My Top Rap Albums of 2020
What an utterly fucked up year 2020 was. While a global pandemic kept most of us stuck inside our homes, the rap game also adapted to the new normal. Fortunately for fans, this unprecedented situation allowed (and somewhat forced) artists to focus primarily on creating new music. This paired with my personal listening of more albums to cope with my own boredom led to a much deeper selection of projects to choose from. As a result, I have decided to expand my list from 10 to 12 albums as well as adding a couple new sections at the end.
Once again, the purpose of this piece isn’t for me to critique these artists or prove that I have good taste in music, but rather to give myself a chance to write about and recommend some projects that I really enjoyed in 2020. If you think I missed something, I would love to hear any recommendations or feedback music related or otherwise about this article. Enjoy!
- Black Habits — D Smoke
By the time I had finished writing my top rap albums of 2019, D Smoke had already released his debut album, “Black Habits” in early February. This album immediately rocketed to the top of my 2020 list and never came close to being dethroned. The Inglewood, CA artist appeared to be destined for stardom after being crowned champion of Netflix’s reality hip-hop competition “Rhythm and Flow” in 2019. Despite that, “Black Habits” still managed to exceed any expectation I had of it. It really is a masterpiece.
I love the story-telling aspect of hip-hop. It is beautiful when an artist is able to make a song with a great sound that also tells a story through the lyrics. When listening to “Black Habits” you get the overwhelming feeling that D Smoke put his life on this record. He touches on a number of topics, with religion, addiction, crime, love, cancer and his relationships with his family being major themes. Smoke conveys a raw, mature perspective on these issues and experiences through each song while occasionally switching between English and Spanish as he pleases.
The most poignant and consistent of the topics D Smoke explores in this album is race. Generally, this album is about what it is like to be black in America. “Black Habits” was released before the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota Police. As a result many of the points that Smoke raised about oppression of black people in America were on display for everybody to see, mere months after the album’s release.
“Black Habits” saw D Smoke prove and solidify himself as an artist with immense potential and unique versatility. Smoke switches flows and styles throughout the album without ever losing his momentum. It was awesome to see this album get recognized with a best rap album nomination from the Grammy’s. It absolutely deserves to win.
Top Songs: Bullies, No Commas, Gaspar Yanga ft. Snoop Dogg, Black Habits I ft. Jackie Gouche, Fly ft. Davion Farris
2. King’s Disease — Nas
From a newcomer to an undisputed legend, Nas’ 13th album and fellow best rap album nominee “King’s Disease” comes in at #2. Although Nas’ influence is seen in many of my favourite rappers, I actually hadn’t listened to very much of his discography before this year. That changed when “King’s Disease” was released in August of 2020. Through this album, Nas reminds us that he is still one of the kings of hip-hop, and that he is not ready to give up his spot yet. The Queens MC offers his perspective on current events, society and life in 2020 while also reminiscing about his past. I really enjoyed how Nas was able to compare and contrast life in the current day to when he first rose to fame in the 90s. He is one of the few artists that is qualified to speak on this due to his longevity.
Although this album only runs for 13 songs over 38 minutes, the lack of any throwaway songs was a big reason for it being so high on this list. Hit-Boy provides fantastic production throughout the album (more on him later) and a very strong list of features — some old school, some new — keeps this album interesting from start to finish. As usual, Nas brings clever, almost poetic lyrics to the table and is able to evoke vivid imagery through his rhymes. Both Nas and Hit-Boy showcased their adaptability on this project. No matter what style of beat was chosen, Nas brings it, showing exactly why many think of him as one of the best rappers of all time.
Top Songs: Blue Benz, Ultra Black, 27 Summers, All Bad ft. Anderson .Paak, Spicy ft. Fivio Foreign & A$AP Ferg
3. New Beginnings — Reason
TDE’s Reason claims spot #3 with “New Beginnings”. Before 2020 I had only heard one song with Reason on it, the memorable “LamboTruck” from “Revenge of the Dreamers 3” in which he and Cozz openly consider robbing their bosses. Now with “New Beginnings” dropping in October, Reason has made it clear to everybody why TDE believed in him. Like D Smoke, Reason covered an abundance of topics through this 14-song album. He is brutally honest about his frustrations with the rap industry, his family and his experiences with women, among other things.
