Top 25 Hip Hop Songs and Albums For 2018

Westside Gunn takes my prize for top song in 2018. Here are my top 25 songs and albums for 2018. Enjoy!

Top 25 Hip Hop Songs For 2018:

1 Westside Gunn - Brutus
2 Phonte - So Help Me God
3 MED & Guilty Simpson - Life's Good
4 PRhyme - Black History
5 Willie The Kid & Klever Skemes - Golden Moments
6 Drake - That's How You Feel
7 Pete Flux & Parental - 6:30
8 Blu & Shafiq Husayn - THE COLO(U)R BLACK
9 Pete Flux & Parental - Bergermeister
10 Phonte - Expensive Genes
11 Kid Kold - Young, Wild and Reckless
12 AG - Night Of Fire
13 Westside Gunn - SaBu
14 AG - Dead Presidents
15 Krushlove - Skies Fall
16 Millyz & Statik Selektah - Pick 'Em' Up
17 Kool G Rap & 38 Spesh - Honest Truth
18 Evidence - To Make A Long Story Longer
19 Mach-Hommy - Honey Roasted
20 Kid Kold - Everything Depends On You
21 Skyzoo - Parks & Recreation
22 Royce Da 5'9" - Boblo Boat
23 J. Cole - Once An Addict (Interlude)
24 Royce Da 5'9" - God Speed
25 Nas - Simple Things


Top 25 Hip Hop Albums For 2018:

1 Pete Flux & Parental - Infinite Growth
2 Phonte - No News Is Good News
3 Drake - Scorpion
4 Westside Gunn - Supreme Blientele
5 AG - The Taste Of AMBrosia
6 PRhyme - PRhyme 2
7 Evidence - Weather or Not
8 Millyz & Statik Selektah - Saints & Sinners
9 MED & Guilty Simpson - Loyalty
10 Royce Da 5'9" - Book Of Ryan
11 Skyzoo - In Celebration Of Us
12 Conway the Machine - G.O.A.T. (Grimiest of All Time)
13 Kid Kold - The Black Gang
14 Kool G Rap & 38 Spesh - Son Of G Rap
15 Black Sheep - Tortured Soul
16 Kanye West - ye EP
17 J. Cole - KOD
18 Nas - Nasir EP
19 Roc Marciano - Rosebudd's Revenge 2
20 Camoflauge Monk - Trgovac Umjetninama EP
21 Khrysis & Elzhi - Jericho Jackson
22 Czarface and MF DOOM "Czarface Meets Metal Face"
23 Meyhem Lauren & Harry Fraud - Glass EP
24 Apollo Brown & Locksmith - No Question EP
25 DJ Muggs - Soul Assassins Dia del Asesinato

Top 25 Hip Hop Songs and Albums For 2017

Roc Marciano reigns over the kingdom in 2017.

Enjoy My Top 25 Hip-Hop Songs For 2017:

01 - Roc Marciano - Move Dope
02 - Roc Marciano - Marksmen
03 - Rick Ross - Scientology
04 - Homeboy Sandman - Clarity
05 - Edo G - Brick Buildings
06 - JuneLyfe and Hus Kingpin - Money Makin Mitch
07 - NxWorries - Wngs
08 - Ran Reed - Invasion
09 - Westside Gunn - Brains Flew By (1964 Version)
10 - Planet Asia - Made It
11 - Hus Kingpin - Cocaine City
12 - Planet Asia - The Scientific Era
13 - Action Bronson - Chairman's Intent
14 - Your Old Droog - I Only
15 - Your Old Droog - Grandma Hips
16 - KRS-ONE - The World Is MIND
17 - Kidd Called Quest - Livest on Mics
18 - Meyhem Lauren - Aquatic Violence
19 - Skyzoo - Finesse Everything
20 - Ruste Juxx - 16 Bars of Corruption
21 - Rapsody - Knock On My Door
22 - Mach Hommy - Faraday Cage
23 - Molecules & Showbiz - Good Life
24 - Juelz White - The Real
25 - Rapper Big Pooh - Big Trouble Little Child

And If You Want More Good Music, Here Are My Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums For 2017:

01 - Roc Marciano - Rosebudd's Revenge
02 - NxWorries - Yes Lawd!
03 - Planet Asia - Velour Portraits EP
04 - Hus Kingpin - Cocaine Beach
05 - Westside Gunn - Riots on Fashion Avenue EP
06 - Westside Gunn - Hitler Wears Hermes 4
07 - Your Old Droog - PACKS
08 - Ed O.G. - FreEDOm
09 - NxWorries - Yes Lawd! Remixes
10 - Juelz White - This Shit Ain't Free
11 - Apollo Brown & Planet Asia - Anchovies
12 - Mach-Hommy - Dumpmeister
13 - Molecules & Showbiz - A Bronx Tale
14 - Quelle Chris - Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often
15 - Kendrick Lamar - DAMN
16 - Jay-Z - 4:44
17 - TheWinners - Dreamteam Vol. 1
18 - Statik Selektah - 8
19 - Ruste Juxx - International Juxx
20 - Pete Flux & Parental - What They Need EP
21 - Ran Reed - Still Commanding Respect
22 - Rapper Big Pooh - Everything 4 Sale EP
23 - Skyzoo - Peddler Themes
24 - Justo & Showbiz - Black Ops
25 - Kidd Called Quest - Sampleholic 2

Top 25 Hip Hop Songs and Albums For 2016

2016 was a great year for Hip Hop, so I am forced to exclude a lot of good music from these lists. Here is what I consider the best of the best.

