Top 10 Albums of the Year | 2024 Rap-Up

2024 was a real mixed bag, with some old school legends delivering new material, whilst more recent generations try to find legend-status. Not everything was great this year and there's been some underwhelming projects. More positively though, there's been projects that have completely blown me away from artists I didn't expect. Here's my top 10 Hip Hop albums of 2024 as well as some other categories below such as best song, best instrumental and so on... 

10) Benny the Butcher - Everybody Can't Go

It feels like an absolute age since this dropped, basically the first album that I checked out in 2024, having had it in rotation since the end of January, I can confidently say Everybody Can't Go is a more than solid album. The beats are well produced, catchy, hard-hitting, at times glamourous, and Benny rides them with his gritty and tough lyrics. Benny's a master at braggadocios rapping but also plugs in some good choruses, to keep the albums accessibility up, for example on the track Big Tymers, and One Foot In. The features were all decent as well, notably Lil Wayne on Big Dog who killed his verse with some great wordplay and slick rhyme schemes. Yeah overall, a quality gangster rap album with raw lyrics and nice production to kick the year off from one of the best rappers in the game right now.

Star Track - Big Dog

9) Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn - Do It Yourself

Another year and another Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn album that I enjoyed and makes my top 10. Often these guys music can be a little 'samey' but it's a style I really gel with and I do think they make conscious efforts to avoid that label, for example, the sort of low-fi feel of The Escapade, and the break-beat on Book Smart with Frankie really doubling down on his monotone talkative flow. Jam Toast has a really lovely kitchen sink, British feel to it, a bitter sweetness that radiates from UK music sometimes. Frankie was filling the tracks with his relatable and personal lyrics, as always plenty of vulnerability on show, even displaying uncertainty in what to do in his life. There was moments of frustration, of being an independent artist, and Britain too, moments of reminiscing, moments of embarrassment and moments of pride and often a mix of it all, I particularly like the lyric on Book Smart where he says "I feel embarrassed when I meet new people, they ask what my job is and I say that I spit, I don't know why, it's just what it is, I don't know why, but it's just what I think, B said "is this your car" when I met him, and it made me feel good just for a second". I think this sums up the content you can expect from Frankie, heart on sleeve, all on show, very authentic no matter what tone or experience he's delivering. Shoutout to Harvey Gunn as well some of the best beats of the year, especially D.I.Y and Stockholm Syndrome. Overall, an incredible duo and still not bored of their output.

Star Track - Jam Toast

8) Kendrick Lamar - GNX

After taking the W in the Drake feud, Kendrick celebrated a few months later and dropped a great album. Much shorter and less conceptual than the dense and the uber personal Mr Morale. But the lyrics on GNX are still smart and introspective, for example on wacced out murals where he comes out sniping at detractors, or on man at the garden where he's bragging and brimming with his confidence telling you he deserves his flowers, the beat is also very similar to One Mic by Nas and the backing vocals add a nice sleepiness and emotion to the song. Sonically, I think Kendrick saw the success of Not Like Us and continued to delve into that sound, songs like hey now and squabble up have that west coast g-funky flair, and tv off undoubtedly sounds like Not Like Us with a similar style of refrains in the hook and the instrumental as well. The let's say, shouting, was an interesting decision on that song though. Overall, it was nice to see Kendrick put something out like this, something that is a little bit lighter, bit funner, just a tracklist with a lot of bangers, unique beat choices and clever flows. Knowing Kendrick, whatever is next will be completely different, but this was a solid addition to the discography.

