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1. Daytona by Pusha T
Pusha T has made a lot of great music between his solo career and his epic days with The Clipse, but no project has had quite the same feel to it that Daytona had.
At a time when Kanye West was seemingly at the centre of every controversy, the Virginia rapper came through with a handful of really great beats for Pusha T’s third solo album.
2. Victory Lap by Nipsey Hussle
Neighborhood Nip is one of the hardest working rappers in the business, so it’s not surprising that he put together a great motivational album in Victory Lap.
The LA rapper not only found a way to combine great lyricism with some of the best production we’ve heard all year, he did it all while giving fans free game and what feels like a cup of coffee in audio form whenever they feel lethargic.
3. Book Of Ryan by Royce Da 5’ 9”
Royce Da 5’ 9” gave fans options in 2018. He presented us with a duet album with PRhyme 2 as well as his magnum opus, Book of Ryan.
We knew Book Of Ryan was going to be special when the Detroit legend was promoting it before PRhyme 2 was even a week old.
We all know Royce is a great MC, but this album offered much more than multi-syllabic bars. More autobiography than album, Royce offers astounding emotional depth, revealing storytelling and clarity on Ryan.
4. KOD by J. Cole
It seems like J Cole gets a spot on every album of the year list dating back to his 2013 album Born Sinner, and each of them has been well deserved.
Cole’s 2018 album KOD was one of the best projects of the year, receiving critical acclaim from just about everybody and offering some of the best songs of the year.
With guys like Cole and Kendrick leading the charge, hip-hop should have no problem excelling for another 45 years.
5. Astroworld by Travis Scott
Houston rapper Travis Scott’s Astroworld took us to other worlds and dimensions, while other rappers were decidedly earthly.
While Travis Scott’s music clearly fits with the newer sound, you don’t have to love auto-tune or singing to love Travis Scott’s music.
In fact, I’d go as far as to say you don’t have to be a rap fan to enjoy Astroworld - as long as you enjoy music that sounds great, you’ll love this album from front to back.
6. G-Host by Styles P
There are a lot of really great rappers who have stood the test of time, but few have effortlessly transitioned from one era to the next like Styles P.
On what was his ninth studio album in G-Host, Styles P is still delivering some of the best bars in hip-hop with incredible consistency.
Plus, a range of features from some of rap’s top young talent — Nino Man and Oswin Benjamin in particular, makes this album feel like a sort of passing of the torch.
7. Drogas Wave by Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco is somewhat polarising in terms of his music. Some would say Lupe is a great lyricist while others would point out the overall inconsistency of his music.
No matter what camp you’re in, it’s hard to deny that Lupe came back strong with his 2018 effort Drogas Wave. Although the album was a bit long with two sides consisting of 24 tracks, there was a lot of great music to enjoy from start to finish.
8. Streams of Thought Vol. 1 & 2 by Black Thought, 9th Wonder and Salaam Remi
If somebody had told you five years ago that Black Thought would have a spot on an album of the year list in 2018, you’d have probably thought they were crazy - and we wouldn’t blame you.
Despite making his debut 25 years ago with The Roots, Black Thought is still one of the most potent spitters in hip-hop.
He ended last year with one of the best Funk Flex freestyles we’ve had the pleasure of listening to and transitioned perfectly into 2018 with Streams of Thought, an excellent extended play with production handled entirely by Jamla producers 9th Wonder and Khrysis.
9. Tha Carter V by Lil Wayne
We finally got a new album from Lil Wayne that we loved this year. The rapper had been embroiled in a corporate beef with former mentor (and one-time daddy) Baby that resulted in years of delayed greatness.
When the dust settled, Lil Tune Chi was back on top with his hip-hop sons that have been vying for his space.
10. Kids See Ghosts by Kid Cudi & Kanye West
After a few projects that weren’t entirely well received, Kid Cudi fans have been waiting for something that feels a bit more like the Man on the Moon series.
While that’s not exactly what Kanye West and Kid Cudi delivered with Kids See Ghosts, the two still came together to create one of the more creative and enjoyable projects of the year.
Hopefully this will be a step in the right direction musically for Cudi who seemingly still has a lot left to offer.
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