Hailing from Carson CA — the same birthplace of fellow TDE member Ab-Soul — you can definitely hear the West Coast influence on this album. In the first portion of the album Reason focuses on telling his story, with little assistance from features. However as the album rolls on the features become both more plentiful and impressive. Reason and Rapsody trade bars with ease on the standout “I Can Make It”. This is followed by Ab-Soul, Vince Staples, Isaiah Rashad and JID absolutely crushing their respective features over a span of three consecutive songs. Through all this Reason refuses to be outdone by his guests, holding his own and putting memorable verses on each song. Reason then wraps up the album with some slower, more emotional songs showing his versatility in the process. If Reason is able to build on “New Beginnings”, TDE should have yet another star in the making.
Top Songs: I Can Make It ft. Rapsody, Fall, Flick It Up ft. Ab-Soul, SAUCE ft. Vince Staples, Extinct ft. Isaiah Rashad & JID
4. Evolution — Joyner Lucas
Joyner Lucas takes spot #4 with his second project of 2020 “Evolution”. While this was technically released as an EP, I enjoyed it enough to include it on my list. Joyner is an interesting figure in the rap game. He has undeniable talent but has taken a different path than other rappers, which has at times led to pushback from the public. While many other rappers glorify a lifestyle of drug use and partying, Joyner has consistently remained on the opposite side of the spectrum. Instead Joyner often chooses to focus on real life issues and genuine introspection in his music. Clearly not everybody appreciates his approach but I enjoy the self-reflection and maturity Joyner shows on “Evolution”.
While this project is generally about Joyner’s evolution as a person, it touches on a many subjects that are especially pertinent in 2020. Joyner explores Black Lives Matter and especially focuses on the plight of African American women on “Things I’ve Seen”. “Snitch” offers a very interesting perspective on cooperating with authorities. He continues on to address his relationship with his father contrasting it with that of his stepfather and even goes into his own relationship issues. Through all of this, Joyner never sacrifices sound to get his message across. For good measure, Joyner even changes pace at times with a couple songs that focus primarily on sound rather than subject matter. I will be looking forward to hearing what Joyner comes up with next.
Top Songs: Evolution, On This Way ft. Game & Ilya, Zim Zimma, Snitch, Str8 Like Dat
5. Burden of Proof — Benny the Butcher
At #5, Benny the Butcher bursts into the mainstream with “Burden of Proof”. Benny, a member of the Buffalo based rap crew Griselda along side Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn, just had a massive 2020. Not only was “Burden of Proof” well received by the public, earning rave reviews, but Benny also closed the year by delivering an epic run of features. Benny is a bit of a unique case when it comes to breakout rappers. Firstly, he’s 36, much older than most other rappers who have such a meteoric rise. Additionally, his songs were unlikely to be found on tik-tok — like some of his peers were — due to the subject matter. Despite this, Benny has managed to prove himself as one of the most promising rappers in the game right now.
I only discovered Benny the Butcher earlier this year when he was featured on Freddie Gibbs’ album “Alfredo”. Appropriately Benny’s raps focus on essentially the same topics as Freddie’s, selling drugs and the struggles of street life. That being said this album is far from ordinary. Hit-Boy’s production on this album is so good it is hard to put into words. The beats on “Timeless” and “Over the Limit” are especially insane, but the whole project is produced masterfully. Benny’s rare lyrical prowess matches perfectly with Hit-Boys production, resulting in a project that exquisitely details Benny’s life before rap and his way out. Look out for Benny starring in the Griselda produced movie “Conflicted” as well as the accompanying soundtrack in 2021.
Top Songs: Burden Of Proof, One Way Flight ft. Freddie Gibbs, Timeless ft. Lil Wayne & Big Sean, Over The Limit ft. Dom Kennedy, Thank God I Made It ft. Queen Naija
6. Alfredo — Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
Freddie Gibbs appears at #6 on my list for the second consecutive year. Following the Madlib produced album “Bandana” in 2019, Gibbs teamed up with The Alchemist to bring yet another impressive project that earned him a Grammy nomination despite his own doubts. “Alfredo” is another reminder that no matter what type of beat you put in front of Freddie, he will find a way to masterfully flow and rhyme over it. He describes his flow as “God-level” and after listening to the flows he uses on this album, that is difficult to argue with. Gibbs’ made the switch to The Alchemist’s production style — which features lighter, more uplifting beats — seem completely effortless.
