By Sam Saslow
2019 was not a great year for rap music. After following an impressive 2018, which included albums like Die Lit by Playboi Carti and Scorpion by Drake, it was hard for 2019 to compete. But here are my opinions on the top 5 rap albums of 2019.
- The Life of Pi’erre 4 by Pi’erre Bourne
Pi’erre Bourne’s debut album, The Life of Pi’erre 4, shows that Pi’erre can do more than just produce. Pi’erre originally put his music on SoundCloud, which led to deals with other major platforms such as Spotify, getting him a significant amount of streams. His hits included Yo Pi’erre with Playboi Carti and Hacked My Instagram, which was featured in NBA 2k19’s soundtrack. Although the album follows a series of mixtapes Pi’erre previously put out, the album is clearly his best. Pi’erre didn’t use any features which elevated the flow and melody of the album. My favorite parts, which his fans generally agree with, were the transitions between songs. To hear a great example, check out the transition from Poof into Try Again.
- So Much Fun (Deluxe) by Young Thug
After releasing Slime Language in 2018, which left many fans disappointed, Thug came back with a highly respectable album. So Much Fun has great songs and hits like Hot (ft. Gunna), which has 128 million streams on Spotify, Surf, Jumped Out The Window, and I’m Scared. The deluxe version features even more gems including a Hot remix with Travis Scott. Diamonds (ft. Gunna) is definitely the best song on the album. You can hear Young Thug repeating “diamonds” over and over, so that it sounds like part of the beat.
- Nothing Great About Britain by Slowthai
Slowthai is a British rapper whose debut album, Nothing Great About Britain, shows his enormous potential. Big names in British rap, such as Skepta and Jaykae, appear on the album which tells the story of Slowthai’s childhood in Northampton, England. The album is filled with hype and upbeat songs such as T N Biscuits and Drug Dealer. Slowthai, who is already big in the UK, will surely get more shine in America after Nothing Great About Britain.
- Friend or Foux by Lancey Foux
Another British rapper making my top 5 for 2019 is Lancey Foux, who picked up steam after his song No Intro was featured on Ian Connor’s Instagram. Lancey Foux sounds like a British Playboi Carti on the song Say Nun, Aint Nun, produced by Vlone Lou. A few tracks you should check out are Ghetto You, Whole Other Wave and India.
- Zuu by Denzel Curry
Denzel Curry’s Zuu starts and finishes strong. Denzel’s deep voice tells the story of his childhood in Miami and current family life. Although this album only has 12 tracks and didn’t get a ton of streams, it’s a solid follow up to Taboo, which was a fan favorite.
Honorable Mention: Freewave 3 by Lucki
This was one of the best underground albums of 2019 and a good indicator of the work Lucki puts into his music. I look forward to seeing what he produces in the future.