In 2020, you may be listening to new rap albums. The year has been crazy so far. We’ve had natural disasters, quarantines, and pandemics. But through music and technology, we’ve grown closer together as a species. Here’s a look at some of the albums you should check out. Listed below are some of my favorite albums of the year. Enjoy! And stay tuned for more reviews of new rap albums in 2020.
Circles
It’s difficult to put Mac Miller’s death in context with his music, but the late rapper’s influence is still palpable on Circles. While the rapper passed away about half a year ago, his legacy lives on. His newest album, Circles, reinvigorates his gifts as an artist and his gift to the world. Fans will also be reminded of Miller’s unique stage personality. “F**k the bulls**t,” he sings in “Blue World,” while the rapping is only a small part of the album. This message is appropriate for Miller’s character. His fan base will surely grow with the release of Circles.
The album’s producers have put a contemporary stamp on the material, including the rap-driven “Rockin’ With the Best.” The album also features a reggae-inflected rocker, “Always Southern California,” and the hip-hop/metal hybrid “Soundboy Killa.” The production is moody, with glassy piano and ambient electronic flourishes. And while the album’s lyrics are often depressing, they do offer a welcome change of pace.
The album is available on iTunes for pre-order and comes out on January 17. The tracklist and artwork can be found here. Check out the full tracklist and artwork here. It’s sure to be a hit. Make sure to buy the album if you want to keep it. Enjoy it! You’ll be glad you did. It will be hard not to. You’ll feel good after hearing it. After all, it’s been a crazy year for everyone!
Off The Grid, Vol. 1
Rapper Diddy has announced his upcoming album, Off The Grid, Vol. 1, which is set to drop on September 24. While this may be the first album in a series, fans should not be surprised to see some familiar faces in the mixtape. The rapper previously collaborated with Lil’ Kim, Big Sean, and Ty Dolla $ign, among other artists. The new album will be his first album since 2015’s Money Makin Mitch mixtape.
It has been a while since we heard anything new from Diddy, but he made a huge announcement last summer regarding his upcoming album. He told fans that Off The Grid, Vol. 1 would arrive on September 24, 2021. Since then, we haven’t heard much about the project. However, Diddy recently hired new management firm Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, who previously managed artists like The Weeknd and Doja Cat. Slaiby is also Diddy’s manager and is working with artists such as French Montana and Ty Dolla $ign.
The album will be Diddy’s first major release since 2015’s MMM. The album’s title is a riff on his 2002 track “I Need a Girl (Part 2),” which he penned. The album is also a tribute to Uptown Records founder Andre Harrell. In May, Diddy legally changed his middle name to “Love,” and hired the artist’s manager to handle his future projects.
Migos’ Cultural Service
The clumsy packaging, dull songs and lackluster production are what have made Migos’ comeback album such a hit. The comeback has helped quench the thirst of many young artists, a sentiment which is especially important with the rise of the hip-hop industry. The new album features the likes of Gucci Mane, Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert.
Culture III was released on September 16, 2018, just two days after Migos’ previous album, Culture, was pulled from streaming services. The album’s first five-track deluxe edition hit streaming services on Thursday, making it count towards the first week sales. Offset teased a new deluxe edition on Twitter, and fans flooded the social media site with comments wondering where their favorite album was. The deluxe edition’s popularity could be the difference between Culture III hitting the top of the Billboard 200.
The latest Migos release comes in the form of the fourth and final album in their trilogy. The album is available on Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music and Google Play, and is packaged with a capsule collection from the Gallery Dept. label. The latest Culture album is a continuation of the previous two, and features A-list co-stars like Juice WRLD, Youngboy NBA and Pop Smoke. Migos trade high-octane rhymes with their A-list collaborators in a lavish visual.
Logic’s Vinyl Days
Logic’s seventh studio album, Vinyl Days, was released on June 17, 2022. Released on Def Jam Recordings and Visionary Music Group, it is Logic’s final release with the record label. Featuring songs produced by Avicii and Dave Grohl, the album contains eighteen songs and is a psychedelic journey that will keep listeners interested for years to come.
Despite its short runtime, Logic manages to pack a lot of punch into these relatively short tracks. Most tracks last less than three minutes, and many are only two minutes long. This makes Vinyl Days more of a mixtape than a full-length album, and the record is largely sample-heavy boom-bap, with slick flows and witty lyricism. Funkmaster Flex makes an appearance on several tracks, which adds an extra layer of wittyness to the tracks.
Logic’s latest album, Vinyl Days, comes with a hefty dose of bitterness and disappointment. Although Logic lays out his reasons for quitting music, he explains that he had a fantasy about killing YouTube music critic Anthony Fantano. But he claims to have moved on, but Vinyl Days is heavy with bitterness and a desire for respect. It is clear that the rapper does not wish to be a one-dimensional artist, but rather aims to be a cultural icon.
Logic’s There Is No End
Logic has just released a trailer for his latest studio album, There Is No End, which he describes as a sci-fi motion picture. The story takes place one hundred years in the future, after Earth becomes uninhabitable due to severe human intervention. The story centers around characters who travel to a new planet called Paradise and play The Incredible True Story. Logic plays the role of the main character, and also stars Kevin Randolph and Steven Blum as his co-stars Thomas and Kai. Anna Elyn Palchikoff also plays Thalia, which is another reference to her role in a music video.
Logic’s music video for “A2Z” features a voice similar to that of Thalia, which appeared on his previous projects. During this segment, Logic sings about teaching his son Little Bobby the alphabet, while a lower pitched voice repeats each letter. The entire intro has the trademark Logic elements – an atmospheric atmosphere, compelling lyricism, and a focused flow.
Earthgang’s gives or take
EarthGang’s debut album, “Mirrorland,” focuses on the city of Atlanta and its rich musical heritage. The group stages their diverse influences in a carnival atmosphere. Mirrorland showcases the city’s diversity and melds them into a cohesive whole. The lyrical content also captures the essence of the city. Despite the album’s atypical format, it is a refreshing change from the usual rap album.
The group’s early success was based on its performances at local music festivals. In January, EarthGang performed at the Bay Dreams festival in New Zealand, where the COVID-19 cases were still rare. The band set high goals for themselves, which led to some sacrifices. Despite the challenges of touring while on the road, EarthGang was praised in the music press for “Wings.”
While the band’s sound has always been open-minded, its latest material shows a concentrated experimentation process. There are echoes of the days when DJ Khaled sat down and created Frankenstein, a project aimed at educating the public about how to take care of themselves and be self-sustaining. The band’s latest project is one of the best albums of the year, and if you’ve been waiting for new material since Spilligion, this is the album for you.
Simz’s B.I.B.L.E.
Little Simz’s latest album is a mix of lyricism and instrumental diversity that captures the complex nature of the current political climate. With its jazz and soul samples and climatic crescendos, B.I.B.L.E. has the makings of a magnum opus. If Simz can keep this level of quality up, he’ll likely have no problem topping himself.
The title of Simz’s new single “Introvert” is a personal and political statement. It speaks to the crucible of injustice and inequality in our society. It’s a visceral essay that is fed by fear, exhaustion, and an intense political awakening. The song is a perfect example of how songwriting is about exposing one’s vulnerabilities and making them known.
Little Simz is a British rapper and actress who was born in the capital of England. She studied at the University of West London and produced her debut independent album in 2015. In 2016, she released a follow-up album called “Shotgun.”
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