While “Alfredo” only runs for 10 songs over a span of 35 minutes, Gibbs’ made the most of his time. There aren’t any throwaway songs on the album and the features he chose to use were outstanding. This album introduced me to both Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine. The Griselda members who share similar past experiences with Freddie each put in impressive verses on separate songs off “Alfredo”. More surprising was the collaboration with Tyler the Creator, but despite their differences in style, Freddie and Tyler’s verses worked together wonderfully on “Something to Rap About”. Finally, on the penultimate song of the album, Freddie comes with one of the most chilling, introspective songs I’ve ever heard in “Skinny Suge”. No matter the producer, Freddie has been on a memorable run lately and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Top Songs: God Is Perfect, Frank Lucas ft. Benny the Butcher, Something to Rap About ft. Tyler the Creator, Skinny Suge, All Glass
7. From King To A GOD — Conway the Machine
The aforementioned Conway the Machine claims spot #7 with “From King To A GOD”. This album rose dramatically in the last month of the year from fighting for an honourable mention position all the way up to #7 on my list. The more I listened to it, the more I liked it and the more I kept finding myself choosing to play Conway when I had the chance. Conway is actually Benny the Butcher’s cousin, so it comes as no surprise that their styles are very similar. Unlike “Burden of Proof” which was produced solely by Hit-Boy, a mix of very talented producers including Hit-Boy, The Alchemist, DJ Premier and Murda Beatz, handled FKTG’s production.
As a result, Conway’s album is even more sinister and grimy than Benny’s. It starts out very tough, with notable features from DeJ Loaf and Method Man in the first few songs. As it wears on Conway gets more reflective himself, starting with the Freddie Gibbs assisted “Seen Everything But Jesus” and continuing with the emotional “Forever Droppin’ Tears” a tribute to his close friend and producer DJ Shay who passed away just weeks before the album dropped due to COVID-19. I am sure this record, and that song in particular, would have made Shay very proud.
Top Songs: Fear Of God ft. DeJ Loaf, Lemon ft. Method Man, Anza ft. Armani Caesar, Seen Everything But Jesus ft. Freddie Gibbs, Forever Dropping Tears ft. El Camino
8. Spilligion — Spillage Village
The Atlanta based rap collective Spillage Village takes #8 on my list with their 4th project “Spilligion”. Spillage Village consists of Earthgang, JID, Hollywood JB, Jurdan Bryant, Mereba, 6lack and Benji. It is clear that social justice, mortality and the COVID-19 pandemic were at the front of the Villager’s minds while making this album, but themes of faith, family and love are also prevalent. The mixture of different genres and styles on “Spilligion” makes it very unique and unlike any other album on this list.
This album had a couple of my favourite songs of 2020 in “Baptize” and “End of Daze” and would have definitely been higher on my list if it were more rap-focused all the way through. That being said, even though Gospel is not my preferred genre, Spillage Village does an admirable job mixing the artists different styles together on this album. With all the talent Spillage Village has at their disposal it should come as no surprise that listeners are left with memorable hooks, verses and a couple classic posse cuts from “Spilligion”.
Top Songs: Baptize ft. Ant Clemons, Ea’alah (Family) ft. Hollywood JB, Mecca, Shiva ft. Benji & Jurdan Bryant, End of Daze ft. Jurdan Bryant, Mereba & Hollywood JB
9. While the World Was Burning — SAINt JHN
Saint Jhn returns for the second consecutive year, this time coming in at #9 with the appropriately named “While the World Was Burning”. The Brooklyn artist has such a unique sound that makes his albums very easy and enjoyable to listen to. I typically don’t prefer to listen to artists who use auto-tune, but Saint Jhn vocals mix exceptionally with auto-tune without being overpowered. Jhn has stuck with and focused on his own sound and style rather than adapting to what is popular in the moment. After over 10 years of working on his craft, he is finally starting to get more of the recognition he deserves.
