Classic Rap Albums from 2015-2019: What does the Coli think? (Courtesy of NFR Podcast)

[iliketurtles]

Kbot fans irl

 

[tehparadox]

I don’t listen to Tyler The Creator so i’ll bow out of any conversation regarding his music

But Kanye hasn’t had a classic album since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Life of Pablo was very good but not enough so for a classic when it comes to the music and it really wasn’t all that impactful so you can’t use that argument for it. Kids See Ghost was good too and probably the last above average Kanye album but no dice on it being classic.

Kendrick Lamar has the best argument amongst any rap artist in the past decade for not one but TWO classic albums (possibly three with GNX) To Pimp A Butterfly and Damn both met with extraordinary critical acclaim and the commercial performance to back it up. Both were extremely impactful. Both still get spins to this day judging by their continued charting success. With Kendrick, whether you love him or hate him, its inarguable He’s got at least three universally recognized albums, the first to accomplish such a feat since early Kanye, and he didn’t need a team of Ghostwriters to get him over the hump the way Kanye did.


J.Cole has one recognized classic and thats Forest Hills Drive, and i’d hesitate to call it a “universally” recognized classic but amongst Hip Hop heads its solidified. I personally LOVE 4 Your Eyez Only and would argue its a classic but it seems like the response to that album has been polarizing over time. Those who fukk with it like me REALLY fukk with it and those that hate it say its his worse album, which is insane to me but it is what it is.

Jay-Z’s 4:44 is a great album but its a fukking carbon copy of Nas’s Life Is Good. All the way down to the theme of the album that nikka bit Nas something crazy. But whatever, Jay-Z actually rapping like he cares instead of just going through the motions like he did on that bullshyt Manga Carta album. Production was fire and he managed to prove to the mainstream that vulnerable, autobiographical bars from 50 year old rappers could indeed be impactful. I think its aged really well and lives in the “arguable” classic space.

Drake has one classic and one classic ONLY. So Far Gone. The rest of his discography ranges from great (Take Care. Nothing Was The Same) to mid (More Life) to absolute garbage (Views) but classic? CLASSIC?!?! Hell no. And he should ashamed of the fact he can employ the best writers, producers and steal other artist’s songs with impunity and STILL can’t craft a universally recognized classic with all of those resources at his disposal.

Nice post, well constructed
You should give Tyler a listen, he kinda reminds me of a more aggressive and colorful version of young Kanye.

Also, 4:44 > lig

 

[SilverSamurai]

Pull off the Drake and Kanye albums

Add in Tribes album, Tana Talk 3, and Flygod

Everything else I'm on. This list could have been A LOT worse

 

[spliz]

Mainstream cookie cutter ass list. I feel sorry for u nikkas. Half them albums ain’t no damn classic in any sense.
2015 is missing Tetsuo and Youth imo. Also Barter 6 is highly regarded. 56 Nights def classic.
2016 We Got It From Here and Flygod are missing if the ones listed are there.
2017 is missing Future.
2018 is missing Victory Lap, RR2, Behold a Dark Horse, Tana Talk 3, Supreme Blientele, Fetti, and imma unwillingly give it to Cardi as well. Oh yea and Playboi Carti dropped Die Lit which is classic mumble rap. lol.

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

2015

Future - Dirty Sprite 2
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
Drake - If You're Reading This Than It's Too Late

2016


2017
Tyler, the Creator - Flowerboy


2018
Pusha T - Daytona

2019
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana


Do you agree?
What would you remove?
What would you add?

This is about it and a couple of these are pushing the limits of the term "classic"

 

[Peak]

2015
Future - Dirty Sprite 2
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
Drake - If You're Reading This Than It's Too Late

2016


2017


2018
Travis Scott - Astroworld


2019
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana

 

[Revolutionary]

only going by consensus and what is certified

2015
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly


2017
Kendrick Lamar - DAMN


2018
Kanye West & Kid Cudi - Kids See Ghosts

 

[Overpss]

The only albums (in hip hop) that met every criteria from 2015 to 2019 are:

TPAB
DAMN
Prima Donna

Possibily 4:44

 

[tehparadox]

kendrick really dropped the highest rated rap album of all time in 2015, and followed with the 2nd highest rated rap album of all time in 2017.

What an absolute demon

 

[Not Crodie]

I don’t listen to Tyler The Creator so i’ll bow out of any conversation regarding his music

But Kanye hasn’t had a classic album since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Life of Pablo was very good but not enough so for a classic when it comes to the music and it really wasn’t all that impactful so you can’t use that argument for it. Kids See Ghost was good too and probably the last above average Kanye album but no dice on it being classic.