Star Track - man at the garden

7) Kofi Stone - A Man After God's Own Heart

5 years seems a large gap between the first and second album, but that is what it was for Kofi Stone. Releasing the impressive Nobody Cares Till Everybody Does in 2019, Kofi returned in 2024 with A Man After God's Own Heart. Kofi proved once more he is extremely talented and 

very underrated. As a lyricist, his flow is always tight, and his rhyme schemes are always several syllables and delivered with precision. His flow in the last leg of King David Flow is super lyrical and super smooth, where he raps "living the raps, said I would never relax, they know I deliver the gold, the bigger the flow, the bigger the cap", but the whole last verse has a sick rhythm to it. He can hold a note as well and doesn't shy away from getting involved with his choruses, for example on the song You Deserve Love. Overall, it's a beautiful, chilled album, Kofi is another MC who puts so much into his music. His bars and beats are always really thoughtful, some of them are nice jazz rap with relaxing keys and slick basslines, like on These Years are Golden. Colours In My Mind displays Kofi's storytelling chops as he retells a night out in, I presume, Birmingham (his home town). In the story he struggles with a mullet trimmed bouncer, a homeless person, and in the queue to get into a bar, someone asks him if he is selling drugs. The story doesn't really go anywhere but it's a fun track nonetheless. The track Black Joy was a Kanye-esque soul-chopped beat with a positive message of black empowerment. The album is stacked with gorgeous boom bap beats, conscious and clever rapping, and vibey hooks, but the song which takes the cake is Lavender, awesome track with a soulful and catchy chorus and beat. Yeah, sick album Kofi, I can see why this was 5 years in the making, quality!

Star Track - Lavender

6) Ghetts - On Purpose, With Purpose

Legendary UK technician Ghetts dropped a great album in February, in my opinion he managed to go above and beyond the quality of Conflict of Interest (2021). His techy flow and clever rhyme schemes keep the verses interesting, but also the overall versatility of the album does too. Despite having some greazy lyrics, he doesn't mind switching it up and being more vulnerable as well. We get hard, barred up tracks like Anakin (Red Saber), Blood On My Hands, and Laps in the first half of the album, but then in the second half we get softer tracks like Mine which is a bit of an RnB fusion love song, it's a little bit cheesy but still the verses are all slick in terms of flow and rhyme schemes. Blessings is a really uplifting bashment tune which goes over really catchy and great. Likewise the short tune Tumbi before that has a nice sample in the beat acting as a catchy little refrain. On top of the mix of softer tunes and hardcore tracks, we have the conscious side of Ghetts as well, for example on the song Double Standards featuring Sampha. The instrumental feels super live and clear with chilled drums and a jazzy bassline, Sampha does his thing on the hook with that iconic and unique voice, and Ghetts drops fax throughout his verses. Discussing the hypocrisy of the UK supporting Ukraine but not Palestine, the hypocrisy of being a hero killing for your country but a villain if you kill your postcode, and also another double standard of judges treating people harder for drug possession than certain other crimes that can occur. There's systemic racism in some of these examples that Ghetts points out, but he also expresses frustration in the state paying politicians more than they pay teachers. Exposing a country that prioritises certain classes more than others. But yeah it's a heavy album, really well produced, rapping is spot-on as usual from Ghetts, and you can take so much from the album, with plenty of different vibes to enjoy, On Purpose, With Purpose.

Star Track - Laps

5) Eminem - The Death of Slim Shady

Eminem has been busy in the last few years, dropping 2 parts of his Music To Be Murdered By project over 2020, then we got Curtain Call 2 which was just a modern-era greatest hits compilation, then a couple of expanded editions from previous albums due to anniversaries, so even though 'out and out' new music has been a bit rarer, it does feel like we've seen a lot of Em in the 2020's. With that said, I was quite glad that this album is more of a concept of him trying to overcome his Slim Shady alter-ego, it meant there was a specific angle to the project and gave more of a purpose and reason for some of the grimmer lyrics. Plus, because he's been around a fair bit recently, we don't massively need an update on his life really. He makes a lot of social commentary, taking swipes at I guess 'wokeness', which is the more boring side of the album. But then kind of takes the more progressive view on things as well, so he does this sort of tight-rope walk between taking on 'cancel culture' but then also having the back of minorities as well, I guess that is both Eminem and Slim Shady getting involved and fighting over the direction of the songs/album. The fun parts of the album are where he's just completely going off and rapping to the highest standard, whether that is the multi-syllable rhyme schemes that he kills on Evil, or the hilariously witty and sharp lyrics on Antichrist, or the infectious flows on Fuel, featuring JID who also kills his verse. Lastly, the highly personal and cold verse on Head Honcho needs a mention, plus a great contribution from Ez Mil too. The albums concept is a bit muddled in terms of the ordering of events and songs, but overall apart from some cornier punchlines and wordplay and some tiresome subject matter, the rapping is class, the hooks are brilliant and the beats are solid, and certainly a step-up on both Music To Be Murdered By projects. 