Saint Jhn sticks to similar themes in WWWB as he did on “Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs” last year. A lot of his music takes on the topic of love, but as we have come to expect with Saint Jhn it is the sound rather than the lyrics that stand out the most. Jhn also showed his ability to switch flows on this album using harder, more up-tempo cadence at times as well as his usual emotional melodic style. The 13 song album has some very noteworthy features from artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Future, JID and Kanye West to name a few. Jhn has long aspired to be the next Kanye, but with such an extraordinary sound it won’t be long until young artists aspire to be the next Saint Jhn.
Top Songs: Sucks to Be You, Switching Sides, Time for Demons, Quarantine Wifey ft. JID, Ransom ft. 6lack & Kehlani
10. The Balancing Act — Statik Selektah
Statik Selektah claims spot #10 with his 9th studio album “The Balancing Act”. I have been aware of Statik Selektah for a while through artists such as Joey Bada$$ and Action Bronson but “The Balancing Act” was the first time I had actually listened to one of his projects all the way through. I was impressed enough that the New York based producer became the first non-rapper to make my list. Statik explained that 2020 was a balancing act for everybody and that he hoped this album could be an escape of sorts for listeners.
The feature list on this album is absolutely stacked, from legends such as Nas, Method Man and Black Thought to established artists such as Joey Bada$$ and 2chainz to rising stars like Jack Harlow, Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine. There is really a bit of everything on this album and the veteran producer is able to bring artists with different styles together without the songs feeling forced or unnatural. Statik’s production style incorporates record scratching as well as sampling classic music and he also does a wonderful job creating beats that suit the artists he is working with on each song. Statik paired with such a diverse group of talented rappers made for an outstanding album.
Top Songs: The Healing ft. Black Thought, Keep It Moving ft Nas Joey Bada$$ & Gary Clark Jr, Play Around ft. Conway the Machine 2 Chainz Killer Mike & Allan Kingdom, Hard Living ft. Dave East & Method Man, Way Up ft. Bun B Havoc & Haile Supreme
11. The GOAT — Polo G
Polo G claims spot #11 on my newly expanded list with his 2nd album “The GOAT”. Raised in the midst on Chicago’s drill scene, Polo G has taken his own route to rise to prominence. Growing up in a housing project on the North side of Chicago, Polo G has shared experiences with many prominent drill artists from the city. Despite this, Polo decided to adopt a more emotional, melodic and story-based style shortly after being released from prison. Polo believes this style is better suited to capture the pain and trauma he endured in his life and after listening to “The GOAT” it is apparent he made the right decision.
It should be no surprise then that “The GOAT” focuses on themes such as coping with pain and trauma, love and the guilt of leaving his hometown. No matter the subject, Polo G is candid about his feelings and experiences. His bars are thoughtful, well crafted and tell a clear story, often rich with details. Polo’s ability to reflect on and write about memories and experiences from his past is one of his biggest strengths. It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for Polo G, but he has certainly showed his range and potential on “The Goat”.
Top Songs: Martin & Gina, Flex ft. Juice WRLD, I Know, Relentless, Wishing For A Hero ft. BJ the Chicago Kid
12. That’s What They All Say — Jack Harlow
Jack Harlow is another rapper that I had not heard of at the start of 2020. One year later with the help of mega-hit “What’s Poppin” as well the song’s popularity on tik-tok he became one of rap’s biggest breakout stars of the year. You have to give Harlow credit for taking advantage of his newfound notoriety and that culminated in December when he released his debut studio album “That’s What They All Say”. While Harlow seemingly appeared out of nowhere in 2020, he has actually been grinding as a largely unknown rapper for years now. Check out the song “Sundown” and the rest of his 2018 project “Loose” if you’re interested in his older music.
The Kentucky rapper has a much softer style than some of the artists that appear above him on this list and that is evident on TWTAS. The album primarily focuses on themes of lust, love and how suddenly Harlow’s life has changed. That being said Harlow has a distinctive flow that I really enjoy. The production on this album was very interesting too, with Harlow working with a different producer on each song. This allowed Harlow to show his range, something he was determined to do on TWTAS. The next year will be key for Harlow to prove he can maintain the momentum he gained in 2020.
