20. Kevin Abstract – American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

When Kevin Abstract dropped mtv_1987 in 2014, I was instantly hooked. He’s been quietly dropping music since he was 13, but mtv was by far his best work to date: the story of a romance with a female drug addict, interspersed with ideas of growth, acceptance, romantic confusion, and the desire to escape his hometown. In the two years since then, Abstract did manage to escape, moving to California and renting a house with his Brockhampton bandmates, getting managed by Odd Future managers Christian & Kelly Clancy, and teaming up with producer Michael Uzowuru (known for his work with Frank Ocean and Vince Staples, among others). The result of this massive change in circumstances was American Boyfriend, which addressed the other side of Abstract’s sexuality: it’s the story of a love affair with a male high school quarterback. There are plenty of times that this record doesn’t even sound like hip hop, with instrumentation more reminiscent of Third Eye Blind or Goo Goo Dolls, but blurring genres is nothing new for Abstract. As his singing and songwriting continue to progress, Abstract continues to prove himself as one of the most unique emerging voices, with an ambiguous sexuality and sense of a higher purpose that’s reminiscent of a Nostalgia, ULTRA-era Frank Ocean. The lyricism and lush production of American Boyfriend are progressive and addicting, and Kevin Abstract doesn’t hold back by holding his fears and insecurities up to the world.

19. 6LACK – FREE6LACK

Years of label issues kept 6LACK (pronounced “Black”) on the shelf, an incomprehensible decision given the Atlanta singer’s immense talent, but as soon as his contract expired he was promptly picked up by Love Renaissance, a small label responsible for Raury’s quick ascension to fame. 6LACK’s debut record, FREE6LACK (named for the movement he created to try and escape his label restraints), is a remarkable debut from an artist who’s had years of inactivity to perfect his sound. Drawing comparisons to PARTYNEXTDOOR and other OVO artists (especially due to his remixes of PND’s “Break From Toronto” and the Weeknd’s “Wicked Games”), 6LACK’s sound is very reminiscent of the murky Toronto R&B soundscapes made popular by Drake’s label, but growing up in Atlanta gives FREE6LACK a unique edge. The album’s biggest single “PRBLMS”, has attracted a lot of attention, but many other tracks seem destined to blow. “Rules” is a trap-laced ode to his newfound independence, “Ex Calling” is a ridiculously catchy remix of Future’s “Perky’s Calling” that may actually be better than the original, but the album’s true standout is it’s 10 minute outro “Alone/EA6”. Interspersed with dialogue of 6LACK explaining his motivations, the two part track transitions seamlessly from an atmospheric track about perseverence with immaculate percussion, into “EA6”, a fast-paced rap track about 6LACK’s childhood in East Alanta. 6LACK takes a common formula and makes it his own, creating a unique atmosphere across all of his music.

18. YG – Still Brazy

YG’s debut studio album My Krazy Life got quickly dismissed as a pop-rap single machine, but it’s overarching narrative of a gangbanger’s descent into paranoia and incarceration proved YG was far more than just his hits: he’s an immensely talented artist, approaching heavy themes in the catchiest way possible. His followup album, Still Brazy, amps up the politics, drawing comparisons to Ice Cube for it’s West Coast sound and the way YG uses his music to eviscerate America’s racist society. Addressing the studio shooting that almost claimed his life (“Who Shot Me”), racial discrimination by the police (“Blacks & Browns”, “Police Get Away Wit Murder”), and taking a stronger stance against the new American president elect than any record this year (“Fuck Donald Trump”), Still Brazy hits a variety of subjects close to YG’s heart. His aggression and discontent are palpable in his voice and his writing, and lyrically, it’s YG’s most impressive work to date. Drake comes through with one of his best verses of the year for “Why You Always Hatin’?”, Lil Wayne shines on the paranoid “I Got A Question”, and YG’s close friends and collaborators Jay 305, Slim 400, and Joe Moses are at the top of their game. It may not be as fun as his earlier work (although “Gimmie Got Shot” and “She Wish She Was” are as fun as anything else he’s put out), Still Brazy is YG’s most sophisticated work to date.

