The Best Albums of 2019

Image via Complex Original

Label: G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Recordings

Released: October 25

When news first spread that Kanye West had scrapped Yandhi in favor of a Christian album with no cursing called Jesus Is King, expectations were low. The album would serve as the follow-up to Ye, which is considered by many to be the worst effort of his career, and it was unclear exactly how a major mainstream hip-hop artist like Kanye would transition to full-blown Christian music. Well, it’s not nearly as bad as many feared. Kanye proves he hasn’t lost his sharp ear for production as he delivers an album full of stunning, soulful beats, highlighted by head-knockers like “Follow God” and dramatic orchestrations like the Kenny G-assisted “Use This Gospel.” Where Jesus Is King falters is the songwriting. Between moments of born-again sincerity (“God Is”), Kanye delivers distracting clunkers like the Chick-fil-A metaphors on “Closed on Sunday” and generally fails to dig deep lyrically and spread the Word in compelling ways. Still, the Christian theme gives Kanye something to focus on, leading to an album that’s much more focused than Ye. Jesus Is King has its faults, and it doesn’t live up to the heights of the rest of his discography, but it’s certainly worth a listen. —Eric Skelton

Label: Kemosabe Records/RCA

Released: November 7

Pop polymath Doja Cat capped the year with a sleek album that showcases the best of her skills as a songwriter, rapper, and singer. The effervescent lead single “Juicy” was a late-summer smash with nimble verses and an irresistible hook. The follow-up, “Rules,” features guitars that sound like they could have been on a Roc-A-Fella record during the label’s heyday, as Doja reaches deep into her bag for hilarious bars (“Bad yellow bitch with her eye on the prize/But n***a, I ain’t no minion”) and an unending array of deliveries. “Addiction” is a dreamy piece of synth pop featuring Doja’s elegant falsetto and cool-as-ice, understated verses. And she shows strong chemistry with Gucci Mane and Smino on their collaborations. Finding a way to balance her endearing irreverence and her song-crafting skills has always been the ultimate goal for Doja, and Hot Pink features the best of both sides. —Grant Rindner

Label: RCA Records

Released: July 19

Maxo Kream is a storyteller, first and foremost. Brandon Banks is full of bouncy tracks that could be played in a club, but it’s Maxo’s intense storytelling that makes it so special. The Houston rapper offers a day pass into his life, recounting stories from his past and foreshadowing what’s to come. At the heart of his vivid narration are stories about his father, a Nigerian immigrant who ran scams under the name Brandon Banks during much of Maxo’s youth. Attacking this father-son dynamic from multiple angles, Maxo offers up personal accounts on “Dairy Ashford Bastard” and actual voice-overs from his father on “Still.” On Brandon Banks, he paints a full picture that incorporates equal portions of trauma, viciousness, triumph, and familial love. —Jessica McKinney

Label: Aftermath Entertainment

Released: April 12

Anderson .Paak has released four solo albums in five years, but it still feels like his fans waited an eternity between 2016’s Malibu and 2018’s Oxnard—even though the interim included his Yes Lawd! collaboration with Knxwledge. After this run, .Paak’s stock soared to previously uncharted highs. He sold out rooms, theaters, and arenas. He played drums, and rapped and sung with staggering skill. If there was a complaint to file during this time, though, it was that his live magnetism never fully cohered on an LP. With 2019’s Ventura, it has. When the first two tracks feature André 3000 and Smokey Robinson, respectively, something is being done right. Anderson .Paak is a true artist’s artist, the cat that everyone wants to work with. While lacking a true knockout punch of a single, Ventura is better consumed as a whole. It’s .Paak’s closest release to a full 12-round assault. —Will Schube

Label: Republic Records

Released: September 6

Post Malone’s 2018 album, beerbongs & bentleys, was a blockbuster LP, stuffed with four types of songs: trap ballads (“Psycho”), pop-leaning party cuts (“Spoil My Night”), breakup anthems (“Better Now”), and acoustic earworms (“Stay”). That formula reaches new heights on Hollywood’s Bleeding, as the genre-defiant artist rearranges elements of pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop into his own image. Ever a curator, Post doesn’t waste a feature among the 10 that are spread out across seven of the album’s 17 tracks: DaBaby delivers a scene-stealing verse on the project’s best hip-hop cut, “Enemies”; Future and Halsey join forces for the emo rap effort, “Die For Me;” Travis Scott and Ozzy Osbourne connect on the trap-rock ballad, “Take What You Want;” and SZA turns “Staring At the Sun” into an excellent R&B-pop duet. As always, Post’s unique ear for melody shines throughout, as Hollywood’s Bleeding is full of stadium-ready hooks that’ll run through your head for months (“Circles,” “A Thousand Bad Times,” “Allergic,” “Goodbyes,” “Myself”). Posty is a voice for a generation obsessed with their feelings. —Brad Callas

Label: Tinashe Music

Released: November 21

Free of a major label system that never catered to her strengths or let her carve out a clear identity, Tinashe’s first independent release is the musical equivalent of a full-body stretch after a long, cramped car ride. After being pushed into the lane of trendy hip-hop-inflected R&B earlier in her career, on Songs For You, she experiments with wistful guitar ballads (“Remember When”), house-tinged UK rap (“Die a Little Bit”), and warm ’80s pop (“Perfect Crime”). Though she doesn’t have a traditional powerhouse voice, Tinashe is slick and versatile, holding interest for over 50 minutes with minimal reliance on features to carry the album. Even the more straight-down-the-middle cuts like “Hopscotch” and “Link Up” bristle with an energy that reminds us why she was viewed as a surefire star when Black Water and Aquarius were released earlier in the decade. —Grant Rindner

Label: Roc Nation

Released: August 23

Rapsody used Eve to pay homage to Black women, naming each track after different iconic women through history. The album is filled with literal and figurative historic takes that show how powerful these women really are. And in true Rapsody fashion, the plot of each song is crafted with the sharp songwriting talents of one of North Carolina’s finest lyricists. She even takes time to salute to Everyday Struggle’s Nadeska Alexis in “Afeni” as she raps, “I ain't playin' the middle like Nadeska/It ain’t complex to be emotional or affectionate.” In turn, the 16-song album gives listeners a clearer glimpse into Black history, and the people uplifting it, than any textbook could. —Kemet High

Label: LVRN/Interscope Records

Released: October 4

With debates raging on about who is running R&B, or if it’s dead, or never left, Summer Walker’s work has been a refreshing take that’s a throwback to the late ’90s when R&B was king. She remade “You Make Me Wanna” and had Usher on the track, bro. I mean, come on. Summer being able to record the kind of music she makes while dealing with rabid social anxiety is fucking impressive; her music is wildly personal and affects listeners in ways not many others can. The best artists are the ones who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable, and Summer is able to tap into subject matter that people can relate too. While there are standouts on the album, like “Body” and “Come Thru” with Usher, “Fun Girl” might be the best. Summer singing over the strums of a guitar about the difficulties of dating—and the male/female double standards that come with it—makes for a special track that speaks to the core of what she can bring to the table. —Angel Diaz

