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Acke and Tolle review the ten best albums of 2016

Brantley Acke & Makenzie Tolle

2016 is a good time to be a hip-hop artist. Hip-hop music speaks mainly to the youth and the artists help shape their views towards the future. With the Grammys coming up, we thought it was a good idea to make our own top ten list for hip-hop albums.

  1. untitled unmastered. by Kendrick Lamar

“untitled unmastered.” is the fourth album by Kendrick and is certainly debatable on whether or not it should make this list. He uses a series of slow melodies to help set the slow, laid back mood throughout the album. With fan favorite, untitled 02 | 06.23.2014., this album is a perfect choice when one is trying to wind down and relax.

  1. We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service by A Tribe Called Quest

The farewell album of the legendary hip-hop group lived up to its standards. With features from today’s hip-hop icons, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, this album really speaks to today’s audience while still connecting to the group’s original roots. This is a perfect way to end a highly decorated hip-hop career, and A Tribe Called Quest will surely be missed.

  1. DC4 by Meek Mill

From diss tracks to hiding in the shadow of his girlfriend, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill really outdid himself with this tremendous album. This upbeat album is a perfect way to get ready for a big game or to get one’s self ready to do anything. With features from his girlfriend, Nicki Minaj, and up and coming artists, like Lil Uzi Vert and 21 Savage, Meek Mill does a outstanding job of saying what rap music is today.

  1. Everybody Looking by Gucci Mane

“1st Day Out Tha Feds” is not just a track off Gucci’s first album since being released from prison. Gucci went immediately to the studio to finish working on this album and he did not disappoint his fan base. With the release of Everybody Looking coming within a few weeks of his prison release, it was a surprise to many that this album was so well put together, but of course not to Gucci himself.

  1. Starboy by The Weeknd

One of the most anticipated albums of the year was the perfect addition to this year of music. Many people believe this album should be in the conversation for album of the year, but I would have to disagree with them to a certain degree. Starboy is a terrific album, don’t get me wrong, but there was just so much competition this year that it had to be this low on the list.

  1. The Life of Pablo by Kanye West

While Kanye is still recovering from his mental breakdown, this album is still a perfect example of Kanye’s presence and style of music. Being nominated for rap album of the year is certainly not enough for Kanye and he has a good chance at taking home the award at this upcoming Grammys even with the stiff competition. Along with Best Rap Album nomination, this album featured “Famous”, which was nominated for rap song of the year and for best rap/sung performance, and “Ultralight Beam”, which was also nominated for Best Rap Song.

  1. Free 6lack by 6lack

Before you get angry that an artist that you probably have never heard of is ahead of Kanye and The Weeknd on this list, hear me out. 6lack’s debut album is certainly worth listening to and he could very well be the next big thing in the hip-hop industry. His slow, soulful style brings people down to earth and the messages in his songs are relatable to most people. Growing up in the streets of Atlanta helped him to become the artist he is today and he wants to get his strong message across to the youth of America.

  1. Views by Drake

It seems like every year Drake is being nominated for album of the year, and this year is no different. “Views” is a huge success in terms of Grammy nominations, with nominations for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, and the smash hit, “Hotline Bling” is also nominated for Best Rap Song. This is the perfect example of the popularity of Drake and his hard work is surely being recognized and should be for years to come.

  1. Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight by Travis Scott

With one of the biggest Grammy snubs in recent memory, Travis Scott follows up terrifically from his previous fan-favorite album, “Rodeo”, with this album. I find it mind boggling that this album was not nominated for a single award at this upcoming Grammys, and so was Scott. Scott expressed his feelings by saying, “I’m so hurt,” and frankly I would be too. One would think that an album that is number one on the Billboard 200 chart would be at least nominated for some kind of Grammy. It fathoms me that an album with such high praise from the fans would not be nominated for a Grammy.

  1. Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

This has certainly been a huge year for the newly popular rapper. Not only is Chance being nominated for Best New Artist, his album “Coloring Book” is being nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, “No Problem”, and Best Rap album overall. This is certainly well deserved as Chance works really hard to connect with his fan base. His light message and relationship with God is a breath of fresh air in relation to the rappers of today. In my mind, without a doubt, “Coloring Book” should win Best Rap Album and, in my opinion, should have been nominated for Album of the Year as well. Nevertheless, these nominations are well deserved for a rap album that will be remembered for a very long time.