Was this the best year of music since I was born in 2001? It quite possibly was. This year we saw releases from the biggest artists in the world, like the return of Kendrick Lamar and SZA, two very different-styled albums by Drake, and the ascension of a future mega star in hip-hop in J.I.D. Let me tell you; this list was not easy to make. A lot of mental debates and coffee went into crafting a solidified top ten, but without further ado, my favorite albums of 2022.
Honorable Mentions
As I said above, this year’s drops made it extremely difficult to make a top-ten list. These five albums, at any point, could have been in my top ten. Of course, there are even many more I could have added, but then this article would become too long and get boring, so check these projects out if you get the chance!
Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights
Vince Staples – RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART
Conway the Machine – God Doesn’t Make Mistake
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers
Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss
Adam’s Top 10
10. Freddie Gibbs – Soul Sold Separately
Coming in at ten, we have Kane Train, Freddie Corleone, Big Rabbit, Gangster Gibbs, or whatever you would like to refer to Freddie Gibbs as. This was one of my most anticipated albums of the year, as Freddie has slowly become one of my favorite artists ever. His major label debut did not disappoint. The singles for this album were terrific. “Dark Hearted,” produced by James Blake, is exactly how the song title describes it, dark. “Too Much” was a very pleasant surprise as I have never really been into Moneybagg Yo, but whenever I hear this song, I can’t help but yell the line “(Brrrrr) you feel me?” This album only had a few misses for me, but tracks like “Blackest in the Room,” “Lobster Omelette” with Rick Ross, and “CIA” kept this album in heavy rotation. The features all deliver extremely well, and honestly, Freddie, Pusha T, and Anderson .Paak should make a whole album together and make my dreams come true.
9. Action Bronson – Cocodrillo Turbo
Action Bronson is an acquired taste. I am happy to report that I am one of those people who absolutely love him. I can’t get enough of his writing style. I always love an artist who can display their entire personality in an album, as Action always comes in with the most unique food, sports, and wrestling references. The production on this project is also top tier, with producers like Daringer, The Alchemist, Roc Marciano, and even Action showing off their best skills. This project literally feels like you are riding on an airboat in a swamp. Standouts for me on this were “SubZero,” “Jaguar,” and “Zambezi.”
8. Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls
This project was my best find of 2022. I was watching a Smino interview, and he said it was one of his favorites of the year. So, I did what any rational person would do and followed exactly what Smino said. To say I was blown away would be an understatement. This album sounds like it was lifted straight out of the 70s. The lead vocalist has such a beautiful soulful voice, and the instrumentation will just take your breath away. I’m not ashamed to say I shed a few tears to this album. “Easier Said Than Done” was one of my favorite tracks from the year, and it is one of those songs that has the potential to be one of my favorites ever. It ages like fine wine. Other standouts on this tape were “Can I Call You Rose,” “Overflowing,” and “Future Lover.”
7. Ari Lennox – age/sex/location
The queen of Dreamville returned, and boy, did she deliver. Her vocal range is unmatched on this project, and the neo-soul elements throughout will remind you of a classic Erykah Badu album. Right from the start, “POF” brings you in with a soft piano that makes it sound like you are hearing her perform in a dark jazz bar, and then she brings in her excellent storytelling. The bass line on “Hoodie” is addicting. I love the upbeat “Pressure” and how Ari interacts with the sample on the chorus. Ari and Lucky Daye’s chemistry on “Boy Bye” feel like we are snooping in on a couple’s argument. This whole album was a standout.
6. Dreamville – D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Tape
Dreamville really knows what they’re doing over there with these collaboration albums. Dreamville is my favorite record label due to the talent on their roster, but also for doing fun surprise album drops like this. When you click play on this project and hear DJ Drama’s voice on “Stick,” you know you are about to be hit with a wave of energy. The chemistry the Dreamville roster share with one another feels like a real family, and the guests they bring along the way, like A$AP Ferg, 2 Chainz, and Kenny Mason, feel like their long-lost cousins. This album feels like a classic Gangsta Grillz mixtape. Lute, Cozz, and Omen tear it up on “Starting 5.” J.I.D absolutely kills “Barry From Simpson,” a reference to J.I.D’s manager Barry Hefner. Bas can always be counted on to make a banger, and he does it here with “Lifestyle.” This album was terrific all around, and the way it was released just added to the energy that can be felt across the whole thing.
5. Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland
Brent has to be the most toxic man with the softest singing voice ever. I’ve been waiting for this one ever since “Gravity” with Tyler, the Creator dropped in 2021, and it did not disappoint. The production sounds mysterious like it was taken straight out of a Jordan Peele horror film. Some of the skits are so realistic you really feel like you are with Brent as he navigates the issues with his pregnant baby mother. I have to say, I was not a massive fan of “Wasting Time” featuring Drake when it was first released, but it fits perfectly in the context of the album. The choruses on “Jackie Brown,” “Price Of Fame,” and “Addictions” run through my head 24/7. Listen to “Rolling Stone” in your car for a nice night drive for the perfect vibe. This album was just terrific and a huge win for the independent artist community as it went number one.
4. Westside Boogie – MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES
I’ve always liked Westside Boogie, but now I love Westside Boogie. From the second I heard the choir join him on the chorus of “Killa Mode,” I knew I was in for something special. When I got to the chorus of “Nonchalant,” I knew I was listening to one of the best albums of the entire year. Boogie is so vulnerable and honest in his lyrics as he speaks about the need for more discussion around mental health in the black community. This album has beautiful love songs like “LOLSMH II,” “Prideful,” and “Can’t Get Over You,” while also having absolute bangers with “Stuck,” “Can’t Even Lie,” and “Aight.” I really did not expect to love a Soulja Boy feature in the year 2022, but hey, I was open to it. I can’t wait to see what Boogie does next because this album blew me away.
3. Smino – Luv 4 Rent
Smino was my most listened-to artist of 2022. To say that I was eagerly anticipating this album was an understatement. I was a few minutes away from creating a Smino shrine to pray to it in my living room for the album to drop. This album absolutely delivered. It was so good that Smino could leave off 2021’s “I Deserve” and “Rice & Gravy,” two incredible songs that I thought would be singles. Instead, Smino dropped a single with J. Cole called “90 Proof,” which was a dream come true, and “Matinee,” which ended up in my top five songs of 2022. This album was so unique, just as Smino tends to be on any song he hops on. The beats are bouncy and spacey, the vocal arrangements are crazy, and Smi is at the top of his pen game. Other highlights on the album besides the songs mentioned above are “No L’s,” “Ole Ass Kendrick,” and the closing track “Lee and Lovie.”
2. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
From the minute this project dropped, Push declared it the rap album of the year. And why wouldn’t he? This project was terrific from the Martin Scorsese of coke-rap. It was so good I had to see it performed live twice this year. With the production split between Pharrell Williams and Kanye West, there was really no way this album could disappoint. Push is back with the same subject matter we can always expect from a Push project, but the flows and styles vary. You have a classic aggressive Push over a soul-sampled Kanye beat with “Dreamin of the Past.” Then you have the menacing and laid-back “Call My Bluff.” This album has every style of Push you could ever wish for. Features like Lil Uzi Vert and Don Toliver surprisingly work brilliantly on “Scrape It Off The Top,” which sounds like a radio hit. Labrinth sounds so beautifully menacing on “I Pray For You,” which also acts as a Clipse reunion. This project delivered exactly what I was expecting in the best way possible.
1. J.I.D – The Forever Story
I have been rewatching J.I.D’s live virtual show at Vanderbilt University and his performance for Vans praying for new music for years. I knew the words to “Raydar,” “Crack Sandwich,” and “Just In Time” long before this album came out. That being said, would the album live up to these incredible snippets? In short, obviously. On any track, J.I.D can drop the verse of the year. I am enamored with his writing style. I also always knew he was a good singer, but now he is a great singer. The storytelling on this album is so intricate, yet J.I.D never uses that as an excuse not to include his witty punchlines and quick tone changes. The features all kill it too. I’ve never been a huge Lil Durk fan, but “Bruddanem” is in my top three favorite tracks on the album. Mos Def shines on the track “Stars,” and it is just so cool that he appears on the same album that samples his track “Mr. Fat Booty” with J.I.D and 21 Savage’s “Surround Sound.” You know this album is great because if you ask five people their top three songs, you may get no overlap. Any choice is an understandable choice. J.I.D absolutely delivered after his hiatus, and I pray we never wait this long again.
