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Continuing on our countdown of the top 20 hip-hop releases of 2013, we bring you the top 10!
10. Ka - Night's Gambit
He takes any minimalistic approach to production, and strips it until it is completely naked. Ka comes from that hardcore 90’s school of flowing, controlling his gruff vocals and spinning it into non-stop rap jabs; his no-nonsense style of rapping doesn’t need any meaty production to make a deep impact. This is pure grimey street hop at its finest, and a punch in the face for any fool that complains about missing the old school. Wu-Tang fans need to check this.
Best Tracks: Knighthood; Soap Box; You Know It’s About.
9. Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
Earl Sweatshirt is skilled far beyond his years; if this is his debut, then big things are ahead of this young man. Completely negating the guests on his album, Sweatshirt draws on his laid-back drawl to confirm all the ridiculous hype that built up to this release, and do it in a way that makes us believe we aren’t even getting him at his best. There is a stark inconsistency in the level of depth Earl shows - compared to his ‘big bro’ Tyler – but when his wordplay is this complex, at this age, all can be forgiven.
Best Tracks: Whoa; Chum; Hoarse
8. Deltron 3030 – Event 2
The always-reliable Del remains up there as one of the most consistent emcees in the game. Unlike his cousin, Del refuses to pass his peak; he is still spitting rhymes that’d fit right at home on his 1991 debut. The man keeps coming up with subject matter simply because he is making up these outer-world narratives and always gives you a clear insight into how his mind works. This is also some of Kid Koalas greatest work to date.
Best Tracks: Nobody Can; Look Across The Sky; City Rising From The Ashes.
7. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
Classic hip-hop flows explode into tongue-in-cheek street hop on A$AP Ferg’s debut. Like his compadre Rocky, Ferg is bringing a style that New York hasn’t seen in years. The Harlem emcee can melt into the chunky productions at the drop of a dime and every sonic shift is matched with his breathless, elastic flow as he steps above legends like B-Real, Onyx, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to completely own his spotlight.
Best Tracks: Lord; Didn’t Wanna Do That; Fuck Out My Face.
6. Danny Brown - Old
Danny Brown is ferocious on the club tracks; he hides his existential crisis behind seemingly shallow lyrics; and he ties everything together with a left-field idea of what modern rap should sound like. This here is a distinctive personality that shows no signs of slowing down.
Best Tracks: Side A (Old); Dope Fiend Rental; Break It (Go)
5. Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels
Producer gave me a beat/Said it’s the beat of the year/I said El-P didn’t do it so get the fuck outta here
Killer Mike finally gets the recognition he deserves by giving into the high-demand and teaming up with El-P for the perfect producer/MC combo. Mike’s penchant for forceful and thought-provoking lyrics is channelled by El-P’s production into a flurry of rhythmic wordplay. El-P once again steps up to show he is just as capable on the mic as behind the decks; often outshining Mike through the 10-track trip.
Best Tracks: Banana Clipper; Sea Legs; 36” Chain.
4. Drake - Nothing Was The Same
Drake succeeds in a way none of his peers does because his lyrics encompass the scope of many everyday experiences; he appeals to the emotional and makes sure his songs are relatable, even when he is rapping about excess. He isn’t afraid to show vulnerability and we love him for it; never mind his pop sensibility since being anti-pop is just as passé anyway. Drake has made a lane for himself, surpassed his progressively falling ‘mentor’ and broken the boundaries for ‘light-skinned rap’ with a magnetic confidence that comes across as humble. Whether it’s the melisma of ‘Wu-Tang Forever,’ the universality of ‘Too Much,’ or the crispy production of ‘Pound Cake,’ Drizzy stay winning.
Best Tracks: Wu-Tang Forever; Too Much; Pound Cake; Hold On We’re Going Home.
3. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
If something this excellent was released for free, then I cannot wait for the actual album. Acid Rap is a mixtape with a huge amount of heart and wisdom, disguised with playful wordplay and bratty delivery. There’s a disregard for conventional structure here; hell, Chance doesn’t even need to stay on beat to sound good. 2014 is going to be his year, that’s if he doesn’t buckle under the enormous amount of pressure the reception to this mixtape has brought about.
Best Tracks: Cocoa Butter Kisses; Favorite Song; Chain Smoker.
2. A$AP Rocky - Long. Live. A$AP
What Kendrick did last year, A$AP did this year, and while Long.Live.A$AP doesn’t quite have the depth of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, it is the best debut LP this year. The album is a far cry from the nonchalant amateur we heard on ‘Purple Swag’; what we have now is a young man dedicated to strutting the fine line between the commercial and the authentic with his magnetic personality and ineffable style. A$AP is driving the expansion of the NY soundscape and pulling in influences from all over (most notably, Houston) in a way no East Coast emcee has done in a long time.
Best tracks: Jodye; Goldie; 1 Train; Suddenly.
1. Kanye West - Yeezus
Kanye has realised he will never be taken as seriously as a lyricist as he is a beat-maker [seriously, he isn’t that bad], so he just amped up his prodigious production skills. On Yeezus Kanye meticulously stretches hip-hops sound by twisting everything from Dancehall to Daft Punk and pounding them with his characteristically nuanced use of samples and his blatant disregard for structure. Striking us with an abrasive sound, the man has charged his way right to the top spot of many year-end lists; no exception here. Kanye’s right, he is a genius.
Best Tracks: Blood On The Leaves; New Slaves; I’m In It.
Positions 20-11 can be found HERE!
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