Label: RCA Records

Released: June 12

GoldLink recently found himself in hot water after a controversial Instagram post, but that doesn’t take away from how great of an album Diaspora is. He takes listeners on a ride throughout the project, touring different locations that were inspired by and embody the Black experience. GoldLink takes stops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, London, and his hometown in Washington D.C., but even while he guides listeners on a dizzying journey around the world, he manages to appear at home and grounded with each record. He is at the epicenter of each track, while still allowing his featured guests ample room to shine. Other artists have attempted to connect the diversity of Black music before, but Goldlink more seamlessly and effortlessly connects the dots of multiple genres as he moves from hip-hop to afrobeats to reggae to pop. —Jessica McKinney

Label: 300 Entertainment

Released: January 17

There’s an alternate universe where We All Shine marks the beginning of YNW Melly’s meteoric rise to rap superstardom. Instead, the project represents the “what-if” rap moment of the year, considering its release was followed shortly by Melly’s incarceration on double murder charges. Still, We All Shine remains one of the best releases in rap this year, as it displays Melly’s ability to flip the most dramatic moments of his life into strikingly soulful songs. Cut from the same cloth as melodic street rappers like Young Thug and Future, Melly’s talents as a vocalist shine through on melancholic standouts like “No Heart,” while the pop-leaning “Mixed Personalities” show his range as a hit-making, crossover star. While spending the past ten months in prison, Melly has released new material, including November’s Melly vs. Melvin, but We All Shine remains his creative peak. —Brad Callas

Label: Atlantic Records

Released: July 26

Most of the biggest breakout rappers in 2019 were catapulted to superstardom with a smash hit single: Lil Nas X (“Old Town Road”), Lizzo (“Truth Hurts”), DaBaby (“Suge”), Megan Thee Stallion (“Big Ole Freak”), Polo G (“Pop Out”). But YBN Cordae took a different route to becoming one of the most promising young rappers in the game: he focused on crafting a cohesive album. The Lost Boy is one of the most mature rap debuts in recent memory, and it was rewarded with a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. It’s a brutally honest, heartfelt record that gives a peek into Cordae’s past, as he makes use of clever songwriting to tell his own story. Musically, the album is inspired by the chipmunk soul wave of the early ’00s, as sped-up vocal samples back several of the standout tracks: the J. Cole-produced “RNP”; the Meek Mill-assisted “We Gon Make It,” which samples JAY-Z’s somber classic “This Can’t Be Life”; and the triumphant outro, “Lost & Found”). At just 22 years old, YBN Cordae has limitless potential, and he made the most of his opportunity to deliver a memorable debut. —Brad Callas

Label: Young Turks

Released: November 8

FKA Twigs’ MAGDALENE is a beautiful, melancholic album that addresses themes of love and the lack thereof, loneliness and depression, abandonment, communication, and celebrity. It dives head-on into real events in the singer’s life—her illness, her breakups—in language that is direct, without being literal; artful without being obscure. Likewise, the arrangements and song structures are off-kilter, but never confusing. And the sound—alternately lush and spare in all the right places—is unlike anything else released this year. MAGDALENE is a record that holds all sorts of surprises, not the least of which is that performances of such an unconventional project are now being attended by thousands of adoring fans. Hallelujah. —Shawn Setaro

Label: Universal Latin

Released: June 28

I, for one, expected J. Balvin and Bad Bunny’s Oasis to be groundbreaking when it was announced. Instead, we got a very solid offering from two of reggaeton’s best, at the top of their game. It’s crazy how spoiled and pretentious fans can be, right? Bunny and Balvin know how to make music that can cross over from Spanish-speaking audiences to English-speaking ones in an effortless way that hasn’t been done as consistently before. With all that being said, reggaeton’s version of Watch the Throne was still worth the wait. They teased this album for about a year—most notably in our cover interview, for those keeping score at home—and finally dropped in June, giving fans a soundtrack for the summer. El perreo is back in a big way, and we have these two guys to thank. This eight-track tape has a little something for everybody, but it’s not just some pop bullshit dancefest. And for that, we’re all grateful. —Angel Diaz

Label: RCA Records

Released: October 25

It’s pure coincidence that Rex Orange County's stage surname evokes the memory of Seth Cohen, but it lines up perfectly, because Pony feels ready-made to be the diegetic soundtrack in Josh Schwartz’s classic California series. After snatching attention with some ethereal contributions on Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy back in 2017, Pony serves as Rex’s third album, but first major label release. He doesn’t flub on the main stage. Across a tight 10 tracks, Rex croons his heart out with big melodies and unpacks themes of love, loss, emotional maturity, and mental health. It’s emotionally affecting, but never not catchy—the rare type of optimistic music that manages to avoid being cloying or saccharine. Someone get this man a Pixar gig. —Frazier Tharpe

Label: Warp Records

Released: May 24

Flying Lotus is at his best when he lets loose. That’s what made Cosmogramma exceptional, and You’re Dead! a mild disappointment. The former was free of expectations. It came out of nowhere. You’re Dead! plays like a graduate paper on jazz theory. The ideas are there, but the soul’s not. Flamagra, Lotus’ first in five years, is a sprawling, ecstatic, epic return. It’s both palatable and highly experimental, staggering in its precision, but free enough to allow Lotus to color far outside the lines. Guest appearances range from Denzel Curry to Shabazz Palaces to David Lynch, and Lotus is somehow able to delineate a clear throughline from point A to C. Bonus points are awarded for stellar guest spots from George Clinton and Tierra Whack. Flamagra is a feat in its unpredictability, the exact sort of mystery we’ve come to expect from FlyLo. —Will Schube

Label: Atlantic Records

Released: April 25

From “Smack a Bitch” to “Countin’ Up,” Kenny Beats had provided Rico Nasty with the perfect production to suit her ferocious flow, so it makes sense that their first joint album doesn’t disappoint. The opening bars of “Cold” signal what we’re getting into: an unstoppable force and an immovable object teaming up to wreck everything in their way. But there’s also a softer, more contemplative side to Anger Management, where Rico explains the power and importance of rage. The closing songs, “Sell Out” and “Again,” explore the roots of her anger. “Sometimes I get distracted by madness/Why do tragedies happen? What if I’m not adapting?” she raps on the latter. There are few rapper-producer pairings that work better than Rico and Kenny. Throughout Anger Management, they bring out the best in each other to craft a sleek, bruising, and thought-provoking record. —Grant Rindner

