Whilst 2015 was big, 2016 was absolutely immense, with various records ramping up the pace of the hurtling train that was commercial Hip Hop. But what was also great about 2016 was that big artists were also taking experimental risks and pushing themselves to make different stuff to what they had made before. 2016 was so stacked I'd be here till '27 if I tried to write about every significant release from that year, so instead, here are 7 that have arguably aged the best and the artist in question hasn't done anything to make them toxic enough to avoid talking about in this article...
Anderson .Paak - Malibu
I think everyone who has heard this album would say it's such a lovely album, full of character, charm and beautiful music, integrating jazz and soul into a modern Hip Hop experience. With good vocal chops we know Anderson Paak can sing very well and we hear that on tracks like The Bird and Carry Me. Anderson Paak comes across like a very likeable, humble guy on Malibu, and it's hard not to love him and this album when he also displays so much talent at the same time. I think a good example is his verse on Without You featuring Rapsody, I like the lyric where he spits "Papa said when I get older get a girl like your momma, but I'm twenty (cough) years old and running out of options". That little moment reflecting that he can be relatable and isn't afraid to be vulnerable and self deprecate, and there's numerous other moments like that too. As well as the production being really cool and the verses being full of charisma, we also have a very strong hook game, for example on songs like Parking Lot which is a proper mover, as well as Without You and the closer The Dreamer. Overall, a beautiful album which has aged tremendously.
Star Track - Without You
Kendrick Lamar - Untitled Unmastered
Back in 2023 I ranked this as my least favourite Kendrick album, with the caveat of me still believing it to be a good album, and it is - which essentially shows the strength of the discog and my enjoyment for his music. Officially a compilation album, made up of demos from 2013-2016 when Kdot was at the peak of his powers, in that era of GKMC, TPAB and DAMN, so it's no wonder this side project still boasts tracks with unique production and high quality rapping. The quirky production was on show no more than on untitled 02 where heavy 808's dominate the trap bassline with wobbly sax lines in and out over the top, meanwhile Dot locks into a wordy and menacing flow in the middle section. Another notable flow is on the following track where Kendrick drops a relentless flow whilst covering four verses where in each he speaks to someone of a different race, with each person giving him advice that would be cliché of each race, e,g, an Asian Buddhist advising him to meditate. The last verse where he talks to the white man is where we get the most potency in terms of social commentary and industry analysis. It is essentially Kendrick pointing out the way artists like him can get abused and taken advantage of by labels (or the white man) where they can profiteer from his talent in quite a cunning and sinister way. Kendrick taps into jazz and funk on untitled unmastered, for example untitled 05 is dominated by the live-sounding percussion, the loose brass and wind instruments, and the bassline which all made for a chaotic musical experience. CeeLo Green appears on untitled 06 dropping a timeless and essential feature on another modern jazz fusion that would have people going nuts as a Tiny Desk performance (compliment). The ominous trap banger untitled 07 (levitate) follows and then the funky fan favourite untitled 08 brings us home with probably the catchiest tune on the project. On untitled unmastered, despite this essentially being a compilation of demos, we get Kendrick sharp as ever with his social commentary and lyrical focus, dozens of flows and pockets that he picks up and abuses, awesome beats that are full of texture and colour, and overall a fire record, which in the end just makes you wonder why so much of this didn't land on the 3 projects around this time.
Star Track - untitled 08
ScHoolboy Q - Blank Face LP
This entry here to this list is my favourite album of 2016. I don't think anything can deal with this underrated skip-less classic. Blank Face LP has great track diversity from big trap bangers like THat Part to laid back tunes like Overtime. Q's flow and voice are at peak on this album, even better than the heights on his project previous to Oxymoron (2014). The way he rides the bouncy beat on Big Body and his catchy cadence at the end of the hook on By Any Means spring to mind straight away. Q finds a cool blend of preserving the spirit of west coast gangster rap with a contemporary quirkiness that really timestamps it at 2016. Of course features from Swizz Beats, Kanye West, and Anderson Paak help with that as well, but if that jazz-infused instrumental and vocal edited hook (TDE style) on Black THougHts doesn't make you feel like a long summer evening in your formative years then I don't know what will. We was still just listening to stuff back then, trying different rappers and seeing what we liked, everything was new and unheard for me. It's no exaggeration to say this might be my favourite TDE album ever, knowing the competition, that feels crazy to write. I reviewed this album back in 2020 just after I heard it for the first time, it's weird to read that knowing how long I have been listening to it, and that original review is closer in time to when the album came out compared to right now. My positive opinions have clearly become stronger over the last 6 years, but back then I was just listening to stuff, I just didn't really know what.
