3. Painting Pictures- Kodak Black
I am going to preface this by saying I understand that many people were not very fond of this album, mostly critics, but I strongly disagree. Several hip hop review sites were reluctant to even give the album a 3.0/5 rating. Audibly, Kodak has a disadvantage because his heavy Hatian/Southern accent has always been a scrappy sound that has taken people some getting used to. It also has taken people time to literally understand what he’s saying. Due to these factors, his music gets a lot of hate. However, his lyrical content and vocal versatility are displayed consistently throughout the album, an example of the former being the song “Why They Call You Kodak” and an example of the latter being the song “Save You.”
2. Culture- Migos
I really wanted with every inch of my heart to put this album at number 1, but I didn’t believe it deserved to be. First of all, this album is actually my favorite on the list. Offset, Quavo, and Takeoff(Migos), started off 2017 with a slew of party music on their January 31 album “Culture.” The three relatives(Offset and Quavo are cousins, Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle) have seemingly improved their style of music each year since they became big in 2013. Autotune and melodic hooks mixed with lyrical creativity create a nice hybrid between old and new rap, and has the album sitting at 11 on the top 200 Billboard even after 3 months.
- DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
I admit I grow a little tired of reviewing Kendrick’s music because a lot of times I have very few negative things to say, if any. Kendrick’s latest album, however, deserves to be recognized. Many may disagree, but I hated his previous album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” I felt like he was trying harder to make a statement than to make music. “DAMN” seems to take components of Kendrick’s last two studio albums as well as common trap music themes and make a setlist of lyrical masterfulness. Some songs have a fast paced and intense vibe, while others may be more relaxed or similar to R and B.