Label: Atlantic Records

Released: October 11

Kentrell DeSean Gaulden’s problems are no secret. There are shootings and instances of alleged domestic violence. There are jail stints. There are claims he kicked his own mother out of the home he bought her. Amid all of this, there is music. A lot of it. YoungBoy Never Broke Again releases songs at a relentless pace. None are bad, but some are mid, which might lead fans to speculate that his issues are beginning to eclipse his artistry. Then, something like AI YoungBoy II materializes. The follow-up to the 20-year-old’s seminal 2017 project sees him mature as a rapper, refining his melodies and experimenting with flows. He moves from the supreme self-confidence of “Make No Sense” (“I feel like I’m Gucci Mane in 2006”) to the introspection and vulnerability of “Lonely Child” (“I pay for therapy because my thoughts ahead of me”). Whether YoungBoy can keep his career—and, more important, his life—on track remains to be seen. But for now, he’ll rule YouTube with a catalog that grows more expansive each week and the occasional standout release, this one included. —Lucas Wisenthal

Label: Columbia Records

Released: May 3

When Rostam Batmanglij left Vampire Weekend in 2016, it was easy to imagine a bleak future for the group. Batmanglij was their secret weapon, a multi-instrumentalist and composer turned pop superproducer. He gave their records orchestral flourishes that elevated the band’s concoctions from middling indie rock to world class pop music. So, the band was expected by some to take a step backward in the six years between 2013’s Modern Vampires of the City and this year’s Father of the Bride. Instead, they’ve turned in one of their very best records. Ezra Koenig’s voice bounces cleverly between an array of styles and influences, making it explicitly clear that Vampire Weekend is his show. He brings along Danielle Haim and Steve Lacy for multiple collaborations, and Chris Baio and Chris Tomson bolster the tracks with a sturdy rhythm section. This still feels like a bold statement from a band that has thrived off brashness, but the edges have been sanded and the ideas refined. They’re more disciplined. They’re smarter. They’ve grown up. —Will Schube

Label: ARTium Recordings/AWAL

Released: August 16

Snoh Aalegra’s Ugh, those feels again sounds so damn free. It begins with “Here Now,” which works as the perfect intro, making use of beautifully soulful, distorted vocals that set a vibe for the rest of the album. Then, emotions build on the next track, “I Want You Around.” For the remix, Aalegra enlisted fellow heartbroken savior 6LACK, but even on it’s own, the song is a microcosm of what the entire album feels like. Ugh, those feels again is filled with a sense of euphoria, which routinely rises to the surface, no matter how much pain guides her lyrics. Snoh Aalegra patiently takes her time to settle in on most songs, and when she finally does, angelic choirs often swoop in to deliver heavenly soundbeds for your ears. On “Whoa,” she sings, “I don’t feel the ground,” and for the entire 40-minute runtime of this project, you won’t either. —Kemet High

Label: Alamo Records

Released: November 22

03 Greedo and Kenny Beats are the rapper-producer duo you never knew you needed. Netflix & Deal was created in a high-pressure environment during the eight months leading up to Greedo’s 20-year prison sentence, but it feels like a movie night with your core circle of friends. Greedo and Kenny successfully balance fact and fiction with music inspired by cult classics (“Blow”) and lyrics that illustrate real-life scenarios that Greedo experienced while running the streets of Los Angeles (“Disco Shit”). The album contains elements that made Greedo a star early in his career, but it introduces another dimension of the rapper’s imagination that hasn’t been highlighted in previous bodies of work. Greedo and Kenny bring out the best of each other on one of the better rap projects of the year. —Jessica McKinney

Label: Epic Records

Released: January 18

The WIZRD might be destined to become a minor entry in Future’s canon, which is a shame because it features some of his sharpest songwriting and most accessible tracks of the last few years. On “Temptation” and “Promise U That,” Future encourages Tay Keith to tap into softer, more melodic impulses, crafting a pair of catchy songs that might have dominated the charts with a bigger promotional push. Singles “Crushed Up” and “Jumpin on a Jet” are flexing anthems for a man known for breaking shopping records. In some ways, The WIZRD (and its confessional, atoning press tour) signaled the end of an era for Future, one of excess fueled equally by old wounds and recklessness (his other 2019 record, Save Me, seemed to close that chapter more fully). It may be difficult to reach the thrilling, chaotic heights of projects like 56 Nights and DS2 again, but The WIZRD shows a sustainable path forward with highs that are worth repeating. —Grant Rindner

Label: Vamplife/Heatmakerz/EMPIRE

Released: May 31

The Diplomats released a reunion album in 2018, but if you really want that vintage Dipset sound, your best bet is to throw on El Capo. The record is Jim Jones, often accompanied by Cam’ron, over Heatmakerz beats. The producers’ patented sound, led by sped-up samples, hits just as hard as it did back in the days of XXXL T-shirts and basement freestyles. This album is far more feature-heavy, and less overtly reflective, than Jones’ 2018 effort Wasted Talent. But that becomes an advantage, as simpatico guests like Fat Joe, Fred the Godson, Jadakiss, and Cam, are given room to shine brighter than they have for years. And for all of the joy in the beats, the lyrics are often heavy. Jim spends a fair amount of time bragging about material spoils, but he can’t get more than a few bars out without getting dragged back to tales of dealing coke. His time in the legal spotlight because of the 6ix9ine case happened after the release of this record, but the events that led up to it—a number of Jim’s longtime friends and associates were arrested on federal racketeering charges—seem to weigh heavy on his mind. “Nightmares is when dreams get shattered/Feds popped up, said the whole team scattered,” he raps near the end of the album. “Some get snatched, become prisoners of the war.” It’s these sort of reflections that move El Capo far past normal rap stunting and into something much deeper and more intense. Jones may be, as he states on the album’s very first song, “cold inside.” But the music he makes, even after all these years, is still hot. —Shawn Setaro

Label: Griselda Records

Released: November 1

When do the guys in Griselda sleep? Between Benny the Butcher, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, and in-house producer Daringer, business is booming, in part due to the fact that they’ve put out multiple exceptional releases each year. The Buffalo-based collective have saturated the market with a bevy of records, keeping them tight and succinct, as to not wear out their devoted audience. With their Shady Records debut, WWCD, out now, the group is likely to ascend to new heights, but they’re still at their best on the ground, doing the field work at a local level. Westside Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes series has spanned multiple years and even more editions, and 2019’s release is among the collection’s best. With features from Curren$y and Fat Joe, Gunn proves that his high-pitched rasp can blend into any style, whether the barreling growl of Fat Joe or the clean and stoned Louisiana sludge of Spitta Andretti. It’s a family affair, with contributions from both Benny and Conway (Gunn’s actual brother). Hitler Wears Hermes 7 is 16 tracks of shit talk and drug raps. You know exactly what you’re getting with Westside Gunn, and that’s perfectly acceptable when the product is this good. —Will Schube

