Top 30 Records of 2017
Congratulations! We’ve made it to the end of the hip hop/r&b lists for 2017! It’s been a hell of a year and I thank every person who has visited this site infinitely. Still can’t believe I get to do this with my life.
Below is the top 30 albums across hip hop, rap and r&b from this past year. Thank you for your patience while I compiled this, I really wanted to let everything sink in before I ranked the music. As you’ll soon find out, we were gifted with some incredible records in 2017. Regardless of all the madness going on in the world around us, it was nice to take mental breaks and get lost in the thick beauty of art. Let us begin.
30) Katori Walker – Ignorance EP
Favorite Tracks: ‘Missiles,’ ‘Ormoni,’ ”Ignorance,’ ‘Noose’ & ‘Lower Living Theory’
29) Open Mike Eagle – Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
Favorite Tracks: ‘Brick Body Complex,’ ‘Legendary Iron Hood,’ ‘Happy Wasteland Day,’ ‘Tldr (Smithing)’ & ‘Daydreaming in the Projects’
28) IDK – IWASVERYBAD
Favorite Tracks: ‘Black Sheep, White Dove,’ ‘Pizza Shop Extended,’ ‘No Shoes on the Rug, Leave Them at the Door,’ ‘Mrs. Lynch, Your Son is the Devil’ & ‘Baby Scale’
27) Billy Woods – Known Unknowns
Favorite Tracks: ‘Keloid,’ ‘Superpredator,’ ‘Cheap Shoes,’ ‘Fall Back’ & ‘Bush League’
26) The Underachievers – Renaissance
Favorite Tracks: ‘Gotham Nights,’ ‘Super Potent,’ ‘Phoenix Feathers,’ ‘How We Roll’ & ‘Kiss the Sky’
25) Reuben Vincent – Myers Park
Favorite Tracks: ‘Walk This Way,’ ‘Myers Park,’ ‘Teen Spirit,’ ‘Waves in the Water’ & ‘Chains on Me’
24) Wiki – No Mountains in Manhattan
Favorite Tracks: ‘Litt 15,’ ‘Made For This,’ ‘Leppy Coqui,’ ‘Jalo’ & ‘Mayor’
23) Mick Jenkins – Or More; The Anxious EP
Favorite Tracks: ‘C is For Cash Money,’ ‘Vampire in Brooklyn,’ ‘The Layover,’ ‘Gucci Bag’ & ‘Happy Gilmore’
22) Statik Selektah – 8
Favorite Tracks: ‘Slept to Death,’ ‘Put Jewels on It,’ ‘8,’ ‘Watchin Myself’ & ‘Disrespekt’
21) Cyhi the Prynce – No Dope on Sundays
Favorite Tracks: ‘Get Yo Money,’ ‘Trick Me,’ ‘Closer,’ ‘God Bless Your Heart’ & ‘Free’
20) Migos – C U L T U R E
Favorite Tracks: ‘T-Shirt,’ ‘Kelly Price,’ ‘Call Casting,’ ‘Bad and Boujee’ & ‘What the Price’
19) Lute – West 1996 Pt. 2
Favorite Tracks: ‘Ford’s Prayer,’ ‘Crabs in a Barrel,’ ‘Juggin’,’ ‘Still Slummin’ & ‘Birds & Bees’
18) BROCKHAMPTON – SATURATION III
Favorite Tracks: ‘BOOGIE,’ ‘JOHNNY,’ ‘RENTAL,’ ‘BLEACH’ & ‘ALASKA’
17) Your Old Droog – PACKS
Favorite Tracks: ‘White Rappers (A Good Guest),’ ‘Bangladesh,’ ‘You Can Do It! (Give Up), ‘Grandma Hips’ & ‘Rapman’
16) Big K.R.I.T. – 4 Eva is a Mighty Long Time
Favorite Tracks: ‘Get Away,’ ‘Big Bank,’ ‘Mixed Messages,’ ‘The Light’ & ‘Aux Cord’
15) Thundercat – Drunk
Favorite Tracks: ‘Friend Zone,’ ‘Show You the Way,’ ‘Walk on By,’ ‘Lava Lamp’ & ‘Inferno’
14) Jonwayne – Rap Album Two
Favorite Tracks: ‘City Lights,’ ‘Human Condition,’ ‘These Words Are Everything,’ ‘TED Talk’ & ‘Rainbow’
13) Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
Favorite Tracks: ‘Crabs in a Bucket,’ ‘Yeah Right,’ ‘Big Fish,’ ‘Party People’ & ‘745’
12) J.I.D – The Never Story
Favorite Tracks: ‘NEVER,’ ‘Underwear,’ ‘Somebody,’ ‘D/vision’ & ‘Hoodbooger’
11) Sampha – Process
Favorite Tracks: ‘Plastic 100°C,’ ‘Timmy’s Prayer,’ ‘What Shouldn’t I Be,’ ‘No One Knows Me (Like the Piano)’ & ‘Take Me Inside’
10) Smino – Blkswn.