Top Songs: Rendezvous, Creme, Route 66 ft. EST Gee, Tyler Herro, Whats Poppin Remix ft. DaBaby Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne
Honourable Mentions:
Insomnia — Skepta, Chip & Young Adz
Skepta, — this time with assistance from fellow Londoners Chip and Young Adz — finds himself as the final cut from my list for the second consecutive year. This collaborative album is definitely worth a listen.
Top Songs: Mains, Insomnia Interlude, Sin City, High Road
Welcome to O Block — King Von
King Von was really onto something, incorporating vivid and often vicious stories into Chicago’s drill music scene. RIP.
Top Songs: Demon, The Code ft. Polo G, Why He Told, Wayne’s Story
ADHD — Joyner Lucas
Joyner released 2 impressive projects during 2020. Although I preferred “Evolution”, his first album of the year deserves praise as well.
Top Songs: The War ft. Young Thug, I Love, Devil’s Work, Revenge
Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God — Busta Rhymes
This 26-song mammoth of an album saw Busta collaborating and trading bars with some of the industry’s biggest stars.
Top Songs: Slow Flow ft. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, YUUUU ft. Anderson Paak, The Don & The Boss ft. Vybz Kartel, Look Over Your Shoulder ft. Kendrick Lamar
EDNA — Headie One
The Tottenham rapper had one of my favourite songs of the year in “Ain’t It Different” as well as some other notable collaborations on “EDNA”.
Top Songs: Ain’t It Different ft. AJ Tracey & Stormzy, Only You Freestyle ft. Drake, Try Me ft. Skepta
Circles — Mac Miller
This isn’t hip-hop but I want to mention it regardless. I have never had such ambivalent feelings about an album. On one hand it is a beautiful posthumous project and I am thankful that it was released. On the other, it is eerie and tragic at times hearing Mac’s somber tone on this album knowing that he is no longer with us. I can’t help but wonder what heights Mac would have reached if he had a bit more time on earth. RIP Mac.
Top Songs: Complicated, Blue World, Good News, Hand Me Downs
Mixtapes/EPs:
For the purpose of this article I decided to separate any project that runs for less than 30 minutes into this section.
1. Now, More Than Ever — Flatbush Zombies
FBZ doesn’t miss.
2. V TAPE — Vic Mensa
Vic x Hit Boy team up for a memorable 7-song project.
3. Sorry for the Troubles — Dirty Sanchez 47 & DJ J Hart
4. UNLOCKED — Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats
5. Open Flame — Nyck Caution
Early 2021 recommendation — Caution’s album “Anywhere But Here”
6. Chomp — Russ
Fantastic feature lineup on this EP.
7. The Light Pack — Joey Bada$$
This was only 3 songs but they were fire so I’m throwing it in. Hopefully we get an album from Joey soon.
Producer of the Year — Hit-Boy
If you made it this far into my article you may be wondering: Did I create this section just so I could talk about Hit-Boy’s legendary 2020 run? Yes, I absolutely did. With production being such an integral part of hip-hop I thought Hit-Boy deserved to have his own section. Not only did he produce some of my top albums on this list such as “King’s Disease” and “Burden of Proof” and other fantastic projects such as “V Tape”, but Hit also contributed to several other projects on this list collaborating with artists such as Conway, Polo G, Joyner Lucas and Jack Harlow. I am beyond impressed at the amount of work Hit-Boy was able to contribute to in 2020 without the quality ever suffering.
Additions:
Psychodrama — Dave
I discovered UK rapper Dave in 2020. His 2019 album “Psychodrama” would have been in the top half of my 2019 list if I had of heard it by that time. Great mix of conscious rap and bangers on this album.
Top Songs: Psycho, Black, Location ft. Burna Boy, Disaster ft. J Hus, Screwface Capital
Warm Brew
This California based trio was a big discovery by my girlfriend in 2020 and the group quickly became one of our most listened to artists of the summer. They seem to be slept on by the mainstream so I encourage you to check them out.
Top Projects: Diagnosis — EP, New Content
Thanks for reading! Hopefully you enjoy some of my recommendations.
(Photos from genius.com)