Label: Polydor Records

Released: January 18

Assume Form serves as a confessional for James Blake, taking listeners on an explosive sonic trip that include his thoughts of acceptance, confusion, bliss, and suspension. While listening, it’s almost like you’re eavesdropping on a therapy session he holds with himself. But in those moments of solitary conversation, thoughts aren’t masked by the fear of someone’s perception or dishonesty. And neither is this album. Songs like “Lullaby for My Insomniac” make you feel like the Tom and Jerry meme where he leaves his body and floats into the sky, softly derailed and detached. When James Blake described the narrative tone of Assume Form, he explained that the intentional out-of-body feelings he produced came from feeling repressed in real life. He opens up about that on this project, perhaps more than ever before. And even though he’s mainly singing about himself, seemingly to himself, it all connects on an extremely relatable level. —Kemet High

Label: Dreamville Records/Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: May 7

Ari Lennox didn’t need that Soul Train award to know that her music is appreciated. R&B had a great year from start to finish, and smacked in the middle was Lennox’s Shea Butter Baby. Executive produced by Dreamville’s Elite, the album was introduced with the hit single “Whipped Cream,” and if you close your eyes while listening to the song, it might just make you feel like you’re sipping dark liquor at an open mic night in Harlem. And if that was actually the case, Shea Butter Baby would represent one of the most captivating setlists a singer could perform. In an interview with Complex, Ari described her writing on this album as “blunt,” as she takes the stance of being real as opposed to aggressive. That idea is heard in every song from “BMO” to “I Been,” as honesty guides her songwriting. Even tracks like “New Apartment” demonstrate a humble yet truthful flex, admitting that she sips André in Dollar Tree glasses. Forget the awards, Ari Lennox really did something with Shea Butter Baby. —Kemet High

Label: Capitol Records

Released: January 28

It’s time to let go of the past and quit rehashing the story of how Maggie Rogers got famous. As fleeting as a viral moment can be, Rogers proves her staying power and production prowess on ‘Heard It In A Past Life.’ Rogers’ full-length debut gives you a way better understanding of her musical abilities than an unfinished class project version of “Alaska” ever will. While it’s easy to imagine a stripped-down acoustic version of nearly every track, the NYU grad with a degree in music production focuses on providing sonic variety between each song. Tracks on which she floats whimsically (“Alaska”) contrast well with the Stevie Nicks-esque ballads (“Past Life”) which contrast well with the synth and drums-heavy cuts (“Falling Water,” “Light On”). Rogers created a sophisticated album made up of familiar sounds: a rhythmic loop made by tapping her own jeans; a dove sampled in a pre-chorus mimicking synth; the bustle of clinking glass reminiscent of a busy bar down on the Lower East Side; etc. A fleeting, viral moment may be responsible for Rogers’ chaotic thrust into fame, but a powerful, succinct, and addictive album tells a new story as she regains control over her narrative. “Walked off an old me,” indeed. —Waiss Aramesh

Label: 300 Entertainment

Released: May 17

Much like Pam Grier’s catalog of Blaxploitation films, which Megan Thee Stallion pays homage to, the Houston rapper takes charge on her mixtape, Fever. While artists like Cardi B and Nicki Minaj helped push overtly sexual tracks to the top of the charts in years prior, in 2019, Megan has managed to transform her music into movements that define the seasons. Laced with Southern samples, Juicy J production, and an extra dose of the yeehaw agenda, Fever provided the soundtrack to everyone’s Hot Girl Summer. The 14-track project caters to a female audience with standouts like “Realer” and “Shake That,” but the album is also inclusive to other demographics. “Cash Shit,” featuring 2019’s biggest breakout artist, DaBaby, is an equal opportunity anthem that indulges in confidence and raunchiness (in the best way possible). —Jessica McKinney

Label: Maybach Music Group/Epic Records

Released: August 9

Rick Ross can make a Rick Ross album in his sleep now, a fact most levy as a criticism. It’s true, some songs and verses feel like reboots of the hits from his imperial phase of 2009-2012. The other truth, though, is even a Renzel project that traces over a blueprint he’s already drawn is still one hell of a gorgeous palatial estate to behold. Rick Ross traffics in the lush and the luxurious, with an undercurrent of Carol City street to keep things regal yet gutter. The headlines of Port of Miami 2 are obvious. Rousing Just Blaze back into his triumph music bag with “Big Tyme,” besting Drake at honoring the sanctity of their long-standing collabs with “Gold Roses,” and the “Maybach Music 6” conspiracy. The quintessential song, though, is “Turnpike Ike.” Jake One’s beat sounds classic and rich at the same time; Ross talks money and bricks with aplomb; and in lieu of a hook, the verses are bridged by skits of interplay with a gangster’s moll that are so over-the-top, they’re bordering on satirical. Which is to say, they’re fantastic. Anchoring ostentatious ridiculousness with street realism is Ricky's raison d'etre. It’s his identity. Considering he didn’t truly master his identity until Deeper Than Rap, in that regard at least, Port of Miami 2 is better than the first. —Frazier Tharpe

Label: Griselda Records/Shady Records

Released: November 29

What a story this has been. The Griselda crew’s rise out of Buffalo, New York is a true underdog story in this day and age where bloated streaming numbers are worshipped. A good chunk of their catalog just recently hit streaming in the second half of last year, and at a point when some people thought they would slow down due to their Shady deal, Griselda has only applied more pressure. This type of music doesn’t sell as much as it used to, but who cares? Don’t let bourgeoisie dictate what music you can consume! Griselda is the hardest out, and could become this generation’s LOX with their witty tales of drug dealing. Speaking of the devil, “Chef Dreds” is a clear standout because Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher hit us with a three-man weave that would make a basketball coach cry. Not to mention Gunn’s uncanny ability to make his ad-libs into an art form. It’s like I’m listening to Jim Jones in all his Diplomatic Immunity glory. WWCD was highly anticipated by those that champion that true east coast sound and it didn’t disappoint. The album has only been out for a few days, which makes it difficult to rank on a list like this, but after we get more time to digest these songs, WWCD will likely be remembered as one of the best rap records of the year. —Angel Diaz

Label: Dreamville Records/Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: July 5

There was a lot riding on Revenge of the Dreamers III. The entire music industry was watching as rappers—new and seasoned—made their way to Atlanta where J. Cole and Dreamville held a 10-day rap camp. The hope was that the artists on the label (and their friends) would create something special, and assert themselves as one of rap’s premier collectives. They delivered. There are a few verses that are particularly memorable, like DaBaby’s verse on “Under the Sun” and Cozz and Reason’s bars on “LamboTruck,” but what’s more important than any one track is that Revenge of the Dreamers III, as a whole, is a compelling meeting of ideas. It’s the type of thing that only happens when every artist in the studio is having fun and committed to pulling the best from one another. In an era where rap is so often focused on beefs between artists, this album demonstrates that rappers can coexist in one space, no matter the style or approach. To J. Cole’s credit, Dreamville’s Revenge of the Dreamers III helps establish the label as a hub of new talent and creativity. And, somehow, it manages to avoid the pitfalls that usually derail collaborative projects like this that have so many cooks in the kitchen. —Jessica McKinney

