I work to avoid these type of lists, yet I’m going to do one anyway.

 

 

Why? To hell with it, that’s why. I need to show that, sometimes, I can make a list and stick with it. Also, I wanted to be like the rest of the cool kids (for once). Seriously, though, I wanted to shine light on those albums that are just immaculate enough to be on my list. At the end of the year, though? I would have to have a top 10, 15, or 20 with honorable mentions.

 

Let’s get started, shall we?

5.) Ab-Soul: #ControlSystem

The mascot of the Black Hippy crew stepped up his “A” game and completed an album that matched his mystique and uniqueness. Multilayered, unrefined, and purely honest, listeners got to see within this man’s mind AND soul. Part revolutionary, part inebriated genius, Ab-Soul can cover the gamut of subject areas and emotions. Plus, how many artists can honestly question if God likes them?

 

4.) Lushlife: Plateau Vision

This album is the other big surprise for me. I never heard of Lushlife before the rave reviews of Plateau Vision. I just recently listened to it. But once I heard it, I had to add it. Instantly gratifying in its quality, instrumentation and rhyme schemes, the album never lets up. His flow and concepts delve between abstract to straight boom bap. Whatever approach he takes, he excels. You can’t ask for more than that.

 

3.) Big K.R.I.T.: Live From The Underground

Live From The Underground is country rap tunes at its finest for 2012. Between songs to ride the streets to, throw singles in a strip club to, and songs with social relevance comes a soul of a southern gentleman. Plus, he produces his own music and used very few samples on this album. You can’t fault a man that found the time to get B.B. King on a track. Return of 4eva, indeed.

 

2.) Killer Mike: R.A.P. Music

Many want to call him the southern Ice Cube. I just call him Killer Mike. Your favorite rapper’s favorite southern rapper (seriously) came with a complete project fully produced by El-P. As usual, Killa Kill From Da ‘Ville came with the socially adept lyrics with urban jargon sprinkled in for accessibility. This album just proves the fact that Killer Mike is criminally slept on. Then again, if he had the fanbase, this music scene would look a little different. He’s anti industry and anti-Ronald Regan. In short, he’s a problem most don’t want.

 

1.) El-P: Cancer 4 Cure

Never mind that he hadn’t dropped any music over the past half-decade. Never mind he fully produced Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music (which is at number 2). What must be understood is this: he came back like he never left. With rhymes that wavered between self-gratifying to self-loathing, many are not equipped enough to match wit and lyrical mechanics with El-P. Plus, a fully self-produced album full of rap features that span 2 songs, this album stays in El-P’s realm. The production stayed melodic, aggressive, and experimental. Call it the perfect accompaniment to Blade Runner. I call it the best album of 2012 thus far.