The Best Albums of 2022 (So Far)
Recently this year so many albums have been dropped, only half of 2022 has passed, yet we’ve already seen an abundance of noteworthy endeavors. Hip- hop’s biggest names, from Kendrick Lamar to Future to Dälek, have all released chart-topping albums. You may also check out the latest albums from artists like 21 Savage, Latto, and Elucid if you’re more into the lyrically inclined underground rap scene.
Concerts and music festivals have returned in full force as we approach summer, and we’re once again treated to significant new releases every Friday. Of course, sorting through all of this new music is a task in and of itself. Musicians has produced a list of the year’s finest albums to date. For those of you who haven’t already, we have compiled a list of a few of them.
Best Hip Hop Album in 2022
Precipice by Dälek
Precipice, Dälek’s eighth album, is their most recent release, and it is virtually bursting with rage and strength. Precipice is mostly the work of the main combo, Will Brooks, nicknamed MC Dälek, and Mike Manteca, with a cameo by Tool’s Adam Jones.
Although Precipe is a fine album, It has boom bap-driven rhythms supported by ominous ambient droning create a mood that is generally dark and gloomy, which is made worse by MC Dälek’s thought-provoking semi-abstract lyrics. The album Precipe is a slow-burner, making it an appropriate record for the turbulent and unsettling circumstances in which we find ourselves right now.
“Montega” by French Montana & Harry Fraud
It seems as if Montega was designed to be a money-losing venture on purpose, similar to the way that fashion firms intentionally make losses on their catwalk displays in order to demonstrate the most uncompromising aspects of their brand identity. It is not about the moment that Montega is about; rather, it is about the movement, the legacy of a sound, and a state of mind that Fraud and Montana can create whenever they want. In this state of mind, there is a priority placed on being open to one’s emotions and making some space for what truly matters. A non-commercial music for riding the largest wave of them all.
“Forever” by Phife Dawg
The Phife Dawg Estate released Forever, a 13-track tribute to Phife’s intrinsic lyrical skill, on the anniversary of the Five-Foot Assassin’s death, six years after he died. The whole album exudes an unique feeling of nostalgia, from the New York boom bap of “Nutshell 2,” which includes Busta Lyrics and Redman, to the Tribe classic Q’s “Dear Tip’s Dilla (Reprise),” which harkens back to an era of dense lyrics and pleasantly simple rhythms.
‘Folarin II’ by Wale
The legacy of Wale remains safe and sound. The rapper from Washington, DC, was a driving factor behind the birth of DC Hip Hop, along with Shy Glizzy and Fat Trel. This movement was essential in laying the groundwork for the dynamic music culture that exists today in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV). His most recent studio album, Folarin II, which is a sequel to his successful mixtape from 2012, has DC’s best reminding audiences of his influence on the game. Folarin II is a project that encourages fans to offer flowers when they’re merited, and in Wale’s case, it’s overdue. The project mixes a combination of trunk-rattling bangers, silky R&B tracks, and hosts a cast of some of the finest rappers of the past and present.
Best rap album in 2022
‘777’ by Latto
Latto starts the two-part title track off strong by refusing to relinquish her throne before exchanging verses with 21 Savage on “Wheelie.” As she expands beyond her trap beginnings and seamlessly switches between rapping and singing, 777’s remaining tracks include a range of musical styles. She competes head-to-head with well-known performers along the line without ever being overshadowed. Rap album enthusiasts are also fans of slang, and it’s likely that you’d want to be conversant in a few phrases and slang terms as well.
“Meltz my eyes to view your future” by Denzel Curry
Curry doesn’t attempt to be flawless or master any one sound or concept on Melt My Eyez See Your Future. Instead, he makes an effort to concentrate on the immediate task at hand, whether that is discussing mental health concerns with more honesty than ever before or addressing racial and social injustice in a more approachable way than in the past. While this is happening, the production expands beyond hip-hop to include elements like jazz and drum ‘n’ bass. Curry is able to reach a new audience with his songs by looking within.
‘I Told Bessie’ by ELUCID
‘I Told Bessie’ is one of ELUCID’s most concentrated and direct efforts to date. ELUCID’s punchlines are memorable, the bars fall with a thud, and the whole album follows a consistent theme. A dedication to his grandmother, who instilled in him “early principles of Black awareness,” the album bears her name. Elucid says he wanted to honor her and recognize her influence on his life path with this album. Some of the greatest, clearest songs he’s written have come from that strong, obvious aim. As Elucid’s most accessible album, it’s all about perspective. Rapping over mind-boggling, experimental production, he nevertheless employs a mind-boggling approach to his language. The music on this album has a head in the clouds and a heart firmly rooted on the ground. Thrilling and unpredictability await in the middle.
Deathfame by Quelle Chris
Quelle Chris’ most recent album, titled ‘Deathfame’, the Detroit MC explores several aspects of fame, including how it affects a “king of the underground” like himself. Chris knows that stardom is not a seamless journey; rather, it is littered with setbacks and anxieties that he tries to keep hidden from the eyes of the public. It’s not going to be uplifting and joyous at every single turn of the event. He raps with an introspective clarity that, for most artists, takes their whole career to attain. This clarity is achieved by crawling over a mountain of piano jazz production that tends toward sadness. In contrast to Chris’s last album with Keys, which was a breezy and effortless journey through life and death, Deathfame lacks the same airiness throughout its whole album. There are extensive portions of the production that are characterized by murkiness and musical noise, and over these portions, Chris will twist his voice and change the pace as necessary.
