1. Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes – What Kinda Music
Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes What Kinda Music is a masterful collaboration between two artists of very different disciplines, and one of the most unique and seamlessly original projects of its ilk to date. Moving fluidly through sleek electronica, progressive jazz, vintage hip-hop and so much more, Misch and Dayes take their listener on a ride that is by turns surprising and spontaneous, heady and head-spinning, and nothing less than compelling – a singular vision that fuses the DNA of both musicians with spectacular results.
2. Nas – King’s Disease
King’s Disease sets the stage for a reimagined future while paying homage to legacy, highlighting the prowess of the King’s experience. Through a diverse range of uplifting, hard hitting, and melodic tracks, King’s Disease is a full bodied project that showcases both the battles and the brilliance of life on a pedestal. The title is emblematic of the privilege and responsibility of kingship, acknowledging that not even royalty is immune to suffering.
3. knxwledge – 1988
1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage SP–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered.
4. Elaquent – Forever Is A Pretty Long Time
Producer/arranger Elaquent quarterbacks a towering musical treasure on his latest album, Forever is Pretty Long Time – a production that includes creative assists from Oddisee, Chester Watson, Blu, Guilty Simpson, Brainorchestra and more. At any given time, Elaquent offers up astral-traveling, soul-steeped magic for a stellar cast of vocalists to build on. Standout cuts include a starlit ride down the highway called “Social Experiment“; the vaporous opening salvo “Guidelines“; some flavorfully rich afro-futurism in the form of an instrumental piece called “Jollof“; a beautifully gliding touch of neo-soul called “One Week“; and my personal favorite – the stutter stepping navel-gaze that is “Guidelines“.
5. Busta Rhymes – Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God On Busta Rhymes‘ E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front, the bona fide Hip Hop legend warned listeners of the dark times that were to come. It’s as if Busta foreshadowed the events because, in the 22 years since that album, the world has seen its fair share of catastrophic events. With his newest album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, Busta is back in top form to warn listeners of another impending doom if things aren’t in order. Fast forward to 2020, and Busta has his most honest and true to form album since E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front. On E.L.E. 2, Busta is as loud and bombastic as ever and channels back to a time where he sounded like he had fun making music. He dives into several topics on this album, including the end of the world, black pride, and challenging white supremacy while delivering that trademark Busta Rhymes chaos.