Star Track - By Any Means
Isaiah Rashad - The Sun's Tirade
2 years after his super innovative, woozy and exciting EP Cilvia Demo (2014), Isaiah Rashad was really able to capitalise and produce another superb body of music, which surprisingly given how certified he was, was actually his debut album, titled The Sun's Tirade. Riding the successful TDE wave (I mean look at this list), The Sun's Tirade was an alternative, melodic entry to the labels catalogue, with chilled, drugged out beats, and a host of label-mate features. It's hard to say if this was the commercial peak for Zay, which is credit to the variance and popularity of his more recent albums, but with big tracks such as 4r Da Squaw and Wat's Wrong featuring a prime K Dot, it's not too difficult to see why some people would measure 2016 as the high water mark of Zay's commercial impact. But often enough with Hip Hop that finds itself left of centre, it feels special listening to something that maybe isn't dominating mainstream conversations and radio play, instead you can listen to tracks like rosegold and Don't Matter and just gleefully wonder why it isn't more popular. I think you might be hard pressed to find a better "vibe setter" as Isaiah Rashad, his jazz-infused instrumentals lay the base for ambitious performances on the microphone whether he's trying to outrap Kendrick Lamar or include catchy earworms on Stuck in the Mud with Sza. He brings enough energy to keep the record engaging by proudly wearing his southern influences on his sleeve, for example Find a Topic with those bouncy trap drums. Zay's music always just hits different, he barely misses to this day, and this album is an example of that, that ability to bring the best out of a beat, choose the perfect features, and create something that sounds so different to its competition at the time.
Star Track - Wat's Wrong
Mac Miller - The Divine Feminine
Divine Feminine sees Mac dabble into a softer sound with soulful and jazzy instrumentals and a focus on singing with much of the songs being melodic and chilled. We know Mac is one for experimenting and trying new sounds, and whilst he still raps loads on this project, but The Divine Feminine undoubtedly sticks out in his discography. It has plenty of gorgeous performances, including from the features too, namely Kendrick Lamar, NJOMZA and Anderson. Paak, tons of sincerity and appreciation for the sub-genres he's moving in to, and some really dope hooks to tie it all together - the hook on God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty particularly stands out. As I re-listen to this and can easily identify a Divine Feminine song, I realise that we get a lot of classic Mac on here. His flows are still snappy, he still raps with a tongue-in-cheek cheekiness, he still has a witty stoner vibe with an ear for wordplay, and finally, there's a lot of care and grace put into the songs to make them as sick as possible. The beats alone are beautifully textured and layered, like on We with those soothing backing vocals and the plucky guitar riff, or the funky bassline on Dang!, and lastly the epic and emotional beat on Cinderella that sounds grand and momentous. Overall, it was awesome to hear Mac pushing himself and once more stretching creative boundaries for Hip Hop. At 10 tracks it's pretty consistent in its quality and for me it sits in the top half of his very competitive and impressive discography.
Star Track - Planet God Damn
A Tribe Called Quest - We Got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service
Coming out 18 years after the prior album and being the only album to be released posthumously following Phife Dawgs untimely death earlier in the year, of course, this makes for sombre and bitter context to the listen, however, we also undoubtedly feel a sweet nostalgia and pure appreciation for the group and their music. Tribe do really well on We Got it from Here with bridging the classic Tribe sound with something that sounds fit for consumption in the 2010's. Whether that's features ranging from Consequence and Busta Rhymes to Kendrick Lamar and Anderson Paak, or the traditional jazzy, boom-bap production to the creative sample choices that feel daring and unique. Just a word on the features, these suit Tribe so much that had Kendrick and Anderson been around in the 90's you can imagine they would have collaborated on those initial 5 Tribe projects - it was absolutely obvious and destined for them to be on the 2016 record. The feature verses and the bars from Q-Tip and Phife Dawg are packed out with slick flows such as on Solid Wall of Sound, Consequence sounds dope and truly 'at home' on Whateva Will Be and Mobius, meanwhile Andre 3000 and Kendrick bring a relentless energy on their respective performances. As well as the bars, the production never misses either, the cream of the crop for beats probably would be The Space Program, Dis Generation (great ska/reggae sample too), Kids, and Mobius. Enough!! and The Donald. Overall this album is great and a perfect way to finish their discography, it's classy, honours the 90's albums, looks to the present and future, and taps into all the things that make Tribe one of the greatest Hip Hop groups of all time.
Star Track - Conrad Tokyo
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