Label: AWAL

Released: March 1

In a very strong year of British rap releases, Little Simz’s GREY Area stands out as perhaps the sharpest. Anyone who heard Simz’s 2016 record, Stillness in Wonderland, knows about her razor-sharp wit and evocative writing. But since then, she’s grown as a storyteller. The record starts on a high note with the kinetic, bass-heavy “Offence,” but most stunning is the one-two punch of “Therapy” and “Sherbet Sunset” towards the end of the record. Simz looks far and wide at social ills and misplaced priorities on the former (“Some people read The Alchemist and still never amount to shit/We live in a society of frauds and counterfeits”), while going for the deeply personal on the latter, which is a harrowing tale about a major secret that corroded her relationship (“Wonder when you plan to let me know about her pregnancy/You have no integrity, emotion or respect for me”). Wherever UK rap goes in the future, it’s safe to say that Little Simz will be helping propel it forwards. —Grant Rindner

Label: Loma Vista Recordings

Released: May 31

After making a sprawling concept album with TA13OO, Denzel Curry streamlined things and went back to his Carol City roots for ZUU, a sonic sail through South Florida. But while there is a back-to-the-basics quality to its presentation, the record showcases Curry’s deep repertoire of flows—melodic and maudlin on “SPEEDBOAT,” lethal and staccato on “AUTOMATIC.” It’s also peppered with powerful autobiographical details about the rapper’s upbringing and how death hangs over him (both his late brother, Tree, and XXXTentacion are mentioned). The production, handled by the likes of FnZ, Ronny J, and Tay Keith, feels like a big-budget update of the wild RVIDXR KLVN sound with which Curry first made a name for himself. If TA13OO was proof that Curry could execute a heady, thematically dense project, ZUU is evidence that he also deserves your undivided attention when he lets everything flow in a comparatively loose creative environment. —Grant Rindner

Label: Polydor Records/Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: August 30

Norman Fucking Rockwell! finds an enigmatic pop star putting all the pieces together in a way she’s only hinted at before. Lana Del Rey’s earlier records had hits, perfect moments, and songs made for weddings, but with NFR, she transcends labels and descriptors. It’s an album that is staggeringly assured of its aesthetic, marrying ’70s pop influences with a perfect day at Venice Beach (or, Venice Bitch, more accurately). Only Lana can cover Sublime and do so without the rendition coming across as saccharine. That’s because she’s mastered the art of not giving a fuck. She’s both gravely serious and always winking—perfectly pitted between two worlds and occupying both with her entire gravity. Norman Fucking Rockwell! isn’t Lana Del Rey’s first success, but it is her first masterpiece. —Will Schube

Label: Carpark Records

Released: January 18

In 2010, Toro Y Moi was at the forefront of the chillwave movement with similarly vibed-out compatriots like Washed Out and Neon Indian. Now, he’s a purveyor of smooth, glassy dance music, with equally heavy vibes, but much clearer intentions. The career arc of Chaz Bear has been one of the most fascinating stories this decade, moving from an arthouse favorite to a top-tier producer of dancefloor vibes. It’s not necessarily a shock. The roots of his new vision were laid in his early days, so Outer Peace is more drastic refinement than wholesale reinvention. But just because the foundation recalls Chaz’s early days doesn’t suggest that anything else is the same. Outer Peace finds the artist embracing a clarified and consistent palette, moving between downtempo electronic pop and wispy disco funk with ease. It’s an album for crisp fall days and hot summer nights, ready for beach or snow, rain or shine. Outer Peace thrives in its versatility, and in that way, it mirrors the whims of its creator. —Will Schube

Label: Black Soprano Family

Released: June 21

New York has been slowly coming back into the national rap conversation with the help of acts like Griselda. The feeling is back, folks. For a long time, the New York sound hasn’t come across as original. Even the Brooklyn drill scene that’s been bubbling since Bobby Shmurda and GS9 stepped on the scene harkens back to what Keef was doing out of Chicago. The Griselda guys not being from the city’s five boroughs is neither here nor there, though, because the sound they’re hitting us in the head with is the essence of this New York rap shit. Roc Marciano isn’t from the boroughs either, but he helped bring this sound back in 2010. The chart-toppers make good music—don’t get me wrong—however, they can’t capture the feeling that a tape like this can capture. This is strictly for those that are in the know and aren’t afraid to be outside doing the things a lot of these rappers pretend to be doing. Benny and Griselda are as real as they come, and the music mirrors that. Benny is one of the best doing it right now, and The Plugs I Met contains some of his very best work. —Angel Diaz

Label: Columbia Records

Released: March 1

The more an artist digs into their life, their story, their culture, and their experiences, the better chance there is that the work will resonate with a wide audience. That simple truth is at the heart of the greatness of Solange’s When I Get Home. The record is by and for black Texans, and Houstonians in particular—people whose Mount Rushmore is DJ Screw, Devin the Dude, Scarface, and Mike Jones; who love rims and “candy paint down to the floor”; and who remember Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad not only as artistic heroes, but as neighbors. That fact only expands When I Get Home’s appeal, rather than limiting it. The record’s cultural references are set to beautiful synths straight out of Stevie Wonder’s The Journey of the Secret Life of Plants (an influence Solange was open about, and the resonances between the two projects goes deeper than keyboard sounds). The album melds retro and modern in a way that feels fresh and original. There are the barest hints of trap drums on tracks like “Almeda,” while pop hooks as big and catchy as anything else the Knowles family delivers show up on “Binz” and “Down With the Clique.” But the deep, soulful grooves throughout the album wouldn’t feel out of place on a prime Stax single, even if the odd time signature of “Time (is)” might. Whatever the influences are, the evocative lyrics, loose song structures, and elaborate vocal arrangements are 100% Solange, down to the floor. —Shawn Setaro

Label: Baby Keem LLC

Released: July 19

Baby Keem’s eclectic record, Die for My Bitch, is a full-sized appetizer that showcases the many styles and sounds of the Vegas rapper. The album demonstrates aclear development in beat selection from 2018’s The Sound of Bad Habit, featuring production from Sounwave, DJ Dahi, CuBeatz, and Keem himself. But what’s most exciting about the album is Keem’s effortless flexibility. He puts his personality on full display, moving from minimal trap records like “Orange Soda,” to brooding acoustic songs like “My Ex” to emo and pop-adjacent songs like “Honest.” Baby Keem approaches parts of this album from a juvenile perspective when it comes to the narrative being painted, but it’s in no way childish or rudimentary. In fact, the 19-year-old is far more wise (and talented) than his age might suggest. At the beginning of the year, we ranked him near the top of our Baby rankings, and now he ended up with one of the 20 best albums of 2019. It’s only up from here, too. If he’s making records like Die for My Bitch at this extremely early stage his career, there’s truly no limit to his potential. No wonder Drake and ASAP Rocky are already fans. —Jessica McKinney