Star Track - Fuel

4) Erick the Architect - I've Never Been Here Before

For me, Future Proof EP (2021) is a classic EP and quality back to front, so seeing Erick dropped his first full-length album was brilliant news. I've Been Here Before is a great continuation of his story and music, it's nice and versatile with sick production. There are some hype moments like where he's spitting quicker with a slick flow on 2-3 Zone but the stripped back beat keeps things chilled until it switches up to a darker and heavier trap beat with grumbling bass hits. The quintessential vibe and style of the album is probably one that's more relaxed though, like on Breaking Point with its soulful beat and catchy gospel chorus, or the jazzy instrumental on Ezekiel's Wheel. Shook Up has a nice blend of something that is calmer with it's percussion but then both Erick and Joey Bada$$ murk their verses they turn the track up a bit, as does the chorus. Yeah, it's an album stacked with great tracks, other highlights include Instincts featuring a vintage WESTSIDE BOOGIE performance who really puts his all into his feature, rapping and singing. Also the track Ambrosia with its baked and smokey instrumental, it's a nice sing-a-long hook that would be kind of 'chanted' in unison, the song is quite dancey and the verses ride the beat well helping along its momentum. I also really like the energy Erick puts into his voice on the song Mandevillain. Overall, it's a great Hip Hop record for Erick and for the year, it'll be tough to beat for him but I think he could.

Star Track - Breaking Point

3) Tierra Whack - WORLD WIDE WHACK

Tierra Whack's WORLD WIDE WHACK is quite a minimalist record, with stripped back production and short tracks that get to the point very fast. As an overall package, it works splendidly and is addicting. From top to bottom, starting with MOOD SWINGS where she brags but also admits shortcomings in her own self, also down to the song 27 CLUB at the end which is a sung track that's quite heartbreaking really, discussing the though of suicide, and the song-title relating to previous celebrities that have passed away at a young age. Mental health is picked up throughout the album, the track NUMB is super raw and harrowing, with some cold lyrics to listen to, I've spoke about my love of the chorus on this song when I reviewed it first time round, but I've also picked up these bars since that I think are gut-punch to listen to, "lost control of my emotions, devil keep provoking, my joy has been stolen". Tierra's cadence is really nice to listen to, the rhyme schemes are well placed in terms of sometimes simple, sometimes complex, to fit the vibe, and this happens really well on the song INVITATION, the flow is very endearing - like when she says "every song I drop I change the sound" (but basically the whole track has this flow). INVITATION also is one of the best examples of that stripped back instrumental style I was referring to. Other highlights are MOOVIES which is a bit of a cheesy rom-com tune but with her kind of cynicism it works more than that. SHOWER SONG is a fun funky singalong as the title suggests with a really catchy hook. SNAKE EYES is also a harder and darker moment in terms of spitting, those hums on the chorus really work, and also the haunting keys and big 808's in the beat too. To conclude, I absolutely love this concise, 0-skips record, I hope Tierra is all good, and yeah Tierra's very talented and unique as well, I don't know many albums that have made me feel the range of feelings that this one has.