17. Solange – A Seat at the Table

Musically, Solange has been fairly quiet since dropping her pop-heavy sophomore album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams eight years ago. This year, however, saw the release of A Seat at the Table, and it’s the younger Knowles sister’s best work by far. Rooting her sound far more in soul, funk, and R&B, A Seat at the Table is a refined piece of music. It’s an exploration into black feminism that’s both personal and universal; a tender, heartfelt release by an artist who is, unfortunately, often overshadowed by her older sister. Lil Wayne delivers his best verse in years for “Mad”, my personal favourite track on the record, with some deeply personal lyrics from Wayne, referencing his lack of childhood growing up in the music industry, his struggles with drugs, and his attempted suicide. Sampha comes through with a rare feature, dueting with Solange on “Don’t Touch My Hair”, and The-Dream and BJ The Chicago Kid grace “F.U.B.U.”, a testament to black empowerment. Solange’s sweet vocals, and the airy production, contrast beautifully with the power and emotion that make up the themes of this album.

16. Kaytranada – 99.9%

Montréal producer Kaytranada has been blowing up this year, and for good reason. After creating incredible production for tracks by Mick Jenkins, Anderson .Paak, Freddie Gibbs, Goldlink, and many more, Kaytranada dropped his debut album 99.9% to massive acclaim, even managing to secure the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for best Canadian album of the year. Kaytranada’s production has a characteristically bright sound to it, with ethereal synths and drums that pop, and his jazz influences are noticeable on every track. Fellow Canadian production teams River Tiber and BADBADNOTGOOD both appear on 99.9%, and all are proof that Canadian producers have a ton to offer. Anderson .Paak, Goldlink, AlunaGeorge, Vic Mensa, Phonte, Syd, and Little Dragon are only a handful of artists who contributed vocals to the project, and each one delivers beautiful contributions to the record. There’s a fullness to the sounds Kaytranada creates, which both allows the feature artists to shine and gives the Hatian/Canadian producer’s instrumental a life of their own.

15. Joey Purp – iiiDrops

Through his features and his work as half of Leather Corduroys, Joey Purp quickly became one of my favourite members of Chicago’s SaveMoney collective. Donnie Trumpet’s “Go”, Taylor Bennett’s “Favorite Drink”, and Vic Mensa’s “Fear & Doubt” are only a handful of tracks that the passionate rapper has vastly improved with phenomenal verses. iiiDrops is his first full-length since 2012’s The Purple Tape, and Purp has progressed a lot in the past four years. Producers Odd Couple, Smoko Ono, Knox Fortune, Thelonious Martin, and more provide rich instrumentals for Purp to wile out on. “Girls @”, with Chance the Rapper, is one of the year’s catchiest singles, and I don’t know why it didn’t catch on more (“reading Ta-Nehisi Coates, humming Spottieottiedope” has to be the year’s best rhyme). “When I’m Gone” and “Escape” are thoughtful ruminations on Chicago’s vices, but “Cornerstore”, with Saba and theMind, address the horrors of dealing with gangs and police as a child on the West Side. “Godbody” is some of the best writing Purp has ever done, and “Photobooth” is an relentlessly abrasive riff off Kanye’s “All Day”. SaveMoney has had a banner year, but Joey Purp has proven himself to be one of the collective’s best artists.

14. Skepta – Konnichiwa

After the international acclaim of  his single “Shutdown” and a widely-publicised friendship with Drake and Kanye West, many looked to Skepta’s next album to bring Britain’s wildly successful grime genre to the United States. I, for one, would argue that he succeeded with Konnichiwa, the 34-year-old’s fourth album and best project to date. Skepta’s always been an impressive MC, but he’s tended to struggle with creating an entirely cohesive project. Konnichiwa is a tight, aggressive album that highlights the best parts of grime while embracing many elements of hip hop. American artists Pharrell Williams and A$AP Nast both excel on their contributions (Pharrell’s verse at the end of “Numbers” is one of his best in years), but it’s fellow grime artists Novelist and Jme that really shine on Konnichiwa. Skepta’s managed to breakthrough into mainstream Western audiences without diverging from the formula that’s made him one of the biggest artists in the UK, simply by always evolving and improving on his music. He’s already set to have a huge 2017, with rumoured collaborations in the vault with some of the biggest names in rap.