Here are my top 25 Hip Hop songs of 2016 - Tribe was #1 this year

1 - A Tribe Called Quest "The Space Program"
2 - Ka "Conflicted"
3 - Superstah Snuk "Still Goin'"
4 - Masta Ace "Coronation"
5 - Westside Gunn "Mr. T"
6 - Elzhi "Cosign"
7 - Ras Kass "Narcos"
8 - Masta Ace "Mothers Regret"
9 - Drake "Views"
10 - Illa Ghee "Shadow of the Streets"
11 - Sadat X "Cut and Dry"
12 - Ras Kass "The Chase"
13 - Illa Ghee "Slum"
14 - Westside Gunn "55 & a Half"
15 - A Tribe Called Quest "The Donald"
16 - Royce 5'9" "The Banjo"
17 - Royce 5'9" "Off"
18 - Kanye West "No More Parties In LA"
19 - Westside Gunn "Dudley Boyz"
20 - Kanye West "Real Friends"
21 - Havoc and The Alchemist "Hear Me Now"
22 - Termanology, Westside Gunn, Conway, Your Old Drog & Statik Selektah "The Curve"
23 - Apollo Brown and Skyzoo "They parked a Bentley on the corner"
24 - Ty Dolla $ign "$"
25 - Game "Can't Wait"

I wish I could have room for these songs as well...

Nolan the Ninja "Abyss"
Superstah Snuk "Falling In Love"
Count Bass D "My Blessing"
No Panty "Built Like This"
Masta Ace "Me & A.G."



Also, I want to share my top 25 Hip Hop albums of 2016 - Tribe was #1 this year

1 - A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service
2 - Masta Ace - The Falling Season (The One I Heard)
3 - Westside Gunn - FLYGOD
4 - Superstah Snuk - Man Of 1000 Styles
5 - Illa Ghee - Illamatic
6 - Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo
7 - Apollo Brown & Skyzoo - The Easy Truth
8 - Elzhi - Lead Poison
9 - Ras Kass - Lyrical Hip-Hop Is Dead EP
10 - Royce da 5' 9" - Layers
11 - Schoolboy Q - Blank Face LP
12 - Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered
13 - The Game - 1992
14 - Damu The Fudgemunk - Full Time
15 - Termanology - Cameo King III
16 - De La Soul - And The Anonymous Nobody
17 - Craig G - I Rap And Go Home
18 - Havoc & The Alchemist - The Silent Partner
19 - No Panty - WestSide Highway Story
20 - Meyhem Lauren - Piatto D'Oro
21 - Royce Da 59 - Trust The Shooter
22 - Westside Gunn and Conway - Don't Get Scared Now EP
23 - Nolan The Ninja - He(art)
24 - Hus Kingpin & Smoovth - HNIC
25 - Smoke DZA & Pete Rock - Don't Smoke Rock

Big Twins - King Of New York (2015) sampled The Lovelites - Got To Be There (1999 Re-release of Old Recording)

Artist:  Big Twins
Song:  King Of New York
Year:  2015
Album:  Thrive 2

Even though this album was displaced to #2 of the year by Czarface, this was the sample I wanted to use for the year end wrap up.

Here are my top 25 Hip Hop albums of 2015

25 - The Game - The Documentary 2
24 - The Game - The Documentary 2.5
23 - Maffew Ragazino - Eight Million Stories EP
22 - John Robinson & Chief - We The Prolific
21 - Large Professor - Re Living
20 - Sean Price - Songs In The Key Of Price
19 - Your Old Droog - The Nicest EP
18 - Papoose - You Can't Stop Destiny
17 - Sadat X - Never Left
16 - Edo. G - Afterwords
15 - Dr. Dre - Compton
14 - Paris - Pistol Politics
13 - Scarface - Deeply Rooted
12 - KRS ONE - Now Hear This
11 - The Shady Corps - The Shady Corps LP

And the top 10 Hop Hop albums of 2015

10 - L'Orange & And Kool Keith - Time? Astonishing!
9 - Denmark Vessey - Martin Lucid Dream
8 - Mello Music Group - Persona
7 - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
6 - Skyzoo - Music For My Friends
5 - MED, Blu and Madlib - Bad Neighbor
4 - Rapper Big Pooh and Apollo Brown - Words Paint Pictures
3 - Ka & Preservation - Days With Dr. Yen Lo
2 - Big Twins - Thrive 2 (Deluxe Edition)
1 - Czarface - Every Hero Needs A Villain