Star Track - NUMB

2) Lupe Fiasco - Samurai

These next two albums is where the quality steps up and these are elite 2024 albums. It was hard to decide which one was better but this is the order that I have gone for. Sumurai is loosely based on what would happen if Amy Winehouse decided to become a battle rapper. I know that sounds incredibly whacky and a bit corny, but because the narrative is so disjointed, unordered and quite passive, it works and doesn't have a massive toll on the listening experience at all. You only notice it really in a few lyrics here and there and from external media around the album such as interviews Lupe did. I think it adds to the fun and sideways nature of the album. It's quite a witty album whilst Lupe is also rapping very clinically, flows are going nuts, rhyme schemes are wordy and skilled and bars are clear and sharp, it really is some of the best rapping of the year, easily. Production value is high with solid beats that don't over-reach at all, just drop some nice boom-bap beats for Lupe to kill. Sometimes chilled, sometimes more intense depending on the vibe that Lupe brings. Lupe also raps some killer choruses, especially on the track Samurai and Cake - on Cake, "I've won many things I've done, but this one here, this one takes the cake". The softer moments also land well, such as on Palaces where Lupe raps "it ain't no magic, they in back of it, secret hatches and frauds, you gotta take it back to the start, you gotta tap and learn to rap from the heart", I love that line. He has a nice bit of alliteration on the track Bigfoot too where he says "every single piece and part, a piece for hearts to rest, a rest in peace to art". But yeah a relatively short album that has no skips and every track adds to the overall picture. The opening, and in my opinion best track on the album is Samurai where he rides the beat absolutely perfectly and sets the tone very well for the rest of the record. Samurai as a project is full of vivid lyrics, smooth production, exceptionally skilled rapping and some dope choruses too. The essence of being a battle rapper and having that competitive bone in your body is felt throughout the album, and Samurai really shows that bar for bar, Lupe cannot be messed with, and creatively he's out the box too.

Star Track - Samurai

1) Common and Pete Rock - The Auditorium Vol. 1

It's too early to say, but The Auditorium Vol. 1 has 'classic' potential. Everything about it is gold, from the cultured and colourful boom-bap beats of Pete Rock, to the skill and finesse that Common pens over them. It's a bit of an 'old-head' record don't get me wrong, the essence of the album is pure Hip Hop, but it's so good you can't really hold that against it. The hooks for example are straightforward sticky refrains, like on Dreamin', or a catchy sample like on Lonesome and Fortunate to name a couple. It's hard not to fall in love with this album, the respect these two have for their crafts is on show throughout the record, I like how he shouts out various other artists in the opening tracks on Dreamin' and Chi-Town Do It (with the sick Kanye sample), and the beat scratches from Pete Rock give a bit of a 90's colour to it. Common's wordplay is so natural and effortless, even the more basic pieces of wordplay come off endearing and nice. This project is full of love and soul and I can't believe the title hints to more material we could be enjoying soon. It's a very full and consistent project without any drop-offs in quality and I think that puts it on top for the year, not many albums will achieve 15 tracks of back-to-back illness. I gotta finish this review with one of my favourite lyrics from my favourite track Fortunate, - "fortunate the lord put me on a path to use the microphone for a rod and a staff, fortunate that my heart and the beat knocks, the windy city street bop I'm fortunate for Pete Rock - I'M FORTUNATE. 

Star Track - Fortunate

Here are some honourable mentions that did not quite make the top 10 list but I enjoyed nonetheless:

• Cordae - The Crossroads
• Vince Staples - Dark Times
• Roc Marciano - Marciology
• JPEGMafia - I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU
• Big Sean - Better Me Than You

Best Song:

Eminem ft JID - Fuel

(Honourable Mention: Lupe Fiasco - Samurai)

Best Beat:

Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn - D.I.Y

(Honourable Mention: Joyner Lucas ft Conway the Machine - Sticks & Stones)

Best Ensemble Track:

Erick the Architect ft Baby Rose, Pale Jay, RUDE Cat - Breaking Point

(Honourable Mention: The Alchemist ft ScHoolboy Q & Freddie Gibbs - Ferraris in The Rain Part 2)

Best Feature:

JID - Fuel by Eminem

(Honourable Mention: Lil Wayne - Big Dog by Benny The Butcher)

Best Chorus:

Vince Staples - Etouffee

(Honourable Mention: Lupe Fiasco - Samurai)

 

Best Album Art Work:

Lupe Fiasco - Samurai 

Thanks to anyone who has read an article or review in 2024, means a lot. It's been a sick year for Hip Hop I think, I hope this list gets across how much I have enjoyed it. Gassed for 2025, see you there.