13. Mick Jenkins – The Healing Component

Mick Jenkins established himself as a phenomenal wordsmith with his last two mixtapes, The Water[s] and Wave[s], and while expectations were very high for his studio debut, but The Healing Component didn’t disappoint. Throughout his work, Jenkins has established the metaphor of water as a symbol for truth, and his motivation for creating music is to spread the truth like bottle of water. With his new album, he revealed what exactly what truth was: that one’s purpose is to spread love (described as “the healing component”, or THC), referencing the bible as proof that one should follow in Jesus’ footsteps. THC is frank in its religiousness, but the love of God holds equal footing with romantic and platonic love. The skits on this album find Jenkins debating the concept of love with his sister, from discussing familial affection to debating how many times a person can fall in love. It’s an ambitious project, both in theme and length, but Jenkins makes the best of his lengthy opus to spread his positive philosophies, espousing optimism in the face of oppression. The album’s standout tracks feature some fantastic collaborations, with 16-year-old R&B prodigy Ravyn Lenae on the fast-paced “Communicate”, four-piece jazz production group BADBADNOTGOOD on early single “Drowning”, and Noname and Xavier Omär on the lyrically impressive “Angles”. The album’s many themes are summed up on “Fucked Up Outro”, which just might be Jenkins’ best writing in a career characterised by his remarkably impressive wordplay.

12. ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP

While Kendrick Lamar is the universal figurehead of Top Dawg Entertainment, labelmate ScHoolboy Q has dropped three spectacular albums in the past four years, with Habits & Contradictions, Oxymoron, and now Blank Face LP. Introduced by the singles “Groovy Tony” and the Kanye-assisted “THat Part” (which later received a Black Hippy remix), Blank Face is a menacing album, full of snarling derision and claustrophobic production. While there’s a few upbeat gems interspersed throughout the 17-track album (most notably “WHateva U Want” and “Big Body”), Blank Face can be mostly characterised by its menace, from the Vince Staples-assisted “Ride Out” to “JoHn Muir” to Jadakiss’ deadly verse on “Groovy Tony” (which also features the best beat switch of the year, flipping effortly into the Dem Jointz-produced track “Eddie Kane” that can lift your soul right through the ceiling). Blank Face is an ambitious and impressive project, with some of ScHoolboy’s most personal and introspective lyricism. The accompanying short film showed the TDE rapper’s struggles with balancing a rap career and raising his six-year-old daughter on his own, bringing up his childhood as a Crip and his fear of incarceration. It’s some of ScHoolboy’s most well-crafted music to date, and a deserving continuation of a remarkable career.

11. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition

Atrocity Exhibition was a long time coming, as Danny Brown spent that past three years since Old dropped promising incredible things for his fourth album. While Old was an attempt to create concert and festival-ready tracks, Atrocity Exhibition returns to the Danny Brown who blew up in 2012 with XXX for insane production and incredible songwriting. Brown’s characteristically wild vocals are more unleashed than they’ve ever been, and Paul White’s electronic-influenced production is the perfect backdrop to Brown’s yelps and wails. “Ain’t It Funny”, “Dance in the Water” and “When It Rain” are all incredibly fun, loud, and abrasive tracks, while tracks like “The Downward Spiral” and “Rolling Stone” really give Brown the chance to explore the realities of fame, and the demons that have followed him for his entire life. Atrocity Exhibition is named for the first track on Joy Division’s second album, Closer, perhaps one of the most dark and mellow albums ever created, and while Brown’s album couldn’t be more sonically different, the dark themes of paranoia and dependency tie the albums together. Petite Noir, Kelela, and B-Real are all featured on the album, but the best features appear on “Really Doe”, a Black Milk-produced track that might be the best posse cut of the year. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and Earl Sweatshirt absolutely kill it, with Earl in particular not just holding his own against some of the biggest names in hip hop, but probably having the best verse on the song (“I’m the left-handed shooter, Kyle Lowry the pump/I’m at your house like, ‘why you got your couch on my Chucks, motherfucker?'”). Expectations were very high for Brown’s new album, and he more than delivered with one of the best albums in his long career.