Also, I want to share my top 25 Hip Hop songs of 2015

25 - Rick Ross - Drive a Nigga Crazy
24 - ChrisCo & Black Milk - Life
23 - Curren$y - Opening Credits
22 - The Doppelgangaz - Rox Wid Her
21 - Dom Pachino and Bronze Nazereth - Sin of Tera
20 - Thirstin Howl the 3rd - Nipple In My Mouth
19 - Masta Killa - The Return Of The Masta Kill
18 - Lord Hakim - The Beginning of the End
17 - Run The Jewels - Love Again (Akinyele Back) featuring Gangsta Boo
16 - The Doppelgangaz - Cloak a Ganga Out
15 - Mello Music Group featuring Red Pill and Oh No - The Run
14 - Maffew Ragazino - Summer Nine Five
13 - Freddie Gibbs - Fuckin' Up The Count
12 - Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta
11 - Termanology - World Tour

And the top 10 Hip Hop songs of 2015

10 - Papoose - Obituary 2014
9 - Rapper Big Pooh - Candlelight
8 - Scarface - I Don't Know
7 - Raury featuring Big K.R.I.T. - Forbidden Knowledge
6 - Skyzoo - Things I Should've Told My Friends
5 - MED, Blu and Madlib - Knock Knock (featuring MF DOOM)
4 - Ka & Preservation - Day 13
3 - Big Twins - King of New York
2 - L'Orange & And Kool Keith - This New World (featuring Blu, Montage One and DJ Trackstar)
1 - Czarface - Junkyard Dogs (featuring Juju)


And some songs that I wish I could have fit into the top 25

Thirstin Howl the 3rd - Static In Melbourne
Your Old Droog - We Don't Know You
Statik Selektah - Another Level (featuring Rapsody)
Large Professor - Opulence
Rapper Big Pooh - Kings
Denmark Vessey - Nerd Niggas



Artist:  The Lovelites
Song:  Got To Be There
Year:  1999 Re-release of Old Recording
Album:  The Lovelite Years

This is one of those songs that has been covered by many different artists.  I always love samples from the lesser known versions of the song, like this one.

The Big Twins song expertly chops this beat using samples found at 0:00, 0:14, 0:51, 0:54 and 2:04.

KMD - What A Nigga Know - Remix Vocal (1994) sampled Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces Of A Man (1971)

Artist:  KMD
Song:  What A Nigga Know - Remix Vocal (featuring M.F. Grimm)
Year:  1994
Album:  What A Nigga Know 12-inch Single

This song was released in 1994 on a 12-inch Single and eventually wound up as bonus material on the Black Bastards album.

Artist:  Gil Scott-Heron
Song:  Pieces Of A Man
Year:  1971
Album:  Pieces Of A Man

My distant relative provided another great sample to Hip Hop.  KMD used the 4-bar loop starting at 2:15.

Casual - Later On (LP Version) (1994) sampled Herbie Hancock - Trust Me (1979)

Artist:  Casual
Song:  Later On (LP Version)
Year:  1994
Album:  A Low Down Dirty Shame OST

This song appeared on the soundtrack for the movie "A Low Down Dirty Shame" but I had the 12-inch single with Souls Of Mischief "Get The Girl, Grab The Money & Run" and Extra Prolific "In Front Of The Kids".  All three songs were on the movie soundtrack.

Artist:  Omniscence
Song:  Indeed
Year:  2014
Album:  The God Hour

Omniscence was one of those lyrical punchline guys from the 1990's whose eagerly anticipated album was shelved.  I heard the album years ago but it was released recently on a high quality version.  This song appears on an EP from late last year and he still delivers the goods as if 20 years haven't passed.

Artist:  Herbie Hancock
Song:  Trust Me
Year:  1979
Album:  Feets Don't Fail Me Now

Herbie Hancock was sampled for Casual's 2-bar baseline starting at 1:59.  Another 2-bar sample from 3:15 is heard during the chorus.

Omniscence sampled the 4-bar loop starting at 1:48.

Masta Ace Incorporated - People In My Hood (1995) sampled Al Green - Home Again (1975)

Artist:  Masta Ace Incorporated
Song:  People In My Hood
Year:  1995
Album:  Sittin' On Chrome

Is Masta Ace the best Emcee of all time?  A case can be made to give him a spot in the Top 5, especially when you consider his longevity and success.

Artist:  Smoovth
Song:  Happiness
Year:  2010
Album:  Little Boy Blue

A Representative Sample reader put me on to this song and inspired this post.  Check out this gem.

Artist:  Al Green
Song:  Home Again
Year:  1975
Album:  Livin' For You

The Al Green catalog is huge and it should come as no surprise that I am still learning about samples from his records.

Masta Ace used the one-bar loop from 0:09 and occasionally used the one-bar from 1:09.

The Smoovth song is a masterful chopping job with too many samples to list.  The intro used a short sample from 1:28.  The main part of the song used samples from 1:12 to 1:30 and the end of the song used a sample from 0:56 to 0:59 with some other pieces.