Label: Atlantic Records/Warner Music Group

Released: July 26

African Giant’s excellent production, paired with Burna Boy’s crooning will move your soul no matter the subject matter (especially if you have to Google translate some of the bars). It reminds me of how influential African music truly is. If you grew up listening to salsa, merengue, bachata, rap, and reggae, you’ll automatically feel where I’m coming from. And for those of you that didn’t, let this album be a reminder of how important the African diaspora truly is. Music like this trickling into mainstream consciousness is important and hopefully an album as good as this can one day not be relegated to Best International Album award categories. The Nigerian artist blew up Stateside in 2018 with his banger “Ye” which may or may not have benefited from SEO play as Kanye’s album of the same name was also released around the same time. Anyway, Burna’s was the superior “Ye,” and he backed up last year’s hype with a near flawless album. Listen to “Killin Dem,” so you can feel me. —Angel Diaz

Label: Def Jam Records

Released: March 1

With back-to-back successful albums, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music and this year’s Rap or Go to the League, it’s difficult to remember the era when 2 Chainz worked most efficiently as a guest rapper, parachuting in so he could sprinkle some colorful metaphors and elevate tracks from artists like B.o.B and Big Sean. Now, at age 42, he’s become capable of making the sort of thorough, widescreen rap LPs that feel increasingly rare these days. As its title suggests, Rap or Go to the League explores the lack of opportunity and career paths available for young black Americans, due to a combination of systemic racism, government ambivalence, and harmful, perpetuated stereotypes. 2 Chainz rails against the cynical adults profiting off teenage athletes on “NCAA,” recalls his own drug dealing past on the brilliantly titled “Statute of Limitations,” and questions exactly how much good his tax dollars are really doing on “Sam.” And although it’s often serious, 2 Chainz’s fifth studio album is rarely somber. Star-powered collaborations like “Momma I Hit a Lick” with Kendrick Lamar and “2 Dollar Bill” with E-40 and Lil Wayne are refreshingly weird, catchy enough to be radio hits but filled with eccentric vocal deliveries and goofy punchlines. “Girl’s Best Friend” with Ty Dolla $ign remains a criminally underrated jam that showcases the gentler side of the Drench God. Rap or Go to the League might not have the same number of heavy-rotation bangers that Pretty Girls did, but that’s only because it hews more tightly to its central concept, while giving us a thrilling glimpse of 2 Chainz as an auteur. —Grant Rindner

Label: Interscope Records

Released: March 1

One of the most kinetic and enjoyable rap albums of the year, Baby on Baby is a cartoon snowball rolling down a hill, building momentum until it’s downright unstoppable. The record is anchored by “Suge,” which Complex named the Best Song of 2019 (So Far) in June, but Baby on Baby is the kind of album where just about any song could have blown up the way its double platinum lead single did. The hook on “Goin Baby” is thunderous, the flute melody on “Pony” is an absolute earworm, and “Baby Sitter” soars because of the natural chemistry between Baby and Offset. Even the album cuts featured memorable quotables. “I'm all in your shit, n***a/Thuggin’ it out, feet on the couch like I pay the rent, n***a,” he boasts on “Deal Wit it.” On “Carpet Burn” he brags, “I send a ho to get some cheesecake on some Puff shit.” For years, DaBaby worked extremely hard to build a strong regional following, and when the national spotlight finally found him, he was ready with an album that had more replay value than just about anything released in 2019. —Grant Rindner

Label: Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: April 26

When did Schoolboy Q go from being constantly hyped to underrated? It seemed to happen quickly, while Kendrick Lamar was solidifying himself atop the charts, Jay Rock was finally getting his just due, and SZA was becoming a superstar. Schoolboy has always just been there, churning out LPs with a bunch of outstanding tracks and a bit too much filler. But while the rest of TDE was moving in the open, Schoolboy was back in the lab, cooking up CrasH Talk, easily one of his best efforts since 2012’s Habits & Contradictions. 

Schoolboy is at his best when his focus is more refined and less sprawling, and at 14 tracks, CrasH Talk fits that bill. It still has a couple of moments that should have never left the cutting room floor, but Schoolboy has always been attractive because of his contradictions and flaws. “Numb Numb Juice” is already a top-tier Schoolboy Q song, which is becoming an increasingly impossible list to rank. “Floating,” with 21 Savage, is another song of the year contender, and with a shorter runtime, it’s easier for Q to home in on the funny dad persona he’s slipped into. He’s able to flip between serious and hysterical on a dime, and CrasH Talk finds him doing so more consistently than ever before. It’s Schoolboy’s most well-rounded effort in years, just when some forgot what a superstar he truly is. —Will Schube

Label: Warp

Released: October 4

Three years after the punky-techno party that was Atrocity Exhibition, Danny Brown did more with less on uknowwhatimsayin¿. It’s an intriguing idea; Danny Brown’s time in the hip-hop sunshine has always been as the loudest MC in the room, spitting some of the most captivating rhymes over a dizzying array of futuristic beats. With uknowhatimsayin¿, he slowed everything down, allowing his lyrics to truly breathe atop some hypnotic soundscapes. It fit the shifts in his life: he’d cut his hair, fixed his teeth, and slowed down on that Die Like a Rockstar lifestyle. Expelling the excess allowed him to really let his pen do its work, and while he’s not writing freedom anthems or giving you insane sociopolitical soliloquies, he’s dropping some of the most refreshing hip-hop to hit in 2019.

Danny didn’t change too much, though. If you go through his work with producer Paul White, this is their lane, but under the guiding light of Q-Tip (who lowkey turned 2019 into his sandbox), Danny found a lane that was as quirky as his wildest metaphors but as grounded as his reality. Linking with a number of soundsmiths who share his vision—JPEGMAFIA, Flying Lotus, Thundercat—Danny crafted a tightly constructed album that showcases why we love him so much (his voice) and didn’t stray from the sonic bed that has made him the left-field kingpin. It all made for a better listening experience; over 11 songs and a little more than 33 minutes, Danny got in, demolished everything standing in front of him, and dipped. And even though this isn’t a solo Danny party (Run the Jewels really helped turn “3 Tearz” into a raucous—heh—rap crusade), uknowhatimsayin¿ feels like the victory lap of Danny surviving his previous life while finally figuring out how to live his best life. —khal

Label: Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: June 28

Producer-helmed projects largely fail to deliver, outside of the initial anticipation that comes with the who’s-who list of collaborators on the back cover. You could probably count on one hand the number of these releases—from a list that includes Metro Boomin, Mike Will Made-It, DJ Khaled, Zaytoven, and Mustard, among others—that have dropped over the last decade that ended up being worthwhile. Perfect Ten easily makes the cut. A big part of what works here is that Mustard doesn’t shy away from the club-ready style that made him one of rap’s preeminent hitmakers. “There’s so many people that know everything about music but can’t make a hit if they life depended on it,” he once told Complex. “I’m just lucky I don’t have that problem.”

