Now that it’s 2016, we can look back and say that 2015 was a great year for rap. In fact, I think it’s one best rap years ever. Granted, I didn’t grow up on rap so I haven’t been fully exposed to some of the greatest years for rap. Nonetheless, I was blown away by the amount of quality music that came out this year. 2015 was strong bounce back year from the huge lack of quality albums that came out in 2014. Here are my 5 votes for album of the year. You probably don’t care but I’m writing about it anyway so deal with it.
5. Beast Mode, Future
Future probably had the best 2015 of any rapper. He put out 4 really dope projects (if you remove Drake), the best of which I think is Beast Mode. Future’s rapping is just as good as Future’s rapping on any other album; it’s not what you’re here for. The lyrics aren’t anything special and his delivery is standard, but when he meshes with the production like he does on Beast Mode, wheeeeeeew.
Zaytoven is an awesome producer and he produces a perfect album for Future to rap over. Not to mention, in the words of Derrik Klassen, “Piano in rap is fucking FUUUUHHH-LAMES”. And he’s right. Listen to Just Like Bruddas, Where I Come From, Lay Up, or any of the other tracks on the album and tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself more than when listening to most of the other albums that came out this year.
4. Surf, Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment
I’ll start off by saying this: Surf pales in comparison to Acid Rap, which is maybe my favorite album to listen to ever (don’t @ me). Nevertheless, Surf is a really solid album. It certainly has a niche and is much more enjoyable when chilling alone instead of driving, but it might be more enjoyable in that niche than any other album that came out this year is enjoyable in its niche. If that makes sense.
The production on this album, although in contrast to the production of most albums, is extremely good. Donnie Trumpet and the rest of the band that provides the beats create a cohesive and extremely creative backdrop for the album. The rapping, unsurprisingly, is very good. Chance doesn’t have as big of a role on this album as he does on his solo projects, but the cast of star features nearly makes up for it. From a song with little rapping like Go, to a song with a classic Chance feel like Sunday Candy, to a song with an out of place Migos and makes them feel at home like Familiar, Surf is nearly flawless.
3. Marauding In Paradise
For full disclosure, I hadn’t listened to this album until December 30th after I heard about it reading this. I have, however, listened to it 5 times all the way through since then. Jazz Cartier may be the best Canadian rapper (I’m only half kidding). With Marauding In Paradise he made an album that comes off with an eerily similar sounds to Mick Jenkins’ The Water[s], which is one of my favorite albums to listen to.
Cartier raps about his life growing up in many different areas, love, and depression, among other things. The album isn’t smooth or clean cut but Cartier’s frenzied rapping meshes extremely well with the frenzied production. There is no stand-out song on the album, either, but tracks like Feel Something, Wake Me Up When It’s Over, and See You In Hell more than do their part. It is apparent that this is Cartier’s debut album, but it is still an extremely fun listen and creates excitement for what Cartier can become.
2. Summertime ’06, Vince Staples
We need to cherish our time listening to Vince Staples while we still can because he’s made it clear he will dip as soon as he makes some cash. Staples keeps a low profile out of the studio but is a savant behind the mic. On Summertime ’06 he mixes dope beats and flow with deep verses about the exploitation of black culture, institutionalized racism, and life in his hometown of Long Beach, California.
Songs such as Senorita, Norf Norf, Lemme Know, and Lift Me Up manage to combine deep lyrics and creative, melodic beats to create some of my favorite songs of the year. Staples also makes a profound statement with his music video for Senorita, where the end of the video reveals a smiling white family watching the metaphor for hood culture behind a glass panel as if it’s an exhibit in a museum. They way that Staples is able to combine verses about important topics that need to be discussed and music that is captivating and entertaining makes this a truly special album.
1. Rodeo, Travis Scott
This is hands down my favorite album of 2015. There are really only 2 problems with the album. 1) Travis felt the need to bring Kanye on to ruin a song (which may in all seriousness may be the worst song recorded in 2015) and 2) multiple songs feel the need to have this weird split in the middle where it sounds like 2 separate songs are shoved together instead of having separate tracks. While the second is weird and it makes the album weird to play at parties, it doesn’t really take anything away from the listening experience.
What Rodeo does have is insanely high peaks. Maria I’m Drunk is probably my favorite song of the whole year and Justin Bieber’s verse is probably the best feature of the year. Antidote is also incredibly good and if you haven’t listened to the Travis’ live performance on Jimmy Kimmel you need to do so. I also think 3500 would be held in much higher regard if it wasn’t released a few months before the album. Listen and #prosper.
*most Young Thug voice ever* TRAVI$ SCOTT
Anthony Chiado
Latest posts by Anthony Chiado (see all)
- Danielle Hunter and the Importance of Splash Plays - January 30, 2016
- 5 Plays: Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland - January 21, 2016
- Preston Smith: 2015’s Best Rookie Pass Rusher - January 18, 2016