Kendrick Lamar has the best argument amongst any rap artist in the past decade for not one but TWO classic albums (possibly three with GNX) To Pimp A Butterfly and Damn both met with extraordinary critical acclaim and the commercial performance to back it up. Both were extremely impactful. Both still get spins to this day judging by their continued charting success. With Kendrick, whether you love him or hate him, its inarguable He’s got at least three universally recognized albums, the first to accomplish such a feat since early Kanye, and he didn’t need a team of Ghostwriters to get him over the hump the way Kanye did.


J.Cole has one recognized classic and thats Forest Hills Drive, and i’d hesitate to call it a “universally” recognized classic but amongst Hip Hop heads its solidified. I personally LOVE 4 Your Eyez Only and would argue its a classic but it seems like the response to that album has been polarizing over time. Those who fukk with it like me REALLY fukk with it and those that hate it say its his worse album, which is insane to me but it is what it is.

Jay-Z’s 4:44 is a great album but its a fukking carbon copy of Nas’s Life Is Good. All the way down to the theme of the album that nikka bit Nas something crazy. But whatever, it’s Jay-Z actually rapping like he cares instead of just going through the motions like he did on that bullshyt Manga Carta album. Production was fire and he managed to prove to the mainstream that vulnerable, autobiographical bars from 50 year old rappers could indeed be impactful. I think its aged really well and lives in the “arguable” classic space.

Drake has one classic and one classic ONLY. So Far Gone. The rest of his discography ranges from great (Take Care. Nothing Was The Same) to mid (More Life) to absolute garbage (Views) but classic? CLASSIC?!?! Hell no. And he should be ashamed of the fact he can employ the best writers, producers and steal other artist’s songs with impunity and STILL can’t craft a universally recognized classic with all of those resources at his disposal.

I'll tell my kids about this kendrick's run

 

[Pure Water]

Just judging the list provided.

2015
Travis Scott - Rodeo - Yes
Future - Dirty Sprite 2 - Yes
Drake & Future - What A Time To Be Alive -No (Fun album though)
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly - Yes
Drake - If You're Reading This Than It's Too Late - Yes

2016
Kanye West - The Life of Pablo - No
Drake - Views - No (Decent album though)
J Cole - For Your Eyes Only - No (Decent album though)

2017
Kendrick Lamar - DAMN -Yes
Migos - Culture - Yes
Tyler, the Creator - Flowerboy -Yes
Jay Z - 4:44 - IDK (Great album though)

2018
Travis Scott - Astroworld - Maybe
Kanye West & Kid Cudi - Kids See Ghosts - Didn't Listen
Pusha T - Daytona - No (Great album though)
Mac Miller - Swimming - Didn't Listen

2019
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana - No
Tyler, the Creator - Egor - No (Great album though)

 

[Baka's Weird Case]

It’s not the 90s anymore, most years dont have multiple classics dropping

 

[VegetasHairline]

Jay Rock - Redemption will always be a personal classic!

 

[Conan]

Jay-Z’s 4:44 is a great album but its a fukking carbon copy of Nas’s Life Is Good. All the way down to the theme of the album that nikka bit Nas something crazy. But whatever, it’s Jay-Z actually rapping like he cares instead of just going through the motions like he did on that bullshyt Manga Carta album. Production was fire and he managed to prove to the mainstream that vulnerable, autobiographical bars from 50 year old rappers could indeed be impactful. I think its aged really well and lives in the “arguable” classic space.

Drake has one classic and one classic ONLY. So Far Gone. The rest of his discography ranges from great (Take Care. Nothing Was The Same) to mid (More Life) to absolute garbage (Views) but classic? CLASSIC?!?! Hell no. And he should be ashamed of the fact he can employ the best writers, producers and steal other artist’s songs with impunity and STILL can’t craft a universally recognized classic with all of those resources at his disposal.

Man no one was thinking about Life Is Good when listening to 4:44. Most people saw it as a sequel to Beyonce's Lemonade

It's not even a classic IMO, and he's not the first artist to take a stab at the grown man rap album (shoutout to Phonte, Black Thought, and others) but biting Nas is a huge stretch

Views isn't a classic IMO but consensus view is that it's a quality release and it still holds up. IYRTITL is also a classic.

In short, you need to let the Jay-Z/Drake hate go