#wecomingforeverything

2016 was one hell of a year. Full of shocks, pleasant surprises, and unbearable heartaches. In terms of music, we lost so much talent and wisdom in Prince, George Micheal, David Bowie and Phife Dawg, The latter hit me the hardest as he was an artist I genuinely grew up on. The funky diabetic was the glue that held Tribe together. His lyricism and wit meant his verses were always memorable and full of quotables.

He complemented Q-tip’s laid-back style with a more fierce and punchy delivery. I was caught off guard when it was announced that A Tribe Called Quest were releasing an album. I feared it was going to be another disjointed posthumously released album that lacks cohesion, but I was taken aback by how effortless it seemed. It was like they never left. They tapped into and captured what was happening in today's world with Q-tip and Ali Shaheed staying true to the sound that has garnered them so many fans over the years. "We The People" is a summation of the America that Trump has left behind in the wake of his recent election. The album as a whole is very much rooted in today's world and the issues that affect us. It serves as a wake-up call to everyone that the world needs to wake up and address its issues before it's too late.  It was exactly what was needed at the time.

That was a common them for albums released in 2016. The timing was always just right. Solange released  A Seat at the Table at a time where African Americans were being slaughtered what seemed every day by the police and their deaths were broadcast across social media like the latest trending meme. It made many question what is a black life really worth? Locally Gladwin Matsheke and the homies at Marvin.co.za were starting a movement of their own, #WeComingForEverything. It’s about taking back what's yours and leaving your mark on society. Claim your seat at the table because this shit is For Us and By Us. Stop apologising for who you are. It was uncanny the way Solange tapped into all those thoughts and feelings. 

Like Pretoria Girls High’s oppression of African hair and the bravery of those young women fighting back for their right to wear their hair naturally. "Don’t Touch My Hair" captured their rage in a beautiful and soulful way. The whole album is full of angst, doubt, and anger but Solange remains composed throughout. The narratives from Master P, Tina Knowles, and Matthew Knowles are powerful and comforting as they recall tales from their past struggles and how they found strength and grounding in who they are and where they come from. It’s a reminder of the strength we yield as black men and women.

The year started off with a bang with Anderson Paak dropping “Malibu.” It was an album that was a slow burn in that as the year drew on the more people caught on to the wave. It had everything from soul to uptempo rhythms, even an ode to fake titties. A song for every moment. "Season/Carry Me" is a recollection of the struggles he endured growing up and finding his way, looking to his Mom for guidance and serenity. "Come Down," produced by the mighty Hi-Tek, is a groovy throwback jam reminiscent of an old block party. “Your Heart Don’t Stand a Chance” is Anderson Paak at his best. His singing/rapping style is unique and raw, the lyrics are encapsulating and the beat is a classic head nodder. Not many people knew him at the beginning of 2016 but going into the new year I' sure he's amassed a few die-hard fans.

Speaking of die-hard fans few are more worthy of the term than J Cole’s fan base. When he announced he was releasing an album they all went crazy. I’m sure one or two were ready to dub it an instant classic. Such is the climate we live in that we don’t give music the necessary time to breathe and settle in. We all want to be a part of the hype. After my first listen to 4 Your Eyez Only I was unsure of how I felt about it, to be honest. 2014 Forrest Hills Drive was a watershed moment for J Cole as a major label artist. He returned to what his core fans loved about his mixtapes, particularly Friday Night Lights and to a lesser extent The Warm Up. Forrest Hills Drive was easy to listen to, whereas 4 Your Eyes Only demanded your full engagement. He was telling a story. At first, it seems like his story as he speaks of love and entering fatherhood but then the last track flips everything on its head. As a whole the album was solid but the context provided by the title track, “4 Your Eyes Only” puts everything in perspective and elevates the entire project. Musically from a production standpoint, I feel this is Cole at his best. The incorporation of live instrumentation (look up Theo Croker by the way he’s dope) really took it to another level. You can see the impact fatherhood is starting to have on him through his maturity and how he views the world. He’s always been a blue collar hero and a humanist but now he’s really embracing it with a fearlessness that is rare in today’s rap artist. A song like "False Prophets," though it didn’t make the album, demonstrates this as he calls out the False Idols of Hip Hop. As a man and a father he is not just sitting back and letting it happen he’s using his voice to put a lens on certain topics and for that, he gets my utmost respect.

Someone who didn’t get enough credit for his album, again due to timing was Schoolboy Q. Blank Face LP was a great album but it came out the same week as another black man was gunned down by the police in America causing it to slip by the wayside. But those who gave it a listen to know it was arguably his best album and possibly the best Hip-Hop album of the year. There was no Kendrick Lamar feature to draw bandwagon TDE fans along, this was an album for SchoolBoy fans and fans of LA Hip-Hop as a whole. It’s dark and gritty, with only one crossover radio single “Overtime” featuring Miguel and Justine Skye. The intro “Torch” sets the tone perfectly. The first real voice you hear is Anderson Paak as he proclaims, “I trade the noise for a piece of divine,” before Schoolboy announces “This that fuck the blogs” while painting a morbid picture of life in LA as a guitar wails in the background. He then lets you know “this is the realest shit he ever wrote,” and after you hear the album in full, it probably is. Blank Face LP tells a story but unlike 4 Your Eyez Only this is more of a scene setter. He immerses you into LA as he saw it growing up and the struggle that continues. “Lord Have Mercy” is a cry for help for the souls claimed by LA’s infamous gang culture. Other standout tracks for me are "Ride Out" feat Vince Staples, "By Any Means", "John Muir"  "Neva Change" with SZA and "Black Thoughts." "Black Thoughts" is Q like we’ve never really heard him before. He displays a level of consciousness very few people knew he even had. Again like J Cole’s album you really need to engage with it to appreciate it. Don’t just skim through it.

Those are my Top 5 albums for 2016, in no particular order. There were many other albums I thoroughly enjoyed. Dvsn had the best album of anyone on the OVO roster with a smooth 90s RnB vibe on "Sept 5". Chance the Rapper stole the show with "Coloring Book" and his verse on "Ultralight Beam". Here's my list of other honorable mentions for last year. Can’t wait to hear what 2017 brings our ears.