Favorite Tracks: ‘Father Son Holy Smoke,’ ‘Blkswn,’ ‘Netflix & Dusse,’ ‘Amphetamine’ & ‘Glass Flows’
9) Daniel Caesar – Freudian
Favorite Tracks: ‘We Find Love,’ ‘Get You,’ ‘Freudian,’ ‘Take Me Away’ & ‘Best Part’
8) Milo – Who Told You to Think??!!?!?!?
Favorite Tracks: ‘Sorcerer,’ ‘Embroidering Machine,’ ‘Poet (Black Bean),’ ‘Call + Form (Picture)’ & ‘Take Advantage of the Naysayer’
7) Roc Marciano – Rosebudd’s Revenge
Favorite Tracks: ‘Already,’ ‘Move Dope,’ ‘Killing Time,’ ‘Rosebudd’s Revenge’ & ‘Pig Knuckles’
6) Jay-Z – 4:44
Favorite Tracks: ‘Family Feud,’ ‘Smile,’ ‘The Story of O.J.’ ‘Caught Their Eyes’ & ‘4:44’
5) Joey Bada$$ – All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$
Favorite Tracks: ‘TEMPTATION,’ ‘BABYLON,’ ‘ROCKABYE BABY,’ ‘Y U DON’T LOVE ME’ & ‘RING THE ALARM’
4) SZA – CTRL.
Favorite Tracks: ‘Broken Clocks,’ ‘Supermodel,’ ‘Love Galore,’ ‘Doves in the Wind’ & ’20 Something’
3) Tyler, The Creator – Scum Fuck Flower Boy
Favorite Tracks: ‘911/Mr. Lonely,’ ‘Pothole,’ ‘Forward,’ ‘Glitter’ & ‘See You Again’
2) Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
Favorite Songs: ‘DUCKWORTH.,’ ‘DNA.,’ ‘FEAR.,’ ‘XXX.’ & ‘FEEL.’
1) Rapsody – Laila’s Wisdom
Favorite Tracks: ‘Chrome (Like Ooh),’ ‘Laila’s Wisdom,’ ‘Nobody,’ ‘Black & Ugly’ & ‘Power’
Honorable Mention
Action Bronson – Blue Chips 7000
Karriem Riggins – Headnod Suite
Nyck @ Knight – Nyck @ Knight
Danny Watts – Black Boy Meets World
BROCKHAMPTON – SATURATION II
Kelela – Take Me Apart
Cousin Stizz – One Night Only
Myke Bogan – Pool Party
Freddie Gibbs – You Only Live 2wice EP
Brent Faiyaz – Sonder Son
Loyle Carner – Yesterday’s Gone
Oddisee – The Iceberg
Ravyn Lenae – Midnight Moonlight EP
Quelle Chris – Being You is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often
GoldLink – At What Cost
Moses Sumney – Aromanticism
Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer
BROCKHAMPTON – SATURATION
Injury Reserve – Drive it Like it’s Stolen EP
MIKE – By the Water EP
Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs – Gems From the Equinox
EarthGang – Rags EP & Robots EP
Brother Ali – All the Beauty in This Whole Life
Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – Brainiac EP
G Herbo – Humble Beast
Stik Figa – Central Standard Time
Apollo Brown & Planet Asia – Anchovies
Vic Mensa – The Autobiography
A$AP Twelvyy – 12
Talib Kweli – Radio Silence
Kool G Rap – Return of the Don
Future – HNDRXX
A$AP Mob – Cozy Tapes Vol. 2
Gorillaz – HUMANZ
Logic – Everybody
Big Boi – BOOMIVERSE
Aminé – Good For You
Jered Sanders – Nobody Famous.
