is why it lands as my first honorable mention for me. But I’m really happy Big Sean seems to be in a good place. Shadowbox - MAVII think MAVI has the makings to be a top-tier rapper. He has this underground feel, but when he puts together albums, he comes up with these subtle yet masterful stories. I thought Shadowbox was another really powerful project. The theme stems out of the spoken-word track “drown the snake” where he talks about seeing his shadows and recognizing them as demons when he was a child. He says, “But that child grows up and that demon do too. It get bigger. And it’s like, you gotta learn how to kill that motherfucker, bro. You can’t just let that keep haunting your life.” He proceeds to tell us how he attempts to kill his demons (or shadows) on songs like “drunk prayer” and “the giver.” This is a dark, beautiful, cohesive album, and if it weren’t such an amazing year for hip-hop albums, it probably would’ve crept into my top-10. Don’t sleep on MAVI! The Auditorium Vol. 1 - Common & Pete RockTruthfully, this is a beautiful album. Common has such a way with words that whenever he speaks, I want to listen. Plus Pete Rock put his iconic scratches over soulful samples with the production. The combination of Common and Pete Rock turned out to be an angelic experience. Admittedly, I haven’t gotten a chance to revisit this album very much, and honestly, if I did, I feel like it would quickly move up this list. But the simple fact that this album didn’t stay in my rotation is the reason why it didn’t creep up into my top-10. I’m ready for Vol. 2! Might Delete Later - J. ColeThe majority of people are going to remember this project coming out during the midst of the Kendrick-Drake beef. At that time, Cole was on tour with Drake and felt compelled to respond to Kendrick’s “fuck the big three” proclamation on “Like That” with “7 Minute Drill” from Might Delete Later. Well, like the title of the album suggests, Cole made an announcement at his Dreamville Fest and decided to pull “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services. I think this album itself got lost in all that back-and-forth, and while I think we get some good moments from the album outside of “7 Minute Drill” with songs like “Crocodile Tearz” and “Trae The Truth in Ibiza,” I know J. Cole has more in the tank. I don’t want to say this project was half-assed, but we all know his long-anticipated album The Fall Off is looming. A part of me thinks he’s putting all of his stock in The Fall Off, and after years of waiting, I really just want that album. Blue Lips - ScHoolboy QBlue Lips was one of the first big hip-hop albums to come out in 2024. I was very excited for this album to see how Q would follow up CrasH Talk, which admittedly, wasn’t my favorite from his discography. For the most part, Blue Lips, lived up to my expectations. For me, the highlight is “Blueslides,” which feels like a tribute to Q’s late friend Mac Miller. The introspection, storytelling and somber feel of this song makes it stand out from the rest, in my opinion. I also enjoyed “THank god 4 me,” “Yeern 101,” “Cooties” and “Nunu,” but the album felt a little bloated, and I didn’t find myself going back to this album as much as the others, which is why it’s only an honorable mention for me. Penith - Lil DickySome hip-hop heads might flame me for this one, but I don’t care. I’m a huge fan of the show Dave, and I think Lil Dicky is a solid rapper. You can argue Penith isn’t a true album because it’s basically just the soundtrack from the TV series, but this project definitely stayed in my rotation throughout the year. My favorites include “Mr. McAdams,” “Ally’s Song,” “Harrison Ave,” “Going Gray” and, of course, “Jail (Part 1).” If you’re looking for satire on the surface but real rap skills and songs with a message (for the most part) when you peel back the layers, look no further. I’m excited to see what Dave does next! Ultra 85 - LogicLogic has teased this album since 2015’s The Incredible True Story, so there’s no way it could live up to the hype. Yet, somehow, Logic let go of that hype in order to wrap up the story that he created with The Incredible True Story, and the result was surprisingly really good. Is Ultra 85 my favorite Logic album? No, but he still manages to find unique and fun ways to tell his story all without a label backing him, which is impressive in of itself. My favorites include “Gardens III,” “Innerstellar” and “Teleport.” BRAVADO + INTiMO - IDKI’m still trying to figure out the (B)’s and (i)’s next to each track on this album. Going into it, I thought the (B) songs on the front half of the album would be more bold and braggadocio and the (i) songs on the latter half would be more intimate and introspective. The arc is kind of there, but I think I wanted it to be more on-the-nose. Nonetheless, IDK continues to put out beautiful, experimental music that showcases his range of talents. I didn’t get a chance to revisit this album very much, but there’s no denying how good of a project it is. Missionary - Snoop Dogg & Dr. DreI’m glad I decided to wait until after listening to this album to make this list because it’s dope. From the jump on “Shangri-La,” Snoop is proving that he can still spit bars in 2024. Plus the production from Dre is incredible. This duo is a force to be reckoned with, but when you add features like Eminem, 50 Cent, Method Man and more, it feels like this fun album is worthy of making this list. Even the Tom Petty and Sting joints felt organic and not like a publicity stunt to promote the album. It also feels like we’ve come full circle from Doggystyle in 1993 to Missionary in 2024. Snoop is in his bag with this one. Don’t sleep! The FORCE - LL Cool JI just respect that LL Cool J is still rapping at high levels and finding new ways to sound fresh in 2024. LL tapped Q-Tip to produce this album and got Eminem, Nas, Busta Rhymes and more as features, and the result was really cool. Prime LL Cool J was a little before my time, so after hearing this album, I want to go back and check out some of his older stuff. The FORCE didn’t sound dated at all, and I’m happy I decided to press play on this one. Shameless PlugThe Connection - Trey Alessio (yes, that's me)Sorry for the shameless plug, but I spent a couple years bringing this wild vision to life, so I feel the need to promote it. The Connection is a satirical, visual album about social media, so check out the film on YouTube first, and then if you dig the music, stream it on your go-to platform. If you're into Bo Burnham or Lil Dicky, I think you'll get a kick out of this. Thank you in advance for all the eyes and ears. If The Connection touches you in any way, I would love to hear about it, so please reach out.
Watch the film here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo1VhPVgRYo&t=87s Listen to the music here: artists.landr.com/055855340245 |
Trey Alessio
The Don of Entertainment Archives
February 2025
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