***Best of the 1st Half of 2021: ALBUM EDITION ***
...From the better late than never files...
I realize one or two weeks in real world time is the equivalent of two or three years in music consumption time, so there is a better than average chance that most of you have not thought of what the best rap projects are for the first half of 2021 since July 4th weekend...
And full disclosure, I wrote the paragraph above way back in July and then immediately got sidetracked. Whoops. 😬
Now here we are, summer’s over and A LOT of new music has dropped since 7/1, with plenty more to come! So perhaps now is a great time to remind folks of some of the fantastic work that dropped in the first half of 2021? This is more of an act of housekeeping for me, because it helps remind me of great albums that should still be considered new works of art, but per the social media cycle, they unfairly fall into the geriatric bin by year’s end.
SO HERE ARE / WERE MY PICKS FOR THE BEST RAP PROJECTS OF THE FIRST HALF OF 2021* (top 50 + oodles of Honorable Mentions)
[*projects had to be released by June 30th in order to receive consideration]
10. TIME by Your Old Droog
9. Free Dem Boyz by 42 Dugg
8. Unlearning Vol. 1 by Evidence
7. Death and the Magician by DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz
6. With The Shifts by Maassai
5. All The Brilliant Things by Skyzoo
4. Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler, the Creator
3. Haram by Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
2. Disco! by MIKE
1. Pray For Haiti by Mach-Hommy
***Rest of the Top 50***:
11. Akai Solo & Navy Blue
12. Nappy Nina & J Words
13. Rahiem Supreme x Al.divino
14. Navy Blue - Navy’s Reprise
15. Lloyd Banks - COTI
16. Good Gas x Fki 1st x Band Gang Lonnie Bands
17. Real Late by Peter Rosenberg (and Various Artists)
18. Bruiser Brigade - TV62
19. Mother Nature & Boathouse
20. SIDESHOW
21. Wiki & Nah
22. al.divino x Mr. Rose
23. MAVI
24. Durk & Baby
25. Breeze Brewin
26. Akai, YL & Roper
27. Lil Yachty
28. Sleeper Sinatra
29. J. Cole
30. J Scienide & Kev Brown
31. Lord Apex
32. Ransom
33. Valee & Kiltkarter
34. Pap2oo4
35. Kipp Stone
36. Jay NiCE & Machacha
37. Namir & L’Orange
38. Jim Jones & Harry Fraud
39. Babyface Ray
40. Asun Eastwood
41. Raz Fresco
42. BYAKUGAN! by Estee Nack
43. Young Nudy
44. Pro Zay
45. Hus Kingpin
46. Mfn Melo & squeakPIVOT
47. Teller Bank$
48. Gucci Mane
49. Big Ghost & Conway
50. Tee Grizzley
Honorable Mentions (all belong in my Top 50, but I can only pick 50) - in no particular order:
Curren$y, Rome & Ank, Dolph & Key Glock, WTM Daemoney, La Maquina, Dark Lo & Harry Fraud, Mimz the Magnificent & Dunn - Infinite Lawn, David Bars, RIM, Tedy Andreas, Lou From Paradise, Big YAVO, Wrecking Crew, Lukah, Premrock, Monday Night & Russo Beats, Estee Nack Mini-Mansion, Ayun Bassa & Jacob Rochester, YL, Czarface, Roadrunner Glockboyz, Van Buren Records, Huey Briss, Khrysis, God's kitchen, Foogiano, Uptown XO, CRIMEAPPLE.........
Ty Farris, Medhane, Valee & AYO (Disco), J.U.S., Bruiser Wolf, Anakin & Siifu, Mello Music Bushido compilation, Fat Ray, Kenny Mason, Larry June, Nutty & Los (group projects and solo projects), Duke Deuce, Knowledge the Pirate, 22gz, Moneybagg Yo, Baby Money, Planet Asia, Trapland Pat, Asun Eastwood (2 projects), Don Perrion, Jae Haze, Cee Gee, Fire in little Africa..........
Kai Fortyfive, D Flowers, Saga Asad, Vic Spencer, Four50, Lil Heart, Bvngs, VRN Hayes, Big Jade, Marcellus, LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON, Young Crazy, T.F, NappyNappa, CHASETHEMONEY, Drakeo the Ruler, Ralfy the Plug, Lando Bando, Teejayx6 & Lex Luger, Lil CJ KASINO, Rollin Ajay, Lil Eazzzy, Tafia, Young Stoner compilation, Beneficience, Fmb DZ, K.J., Bronze Nazareth, Agallah, Amani, Graymatter** & Alchemist** (**neither projects had enough songs to warrant consideration).
See also:
https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/656020494530854912/best-of-the-1st-half-of-2021-song-edition
https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/649527317251670016/best-of-the-1st-quarter
https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/638904640503726080/the-best-rap-songs-of-2020-great-songs-that