OverDoz. – 2008
Lou the Human – Humaniac
Khalid – American Teen
ZotheJerk & Frost Gamble – Black Beach
Drake – More Life
Yung Simmie – Big Smokey
Slaine vs. Termanology – Anti-Hero
Mozzy – 1 Up Top Ahk
Nikobeats & Noah Rhyme$ – Madfriendly
Young Thug – Beautiful Thugger Girls
Lil B – Black Ken
P.O.S. – Chill, dummy
Gucci Mane – DropTopWop
Lando Chill – The Boy Who Spoke to the Wind
J Hus – Common Sense
Matt Martians – The Drum Chord Theory
GQ – E 14th
Ivy Sole – East EP & West EP
Jay Worthy – Fantasy Island
Musiq Soulchild – Feel the Real
Supa Bwe – I Hate Being Alive
Fabolous & Jadakiss – Friday on Elm Street
Wiley – Godfather
The Alchemist & Budgie – The Good Book Vol. 2
Ransom – Greatest Rapper Alive
H.E.R. – Every Kind of Way
DJ Harrison – HazyMoods
Armand Hammer – Rome
Prodigy – Hegelian Dialectic (The Book of Revelation)
SiR – Her Too EP
Jimi Tents – I Can’t Go Home
21 Savage – Issa Album
Pete Rock – Lost Sessions
Joey Fatt$ – I’ll Call You Tomorrow II
Lil Uzi Vert – Luv is Rage 2
Fashawn – Manna EP
Hot Sugar – The Melody of Dust
Deniro Farrar – Mind of a Gemini II
Corbin – Mourn
Snoop Dogg – Neva Left
Buddy – Ocean & Montana
L’Orange – The Ordinary Man
Stalley – New Wave
2 Chainz – Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
Skyzoo – Peddler Themes
Playboi Carti – Playboi Carti
Cunninlynguists – Rose Azurio Njano
Kari Faux – Primary
Defari – Rare Poise
Caleborate – Real Person
Wu-Tang – The Saga Continues
Talib Kweli & Styles P – The Seven
Little Simz – Stillness in Wonderland
The Cool Kids – Special Edition Grandmaster Deluxe
Homebody Sandman – Veins
Deem Spencer – We Think We Alone
Bryson Tiller – True to Self
MC Eight & DJ Premier – Which Way iz West
Raekwon – The Wild
Meek Mill – Wins & Losses
Knxwledge – Yes Lawd! Remixes
Metro Boomin, 21 Savage & Offset – Without Warning
Pool Cosby – Blind Gold
N.E.R.D. – No One Ever Really Dies
Ugly God – The Booty Tape
Iman Omari – IHY
Travis Scott & Quavo – Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho
Kiefer – Kickinit Alone
*more honorable mentions to possibly come*
images via Roc Marciano, The Underachievers, KCBLA, Red Bull, Cyhi the Prynce, Cam Kirk, Your Old Droog, Vince Staples, Smino, Zero Fatigue, Daniel Caesar, Golden Child Recordings, Milo, Ruby Yacht, Marci Enterprises, Jay-Z, Roc Nation, Joey Bada$$, Pro Era, Cinematic Music Group, SZA, TDE, Tyler The Creator, Columbia Records, Kendrick Lamar, Rapsody, Jamla Records & all rightful photographers
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– Benny P