Mustard has no trouble executing that plan on Perfect Ten. The album boasts multi-platinum banger “Pure Water,” as well as top 20 Billboard Hot 100 climber “Ballin.” The latter collaboration is the crown jewel of the album, with its smooth backdrop showcasing Roddy Ricch’s high-pitched, magnetic vocal inflections and aspirational rhymes (“I trap until the bloody bottoms is underneath”). If “Ballin” doesn’t win the Best Rap/Sung Performance category at the 2020 Grammys, we riot. Elsewhere, Mustard keeps the clubs (night and strip, respectively) alive with “On God” and “100 Bands,” and lines up a flex free-for-all between Nav, Playboi Carti, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie on “Baguettes in the Face.” He also gives Nipsey Hussle a much-deserved spotlight on the album-ending title track, which feels as much an organic collaboration between the two West Coast figures as it is a tribute to the late rapper.

If you took in each track on its own, they would be standouts if they landed on projects for the featured artist(s). The aforementioned “Pure Water” could anchor Migos’ Culture III, Future’s “Interstate 10” has the bounce to be a highlight on the ATL rapper’s next project, and “Surface” sounds like it could set the table for an Ella Mai and Ty Dolla Sign collaborative project. With Perfect Ten, Mustard brought out the best in each artist he collaborated with, which in turn bolsters his status as one of the most reliable producers in the game. —Edwin Ortiz

Label: RCA Records

Released: May 8

Pi’erre Bourne is a force. The 26-year-old producer has been one of this decade’s chief sonic architects, producing standout songs on Ye and Die Lit, as well as countless cuts for artists like 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, and Trippie Redd. So Young Nudy, brilliant chessmaster he is, snagged Pi’erre for the entirety of a collaborative LP, titled Sli’merre. It’s 12 songs long and the last leg of a brilliant run that has included Faded in the Booth, SlimeBall 3, and Nudy Land over a three-year span. While all of these releases range from good to excellent, Sli’merre is the best project Young Nudy has ever made.

There are too many highlights to mention in a blurb of this length, but we’ll name a few. Nudy trades verses and outraps his cousin 21 Savage on “Mister,” while “Extendo” is the Lil Uzi Vert and Young Nudy collaboration we didn’t know we needed but now can’t imagine living without. Meanwhile, “Dispatch” with DaBaby immediately qualifies as one of the year’s most memorable songs, considering that any song on which DaBaby guest features is elevated to that status. Throughout, Pi’erre’s production is light and smooth—melodic and airy for most of the LP, but piano-heavy and menacing when Nudy moves away from comedy and into subtle death threats and brags of moving weight. Lyrically, Nudy never veers far from these themes, but why bother? He knows what he’s great at, and now he’s one of the best in the game at doing just that. With Sli’merre, Young Nudy has elevated himself from a regional sensation to a new leader of Atlanta’s national renaissance, alongside rappers like Future, Young Thug, and 21. He’s not the same household name that those MCs are, but with a few more LPs like Sli’merre, he just might be. —Will Schube

Label: Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: March 29

One of the biggest pop records of the year is a vivid, singular, and at times unsettling portrait of what it’s like to be a teenager in 2019. Billie Eilish did more than validate her long-held next-big-thing status with When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?. On the biggest stage of her career, she upped her songwriting skills and took several ambitious swings that paid off in the form of a captivating and unique debut.

“Xanny” is a dispatch from the middle of the prescription drug crisis, as a sober, wide-eyed Eilish watches her friends jeopardize their health and attempts to understand the appeal. The verses showcase her mesmerizing voice over soft droplets of piano, while the hook suddenly ripples with a digitized snarl. The sound design itself works as a parable for the slippery slope where innocent experimentation turns to drug addiction. “Listen before i go” is a gut-wrenching portrait of depression and suicidal ideation, again written from the center of the emotional maelstrom, not above it. On the other end of the spectrum, few ubiquitous singles remained as fresh as “bad guy,” with its four-on-the-floor kick drum and shrewd deconstruction of the young-pop-star-as-temptress trope. The same is true for “wish you were gay,” which, clickbait title aside, is a sweet and affecting ode to unrequited love.

Eilish is the perfect superstar for the modern era, both in terms of her creative autonomy—she and her brother Finneas wrote every song on the record—and her balance between earnest good intentions and jaded skepticism of authority and tradition. It’s tough to picture a more fitting Gen Z avatar than Billie Eilish coming along, and even more difficult to imagine one making an album this good. —Grant Rindner

Label: Interscope Records/Universal Music Group

Released: September 27

Coming in at the end of a year DaBaby had already dominated, Kirk, his second project of 2019, is both a victory lap and a validation. Think he’s overrated? Don’t get the hype? Kirk—bookended by an “Intro” that served as a pre-release hype machine and a XXL Freshman freestyle that set social media ablaze—is here to shut you the fuck up with all hits and no misses. Across Kirk, DaBaby, with his dexterous 55-mph flow and affinity for Crash Bandicoot beats, reconciles with the humbling, tragic lows of an otherwise breakout year. It’s a bedrock of substance for a project that, on the surface, is all about fun. Even when he’s rebuking sellout status with Kevin Gates, kicking raw shit with the Migos, or tossing up hymns to his late father presided over by Chance the Deacon, Kirk is a romp. And it’s confirmation that rap’s last new star of the decade is far from a flash in the pan that won’t shine in the next. —Frazier Tharpe

Label: 300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records

Released: August 16

Maybe Young Thug heard the whispers. The Atlanta artist has been credited by many as one of the most influential rappers of the past decade, but before So Much Fun, he had never reached the mountaintop of commercial success with a No. 1 album. So there was growing speculation among some rap circles that Thugger’s children—Gunna and Lil Baby, among others—would surpass their mentor and achieve the level of success he never enjoyed. Would Thug go down in history as an artist who perpetually stayed a couple of steps ahead of his time, and never saw the mainstream accolades he deserved?

Nope. He had other plans. When So Much Fun arrived, Thug revealed that he finally gave fans what he knew they wanted to hear this time, following a career of releasing music for himself. In lesser hands, this decision would have resulted in a forgettable, dumbed-down release. But Thug somehow managed to channel his wild eccentricities into the most focused album of his career—one centered around a singular goal of creating a “fun mood”—without losing any of the quirks that make him such a singular talent. So Much Fun has plenty of Thug’s signature oddball one-liners (“Had to wear the dress, ’cause I had a stick”) and musical gambles (his duet with Lil Uzi Vert over the sound of chirping birds on “What’s the Move” is one of 2019’s most strangely beautiful moments) while avoiding the left-field misfires that have dragged down the overall quality of projects like Beautiful Thugger Girls. So, yeah, Thug gave the people what they wanted on So Much Fun, but he also named a song “Mannequin Challenge” in the year 2019, and said “pussy” 42 times on a track called “Pussy.” It’s not like he played things safe.

Young Thug is sharpening his album-making skills just as his wider appeal is catching up with his influence and ingenuity. As a result, we get So Much Fun, the rare chart-topping album that isn’t afraid to take risks and exist in its own universe. Mainstream success has never been so much fun. —Eric Skelton

Label: Republic Records

Released: February 8

The past two years have been intense for Ariana Grande. As we’ve seen play out across social media and the media as a whole, there have been major triumphs and earth-shattering sorrows. Even Grande herself admits that last year “was one of the best years in my career and like, the worst of my life.” But if 2018’s Sweetener were the opener of Grande’s latest saga, her fifth studio album, thank u, next, is the climax. 

This is a bulletproof pop album with daring vocals and bold production. Doubling down on soulful riffs and vulnerable songwriting, Ari creates a picture that draws a connection to what fans have gathered in the news, but also flips her story upside down, offering a more complete vantage point. The project is 41 minutes of contradictions. She’s “needy,” yet she craves freedom and independence on “NASA.” She refuses to hide her imperfections on “fake smile,” while concealing them behind a cloak of jewels on “7 rings.” Grande is a beautiful mess throughout this record, but she wouldn’t be able to succeed in reclaiming her own narrative, as we see on the title track, “thank u, next,” without each opposing view. Ariana Grande one of the biggest pop stars in the world, but because of this approach to songwriting from her and her team, she comes across as very human on thank u, next.

The album doubles as a therapy exercise that you can work through with your best friends (we can give much credit to Victoria Monét and Tayla Parx, in Ari’s case), as it tackles the process of grappling with failed relationships, stumbling through grief, and disarming inner demons up close. Although thank u, next is heavily inspired by a mess of past romances, there are pockets of self-affirmation nestled throughout the 12-song tracklist that highlight Ariana’s new sense of self-discovery and acceptance. The culmination of working through her emotional healing in real time is a truly vulnerable and relatable project that reflects her own experiences. Faced with intense emotional turmoil, Ariana Grande delivered a crown jewel in her increasingly strong discography. —Jessica McKinney

Label: Madlib Invazion/ESGN/Keep Cool/RCA Records

Released: June 28

“There’s definitely not an album like this.” That’s what Freddie Gibbs told Complex shortly before the release of Bandana. And the Gary, Indiana, export was exactly right. There’s nothing like Bandana—not even Piñata, the previous full-length collaboration between him and the eccentric, genius producer Madlib. Bandana is the soul to its predecessor’s jazz, and stylistically diverse compared to the earlier project’s intense focus. Bandana is filled with beat switches, ones Gibbs insisted on to challenge himself. “When you can rap on one beat and keep rapping seamlessly when the beat change, I feel like that’s a great technical skill,” he explained. “I want Madlib to challenge me as an MC and take me to different levels of making music that I never knew I could unlock.” He did. Gibbs is an absolute beast on the mic, and Bandana is his apex. He’s a master of tone and of rhythm, and handles whatever bizarre curveballs his musical partner throws his way with ease.

Freddie Gibbs uses these songs to work through difficult issues. He tackles issues around his country (“Crackers came to Africa, ravaged, raffled, and rummaged me/America was the name of they fuckin’ company”); issues about artistic representation (“Fuck Spike, he mostly show Malcolm on coke and white whores/Did the shit so he can get fundin’ up from them white boys”); and issues about the effects his past has on him (“Every time I sleep/Dead faces occupy my brain.”) When you’re on a level this high, you only want other elites around you. So the guests on the album fit that bill: Killer Mike, Yasiin Bey, Black Thought, and, of course, Pusha-T, who very nearly—but not quite—“Renegade”s his host on “Palmolive” with a verse of the year contender. 

And the beats! Madlib broke his relative silence to claim that he made the music on an iPad. Whatever his tools, the production on Bandana is a captivating mix of accessible and challenging. The producer, one half of arguably the quintessential underground rap duo, even tries something close to modern trap on “Half Manne Half Cocaine,” and pulls it off. Like Gibbs himself said, there’s definitely not an album like this. —Shawn Setaro

Label: Columbia Records

Released: May 17

Tyler, the Creator’s IGOR is an expression of freedom. It’s the kind of album that could only be made by a musician who spent the past decade patiently perfecting his skills and building a massive group of fans who loyally support his every artistic whim. It’s a project created without the weight of expectations—fully unconcerned with any preconceived notions of what a Tyler, the Creator album should sound like. Instead, it’s IGOR, a defiant release that confidently bucks traditional genre boundaries and song structure norms. It’s the album Tyler has always wanted to make.

Hours before the project arrived, Tyler shared a note on Twitter and famously told fans not to “expect a rap album.” IGOR is still guided by his hip-hop sensibilities, and it contains flashes of exceptional rapping on songs like “What’s Good,” but the warning served as our first hint that Tyler was about to take his furthest leap yet from the genre most still associate him with. After emerging with raw, rebellious rap songs like “Yonkers” and “Sandwitches,” he now prefers coloring with a blend of R&B, funk, hip-hop, and neo-soul influences. He’s been showing signs of these yearnings since experimental, genre-defying cuts on Goblin like “She” and “AU79,” but in 2019, nearly a decade later, his technical skills have finally caught up with his grandest ambitions. IGOR is an album full of nimble compositional maneuvers, as Tyler freely dances from one sonic palette to the next, and the 28-year-old auteur is uniquely equipped to pull it all off.

Armed with a sharpened set of tools, Tyler made a breakup album that you could play at the beach if you wanted to. These are heartbreaking songs about the dark side of romance, but Tyler chooses to pair most of them with sunny musical backdrops. “Gone Gone / Thank You” features lyrics about losing a lover, contrasted by euphoric arrangements that sound like something you’d expect to hear during a warm and fuzzy love sequence in a coming-of-age film. “Are We Still Friends?” asks heavyhearted questions of a former lover, paired with twinkling production and soothing vocal harmonies. Delivered with the most emotionally nuanced songwriting of Tyler’s career, IGOR is at once brutal and sugary sweet—a reflection of love itself.

Tyler happily embraces risk throughout IGOR. His impossibly deep vocals have always found a natural home on rap songs, but he decides to sing all over this album instead. He’s reached the level of visibility to attempt down-the-middle radio hits if he’s so inclined, but he chooses to make artful pop music that matches his personal tastes. He has access to enough A-list collaborators to build a star-studded tracklist, but he opts to discreetly utilize talents like Kanye West and Lil Uzi Vert with unlisted guest spots. And, as he proudly announces on the album cover, he elects to write, produce, and arrange each song entirely himself. Every one of these gambles paid off on IGOR, and Tyler, the Creator wound up with the best album of 2019. —Eric Skelton